Gwyneth Loves Lidia

In one of her recent GOOP newsletters, Gwyneth Paltrow modeled a pair of sexy Brian Atwood heels (the Lidia) with a little black dress. Lately she's become quite the fashion icon, don't you think? Did you know that she's adding the role of "designer" to her resume? Gwyneth's teaming up with French label ZOEtee to create a capsule collection inspired by '70s glam and rock-n-roll. Look for ZOEtee’s Loves Gwyneth in a store near you around mid-August.

The Trocadero Team got a kick out of seeing Gwyneth in the Lidias because we carry the black suede version at the store. In fact, after reading about the shoes in GOOP, one of our customers stopped by the Troc to try them on. Don't they look great on her feet? So hot! We still have a couple of sizes left, so stop by and try them on.

Personally, I'd love to walk out of the store wearing a pair of Lidias, but at almost 5'8", I shy away from wearing such high heels. Nearly everyday you'll find me wearing flats. Luckily we carry some seriously sassy shoes that won't have me towering over my 5' 10" husband, including many from our new Spring collection.

I'd love to know: Are you a heels or flats kind of girl? Leave a comment and share your preference!

What can't you live without?

As it's nearly the weekend, I'm not too focused on getting all the work done that needs to be done. Instead, I'm thinking about fashion. Alice sent a short survey to Team Trocadero today that asked us to, in short form, sum up our style and our icons. It was fun, though challenging, to complete. I won't share all of the questions, as I'm sure Alice will reveal them soon enough!

But I did want to write a bit about what I chose as my favorite item of clothing: a Diane Von Furstenberg navy blue motorcycle jacket. I randomly purchased this item on ebay last year, and now that I have it, I don't know what I did without it. It goes with everything. It looks good at the office, for a weekend lunch or for going out on the town. It's not quite black, though it can pass for it in the right light, and its buttery soft. It fits me perfectly. I love that it has zippers at the cuffs, and that if I unzip them, my bracelets (usually Russian gold Alex and Ani expandable bangles) show.

Here's a couple of photos my sister snapped of me, in Benson last fall and this winter at a concert at the Qwest, wearing my indespensible jacket. (sorry they're both a bit blurry. But you get the gist.)

So tell us. What's your can't live without it wardrobe staple?

On wedding shoes...

Choosing a pair of shoes for my wedding has been one of the more difficult decisions I've made so far. Food, venue, reception location - those were all easy choices compared to this one. Even with an amazing pair of never-worn Dior heels in my closet, my mind isn't made up. They might - or might not - make it to the big day.

The choice has been harder because my dress is short and very non-traditional. (I can post this here because my fiance already knows I'm wearing something short, and I'm pretty sure he's not reading this anyway.) I'm accessorizing with a custom made belt and some bold jewelry. I haven't decided on a veil yet. But the whole reason for the short dress goes back to the shoes. I am all about the shoes. Always have been. (My favorite childhood movie wasn't "Cinderella" for nothing. Oh, to have my own pair of glass slippers!)

I've considered a number of shoes at Trocadero: Brian Atwood's "Dorian" still blows me away. Sadly, the purple is too bold for my look. (But wouldn't it be smashing for the bachelorette party?) Here its shown with some night on the town-ready accessories. I'm wearing a silver dress for the bachelorette; something dramatic like this would look amazing.

Trocadero has some more wedding-ready options. Brian's "Eta" and "Yasmine" which Alice has in a dusky grey suede and a dark grey satin, respectively, both have a lot going for them. Style, of course, but also comfortable heels, a bit of sparkle and a touch of glamorous old Hollywood that I just love. The "Yasmine" is pictured at left.

I spend a fair amount of time reading wedding-related blogs and Web sites and I've learned that traditional is definitely still the norm when it comes to most weddings. How a bride interprets "traditional," though, varies widely. For every bride I've seen in the long white dress with the cathedral length train, thre's a barefoot bride in a beachy sundress with flowers in her hair. For every Vera Wang and Manolo Blahnik-clad bride, there's a bride in a vintage lace dress wearing a simple ballet flat.

And another thing I've learned: I'm breaking some norms, but I'm nothing compared to the brides who do some serious tradition bucking. Brides in leopard? Check. Brides in black goth corsets with a groom in Marilyn Manson platform boots? Check. Brides in full on Renaissance-era regalia complete with sword-bearing groom and a white horse? Check.

It's fun - though sometimes overwhelming - to see what the thousands of other blogging brides did on their big days. What I'll end up wearing on my own wedding day remains to be seen. But whatever it turns out to be, I know it'll be perfect.

Mid-morning pick-me-up

I keep two sample-sized vials of Bond No. 9 fragrances on my desk at work: the new Brooklyn and Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue.

