HOT HOT HOT: Kiss For A Cause @ H&M

H&M launched their latest collection Thursday April 26, Kiss For A Cause, which supports Fashion Against AIDS by donating 25% of the proceeds from clothing sales. They’re also taking advantage of the Instagram craze by donating $1 for every photo chosen with the hashtag #kissforacause. This line is not to be missed…talk about sensory overload…it’s NEON, TRIBAL, OMBRE, SHEER & UNEVEN HEMS galore! We literally gasped when we walked into the store, that’s how good it is. Make sure to check it out this weekend before it’s all gone….run, don’t walk!

HOT HOT HOT: Coachella 2012

Summer is approaching…and you know what that means…music festivals galore!  We can barely contain our glee, and I’m sure you agree. First up is Coachella located in Indio, CA…laden with palm trees, desert terrain, celebs and pool parties. Coachella attracts some of the best dressed people in the HOTTEST trends…including DENIM CUTOFFS, CROCHET, FLORALS, FRINGE, NEON, CROP TOPS, STUDS, MAXIS, UNEVEN HEMS & TIE-DYE. We take our cue from the ladies at LF and Planet Blue, who have this free spirited style down to a T. Their outfits (above) are the epitome of the boho/hippie chic look that reigns supreme with this crowd.

As your trusted friends, we want to make sure you leave nothing off of your packing list, so you can have the HOTTEST items all weekend. It was hard to pick our favorites without going overboard, so we made sure to give you the best of the best. One of the standouts for this year’s festival has to be the Coachella shorts from newcomer LACAU…way to make a statement! Our advice: have fun with it…drench yourself in bright colors, kick-ass shorts and don’t forget to pile on the arm candy. Click (to enlarge) each item (below) to mix and match a killer outfit.

Planet Blue: 3835 Cross Creek Rd Malibu, CA 90265 / 310-317-9975

LF: 106 South Robertson Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90048 / (310) 271-2727

***be sure to check out Planet Blue and LF online and their other locations all across LA

LAS VEGAS TRADE SHOWS: Women’s Spring 2012

How do we even begin to describe what we saw in Women’s Trends at PROJECT, MAGIC, and ENK this season in LAS VEGAS?! To start, some of the standouts were definitely NEON, BRIGHTS, PRINTED DENIM, DENIM CUTOFFS, NEW BOHO and ACTIVE WEAR. The ladies were proudly representing style at it’s best.

We were really dying over the DENIM trends and made sure to feature some of our favorites in LINES WE LOVE.  Starting with newcomers, SIMPLY SHORT and LACAU, who had us salivating over every single pair of STUDDED, PRINTED or EMBELLISHED shorts. ACTIVE WEAR was taken to a whole new level with LOVE ZOOEY; featuring pieces with leather and neon piping. If you’re looking for a new line to live in, we found DAY BY DAY, which carries cozy fleece with unique screens and silhouettes…perfect for those summer nights in Malibu. And for updates in Women’s sportswear, we saw BRIGHT SHEERS from PLASTIC ISLAND & AS IS, along with MIXED MEDIA from COREY LYNN CALTER & EVIL TWIN.

The Women’s collections were bold and pushed the boundaries of innovation and style.  Check out the LINES WE LOVE and more of our OBSESSIONS below (click to enlarge):

LAS VEGAS TRADE SHOWS: Men’s Spring 2012

It’s our favorite time of year…the TRADE SHOWS in LAS VEGAS!!!  Once again, we were blown away by the amazing collections from some of the newer and the more established brands.  As for Men’s, we saw lots of MILITARY, ACTIVE, PLAID, DENIM, and one-of-a-kind WOVENS at the PROJECT and ENK shows.

This season, the Men’s LINES WE LOVE represent these trends all across the board. CALM, PUBLISH and 11 AFTER 11 took a new approach to basic wovens and knits…accent pockets in LEOPARD, CHAMBRAY and STRIPES seemed to pop out of the fabric.  We saw a huge trend in WOVENS that was fresh and innovative – taking the essential men’s button down to a new level.  UNDER 2 FLAGS did a great job of capturing the MILITARY trend, but with a really cool twist…think multiple CARGO pockets and new CAMO print.  The GYPSY 05 and RHEYN collections are perfect for active-inspired basics.  But these aren’t your boring basics…bright color and ethnic undertones make for anything but average.

The Men’s collections never disappoint with their creativity and swagger.  Check out LINES WE LOVE and more of our FAVORITE items below (click to enlarge):

SHOP STOP: Madison

When you talk about shopping in LA, it’s pretty much sacreligious not to mention the city’s staple specialty, MADISON.  We stopped by their flagship on 3rd street a couple days ago to check out some new SPRING merchandise…all the S/S 2012 collections are in full bloom!

