Look Book, behind the scenes. . .!

Hi everyone: For the past three years many people have asked me about the J. LaMore LookBook and how it all works. Well, I can add a little insight into the process but it's complicated and time consuming and technical. I'm not trying to brush anyone off but I'm not even sure where to begin with how to explain this. But believe me, there is a detail involved master plan.

First, you need a studio and a lot of equipment to make it run right. Then you need lights, more lights and meters to read the light. Then you need camera equipment. Really good cameras and lenses. If I had to choose, I would take a really great lens over a camera body any day of the week. The lens quality is everything for me. You also need lots of lenses too! Really good lenses! Canon is our equipment of choice.

Now that you have that out of the way, you need a "look" from your models then you need to figure what to do with that look. That's where Mandy and Jessica come in as well as a long list of other beautiful models we have shot like Paige, Allison, Melissa and KJ to name just a few. Amazing looks and really nice people, too! Whether you shoot lookbooks in the studio or on location putting the look together takes time and a team of people to make it all work. All the models want the cover (homepage) because that's where all the visitors go first. Ten thousand or so every month and then the lookbook.

J. LaMore has a van that we use to transport all the equipment, models and staff when we go on location. Once we empty out the equipment, the van is set up as a rolling dressing room where the models can change their looks in privacy if we're in the country or in a parking lot in the middle of the city.

Once the pictures are taken (400-500/lookbook shoot) they go to post production. That's where Mandy performs her creative magic and the images are processed for the Lookbook, Homepage, magazines, flyers, etc.

This is just a small piece of the puzzle but I hope you get the idea that it's a lot of work, but it's fun.

Jim

Jacs Restaurant

I'm hesitant to share this restaurant tip, they were swamped last night when I was there, and I'd hate to think I couldn't get in next time I "needed" Jacs! Since I'm such a good friend, I'm going to spill on my new favorite place, Jacs.

Jacs is located at 2611 Monroe Street, just a couple doors down from J. LaMore, and the food is amazing. Last night, for starters, we ordered the frites (hand cut french fries with a classic aioli sauce) they were 'fantabulous!' Perfectly seasoned with pepper, they were amazing.

For my main dish I had the Tilapia, which was incredibly done in a lemon, butter and caper sauce. The menu is full of tempting items ranging from fresh salads to linguine with little neck claims and mussels. I have a feeling that everything on the menu is outstanding! On top of the incredible meal, the service was impeccable. Our server was kind, attentive, knowledgeable regarding the menu and wine list, and just plain sweet.

You will love Jacs! Just make sure if you're there and I walk in, save me a spot!

Jennifer

shopping for fall clothes

It all started when I was almost a teenager, and all of my friends would go shopping for school clothes. Well, my parents didn't really believe in this concept.

First of all, they argued that nothing was on sale. Secondly, my father believed that we only needed one shirt(preferably an oxford), one pair of pants (an ugly pair of pleated khakis), and one pair of shoes (loafers). Well, he was strict in other ways too. He never let myself or my 2 sisters date; therefore, we always babysat; therefore, we always had plenty of money. We would go shopping (my mom was in on this too). We would come home, and one of us would distract my father while the other two hid all of our packages in the bushes. We snuck them in when he went to sleep.

This is not the end of the saga. We had to change in the car on the way to school since he would never let us wear what we purchased. Yes. This is how it all started. The beginning of three fashionistas. My sisters and I all have our own style now, and we still love to go fall shopping. It's so exciting to see all of the new styles, the beautiful new fall sweaters, coats, boots, hats. We also used to love the smell of our new clothes.

I don't know what it is, but there definitely is a new smell. I still love it. I have a daughter now, and she is starting to develop her own style. I've decided that I will not stifle it, and we go shopping together, and it is as much fun as I had always imagined it to be. It is very special. So many reasons to love fall, but this is the main one for me; well, except for maybe daylight savings time.

Lila
Madison, WI

HALLOWEEN

I own this Free Society "Leopard Flock" Hoodie and I love it, I've worn a ton of times already. When looking through my closet to figure out a Halloween costume I came across this top. SCORE! I'm going to be a Leopard! I'm going to wear this Free Society "Leopard Flock" Hoodie, black leggings, black tall boots, a tail and cat ears!

Kalyn

Acne be gone. . . . !

