Circus Animals in the City . . .

As a Boston local who blogs about design, last night I was invited to a bloggers-only gathering at Designers Circus in Boston. Event organizer, Lisa Strawbridge encouraged me to pull together an outfit of my choosing to create a display. I eagerly agreed to play the game. When I saw something with an animal print design I decided to assemble an entire look using only items that had animal patterns. The challenge was to mix the species and somehow make it all work. I pulled a scarf with a snake-skin pattern and combined it with some tiger and leopard prints and finished it off with a zebra jacket. I kept laughing at myself assuming that this would be "overkill." But then I told myself "They're all creatures who cohabit one jungle, why not?"

Animal prints have been magnets for me for decades. I don't fully understand why I like them so much. They combine randomness with order and they fuel my wild side at the same time. Since most of the time the colors come from nature's palette they are often muted, too. I decided to do a bit of research about it but realized such a tome would take up enough space for a PhD thesis. Here are some more images from the Designers Circus arrangement I made as well as a link to some additional animal print trend notes from the February 9, 2011 blog posting by Fashionbrilliant.com with their headline: Animal print—fashion trend that has crossed decades.
An upclose shot below shows some accessories that can complete the outfit. Confession: I bought one of those leopard patterned skirts. Couldn't resist. And it's too tight around the waist, but I love it so much I think my desire to prowl around in it is going to motivate me to stick those earbuds in my ears, turn up the music and get my body out into the urban jungle air walking again.

This image and the one below it were on the blog: Fashionbrilliant.com. You can read the article: Animal Print—Fashion Trend that has Crossed Decades if you go to their link

"Under-the-Radar Clothing Event" . . . Designers Circus in Allston

President and Ringmaster of the Designers Circus in Allston, Kathleen O'Neill—long time fashion designer—decided to bring her stash of designer contacts together under one roof. Rather than following the normal retail model, Designers Circus offers only what it calls selected "shopping days" on Saturdays and Wednesdays. In the case of this Spring 2012, there are only 7 days and four of them have already passed! March 31, April 4, and April 7 are still remaining. But then their Mother's Day Sale starts up again on April 25. You'll have to check their website for other sale dates.

The Circus offers Contemporary Boutique Women's Clothing in sizes 2-18 at 50-80% off retail prices. Kathleen writes that her Designers Circus is an under-the-radar clothing event, a sample sale, a warehouse sale, a pop up store, and an experience in "social shopping" all in one. The fitting room is just that, one room. Women try on things in the one large room very much ala Filene's Basement or Loehman's, but the similarities to those other places end there. Kathleen fills her racks with one-of-a-kind treasures you won't find in a standard department store.

 Much of the dramatic costume jewelry (Kathleen is wearing one of the pieces) you'll find at the Designers Circus are made by local artists. One jeweler, Louise Loewenstein of Zip Bling Jewelry, uses zipper parts to create dazzling chokers. If you look closely at the necklace below you'll begin to recognize the common shape of the bottom part of a zipper.

 Being of lean pocket book these days, I was happy to find a $10 rack as well as many items that had been deeply reduced. Here is a detail from an Guatemalan jacket with bone button I purchased tonight for under $50. It's perfect for adding some spring colors to my wardrobe while the air is still cool.

If you like the unusual, the flowing, the colorful, and the sleek, you'll find it all at the Designers Circus at One Braintree Street, Allston MA, or if you're closer to Maine, you can take advantage of the Portland Event Sale Days of Designers Circus at 58 Fore Street, Portland ME.