Winter Toast! No, it is not another recipe of ours for some sort of hearty, bread based appetizer. Here, “toast” means to celebrate and on Thursday, December 3rd that’s exactly what we plan to do (and you’re invited!)
The Winter Toast is actually an annual event held for the past several years in which the businesses along Platte street in Denver host an afternoon (5pm – 8pm) of delight for their loyal customers. If you are not a customer, don’t worry, this event is for you as well- to get to know this charming neighborhood and all it has to offer.
Common Era will be participating, as usual, with our fabulous finger foods and fierce fashion advice from a professional expert, Tina Gill of worthwhile style. Tina was at the Denver Common Era for our Girl’s Night Out event last September, giving advice on flattering colors, styles, and dressing for your body type.
And while you browse our newest winter gear, you may also revel at our Winter Window Display. 303 magazine is documenting a project that will take place across all of Denver this holiday season (not just Platte Street) in which they showcase the amazing window displays that Denver’s creative geniuses put together. They will be at Common Era filming (we are told) so if you’d like to get in on the action be sure to dress cute (duh) and maybe stand in front of our window display with this sort of doe-eyed look and point one trembling finger while with your other gloved hand you cover your mouth as if to say “I’ve never seen anything quite so beautiful.” That’s sure to please. Then you can go around bragging about how you were in a documentary, something very few people will be able to trump.
Oh- and once you have eaten your fair share of crackers, cheese and fruit and after you have gotten advice from Tina and Deb about whether or not you can pull off 4 inch long earrings, you will pleased to know that there are also discounts. Discounts! At the register you can dip your hand into a magical jar and pull out an instant coupon of between 10% off and 30% off!! Could it get any better? Well, considering Rob Pattinson turned down our invite to join in on the fun, I guess the answer is no, it doesn’t get any better than this. That is, until December 4th, when we’ll do it all over again in Boulder, only with OPEN STUDIO CRAFT TIME!!!
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.”
Halloween is just around the corner and if you don’t have a costume idea yet you’re going to regret it. What’s so great about Halloween is that you have an excuse to be creative and show another side of yourself. Often times that means dressing up as a sexier version of some more traditional character (witch, nurse, baseball player). But our favorite costumes are those that are more personalized- a person you look up to or admire or a scary character from your favorite horror movie. Even a character from a book can be a great costume- if people don’t understand right away they’ll be sure to ask you about it and then you find yourself having a conversation with someone you’ve never met before. It’s really a win-win.
Because of our roots as a vintage clothing store we were always a favorite choice when it came time to find a costume- from top hats to panty hoes, wigs, Elvis glasses, flapper skirts and capes of all sizes. While we have changed over the years to grow into a more far reaching but still unique new clothing store, our Halloween tradition continues to be a big part of who we are. In fact, the week leading up to Halloween all our employees are encouraged to dress up in a different costume every day!
Some of my past favorite costumes from the Common Era collection include Amy’s take on the “Queen of Hearts” from Alice in Wonderland and Katie’s take on “Natasha and Boris” from Rocky and Bullwinkle. So if you’ve been invited to a party and don’t have a thing to wear, come on down to Common Era where our creative staff will help you pick out the right costume for your event, whether it’s traditional, racy or something no one has even seen before. Happy Halloween from Common Era!
Sometimes you just want to have a night with the girls- where you can talk about the things that are important to you, gush about clothes and accessories, try on lipsticks and shoes and pretty much just celebrate the gorgeous, smart, independent woman that you are. Oh- and what about delightful snacks? Yup, we got that covered.
Tips and Sips was a night of fun and fashion hosted at our Denver location at 1543 Platte Street, that not only gave our wonderful customers access to our clothes and the professional guidance from our own style guru Debra Mazur, but each girl was asked to bring a gently used handbag or pair of dress shoes to benefit Dress for Success. Dress for Success is an international non-profit that helps low-income women get and maintain jobs in order to be more self-sufficient.
The other experts who attended that night and helped so many girls with their hair, make-up and style choices are:
Hair Stylist: Liz Mefford of Salon No Dice
Personal Stylist: Tina Gill of worthwhile style
Makeup Artist: Sameera Ahmed of Makeup by Sameera
Photographer: Audrey Michel of Audrey Michel Photography (we should mention that the above photos were taken by her)
Natural Food Chef: Angie Flechsig of Nourish Health Coaching
The night was a total success and everyone had a blast. Eyebrows were reshaped, the benefits of cream versus powder blush were discussed and ankle boots were tried on. Not that it was all fluff of course! The most delightful part of the evening was sharing a room with so many talented women from different backgrounds who have each made their own way in the world and had success by pursuing what they were most interested in. Creative women unite!