Hi Jennifer! I hope the indoor workout went well. I have to say that I overstress about my gym/workout look almost as much as I do my work looks . I'm not sure why though. Maybe it's because I can hide any physical flaw with a business look and with workout out clothes, its all out there for everyone to see.

Which brings me to my next topic. Every "month" the entire world knows my biological cycle. This drives me crazy and no matter what I do I can't stop my face from showing small breaks outs and blemishes during this time. It's not a big problem but as you know a pimple will show up at the worst possible time.

So, I recently picked up the M Lab's Blemish Control Spot Treatment on the advice of a younger gal who has a bigger problem than me and so far it's working great! This "magic wand" has 82% active ingrediant for fighting acne.

I don't know if anyone else has used this product but I can say it has worked very well for me. I also thought it was a little expensive at $30.00 but if it makes me feel better then it's worth every dime.

Clare

London, England

Love This Top

When I arrived at work today, I realized I wasn't crazy about my outfit. (yes, it happens to ALL of us!) Lucky for me, I own a great clothing store, and if my outfit isn't working I can find something fabulous in a snap!

The jeans I'm wearing are great, the CJ Boyfriend jeans, but my top wasn't cutting it. I decided to get this adorable Before & Again top and LOVE IT! It looks great with the jeans, and I love the pop of color. Perfect for a cold fall day!

Jennifer

FALL Sweaters

The colder months are approaching quickly on the east coast! I don't know about you but I dislike winter, I'm a summer girl! I find it hard to translate into winter and still look good :)

That's why I bought this Salvage "Hysteric" Sweater, it's really cute but still on the warmer side! I love the way that they stylist at J.LaMore matched this sweater with a black jean. It gives off an edgy look :) I'm going to wear this sweater with my favorite...LEGGINGS! I think it will look great with leggings tucked onto some black leather boots!

Kalyn

Indoor workout attire. . . !

Hi Jennifer: I heard the call and I have some recommendations for you. As a fitness person already I can see that you will have a wide selection of choices in gym wear.

I just started running and had to "outfit" myself from head to toe but for gym wear, you won't need a hat or visor and you won't need the GPS enabled running watch I previously wrote about.

For your bottom half, all you really need is a nice pair of body hugging gym shorts and long pants. Remember, you may be doing exercises and moves on a wood floor and when wearing shorts that cold be uncomfortable. You're going to need long pants. Also, most of the time when on the floor during a class you're probably barefoot so footwear isn't that big of an issue.

For your workout top I suggest a top similar to this top. This look frees up your arms for any arm movements and doesn't show any sweaty pits. I don't know about you but I'm self conscious about any part of my body showing sweat.

I usually bring a comfy sweatshirt to throw on after the workout or a zip front jacket to stay warm during the cool down. Even if I didn't wear the pants during the workout I always put them on as well.

I hope this helps. working out indoors is different then running outside, as you already know. You can look at these items and read reviews about them at Fit Couture.

Lynn

Los Angeles, CA

What to Wear to Workout?

I'm psyched to be starting a new fitness regimen with my friend Mona at Studio Melt! You would think my dilemma would be, how sore am I going to be tomorrow and the next day, right? Wrong! I've always been a runner and have no idea what to wear to work out indoors! (naturally I'm stressing out about this!)

Anyone have any tips about cool workout wear? I have some great Nike capri pants, I think they might be OK? HELP!!

Jennifer

Defrost Your Mind, Discover Your Body Event

I'm so excited to share with all of my J. LaMore friends a special event happening at J. LaMore on Wednesday, November 4th from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm! It's our "Defrost Your Mind, Discover Your Body" event.

Join us for cocktails and melt your cares away with Mona Melms, owner and studio director of Studio Melt on State Street. Melt is a boutique for your body; a destination that encourages you to re-discover the strength of your own body with the spirit of importance, astonishment & joy. Mona and her staff believe that the desire to change one’s physical presence will occur when the mind, body, and spirit are awakened.

Please come and meet one of my all time most favorite people, Mona and learn about Studio Melt! You will love her. Enjoy plenty of wine, shopping, and friends! Hope to see you all there!

Jennifer

Nowhere, USA. . . !

Hi Jennifer: I have to inform you of a recent conversation I had with a group of people at a popular LA night club. I took offense to a part of the conversation because the people I was talking with were from Los Angeles and have lived here their entire life.

