From London
Paul Smith Board Shorts
There are some eye-popping prints on these board shorts from Paul Smith as seen at Por Vocacao. It's funny to see hawaiian print garments coming back into fashion after spending so much time as sort of sartorial punchline, but there's definitely some interesting pieces out there—these included! -Bob
From Philadelphia
Tie-Dye DIY: Indigo Dye
We asked Ashley and Cathleen from our women's design team to teach us how to tie-dye denim using indigo dyes. Follow along with this simple DIY how-to guide to give your jeans a trippy new look!
From New York
UO x Miss Pop Nail Art Party
Hey New York, get ready for your nails to be the talk of the town. Take a nail art class taught by Miss Pop tomorrow, May 3, at our NYC store (526 Avenue of the Arts). Hour long classes will be held from 4-8pm and they're first come, first serve.
From Philadelphia
Tie-Dye DIY: The Basics
If you’re looking for something fun and fresh to do this summer, tie-dye is your answer! We asked Allegra and Stevie from our women's design team to teach us how to tie-dye. Follow this step-by-step DIY project to get the basics on this summer's psychedelic trend!
"Tie-dyeing is really easy. Everyone can do it with just a few, simple materials that can be found at your local art store, and about an hour of your day.
Here's what you'll need:
1. Dye (Either powered dye or basic RIT dyes)
2. Plastic Squeeze bottles (Use them for added technique!)
3. Rubber bands (The rubber bands will resist the dye on the fabric. Also depending on how many things you are dyeing, you will probably want to buy a large bag of rubber bands—usually best to buy the standard size or larger. Try getting thicker and thinner bands for added design!)
4. Rubber gloves (The dye will stain your hands for no more than a couple days, but it's best to just wear them just in case. Also wear clothing you don’t mind getting dye on!)
5. Plastic buckets or bins
6. Scissors
7. Plastic sheeting or garbage bags (Place these on the floor to prevent getting dye everywhere!)
Step OneGather up anything you want to dye. Be sure to check the label to make sure you know what you are dyeing. Most dye, like RIT and iDye will dye almost anything (specifically, iDye is usually for natural fibers like cotton or rayon and iPoly is for polyester and other synthetic fibers).
Step Two
Before you start dyeing, soak the items in water and ring dry. The dye will take better to the clothes if they are wet-out first. You can do this in a sink, bucket or bin. If it is a garment that you have just purchased, it might be a good idea to machine-wash it first with a little detergent.
Step Three
Mix your dye! If you are using powered dye you can mix up any color you want. Tie-dyeing isn't an exact science, but be sure to read the label of any dye box to make sure you are using around the correct rations of dye and water. Depending on your designs, you can mix the dye to a more saturated stage or make them washed out. Try to do a few bottles with a saturated color and mix a few with more water so they dye to a lighter shade. After reading directions on dye box you will know whether to use cold or hot water.
Step FourTime to twist up and rubber band like hell! Our cute friend Poe helped us put on the rubber bands.
Step Five
You're officially ready to start tie-dying! Don't forget to put on those dang gloves! Begin by applying the dye with the squeeze bottles you mixed up in Step Three. Use as many colors as you want! If you have only a few colors of dye, you will probably get a rainbow of colors because the dye will bleed into each other. For the denim shorts, We only used a hot pink and sunshine yellow. The dye mixed into an awesomely unexpected super bright orange!
You can apply the dye in sections, polka dots, stripes—really any way you can possibly think that will be cool! Apply as much dye as you think is necessary. It’s probably best not to completely soak your fabric bundle, but a good amount is necessary. The best part of tie-dyeing is experimenting!
Step SevenAfter you’re all dyed out, let your garments soak over night in plastic bags to ensure the dye really sets into the fabric.
If you don’t want your dyes mixing, place each bundle in a separate plastic bag. For instance if you don’t want any dark blue on those cute orange shorts, do not put them in the same bag! Place the bundles in the plastic bags to keep the dye moist on the fabric and dyeing all night long.
Step Eight This is the best part. Get ready for some magic! After dreaming about your tie-dye all night, undo your plastic bags and rinse your tie-dye bundle under cold water before cutting off rubber bands. You can also rise after you cut off all rubber bands but the dye might bleed into the white areas. If you feel as though there is not enough dye, just add more! Tie it up again and go at it.
