EVENTS

BADC Fashion Statement Soiree at Bon V (1100 W Randolph Street)
Beginning at 9pm tonight (Friday), Borrow a Dress Couture holds it’s first annual Fashion Statement Soiree. The complimentary cocktail hour is followed by a 10pm fashion show.

Indie Designer Market at Plumber’s Hall (1350 W Randolph Street)
The Indie Designer Market returns on Saturday (10am-5pm) and Sunday (10am-4pm). This event will present an exclusive exhibition featuring some of the most original and provocative talent in Chicago.

SALES

Celebrate the Release of SATC2 at Gavin Boutique (1939 Central Street – Evanston)
Through Friday, shoppers are invited to don their stilettos and swing by Gavin to kick off the theatrical release of the hottest movie this summer, Sex and the City 2. One lucky shopper will be treated to the ultimate fan goodie bag.

Cynthia Rowley Sale at Cynthia Rowley Boutiques (810 W Armitage Avenue; 1653 N Damen Avenue)
Kick off your summer in style with the Cynthia Rowley Memorial Day Weekend Sale. Customers can enjoy up to 70% off select merchandise.

Bonanza Vintage Sale & General Store at Berlin Nightclub (954 W Belmont Avenue)
On Saturday and Sunday from 1-7pm, Shaina Rose & Action Jackson, in partnership with Berlin Nightclub, host the Bonanza Vintage Sale & General Store. The event will have live music, cocktails and and discounted clothing.

Sex and the City Celebration at Le Dress (1741 W Division Street)
On Saturday, Le Dress holds a special sale in celebration of SATC2. Purchase any dress, and get half off any accessory. Offer is good on one item only (not applicable to sale items).

Memorial Day Sale at Isabella Fine Lingerie (840 W Armitage Avenue)
Now through Sunday, take 20% off everything in the store. The discount is valid in-store or online (use code: SUMMER).

Fabulous 15 Memorial Day Sale at Akira (multiple Chicago locations)
Now through Monday, enjoy 15% off at Akira in honor of Memorial Day. Sale applies to Akira Red Label items.

EVENTS

Fashion 2010 at The Art Institute’s Modern Wing (111 S Michigan Avenue)
The SAIC kicks off the day-long Fashion 2010 with a fashion show at 2pm. The Walk 2010, which is part of the SAIC’s annual gala benefit, starts at 6pm. Finally, end the night with NightWalk 2010, which begins at 9pm.

Hollywood Glam at Park 52 (5201 S Harper Avenue)
The Hollywood Glam Fashion Premiere & Party kicks off at 10pm. The event will feature K~Fleye, Double Stitch, Entourage Man, Kham’ryn B., and Anna Fong. Admission and cocktails are complimentary. RSVP to eve@eventsbyeve.com.

Raw/State at Sharp Building (37 S Wabash Avenue)
Now through May 23, this SAIC graduate fashion exhibition showcases the work of students pursuing SAIC graduate degrees in Fashion, Body & Garment.

Gary Graham Personal Appearance at Robin Richman (2108 N Damen Avenue)
This Saturday, meet SAIC alum Gary Graham from 5-8pm at Robin Richman. Shop the spring collection and specialty pieces for one night only.

Dress Up Grand Opening Week (1937 N Damen Avenue)
Dress Up boutique celebrates the opening of their first store. From May 8-15, shoppers can enjoy 15% off everything in the store.

The Sometimes Store Grand Re-Opening (632 W Addison Street)
The Sometimes Store celebrates its grand re-opening on Sunday from 11am to 8pm. In honor of Mother’s Day, shoppers can bring in a photo of their mom for 20% off their purchase.

Victor Alfaro Appearance at local Carson Pirie Scott Stores
The designer makes a series of personal appearances on Friday (Wilmette from 12-3pm and Lombard from 5-8pm) and Saturday (Orland Park from 1-4pm) to host one-on-one style appointments at Carsons. Receive 20% off Victor by Victor Alfaro sportswear, footwear, and accessory purchases.