During the conversation, it was discovered that I was not born and raised in Los Angeles, or California for that matter, but that I was born and raised in a small town in Colorado. Yes Colorado!

After saying that everyone seemed to look at me like I was from a foreign country. They teased me and said I 'escaped from Colorado' and made it to LA as they questioned me about, "what was it like?". . . . "what do you do in Colorado?". . . and, "How did you actually get to California, horseback?" I love horses! "You don't look like you're from Colorado. . . ! I was like, what?

The conversation continued and it wasn't mean and we were all laughing but it seems that these "superficial friends" look at Colorado, and the rest of the middle part of the country, as the place they fly over to get to New York. Apparently, if you don't live in LA or New York you're from "Nowhere, USA" This was the part I took offense too! I love Colorado. My parents still live there and I still have many close friends there. Besides, I think Colorado could beat up California if so inclined. We all laughed at that!

Jennifer, you live in Wisconsin and you definitely don't look like it! I wish you were with me during that conversation.

Lynn
I live in CA but happily from CO

Oprah "CJ jeans are the best . . .!"

Hi Friends: Yesterday, Oprah Winfrey had Cookie Johnson on her show and declared to the audience that "CJ by Cookie Johnson" as the best denim for women with a bootie. She discovered the delightful denim on a recent cover shoot for O Magazine.

"The perfect jeans for real women with real booties," she says. "For three days straight, I had on the jeans." Even though she calls herself a "hard-core pajama girl," Oprah says she wore the jeans for a five-hour flight--they were that comfortable.

<---Love Boyfriend Jean by Cookie Johnson.

The declaration comes as part of Oprah's "The Best" episode, which aired on Thursday, October 22.

Oprah also said that the "love boyfriend" jean was her favorite and that is the jean we carry and sell the most. Our tech people said that there was a huge spike is traffic to the site after the show and the orders started arriving shortly after the show ended. It seems people still look for the perfect pair of jeans.

Don't you just love Oprah!

Jennifer

Trend Lines. . .

Hi Jennifer!

(A big shout out goes to Clare! Yay! You found D&G The Make Up! I have several shades of red in their lipstick line and the bronzer is one of my all time favorites. I didn't realize you were having trouble or I would have said something earlier.)

I've noticed a big trend this season for accessories are geometric shapes and lines in hand bags and even shoes and boots. (I cannot for the life of me get my head into those super high heels with raised platofrms that have multi colored lines I see now but I really like the horizontal and vertical lines in handbags.)

Giorgio Armani and Alexander McQueen have used lines and shapes this season for their fall and resort collections and this is a trend I really like. Angles and shapes along with grid patterns are easy to accommodate and brighten a solid trench or an over coat.

Jewelry has also taken this turn and I think it's a good thing. Earthy looks and feel with semi precious stones attached to brass and other base metals have hit the shelves in the finer places. The creativity is amazing and the geometric shapes are cool and crisp.

Anyway. I had a few minutes to over lunch to send everyone a note on what's going on in LA.

Lynn

Los Angeles, CA

Dolce & Gabbana's The Make Up!

Hi Jennifer & Friends: I love your new picture by the way, Jennifer, and yes, how nice it would be to have your own studio and make up person!

Last Friday my best friend and co-worker showed up for work as usual, looking chic & fab! But I noticed something different about her that day. It was her lips and overall make-up in general. She looked amazing! I think I hate her now. How does she do that? I then was told it was D&G!

I have had problems with make-up applications in the past and have written a couple of blogs about how hard I struggle to find my look when it comes to make-up. Well, I was then introduced to D&G The Make Up and what's interesting about this is a London gal by the name of Pat McGrath is the woman who has brought the brand to the world for D&G. McGrath is a world renowned face painter and jets around to fashion shows applying make-up for some of the biggest fashion names in the business and she lives right here in London.

McGrath has created make-up lines for Giorgio Armani in 1999 and then moved over to Proctor & Gamble in 2004 to direct the lines for Max Factor and Cover Girl. She has now moved over to D&G and produced a line of make-up for them. Scarlett Johansson is the face for the brand and the colors range from bold and bright to soft and feminine.

I have now picked up some of the softer shades of the make-up and some lipstick and will give them a try this weekend.

Wish me luck!

