Throughout history, women’s fashion has had different phases, different way of presenting who we are. Corsets molded our waistlines and lifted our busts, high heels made our calf muscles stand out and shoulder pads made us look more imposing.
Trends have come and gone, but the one thing fashion should always do is accentuate YOUR best features and reflect YOUR personality. Fashion, when it really comes down to it, has to be a reflection of who you are. If you were a tomboy as a kid (as I was) you might find yourself drawn more towards jeans and hoodies and sneakers as opposed to mini-skirts or lacy tops. You should be true to that (without resorting to sweatpants, duh). Try to find a way to dress that communicates to others who you are, your interests, your values.
One of the best things about Common Era is our very limited edition (i.e. limited to one) clothing and accessories. Common Era really does provide a wide variety of style options for just about anyone- from punk rockers, to hipsters, to dreamy girly-girls and office workers with an edge. Customizing your clothes or accessories is yet another way to reveal your interests- which is why we offer DIY Open Studio Sessions for you to come in and make jewelery, card cases or embellishments for sweaters.
Do you like the ocean? What about a little octopus to compliment a navy cardigan? Do you like the Ramones? Why not cut out images from your cd collection to make a music themed card case?
For those of you who haven’t yet stopped in to see our unique creations, here is an article written by Annie Walsh of the Longmont Times detailing her experience creating her own card case with our owner Debra Mazur (*not Mazura as the article repeatedly states.)
For those of you that want to experience it for yourself- call or stop into our Boulder store and set up a time to get creative and develop a fashion accessory that really represents who you are. Sometimes you can judge a book by it’s cover…
How many of you have had an article written about you? Not many? I have. When I was in 3rd grade I was a great student, well-liked by my friends and enjoyed close ties with all my teachers, the janitors and the principal. Even as a 10-year-old I yearned to be an adult- to be taken seriously, to be viewed as responsible, to be able to make a convincing argument about politics. So obviously I was thrilled when I heard that a journalist from the Boulder Daily Camera would come to Heatherwood Elementary to do an interview with me.
Imagine my disappointment when the line of questioning consisted of things like “What is your favorite class?” and “What is your favorite color?” That was the first and last interview of my life.
Alaina Moore, an employee at our Denver Common Era store, has a slightly more glamorous story to tell. She and her husband were recently interviewed by none other than the New York Times Magazine.
In the interview the husband and wife team talk about taking a 6 month journey sailing along the east coast of the United States, stopping into ports, coves, towns and bars. It was that experience that inspired their “Marathon” EP, which, subsequently inspired a mean sense of jealousy in all young married couples who yearn to be half as cool as these guys. I myself have feared marriage and it’s seemingly unavoidable spiral into a hapless mediocrity filled with sentences like “We never do __________ anymore.”
The antidote is to look for couples just like Patrick and Alaina- couples that are creative, couples that make a goal together and strive to reach it. Hey, everyone needs a hero. I used to look up to Mates of State and Russel Simmons and Kimora. Now that the hip hop mogul is yet another divorcé, I’m left with Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn and now, thankfully, Tennis.
MetroMix recently put together a short television segment about shopping along the Pearl Street Mall and we were lucky enough to be included! Check out this video and see what you think- we’ve got our fabulous owner Debra Mazur talking into a mirror (?!) and some cute CU girls modeling our most amazing outfits.
AND- you know how sometime you can’t really trust what you see on TV? Well, just to let you know, after they finished shooting the segment they came back to the store to buy the very clothes they were talking about! That’s pretty cool, nothing fake here!
5280 magazine (named for the number of feet in a mile, mile high city…you get it) has more readers than any local magazine in Colorado. They review restaurants, sniff out good deals, expose trends and keep us informed about everything from sports to politics to the latest new cocktail. Every year they put together a special issue with their recommendations and top picks. This past year Common Era was lucky enough to be their Editor’s Choice for Best Accessories!
OK, so this photo is a little blurry…but look how cool this necklace is! Where can you find anything like this in Denver? Where can you find anything like this anywhere? Hand-crocheted lacey bits combined with metal chains of all sizes and a string of rhinestones. This is the ultimate tribute to the “tough but sweet” attitude. And you won’t find any two pieces alike, ever. Heck, you could even tell people you had it custom made for you and then they’ll slink back over to their table and ooh and ahh about how cool you are and how they never would have thought of that…
But we have so much more than just necklaces to offer! Glitzy clutches and messenger bags with monster faces! Gobs of faux pearls and delicate little bracelets… no matter what your style, we can jazz it up. What good is the perfect dress if you don’t have the perfect chandelier earrings to make heads spin? And remember- in this cold weather when you are all bundled up in a dowdy navy pea coat like every other poor sap- the best way to set your self apart is with a little fashion flair. Whether it be some fingerless gloves with an owl face, a knit beret or a fringed and studded purse, Common Era is queen of the accessories and we welcome you into our fashion kingdom…
Denver à la mode is “the scoop on Mile High Fashion, Beauty and Trends.” So it makes sense that they would come to Common Era and ask us to put together some stunning outfits for their newest feature “Four hot looks and seven hot books to warm up winter.”
