Everywhere: Stella McCartney GAP Kids

It's in stores now - in Dallas only at NorthPark Center. Stella's spring collection for GAP Kids. Isn't it darling?

Dallas: Forty Five Ten

Is anyone else ready to celebrate Forty Five Ten's 10th Anniversary? The big day is Monday, 4.5.10, and that night one of the biggest private parties in Dallas will take place with everyone from Narciso Rodriguez, Proenza Schouler's Jack McCoullough and Lazaro Hernandez, Doo-Ri Chung, Derek Lam, and Thakoon Panichgul flying in to celebrate the venerable boutique's outstanding past decade in fashion retail. Co-owners Brian Bolke and Shelley Musselman will also debut special anniversary edition pieces that ten of the store's designers have create for the event. All of the proceeds from those items will be donated to Two x Two for AIDS and Art in the month of April.

Dallas: Jodi Arnold & The Limited

Baylor University grad Jodi Arnold - who has her own eponymous line - has done a capsule collection with The Limited that will debut tomorrow at the NorthPark Center location. From 6 to 9 pm you can meet Arnold, sip and shop, and enter for a chance to win a $250 wardrobe.

Cute timeless black blazer
Great neutral skirt

San Antonio: Nicole Brundage

San Antonio native Nicole Brundage is one of my favorite shoe designers. Her spring collection is truly out of this world and is now carried at Opening Ceremony in NY and LA. I needed to share a few pictures so you could have the chance to fall in love, too.

Brundage, who now lives in Milan, graduated from Stanford, collaborated on a line with Manolo Blahnik while at Zac Posen, and designed for Max Mara and Ferragamo. Her mother, Tani Brundage, has an interesting line of hair accessories at sloan/hall in San Antonio.



Do you love Nicole's work as much as me?

Austin: 1702 Windsor

My friend Martha Small Dyess happens to be a killer real estate agent in Austin. She sent me this house today because she knew I'd love the design and contemporary art in this Austin home. Get ready to swoon.

Don't you dig the extra long headboard that's built for two beds?

David Hicks wallpaper. Adore.


Green velvet dining room chairs. Can it get any better?
See the rest of the home here.

Houston: JADETribe

Are you ready to go bazooka? Dying over these handbags by JADETribe. I first spied them about two months ago at Cabana in Dallas. A few weeks pass and Bonnie Basham started carrying one of their clutches around. Then I pop into Meadow in San Antonio and went ape over their tiny wristlets. It was a sign. It was time to buy.

But here's the best part: Kimberly Hartman, JadeTribe's founder, is from Houston, went to University of North Texas, and lived in Dallas. Hartman now lives in NYC and came up with this idea: source incredible textiles from around the world, pay the artisans a fair price for their work, then employ women to sew the bags while paying them a living wage. They get a decent paycheck, you get a killer bag. Win. Win.
It's kind of an incredible time right now. With Lauren Bush's Lauren Pierce Atelier, JADETribe, and Gaia, this seems to be the way that many designers are doing things, helping others while helping themselves. It's amazing really, and such a beautiful way to do business, don't you think?

San Antonio: Hazel Smyth

Here's some fun news: San Antonio-based jewelry line Hazel Smyth was recently worn by Edie Falco on Nurse Jackie. Here are some of designer Elizabeth Herff's pieces from her recent collections. How do you feel about those malachite and ruby danglers just below, top left? Yes, I love them, too. And I feel like I always have to point this out, but Elizabeth Herff is Herff Christiansen's Mary Herff's sister-in-law. Design must run in the family.

Everywhere: Be & D

Be & D's spring/summer collection is so good this season. The design has been taken to another level of with Steve Dumain's '70s Americana inspiration. Here are a few shots of some new bags and shoes. Below, the Genesis satchel in moss. The shoulder strap, distressed leather, and subtle green is so appealing to me.

Variation on the iconic Garbo. This is a Garbo tote in espresso
Studded Garbo in black leather
Nice espadrille-inspired flat with silver grommets.
Black leather flat sandal with tiny grommets on the heel and strap
Be & D can be found: Austin, The Hip Chick; Dallas, Pome; Houston, Saks Fifth Avenue; Lubbock, Malouf's

Everywhere: Finn Jewelry

Finn Jewelry is a favorite of mine and I'm excited to tell you that the girls behind the line - Soraya Silchenstedt and Houston native Candice Pool - designed a capsule collection for CFDA winner Sophie Theallet's fall 2010 runway show. The 18 karat gold necklaces and bracelets were inspired by Theallet's story line of a peasant girl who becomes a princess.

The necklace below, with its little pave crescent moon and star paired with the dagger, alhambra, and bell charms would look so perfect with my everyday uniform - slouchy tee, skinny jeans, and flats.

Houston: Kiehl's Since 1851

I'm cuckoo for Kiehl's. Have been for longer than I can remember. Can't get enough of the Coriander body lotion among many other things. But you know why I love Kiehl's even more? Because they love the cities their boutiques are in. This past Saturday, Kiehl's in Highland Village in Houston hosted a pet adoption and fundraising kick-off to support Buster's Friends. If you didn't make it on Sat, no worries. The fundraising part runs through March 27. Each customer who donates $10 to Buster's Friends, Inc, will get a free Creme de Corps moisturizer or a Spray-n-Play Cleansing Spritz.

Dallas: Christian Louboutin

Get ready for some stiff competition Jimmy Choo. Christian Louboutin is coming to Highland Park Village this fall and will occupy the old Banana Republic space.

Everywhere: BCBG Alaia heel

Am loving this navy and black high heel sandal and its price. $225. Yes, please.

Everywhere: Calico Corners

I'm about to reupholstered some furniture so I've been preoccupied with fabrics over the past several weeks. Although these patterns aren't exactly what I'm looking for, I thought that Calico Corners had a good selection of well-priced ikat and suzani prints.

This suzani-inspired fabric (below), Mandala, is $39 a yard.
Magnificat, an olive and purple ikat, is $21 a yard
Kalah is $20 a yard.

Austin: Wilhelmina Brown

Looks like Austin will step things up in the modeling agency department when Wilhelmina Brown officially opens its doors this Thursday, March 25. The new agency is an affiliate partnership between Austin agent Justin Brown and the highly-regarded NYC-based Wilhelmina (yes, it's the same one that reps hotshots like sisters Alexandra and Theodora Richardson). Visit their website for booking and open call information.

San Antonio & Austin: Herff Christiansen

One of my favorite design discoveries in recent years has been Herff Christiansen. Mary Herff's home base is San Antonio while her design partner, Randi Christiansen works from their Austin headquarters. I'm not print-crazy so their tonal, clean line has always appealed to me. Here are some images of the new spring 2010 collection.

It's utilitarian chic and timeless. Pieces that can be worn over and over again while never failing to remain completely - dare I say - comfortable.
Photos from Herff Christiansen

Houston: Mortar

Men are finally getting some incredible places to shop in Texas thanks to Stag in Austin and now Mortar in Houston. The latter, co-owned by Iris Tiff and Sacha Nelson Chapel, is an incredibly sophisticated take on men's clothing with labels not to be found anywhere else in Texas (along with some old favorite such as TOMS and Genetic Denim).

Love the clean, industrial space
The lower Westheimer store (there are great stores on lower west. Click here for a great guide) carries Jutta Neumann shoes, Jeff Madelena and Louis Terine's Oak (they own the Williamsburg, NY boutique of the same name), men's bags by Property Of, and casual menswear by Commonwealth Utilities.


I'm dying to make a Houston trip to nose around what looks to be an amazing store. Could the owners (above) be any more chic?