When I get particularly stressed, I daub one or the other on myself. Nothing like a little aromathreapy coupled with a nice, deep breath to calm the harried senses.

Eco-Rituals Revealed

Each month, Alice asks every Trocadero intern and employee a list of questions and then posts our answers on the website...questions like: "What's on your dresser?"or "Where can you be found on a typical Friday night?" and of course "What's your Trocadero pick of the month?" I look forward to the questions every month because, come on who doesn't like talking about themselves! This month one of the questions was "What's your eco-ritual?" Drew and Sarah's answers were unveiled in this week's Trocadero Tidbits...but here's what the rest of us have to say. Stephanie and Helen are OCD about turning off the lights when they leave their apartments, Sabrina picks up other people's trash so little animals don't get to it and choke(!), and Christine always grocery shops with a canvas bag. Lauren eats organically, rides her bike and composts her waste. Here at Trocadero we recycle our cardboard boxes, cans and plastic bottles (sans cap!) and recently have started carrying some items from BC Footwear that are made from recycled rice bags. 

These are close ups of the iPhone, Blackberry or money holder as well as the flip flops (which come with a little tote bag!) and what makes them unique is that each one is slightly different, depending on the cut of the rice bag! 

As for my eco-ritual, I choose to drink out of my re-useable One Tree Yoga water bottle every day, instead of burning through multiple plastic ones. 

Want proof? 

Alice took a picture of my eco-friendly water bottle...with my Recyclers for Obama pin, of course, in my classic North Face backpack.

Now we're dying to know your eco-rituals. How do you preserve the environment? Let us know your tips by commenting below and we'll post them in a future Trocadero Tidbits newsletter. After all, we're all in this together. 

What do you want in your Easter basket?

It's beginning to look a lot like Easter at Trocadero! Especially when you look at this adorable Pade by Pade Vavra nest bracelet (it also comes in earrings). Since Pade's pieces are all handmade, we only get a few exclusive works of art at a time. I first fell in love with Pade's jewelry around 7 years ago and it was her nest ring in her fine jewelry collection that made me an instant fan. When I first opened the Troc, I knew I wanted Pade to be one of my designers at the store. Click here to see more of Pade's designs available at Trocadero (I'm currently wearing her opal drusy earrings); not everything is pictured on the website so you'll have to come into the store to see the rest of her unique necklaces, cuffs, rings and earrings!

With Easter right around the corner, I've polled everyone at the Troc to tell me what their favorite Easter candy is. For Helen, Sabrina, Stephanie, Sarah and me, Cadbury mini eggs with the hard shell are #1 in our book; for others it's the classic Peep marshmallow treats (but only the chicks for Christine and only if they're yellow for Drew!).
Kathleen loves Reese's peanut butter eggs and Lauren thinks a classic Chocolate Easter Bunny is "the bomb.com!"


With Easter almost here, we want to know what is your favorite candy? Comment and enter to win a Kidrobot Let's Hang zipper pull of your choice! If you're not into sweet tasting things, we can think of some other sweet things...in pastel colors to whet your appetite! Our spring arrivals almost look like an Easter egg palette of mint greens, lavenders, robin egg blues and Peep marshmallow yellows!

We just got back in the Normann Copenhagen grass vases-perfect for that new spring bud growing in your backyard. And it seems like no one can resist Botkier's Trigger moto clutch with its long strap and biker-chick feel...but in a soft way! And finally, Rescue Beauty Lounge's Square Pants nail polish is just the right yellow, not too garish and not saccharin sweet but perfectly subtle and neutral enough to wear with both business casual outfits (we love it with gray and navy clothing) as well as summery floral dresses.

Life in Miniature Form

I love Kidrobot toys -- everything from zipper pulls to Dunnys to the subversive Smorkin' Labbit to of course, Yummy Breakfast keychains! But when I was in San Francisco this past Christmas time, my sister came home with these adorable blind boxed Japanese toys from Puchi Petites. I just love the detail in these packages. At Trocadero, we are carrying "Fun Meals," "Girls in the City" and "American Kitchen" blind boxed packages. Both "Fun Meals" and "American Kitchen" are food-themed; but while "Fun Meals" focuses solely on miniature food and food-related items, "American Kitchen" usually also includes some "ambience-related" toy such as a schoolhouse chair in the "Fun at the Cafeteria" box. We really like it when our customers open their blind boxed toys at the Troc so that we can see everything up close and personal. Just the other day, one cute family of four came into the store and the kids each got "American Kitchen" -- Isaiah got "See You at the Courts" and Nora got "Birthday Party Fun." They left the Troc pretty darn happy. These Puchi Petites really are just too much. "The Girls in the City" packages have themes such as "After 5 Singles Party" and "Overseas Retreat." I love the one we opened: "Hot Date After Work" which has a small shopping bag in a familiar blue that says "Tiny & Co." Come by the Troc to see our display of Puchi Petites toys and try to resist coming home with "Pizza Night" or "Drive 'N Go" meal among other things!

