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Fall

We are making headlines. See were we have been popping up. (some of your favorite mags I'm sure)

As the world slowly pulls itself out of an economic depression, the Fall 2009 (Autumn 2009) season will largely define what fall 2010 will look like. From over the knee boots to capes and cloaks, fashion trend guide for the colder months of 2009 and 2010 will help to keep your wardrobe sorted, and your looks on the cutting edge.

2010 will be an exciting year for fashion; experts predict that we'll emerge from the global financial crisis and, as a result, we can expect to see a new standard of fashion emerge.
Go to Chadwicks.com to view your not so average Cardigans ours have a little something extra you’ve been looking for this fall.

Special Offer for Chadwicks Fans!

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What Are The Rules For Fall Fashion?

Brands! Brands! Brands!

Our sister site, metrostyle.com also has a blog where we talk about fashion trends and give our customers an idea of who we are. A post on the metrostyle blog sparked my idea for this entry: Labels. I agree with the author of that post; everything has a label and it's the way we classify our lives - brands define us; and I'm not just talking about the figurative labels, it's everything. What makes us buy brand name toilet paper versus store brand, or Hood milk over any other brand - It's the perceived quality.

This past weekend, I went to the outlet mall and found myself spending over $100 on base layers for winter sports, because they have me convinced that their special "moisture wicking" technology will keep me warm while I'm on the mountain. All my gear is brand name because I don't want to be seen as "not cool" or not "part of the crowd". But are you less cool if your sunglasses don't have a Gucci label on them? What does it say about you when you're walking down the street with a Louis Vuitton bag - other people will probably have already made judgments about you that you didn't even know.

I'm a homeowner and it's true when people say your perspectives change when you buy a home, I find myself wanting to look more in the home goods section rather than the clothing section. Then I see my friends and coworkers with those luxury brand handbags and shoes and I say "I want that!" But how can I justify spending $1,000+ on a handbag, when that money can go towards my mortgage? But how do you keep up? When does it end?!

Regardless of our brand hoarding, we should all be glad that there are brands like Chadwicks and metrostyle out there - We've got the classics and the hot fashion trends at great prices and "Real Steals", and we offer real quality, not just that "perceived" stuff you pay extra for. And that is how we can keep those other girls guessing, where did she get that coat/sweater/bag/shoes?

Fashion Fad

When the Twilight series came out I had my doubts and wondered how and why so many people were enjoying such a far fetched series based off of vampires and werewolves. I had a few younger cousins that had read it and therefore I believed it was a teeny bopper fad that would soon fade away. However, I decided to give it a try and ended up not being able to put it down. I would even find myself not wanting to go out at night and excited to leave work so I could go home and keep reading. After I finished the series, I then had my mom and aunts read it and we all agreed that it was in fact, addicting.

I will give Stephenie Meyer kudos on her superior imagination but I am not a fan of the vampire monopoly that has begun because of Twilight. This social group of vampire idols will spend their disposable income on vampire attire such as fangs and necklaces holding fake vials of blood. Although I’m sure most Twilight fans are not extremist of this growing fashion trend, this is one trend that I will not miss and that I hope vanishes quickly.

I'm the Biggest Loser!

A bunch of us here at the Chadwicks offices started a 'Biggest Loser' competition today! As I went to do my first official weigh-in, I looked around at some of the other women, and I realized, no matter what we look like, women are ALWAYS unhappy with our bodies! I'd like to be one of those people who can say, be proud of what we're given, but I'm not! It's always my legs are too short, my arms are too big...something is always wrong! How many of us take pictures and then do a "fat check" to make sure we look good before any of those pictures are posted online for everyone to see (and critique!) I know I do!

The competition will be good though, we can lose weight AND get some money to buy some new clothes! I might be ruining my chances to walk away with the grand prize, but here are some tips for healthy (and easy) weight loss! Good luck to my fellow contestants!

- Don't skip breakfast! I'm sure everyone has heard this one before, but getting a little food in your stomach in the morning can keep you full and alert, and you're less likely to gorge during lunch.

