What Does Your Bag Say About You?

Who am I? Some study the works of ancient philosophers for the answer to this age-old question, but if you’re like us, you prefer a shortcut. So here it is: if you want to know who you are, you need only look as far as your handbag. What does your bag say about you? Find out in the latest edition of the Style File.

You’ll also find...
* The best bathing suit for your bod.
* Anna Sui, now at shopbop.
* Our staff is ga-ga for Golden Goose.
* Summer sunglasses in the Designer Boutique.

It’s all in the Style File. Check it out today.

We’re Bloggin’

To blog or not to blog? It may not be an age-old question, but it’s one that’s been on many minds here at shopbop. Our answer? To blog, obviously. We’ve already started posting our latest and greatest, and now we’re gearing up to take it a step further. Look forward to style tips, industry news, designer profiles, guest bloggers, and much more. It’s one more way to foster your fashion obsession.

What’s new at shopbop today? Find out.

Look on the Bright Side with JUICY

The best thing about a new season? New Juicy styles, of course, and spring has a few bubblegum-bright options up its sleeve. Soft jersey dresses to so-sweet terry hoodies, glam footwear to luxe handbags, the offerings are oh-so Juicy, and they come in a rainbow of spring-perfect shades. The latest looks to make any girl a Juicy girl? Find them, at shopbop.

Downtown Glam: Standout Styles from Givenchy

Lovely, ladylike and sweet? We've started to find them a bit of a yawn, frankly. Lately we're all about downtown glamour, standout styles with serious attitude. We've got our sights set on fierce platform sandals from Jean Paul Gaultier and sexed-up tops from Rachel Roy and Jenni Kayne. Hot-meets-haute Givenchy gladiators? They're the stuff obsessions are made of. Glamour with attitude? Get it right here, at the Designer Boutique.

Get Graphic in Tees from shopbop.com

We've always been suckers for the plain white tee; it's what we grab first every time we get dressed. But this season, our go-to is seeing a little less play because the latest crop of tees are all dressed up in paint spatters and lettering, ethereal images and funky prints. The usual suspects - L.A.M.B., Torn by Ronny Kobo - have done them, and newcomers 291 and EDUN have thrown themselves into the fray with brilliant results. They're the stuff cool casual Saturdays are made of, and you can find them, at shopbop.

White Hot: The Seductive Side of Summer Denim

White denim's got a naughty little secret. Behind that veneer of crisp, country club chic lurks a sexier side that longs for a night on the town. Hot ways to bring out white denim's inner bad girl? Find 'em in the just-updated denim guide, along with new staff picks and tons of tips on wearing and caring for white denim. The latest and greatest in denim? It's in the Denim Guide, right here at shopbop.

Free Tote with Any J Brand Green Label Purchase!

J Brand gives us yet another reason to love their fabulous-fitting denim with an eco-chic version of their wildly popular Lovestory. Part of their new Green Label line, this earth-loving Lovestory is made from organic cotton grown in fields free of pesticides. As an added bonus, we're throwing in a free J Brand tote with every Green Label purchase. Going green never looked so good. Get J Brand Green Label and your free tote, right here, at shopbop.

Now at shopbop: Elizabeth and James

Fashion icons Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen bring a couture sensibility to contemporary clothing with their Elizabeth and James collection. Fusing feminine with fashion-forward, downtown cool with uptown chic, casual with glamorous and vintage with modern, the line reflects the sisters' unique and oft-imitated sense of style. So far we've snapped up the effortlessly sexy Jane dress, the timelessly cool Marianne jacket and the chicly sexy Dandy short. The closest thing to raiding your coolest friend's closet? The Elizabeth and James collection, and you can get it right here, at shopbop.

Top 10 Must-Have Dresses for Spring

There's one thing every fashionable girl turns to when she wants to look incredible with minimal effort: the dress. It's that fabulous piece of fashion that can transform any ho-hum day into pure brilliance in about 3.5 seconds. And from maxis to minis, strapless to cap sleeves, more than one style has set our hearts aflutter this season. We've picked our top ten, and they're just waiting for you to snatch them up, at shopbop.

