NewsTaco

By Elise Roedenbeck, Pocho Ñews Service

Hey, everybody! Here comes that most horrible days of days: Black Friday, or as I like to call it, stab-myself-in-the-eye-and-roll-under-a-bus day!

Black Friday makes me want to jump off a cliff into a pile of rusty knives. I can’t think of anything worse than waking up at the butt-crack of dawn to go shopping in a crowded mall full of deal-crazed screamy people while the smell of pretzel donuts fills the air and dance beats blast over the sound system.

Seriously, why are they always playing that horrible uplifting dance music? Are they trying to force me to be happy? Shopping is not Happy Time. I don’t want to do the sandbar shimmy while I try on pants, I want to feel awkward and inadequate like God intended.

I’ve never understood Black Friday, but then again, I don’t buy Christmas presents. How will my family know that I love them, you ask? My family has long accepted that I am incapable of love. Just kidding. I’m capable, I just refuse.

As if opening a store at 5AM isn’t early enough to get your $2 Pokemon t-shirt, big stores are starting Black Friday on Thursday night.

I understand that spending an entire day with your family isn’t all that different from jumping off a cliff into a pile of rusty knives, but for God’s sake, do you really need to go shopping at Wal-Mart at 8 PM on Thanksgiving? Is your life really that empty? Read a book, climb a tree, wait for your aunt to pass out on the sofa and draw a mustache on her belly button.

My sister has predicted that soon Thanksgiving will just be another day we go shopping. Forget the turkey and the flan, forget about watching your uncle get drunk and dance to Rock Lobster after dinner. Those days are over. And think of the poor retail workers. Don’t kid yourself — they don’t want to be there on a regular basis, let alone on Thanksgiving Day.

The beauty of Thanksgiving is that it’s one of those few precious days you can’t just run outside and buy whatever you want. The horror! What will happen if we run out of milk? Think of the children! THE CHILDREN NEED MILK!

OK, well, if you’re that concerned about milk, go buy a boatload of milk. It’s not exactly a rare commodity. And sure, inevitably, I always forget one thing I needed for Thanksgiving dinner but then I just call my sisters or one of my 12 billion cousins and ask them if I can borrow some anise.

I guess all of this is to say is, I like being home on Thanksgiving. I like knowing all the stores are closed. I like knowing I can just sit on my couch and get smashed on peppermint schnapps and watch Iron Chef reruns until I pass out because there’s nothing else to do.

And for that, I am thankful.

This article was first published in Pocho.com.

POCHO ÑEWS SERVICE PNS IS A WHOLLY-FICTITIOUS SUBSIDIARY OF POCHISMO INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION, WHO IS A PERSON ACCORDING TO THE SUPREME COURT.  DON’T ASK US, WE JUST WORK

[Photo by Dustin]

By Viviana Fernandez, Voxxi

Latinos have embraced the new mobile technology in higher numbers than other groups. However, there is something missing when it comes to Black Friday or Cyber Monday. The overall in-store mobile experience is a bit different.

“I love to get my mother’s feedback when I am shopping for clothes so I always bring her along. I look up the prices on the stores’ apps and then we go shopping together,” explains Lucia Ortiz, who is visiting her family from college. We met Lucia as she was entering a retail store in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, smart phone in hand.

Once in the store, VOXXI found eighteen year old Sara Fernandez taking pictures of a dress hanging from a rack.

“I am sending the pictures to my sister just to get her opinion. I like the price but I am not sure about getting this dress for New Year’s,” says Fernandez. She admits that she especially misses her sister during the holiday shopping experience.

Sensis, a cross cultural advertising agency corroborates Ortiz’s and Fernandez’s comments through a study which was released in three phases this year. Latinos love to make of shopping a social experience and this poses a challenge for retailers, especially when it comes to Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

“It’s about making a device that can be companion friendly for their everyday shopping experience and their big purchase experience. So, if you are a typical Latino mom going to Target you do not have to send your kids across the store to get the deal from your shopping list app because that would not be the optimal use. They should be multi device and multi user experiences,” explains Jose Villa, Sensis’ president.

