It's Getting Hot in the 2nd St. District

Teddies for Bettys owner, Ashley M. Kelsch

It seems like it was just yesterday that I walked into a newly opened lingerie store on South 1st street called Teddies for Bettys to do some important fashion investigating for a Valentines blog post.  But the truth is, that was over a year ago.  Since then, the local one stop lingerie shop has grown and spread its wings.  But there are no Victorias Secret angels here.  This local boutique is more than a step above your typical lingerie chain or department store by not only offering designer lingerie, but high end sox toys as well. 

Teddies for Bettys recently made the move to the 2nd St. district and celebrated their "It's Getting Hot in Here" grand re-opening last Thursday with sexy Z tequila, sexy lingerie models, and even a sexy DJ.  I have to admit that although their old house on South 1st had an intimate local vibe to it, the 2nd St. district definitely feels like a better fit for the store.  Owner, Ashley M. Kelsch, says it was always her intention to be on 2nd St. but starting out on South 1st was the best option for her at the time and a great first step towards making a name for the store as a shopping destination in Austin.  Ashley is happy to report that since moving to 2nd street, her store has had far more foot traffic and her regular customers don't seem to mind the transition. 

With its yummy restaurants, the swanky W hotel, the new ACL live venue, and the new Violet Crown Cinema, the 2nd street district has really shaped up to be a happening Austin destination.  And the fact that a big national chain like Urban Outfitters is coming soon to the area, proves that 2nd street has not only established itself as a successful shopping district, but it's also broadening its appeal by attempting to bring in a younger crowd.  It's getting hot in the 2nd St. district!  And Teddies for Bettys has the perfect combination of an upscale feel with some downtown flair to fit right in.

Check out my photos from the Teddies for Bettys "It's Getting Hot in Here" grand re-opening:

Upcoming Event:Figure it Out

As much as I hate women referring to their bodies as fruits, you can't really deny that everyone has a different body shape and certain clothes work better on certain body shapes.  If you have no clue how to flatter your figure then I suggest you attend this workshop today with my style blogger friend, Sydney Nagy.

What:

• Figure flattering fashion workshop
• Raw food by Beets Cafe
• Cocktails
• 25% discount at Langford Market

2nd St. Sidewalk Sale

There will be family friendly shopping and trick or treating at the 2nd Street District on Thursday night.  Make sure you stop by Studio 563 to get your free halloween photo taken.

Austin Fashion Week at 2nd Street District

Thursday night, 2nd Street district celebrated their 5th birthday with a block party filled with fashion's finest.  The 2nd Street district is still young, but it has quickly become a prime area for shopping in Austin.  It is especially a good area to go if you are looking for locally designed jewelry.

I started the evening off at Beyond Tradition to check out the new jewelry collection from Tracy Tenpenny Design.

I loved how she combined masculine and feminine elements in this piece!

Glam Shop

Exclusive shopping, complimentary cocktails, bite specials, and live music!  Glam Shop is coming to the 2nd St. District.  Hosting shops include: Bo Concept, Plain Ivey Jane, gallery D, Estilo, Girl Next Door, Eliza Page, and Beyond Tradition.

Estilo Fashion Show Tomorrow

One of the 2nd St. District's best boutiques, Estilo, is having a fashion show tomorrow at Six Lounge. This event is benefiting Ignite a Dream and their athletic programs for the underprivileged youth of Austin.

Austin Shines

The first-ever "Austin Shines" presented by Eliza Page and Launch787 is bringing together artists, retailers, designers, educators, and industry influencers to celebrate and encourage new and emerging jewelry design talent.

Newest Shop in the 2nd St.District: Plain Ivey Jane

The 2nd St. District has a new addition to its ever growing array of unique local boutiques. Plain Ivey Jane is now on the list of 2nd St. District shops along with Girl Next Door, Gallery D, and Beyond Tradition to name a few. Unlike it's neighbors though, Plain Ivey Jane is a different kind of shop offering brand name clothes at discount prices. How does this work exactly?

The clothes at Plain Ivey are mostly overstock clothing coming from high quality stores such as Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters. They also carry a few higher end brands such as Marc by Marc Jacobs; and I saw one Burberry coat which was originally sold at $1225 but offered at Plain Ivey Jane for $635.