Clare
London, England

Buy & Sell The Trends! Part 2!

Hello everyone! It seems that a recent article about trends to avoid is on MSN's home page and that has sparked a large amount of emails sent to me regarding buying the trends and how I do that as the buyer for J. LaMore and jlamore.com.

<---Harem Pant. Ugh!

Like I touched upon in the earlier blog post not to long ago, you have to be wary of the hype from designers and the media and you must absolutely KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER! We have tens of thousands of clients and I would never want to steer them in the wrong direction. I can't think of one client I personally have that would wear this look but a designer would hype this up like crazy and try and sell it to you, especially if they invested a lot of time and money into it hoping that it catches on.

I can remember the hype about the balloon pant and the Harem pant on a recent buying trip and this is a trend that never connected with the public. Thank God! It's not a good look!

This look is just not flattering on anyone and it may be fashion forward and edgy but you still need to sell it. I think it looks silly! As a buyer I can't see a category where this look would fit into. That's a big red flag for me. Instinct! Listen to your gut! Would I wear the Harem pant? I think NOT! This all comes into play!

Again, being a buyer is not easy but this was an easy decision for me and a trend I new would never catch on.

If anyone needs my assistance please let me know, I would love to help you!

Jennifer

Double Happiness Design . . . !

Hi everyone! I have been receiving many compliments on my new "look" for my "friends picture" and for the new changes on the site. Thanks to everyone for saying such nice things. (I have to add that's it's pretty great having your own complete photography studio, makeup person and graphics department available anytime you want when you have your picture taken. That's nice and they do a fantastic job!

I also want to let everyone know that we now have "Double Happiness Design Jewelry" by Stepahnie Wells live now on jlamore.com.

Over the past several years this "DHD" has become a top choice of stars and 'celebs' and we could not be happier when we got the line. These pieces go fast and we have already sold quite a bit but stock is limited and reorders can be tough on popular designer items.

On a personal note, we thoroughly enjoyed our recent conversations with Stephanie Wells and we discovered that she has written a book and recently had a baby. She is so nice!

We just finished a photo shoot with one of our new and exciting models, Melissa, and she looked incredible when wearing the line. I hope all of you get a chance to check out the Double Happiness Design Jewelry.

Jennifer

Prada! She needs no hype!

Hi Jennifer and Friends: For many years I've been fascinated by Miuccia Prada and her genius. Recently at New York Fashion Week she showed her 'wears' but, as usual, she was a complete mystery. From what I read, she was spotted once back stage and a 'possible sighting' at a restaurant, . . . . That's it! The biggest name in fashion for the past 20 years is like a well dressed ghost.

<---Kate Moss wearing a Prada Leather dress!

After her amazing runway show was over, the crowd was wild with anticipation. They were waiting to see if Miuccia would walk down the runway. After a long pause it finally happened. Miuccia Prada poked her head out from behind the curtain, smiled and was gone! That was it! If you didn't have your camera ready you would have missed it!

I find this behavior very refreshing in the celebrity obsessed, fashion crazy, blogging, tweeting, no secret tabloid world we live in today. Way to go Miucia! I think keeping some mystery in our life is a good thing.

Miuccia Prada doesn't need all the hoopla that goes with today's designers, she's a genius and everyone knows it. I Love it! She also made a statement that she is "fed up with couture." I love that too! Why stoop to the level of a lesser designer and fight for the cheesy spotlight. Everyone else needs to rise to her level. In addition, it's a well known fact that all trends start with Prada and she is copied all over the place. My only complaint with Prada is that I can't afford her. But that's ok! I love to look forward to wearing her designs.

I could write a ton on Prada but it would take too long and bore everyone, but all of us should be thankful we have a Prada in the industry.

Lynn
Los Angeles, CA

Jessica Szohr & Gossip Girl Style

If any of you are as avid followers of Gossip Girl as I am, you know and love the show for its glamour, beautiful people, drama and FASHION. One of my favorite parts about the show is seeing what the characters are wearing because they each have a characteristic style that offers endless eye candy for fashion buffs like me.

That's why when I was watching the new episode this Monday I took note of Vanessa, the resident bohemian of the show. Her necklace looked remarkably like the Jenny "Goddess" Necklace. It's such a cool detail because it adds an edge to the otherwise soft, flowing, patterned boho look of Vanessa. [It's also a look currently being shown by many major fashion houses as bloggers Clare and Lynn both pointed out.]

