Brit Chic Designs Bar Boutique - Sunday May 22nd Noon - 5 pm

Hello Mates,

Come visit us and other fashion vendors for an afternoon of local drinking and boutique shopping.  Drink local, shop local.

The event will be held at Black Lotus Brewing Company, 1 East 14 Mile Road, Clawson.

Cheerio for now, see you on Sunday!





Jan

Introducing Brit Chic in Detroit Street Fashion Spotter

Hello Mates

I want to introduce you to the first of my Street Fashion Spotter entries.  I love to see people with their own fashion styles, especially those of us who look in the closet in the morning and create an outfit from scratch, blending color palettes and interesting accessories.

Last week one of my vocal students at McCourts Music in Waterford arrived for her lesson in a very colorful and eye-catching ensemble.  McKenna Klaiber is 9 years old and has been studying voice with me for about 6 months.  Her love for music and the arts clearly radiates in her personality and choice of dress.  Every week she arrives with an outfit that is both cool and creative; very impressive for someone of such a young age.  What I also like is that she does not necessarily want to follow the pressure of trends, she just goes with her intuition about what looks good.

I am looking forward to the growth of this wonderful young lady who is both a budding Singer and Fashionista.

McKenna is pictured below in a Kohls Candies brand animal print top in blue, black and white, a justice blue scarf with an interesting pattern of silver sparkle detail, black leggings from Justice and black boots from Payless.

Cheerio for now.



Jan Thompson
Brit Chic Designs
248 219 8187

Interview with Greg Thompson - Development Director for Active Safety at Autoliv North America

Hello Mates

I recently interviewed Greg Thompson who works as the Development Director for Active Safety at Autoliv North America. Autoliv is a worldwide leader in automotive safety and Greg manages a team of 25 engineers who develop new radar and vision safety systems for automotive applications.

I wanted to talk to Greg about his fashion choices, particularly as a Brit who lives and works in Metro Detroit. When I asked Greg about his fashion style he said "I like to shine through and stand out from the crowd in my choice of clothing. I do not want to look like everyone else, I want my clothing to be a talking point". Many of his colleages are often a little surprised by his work attire as most of them are uncomfortable with color and detail and prefer to wear Dockers and Polo shirts most of the time.

Greg modeled his three favorite outfits from his closet.

Outfit 1

Express Pin Stripped Suit, Dark Grey, T M Lewin (famous shirt makers in the City of London) Pink Checked Shirt, Pink Tie from Next London, Black Belt Next and Ted Baker Diamonte Cufflinks.

Greg likes this outfit as he believes it looks sharp and professional. He likes to be unconventional and brave in his choices and a unique dresser in the Automotive world in SE Michigan.

Outfit 2

Guess Faded Boot Cut Jeans, Studded Belt from The Gap, Save the Queen Tee and Black Velvet Pin Stripped Jacket from Guess.

Greg likes this look for its cross over casual formal look, the blending of two styles.

Outfit 3

Gap Straight Legged Jeans, Japanese Denim, Banana Republic Grey Stripped Tee and Knitted Zip Up Jacket. Ben Sherman Belt with Brushed Nickel Buckle.

Greg chooses this outfit for its casual but smart look. The jacket is flattering to the figure and is soft and comfortable. He is a particular fan of Banana Republic clothing and can often by found browsing the sale rail at Somerset Mall.

These Aldo black leather square toe slip ons are Greg's accessory of choice for all of these outfits. They are versatile and trendy and the sort of shoe that stays in fashion for a while.

Overall Greg's idea of fashion is neat and stylish. He appreciates good cut and design which is comfortable. He is not afraid to wear bright colors and often purchases good brands at discount prices.

Greg believes Detroit fashion is scruffy and needs a boost. He feels the only interesting stuff is too way out. "People don’t catch your eye unless they look wacky and weird and not often in a good way".

As well as being an engineer Greg has a major interest in the arts including being a musician, martial artist, photographer and dabbling in interior design.

Greg, like me, feels Detroit needs an infusion of London style to bring it into the 21st century, I am hoping that Brit Chic Designs will answer the call in the years to come.

Cheerio for now.




Jan

IADT Fashion Show - Royal Oak Music Theater on March 16th 2011

Hello Mates


Just wanted to let you know about another cool event that is happening in Metro Detroit.  The International Academy of Design and Technology are hosting their Imagine Fashion Show on Wednesday March 16th at 8.00 pm (7.00 pm doors) at the Royal Oak Music Theater.  Tickets can be ordered in advance by calling the box office.

A portion of the proceeds will be given to the Ronald McDonald House Charities.


I attended this event last year at the Fox Theater.  It was quite a spectacle, with many different categories from evening wear to sports wear.  There is so much creativity at the Academy and this is their yearly chance to showcase their work.


Detroit may not be New York or LA but there are some incredibly talented individuals who think outside of the box and produce fashion that is both edgy and unique.


I am disappointed this year as I have a prior engagement, but if you want to support Detroit Fashion I encourage you to find the time to attend this event for a fun night out!


Cheerio for now.






Jan

Fashion Find of the Week - Cozy Aeropostale Hoodie

Hello Mates


Hope you are staying warm. 


Last week I met a friend for lunch at The Village in Rochester Hills.  This is not a place I normally go, especially to shop as I like to visit smaller, more local boutiques these days.  However, after hearing my friend rave about a store called Aeropostale, I decided to give it a try.  


Needless to say after filling our bellies with soup and a sandwich at COSI,we walked the few blocks up to the store.  Aeropostale is targeted to the teen market but I must say if you are looking for basics such as tanks and tees this is a great place to go.  Every week they have certain items on special.  I picked up 4 tees for my hubby at the amazing price of $4 a piece, bearing in mind they are of the same quality as Banana Republic.


I, of course, searched the bargain rails for myself and found this fabulous hoodie which is both stylish and warm.  It can be worn around the house with comfy leggins or paired with jeans and layered with a tee or tank for extra warmth.  I think you will agree a real bargain at $14 reduced from $90.

If you are in the Rochester Hills area give this store the once over, I am sure you will be happy that you did!


160 North Adams Road, Rochester Hills, MI 48309
(248) 375-3027 ‎aeropostale.com

Cheerio for now.






Jan

Fashion Find of the Week - Black and White

Hi Mates


A belated happy new year to you all.  Hope 2011 brings lots of new creativity and adventures.


My goals for this blog in 2011 are to bring you more of my fashion finds in Metro Detroit and to interview business owners, musicians and artists about the favorite things in their closets.


My first fashion find of 2011 was Sassy Sheek New, Resale and Consignment Store at 3984 12 Mile Road Berkley, MI 48072.  I visited the store for the first time last week and met its vivacious owner, Sylvia Moncrief.  She is friendly and enthusiastic about the contents of her store.  She personally picks every item and her personal fashion influences play a huge role in her choices.


The store is packed with women's clothing, shoes, purses and jewelry.  There are also designer and vintage pieces available.  Everything is priced very reasonably with most tops at $5 and purses at $10.


My theme for the week was black and white.  I found an awesome dressy black and white see through top from New York and Co and a fabulous green and zebra print bueno vinyl purse which looks very designer and only cost $10 (see below).

I would highly recommend Sassy Sheek for those of you who love resale shopping.  It will definitely be added to my list of must shops for the coming year.


Cheerio for now.




Jan

Brit Chic December Tee Shirt Sale

Brit Chic Designs December Sale

Mens and Womens Tee Shirts $20
(all made in the USA)


Direct Sales only please call 248 219 8187 to order