Although I think the concept for Plain Ivey Jane is cool and there were some things I could see myself wearing, I'm not sure if there are as many Austinites who are that into brand name clothing as Plain Ivey Jane might be hoping; and I have to say that as an Austinite, I am actually a little confused by the slogan on their website, "Look like Dallas. Pay like Austin." This seems to imply that people in Austin would prefer to look like people in Dallas. I can't imagine any Austinite wanting to look like they live in Dallas.

We like high quality clothes as much as the next person, but the best thing about Austin's fashion sense is our casual coolness. And just because a top has the name Marc Jacobs on the label doesn't necessarily mean I am going to want to wear it. My favorite dress in the store was priced at $160, but I found a similar and equally cute dress for less at Feathers recently.

A redeeming aspect to this store, and one that you should note if you are looking for unique accessories, is their selection of locally designed jewelry. Trash ATX is a local jewelry line consisting of recycled and re-purposed materials. This means their jewelry is eco friendly and one of a kind.

Plain Ivey Jane is only one of three stores to carry the Trash ATX line (which I thought was beautiful and not incredibly overpriced.) Trash ATX would be one of the reasons I would come back to shop at Plain Ivey Jane.


Overall, it might not be at the top of my list of places to shop YET (it's still only on it's 4th week of being open so I am giving them some slack). Plain Ivey Jane might be worth checking out (if you can get past their offensive slogan) and if you are already in the 2nd St. district, which is an area where you could easily spend an entire day of good shopping and good eating.




keep austin stylish

Pre-Kentucky Derby Party

If I was ever to attend the Kentucky Derby, I would be there with a big beautiful colored hat on my head (preferably adorned with a giant bow) and a mint julep in my hand admiring the other hats I see. I have to admit that the horse race would come second to the spectacle of hats.

Beyond Tradition is throwing a pre-Kentucky Derby party next Thursday April 8th featuring local milliner Laura Del Villaggio of Milli Starr's Spring 2010 collection of hats. There will be live bluegrass music by Ruby Jane Smith, mint juleps, and chocolate bourbon pie from Me Myself & Pie.


The milliner Laura Del Villaggio will be in the store and is available to take custom orders for delivery by Kentucky Derby Day which is May 1st.

A percentage of the evening’s sales will benefit Ride on Center for Kids (R.O.C.K.), which offers therapeutic horseback riding for kids with learning and physical disabilities.

What

• Pre-Kentucky Derby Party

Where

• Beyond Tradition
  221 W.2nd St.
  Austin, TX
  

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When

• Thursday April 8th
  6-9 pm

Beauty From the Inside Out

"What I wear is a reflection of who I am on the inside." This is a statement that many fashion oriented folks have said at one time or another. How we look on the outside projects a certain image to others, whether we like it or not. It is up to us to decide what image we want to portray. This is one of the most interesting things about fashion and style. Personal style develops over time and is always changing depending on our lifestyle choices, our moods, etc. No matter what is going on in our lives, we always have a choice with fashion. Even with the rough economy and little to spend on clothes, we can shop at a thrift store and put together an outfit that represents who we are.

What message do you want to say to people with your fashion choices?

During times of tragedy or struggle in our society, this question usually turns up a different answer that is not so self oriented. Many fashionable efforts are being made to help with the situation in Haiti. Lady Gaga has designed a special t-shirt in which 100% of the profits will go towards Haitian relief, and the Golden Globe dresses worn by the stars are being auctioned off to also help Haiti.

While it's great that celebrity powerhouses like Lady Gaga can fund these types of efforts, it's probably a lot more difficult (especially in this economy) for local businesses to be generous. This is why I was pleasantly surprised to hear that local accessories line, Shimmer and Bliss, will be donating 10% of their profits from 2010 to relief for Haiti. Shimmer and Bliss is "an accessories line designed to inspire beauty from the inside out." It's important that we not forget it is what's on the inside that matters. Because without a beautiful core to represent, then what's the point of fashion?

You can find Shimmer and Bliss's versatile and eco-chic scarves at Beyond Tradition in the 2nd st. district or you can shop Shimmer and Bliss's online store.


keep the world beautiful and
keep austin stylish