Speaking of Vanessa, some of you may know that the actress who plays her character, Jessica Szohr, is from Wisconsin, but specifically from Menomonee Falls where she went to my high school! She always stood out and is incredibly gorgeous in person so it was no surprise when she moved out to LA after graduation to pursue acting. However, I don't think anyone anticipated that she would land such a cool role on a show that is shaping up to be a pretty iconic one for our generation. Lucky girl! My friends and I still geek out occasionally seeing her out with Ed Westwick (her boyfriend and co-star) in tabloids or doing spreads in magazines.

-Mandy

Fringe

Great question on the fringe trend Lynn. While I'm a big fan of fringe, (it brings out the cowgirl in me) I must admit it's on the way out. Fringe has been a huge look for the last two years. In the fashion industry, that's long enough. While we'll still continue to see and wear fringe for now, look out for other embellishments such as studs to take its place. Yee Haw! (sorry, I couldn't resist!)

I LOVE these Christian Louboutin Ariella studded boots!


Jennifer

Fringe Moccasins. . . New Trend?

Hi Jennifer and Friends: I really love the new look of jlamore.com as well as the new models you now have wearing the clothing as well as in the lookbook and home page. Nice work!

I've noticed some of the young gals walking the shopping malls and districts are wearing fringe moccasins of all colors and heights. Some are flats, as well as tall boots and short boots.

I like the look and I was wondering if this was a big trend that's on the way or has it been here awhile and I just haven't noticed.

I haven't seen the '20 something' gals in our office wear them yet so I was just wondering if this is a 'tweeny' thing? Any thoughts?

Lynn
Los Angeles, CA

Here we go again. . . !

Hi everyone: It seems that the photoshopping and image altering controversy lives on but for a far different reason then whats going on in Europe. This overblown problem has now hit Ralph Lauren and I'm surprised to see and read about it coming from such a big name in fashion.

Some of you may have read that former Ralph Lauren model Filippa Hamilton, whose body was so Photoshopped in a recent ad that she looked like a fun house mirror. Ralph Lauren later apologized for the "distorted image." I guess he should apologize. Who approved this ad? She looks like a cartoon and if I was Fillipa Hamilton, I would be upset too!

I have to say that the bad ad and why she was fired are two different complaints coming from Hamilton because she was fired back in April and the add just appeared recently in a mall in Japan, but was quickly removed. Ralph Lauren said that she was fired for "not meeting her obligations. . . . " Blah, blah blah! That's lawyer speak for - we don't want you anymore!

With all this image altering and model issues going on in the world I have to make a personal observation here. Why is it that you only read about a small group of models who everyone thinks are to thin and unhealthy and that is somehow sending a bad message to young girls when obesity is a problem 1,000 times bigger and nobody says a thing? Why is that?

Anyway, Fillipa Hamilton is stunningly breathtaking! Wow! She was probably let go by not having her contract renewed by Ralph Lauren who probably wanted to change and go for a different look. No big deal. It happens all the time in this business. But what do I know!

Jim
J. LaMore Photographer

Jeager Spring 2010 Collection

Hi Jennifer & Friends! Recently at the spring 2010 Runway shows of well, just about every designer you can think of, I saw some video of the Jeager show and thought the jewelry on the catwalk was stunning.

I can't believe the size and materials used to make some of those incredible necklaces.

Jeager used shattered glass, shards of Swarovski crystals as well as earthy and organic materials of gold, silver and brass to make these outstanding pieces. The collection appeared almost futuristic and it made me think the the Jenny Campbell line of "jenny" jewelry you have on display. The metal used by Jeager was highly polished in many areas but then left raw and natural in others. The collection was amazing and functional at the same time.

I'm a jewelry and accessory fan and find all of it very interesting as I believe it's the first thing people notice when they see you.

Clare

London, England

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Did you know that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month? Domestic violence is a serious issue that often goes unnoticed. Shelters and groups around the U.S. really focus this month on getting the word out about Domestic Abuse and also increase their fundraising efforts to support local shelters.