Villa explains that their 2012 study concluded that Latinos do not rely on product reviews. They rely on their family’s opinion and on getting the best deal in town. In store mobile experiences tend to be single centric or designed for individuals.

“For Anglos, convenience is more important. For Latinos, it does not matter if you have to drive across town to get the best deal because you do not want to feel cheated and you want to involve the whole family,” adds Villa.

Here is a quick look at one graphic which shows what Latinos are searching for on their smartphones while in the stores:

Source: Sensis/Whitehorse

Non- acculturated Latinos who rely on Spanish apps want to be able to trust them.

“They tend to feel like the Spanish apps are biased but a way to mitigate that is by creating a transparent interface that can switch from English to Spanish,” shares Villa.

We ask the expert: what are the best apps for this Black Friday and Cyber Monday?

Villa quickly answers: non store apps

“I am a fan of simple, unfiltered information. I do not download retailer apps. I would rather use the Google shopper app which is not affiliated with anybody. I believe that Latinos are brand loyal but not retailer loyal. If apps could cover that in broader sense that would be a game changer,” he adds.

VOXXI would not leave you without some suggestions for retailer and deal sites/apps for this Black Friday and CyberMonday. So here are ten “Everything PR” recommended sites:

1. Amazon.com (No sales tax, and sometimes free shipping)

2. shop.org (info on deals)

3. cybermonday.com (more deals)

4. bestbuy.com

5. target.com

6. walmart.com

7. staples.com

8. dell.com

9. panasonic.com

10. creativelabs

Source: Everything PR

And last but not least my personal suggestion:

http://blackfriday.com/

Follow this link to get the details of the Sensis study:

http://www.hispanicmobilereport.com/

This article was first published in Voxxi.

[Photo by JenCarole]

By Adriana Villavicencio, Being Latino

Latinas: Are you good at finding the best deals? Do you wait until you can buy something on sale? Do you research promotions and coupons online to save money? If you answered yes, turns out you’re part of a trend.

Based on a nationally representative survey, a recent reportshowed that Hispanic women are more likely to engage in savvy shopping practices than other demographic groups. Some of these included actively using mobile devices and conducting online searches to save money. The report called them early adopters of the future of shopping, turning to the internet and technological devices in addition to in person retail.

This isn’t new to many of us who saw our mothers and grandmothers stretch their centavos to support their families. But, consider some of these numbers: The survey found that 75 percent of Hispanic women are using coupons to get the lowest sale price, that 54 percent only buy items that are on sale, and that 63 percent travel further to shop at a store where they can save money.

And in 2012, women are strategically using technology to save a buck as well. Nearly 60 percent of Hispanic women use apps to search for the lowest price, 53 percent search online before going shopping, and 53 percent are using their mobile devices in the store to find electronic coupons, sales, and discount codes.

When compared to other ethnic demographic groups – Caucasian and African American women – Hispanic women ranked higher on these shopping behaviors by about 10 percentage points.

These patterns could have significant implications for how advertisers target Latino shoppers, particularly women, and the role of technology in the future of retail.

This article first appeared in Being Latino.

Adriana Villavicencio has contributed to several publications including the Daily News and Space.com, and is a managing editor for the Journal of Equity in Education.  To learn more about Adriana’s education consulting company, please visit www.theradicalideas.com.

[Photo by LotusHead]

On Black Friday, after another helping of delicious leftovers, I languidly sat on the couch and contemplated what all the shopping lunatics must be doing at that moment. See, my idea of hell is an infinite shopping mall. It would be filled with restaurants like Sbarro and stores like Old Navy. There would be endless booths selling tacky sports trinkets. The air would perpetually smell of Cinnabon.

