Shopchantal Stylefile

There is no mystery in the denim shirt, but the possibilities are there for the taking.  I have a selection of denim shirts, all which vary in wash, so I thought I’d share just a couple of ideas on how to wear this iconic piece of American fashion.  Two key points to remember:

1.  Get a slim fit. You want to look like a woman, after all.

2. Reverse your thought process – in other words, treat it like it was a pair of jeans, just worn on top. In other words, unless you think you pull off a denim/denim combo with total confidence, skip this look.

Pair your denim shirt  with a silk skirt, dress or a colorful pant. I tend to wear a bit of girly-girl so this Rebecca Taylor skirt (pulled from my closet archive) paired with my Blank NYC light-colored denim shirt was just my style and a great look for walking around town.  I paired it with some flats to make it casual because the skirt really does lend itself to a dressier occasion.  Yes, it has sequins and little fairies on it and yes, I am wearing blush pink – who knew! 

I love this dress from Tibi and think it would look amazing paired with a denim skirt and flat, tall boots and a crossbody bag.

I can’t wait to wear my favorite new pant from J.Crew with my denim shirt. I definitely think the Bright Dahlia is the best color, don’t you! Paired with a tweed blazer, this look would be amazing with a gorgeous, structured bag for Fall. Yes, that was a the Lanvin Happy MM Shoulder bag and it is amazing so I had to include it in the post.

The second look is a less girly and a little more “going out” which is, in fact, what I was going to do when this shot was taken.  It was a great outfit for going out for lunch at the piers with the girls (hence the hat).  This denim shirt and the ruffled, silk mini are both from Banana Republic, cropped, cashmere tank: Max Azria (archive), shoes: Pour La Victoire, necklace: GemmaRedux, Bag: Botkier, Belt: Streets Ahead, Fedora: Target.

Another great option is to pair your denim shirt with this Midi-skirt from Asos.  You just gotta love the heart print!  I’d pair with some short booties for a day look or a platform pump for a night out with a blazer or chunky, open weave sweater.

So, get out and pick up a denim shirt in a clean wash (skip the versions with acid wash in the wrong places) and start planning all your outfits; including layering your shirt under all the cute striped, cropped sweaters for the winter.  I”m loving this Rag & Bone one from Saks! I have one coming from H&M soon that I think is going to look totally adorable too.

xo.

c.

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That’s right, only 3 days to take advantage of our 5th Birthday Celebration gift to you!  

Our in-store 20% off Everything Sale starts Friday and ends Sunday. chantal. moved to 229 Commercial Street, Portland in July 2010.

And, we will be open until 8 pm on Friday as we celebrate 5 years and proudly present a collection of artwork from local artists inlcuding Jessica Weiser of Fidelio Photo, Illustrator Meagan Anderson and Painter Kelly Rioux.

Don’t miss out on new Fall & Holiday collections from Rebecca Taylor, Joie, Nanette Lepore and many more. 

Shoes and boots from Joie, Pour La Victoire and Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent heels are a must have for the season.

Handbags from the best and brightest: Botkier, Treesje, Oliva Harris by Joy Gryson are all brand new arrivals for Fall and Holiday.

New denim styles and washes from DL1961, Genetic Denim and the must have, sell out [Blank] Cargo Pant is also still available. Don’t miss out on the perfect pair of black skinnies. We have them from all our designers so you can find just the right fit.

Dresses from Shoshanna are absolutely necessary in the coming months.  Get a jump start and pick up the newest styles before they are gone.

Cashmere and accessories from Autumn Cashmere is flying off the shelves and we are excited to see such a love for this amazing brand.

Shop in store at chantal. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to get 20% off everything.

Plus, with every purchase you can enter our raffles to win a pair of Autumn Cashmere gloves, a Botkier wrap around leather bracelet, a complimentary cut and style from our photo hair stylist, Miranda Condon.  And, SoPo SUP (South Portland Stand Up Paddleboard) will be here to show off one of their boards and are giving away a Free 1 hour Paddleboard lesson.

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People StyleWatch Feature

Obviously you know that Faux Fur is a huge trend for the season. It’s actually been a big trend for few seasons now and it is fast becoming a staple in everyone’s wardrobe. A “must-have” if you will. Celebrities are wearing lots of faux vests this season. And we love how they wear it their own way although most are wearing them casual with denim.

Worn over tees and tanks with denim cut off shorts and Over the Knee boots, the faux fur vest is a great way to transition into Fall.  Bring it out again in the Spring because this look works in both seasons. 

We love the Rebecca Taylor vest belted with a military inspired belt or add a bit of Embossed Croc for some added texture. My favorite new puff sleeve top from Joie is a great way to wear a long sleeve with a pop of the season’s hot color.

The vest has been a big hit, but we are also loving the new Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent Faux Fur Vest Jacket.  This piece has a fabric back with a mixed Suede sleeve that sports a 1/4 sleeve zipper detail.  Pair this jacket over a gorgeous black dress for a night out.  We love it paired over the Joie Beaded top with some jeans and shoe booties for a casual, yet sophisticated look.