A friend of mine who is in the sorority Alpha Chi Omega at the UW Madison told me about a great way to help the cause. Her sorority does an annual show called "Mr. Alpha Chi," which is a male beauty pageant featuring guys from around campus. Basically, it's a hilarious show that many people around Madison go to, but more importantly it's a great fundraiser! All of their proceeds go to the local Domestic Abuse Center (the only shelter in Southern Wisconsin) called DAIS (Domestic Abuse Intervention Services.) Here's a message from the girls of Alpha Chi Omega below.

"Please help us in our mission to end domestic abuse by donating to our cause. Last year we successfully donated $14,000 to DAIS. We plan to increase that contribution to $15,000, with your support! This year, contributions can be made online. Visit our donation page at http://www.firstgiving.com/alphachi2 and click on the "Give Now" tab. Thank you for your support of our organization, Domestic Abuse Intervention Services and our event Mr. Alpha Chi!"

Thanks for taking the time to support a great cause!

-Charlotte

The dead live on . . . !

Hi Jennifer & Friends: Last weekend I went to the Damien Hirst art opening in London and it was incredible. Art mania has hit London this week as the show was filed with artist and other dignitaries of note.

I love going to art openings with a group of friends because it gives me a chance to wear a great outfit, sip some wine and talk about different things other than the work, kids, news and all the usual things that go on in your day and occupy your thoughs. I feel like I'm on vacation! I also like them because you can imagine what or how you could work a great piece of art into your house or apartment. Take for example a these skull prints: How would this look in your house? (They're pretty big prints by the way.) Where would it go and would it be over the top for most people who come over? Who would buy something like this? I should note that each print was going for about $5,500. Not bad considering some of Hirst's work has gone for millions of dollars.

Sir Peter Blake was at the show this weekend. We didn't see him because the place was packed but he is quoted as saying that the skull prints would make a great album cover. Since he designed the Beatles 'Sgt. Peppers' cover, he would probably know.

Anyway, the show was great fun and all of us had a wonderful time. I looked amazing by the way. :) I had on a pair of skinny jeans tucked into my tall boots and my new gorgeous off the shoulder sweater from Flavio Castellani. Amazing! Thanks Jennifer! I love how you put all of this together.

Clare

London, England

Allure Magazine's 189 Greatest Products!

Allure is one of my all time favorite beauty magazines to read. I love to devour it because I know when I'm finished I will have learned a new tip on makeup application or discovered a juicy secret formula to stop my wrinkles!

This months issue has a section called, "Best of Beauty" and it's outstanding. Allure editors spent months and months testing thousands of beauty products and came up with 189 top choices. The list is absolutely incredible. From a $5.84 bottle of Dove body wash to the $54 bottle of Chanel foundation all of the products are touted the best in their category.

I don't know about you, but this beauty addict is willing to try them all!

Jennifer

The "New" Smoky Eye . . . !

Hi Jennifer! Thanks for the insight into being a buyer and how hard it is. I had no idea about all that went into your job but I have to say that you make it look easy.

I know Clare in London is interested in the white eyeliner and I think that look would be fine on certain face shapes. Actually, I think it's only for the runway and not for everyday use. I could be wrong though.

I just recently read in my InStyle magazine about the new smoky eye look going on in the fashion & beauty world. When I saw the look I was stunned and happy because I love this look and I feel I can wear it. I know the smoky eye has been around for a long time but those earlier looks seemed way to dark and over done for me. But this look is soft and pleasing to look at.

Here's how you get the look:

1. & 2. Apply two shades of eye shadow: a deep pine like Cle de Peau Beaute Satin eye color in Emerald No. 109 ($45; nordstrom.com) on the lids and an iridescent teal hue like Bobbi Brown eye shadow in Bash Metallic ($20; saksfifthavenue.com") in the creases and along the lower lash lines. "The key is to blend to death," says makeup artist Mariel Barrera, who created these looks on Seyfried using these products. "That way the two colors will melt together and you'll get a nice smoky effect." 3. Curl lashes and apply two coats of black mascara like Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill mascara in Black Steel ($28; saksfifthavenue.com).

Lynn Los angeles, CA

Buying & Selling the trends. . . !

Hello Lynn & Clare: People ask me all the time about being a buyer or becoming a buyer. Many people have asked to go along with me on buying trips just to see what's it like or what I do. Let me just say this: it's not easy being a buyer! I have been on more than 100 buying trips in eleven years so I have refined the job as much as possible. I'm also adjusted to the pressure. I can also add that I don't really have any "trade secrets" (so to speak) regarding how we buy at J. LaMore but there is a skill to this as well as being as informed as possible about sales, designers, trends, customers, etc. That skill is hard to explain, difficult to teach, and very unforgiving when you're wrong.