I hate consumerism and I avoid crowds, particularly frenzied ones in which people trample each other in their quest for stupid gadgets. The only shopping I did on Black Friday was at a used bookstore. It was intentional.

I’ve never been very interested in acquiring “things.” This is probably why I was willing to pursue a career in poetry — not exactly the most lucrative choice. (While all the other Chican@s were pursuing business degrees, silly Oh Hells Nah was obsessing over punctuation and Emily Dickinson). I don’t really enjoy shopping very much and I often feel guilty, which is probably a result of growing up poor. I used to feel bad when indulging in bag of apples. What a luxury these pink lady apples were to me! I have gotten better, however, but still feel a tinge of guilt when I buy myself a pair of nice leather boots, for example. (Oh, how I love leather! I am Mexican, after all.)

Though I  can sometimes appreciate material objects, of course, I’ve never understood our culture’s obsession with “stuff.” I couldn’t give a flying crap about cars or opulent houses. I am not impressed by money and I am grossed out when people flaunt it. I don’t care about your dumb car if you have a turd for a soul. Once, some moron who hit on me bar told me that he was “worth 1 million dollars.” I gave him my best fuchi face and walked away.

As I was laughing it up with my family on Thanksgiving night, I thought of all those losers camped out in front of Best Buy. I would never in my life trade a fun evening with my family for an iPad or flatscreen TV. In fact, I feel sorry for those who value electronics over community, relationships, and love in general. I also felt sorry for all those who had to work that night because of our culture’s sick obsession with material objects. Had I cared deeply enough about shopping to forgo Thanksgiving dinner, I wouldn’t have the precious memory of 5-year- old niece wiping her tongue with a paper towel after eating my pineapple cake — that was priceless!

There is something terribly, terribly wrong with our country when people get trampled on by a stampede of shoppers, when people use pepper spray on their competition at Walmart, when kids grow up thinking that the meaning of life is to acquire the most crap. This kind of consumerist culture causes people to treat each other like disposable commodities. I find it disturbing and I don’t care how radical that may sound for some people. Can you imagine explaining a death caused by shopping stampede at Walmart to a refugee in the Third World? Honestly, I’m embarrassed for us.

Here’s a thought for all of those who’d pummel a person for an iPad: you’re not taking your stuff with you when you die.

[Photo By jbthescots]

I had never participated in Black Friday shopping. I did not know the endurance, persistence and raw nerve that it entailed. But this year, I decided to take a chance on finding out.

I used to have a nice television set.  It was not great, or even ideal. All it needed was a gentle tap on the back so that the picture could return. It also needed a set of speakers because it no longer emitted sounds. I thought I had remedied the situation by buying a pair of nice headphones and a very long audio jack. I thought it was a stroke of genius because I could use the restroom and not miss out on hearing any of Gilligan’s antics. I wanted to be first one to know if they ever make it off the island – maybe with a little help from the Harlem Globetrotters.

My sister finally got tired of bending and finally broke, because the headphones allowed me to ignore her when it was most inconvenient to her. She decided to give me an ultimatum: I had to get another television or risk having this one thrown into a lake the next time I left the house. It did not have to be a new one – just one that did not require headphones. She was also getting tired of me keeping her up at night. My television was on its last legs. The gentle taps had given way to hearty blows as if the television was choking on something.

She suggested a large retail store that has is infamous for having a proclivity towards violence on Black Friday. I snickered at it because I pictured two grandmothers going at it over a pair of nylons. However, my eyes were soon opened. We got to the store at 7:30 p.m. I figured we were going to get some sort of ticket or wristband, go back to the car and sleep until 11:30 p.m., so we could go lineup prior to the midnight madness.

I was wrong. There were no tickets. There were no wristbands. There was only waiting in a line that stretched, snaked and rerouted itself. This would be my new home for the next four, or so, hours. People were in ridiculous lines in order to buy $3 waffle makers and $50 DVD players.