- Eat 6-8 SMALL meals a day: Eating several small meals throughout the day helps to keep your calorie intake and your blood sugar balanced. Fruits, vegetables and nuts are good to keep on hand for that afternoon snack!

- Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day: Packed with all sorts of vitamins, fiber and antioxidants, they help to fill up your stomach so you feel fuller and they're low in calories!

- Swap those sugary drinks: Sometimes you don't even realize how much sugar is in some drinks until you look - swap that carbonated beverage for a fruit flavored seltzer water or some tea instead of that coffee with cream. And then there's always the almighty 8 glasses of water - water is great to hydrate yourself, good for your skin and hair (and those frequent trips to the restroom can count toward some exercise!)

- Don't restrict yourself too much! Eating right is hard, so don't stress about the occasional slip. A small snack-size candy bar or bag of chips is okay, as long as you don't eat a whole bag of snack-size candy bars or a 12-pack of chips! Remember, everything in moderation!

- And the all important - EXERCISE! (I personally think this is where I am definitely lacking) Doctors recommend 30-60 minutes of physical activity a day, with at least 2 times a week of weight training to help burn calories and develop lean muscle.

What to Wear on Vacation

Vacation is one of the most important things in life. We do a lot of plannings, such as where to go, what to check, where to eat, where to visit... and most importantly, what to wear! As I am planning my annual never-know-when-it's-gonna-happen vacations, I start imaging what I should wear in some of these countries when I visit them (someday):

Calgary, Alberta (Canada)











I'm from a tropical island, and that's why I always want to go to Calgary in fall to check out the beautiful city, mining & the cold cold cold weather! Enjoy the delicious organic food over there and experience the Calgary culture. Going to Calgary, I think all I really need is just a pair of jeans and a nice warm coat.

Ginza, Tokyo (Japan)












Ginza is a fun place to visit. It is a Tokyo version of 5th avenue New York where you could simply have a lot of fun just by yourself without having a company with you. Sleep in the morning, shop in the afternoon, have dinner in a ramen place, and enjoy your night in an izakaya. A nice little black dress should be enough for Ginza.

Boston, MA (USA)











It may sound funny when I say I want to visit Boston while I live in Boston & work in Chadwicks of Boston :) However, Boston is just such a nice beautiful city that combines both modern and classic elements. There are still so many places that I haven't visited since I moved here 2 years ago. It may be a good idea just to take off a day from work, put on a nice sweater and walk around in the city before winter arrives!

Star Style

One of the main reasons people enjoy watching red carpets and award shows are to see what stars will be wearing. Even if you did not watch the Video Music Awards last Sunday night, you most likely still heard about a few over the top occurrences. Yes, the tribute to Michael Jackson was superb, and yes, Kanye West is one of the rudest human beings to grace our televisions (how great was it when Beyonce called Taylor Swift back onto the stage?), but WHAT in the world was Lady Gaga wearing?! Her outfits and especially her performance could have deemed her a female version of Marilyn Manson.

Dressing out of the ordinary and being different is respectable. If no one ever tried wearing different things then the world of fashion would be a bore. However, I’m not sure if anyone will want to be imitating Lady Gaga’s style anytime soon. I don’t know how productive I would be at work with a covering over my face and head, although I could probably sleep longer during the morning since I wouldn’t have to do my hair or makeup. What do you think of Lady Gaga’s style?

Oh Baby !

I used to think that there's nothing better than shopping to cheer myself up. You know, that nice little something that you really didn't need but just had to have. Then last week everything changed when my new grand baby arrived. Life just became suddenly a whole lot sweeter and even more rewarding. I now have double the excuse to go shopping! I start out thinking I'll just buy something small for the baby and see if I can find something for myself. Well, of course, we all know how that turns out. All of a sudden I find more items in my shopping cart than I planned on or I find myself drifting to more sites on line. It's just so darn easy to do and the stores and websites make it so easy and so inviting with all their sales and such. I'm starting to become one of those closet shoppers and hiding things here and there so my husband doesn't know. He keeps asking where did that come from and I just keep saying, "Oh, I bought that for the baby awhile ago and was saving it." I think he's catching on now though. She's a bundle of pure joy to behold and yet so satisfying all at the same time. Then a package arrived last week with some new clothes for me. You know who asked, what's that for? I said, "Hey, even Grammie has to look good when visiting the little one. You never know who else might be there visiting too." He just smiled and laughed it all away for now. I just happened to be Fall shopping from Chadwicks. I just love the boyfriend sweater and essential cami. I also bought a pair of bootcut five-pocket jeans. It's the perfect outfit an on the go working Grammie needs. I can wear it to the office and then straight to my son's house to visit the baby. Everything fit nicely, the quality was good and it looked great on! I did receive several compliments. It's great being a new Grammie but I can't wait until the day when we girls can go shopping together!