After Care
The care and wash rules are very particular to tie-dyed garments. Be super careful not to mix fresh tie-dye with any other clothes in the washing machine! The most important things to remember are as follows:
1. Do not wash with any other clothing for at least one machine wash load. Do a separate load in cold/cold water with a small amount of detergent, and tumble dry right after dyeing.
2. Dye will most likely bleed into the white areas when washed or rinsed after rubber bands are removed.
3. Over time (after several washes) the dye will certainly fade. But the best part of tie-dye is that you can do it anytime, again and again and again, to almost anything!
Happy tie-dyeing everyone!"-Allegra and Stevie
Stay tuned for more DIY tie-dyeing tips from our women's team this week on the blog!
From Philadelphia
The Summer 2012 Catalog
It's finally here! Watch our
video of the Summer 2012 Catalog, shot by photographer
Charlie Engman in the Arizona desert, then get ready to beat the heat in all of our fabulous summer styles.
From Philadelphia
Ask Our Beauty Buyer: Part 2
Last week you tweeted us your beauty questions, now our beauty buyer Marlyn has your answers!
Marnie: HOW TO GET PERFECT EYEBROWS?!
Marlyn: This is my forte! Comb eyebrows straight up to reveal your natural eyebrow arch. Trim all eyebrow hair that extend more than approximately 1/8 inch above your top eyebrow line. Pluck all hairs that grow below the natural eyebrow arch. Comb hairs back into place. Pluck all hairs that grow above the top eyebrow line. Lay a pencil vertically along the inside of your nose toward your forehead. The point where the pencil hits your eyebrow is where your inner eyebrow should begin. Pluck all hairs that fall inside of this point. Line a pencil up between the outer edge of your nose and the outer edge of your eye. The point where the pencil crosses your eyebrow is where the eyebrow should end. Trim or pluck all hairs that grow beyond this outer point.
Caitlin: how should I change up my beauty routine from winter to summer? #askUOMarlyn: Here are my tips for fuss-free summer beauty:
2.
Bronzer adds instant warmth to your face, sweep color on the bridge of your nose, top of your cheekbones and lightly hit the forehead and chin to finish.
3.
Lip gloss. I love juicy colors like coral, bright pink, and lilac for summer.
4.
Pretty toes. Choose a shade that is unexpected like charcoal gray, or try something fun like ombre toes—a different shade on each one!
5.
Body Art. Summer is the time to show some skin, why not decorate it? Use traditional henna patterns or create your own!
From Philadelphia
Ask Our Beauty Buyer: Part 1
Last week you tweeted us your beauty questions, now our beauty buyer Marlyn has your answers!
Amber: I'm trying to grow out my hair as quickly as possible. Any suggestions on how to this/new styles to try while in the process?Maryln: Growing out your hair can suck, but think of it as an opportunity to try new things with your hair. When bangs start to grow and get in your eyes, shift them to one side—you can use a mini flat iron to get them to go in the direction you choose. Another great trick is a small twist or braid to one side. Start with your bangs and add a section of longer hair to blend into the twist. Pin above the ear with a
cute barrette. As far as your ends go, adding a wavy or curl at the bottom hides dry or split ends. Use two large hot rollers (one for each side of the hair) to create a quick curl without looking like Shirley Temple.
Sara: What is best strategy when applying bold lip colors like coral & fushia? lip liner before/after stick? I was never taught!
Marlyn: Before is best, it gives you a shape to fill in. To keep color in place use concealer around the perimeter of your lips. To go one step further, blot lips with a tissues and then dust translucent powder over the tissue to hold color in place. Now you're ready to try out some bold lips, like
these shades by PAUL & JOE.
Beauty Tip: The Hair BowPut your hair in a ponytail on top of your head. (To get it in the right position flip your head upside down and brush the hair from root to tip to get it smooth and in the right direction.) Once you have the pony split it into two even sections. Bend the left section into a loop and pin on the ends on the back right side, do the same on with the other section in the opposite direction. Tuck any unruly pieces under the loops. That’s it! Easy. For an even easier way, try a clip-on hair bow like
this one by Hershesons. This look is great for a night out or for prom!
