vive la femme

Hey gals! It’s going to be a great weekend at vive la femme with a handful of new shipments in and on the floor ready for you!

But first, let me remind you that in a few weeks vive la femme will be opening Chicago’s first Kathryn Kerrigan Shoe Boutique, exclusively for women who wear size 9 through 13! It was only natural that Stephanie Sack and Katie Kerrigan collaborate to bring the Kathryn Kerrigan line of stylish shoes to the larger women of Chicago. The synergy between vive la femme’s concept of offering flattering and feminine fashion in sizes 12 and up and Kathryn Kerrigan’s goal to deliver chic footwear to women who wear Euro sizes 39 and up is undeniable. We are eyeing a launch date in mid-May…we will of course keep you posted! Want an invite to our VIP party before the grand opening? Send me an email and we will put you on the list!

On to the clothes! Amanda from redskew delivered two new Birdie Skirts in glorious colorways of blue/green and khaki/red! Handmade with love right here on vive la femme’s premises, these Birdie Skirts are produced just for the vive la femme customer to ensure that street-chic DIY look! We have a slew of top options to make this one of your signature ensembles. The blue is currently available in a 1x, and the red is available in a 1x and 2x.

Here’s our gal Maggie in a slew of new tops! This shiny blue blouson is just darling with the ruffle-and-button placket, and this uber-girly gray tee features a swath of tone-on-tone bow detailing - -too cute! And this slouchy softy tee with a zipper collar is a little badass, a little casual, and a lot of awesome.

Finally, we have a super sassy denim dress! Tailored and sleek with a defined waist structure, this two-tone frock is popped with a cascade of foxy ruffles on the bustline! The staff LOVEX the piece and Amanda took one right out of the box. Pair it with red or yellow shoes and a matching purse and you are good to go!

Okay everyone! The time has come to reveal our big news.

Local entrepreneurs Stephanie Sack and Kathryn Kerrigan are pleased to announce the upcoming opening of Chicago’s first Kathryn Kerrigan Shoe Boutique, specializing in high-end, on-trend footwear in European sizes from 39 to 45.

The shop will open right across the street from vive la femme at 2031 N Damen sometime in May! Here are a few pics of the styles we have ordered to come in for spring! How fabulous are these shoes?! Opening dates and events will be announced a bit later this month. If you have any questions in the meantime, fire away!

Now on to the clothes! We unpacked a gorgeous round of dresses this week, including this print masterpiece in pale champagne and black! It’s amazing on women with full hips and busts and looks great finished with a strong black shoe. This piece is already sold out in smaller sizes, so right now we have 20, 22, and 24. We also received this sleek sheath which is really working on gals who can wear bold colors and are more comfortable in a conservative.

We also have a fabulous new range of mix and match skirts and blouses as modeled by vive la femme’s best model, Amanda! Here she is in a gorgeous new softy jacket in pale sage green from Kiyonna and a smart denim pencil skirt from NYDJ. Perfect for daywear at a casual office or a fun weekend getaway! Here’s another option that is wonderful for work — a black structured blouse with an army-green pencil skirt. Neutral colors and classic shapes mean this outfit is perfect for…I don’t know, new shoes?! And check out this smashing blouse in a blue snakeskin pattern with a simple black skirt. What a great date ensemble — the top features a fantastic “knot” detailing under the bust for cleavage-friendly shenanigans!

Finally, in between posing for these foxy photos, Amanda whipped some springy Redskew skirts in classic Redskew patterns! Designed in her signature a line shape, these skirts are always handmade with love right in vive la femme’s basement! We have tons of tops to match them, so why not come on in and try one of ‘em on.

We are supertotallymajorly excited about the shipments that keep rollin’ in for spring 2010! Behold the goodness that is our latest round of shipments:

We received some great new “cheap-n-chic” options — check ‘em out! Crisp and girly, these tieback blouses from Missphit come in a black/white and white/back pattern with a ribbon belt. They are adorable as a standalone piece with black pants or a slim black skirt or as a fun underlay for a jacket or blazer!

And here is the world’s most English schoolgirl-esque lightweight trench in classic and classy cream and black plaid print with a pop of red. I am going to wear this with a black satchel and a black cloche hat and it will be smashing, darling! And we also had the pleasure of unpacking a fabulous swish dress in red, black, and this deep berry color that is truly an amazing deal for just $50. Bra-friendly and totally comfortable, this piece is perfect for upcoming casual weddings and garden parties!

Amanda from Redskew is whipping up a new wave of confectionary graphic skirts for spring and here is the first of many! Designed in her signature a-line silhouette, this floral pattern in shades of green and pink is all happy, all the time! Paired here with our $35 cropped cardy in loden green, it makes for a darling transitional piece with lots of style mileage well into the warmer season.

Finally, we unpacked a handful of goodies from Karen Kane including this adorable raspberry shade with a sweet beadwork placket! This shape is running a bit full and it reading well on gals with full chests and curvy hips. Pop an all-black outfit with this amazing color or mix it in with lime green or lemonade yellow for a very naughty retro-prep look! Finally, we have a stunning black silk blouse with glorious embroidery work along the neckline and sleeves. The shape of this piece is marvelous on Amanda, really fitting her curves and frame and laying wonderfully against her shoulders and torso. I think she should take it…don’t you (wink wink)?

Heads up! We are hostessing our newest spring line, Lotis, with a Designer Reception at vive la femme on Thursday March 18th from 6p to 8p. We’ve already made our spring order but we absolutely be taking pre-orders for the items you simply have to have! RSVPs are welcome, and friends and family can of course attend too. http://www.lotisclothing.com/ Please email or call if you plan to grace us with your presence!

Hey curvy cats and curvaceous cutiepies! We received a few goodies this week which are merely a taste test of the delightful shipments to come! Meanwhile, check out our latest and greatest…

Karen Kane fans and enthusiasts will enjoy the newest transitional looks, namely a gorgeous deconstructed tunic sweater in a lightweight knit. Check out this gorgeous sky blue color! Amanda layered with with a gray tank from Comfy for a soft silhouette of antiqued shades that reads warmly and richly. She also popped it with on her NEW handmade pins!

Here’s the same sweater, again with a Redskew Pop Pin in a darling cocoa brown, this time layered with a deep jewel-tone turquoise tank. This sweater also comes in black, and was delivered to us in very limited numbers. Perfect for seasonal layering and supersnugglycomfy, this piece was a hit among the staff right out of the box!

We also unpacked a retro-dame blouse in a very clean zebra print trimmed with black and festooned with a black ribbon effortlessly go from a 50’s beach luau to an 80’s video, namely, “Gimme All Your Lovin’” from ZZ Top. A great power piece for those who  like to decade-jump in their closet!

Finally, Amanda from Redskew bestowed us with a new collection of handmade pins! Each of them are one-of-kind, a real conversation piece, and just $12! Here’s another pic of Amanda wearing one of her pins with the new Karen Kane brown sweater. It’s a dash of Adorable! mixed with a serving of Wow! topped off with a sprinkle of Darling!

We are wrapping up our Twenty-Ten sale this weekend, so please feel free to stop by and peruse our still-full racks for dresses, soft suiting, and workhorse tanks and shrugs. Stop by soon!