I may have found my ultimate match

On Sunday I came home from the store with a new pair of sandals, the Bettye Muller "Golden," a shoe that I've had my eye on since the first time I walked into Trocadero - long before I worked there. My spring and summer standard outfit is a dress, and this sandal, with its adorable gold detail and super soft suede has me so excited for warmer days.

I can see it with a floaty floral dress, I can see it with a navy blue pencil skirt and bow blouse. I can also see it with a pair of boyfriend jeans, a white tank and a slouchy bag.

It's also on point: the gladiator is back for this summer, and Bettye's is probably the most comfortable I've tried on. The heel is just so, the suede is buttery soft and the big round gold bits are a vintage take on otherwise rock-and-roll studs.

I'm in love.

Gwen in the House

We just received another shipment from L.A.M.B. and we practically sold the bags right out of the shipping boxes. I have to admit I wasn't always sure about the brand, thinking it might not be the right fit for Omaha or even for my store in general. But I was totally wrong...Omaha is crazy about Gwen! It's easy to see why when you check out both her L.A.M.B. collection as well as her fun, nylon and canvas Harajuku Lovers line. I knew the quality of the line would be great -- her line is manufactured by the same folks who started the company Le Sportsac way back when. It was my friend Tim's great idea to have Gwen collaborate with Le Sportsac on those awesome nylon bags so when it came down to finding someone to partner with for her own bag collection, Tim was naturally her go-to-guy. This season for Harajuku, Gwen brought back that retro print, reminiscent of her first collection at Le Sportsac.  We love it here in "the Raddest" shape. I also love the new button and ribbons she has put on this collection of Harajuku bags.
I love the Harajuku Lovers bags for their lightheartedness and affordability. But I am really impressed by the chic-factor of so many of the L.A.M.B. bags this season, most notably the collection we just received. First, "the Rabais" is this chevron fabric satchel with optional long strap. I love the accents of cobalt blue and yellow against the black and white chevron pattern. It's really something totally unique but at the same time is versatile enough to wear with both casual and dressy outfits. This bag also comes in a clutch called "the Bala" that is so well-priced at $195. Really, it's a steal, since it's sooo adorable and chic. Another bag that I haven't seen much anywhere is "the Smyth," a soft leather cut-out handle tote that has a long canvas strap that can be worn as a long shoulder strap or even cross-body. I love the white racing stripe down the center. I'm a big fan of the sporty look this season and think that touches of it look especially nice with soft, feminine silhouettes like shirtdresses, flowy skirts with a t-shirt or a ruffle top and pair of jeans. One last bag from this delivery is "the Busby," the perfect cross-body shape that is the summer solution bag for any woman. I love it especially when traveling as it fits all the essentials and it fits close to the body keeping your passport and money safe. But it's also the perfect size when you're heading out to a quick dinner with friends or out for a walk around the block. We've always sold these small cross-body shapes well at Trocadero and are always anxiously awaiting this style of bag. If you haven't checked out the L.A.M.B. bags in a while, we invite you to check them out online or in person. And while you're at the store you can see a special signed photo that Gwen signed for me (she was after all, in her "Alice in Wonderland"-themed outfit from her "What You Waiting For" video).

Parking Purse

As you know, Trocadero is down in the Old Market, and since walking to work isn't an option for me (I live out in West Omaha), I've had to start carrying lots of quarters for the parking meters. This Anya Hindmarch mini loose pocket would be the perfect purse for those pesky coins. The word "PARKING" is embossed into metallic plum leather and the interior is suede. Now, the question is, do I have enough quarters to buy one for myself? 

(image source) 

Leather-free, fashion forward

My sister Lindsey, a staunch vegetarian, doesn't wear or carry leather. When she first made the decision to give up the material, I benefited - as did a bunch of her friends - when we received her cast-off, oft-expensive and barely used collection of leather bags.

Once my sister made the decision to forgo leather, her search for stylish, non-leather goods began. One of the first lines she discovered was, coincidentally, one she found at Trocadero: Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Lovers. This line of fun, frivolous and fashionable bags includes lots of non-leather options that are also long on style. Below are just a few of the covet-able ones in the store now.

Pictured above: Harajuku Lovers “tromp l’oeil” black canvas tote, Harajuku Lovers shoulder tote “Kamp Kawaii” print, Harajuku Lovers cross body “Totally Tubular” print and Harajuku Lovers Makeout City Pop Bag.

