Knimble Clothing and Knick Knack

Hello Ladies!
The last store I visited today was called Knimble Clothing and Knick Knack. This is the first time I've ever visited this store and I was quite impressed. It sells resale clothing and miscellaneous other things.

Credit: Knimble Clothing's Flickr page

When I first walked inside I was surprised about its size; it's huge! The store is organized by size, color and style. The selection of shirts is really large. The wall is practically painted with shirts; short sleeves on top and long sleeves on the bottom. I wish I could have spent more time in the store but my allergies started acting up. I did however, have time to go through all the short sleeve shirts. The selection is amazing. There seems to be every style of shirt you can think of. I was really impressed. I tried on a cute red and yellow top but it didn't quite work. The prices at this store are really great, you can guarantee a deal here. The store works really hard to keep it's seasonal styles up-to-date so you can expect to find your spring items here.

The store was super big so I didn't get the chance to really interact with any of the employees. When I tried on the shirt, I did briefly speak with the dressing room attendant. I couldn't form a good opinion from that though. Since the store is so big, it can be a little over whelming but if you keep your priorities straight you'll get through just fine.

If you want to visit:
Knimble Clothing and Knick Knack
851 4th Street   
San Rafael, CA

Happy Shopping,
KC

Aubergine Vintage Retro Chic Boutique

Hey guys,
One of the final stores I visited on my shopping journey on Fourth Street was a vintage store called Aubergine Vintage Retro Chic Boutique. This store sells you all your vintage, retro clothing needs. The store is very theatrical in its clothing merchandise.

Credit: Maryam T. via Yelp

This store isn't for the average clothing shopper. This store really adds an authentic twist to your style. With the vintage, retro dress trend this shop really delivers. The first thing I noticed when I walked in to the shop is that is smelled like old, vintage clothing which I personally liked. It made the whole shopping experience more authentic. The store was full to the brim with stuff; it literally sold everything from every era (well almost). Speaking in terms of spring 2013's fashion, this store isn't for that exactly. Since the items are vintage and follow a different era, you would have to add  your own modern twist to make it "hit the mark". But then again, who said you had to follow the style? In their little back room, they have a good selection of bustiers (I keep finding these, everywhere :P) but their a bit too sexy for my taste. The prices are pretty good if you ask me, $20 to $30 (or so) for a dress right out of the 50's (or whatever era you so choose). Obviously, the older the item, the more expensive it'll be.

If you really want to add the "you factor" to your outfits, this store is filled with unique accessories from hats to jewelry to scarfs to belts. Each item has a vintage feel that will be sure to make your outfits awesome. This store is definitely worth a visit even if you don't know what you're looking for.

The service at this store was nice. The woman at the cashier was adorable (she looked like she was pulled out of the 50's) and super nice. She asked me if I was looking for anything in specific and offered her help if I needed it. The store its self was super crowded  with clothes, it was organized though. Last time I visited this store (end of 2012), it had less merchandise but even with the vast amount of clothes it's still organized. It's easy to navigate and locate what you're looking for as it's organized by color and type of item. The store only has 1 dressing room but it seems to work for the store.

If you want to visit:
Aubergine Vintage Retro Chic Boutique
1344 4th Street
San Rafael, CA

Have a lovely Spring Break,
KC

Bella

Hi girlies!
So I stepped into this cute little boutique called Bella on 4th Street. It's a small shop that sells trendy women's wear. And, by the looks of my trip, is very popular.

Credit: Bella FB page

The first thing that caught my eye was this ruby, red, short prom dress. It had a little bead embellishment and flowed down like a water fall. I tried it on and it was too big but it was quite glamorous. After that I continued to survey the little shop. The tops it sold are very trendy in lots of modern colors. There was an excellent selection of shirts in many colors and all of them were really soft. I found that the prices were really good. Many of the clothes are resale boutique brands so that keeps the prices down. One set of items that caught my eyes were these colorful bralettes. They would be an excellent addition to anyone's spring collection. They would pair great with this spring's sheer and low cut shirts.