Epitome of Fall

Last night as I was watching football (the PATS vs. the Bills), I thought to myself football really is the epitome of Fall (at least in New England). As much as I am sad that summer has ended, I do enjoy all of the great activities that one can do during the Fall season! So I started to think, if football is the epitome of fall for sports- what is the epitome of fall in apparel? You guessed it...the sweater!! Right now there are so many great sweaters, whether you want the cardigan to layer over something or you want a cozy lightweight sweater, you definitely have options! Check out Chadwicks for the lastest styles! It is by far a great transitional piece for those cool and chilly days! And you can most definitely wear these sweaters during your outings this fall; whether you are off to a football game, apple-picking, or even a date- the sweater is by far a staple in everyone's closet for this season!

Fashion Denial?

I’m on-line surfing and I find an article about how my skinny jeans can potentially cause nerve damage due to them pressing on the nerve that runs down the side of my legs, according to some neurologist. And it gets me to thinking about the times that I have suffered to be fashionable.

As a pretty tall woman, I don’t typically wear high heels, but I have to admit that I absolutely love flip-flops. And they seem to be everywhere. I’ve seen people even wear them (pretty, sparkly ones) to weddings. And once the weather gets warm, this is one fashion trend that I’m all over. So I’m probably as bad about wearing them as other women are about high heels. And yeah, I’ve read that they can cause accidents, but they are so darn convenient and comfy. Guess since I’ve never had an accident with them, I don’t really believe that they can be deadly, though I hope I haven’t cursed myself by saying that.

Another trend that I have a love/hate relationship with is huge handbags. They can be so cute and so HEAVY! Especially when you stuff everything that you could conceivably ever need into them. The huge bag thing has definitely been an issue for me (and my chiropractor). So now I carry (for the most part) a smaller bag that has the wallet built in and various pockets that I can stuff things into. But every once in a while, I HAVE to drag out my ginormous bags if they go with an outfit; I just try not to dump the whole contents of my house into them!

I’m sure that there are whole categories of fashionable suffering that I’ve endured that I’m forgetting about. And I think I will just forget that I ever saw the article about my skinnies and nerve damage. Mine are not that tight. Or am I just in fashion denial? And are there other “me’s” out there?

We will Always Remember September 11.

Click the image to read Time's full article.

Impressive Quality

I would like to share my wife’s feedback on this season’s fall collection from Chadwicks. She’s a "30-something" mother of three and works part time at two restaurants. I think she has a good sense of style and wants to look good no matter what the occasion. In the past, she hasn’t seen consistent quality from us and had to return a few things, but she thought we had a good selection and most of the time good quality at a great price. In the spring, she noticed some changes in our collection and placed an order for a few tops and a cover up. She was happy with the quality and she has become a good customer of ours.
She also placed an order a few weeks ago and absolutely loves her new tops for the fall. She bought the Dylan blouse in vanilla and the Isabella blouse in black. She was amazed at how far we have come over the last few years, and she told me she gets many compliments on these two blouses. She’s a straight shooter, and I always value her opinion, so I’m happy when I hear good things about what Chadwicks has to offer. I told her if she likes anything else she should order soon as the really hot items go very quickly. We are not like stores where you don’t know when they are out of stock (you don’t miss what you can’t see). This quality upgrade is one of our top objectives moving forward – while continuing to keep our prices low. Has anyone noticed the improved quality of Chadwicks apparel?