Give the Earth a Hug with TOMS & Leftover Bags

April 22. It's the day designated to give our earth a big hug, but with a circumference of 24,859 miles, that's a lot of globe to wrap your arms around. Daunting, yes, but not impossible. We recommend baby steps. Start by bringing your own bag. Leftover Bags' organic-cotton totes mix whimsy with earth consciousness, and they'll eliminate your need for store-provided plastic sacks. Then give back to your fellow man with TOMS shoes. When you buy a pair of the simple, go-anywhere kicks, TOMS gives a pair to a child in need. So stretch those arms wide and celebrate Earth Day today and every day, at shopbop.

Go Green in Style with 10 New Eco Chic Looks!

"It's Not Easy Being Green"? We beg to differ, Kermit. Witness sustainable styles with a couture sensibility from Beau Soleil and Larsen Gray, organic cotton tees from Edun and C&C, and artsy totes from Leftover Bags that make plastic look positively passé. Going green in style? It's never been easier. Shop the new Eco Chic LookBook, right here at shopbop.

Spring Dresses in the Designer Boutique

In the immortal words of Tom Petty, "the waiting is the hardest part." Was he talking specifically about fashion? We can't say for sure. But we do know that the months of waiting to get your hands on your favorite runway looks can feel like an eternity. The good news? You can finally get the spring 2008 styles that had fashion editors fainting in the aisles. Because Chris Benz to Derek Lam and every Rachel Roy and Sari Gueron in between, we've got straight-off-the-runway dresses from the freshest names in fashion. Good things come to those who wait. Get the dresses you bookmarked from the spring 2008 collections now, at the Designer Boutique.

Bop Basics: New Styles, New LookBook

The word "basics" conjures images of tees and leggings, slouchy sweaters and clean-lined dresses. Basically, it's our wardrobe in a nutshell. We love each season's trends, but we really love the simple things in life. And that's why we adore Bop Basics. With vintage-inspired, softer-than-soft burnout tees, retro-chic tie-dye, and new slippery-slinky knits, we've got a brilliantly fashion-forward look for every day of the month. New Bop Basics styles have arrived, and you'll only find them at shopbop.

Chris Benz: The King of Color

One short year after debuting his collection at New York Fashion Week, Chris Benz is a star in the fashion world and a force to be reckoned with. Known for his bold eye for color and his easy, carefree silhouettes, Benz is making waves and living the New York dream, and he’s soaking up every minute of it from the stoop of his West Village tenement building.

shopbop: You consistently choose bold colors for your collections. What’s the inspiration behind your color palette?

Chris Benz: I really can’t say. I just try to use colors that feel right to me. There’s no mystery or mathematics to it, it just materializes for me. In that way, color is one of the best parts about design for me!

sb: Your stoop obviously plays a big role in your New York experience. How does it influence your designs?

CB: A stoop is such a New York manifest. It really is about seeing the street, and in my case, a very funny mix of West Village neighbors and drag queens. It’s about seeing people today, seeing how they are layering, seeing how real clothes are worn. I think there is a great decompression when you can sit and watch people, which helps alleviate the vacuum of fashion.

sb: Do you have a muse or a type of woman you are inspired by?

CB: I am always inspired by my friends, the kind of girls and women I think are chic. It’s usually the girls that are having the most fun.

sb: I've read in various interviews that you are inspired by fashion icons from the past. What current fashion icons would you like to see in your clothes?

CB: I like those reckless girls – the Vanessa Paradis, the Shalom Harlow – those ageless women that are a bit haphazard with their style, a bit sloppy, but always beautifully carefree.

sb: How does the process of conceptualizing a collection begin? And, how has your design aesthetic changed, if at all, since your first collection?

CB: I think that the puzzle of American Sportswear is really what we are trying to solve. It’s about color, proportion, fabric, fit, all of these variables that come together in a sort of clever way that still feels fresh and effortless. This has always been the bulwark of the collection, and I know that with the start of the design process each season, I rely on these smaller attributes to help move forward with the bigger concept for the season.

sb: You experienced a pretty swift rise to fashion stardom after you presented your first solo collection. How do you keep that from going to your head?

CB: Well, I suppose so. It’s a funny thing, just doing what you love to do and getting a good reaction for it. We are so busy every day, all day, that it’s difficult to rest or enjoy. My enjoyment comes from moving onto the next thing, the next season, the next color.

sb: The Los Angeles Times described you as “cool without really trying.” How would you describe yourself?

CB: I don’t know! I was pretty awkward growing up, and I think a lot of that sticks with you! I always relied on preppy to get me through the day. I’m more about feeling like the glass is always half full, rather than feeling cool.

sb: How do you feel when you see a woman walking down the street, in the airport, etc., wearing one of your designs?