Credit: Bella FB page

This store also sells some miscellaneous accessories like jewelry and belts. The accessories are quite quirky and fun. The accessories are the kind of items that would add your own style to any outfit because your style is what makes you unique. The belts are fantastic (pictured right) and so unique; talk about adding your own flair.

When I was at the store it was super busy but the employees still had the time to help me. I was quite impressed! The store is small so it can be difficult to mill around with so many people there but I made it work. The employees are 100% willing to help and are very helpful. They have several dressing rooms, so getting a room isn't much of a problem. They're a bit small but we can manage (no need to be too picky xD).

If you want to visit:
Bella
1332 4th Street
San Rafael, CA

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bella-San-Rafael/132418607552

Happy (almost) Easter,
KC

Viva Diva Boutique

Hello Teenies!
During my adventure on fourth street, I visited a fresh boutique called Viva Diva! This little boutique is very up-to-date with the latest fashions and styles. And it sells prom dresses for my ladies looking for the perfect prom dress. You will not be disappointed with what this store has to offer.

This store is small but has a little bit of everything. I first noticed the store's array of maxi dresses. It has many maxi dresses in various styles, patterns and colors. Then I ventured into this front section with various items. There was this little red, orange, black and blue striped bustier that I just fell in love with. Unfortunately, the sizes they had didn't fit me. The bustier made me think of music festivals in the summer. This store had a few really nice bikinis but they were quite pricey ($70 per piece). One thing we all must remember about boutiques is that all the items are high quality and unique so the prices tend to be high. The shirts here were cute and the jeans just felt so nice and soft. I'm not gonna lie, I kinda love this store.

Credit: Viva Diva FB page

As many of you all know, Prom is just around the corner. Viva diva has an excellent selection of prom dresses that are short, long, strapless and more! Since we're nearing prom, the selection now isn't very big but earlier in the season they had a huge stock. One of my favorite things about this store is their prom policy; they wont let you buy the dress if someone from your school already bought the dress! The prices are  pretty good; hovering around $100.

Service here was incredible. There were two workers present. They welcomed me when I walked inside. Then I got a lot of help looking at prom dresses, the woman was super helpful. They were all so kind even in the end when I didn't buy anything (at some stores, if you don't buy anything the employees give you weird looks. I hate that.). Over all, this store was great in the style department but everything was quite pricey (except prom dresses).

If you want to visit:
Viva Diva Boutique
1327 4th Street
San Rafael, CA

http://www.vivadivaboutique.com/

Be stylish, be you,
KC
 

Couture Revival

Hi All!
Today I visited a little consignment shop on fourth street called Couture Revival. The first thing I noticed was that much of the merchandise was targeted at older women (30+) however with just a little exploring I found all the teen styles.

The store is organized by color and type of clothing item (dress, shirt, jacket, etc). The shirts here were mostly targeted towards older women however there were a few that I would wear. The dresses on the other hand could be worn by a teen. Many of the dresses are retro or summery, I love it. The dresses were a  good enough price, not too expensive but not cheap either. I found some great jackets (Burberry, Gucci, etc.) at this store but the prices were expensive. They ranged around $100 or more. In the end, I ended up buying a retro, polka dot dress. :D



In terms of service, it was good. Their was one person working at the desk and she didn't talk much. When I was trying on the polka dot dress, I had trouble zipping it (the zipper was caught at the seam) and she was very helpful. And when I bought it she was kind and checked me out easily. I was satisfied with this store overall, it is clearly not targeted towards teens or young adults but it has items within this category.

If you want to visit:
Couture Revival
1403 4th Street
San Rafael, CA

Have fun shopping,
KC

Liquid Marin

Hello Ladies!
I went out to Fourth Street today and have the low down on where to go for the best styles. I experienced the best of spring style and got to stay local. The weather was a bit odd today (well its sunny now) but that didn't stop me from shopping.