Seychelles is one of our favorite brands, and here are three fine examples of why we love them so much. It’s no secret that we pride ourselves on offering great prices and these heels are no exception, especially when you consider the quality of the shoes, the materials, and the craftsmanship. In fact, not just any old store can carry this brand of shoe- we had to go through a rigorous “cool test” before Seychelles agreed that their shoes and our clothes were a perfect match. Good for us and good for you- since these autumn hues are too good to pass up!
In general, a neutral toned shoe (like the one on the right) can be worn day or night during any season. Formal or casual, this delightful nude heel is versatile and might just make you feel like a princess. Well, not a princess exactly- with the mini-size small peep toe and the striking ankle strap this shoe isn’t as frivolous as say, a glass slipper. This shoe is for women who are strong and independent, but aren’t afraid of a little glamor. Like maybe a professional poker player who also gives tango lessons…? Or maybe Carrie Bradshaw when she matches a nude heel with a pinstripe suit for her interview with Vogue magazine… By the way- she gets hired.
As for the other two toasty styles, these are perfect examples of “autumn chic.” With jeans, with a pencil skirt, with wide-leg slacks or with a creamy, cowl neck sweater dress- these heels embody what I like to call “cozy authority.” Don’t be surprised when you are inevitably invited to spend a weekend away in a semi-rural setting. After a long hike and a warm bath you’ll be thankful and proud to show off these appropriately rustic heels as you cuddle up on a bear skin rug.
Either that or you’ll just wear them to work and get a few jealous glances at the water cooler.
Believe it or not, 2009 has seen its share of headbands in magazines and on the red carpet. A far cry from the brightly colored plastic variety that came as part of a 6 pack and caused a migraine by the time recess was over, the modern headband has taken a cue from 1920′s flapper style. Pushed further down across the forehead and off to the side for a more pronounced look, these headbands tend to feature softer neutral colors, metallics, feather embellishments or vintage jewels and buttons. Everyone from Mischa Barton to Nicole Richie and Natalie Portman have been spotted crowning their heads with these creations and now you are lucky enough to know just where to get them!
Of course that isn’t to say you would be paying the same prices that celebrities pay to look this good. At Common Era we want you to look good and still be able to pay your rent!
And one more thing- don’t worry about anyone having the same headband as you, one of the best things about Common Era is our collection of amazing one-of-a-kind accessories- from headbands and barrettes to earrings, necklaces and even cigarette cases.
Make no mistake, these are the kinds of accessories that get noticed. It’s a small investment that can make an outfit out of anything at all. Throw on some skinny jeans, slouch boots, a long black tee and one of our headbands and the next thing you know Vice magazine is begging to take your photo.
Not sure it’s the look for you? Well you’ll never know if you don’t try. That’s why Common Era has charming young girls working behind the counter, to give advice, to hold up a mirror, to adjust a stray feather, and to steer you in another direction if it isn’t the look for you.
Listen, I never thought I could pull off a beret until I tried on about 7 different styles. Now I look better than Blair from Gossip Girl…I’m just saying.
Check out these lovely and stylish young things! I could probably tell you that these are the up and coming actors for an Oscar-nominated movie and you’d say “Oh yeah, I think I’ve seen them in People magazine…”
Of course you probably didn’t see them in People magazine because they aren’t actually famous and they are not casually waiting to be interviewed by Ryan Seacrest. In fact, the little that we do know about them we were only able to deduce through some fancy detective work (i.e. looking at the logo in the background of the photo and entering the name into Google.) As it turns out they were actually attending an event here in Denver called the the “Sneaker Prom” put on by Pulse Arts as a fundraiser. The idea was to dance the night away, but comfortably, while raising awareness about the power of art as a way to “end generational poverty.”
So what does this have to do with Common Era? Well, of course we are artsy types ourselves, but more importantly I would like to take this opportunity to direct your attention to the young lady on the left with the black strapless and the oh-so-chic headband. Not that the dress isn’t lovely, but that headband- what a statement! I imagine her gentleman friend spent the whole night begrudgingly holding her purse while she danced it up with every guy in the place. I mean, with such an obviously fashion forward sensibility she must have been the belle of the ball. I can only hope she told everyone who asked her where that hand-made head band came from- our one and only Common Era.
If you have any doubts whatsoever about the cutting-edge excellence of our hand-made headbands, please refer to another of our blog entries entitled “Don’t Fear the Headband.” You won’t be sorry.
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!
