Q:

I’ve been on a mission for an Anchor necklace for a while now and I’m finding that pieces are either too expensive or, if they’re affordable, not quite what I’m looking for like these ones from Forever 21. Where can I get cute ones for less? Any suggestions?

A:

Today’s Ask tristinstyling Q&A was submitted by one of our interns who is in for a little surprise when she reads this blog entry because the pendant (pictured left) is going to be hers! Mission complete.

Where did we find this piece you ask? Well, we took a piece off of an anchor ashtray that we got at goodwill for only 99 cents! Really! Look!:

Tada! No luck finding an anchor ashtray yourself? We took all the web work out for you and looked through over 550 different necklaces online. Here’s our top 5 most affordable anchor necklaces:

1. Miniature Boat Anchor Pendant on Silver Ball Chain, $9.99
2. Anchor Blues Necklace, $10.00
3. Anchored…Necklace, $14.00
4. Anchors Away, $15.00
5. Verdigris Anchor Necklace, $15.99

We’re diggin’ this retro band jacket look (pictured left) from lookbook.nu entitled “she has no time”

These jackets have been making their way into fashion since way back when on celebrity backs like Jimi Hendrix, Prince, and Michael Jackson…

Now that these pieces are sweeping back into the wardrobes of today’s celebs like Taylor Swift (jacket #2 pictured below), Kanye West, and Lupe Fiasco, the trend has been sold out and hard to find due to high demand.

Don’t sweat it though, cause we’ve got you covered with links to our favorite finds below.

Spring’s on its way out so there isn’t much time left to sport yours before it’s time to put it away for fall:

1. Urban Outfitters, Silence & Noise Cropped Band Jacket ($39.99)
2. BB Dakota, Sgt. Pepper’s Jacket ($80.00)
3. MARC BY MARC JACOBS Link Outline Hoody ($147.90)
4. Paris Hilton In the Band Jacket ($54.99)
5. Fendi, Military Detail Blouse ($436.00)
6. TAO Comme des Garçons, Drummer Boy Jacket ($1983.00)

It’s one thing to see styles walk down the runway or sit on shelves of retailers, and another to actually see them on the streets. I don’t think a designer has truly made a mark for the season until their designs are actually purchased and worn.

To document what people are actually wearing, the right column of our blog has been utilizing a twitter widget to tweet LIVE photos of styles we see online and on the streets but for some reason, we felt a need to do more, so on top of our live tweets…

Introducing… (drum roll please)

Street Style Interviews!

In these short “vidisodes”, the tristinstyling video team will be hitting the streets to feature current trends that real people are wearing and where to get it all.

Chicago Street Style: Feathered Fedoras (vidisode 1)

This video featuring
Host: Christine Matsunaga
Director: Noel Dabu
Sound: Glenn Suravech
1st Street Styler : Bobby
2nd Street Styler: Christine
Boutique Interview: Nancy Becker

Boutique:
uNa Mae’S
1528 n. milwaukee ave.
chicago, il 60622

Music:
“God” by Mosaic feat. Kat Nakano
Mosaic Sound Recordings
www.glennsuravech.com

Producer:
Christine Matsunaga
www.tristinstyling.com

We’ve all seen the different versions that retailers have available at the checkout counters but what better way is there to shop than with these reusable, ultra durable, and stylish, bags?

RuMe bags are all about form and function with lovely prints and a perfect shape and size that is large and strong enough to carry loads (up to 50lbs) of stuff. Fold three up and store them together without taking up more room than medium… ahem… I mean, “grande” cup o’ starbucks!

Don’t believe it? Scroll down and take a look at the images below.

(And psst… Right now, Daily Candy subscribers who enter code DAILYCANDY at checkout get 25%off!)

Take a look at WhoWhatWear’s Trend Picks to look forward to in Spring 2009…

During our weekly visit to the newsstand, we were struck by how many magazines hit the same note on their January covers. As you might have noticed too, nearly every glossy has some form of the phrase “New Year, New You!” as a cover line and the issues are stuffed with ideas about how to better your current situation. (Apparently we’re all gauche, ungroomed, and depressed if the typical suggestions—365 Ways To Look Chic! 99 Beauty Tricks You Need Now! Fix Your Life In 8 Easy Steps!—are any indication.)

