Zengeler collects more than 4,000 dresses to help Chicago’s Glass Slipper Project
When Cinderella went to the ball, she didn’t have a choice. It was blue dress with a carefully-orchestrated sash and as a precursor to today’s impossibly tall heels — highly impractical glass slippers. And Cinderella didn’t get to keep her ensemble. That’s not the case for Chicago high schoolers who shop the Glass Slipper Project’s … Read more
Cambridge Satchel Company has bright beginning
By Meg Moore While heading to fashion shows in New York City or running errands in Chicago, street style photographers stop the fashionable to pose for pictures. Prior to owning my fluorescent pink Cambridge satchel, the only time a photographer asked to take my picture was to shoot 17 different angles of my nose for … Read more
Jena Gambaccini fashions her career as a blogger
By Meg Moore First things first: Jena Gambaccini doesn’t shy away from much — bright colors and high-end fashion are but two areas where she stands front and center. The Northbrook native began her love affair with her heels while working at Never Enough Shoes in Lincolnshire. During her college years at Miami University she … Read more
Tres Awesome photographer scouts the Lollapalooza look
It’s true all the world’s a stage. And for a Chicago street-style photographer, it’s a runway as well. Leo Burnett art director by day, Emma Arnold, 35, started documenting Chicagoan’s sartorial style more than two years ago. The photographer posted her finds on her blog and before long, elle.com sought her out to capture the … Read more
Eternamé lands stateside at Winnetka boutique Neapolitan
Sometimes I fear I have joined the seeming legions of French haters. But this has nothing to do with politics or August-long vacations (though I could grow to resent that) or freedom fries. No, my vitriol arises from my firmly held belief that everything a French woman touches is perfect. Her chignon. How she can … Read more
Local fashionistas rise early to catch Jason Wu designer collection at Target
Shoppers keen to own pieces from Jason Wu’s collection for Target headed to the Highland Park location, 2099 Skokie Valley Road, just shy of 7 a.m. on Sunday. Bonnie Rischmann, 16, of Highland Park won the race as she was first in line. Elise Klein of Glencoe and Bargie Zechman of Highland Park weren’t far … Read more
Ted Brown creates his own brand — one watch at a time
“The devil finds work for idle hands to do.” Finally, my high school study of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales makes some sense. Ted Brown’s hands haven’t been idle in almost three years. He’s too busy building watches. The former home builder and father of five may be a bit obsessive-compulsive, but in that dedicated, mad-scientist … Read more
A tip of the chapeau to Winnetka’s Hat Lady Margaret Cooper
Editor’s note: This is the first of an occasional series on interesting women who have stories to tell over lunch. Margaret Cooper is a lady who lunches. And dresses the part. The 82-year-old retired Chicago Public Schools principal and resident of the same Evanston apartment building since 1963 heads north at least five days a … Read more
Barrington native learns the design ropes at J. Crew
By Meg Moore Who waits 45 minutes for a reporter refuses to use a map of New York City? Barrington native Erin Pianetto does. The recent School of the Art Institute fashion design grad and current J. Crew design intern met me at a Thai restaurant around the corner from her office. Her office just … Read more
Tie one on: Scarves add distinction to Maggie Wilson handbags
Many scarves. One neck. It’s a difficult sartorial task to incorporate a scarf collection into everyday ensembles. And if you’re tired of winter, scarves definitely head to the back of the closets. Longtime Winnetka resident, bona fide scarf collector and most recently handbag designer Maggie Wilson had the same accessory conundrum. “I just wanted to … Read more