SALES

Vintage Sale at Eskell Boutique (1509 N Milwaukee Avenue)
Eskell is having a vintage sale this weekend that features racks from Kokorokoko and Chi-town Vintage. Stop by Saturday (11am-8pm) or Sunday (12-5pm).

Spring Accessories Fling at Le Dress (1741 W Division Street)
From Friday to Sunday, Le Dress invites shoppers to accessorize their favorite frocks during an all-weekend celebration. Enjoy 25% off any accessory.

City Soles Spring Event (various Chicago locations)
From 10am-10pm, City Soles will offer 20% off all new spring footwear. Plus, enjoy cocktails, music, raffles, giveaways and more.

RE.STOCK your Spring Wardrobe (1452 N Milwaukee Avenue)
RE.STOCK Shop will open again this weekend in Bucktown. Save up to 80% off retail on men and women’s designer clothing from through Sunday.

More upcoming fashion events and sales

Image courtesy of Gary Graham

Modern Vintage Chicago at the Beaux Arts Plumber’s Hall (1340 W Washington Street)
On Saturday (10am to 7pm) and Sunday (10am to 5pm), you’ll find the best dealers carrying clothes, estate and costume jewelry, handbags, shoes, hats, scarves, vintage fashion magazines, and much more. Tickets are $8 online and $10 at the door.

Anna Hovet Trunk Show at The 900 Shops (900 N Michigan Avenue)
On Saturday, Anna Hovet hosts a trunk show at the Incubator pop-up shop in The 900 Shops from 10am to 7pm.

Enjoy a Tax Break at Le Dress (1741 W Division Street)
On Saturday and Sunday, Chicago’s dress-only destination honors the end of tax season with a 2-day discount celebration. Shoppers will be treated to a 10.25% discount on their entire purchase.

Helen Yi Pop-Up Shop at 116 E Oak Street
On Saturday from 10am to 6pm, Helen Yi brings her goods to a pop-up shop just off the Magnificent Mile. Designer labels include Barbara Bui, Derek Lam, and Isabel Marant.

Spring Blowout Sale at BADC (3221 N Sheffield Avenue)
Borrow a Dress Couture is holding a Spring Blowout Sale this weekend. Dresses are being sold at up to 80% off retail.

Fix Offers Free Tote With Purchase (1101 W Fulton Market)
Through April 30, receive a free eco-friendly canvas tote with any purchase (tote shown above).

More upcoming Chicago fashion events and sales

Last Friday night, six local boutiques took to the runway for the second annual Battle of the Boutiques hosted by Chicago’s own PoorLittleRichGirls.com. The lifestyle website attracted some 300 guests for an evening of fashion, fun and friendly competition. Amidst the flow of hors d’oeuvres, sushi rolls and lots of cocktails (all for a minute $25 cover), the stylish spectators filled the seats at Lumen and watched on as 2 Sisters Boutique, Wolfbait & B-Girls, Dress Up, Hubba Hubba, RE.STOCK Shop, and le Dress presented five looks that were both fashion-forward and affordable. At the end of the show, a panel of judges, including Chicago Sun-Times Fashion Editor Jessica Sedgwick, ABC 7 News anchor Karen Jordan, and “Project Runway” contestant Steven Rosengard declared the fashion champion.

As a whole, the evening reflected Chicago’s practical, accessible style mentality, as each outfit remained under the $200 mark and was totally wearable—not overly styled or overly serious. This made for a light-hearted show that was just plain fun for the attendees and the participating boutiques. “We had a great time,” says Julie LaBarge, owner of RE.STOCK. “Everybody did a great job on their outfits, and I really loved the outfits by 2 Sisters Boutique.”

From left to right: Looks by 2 Sisters Boutique, Hubba Hubba, and Wolfbait & B-Girls. Top Image from left to right: Looks by le Dress, Dress Up, and RE.STOCK Shop.