So unless you live under a rock, you can tell that NAUTICAL is going to be a HUGE trend for spring – we are loving the UNEVEN HEM maxi by ELIZABETH & JAMES, and SPLENDID made some super cute STRIPES that are not only HOT ITEMS, but so comfortable. Also, BOHO is back (don’t think it ever goes away in LA). It’s fresh this time around with less concentration on florals and more focused on vintage-inspired textiles like CROCHET & VELVET. Possibly one of the most versatile spring trends, OPEN WEAVE KNITS are items that can work for everyone. We LOVE the PASTEL short sleeve by SPLENDID, the DRAPED CARDIGAN by 12th STREET CYNTHIA VINCENT, and the COLD SHOULDER by one of our favorites, HELMUT LANG. Always being a step ahead on WHAT’S HOT, MADISON will forever be our home for everything fabulous. Oh, and their collection of basics (i.e. T by ALEXANDER WANG, EQUIPTMENT, NATION) doesn’t suck either

Check out all of their 6 locations, each one is so unique to it’s own space…and SHOP online!

SHOP STOP: Timeless on Melrose

“I don’t do fashion, I am fashion,” a famous quote by Coco Chanel is printed on the mirror right outside the dressing rooms – the perfect place where fashionistas, who come to shop here, are inspired.  This mantra immediately sets the tone for the type of shopping experience you are about to have.   

TIMELESS, with two stores on Melrose and one in Studio City, is our go-to place for the HOTTEST items of the moment.  No matter what kind of budget you’re on, this chic boutique has something for everyone.  While most stores on Melrose carry the same merchandise packed together from wall-to-wall, TIMELESS easily separates themselves from the herd.  They pride themselves on carrying a uniquely curated selection from local designers such as Z. HOVAK, COCO DE COEUR, MY VL and SEE YOU MONDAY.  On this trip, we saw these amazing red and navy STAR PRINT leggings, a NORDIC tank with a CORAL iconic Chanel logo, an UNEVEN HEM tank with DOTS and a boho OMBRE FRINGE top with peace sign…all completely on-trend and affordable!  We LOVE this spot because, even though, their collection is trendy, the items will never go out of style…they are TIMELESS. 

Visit their website http://timelessboutique.blogspot.com/ for more information…or stop by one of the three locations to get your shop on!

HOT HOT HOT: Feathers from Michelle Roy

With NAVAJO staking it’s claim in the current retail market, it was only a matter of time until FEATHERS – the ultimate navajo accessory (next to turquoise, of course) – started showing up everywhere! Our favorite accessories designer, MICHELLE ROY brightens up this trend by taking feathers to new heights. We visited her showroom this week, and picked out a few of our most favorite items. The SINGLE EARRINGS are fantastic for infusing a little color into your look without being too bold. Bright pinks, blues, and yellows are adorned with rhinestones, spikes, and skulls thanks to MICHELLE ROY’S unique touch that she puts on all her pieces. Her EAR CUFFS tend to show off your more daring side with a heavy metal base dripping in feathers and chains. Feathered FEDORAS and FLOPPYS will definitely top off your laid-back LA look. Last and certainly not least, feathered SANDALS for the true feather fanatics. Contact MICHELLE ROY for more information because this trend is HOT HOT HOT!

Shop with the LiveLoveShopLA VIP CARD and receive 20% off every time you make a purchase with MICHELLE ROY.

SHOP: 4th of July

So normally we would advise against gimicky holiday attire, but this 4th of JULY there are some FRESH and WEARABLE pieces out there.  Shop the WILDFOX Seeing Stars Loose Knit at PLANET BLUE, or pick up a patriotic tank at URBAN OUTFITTERS and XXI. And don’t even get us started on these killer JEFFREY CAMPBELL Lita’s at LF, they are so hot.  However you end up celebrating the holiday, make sure you do it with CONFIDENCE and STYLE!

TREND ALERT: Tie-Fronts & Knots

Want to know a simple and cost-free way to SPICE up your wardrobe this summer?  This trend is red-hot and in stores everywhere!  Learn how to LAYER up your wardrobe by following these steps:

Step 1: Find slouchy GRAPHIC T or BUTTON-DOWN.  Step 2: LAYER it over your favorite summer DRESSES, TOPS, and MAXI SKIRTS.  Mix & Match is encouraged.  Step 3:  Tie up the bottom edges of your button-down, or start tying knots in your T-SHIRT anywhere they seem fit.  Step 4: Throw on some new jewelry, scarf or a lightweight sweater for the desired LAYERED look!

Trends West: An Inside Look

Here at LIVELOVESHOPLA we are more than just a pretty blog. As a matter-of-fact, LLSLA is merely the love child of our industry publication, TRENDS WEST. For those of you who aren’t familiar with what goes on behind the scenes, here is a sneak peak at the latest cover of Trends West, L.A.’s Retail Notebook.