Sparkle-a-plenty

Right now, let's just say it's all about "Frugalista" from Rescue Beauty Lounge. This nail polish was created by the one and only Ji Baek, a friend of mine from NYC, in response to the current dire economic situation. If you can't afford to buy and wear sparkly sequin Lanvin, why don't you just settle for some bling on your nails? We couldn't agree more! We're just crazy about this color: a silver glitter with purple flecks. It just seriously sparkles...and is just the perfect pick-me-up. I like wearing it over RBL's color "Grunge" (a pale greyish mauve) as well as Ji's signature Rescue Beauty Lounge color, "Black Russian."

Today at the Troc we received a packet from Bond No. 9 with yet another fragrance launch so soon after "Brooklyn" just arrived! The new Bond No. 9 scent is called "Astor Place," a floral that has notes of violet with freesia and a musky base that makes it so utterly complex but so beautiful. I am not a huge 

floral fan but the violet of this scent is intoxicatingly good. It reminds me of a liquid Diptyque Violette candle. I've always wanted to wear that candle and now thanks to Bond No. 9 I can! I also love the new bottle with its graphic, cubist pattern of bright primary colors. It reminds me of what is going on with our accessories -- as seen here with our Anya Hindmarch patent zip clutches and Giuseppe Zanotti striped ribbon satin with pink and black patent leather d'orsay!

Big Ambitions, Bad Timing

I'm the optimistic graduating senior, with big dreams of moving to New York City. I'm a journalism major who thinks that personal style is the most sincere form of self-expression. I was so lucky to find Alice, a former magazine editor and overall awesome role model and friend, in my little city of Omaha, Nebraska. It was fate. I'm so lucky to be able to work in an environment where the merchandise is constantly changing and the inspiration is always flowing. You never know who you're going to meet. New customers are always commenting on the beauty, almost gallery-esque, aesthetic of Trocadero. It really is the Colette of the Midwest. You can find something for anyone your life here (just try), and we are here to guide and educate you. If you're looking for a particular product that's not available in Omaha, ask Alice about possibly carrying it. Trocadero is more than just a store, it's a collaborative lifestyle. You, the customer, friend and fellow Omahan play a crucial role in our mission to make our city a cultural destination. 

As most of you probably know by now, I am the editor of Trocadero Tidbits, our weekly newsletter. It's an ongoing project, and any feedback either here on the blog or directed to the shop's e-mail, shoptrocadero@mac.com, is most appreciated. Maybe it will help me get a job, who knows. Keep your fingers crossed. 

Stay tuned for my posts on my favorite products, interesting encounters and who knows what else. After all, it's all happening.   

Mad About Marigolds

April showers bring L.A.M.B. flowers! Since my first day working at Trocadero, I've had my eye on this L.A.M.B. Signature Greenwood Satchel in Marigold. The bright reds and oranges of the marigolds screamed for attention, and I could see myself toting the bag around Omaha all Spring and Summer. The change of the weather and the extra hours of daylight pushed me over the edge, and I finally bought the handbag the other day!

Sadly, I discovered a pen mark on the lower right hand side this morning when I photographing the bag for this post. I'm devastated. At $395, this bag is not terribly expensive, but it certainly ain't cheap! I'm in major crisis mode at the moment and scouring the internet for tricks on removing ink from leather. Do you have any good ideas? I could use all the help I can get!

A wedding...

So full disclosure: I'm getting married in six months. (That's my ring over there.)

I haven't done any blogging at all about the wedding, though I do spend quite a bit of time working on the planning. Being your own wedding planner is fun, though its also a huge job. I figured there might be a few other brides to be, or other readers, who'd enjoy reading about my experience so far. So this is the first of some posts dedicated to "wedding stuff."

I've spent a lot of time thinking about what to get my bridesmaids and maid of honor for gifts. I've only ever been in two weddings: one bride gave me a pen and pencil set and the other gave me a necklace to wear the day of the wedding, along with a clutch purse filled with things like mints and kleenex.

I really want to get my girls something amazing. Because some of them might be reading this post, I won't say what I've done thus far. I can say that I bought each of them a pair of shoes to wear the big day - they already know that.

Working at Trocadero has given me tons of ideas for cool bridesmaids' gifts. I think the new Anya Hindmarch totes (which Alice blogged about here) would be an adorable way to package the gifts. And, if money were no option, I'd get each girl a monogrammed necklace, like the ones I blogged about here.

But as to what I'll actually get them, so far, I'm stumped. So that leads me to pose a question: If you were in a wedding, what would you like? And if you had a wedding, or have been in one, what did you get? I'm excited to get some feedback.