Black Friday is no joke. In fact, if hell has a waiting room it is probably located in the City of Industry, California during the waning hours of Thanksgiving. I will be the first to admit. Any of you who were in bed on Friday at midnight, are officially smarter than me.

I saw fights break out over Elmo pajamas. I saw grown women gouge each other’s faces and eyes over stuffed animals. The employees allowed everything to happen and only called security after the dust had settled and there was a spill of bones and sinew that needed cleaning. At the store where I was, the EMTs had to be called in after a little boy had been trampled and rumored to have broken a leg.

So the aisle I was in did what came natural. We converted to mob rule. We blocked off our aisle with our shopping carts in homage to a Spartan defensive phalanx. Then we banded together and repatriated any intruder back to hardware. A young man who was there with his brother named Ian, christened himself the store detective and successfully closed off any passage way to our aisle. I did not know this at the time, but these televisions were the most coveted sales item of the year and only 75 were available.

In the end, I got my television, only to go wait in order to be in line. After that was over I got in line in order to wait. This will be my last Black Friday – until the next one of course.  The scariest part is that I discovered a part of me that understood how and why a small child can get injured when he or she is swept up in the mass hysteria that comes with consumerism.  Limbs will heal, but $3 waffle makers are hard to come by.

[Photo By theNerdPatrol]

By Elaine Dove

I’ve noticed recently that when I run into female friends, especially in groups, that one of the ways women often bond is to enter into a discussion about how we don’t like how we look.

Somehow, a conversation that starts with “How are you?” often turns into a shared lament about weight, age, hair, the fit of jeans, etc. I’ll admit freely that I don’t want to have this conversation. In fact, I often fall silent and end up wandering away when it happens. I keep asking myself if there’s a way for me to bring up what’s happening and my feelings about it. I wonder if doing so would be helpful or just make others more uncomfortable than they obviously already feel.

Here’s why I don’t want to have that conversation: I know that age is not just a number. I know that weight is not just a number.

I’ve been a dancer for more than 25 years and I know that I can’t do the things I used to do with my body. Warmups that used to take 15 minutes now take 30 or 40 and there are a lot of things I just don’t do any more because of the cost to my joints and ligaments. I also know that my knees are going to tell me about it if I gain more than a certain amount of weight.

The art form I’ve practiced for all of my adult life gives me very direct feedback about everyday physics and the effects of aging. I’m fine with it. I feel enormously grateful to have had the chance to dance and perform so much in my lifetime, and to still be doing so to any extent at the age of 42.  Due to the wear and tear of my chosen art, I have to take good care of my body to continue living in it. And I’ve learned that refraining from negative and shaming attitudes toward myself is a big part of that.

Being a dancer has brought me into and kept me in a close relationship with my body, which has been bad at times and is now pretty good. I do understand the sentiment behind statements like “You can do whatever you want, age doesn’t matter!” and “You go girl!” which seem to be the flip side of the body-hating conversation. I guess my question is, isn’t there a middle ground for all this? A place where it’s okay to both have insecurities, and be comfortable and happy with yourself? I don’t see the two as being mutually exclusive: the need for us, as women, to tear ourselves to pieces or to pretend a false confidence based on false ideas.

I could say that I want us to love ourselves— but it’s deeper than that.

I want us to be grounded in reality, to understand that aging and change happen, and that it’s really okay. I question the kind of attitude that requires a woman to vanish under any circumstances. And sure, I don’t dance like I did at 22 or 32 — and I don’t regret it, because I also don’t wear awful costumes any more or agree to appear in work with which I’m not comfortable. I intend to dance in whatever way feels right to me as long as I can because I love it, and that love doesn’t come from whether or not I think I look great in a certain pair of pants.

Elaine Dove is an artist and healer living in Austin, Texas. For more information, visit her blog.