From our one-of-a-kind embellished cardigans to our cozy knit berets, mini dresses and vibrant hued tights, there is no reason to look like a drab winter marshmallow when you walk out the door. Our fab faux fur jackets paired with our adorable gloves, eye catching clutches and our amazing earrings will keep you warm and stylish, whether you’re reading a great hardback at the Tattered Cover, sipping a latte at Paris on the Platte or strolling down the 16th Street mall with your pals.
And don’t forget- while this is a Denver fashion story, we also have our original Common Era location with all the same dazzling fashion finds in Boulder and 16th and Pearl!
I remember back in 2003 when I first heard the word “blog.” I laughed hysterically- it seemed like a word that hadn’t developed naturally, but rather was invented by marketers after many weeks of focus groups. It’s like the difference between “brunch” and “linner.” “Brunch” sounds natural, delicious and appropriate. “Linner,” on the other hand, sounds as though a middle schooler were trying really hard to be cool by coming up with his own slang. And, to me, the word “blog” sounded the same way. Just silly.
However, I have been proven wrong- as both the word and the activity that it represents have stood the test of time. I guess since I’m 28, I can call lasting a mere 6 years “the test of time.” But it’s true- everywhere you look people are starting up new blogs (us included!) and we are pleased to help promote another local, fashion related blog- Fashion Folio. Glorianna (apart from having a fabulous name) does a great job mixing local news (parties, events, fashion shows, cafés and craft fairs) with national trends (textured tights on most of the Gossip Girl crew) and even some global insight (a scholarly looking bear used as a mascot for the Korean label, Teenie Weenie.)
What we like most about Glorianna, however, is what we like most about anyone- the fact that she likes us! Mutual admiration is such a wonderful feeling! Here you can read all about what she thinks about us (or at least what she thought back in December 2007 when she wrote this piece for “This Week in Denver.”)
Oh, and Glorianna- if you read this- let us know if you’ve been back to our store lately and if you still feel the same way. Or better yet, take a trip up to Boulder to check out our original location and tell us what you think of the recent remodel!
***note*** For those of you wondering about the weird image collage for this entry- I borrowed the images of Glorianna Schinagl from her blog and since they were sort of small I had to, as Tim Gunn would say, “make it work.”
As a fledgling fashion blog ourselves we always have to give a shout out to our peers (they are not competition!) When it comes to delightful styles and opinions and discoveries of all things fashion related we must give a well-deserved slap on the back and say “Good on you chum!” Especially when they speak kindly of you!
So here is a shout out to Valentine on the Side, a wittily written Denver based blog that also covers national news (such as Harry Potter’s pal Hermione who is now the new face of Burberry, and whom I have to agree looks smoking hot.)
One of our favorite things about our stores is that we try to let them reflect our personalities- our musical tastes, culinary tastes and sense of humor as well as just our sense of style. That way you know you are shopping an independent store and not, as Valentine mentions, the techno-throbbing, mall-smelling warehouse of Forever 21.
The votes are in! Or at least the votes of two very important and knowledgeable people are in: Judie Schwartz and Evelinda Urman, the creators of the popular Rocky Mountain News column “Style Matters,” have decried that Common Era is the Best Place to Shop for Under $100! To quote directly, they said “”Pretty much the cutest clothes you’ll ever own” is the store slogan. Might we add, they have some of the lowest prices on some of the highest-styled fashions.”
After their popular book A Fashion-Lover’s Guide to the Best Shopping in Denver and Beyond, 2nd Edition came out earlier this year to the delight of many Colorado women. The book covers new boutiques, fashion advice, and money saving opportunities (such as shopping at Common Era!) In fact I would argue we can do better than $100. If you’re in a thrifty mood just come on in and ask for advice. We’ll point you towards or sales racks, our one-of-a-kind hand made accessories and our always-beloved $18 shoe bin. Yes, I said $18. You’ve got to see it to believe it.
If you’d like to have money left over to go out for a drink after your day of shopping, Common Era was designed with you in mind.
Isn’t it every little kid’s dream to be on TV? Well, maybe not every kid, but I remember when Channel 7 News came to Heatherwood Elementary in Boulder one day at recess. It was freezing cold but as soon as the news van rolled up everyone immediately forgot about the weather and turned their attention to the possibility of being famous. We all huddled in a group as the camera man did a slow pan across our eager faces. We were instructed to hold out our index finger, indicating that Channel 7 news was #1. Later that evening I had a tape in the VCR ready to record my television debut. It was about 4 seconds of pure joy that I’ll never forget.
In this video, however, the fame lasts for nearly 6 whole minutes as our delightful owner Debra Mazur gets interviewed on Good Day Colorado’s Fashion Friday. Our girls put together outfits and took turns posing somewhat awkwardly on a pedestal while Deb rattled off brand names and prices. The interviewer marveled that our sweaters didn’t cost hundreds of dollars, a clear indication that she has never been to our store. We don’t have sweaters that cost even a hundred dollars.
All in all it was some good exposure and it’s fun to look back on the outfits of 2 years ago (this was filmed in September 2007) and see how well they have held up. I’d wear any one of those items if we still carried them. In fact I do still have the Final Touch jacket that Allie models and I still get compliments on it!