CB: It’s always a very funny thing. I always think, “That turquoise (or red, or mustard) is so great! I have to remember that!”

sb: Nylon magazine described your Fall 2008 collection as “a sort of costume study of The Great Gatsby mashing up against Electric Kool Aid Acid,” which seems pretty fitting. What were you going for with this collection?

CB: My friend and I were in Paris watching all of these batty old women wearing clothes from all over, from all decades of the 20th century, and I was really into creating that aesthetic – very carefree, very haphazard, but all working together through fabrication, color, proportion, and ease. This is definitely our heirloom collection. A ’50s hat, a ’70s trouser, ’30s camisole... It’s all about mixing (prints, colors, textures).

sb: What’s on the idea board in your studio? What are you working on now?

CB: Full-speed ahead with our Resort 2009 collection… yes, 2009!

5 Fast Questions for Chris Benz

1. What’s the last book you read?
Hotel Babylon [by Imogen Edwards-Jones]

2. What’s your favorite New York restaurant?
Raoul’s

3. Who’s your personal style icon?
Johnny Depp

4. The one piece from your wardrobe you could never throw out?
Ralph Lauren boys’ blazer

5. Describe the “Chris Benz woman” in 5 words.
Effortless, easy, preppy, reckless, inspired


Shop the Chris Benz Spring Collection at shopbop!

On Your Mark... Spring's Off to the Races

The burning rubber, the checkered flag, the heat on the asphalt: We're feeling the need for speed. But while we're not exactly Indy or NASCAR girls at heart, this season we're embracing the style because the racetrack has inspired more than one fabulous spring look. L.A.M.B.'s doing leather jackets, while Anna Sui is decked out in checks. Rachel Pally has racing stripe fever, and Helmut Lang reinterpreted blacktop. Spring's off to the races and we're going along for the ride. On your mark. Get set. Go, to shopbop.

Favorite Trends from ELLE ACCESSORIES & shopbop

We know how important accessories are - we've dedicated an entire Spotlight to them, after all - and this season has more than a few fabulous options up its sleeve. We're highlighting our favorite looks with some inspirational help from the spring issue of the accents-obsessed ELLE ACCESSORIES magazine. Which one will define your spring? Find out in the Accessories Spotlight, only at shopbop.

Now at shopbop: Lauren Conrad's Laid-Back Chic

Featuring clean lines, fashion-forward shapes, and thoughtful accents, Lauren Conrad's inaugural collection reflects the laid-back chic of her native Southern California. Just the sort of unique-yet-wearable pieces we're always on the lookout for, Conrad's casually sophisticated dresses and tops transition easily from day to night. We're loving the Julie romper with gladiators and statement sunglasses for day and the exquisitely draped Audrina dress has "Saturday Night" written all over it. Snap up Lauren Conrad's California-cool style, right here, at shopbop.

Sultry Summer Swimwear

Now that winter's over, we're so ready for one really (we mean really) hot summer. And with the arrival of the sexiest crop of swimwear to grace the pages of shopbop, summer's prospects are approaching sizzling proportions. Itsy-bitsy bikinis by Vix, Brette Sandler, and Shoshanna are any sunbathing beauty's dream, and Tyler Rose has given the one-piece a steamy makeover with their back-baring Cartier maillot. And that's just the beginning. Swimwear is turning up the heat, and we've captured the must-have styles in our newest LookBook. See it. Covet it.
Buy it. Your sultry style waits, at shopbop.

Castle Starr's Contemporary Romance

Romantic styles with a contemporary sensibility have made Castle Starr a favorite of fashion editors. Featured in Lucky, Nylon, InStyle, Allure, and scores of other publications, Castle Starr designs incorporate lavish details, lush fabrics, and vintage elements. We're swooning over the beaded brushed silk dress and hammered silk blouse, and the organic-meets-feminine ruched georgette dress has "signature piece" written all over it. Castle Starr's contemporary romance? Get it right here, at shopbop.

Free People: Now at shopbop!

Free People is designed with one girl in mind: the free spirit. She's the girl who stays up late to catch a falling star and gets up early to see the sun. The creative minds behind Free People work to inspire her with sweaters and tops, dresses and accessories that have a touch of whimsy and a dash of the bohemian. Maybe you already love the brand, or maybe you're discovering it for the first time. Either way, you're ready to let your inner free spirit out. Do it with Free People, now at shopbop.

