Talent Show

Mid-July is kind of an unofficial holiday for us. Why? Because it's the time when we can finally get our hands on those fall runway styles we lost our minds over last February at fashion week. What have we snapped up so far? Well Derek Lam's uptown bohemian Off the Shoulder Dress and pretty plaids from Ports 1961 for starters, plus Lela Rose's ladylike Lantern Sleeve Dress and Thakoon's punk-meets-posh Luiza. The "most wonderful time of the year"? For fashion-obsessed folk it's right now. Celebrate with fresh-off-the-runway fall dresses, from right here, in the Designer Boutique.

Summer of Luxe: Standout Accessories

Seeing all the little dresses and high-waist shorts coming and going starting to make you feel like part of some scary style cloning experiment? Set yourself apart from the fashion pack with luxe accessories. Standout shoes from Sergio Rossi and Givenchy, sophisticated sunglasses from YSL, and a dramatic-yet-timeless bag from Derek Lam are sure to give your summer look some serious fashion cred. What separates the fashion professional from the rank amateur? Accessories. Show that you've gone pro with polished pieces from the Designer Boutique.

shopbop now has a Designer Index!

LOOK!

We've introduced a Designer Index to our site, making finding the brand or piece you are looking for even more convenient. How cool is that? Now you get an overview of everything shopbop carries on one page, and you’ll be able to shop by brand and category simultaneously. The page is broken down by Apparel, Handbags, Shoes, Swim, Denim, Jewelry & Accessories, and Lingerie to help speed your search for the perfect piece.

Our Designer Boutique brands, like Derek Lam and Thakoon, are highlighted in purple. I love having those brands listed alongside everything else we carry. It’s a great reminder to check out the designers that are most influencing fashion right now.

If you haven't checked out our Designer Boutique, go on already! There are some really amazing pieces that will not only inspire you, but will have you saving every last dime and dropping hints to relatives and friends.

Like these boots from Givenchy:


Perfect timing. My boyfriend and I are coming up on our 4-year anniversary, and he picked up what I was layin’ down... Yay! Oh, he's too good to me.

Go take a look yourselves, and see what I mean!

Sale! 30% Off Spring Styles in the Designer Boutique

Those standout pieces you salivated over on the spring runways? Bookmarked on style.com? Added to your personal lookbooks? Well start celebrating, style stalker, because Chris Benz to Brian Reyes, and every Derek Lam and Jenni Kayne in between, the most sought-after looks of the season are now 30% off in our Designer Boutique. Iconic styles to show off right now? They're on sale here, in the Designer Boutique.

Steampunk Style

Between last week’s NYT article on steampunk trends and Christian Bale’s visit to shopbop’s hometown to film a movie, my weekend DVD rental was a no-brainer. I picked up The Prestige and soaked up every last Victorian, bustle-and-crinoline, Jules Verne-inspired moment of the film. Maybe it’s because the summer onslaught of superhero and futuristic action films has begun, but I crave the sepia-toned formality of the costumes and the smoke-and-mirrors vaudeville flair.

And I must be nearing obsession, because Victorian and steampunk styles are popping out at me from all corners of shopbop.

Gryphon’s ruffled, bustled Petti-Coat adds a brightly contrasting belt with an ornately molded buckle and Eugenia Kim’s twill Slouchy Newsboy Cap invites a jaunty angle and a sly sense of humor. Twenty8Twelve is a little more subtle with the embroidered Lottie Long Sleeve Top, reminding me of elaborate Victorian undergarments. Their Roantree Cover-up Tee tends to the other extreme, featuring a surreal boudoir graphic. Perhaps the most authentic is Thea Grant’s charmingly tarnished jewelry. Using vintage objects, Grant creates sweetly gothic necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.

For fall, Rag & Bone features military jackets, Derek Lam offers structured wool overcoats, and Sari Gueron gives crinoline a fashion-forward silhouette.

Obsessions beg indulgence, so if you’ll please excuse me, I’m going to go find my aviator goggles and finish reading Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Spring Dresses in the Designer Boutique

In the immortal words of Tom Petty, "the waiting is the hardest part." Was he talking specifically about fashion? We can't say for sure. But we do know that the months of waiting to get your hands on your favorite runway looks can feel like an eternity. The good news? You can finally get the spring 2008 styles that had fashion editors fainting in the aisles. Because Chris Benz to Derek Lam and every Rachel Roy and Sari Gueron in between, we've got straight-off-the-runway dresses from the freshest names in fashion. Good things come to those who wait. Get the dresses you bookmarked from the spring 2008 collections now, at the Designer Boutique.

The Latest in the Designer Boutique

All this talk of March Madness makes us think one thing: we've gotta get serious about our spring fashion picks. We're putting our money on the understated sexiness of Derek Lam's Leopard Print Pleated Blouse and the rough-hewn brilliance of Barbara Bui's Lace-Ups. Our dark horse favorite? Anya Hindmarch's Cholet bag. It's just the sort of flying-under-the-radar find that stops fellow fashion mavens in their tracks. Spring styles to take you straight to the sartorial championships? They're right here, at the Designer Boutique.