In fact, 2 Sisters Boutique won the runway competition after showing such looks as a ethereal teal frock and layered organza dress. RE.STOCK, which is Chicago’s only traveling designer boutique, pulled from its ever-changing inventory and showed pieces like a hooded sweater by local designer JLee Silver. Wolfbait & B-Girls displayed a range of hippy-chic-meets-urban-cool threads, and Hubba Hubba wavered between rocker glam and classic shapes that work for a variety of personal styles. Last year’s winner, le Dress, showed us five flirty dresses that had attendees longing for the warmer days to come. “It was fun to [compete] again,” says Eva Anderson, co-owner of le Dress. “Last year, we didn’t know what to expect, so this year we went in it to have a good time and show great clothes.”

Indeed, we did see some great clothes, but there was a more important message to be had: Chicago’s boutiques offer relevant and interesting garments that don’t have to cost a month’s rent. In fact, shopping at local boutiques is more critical now than ever, as our fashion community has drastically downsized in the past year. “This was a great event to have,” says Eva. “Especially nowadays when so many local boutiques have closed. People could come see what boutiques have to offer.” And Battle of the Boutiques showed us exactly that.

By Meghan Turner
Photography by Ace Ujimori
Special thanks to Kaitlyn Groth

Doors open at 7:30pm, and the show ends around 10:30pm. General admission tickets are $25 and include two hours of complimentary cocktails courtesy of Ultimat Vodka & PAMA Liqueur, appetizers by Hub51, swag bags, and giveaways. VIP tickets are $35 and provide access to the VIP lounges (a guaranteed seat for the show), deluxe swag bags, and champagne. Attendees will also have the opportunity to shop Studio-808, which will feature accessories by local designers.

For tickets, click HERE.

EVENTS

“Bad Romance” Pre-Valentine’s Day Fashion Show (839 W Fulton Market)
On Friday at 10pm at Lumen, partygoers are invited to indulge in a pre-Valentine’s Day fashion show inspired by the many looks of Lady Gaga. Styling provided by Rosina-Mae; hair and makeup provided by Glam Live.

K~Fleye Spring Trunk Show at Macy’s on State Street (111 N State Street)
On Friday and Saturday from 10am to 6pm, Macy’s continues to support Chicago designers as it hosts K~Fleye’s Spring Trunk Show.

RE.STOCK Pop-Up Shop (1022 W Armitage Avenue)
RE.STOCK is Chicago’s only traveling designer pop-up boutique and prices are up to 80% off retail. It’s open Friday thru Sunday (12pm to 6pm).

SALES

J’adore le Dress Valentine’s Day Sale (1741 W Division Street)
Between February 12^th thru 13^th, le Dress is hosting its second annual Pick a Chocolate Heart Sale that includes savings of 10%, 20% or 30% OFF of any one item in the store This includes sale items.

K.Amato Valentine’s Day Sale (k-amato.com)
Thru February 16^th, use code Valentine30 online and get 30% off your purchase.

AKIRA Valentine’s Day Sale (akirachicago.com)
Thru February 14^th, take 15% off any purchase by using code LOVE15. Also, get free standard shipping on orders over $150. Not valid for sales items.

The 900 Shops: Tax-Free Weekend (900 N Michigan Avenue)
Between February 13^th and 15^th, shop tax-free at participating retailers at The 900 Shops. Retailers include MaxMara, Michael Kors, Club Monaco, Adidas, & many more. Print out your Tax-Free Access Pass and a list of all retailers HERE.

La Perla Valentine’s Day Sale (535 N Michigan Avenue)
Thru Valentine’s Day, take 20% off your La Perla order and enjoy complimentary shipping. Use code VDAY20.

Grasshopper 510 Jewelry Sale (1944 N Damen Avenue)
Thru February 14^th, get 15% off all jewelry, including earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets, at the eco-friendly boutique Grasshopper 510.

Image courtesy of le Dress

FASHION EVENTS

Avant Bride NYC Trunk Show at The Left Bank (1155 W Webster Avenue)
Ellen Hunter, chief accessories designer of this Manhattan-based wedding line, will be making an exclusive Chicago appearance. Preview the collection on 1/22 (4-7pm), 1/23 (11am-5pm), and 1/24 (12pm-4pm).

