vive la femme

We are ignoring the current Roman calendar and making up our own this week at vive la femme! Welcome to the lovely month of FROCKTOBER, where dresses of all cuts and colors are a daily occurrence!

Our first round of dresses is a glorious partnership of color and cut! Amanda models our newest range of fun frocks from igigi. We got flowers! We got polka dots! We got colorblocking! Perfect for day weddings, any fancy brunch, or summer travel, these dresses are easy seasonal styles with lots of pop, fun, and sass. Three of the dresses have a nicely structured sleeve, and the sleeveless piece comes with oh-so-bra-friendly straps.

How about some vintage-inspired looks? Check out our most recent delivery of sundresses in lightweight cotton. We have a great range of little black dresses for alfresco cocktail soirees and a few floral options for more causal affairs. Very unique with lots of moxie and flair, these pieces are adorable with classic jewelry such as pearls and clutches for a sleek homage to ladylike retro-metro appeal.

Oooooh, a few more snuck in…how cute is this bandana-print babydoll as modeled by the always-adorable Stephanie 2.0? The range of colors is such to please any preferred color palette and what could be more summary that this picnic-table print? This piece is just too cute. Too cute, I tell you! We also unpacked a few empire-waisted/a-line dresses in throwback florals with ruffled sleeves and a longer hemline. And to top it off here’s a fabulous maxidress with a bandeau top that is doing really well on gals with smaller busts and fuller booties.

We’re not done yet! vive la femme just brought in the first range of Gayla Bentley’s new diffusion line, one of her Traditional Wrap blouses perfect for the workplace! The turquoise/gold would be very smart with any dark denim bottom or brown skirt, and the black/white is wonderfully crisp and clean with any clean black trouser. These blouses are running full and really are working for gals with full shoulders and bustlines.

A few more details…the Kathryn Kerrigan Shoe Boutique is open this weekend on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! I am now the owner of a shoe store exclusively carrying the Kathryn Kerrigan line of handmade footwear, so come check out our range of shoes in sizes 9 and up! We have a ton more ballet flats in all sorts of darling colors, including a shimmery pink, bright green, and deep lapis blue. These flats are FLYING as they are truly some of the most comfortable footwear you will ever have the pleasure of wearing!

We also just brought in a superpremium sandal, the Maribelle. The Kathryn Kerrigan Maribelle is a hip, California-cool boho thong sandal. The butterscotch camel suede brings this shoe to life! Cuffed collar and cut-out detail around heel is funky and stylish, and the slightly angled sole is the epitome of summer chic. We also have a slew of year-round flats in brown, black, and a magnificent sapphire blue, the Melinda comes in either a kitten hell or menswear-inspired flat.

Finally, we are having a TWO THREE FOUR! sale…we are closing out sizes 20-28 with a major progressive promotion…your first items is 20% off, your next item is 30% off…all the way through to 90%! Tons of marquee labels are on the sale rack…Zen Knits, Kiyonna, and Comfy, to name a few. Tanks, tops, dresses, skirts are all included so if you or someone you know wears this size range, please send them our way for all sorts of steals and deals!

Hey sassy shoppers! We just unpacked the first of our spring pieces this week and me thinks you will LIKEY!

Those who appreciate bold silhouettes and edgy looks will salivate over our newest line of lightweight jackets! Check out this sleek black number with zipper detailing and a chic goldwash sheen. Cut to conform to the body’s curves, this jacket is doing really well on gals with a lot of rack and attitude to match.

For a more sophisticated option, behold this gorgeous piece in what is truly an astonishing cognac color. Gorgeous with antiqued denim and brown cowgirl boots, this jacket is a real showstopper and again is nicely fitting the fuller busted among us. Both jackets are $135 and running 1x to 3x on a generous cut. Limited in availability, these jackets sold right out of the box this week, so please call or email for more information.

Want some seasonal cozy? Then indulge in this wonderful hoodie with lots of seaming and collapses to really highlight shape and contour. Stephanie 2.0 put one of these on when she took it out of the box and said, very simply, “Mine.” Can you blame her…?! Also just in a delightful cozycomfy doublebreasted jacket, perfect for heading to the gym, going to yoga, or our running around. Made from a structured sweatshirt-like knit, this piece classes up a weekend wardrobe with lots of style mileage.

