Austin trends + Rachel Leigh belt giveaway

Lately, I've been doing a lot of thinking about style trends specific to Austin.

You see, not only do we have cool, locally produced shows like Team Fabrication and Fashion Freakout to stoke our collective fashion flames. We've got designers. We've got vintage galore. We've got local blogs like Austin Style Watch and The Year of Living Thriftily to make us excited about getting dressed in the morning. Which - pause - let's talk. I went to that TYOLT-sponsored garage sale this weekend, did you guys? While there, I purchased enough metallic sweaters to cast a 21st century reenactment of Fame, or alternatively, spell out reflector emergency messages in the yard, should it ever come to that.

Anyway, back to the matter at hand: I'm curious, Austin readers. What are your favorite local trends?

Me, I'm a sucker for ripped leggings.


Local fashionista Caitlin Diaz pulls these off rather well. Polished? Perhaps not. But I love. I don't know why. Maybe because I don't feel so bad wearing my own ratty tights well after their expiration date.

Also, bustierres over clothes.

I admit I haven't gotten the guts to wear this yet, but I think it's brazen and awesome.

Finally, anything studded. Now, this trend reaches much further than the city of Austin, it's true - but I see more hardware haphazardly attached to outfits or accessories here than anywhere else I've lived or spent time in. Here's one of Sarah's cute purses from The Year of Living Thriftily to illustrate my point:


Now speaking of studs - cue hands rubbing fiendishly together - I've got something for public consumption.

Do you all know about Chickdowntown? They carry things for which I lust: See By Chloe, Elizabeth and James, CC Skye, and - sigh - Black Halo, a sorta sexy secretary label I'm kind of drooly over at the moment, one that's not always easy to find on the interwebs. Lo and behold, Chickdowntown reveals they are the largest online retailer of Black Halo, and I have to say...not surprised. Their label list, it reaches on into infinity.

Anyway, they contacted me recently about doing a giveaway, and after assuring them I wouldn't enter my own contest and thus "win" said item myself, they graciously offered this bit of magic.



You likey?

It's a Sex and the City inspired belt by Rachel Leigh, and Chickdowntown is giving one away on my bizarre little blog. Here's SJP working the shit out of this belt:

...as well as a rather rotund collar.

If you are the style type, this is a good time to mention Chickdowntown's revamped fashion blog, which I think you will lerve. (And if you really really dig, hit up their Twitter, YouTube, MySpace, and Chick Downtown TV).

Anyway, dear readers - to win this pretty, punky thing, you must complete one simple task.

enter a comment below naming one austin style trend.

The winner shall be chosen randomly. I believe dropping my cat on the laptop and seeing which name her paws land on would be the most sound method, don't you?

I'll leave this post up for a day or so to give everyone time to enter, and announce the winner later this week. Remember to leave your email. If you win, I'll ask you to send on over your (US) mailing address and belt size, and we'll get this party started.

Look forward to your comments, ladies. And/or sassy gents.