The Graham & Spencer Faux Fur vest in Ivory and in Black is sure to arrive any day now.  We just had to get both because it is the perfect piece to wear with a graphic tee, hoodie and, of course, denim and wedge boots. 
I’m thinking I’ll go for the black version so I can pair it with my favorite new Botkier Ava Hobo handbag.  Love the mermaid green against black.

What about you? How will you wear Faux this season?

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It’s been some time since I’ve been able to get to updating the blog. My apologies to all.  The reason is that we’ve been working tirelessing for weeks on our new location at 229 Commercial Street in Portland Maine.

Our new space has wood floors, exposed brick walls and huge ceiling beams and has a bit more of a warehouse feel than our past location.  We are now completely open on Commercial Street (less a few unpacked boxes) and our selection of designers is as amazing as ever. 

We’ve added some great new designers to the new space including Treesje and Botkier handbags, now featured on our handbag wall. More styles are arriving daily and the wall should be filled with Fall 2010 bags in no time.

A try-on seating section is close by to our new shoe displays with shoe cabinets close at hand so we can check styles and sizes quickly and easily from Joie, Pour La Victoire and  Cynthia Vincent.

Next to the handbag wall is our set of jewely cases complete with a mirror and shelving making it super easy to try on necklaces, earrings and bracelets from Streets Ahead, Gorjana, GemmaRedux, Alex and Ani and our newest ring designer, Tre.

Floating shelving makes viewing our Splendid tees and Me & Kashmiere scarves a pleasure.  For Fall and Winter, you will find these shelves stocked with gorgeous Autumn Cashmere and sweater pieces from Joie, Edun and Rebecca Taylor.

Our new cable hanging rod system makes our collection of contemporary designers like Shoshanna, Elizabeth & James, Nanette Lepore, Son of John, Monrow and so many more really easy to see and pair up with our amazing pieces of denim.

Just beyond the beautiful hanging collections is our glass cube wall filled with your favorite denim designers including Genetic, [Blank], DL1961, Current/Elliott, Rock & Republic, PRVCY premium and more to come soon.

We hope you will come visit our new space and see what’s new for collections including our expanded shoe and handbag designers.

229 Commecial Street (former Decorum space) is next door to Barbour and McKenzieTribe and across the street from Sushi Sapporo.  207.347.4427 www.shopchantal.com

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Genetic Denim

Everyone has their favorite denim style and we think that’s great, but what about giving a new style a try for 2010.  It is a new decade and a new opportunity to expand your wardrobe is quite possibly the easiest place- your denim closet.

The styles for Spring 2010 are some new trends and some carry overs from Fall that we just love. Here is a quick overview and an idea or two to inspire you to try something new.

The Denim Legging: Commonly referred to as the “Jegging“, this style comes in a variety of denim weights and tends to be in the darker ranges.  We have 4 styles of the denim legging from 4 different designers and each one is fast becoming a favorite of many.

Staff Pick: the Current/Elliott because I love the blue tone and larger pocket.

The Embellished Jean: Long standing reign over this style has been Rock & Republic, but recently we are seeing other designers throwing their versions onto the scene.  This trend ranges from studded details like the popular studded BLANK skinnie classique to prominent stitching not only on the pocket from PRVCY Premium, but elsewhere on the denim.

Most Anticipated Style for Spring: Genetic Denim’s Mesh Studded Inlay jean (AVAILABLE IN STORE NOW).  With just a hint of studded mesh peeking through on various parts of the jean, you get a bit of edge.

The Boyfriend Skinny: Not entirely new for Spring, but the versions we have and are expecting are much more refined.  Malibu’s CoCo Boyfriend Skinny is a great way to wear the skinny jean in a more relaxed style. And with a touch of cashmere in each jean, these will fast become your most- wanted denim.

Style Share: Wear this style cuffed with some Joie Oxfords or Ballet Flats for a fresh take on the Classic Hepburn look

The Denim Sweatpant: We can’t believe it ourselves, but the inspiration must be from our favorite fashion icon of all time: Carrie Bradshaw.  We saw this elastic bottom pant in Sex And The City – The Movie and almost fell off our cinema seats.  We swooned until we were finally shown the styles last year and of course, ordered it straight away.  Styled to wear relaxed with the elastic band scrunched up or worn long – all with a high heel, this is certainly going to be a new trend to watch.

See it when: Available NOW from Genetic Denim, The Val is surely giving us something new to style to show you some fun looks on the site. So far, we are having a ball.

And don’t forget about the great new washes, including the still popular distressed with paint splatters from Current/Elliott, acid wash versions, colored denim is always as a Spring trend and we are loving the crisp white denim offered in many styles this season.  Check out Blank Denim’s skinny white denim with the Ankle Zip detail.

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2009 was an interesting year for everyone and we are excited that we can still bring you new and fresh designers and  looks on our site and in the store for the new year.