ROBB

Fall Vacations

I love Fall. It is probably my favorite season. Living in New England I get to see the leaves change color and the sky turn that crisp blue as the nights get colder. It is probably why I am taking my vacation this time of year.

I will be heading to upper Michigan for my week vacation. Why Michigan, you ask? Well, I actually went to college there (Go State!) and still love to go back and visit old friends and places. I will be staying in two places, Houghton Lake and Charlevoix. Both are very much off the grid and very beautiful this time of year.

The only problem is I don't know if I will live through the stress of getting ready for my vacation. Between getting things set up for my co-workers, finishing up projects that can't wait until I get back, finding a substitute for my other job and getting things done at home, I don't know if I'm going to make it. And let's not even talk about packing. Have you tried to pack everything for a week trip into one suitcase and one carry-on? Not an easy feat, let me tell you. Especially for the weather this time of year. Jeans, sweaters, hoodies and jackets. This may actually be the biggest challenge of the week.

Well, hopefully the next time you hear from me, I will have some great stories and good pictures. Stay tuned.

I hate back-to-school!

I know, I know it is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but it is not for me! I hate back-to-school! New sneakers, new clothes, new supplies, new backpacks , haircuts and after spending all that money on the kids, what do I get? Paperwork! Filling out emergency cards, signing forms & signing permission slips.
Ugh! What do I have to look forward to...getting up earlier ( I really do prefer to sleep late), Spending hours helping with homework, and then more hours on special projects. And All of this after working a full and complete day at work. The joys of parenting! So you know what, I am going to get something out of this. I deserve those boyfriend jeans I have been looking at, and I am going to buy them!We deserve some new "back-to-school" clothes too! Happy shopping!

CHADWICKS TV Fashion Giveaway

I guess summertime is starting to wind down here in the Northeast. It is a little chilly out this morning and it reminds me that Fall is just around the corner. I love this time of year. Time to go apple picking. Time to buy colorful mums for the yard. And time to put away the shorts & tanks and bring out the sweaters and long sleeve tops. And of course, time to buy some new items to spruce up the Fall wardrobe.

It reminds me of when I was a kid and my mom would take my brother and sister and I school shopping. I would always look forward to wearing my new clothes to school. I am the mom now and it isn't quite the the same because my son really doesn't get excited about clothes at all. But that's okay because I still do! And I am looking forward to adding to my Fall wardrobe.

A couple of my favorite sweaters from the Fall Collection are the Textured Cardigan and the Madison Cardigan. They are beautiful and will also come in handy, especially here in the office where it can be chilly at times. I also love the Bianca Blouse and the Keyhole Peasant Blouse. What are your favorites?

School Vacation...

With school starting back up. What do you do for the school vacation weeks? I don’t have any kids but my wife is a teacher. Planning a vacation around her can be a pain. She is only allowed 2 personal days a year and they cant use them to make a school break even longer. 

If you have kids do you take them out of school for a week (which I hear from my wife... most parents do), or do you wait until school vacation to go on a trip. 

Unfortunately I have to wait for those vacation weeks and I am looking to go to Florida for a week in February. Why February and not the summer when they have two months off you ask. Who wants to leave 90 degree weather to go to 100 degree weather? I like leaving in the 20-30 degree weather to go somewhere that the average is 75 degrees.

Looking for the best deals in flights I have to go Monday to Friday. Weekend flights are up to $600 each way. I was almost going to pay $600 for the two of us to fly but they were not on nonstop flights, so the travel time was well over 6 hours for a 3 hour flight if nonstop. 

I patently waited for Southwest to come out with their schedule today so I finally booked all nonstop flights for $560. (I still think this is quite expensive but to go on that week, I guess you have to pay it. The one good thing about Southwest is our bags fly for FREE! This way my wife can bring all of her favorite Chadwicks clothes, I am hoping she only uses one suitcase though. 

All I have left is to get a rental car and I will have a week of peace and quiet away from everything (except my wife). Any good ideas on what I can do in the Orlando area without spending a lot of money? I will most likely find a beach and relax for a few days.