Cool clothing coming out of Canada? Yep, I didn’t believe it either. But then I found Glyphiks. Like most indie designers, Glyphiks was started by Stephanie Storm as a hobby that exploded into a full-blown business. What is the appeal? How about the streetwear-with-style look, or pieces cut to accentuate the good curves, and mask the bad? Quality fabric and craftsmanship doesn’t hurt, either.
The Peek-A-Boo top, at first look, has a Matrix vibe to it. Pair it with leather pants and Doc Martens, …

I defy you to find me a woman who doesn’t own a few good tank tops. They are a summer staple. They are comfortable but they aren’t particularly feminine or unique. Sure, you can get tops in a variety of colors, with a huge selection of graphics, but they still feel so sporty. Gail Schneider’s tank tops will take you through summer without losing your femininity.
Israeli-born and East Coast-bred, Gail’s designs began as a hobby and blossomed into a full-time career in 2002. Soft cotton tank …

Gazebo Textiles is a true indie fashion house, run by artist Ricki Lee Moler out of her actual Pennsylvania home. A life of creativity has lead her to creating cut and sewn apparel, each piece being individually hand painted for a truly one-of-a-kind creation. Hand painting fabrics is just what it sounds like. Instead of dying fabrics in huge batches, each piece has special paint or dye applied by hand.

The titular gazebo is real – it is where Ricki learned her fabric painting techniques. …

I have been called a lot of things, but preppy has never been one of them. I’ve never worn a polo shirt; never had a sweater tossed jauntily around my shoulders. But Attus Apparel’s polos are different. You won’t find a crocodile stitched over the breast. Instead, Attus Apparel stitches each of their polos with emblems that speak to their target 20-something audience: the finger, a skateboarder, a 40 of beer. Along with their rugged, destroyed edges, no one will mistake you for a prep.
These …

It is safe to say I am obsessed with James Perse. My first piece was the long sleeve, off-the-shoulder top that was such a hit when it was first introduced. What caught my attention most was the fabric. I am a very tactile person, and often shop with my fingers. I won’t even pull something off the rack if it isn’t pleasing to the touch. I love the cut of his shirts, and the fabrics… they are just so stunningly complimentary, but easy to wear.

I …

My mom was actually the one who found this beauty. We were out shopping one day when she spotted this on the rack. I will never forget – she held it up and asked “Is this too weird for you?” I laughed, grabbed it from her, and said “Not at all!” She should have known by this point – even though I was in my 20s and no longer a crazy goth chick, I still like weird. Just tasteful-weird (aka – I have retired my …

I spent college dressed as a typical college student – t-shirts and jeans when I had 10 minutes, sweats and pajamas when I didn’t. This was one of the first feminine, designer tops I purchased, not long after graduation. It took my family and friends by surprise. Alyse, wearing pink??. To be fair, this is really more of a dusty rose. I wanted the black version, but they sold out before I could get my hands on one. The was just something about this …

This is easily one of my favorite pieces of clothing. It is is most certainly the least expensive, and extremely versatile.
I had a couple of other “A-Shirts” (which I suppose is the new, politically correct term for wife beaters… luckily I am not politically correct) from James Perse and the like, and I liked how they fit. So while at Target one day, I spotted a 3-pack in white while walking through the men’s section and decided to give it a shot.
First off, the shirts are 100% cotton …

This is another one of those tops that is just ok, until I see it has been marked down to $20… then it becomes awesome. I love the graphic print of this – and I am generally not a fan of prints. Love the color scheme too. The top is very comfortable and breezy. I must admit, I am a fan of the way it accentuates my bust line. But pas tthat, it gets a little dumpy, shape-wise. It’s a nice, easy-going top though, …

I fell in love with this Tufi Duek top the moment I saw it on BlueFly.com. I loved how classic it looked – 1940s secretary vintage. I was concerned by two factors. One was the price, which was about $100 (marked down from about $200). Not that much money, but more than I normally would spend on a single top while between jobs. The second was that it was very low-cut. I was also a bit concerned with the cut – empire waist tops …