[Photo By nowhere Zen New Jersey]

This just in: new arrivals in the U.S. are not generally welcomed with open arms.  Benjamin Franklin initially opposed German immigrants, because of fears that they would not assimilate.  (He used the word “swarm” to describe their ominous arrival.)  Soon after, to hear many earlier settlers tell it, Irish Catholics were also going to overrun the country, only to install the Pope as king.  This was predictably followed by incoming Italians in the late 19^th and early 20^th century, who were referred to in the press as a “herd of steerage slime.”  The list goes on.

Inexplicably, despite the lack of a welcome wagon, immigrants inevitably assimilate into the dominant culture. (Can you hear the Star Spangled Banner playing oh so quietly in the background as everyone holds hands and shares a Coke?)

Of course, then as their own experiences get smaller and smaller in the rearview, the descendants of these immigrants take their rightful place as the aggressive shovelers of xenophobic sentiments.  Yes, the US is very much like a college fraternity – except instead of binge drinking and humiliation, it’s just humiliation that’s on tap.

Then, mysteriously, retroacculturation looms its ugly head.  As groups become acculturated, there will be some sinverguenzas who put down their lattes and hop into the cultural DeLorian in search of their roots – societal expectations of a quiet assimilation be damned.  Latinos are no exception.  These sinverguenzas fall into several easy-to-identify categories:

1. The T-Shirts:

Who are they?

Usually college-aged, likely a 2^nd or 3^rd generation suburban kid who becomes enamored with finding out about his/her roots… for about a week in the first semester.

Motivation:

To wear a Che shirt on the quad, but not in the phony way others wear it.  While this culprit can’t find his/her grandparents’ homeland on a map, he/she intends to make a significant political statement… with a Rage Against the Machine t-shirt.

What they might say:

• “This diamond studded ‘Communism Rocks’ shirt was $495 at Macy’s.  Isn’t it cute?”
• “We’re taking a road trip to Puerto Rico.”

2. The Militants:

Who are they?

Inherently angry.  Fist-shaker. Perpetual scowler.

Motivation:

Eagerly looking for triggers to piss themselves off, they eventually find that the ethnic, racial ancestry they were estranged from is a potential goldmine.

What they might say:

• “No, stupid, it’s pronounced Brandón… it sounds kind of like Cabrón.”
• “The neighbors are bitching about the lawn again?  What, they think I’m a professional landscaper? Racist a-holes can climb over the weeds and kiss my ass.”
• [to HR rep] “Where in the goddamn dress code are guayaberas and huaraches explicitly forbidden, you fascist?”

3. Street Cred Seekers:

Who are they?

Usually white collar and in desperate need of fear-inducing street cred.

Motivation:

This group watched Cops all their lives and bought into the idea that Latinos are scary, “urban” and are forever running around with their shirts off.  They feel they need to reconnect with these roots in order to leverage that inherent intimidation in the boardroom, or to scare the bully in the next cubicle who stole their yogurt from the break room.

What they might say:

• “Naw man, that’s not how we collated in prison, yo.”
• “That’s not a birthmark, it’s my gang tattoo… Admittedly, yes, it does look a lot like a mole, but that’s what makes it so sinister.”

4. The Identity Seekers:

Who are they?

Grew up unaware of or isolated from their cultural ancestry (for whatever reason).

Motivation:

Seeking deeper meaning and better understanding of their own identity by reconnecting with their roots.  Blah-blah-blah.  Yawn.  They’re usually interested in mining for depth and knowledge.  Usually.

What they might say:

“First, I’m going to watch Mi Familia.  Then, I’m going to eat this burrito with the mild salsa.  And finally, I’m going to take a siesta.  My abuelita would be proud.”

Your handsome and humble servant —

El Guapo

El Guapo writes the blog The Daily Refried, and is, without question, the foremost authority on all things sinvergüenza. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter @TheDailyRefried.