As a buyer one of the first things you need to do is love your job. The second is to know your customer and stay focused. You just can't always buy what you want to wear. The third thing you need to do is keep in mind your open-to-buy budget so you can fill all your departments.

The following of trends is where the experienced buyer will always outsell the inexperienced buyer. It's interesting but as a buyer your job is to sell.

Trends are fun and exciting but the hype from designers and the media about a certain trend doesn't always work when it comes to selling that trend. Take for example the Ugg boot. It was hot and a trend that lasted a long time by fashion standards and then suddenly it ended. If you were caught with a storage center full of Ugg boots, you were in trouble. The same goes for $350 jeans as well as many other trendy fashion statements. Knowing when to get out of a trend is just as important as when to get in. It's tricky and it helps to have a knowlegable staff because you will have moments of self doubt. There's to much money at stake to do it all on your own.

So you can see, being a buyer is even hard to write about and knowing what trend will make you money is even worse. Boutiques are not department stores and how each buyer operates is completely different. I hope this helped a little bit.

Jennifer

"jenny designs" . . . . Trend setter!

Hi Jennifer & Clare! I have been following jlamore.com since the beginning and strongly admire Jennifer LaMore's eye for style and ability to see into the future of fashion. Some people have it and some don't.

Here's what I just discovered:

Alexander McQueen (left) recently surprised all of us with his amazing Spring 2010 collection in Paris. I noticed a strong influence of brass and studs in shoes, bracelets and necklaces connected together with rivets. They were stunning and fresh.

I also noticed that J. LaMore recently added jewelry designer Jenny Campbell to jlamore.com with her "jenny" collection. If you look closely you will see a "trend in progress" as well as a glimpse into the soul of J. LaMore. The follow trends but not all of them and that's the interesting part. How does a buyer know what trend will catch on and what trend will not. Like I said earlier, some have it and some don't.

The vast majority of the "jenny" collection is polished brass connected together by rivets. You would have to ask yourself which designer came first with this trend or do they have each other on speed dial. I would have to add that Alexander McQueen is a world wide house hold name and Jenny Campbell is not but I love her jewelry. It's fresh and unique!

I understand that as a buyer for J. LaMore and jlamore.com you probably have trade secrets when it comes to your business but I would love to know how you decide to buy a look as well as picking trends. Clare wrote about makeup trends and tattoo's. That was very interesting and how anyone picks a trend is always amazing to me so anything you can add Jennifer would be greatly appreciated.

Lynn

Los Angels, CA

Take a look at this. . . !

Hi Jennifer and Friends! I

've been following the Runway Fashion shows in New York and London for the past year because I find it fascinating watching new trends and what some of the big designers will do for Spring 2010. I follow along not just for the clothing but for the hair and makeup too! It's crazy fun and I like to bring in some the fashions and trends into my own wardrobe, just like you do for J. LaMore and your ever growing client base.

The new trend in makeup I saw all over the runway in photo's from the recent New York show was white eyeliner. I was amazed at how this looked and would have never thought to do this. the model above has a white ribbon in her hair and I thought the look was feminine and beautiful. I'm not sure I would do this anytime soon for fear of being looked at in some strange way but I was wondering if you would recommend this look to your clients? I'm willing to try it but I would like to here your advice on the matter.

The second trend I saw on the Rodarte runway was Tribal tattoo's. Don't panic, these are the temporary kind! I have a thing about tattoo's and I wrote a blog about white tattoo's not to long ago. I'm not a fan of tattoo's but it seems that everyone I know has one or two or if they don't have one they want one. Will this fad ever go away? I think not but when you bring it into the fashion world you only make it a bigger trend. I know that the Rodarte girl has a cool toughness to her and a lot of their designs come from movies but this could make for a whole new high fashion trend.

However, most things on the runway never make it to mainstreet but this is a very cool look for a fashion show. I can't begin to imagine how long it took to do this.

Let me know what you think Jennifer! Love the new LookBook!

Clare

London, England

New Lookbook. . . New models!