From Philadelphia
Prom Style Icon: The Lisbon Sisters
It's no secret that Sophia Coppola's film adaptation of The Virgin Suicides has reached a cult-like status with teenage girls everywhere—and for good reason. The five Lisbon girls' lives, experiences, struggles, and moments of desperation resonate deep within anyone who's ever been a 13-year-old girl. When school hunk Trip Fontaine gets permission to bring Lux to the prom, the girls get to escape from their parent's strict ruling for just one night. We've picked a few items that we think the Lisbon sisters would have enjoyed before the missed curfew and inevitable crackdown.
KNT By Kova & T Chiffon Floral Maxi DressMrs. Lisbon would never tolerate anything too revealing (she'll add an inch to the bust line and two to the waist and hems). We think Lux would look perfect in this floral maxi, complete with sheer flutter cap sleeves. We also found a few choices for
Mary,
Bonnie, and
Therese—we'd like to see her try to turn those into sacks!
The Lisbon girls may be doomed for total isolation but this free-spirited floral crown will help them let go for the night and dream of a better tomorrow.
The Lisbon girls should have made it a point to capture their entire prom night—if not for themselves then for the neighborhood boys who would try to figure them out for years after their deaths (but never could).
From Philadelphia
Show & Tell: Nail Art
You showed us your nails on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and now we can't stop showing everyone else! These are some of our favorites, but there are a heck of a lot more on our here, here, and here. Color us impressed.
From Elsewhere
Polka Dots!
These are just a few of the polka dot pieces I've notice pop up this season. What's not to love about polka dots? They're fun, and they let other people know that you're fun too. Shirt by Saturdays, cap by Fairends, and shorts by The Village Green. -Bob
From Philadelphia
Prom Style Icon: Kat Straford
Katarina Stratford is the uptight, always-pissed older sister in one of our favorite '90s movies, 10 Things I Hate About You. Described in the script as "eighteen, pretty—but trying hard not to be", Kat spends her time reading Sylvia Platt and hating everything high school. Unfortunately for her, she gets wrapped up in one of those incredibly predictable movie bets where the bad-boy hottie of the school, Patrick (played by the ever-so-dreamy Heath Ledger, RIP!), is forced to take her to prom. Let's just say we don't feel too bad for her. Here are some picks in honor of Miss Statford—the anti-prom queen!
Although school is full of oppressive patriarchal values that dictate our education, that doesn't mean you can't look totally hot in a '90s thin-strap inspired dress for the big night. Plus, the slit on the side makes it easy to run when you’re hightailing it out of the prom.
Hey Kat, we know you hate Patrick's big dumb combat boots, but we hate your platform thong sandals. These are a good clunky compromise between the two.
Lucky for Kat, choker necklaces are back in style. Lucky for us, pearls aren’t. We love this modern choker with a little bit of edge (at least enough to scare off Joey "eat me" Donner).
Even an angry feminist wants flowers for prom. She wants you, she needs you, oh baby, oh baby!
Kat might claim Patrick had no effect whatsoever on her panties, but we all know you don’t buy black lingerie unless you want someone to see it—plus, no underwear lines!
Could this mini journal be any more perfect? Okay, it could be the size of a binder, but still! It's great for any angsty after-prom writing. BRB, we're crying watching the
video of Kat's poem for the 100th time. ;(
From Japan
South 2 West 8
Above are some examples of the Spring styling from Japanese brand South 2 West 8. I can't say I could wear either of these complete ensembles but the scrunched socks and low top shoes might be doable. Check out more wild stuff on their blog.-Bob
From Elsewhere
TINNLILY
One of our favorite parts about summer is trading of friendship bracelets—we're just not terribly good when it comes to making them. Luckily, TINNLILY has so many styles and colors that we can add a bunch of new ones to our collection. Choose between leather, silk, beaded, braided, printed, and more, for a bracelet that will have everyone calling you their "BFF".
From Philadelphia
Behind-the-Scenes Beauty: April 2
Our web hair and make-up artist Russell Oden shares his favorite products for spring and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the products used in our Kaleidoscope Dresses shoot.
"Recently we did an amazing shoot with Lindsey Hoover. She wore our springtime party dresses that are part of the
Kaleidoscope Dress Collection. These dresses are fresh and beautiful so I wanted her hair and makeup to have that same feel. Here are a few of the products I used to create her look.