We’re all for self-improvement, but we figured you might like to kick off your new year with something other than a list of instructions about how to upgrade your life. Rather than going the traditional magazine route, we decided to take the inspirational one, and whipped up a little seasonal preview for you instead. We hope you take as much delight in today’s Look Forward To: Spring 09 Trends as we did in creating it (we love betting on which shapes and styles will be the next big things).

(Images details by row, from left to right)

Rhinestones: Valentino, Alexander McQueen
Cage Shoes: Stella McCartney, Barbara Bui, YSL
Bib Necklaces: Marc by Marc Jacobs, Burberry (top), Chanel (bottom)
Drawstring Bags: Prada, Marc Jacobs
Sheer: Malo, Costume National, Alexander Wang
Sharp Shoulders: Marc Jacobs (top), Just Cavalli (bottom), Balmain
Silky Pants: Ralph Lauren Collection, Chloe, Moschino Cheap & Chic
Pulled Back Hair: Lanvin, Narciso Rodriguez
Mini Skirts: Matthew Williamson, Versace, Stella McCartney

Photos courtesy of First View and imaxtree.

I like to browse lookbook.nu because it is a great source for real style inspiration. The site is all about photos/looks posted by members from all over the world.

Tracy, from tracyellenphotography.com took photos to document my favorite outfits from this season for my lookbook =). Check out her site for more of her work!

Here’s a couple of them:

tristinstyling lookbook created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Take a peek at my favorite looks at the moment from lookbook.nu’s latest posts…

Trouble viewing the slideshow? click here to see it on moblyng

When I attended a yelp event the other night, artist “Blütt” (#1) worked a spur of the moment piece onto the front side of my (boring before his art graced the surface of it) handbag (#2) that I bought a few months ago to go with my favorite sneakers (#3).

I love it!

by Christine Matsunaga

As I was driving up Lincoln on a sunny day last week, I noticed locals, Alison & Rocky (pictured left) soaking up the sun rays at a table in front of Costello Sandwich & Sides which lead me to do tristinstyling on street fashion: Sunglasses.

Now that the sun is looking like it’s ready to stay out after a very long winter, it’s time to go shopping for the perfect pair of sunglasses.

Whether you’re looking to sport a fashionably fabulous pair for hundreds or nickel and dime it down to $15 bucks a pop, local boutiques all over the city are going to have all kinds of styles to choose from.

As far as looking for the right pair when it comes to whether or not your eyes are actually being protected, allaboutvision.com has a number of articles about sunglasses and UV rays. Click here to read Sunglasses: Frequently Asked Questions.

As I always say, “Hit Crossroads Trading Company first.” You’re more likely to find secondhand designer that you’ll like than at any other secondhand store. Secondhand stores are always a hit or miss yes but with Crossroads, I find misses to be rare.

by Christine Matsunaga

When people think about fashion, I bet the first thing that comes to mind is runway styles and red carpet glitz and glam. But the runway isn’t the only place where one could find people making fashion statements.

As I was walking out of a record store on Lincoln Avenue today, I couldn’t help but notice a local (Rosanna L pictured here) who was lighting up a cigarette with really cool style! So here goes “tristinstyling on Street Fashion” entry number one.

The first thing I noticed was her kelly green socks that peeked out from under her dark denims which were nicely folded with big cuffs just above the ankle and how they brought out the light tints of green in her laces strung through her nicely worn in chucks. Up top she sported a hot pink sweater under a black hoodie with a funky knitted beanie that had sprinkles of plums and pinks in the chunky yarn and topped everything all off with what looked like a hemp woven mini messenger purse. She was sporting a really cool very short cut that she had just gotten done at Tigerlilie Salon.

Til next time!

Oh and P.S.
It was so funny because while I was diggin’ on her cozy style, my husband couldn’t help but drool a bit over her bike so I kept it in the picture for all you bike fans out there