Who wants to PAR-TAY? The answer is ME in this bitchin’, glamtastic purple dress just in from Kiyonna! The ruched front, décolletage-friendly, and classy hemline all contribute to what is a smashing frock. This piece travels like a dream, is fully lined and ultracomfortable. Wear it out dancing, to a casual wedding, or on a fun vacation with a quick change of accessories and shoes.

Here’s a few items for the cheap-n-chic set…check out these cute pieces, all for $50 or UNDER! Amanda cuddles up in our two remaining fringe wraps, one in a versatile charcoal gray and the other a color-rich shade of spring green. Need a fun and happy piece for a warm weather escape? Try on this “naughty picnic” button down for sweet and sassy shirt perfect with a darling denim skirt or girly pedal pushers.

The TWENTY-TEN sale is still raging and rampaging! Shoppers can win 10% or 20% off their purchase through the month of January, or other fun gifts and freebies. Sale shoppers are happy shoppers, and who doesn’t want to be a happy shopper?

Holiday soirees abound and we are still unpacking new and fresh options for your seasonal wardrobe! We just got our last shipment from Zen Knits featuring fabulous silhouettes in the full range of colors, including this gorgeous ruffle jacket, seen here in bright cherry red. Perfect as a topper over jeans, simple trousers, or a little black dress, this color works with all sorts of underlays, including black, purple, and one of my faves, gray. We also have this gorgeous piece in black, brown, and ZK’s holiday shade of Chagall blue,as seen here on yet another pretty top! This understated wrap top is a tailored workhouse that can go under suits, work as a standalone with a denim skirt, or really *pop* with a contrast underlay in raspberry or teal. This top is also available in the range of colors and sizes; this entire ZK shipment is sized up to a true 4x.

Hopefully you saw our awesome segment on ABC Chicago’s 11am news for our range of party dresses today! If you didn’t, check out http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=7178242&pid=7178235 and enjoy the show! We still have that fabulous print dress from Kiyonna which Vanessa ROCKED on teevee. We also just received another gorgeous design from Kiyonna, their Athena Grecian dress in an amazing dusty red. As of this writing, this dress is just out of the box and also available up to a size 4x.

Need some last-minute gifts? We have a slew of handmade bracelets, some awesome fringy scarfs, and of course gift certificates are classy options. vive la femme offers gift boxes and polka dot tissue to eliminate any need for wrapping!

vive la femme will be open regular hours the 23rd, and from 11a to 3p on the 24th. We will be closed on the 25th and back in business from 11a to 7p on the 26th with regular business hours until year’s end. If you need additional hours or to make a private appointment, please let us know!

The markdowns are still on the to-do list at vive la femme as we we start the summit toward the holidays! Stock up now on party dresses, work-chic separates, and cozy weekend wear at absolutely demented discounts. All shoppers receive 10% off their first items, 20% off the second, 30% off the third, all the way to 90%! We’re extending the sale until month’s end, so you’ve got a handful of days to pop in and shop like you mean it.

What’s new at vive la femme? Why, several shipments came in this week and they are, of course, absolutely darling. Just in from Kiyonna, two new premium Bellini wraps perfect for jazzing up denim, simple skirts, and tank dresses. Check out the Saturday Front Tie Bellini with a structured waist, or the soft and sassy Sweet Ruffle Bellini with the gorgeous drapey detailing. Comfortable, versatile, and perfect for the upcoming holiday season, Kiyonna’sBellini wraps are always customers faves at vive la femme. We brought it a larger order than usual because of their effortless popularity. but once they are gone, they are GONE…so check ‘em out if you likes ‘em and wants ‘em.

Just in from Redskew, a third Birdie Skirt design in an ultra-trendy palette of gray and purple! Popped with polka dots, bright magenta, and petal pink, this skirt is yet another confectionary concoction from our house label. Handmade with love right here at vive la femme, these limited edition Birdie Skirts have been flying out the door, so hatch a plan to come and snag your ASAP before they soar away…

Looking ahead, we are open Wednesday the 25th from 11a to 3p, and then will be open regular business hours on Friday the 26th from 11a to 7p. If you know you are bringing a large group of shoppers on Friday or over the weekend, let us know so we can have some drinkies and nibblies on hand.