I wanted Lindsey’s lips to be fresh and bright without too much gloss. Lime Crime is perfect for this. The colors are really pigmented so I do not need to apply much and its low sheen formula keeps it modern. The colors available are pretty rad and what I really like is that it’s PETA-certified cruelty-free!
Batiste Dry Shampoo I use this daily on our Urban Outfitters set. For this shoot I did many style changes and some required more volume. Batiste Dry Shampoo keeps hair a bit matte and helps me to build a natural volume. It also smells great. This stuff will really make your hair clean without washing. Great weather means more parties, music festivals, and long days and nights, and with that comes dirty hair. This is a must for everyone—guys too!
This palette is a must have. I used this to create the different looks on Lindsey’s eyes. The results were great. The colors are beautiful and can go from subtle to intense. I love the selection of both warm and cool colors that range from soft to metallic.
We wanted a nail color that could work with all her looks. This soft mint green nail color not only looks great with everything, but it’s also scratch and sniff! Seriously! It is part of a four pack, and each shade has a great scent. This is also a UO Exclusive!
Neon Bobby Pins I am a big fan of these bobby pins. I used the neon pink in Lindsey’s hair for some of our shots. It’s a simple and easy way to change your look. Growing out your bangs? Want to try a deep part? Want a pop of color? These are a perfect!"-Russell
From Elsewhere
Wanderlust: Mekong Delta
"I tried finding the continuation of the small road along the Mekong river towards Kratie. My GPS showed that I was right at the turn off for the road, but all I saw was dirt. I wandered around for a while, and then decided to plunge into the dirt.
I followed faintly worn paths for a while, and took some wrong turns. Farmers shouted at me to turn around, and pointed me in the right direction. I looped through corn fields, slid through sand, and pulled my bike through mud pits until I finally found a wide, red clay road. It’s the journey, not the destination, right y’all? (Sometimes when I’m really hating a road, I say this corny saying to myself. It takes my mind off of hating the journey, so I can channel all my hate to this phrase.)
Volleyball is a surprisingly popular sport in Cambodia. Volleyball courts are set up in the dirt everywhere and there’s usually a game going on. On my ride I passed a 2-versus-1 game, so I stopped and joined in. I could hold my own, but they were really good. A few times I blocked the ball at the net. I felt like volleyball Shaq. At the end, I bought cans of soda for my volleyball friends.
At the end of the day, I turned down a road towards the Mekong. I wanted to swim and look for a camping spot. It was a really secluded area with only cattle and a few farmers around. I jumped into the river, washed myself, and did my laundry. Drying off in the setting sun with my native Cambodian krama slung around me felt awesome."
Eoin
See more of Eoin's trip
here.
From Los Angeles
Citronella Dreams
Our favorite looks for spring will turn your soft, pastel days into fun, electric filled nights. With our range of sorbet shorts and acidic blouses, these warm weather looks are sure to be the clothes of your dreams.
Model Sam Adams
Shop the Looks
From New York
Gitman Vintage
Patterned dress shirts were a big trend last year and they don't seem to be fading out anytime soon. Gitman Vintage knows how to apply a minimal yet playful motif to their tailor cut shirts as seen in these two examples from Epaulet in New York. Pair the seagull and sailboat shirt with some boat shoes and cuffed chinos and you've got a clean and simple Summer look. -Bob
From Philadelphia
Magnetic Nail Polish by Urban Outfitters
Our new Magnetic Nail Polish contains reactive particles which move when they come in contact with magnetic forces, causing a 3D-like effect on your nails. Watch us try it out above!
From Philadelphia
Women's Color Jeans
We're bouncing into spring with our new Women's Color Jeans. (Music by Gauntlet Hair)
From Elsewhere
Ulyana Sergeenko
Everything coming out of the mind of designer Ulyana Sergeenko is incredibly beautiful, elegant and graceful. It should be no surprise then that we're obsessing over these behind the scenes shots from backstage at her Spring/Summer 2012 collection. They look straight out of the '50s! We really love all of the accessories and the parted up-do, a summer hair trend we can't wait to try. (via Butter and Brass)