Anthropologie Opens in Block 37 Today! (108 N State Street)

SALES

Isabella Fine Lingerie’s Sale (840 W Armitage Avenue)
Isabella Fine Lingerie is offering an additional 50% off selected sale merchandise until 1/22 (in-store only).

Florodora Scandal Sale (330 S Dearborn Street)
Thru 2/13, stop by Florodora to take advantage of their Scandal Sale! All clothing is 35-75% off! Designers include Lara Miller, Twinkle, Lia Molly, & many more.

Le Dress Sale (1741 W Division Street)
Le Dress is offering 40% off from 11am to 1pm, and the discount goes down from there, so stop by early and take advantage!

Eskell Sale (1509 N Milwaukee Avenue)
Eskell has teamed up with Lucky magazine to offer 40% off items bought online! Use code LUCKYWEEK2 thru 1/25.

Krista K: The Shop Around the Clock Sale (3458/3530 N Southport Avenue)
From 8am to 6pm, take major discounts on already reduced merchandise. Discount amounts change each hour.

Habit: Best Sale Ever (1951 W Division Street)
Join Habit for their best sale ever! Thru 1/31, stop by for 20% to 50% off select clothing, jewelry and accessories.

Beta Boutique: Pre-Stacked Rack Sale (2016 W Concord Place)
Thru 1/24, spend $100+ and receive 20% off your entire purchase, or spend $300+ and receive 30% off.

The Conscientious Luxe Winter Sample Sale at The Great Taste Cafe (355 E Grand Avenue – in the Holmes Center)
From 1pm to 5pm, stop by and take advantage of amazing sales from some of Chicago’s top eco-fashion and jewelry designers.

SHE Save Haiti Relief Fund at SHE Boutique (483 Central Avenue – Highland Park)
Help Haiti while you shop. SHE will donate 10% of the purchase price of non-sale items, and then match an additional 10%, totaling 20% of the purchase price. Use code SAVEHAITI.

Penelope’s Winter Sale (1913 W Division Street)
Penelope’s is currently having their winter sale! Stop by the store or log on to enjoy 20% to 60% off fall and winter clothing. They only do this twice a year!

Veruca Salt’s Sale (1921 N Damen Avenue; 520 N Kingsbury)
Veruca Salt has made their sale better! Now thru the end of the month, save 50% off a first item, 60% off a second item, and 70% off a third item on all selected sale merchandise (in-store only)!

Maria Pinto 70% off Sale (135 N Jefferson Street)
A 70% off sale is going on now thru the end of the month (on select merchandise only; not applicable to other offers).

Eclectica 20% Off Sale (1006 W Armitage Avenue)
Thru the end of January, Eclectica is having a big sale! Take 20% off new arrivals, custom orders, and already reduced prices.

More details

Image by Chelcie S Porter

Clockwise from left: A model posing in items by featured vendors; Lara Miller in her booth; The Snow Ball in the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel; fashions sold by local vendors

Chicago faced its first sub-zero wind chill last Thursday, but that didn’t stop a crowd of fashion savvy shoppers from making their way to The Snow Ball at The Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel. The evening’s attractions included 40+ designers and boutiques, “non-stop” fashion shows, and a cash bar to fuel purchase power—a fabulous alternative to the standard Thursday night happy hour.

The Knickerbocker was a perfectly festive and glamorous venue choice, but maybe a few square feet too small for such an impressively long list of vendors. Though stylista traffic jams did occur in the narrow aisles and four-person-max booths, that didn’t stop shoppers from visiting the many prominent Chicago designers and boutiques that took up shop for the night, including Lara Miller, Akira, Le Dress, Kate Boggiano, CC Bella, and more.

The continuous fashion shows further highlighted the evening’s fashion focus, proving The Snow Ball was more than just a shopping event. Instead of a runway, though, models were propped up on two stages, where they took turns posing in items being sold by the evening’s featured designers and boutiques. Since we love seeing models at work in our great city, we enjoyed what the fashion shows brought to the evening’s dynamic.

Overall, The Snow Ball was another Chicago fashion event more than worth the free admission—and totally worth missing happy hour.

By Meghan Turner

Check out our StyleHunter photos from The Snow Ball!