[Photos By Joseph-Siffred Duplessis; Valerie Everett, squeakymarmot, andyrob, deneyterrio]

At a retail conference in San Antonio, Texas this week more than 400 retailers from around the country are gathering to discuss, among other things, ways they can break into the growing Latino market. The Internal Council of Shopping Centers held its conference this week and The San Antonio Express-News noted:

According to recent Census data, Latinos accounted for more than half of the nation’s growth since 2000, and it is projected that by 2050 the Hispanic population will more than double. Lewis W. Stirling III, executive vice president of Louisiana-based Stirling Properties, said the average Hispanic consumer is about 28 years old, shops with family, and spends about 50 percent more time shopping than regular consumers.

The paper also reported that specialty stores, such as Latino markets La Michoacana and Fiesta, are concentrating on burgeoning populations in places like Texas and Oklahoma because they attract first and second generation Latinos. Then bigger chain stores reinvent themselves with a “Latino flavor” as H-E-B Mi Tienda, Supermercado de Walmart and Publix Sabor.

Interesting way to recruit customers. I know for my part my family definitely goes to commercial stores like Walmart for certain things, and then hope over to the mercado for other things — paletas, spices, produce, etc. I guess opening up an ethnic version of your store could help you recruit some more customers, but at the same time, those weekly family trips to the mercado are pretty hard to top.

Do you shop at mercados or big box stores? Would you go to the Latino version of a big box store?

Follow Sara Inés Calderón on Twitter @SaraChicaD

Some people call them pulgas. Other people call it a tianguis. My family always called it swap meet. Whatever you choose to call it, it has always been an adventure. There was always something magical in the air every time we’d go as a family — especially when the car was packed with children who were too cool to admit their clothes came from the swap meet.

Sunday mornings might have been spent on church, but Saturday mornings were a far more religious day. The only thing that could stop my dad was the rain. When I was young, I actually felt that the swap meet was a more sacred place. Church would still be there on a rainy day – we would always say we would go to the evening mass, but we would never go – you could not say the same thing about the swap meet. It operated like Major League Baseball: rain meant you had to go home and hope for sunshine.

My parents always went with bargains on their mind. They wore their wait-and-see attitude like badges. As a kid, I wanted all my clothes to come from the mall. My dad would say things in Spanish like:

“It did come from a mall… it’s just that they’re a little different. The mall can’t make deals like this because it hurts the economy. Besides, a 10,000 Maniacs shirt is nothing. Your shirt says 100,000 Maniacs. That’s way more maniacs for my dollar.”

At the time, I did not have the heart to break it to him that I was not even a fan. Swap meet clothes were considered our everyday school and play apparel. Our church clothes came directly from Sears. In fact, my parents hated when someone died because that meant we had to make an unscheduled trip to Sears. After all, it would be tasteless to show up with my misspelled Los Angeles “Doddgers” shirt.

The swap meet was the breeding ground for the deal. Socks could have sold 5 pairs for a penny, but my mom would spend an additional hour haggling in order to get that sixth pair thrown in for free. Then when they counteroffered with a “no,” she would spend an additional twenty minutes displaying her dealing skills, by asking to throw in just one sock. I guess she figured I would lose my socks, and I could always use a spare.

My dad could be a cruel fashion magnate. He thought it was humorous finding obscene t-shirts and then having me explain them to him. Then he would pretend to be mad at me in front of the vendor and making it my idea about buying the shirt in the first place:

“Oscar, put this shirt on.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Oscar, put this shirt on. Come on, it has a nice color.”
“No. It’s nasty.”
“How is this nasty? It just has two pigs playing.”
“It says making bacon!”
“So what? Bacon comes from piggies.”
“They mean bacon in another way.”
“What? I don’t get it. What are you talking about?”
“Making bacon, means they are making love.”
“Jesus Christ, why would you ask me to buy you such a dirty shirt?”

Those were typical trips to the swap meet. When I got older, I would walk around secretly avoiding classmates, and getting the same vibe from them. My mom would make us go through two or three times the entirety of the swap meet – not because it was good exercise, but because it would give the Sock Man a chance to reconsider her deal for that one sock.