Hi Jennifer! I love those jeans! I mean seriously, I love them! I love the entire outfit but the jeans are hot! I just placed my order and got the email confirmation. Yahoo!

I was surfing the site (as usual) when I came across the new lookbook shots and I have to say the outfits and how they're styled are excellent. I love how you guys do that.

On another note of interest. Who's the hot model! Wow again! Of course I could never look like that but I'm trying. Have you guys used her before.? I feel like I've seen her somewhere! Oh well, nice job again.

I can hardly wait to get my jeans!

Lynn
Los Angeles, CA

Crossing over to the bright side!

Hi Jennifer & Friends: I have seen the runway shows for spring 2010 and notice a huge increase in the platinum blonde trend. Are you guys seeing this in the US?

From what I hear, this trend started at the Met’s Costume Institute gala back in May, when model Raquel Zimmermann (left) sent flashbulbs popping on her way up the red carpet, courtesy of her brand-new, radically platinum hair (not to mention Proenza’s tough-chic off-the-shoulderl-satin mini). Foley had lifted her look to an icy-white pitch for the Gucci campaign. I love this look on her. She's so beautiful!

I have at have to say that this satin top reminds me of the satin Flavio Castellani top you guys have at jlamore.com. (Similar color I should say)

The trend continued on the Spring 2009 runways when dozens of beautiful models crossed over to the bright side. Marc Jacobs is said to call the look as a "white goth" when he had his models wear it for his show and now the trend is growing big for 2010.

I love the look (I think) but it would look terrible on me. Bleach is notoriously hard on hair, but platinum can look very rich, very expensive with the right upkeep. I've never done it but I understand that you need a lot of hair products to keep it looking good. I also think that every time I see someone on the runway with this look I think of Donnatella Versace. I don't like the look then. For some reason she turns me off with her hair and her over tanned skin.

I'm not sure about this new hair trend and I was wondering what everyone else thinks.

Clare

London, England

New Green Dragon

I'm really loving all the new Green Dragon pieces, they are so perfect for buy now wear now. One of my favorite looks is a great pair of jeans (hello new CJ jeans!), a cozy top and a statement jacket (like either one of these Green Dragon pieces).

A great jacket makes getting dressed and looking put together so easy.

Jennifer

I always enjoy your feedback! Email me, jennifer@jlamore.com, with your style tips and favorite looks.

Photo retouching. . . . !

Hello fellow friends and bloggers! As the photographer for jlamore.com people ask me all the time about photography and what we do at jlamore.com to make all the models look amazing. I have to tell you in all honesty that we don't do anything in the way of photo re-touching like what you see in this video and the reason is because we shoot so many images that it would take FOREVER to get anything done. We are more or less a catalogue and not a portrait studio and we churn out images daily by the hundreds for upload. Mandy, our Creative Director, will add text and graphics for aesthetic value on the home page, lookbook and other marketing material and she is amazing but outside of that, it's pretty raw stuff going on here.

Do I take a perfect picture every time? Hell no! Will I fix a flaw in a model or fix a mistake of mine? Hell yes! Will I darken or lighten an image for better representation? Absolutely! C'mon people, I'm human and so are the models. You would not believe what goes on behind the scenes. Bad days, boyfriend problems, head colds, pimples, OMG! Even the most beautiful woman will have an off day. You work around it because there's a lot at stake.

This job is a ton of work and it's a collaboration between everyone and their flaws that make it work and I will use technology to help make my job easier. (I also have to say that Jennifer LaMore has the last word here. Does she look at every image? No way! We have shot more than 200,000 images in two years and she would not have the time for all of that but if she doesn't like the final image at the end it won't make it anywhere connected to J. LaMore or jlamore.com. Period! End of Story! You will not win this argument because Jennifer has an excellent eye for fashion.

The models are naturally beautiful which makes my job easier. All I have to do is, basically connect the dots. I need to get the models to do what they do best. they need to feel comfortable with me and I work hard at that. There is a great deal of technical knowledge with big professional cameras but once you learn the camera your eye for subject matter is more important, in my opinion. Light and shadows are the basics of all great shots. Learning this is a big deal. Putting together light and shadows with fashion. . ? It's very important for us.

This video is not what we do but it's interesting to see what you can do and what portrait studios will do for advertising clients. Cool stuff and I wish I had the time. . . .!

Jim