One of the stores I visited was Liquid Marin, a liquidation shop on 5th Avenue. I've already visited this store many times before and it was a great as it always is this time around. The store sells clothes for all ages and mostly for woman. As I walked through the store today and a few weeks ago I paid close attention to the types of styles they had and if/how they tied into this spring.

First of all, last time I went they hadn't gotten their spring clothing in yet but their jewelry was up-to-date (maybe because jewelry is so versatile). Liquid Marin has all types of jewelry from modern to seasonal to unique to anything in between. One of the first things that caught my eyes was this blue bubble necklace. It's very spring forward with it's pastel blue. A lot of the jewelry at the store was in pastel colors like blue, orange and pink.

Now to talk about the good stuff; clothes. So on today's trip to Liquid Marin, they had gotten in some spring stock. The first thing that caught my eye was these bustiers that were on sale in the front. They all had a stripe pattern in different colors. They were reasonably priced and on sale AND totally in style for this spring. When I got to the inside of the store, I found myself looking at the jeans. I found straight jeans with a purple on white floral pattern and a pastel pink pair. Very cute. The store also had many shirts and tops. They ranged in tons of colors and most ranged between $5 and $30 which is very reasonable for each item. In the dress section there were some maxi dresses in spring colors are great for this season (and even better for the summer season :) ).

This store had the right styles and the right prices. It's definitely a place to go when you want to go out shopping for clothes. The service here is also quite good. There were multiple employees, a few at the cashier and one at the dressing room. The dressing room attendant was very helpful (I tried on the floral pants). The store has a ton of merchandise and is a tad crowded but it's organized well so it's easy to get around. In terms of service and atmosphere it's great.

If you want to visit:
Liquid Marin
709 5th Avenue
San Rafael, CA

http://www.liquidmarin.com/  

xoxo
KC

Spring Style 2013

Hello Readers! I did some research on 2013's style for this year. I wanted to get you into the know about what's up here in Marin and all around the country.

Credit: Forever 21

Let's start by talking about color, or to be more specific pastels. This means light shades of every color you can think of. Last year, we experimented heavily with bright colors but this year its all about them pastels. This color scheme applies for all sorts of clothing and accessories; pants/shorts, tops, dresses, shoes, jewelry, everything! In an unusual turn of events, bright yellows are also in style. Metallics are also coming back, however keep it light for the spring as it will get strong into next Fall. Although the true color of the year is Emerald, blue seems to be the buzz of this spring.

We can't write about color without writing about patterns. Pattern are big this spring! Especially when it comes to skinny jeans and leggings. Among these patterns floral is a major stand out. Classic denim is going beyond just jeans this year. This material look is appearing as shirts, jackets and cover ups.

Credit: Forever 21

The pattern/denim hype contrasts with an edgy style that is appearing all across the teen fashion world. This edgy look is combining this years colors with skin and the color black. This includes open-back shirts and dresses, dresses with holes at the waistline, sheer tops and bustiers. This look ranges from blacks and skulls (skulls are in!) to music festival pastels or anything in between. When it comes to shorts, they fall directly into the "music festival" look with lacey shorts that appeared last summer.

Let's talk dresses. Aside from the open back and cut dresses, retro dresses are SO in for spring. These dresses button to the neck with a collar. These tend to be in patterns and/or pastel colors. The collar look was big last fall and is transferring to spring. Another spring style this year is
colored blazers.Colored blazers are the thing this year (as compared to dark and beige blazers last year)

Credit: Forever 21

Last but not least I want to go over accessories. A new bag is coming on the scene that is see-through, it seems to be the most controversial accessory this year. Wedges are the shoe of this spring and range in numerous colors and patterns. Jewelry this year ranges within metallics and pastels and can be paired with anything.

In posts to come I will discuss how this season's style translates in each store and how you can shop your way into style!
Thanks for reading and keep checking back!


Shop local,
KC