My sister and I would always ask my father to take us for some fast food, but he never did – stating that I didn’t deserve it, considering I just asked him for such a nasty shirt.

Follow Oscar Barajas on Twitter @Oscarcoatl

[Photo By NatalieMaynor]

This week’s post is devoted to the fashion trends I find 1) most entertaining, and 2) most hideous. As a quasi-expert with no real qualifications, I realize I have absolutely no authority to tell you what to wear and what not to wear. But I am going to tell you what to wear and what not to wear. Namely, don’t wear any of these ugly heels. Ever. Here are three heeled shoe trends that are both confusing and nauseating.

The Heelless Heel

These “heels” don’t have heels at all, but rather 6-9 inch platforms that stem from the bottom of the balls of your feet. Japanese artist and shoemaker Noritaka Tatehana first birthed the heelless heel. Aside from Lady Gaga, no one is quite sure why.  Not only do they take two months to deliver, they also cost between 7 and 12,000 dollars.  Oh, and look completely ridiculous.

The Tennis Shoe Heel

If you need tennis shoes, wear tennis shoes. If you need heels, wear heels. There is but one situation where these shoes are acceptable: a middle school pep rally. But you’d have to be the cheerleader (and thus forced to wear them as costume), or the mascot (and thus forced to wear them as some sort of punishment). The gist, you should never wear these shoes unless you are forced to (and even that is a poor excuse).

The Comfort Shoe Heel

First of all, Crocs are ugly to begin with. I get that Crocs are comfortable. But they’re just hideous. I mean, wear them around your house. Wear them to work if no one can see you. Wear them to the pool if you’re seven. So the fact that Crocs has made heels is just baffling. Are they trying to cater to 60-year-old women? If so, success! If not, fail.

Follow Nicole Kreisberg on Twitter at @NicoKrei

[Images Courtesy Polyvore]

July is almost here, and, you guessed it, that means the fashion world is about to start whipping out their fall items soon. Let’s take a look at what that’ll mean for your wardrobe!

The Trends

We are already seeing more muted colors and fall tones. And long, flowing dresses and peasant shirts with long sleeves are starting to replace the strapless fifties dress. Most interestingly, this late summer we will see styles reminiscent of the ancient Middle East. Namely, fabrics are geometrically patterned, sandals are embellished with stones or floral designs, and accessories are brass and gold with mosaic or ikat details.

Most of us probably aren’t quite ready to gear up for fall. But these intriguing and beautifully intricate late summer trends will surely last us to November.

Geometric Patterns

Pattern mixing is still definitely in. So this late summer, try mixing more complex patterns in more muted colors. Pair a neutral, patterned maxi dress with a beige or brown embellished sandal. Then throw in other geometric shapes with your accessories. Try triangle earrings or a square bracelet (or both!). And think in hues of burnt orange, muted teal, or deep purple.

Detailed Earrings

If you are looking for a new accessory that will last you from summer to fall, go for an intricate dangle earring. Be on the lookout for long brass hoops, multi-colored beading, or even cotton-threaded metals. Make these earrings your statement piece, and combine them with a neutral dress and sandals.

Fall Fruit Colors

Think about the produce section in fall, and apply that to your wardrobe. This July is all about previewing those vivid colors of pumpkins, papaya, and even artichokes. To stay cool in the heat, try a pair of olive shorts or linen pants. Pair it with a peasant top in peach orange, an embellished sandal, and natural stone jewelry.

Follow Nicole Kreisberg on Twitter at @NicoKrei

[Images Courtesy Polyvore]

Beiges, sands, ivory, oh my! We may not be in Kansas, but we’re certainly in neutral town. This summer, shades of neutral are in. Want a summer wardrobe, but bright colors and loud patterns not your thing?  That’s okay! July is all about blending in with the beach, literally.

To prep for mid-summer shopping, here are three must haves for your new neutral palette: the patent flat, the horn watch, and the crocheted sweater.

