"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.