Introducing MLH: Knitwear with a Modern Sensibility

Seeking to push the boundaries of contemporary knitwear, Lynne Hiriak explores shape, drape, silhouette, color, and print in her inaugural collection, MLH. A fashion industry veteran, Hiriak honed her craft under the tutelage of such established talents as Michael Kors, Derek Lam, Ralph Lauren and John Varvatos. Hiriak's design expertise is evident in the uniquely flattering Rita tank and Ava top, while the exquisitely embellished Louisa dress is just the sort of modern glamour we're in the mood for right now. MLH's knitwear with a contemporary sensibility? Get it right here, at shopbop.

Got Great Taste? Share Your shopbop Favorites with Friends

Admit it: you've got a wealth of fashion knowledge you've been dying to share with the world. And here at shopbop we're doing everything we can to aid you in this noble endeavor. That's why we've added a handy 'share' button to each and every product page to make it even easier for you to share your favorite shopbop items on MySpace, Facebook, Stylehive, and a whole host of other social networking sites. So what are you waiting for? Start sharing your style expertise right now. Love it? Show it. Right here, at shopbop.

Big City Pretty: New Styles in the Designer Boutique

What do you get when you blend European luxury and sophistication with effortless, urbanite chic? A unique yet utterly wearable look we're calling Big City Pretty. Not surprisingly, the rising stars of American design are at the forefront of this look. For spring, Jenni Kayne channeled the '70s, bringing us a sweeping strapless Ikat print dress inspired by her travels in Turkey, while Proenza Schouler, Rachel Roy and Zac Posen found inspiration for their sleek sunglasses, chic day dresses, and standout handbags in the modern women of major American cities. Styles that embody spring's Big City Pretty? Find them here, in the Designer Boutique.

Nightcap Clothing VIDEO: Meet Designer Carisa Brambles

After working for independent showrooms and contemporary lines, designer Carisa Brambles decided to venture out on her own, and Nightcap Clothing was born. "I think the sexiest thing is to take something in your closet that you would normally wear just around the house and dress it up so it can be worn out," says Carisa, and she applies that notion to her line, designed to be worn from day to night and in the bedroom too. Featuring pieces made of exceptionally soft fabrications, Nightcap Clothing is versatile fashion that dares you to dream. Discover more in a video featuring Carisa and her designs, and shop the collection, now at shopbop.

Spring Styles by Susana Monaco

Known for their comfy fabrics and sexy silhouettes, Susana Monaco designs are coveted by fashionable females across the country. From timeless A-line dresses to provocative halter tops, this wear-anywhere line proves comfort can be chic. With the new spring season come the classics you love as well as a few newcomers to the Susana Monaco repertoire, and they're sure to be snatched up as soon as they hit the shelves. The new styles have just arrived. Check them out first and find your new spring favorite right now, at shopbop.

Dress You Up

Transitional moments are apt to be awkward. We need only look to our 7th grade picture for proof. And, like the seasonal equivalent of middle school, early April has us staring into the depths of our closet, unsure of how to dress for the confusing, not-quite-spring weather. Who do we turn to in our time of need? Our trusted friend: the dress. On a bleak, drizzly day we're pairing a short, flirty style with tights and a cozy-luxe cardigan. And for those unseasonably warm weekends? We love the casual chic of a sweeping dress and skimpy sandals. Spring dresses fit for all of Mother Nature's moods? Find 'em right here, at shopbop.

Smartly Striped Styles from Millions of Smiles

A design coalition whose mission is to "make the world a happier place, one cozy, colorful sweater at a time," Millions of Smiles' smartly striped collection of scarves, cardigans, and slouchy-cool tops are bringing grins to the faces of all the cool girls snapping them up. The oversize tank and drawstring dress are standouts, and the fringed scarf has become a favorite of fashion bloggers. Shop all sorts of Millions of Smiles styles, right here at shopbop.

New Styles from C and C, Ella Moss & Splendid

In the fashion world, it seems as though there's a new brand popping up every week. We love fresh talent, but our old favorites with their invariably brilliant styles will always hold a special place in our hearts. The trio we love most? C&C California, Ella Moss, and Splendid. They've redefined how soft jersey can be, and their adorable silhouettes have become permanent fixtures in our wardrobes. The point? The latest styles have arrived, and they're just as incredible as we'd expect. Find them, at shopbop.