Patent Flat

The patent leather flat has been around a while. This summer, try grabbing one in a pale nude, rose petal pink, or deep chocolate. These shoes go with everything. The no heel means they can be easily worn casually with a pair of shorts and nautical t-shirt. And the shiny means they can be dressed up! For a nice occasion, where the patent flat with a knee-length floral dress or skirt in crepe, silk, or linen.

Horn Watch

The horn watch is one of my summer obsessions. Another neutral must have, the watch can be found in a variety of colors, materials, and prices. For a trendy look, get a horn watch with a large round face. Don’t want to break the bank to check the time? Add in something small to your summer wardrobe, and grab a neutral colored watch in plastic or silicone.

Crocheted Sweater

While the sweater above is crocheted, this summer is flaunting sweaters and tops made from all sorts of intricate styles. Lacework, knit, crocheted are just a few. So this summer, if you need a quick cover up, go for an open-knit, sleeves sweater vest in sand or ivory.

I’d recommend picking one a bit longer so you can wear it with jeans or a swimsuit. For a nice dinner or lunch, get an airy lace pullover in lighter shades of neutral. And for those cooler summer evenings, try a chunky crocheted cardigan that sits at your waist.

Follow Nicole Kreisberg on Twitter at @NicoKrei

[Images Courtesy Polyvore]

Wish you were in Spain? Me too! Can’t afford it? Me neither! That’s all right, because this week Spain is coming to you.

In the fourteenth century, the Catalonian Spanish started making shoes for rural workers along the Pyrenees Mountains. They were called espadrilles, and were made inexpensively from canvas and rope.

But the shoe that was once limited to the Spanish poor is now reserved for the trendy consumer. These economical and durable ‘drilles are everywhere – from the cobblestones of Catalonia to the streets of New York – and every nook and cranny in between.

How To Style ‘Em

Espadrilles come in a variety of shapes and sizes – from sandals and lace-up gladiators to flats and wedges. And they can easily dress up or down an outfit depending on the occasion.

So let Spain come to you!  Try a pair of wedge espadrilles with a summer dress or skirt. Or to perk up shorts and a t-shirt, grab an espadrille flat with a detailed pattern. Just keep your colors bright and accessories minimal, and you’re lista!

Follow Nicole Kreisberg on Twitter at @NicoKrei

[Images Courtesy Polyvore]

It looks like denim, it may even smell like denim, but it’s not denim!

Yet, like denim, chambray is a cotton fabric that is dyed light indigo. But unlike denim, chambray is lightweight, lighter in color, comfortable, and this summer’s it fabric.

The Trend

If you’re looking for a new summer shoe, dress, pant, or top — choose chambray. It can easily be dressed up, or down, and can be found at a range of stores and prices. Most importantly, it’s a breathable fabric that will certainly keep you cool as the summer sun intensifies.

Business Casual

If you’re looking for a way to freshen up a dressy outfit, try a chambray blazer. To keep the look classic, stick with yellows, grays, and navy. If the occasion is more casual, try an open-toed flat. For a business meeting or nice dinner, go for patent leather shoes and gold accents.

Chambray Outfits by NicoKrei featuring a fold over clutch

70s Boardwalk

This season, wide-leg pants are taking over stores once filled with skinny jeans. To complete the 70s-inspired look, try pairing wide-leg chambray jeans with an open-weave or knit sweater, long charm necklaces, and a straw purse or tote. Keep the colors neutral, and you’re ready to hit the beach, the boardwalk, and everywhere in between.

American Patriot

Of course, the most traditional way to sport chambray this summer is to pay homage to America’s red, white, and blue. Choose a pair of chambray sneakers, oxfords, or flats. And get a skirt or dress in red and white stripes, gingham, or polka dots. Try a bright red bangle bracelet and simple blue hair clips, and you’ll be singing that national anthem wherever you go!

Follow Nicole Kreisberg on Twitter at @NicoKrei

[Images Courtesy Polyvore]