We’ve already introduced you to Mike & Chris and also to Monrow.  Amazing designers, amazing prices.  We think you will love what they have to offer to your wardrobe.  That is why we are carrying them in the first place.  And new Denim Designers: [BLANK] Denim, Malibu Denim and PRVCY Premium are giving us just one more reason to buy more jeans.

Although BCBGMAXAZRIA needs to no introduction, we wanted to give a warm welcome anyway and give you a little history behind Max Azria and his every growing empire – which by the way, includes us and most importantly, you.

BCBG is an acronym for the French term Bon Chic, Bon Genre meaning Good Style, Good Attitude– 2 things we aspire to be and to have – all for the benefit of our customers.  

How could we not include a designer with our same fashion/lifestyle beliefs, right!  The spirit of BCBGMAXAZRIA is the basis for the Maz Azria brand and has made them an international stylehouse.  Tunisian born, Paris- raised, Los Angeles – based – This is Max Azria.  An international designer who has redefined the contemporary category by offering world-inspired pieces that are right on trend – and in the forefront of the trends- and all at affordable prices.

Our first introduction to you at shopchantal.com and at chantal.  has had an amazing response. The Necklace T-shirt Tank is available in Black and in White and is great under a blazer or over a long sleeve tee.  The Bandage Mini is a Herve Leger-inspired piece currently available in Azalea but we’ve ordered it in black and many other colors for the coming seasons. BTW, Max Azria purchased the Herve Leger house in 1998 and in 2007 began incorporating the inspiration under his design direction (Herve Leger by Max Azria) making the couture house accessible at a contempory collection level.

We also have 2 new BCBGMAXAXRIA collections in store now that will be up on shopchantal.com in the coming days. You won’t believe how great the pieces are and how easy they are to incorporate into your wardrobe. And you must try the bandage skirt- you won’t believe how absolutely fabulous it makes you look and feel.

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Kate Hudson sporting the Twelfth Street Boho Cardi

Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of celebrities sporting more down-to-earth & casual looks that I now find myself dressing down more and buying pieces like chunky knits, super-soft fleece jackets, & lux cashmere.  I’m not sure if the economy has pushed us towards these more cozy, yet stylish looks or if dressing more casually has a more every-day appeal with an unbeatable cool, girl vibe?  Let’s face it–nothing is more easy than throwing on your favorite pair of jeans, a chunky sweater style, and flat boots, and the designers have made it easy to find all of these pieces in fabrics, styles, and colors to make each and all of us happy.

October deliveries are in and the majority of our new inventory focuses around one of the biggest trends this season:  chunky knits.  However, other luscious sweater-inspired styles include the update to one of our favorite fabrics–French Terry.  The carefully updated & polished styles are being offered up in so many different silhouttes & cozy fabrics that one will not be short on ideas on how to achieve this look.

Recently inspired by “The New Casual” an article in October’s People StyleWatch, I am offering up our favorite styles that can be found at shopchantal.com& chantal.

Tattered Elizabeth Blazer

Vintage Fleece Hoodie

STYLISH FLEECE:  The perfect compliment for your everyday look!  Splendid’s Vintage Fleece Hoodie shown here with a burnout from Sharon Segal & a distressed skinny style from [BLANK] is the perfect way to sport this not just for the gym style!

Juliette Vest

FURRY VESTS & JACKETS:  Joie’s Glimmer Faux Fur Vest is our pick for this trend!  However, due to it’s larger than life presence we recommend keeping the rest of your ensemble simple by pairing it back to skinny jeans and boots.  Another way to achieve a similar look without the “fur” is to pair your favorite leggings & boots back to Joie’s Juliette Sweater Vest.  Still very much so on trend due to it’s chunky quality!

CAT Cassidy Boot

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You’ve seen them on celebrities, you’ve seen them in the summer blockbusters, now you can see themand purchase them at chantal. and online at shopchantal.com.

[BLANK] Denim is here! Their motto is “Not all Premium jeans come with a Premium price tag.”  With prices ranging from $68.00 – $78.00, you have to agree with the pricing.  And, trust us, the Premium jean part is right on as well.

[BLANK] Denim has clean pockets and labeling with urban, edgy detailing such as studding and distressing while maintaining an amazing fit.

We are in love with the first two styles we received yesterday.  In fact, we wore them right out of the box.

One style we are rockin’ is a black skinny with a studded back pocket. Both huges trend for fall, the [BLANK] Skinny Studded in black denim is the perfect way to get the look.  The fit is amazing and the look is super cool.  And, at $78.00, you can’t complain.

Or maybe you just want a nice blue denim wash with a clean pocket. The [BLANK] Skinnie Classique in “If U Seek Amy” wash is the jean you need.  A super soft, clean blue skinny leg, this jean is great for pairing with any kind of top.  The fit is great (although we do suggest going up one size), and at $69.00, you will want 2 pairs.  One to wear while the other is in the laundry.

Join the [BLANK] revolution.  We have and we are not lookin’ back.  See our fast selling selection now!

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