chalk talk

fashion week in nyc: or, "always drink your coffee black"

2010-09-28T17:49:00.000-07:00

well, we've taken new york by storm.

or, perhaps it's more accurate to say that new york has taken us by storm.

either way, we've returned from our week in nyc, and are exhausted, elated, and inspired.

in our opinion, fashion never has looked so good (and here we thought fall 2010 was amazing).

our existing designers have blown us away with their spring/summer 2011 collections: jerome dreyfuss, raquel allegra, alc, veronica beard, yigal azrouel, hamilton paris, l'agence, harvey faircloth, chris benz, current/elliot + marni, tre, faliero sarti . . . the list goes on. and we still have paris next week for other currently rostered favorites.

equally exciting, though, are the new lines we've picked up. we can't tell you who, just yet, but trust us: if you thought our line-up had it going on, you ain't seen nuthin' yet. some of these additions are newcomers to the scene, while others are pre-existing lines that have found themselves infused with fresh energy and talent.

takeaways from the season?

just a little bit lady, just a little bit rock-n-roll
silk does a body good
all that glitters is gold
be at ease in your skin
high-low, low-high: ever the twain shall meet

and, as one wise fashionista quipped (quoting her father):

"always drink your coffee black."

think about it: simple, classic, with an edge; nothing fussy, nothing overblown, and always hot; high, low, or in-between, true fundamentals never will fail you.

paris, here we come!

normally, we're not romantics

2010-01-02T13:55:00.000-08:00

but this holiday season has given us pause.

numerous men and women shopped at chalk for their significant others:

"would he like it in this color, or the other?"

"does she look good in leather? cause i think she does!"

"i know she really covets that clutch. could we build a whole look around it?"

we even heard from the younger set:

"da-ad! i think she'd like red instead of black. you should get it for her."

whether the black or the red, in leather or silk, on its own or part of an entire ensemble, it wasn't the actual purchases that surprised us. instead, it was the care and thought that went into each and every selection.

and perhaps that's one of the greatest assets of being an independent boutique, and a small one at that; we've gotten to know our clients pretty well, and have rediscovered the power of the personal touch. to be honest, our favorite part of our job is helping someone to find that perfect piece--the one that makes the client (or the client's significant other) feel special.

so thank you to all of you who took the time to brave the traffic, the rain and snow, and the blanket headache that can envelop all things holiday, in order to find that perfect gift at chalk. thank you for choosing us to assist you; in so doing, we were reminded why we love what we do. and that was your gift to us.

we hope that 2010 brings you and yours health, happiness, and security!

the ladies at chalk

the high desert in the midwest

2009-11-21T08:58:00.000-08:00

the skies and lake are turning grayer every day here in evanston. all of the beautiful fall leaves have blown away, leaving barren branches behind.

the mood is shifting, too, as residents old and new begin to feel the winter season looming. it settles into the bones, this sense of imminent meteorological long-suffering.

the best antidote?

color, and lots of it.

enter, chris benz's resort 2010 collection.

inspired by the rich hues of the high desert, his colors run the gamut from blazing persimmon and gold through cornflower, pool, and navy blues. featherweight leather dresses and jackets juxtapose with ethereal silk layered shifts and camis.

and his knits? well, he's kind of famous for them. olive, navy, sky blue, and eames lime: they are mouth-watering.

this american-grown designer most definitely has us ooh-ing and aah-ing over his athletic, modern, yet still enticingly Lady sportswear.

we can't wait to see where chris benz takes us next--but for the moment, we're basking in the brightness of the desert's palette.

say good-bye to seasonal affective disorder. chris benz is in the house.

a tale of two cities . . . a love story

2009-11-14T11:22:00.000-08:00

paris.

new york.

two distinct metropolises connected by a common thread: fashion (with a capital "f").

every time we board a flight bound for either of these sartorial capitals, we have to pinch ourselves.

is it easy? no.
restful? hardly.

is owning one's own boutique one of the hardest, most all-consuming careers we've experienced?

do we bolt upright in the middle of the night, wondering what we possibly could have been thinking when we ordered that, in those quantities, in that particular color?

do we occasionally open a shipment and question our sanity 3-4 months earlier?

do we often ask ourselves why we weren't able to anticipate which style turned out to be the sure-fire, walk out the door on its own legs winner?

yes, yes, yes, and yes again.

all the above being equal, though, we'd be lying if we said we don't love what we do.

we do. love it, that is. with a capital "l."

and one of the main reasons we love it so much is because we get to connect with others who also love fashion, who view it as a form of wearable art, or as the means to express different moods on different days. it's like performance art (without the smoky cafe atmosphere).

recently, when we were in both new york and paris, we had the opportunity to explore some incredibly fabulous lines: some new to the world, and some just new to us.

and we have to say, the instant high we experience when we have that immediate, visceral "a-ha!" moment just can't be beat.

except, that is, for when we get to share those very same "a-ha!" moments with you.

trust us when we tell you there are many such moments working their way toward you, as we type. our orders have been confirmed and processed; their independent pieces are in the process of being constructed and stitched, as you read. and soon enough, they'll be winging their way toward us and (hopefully) into your closets.

we can't give too much away. that'd spoil the fun. but we're thrilled with the collections of both our existing lines and those new to the fold.

and we promise you will be too.

p.s. yes, it is blue leather--bettah than buttah!

we're in love

2009-07-01T16:54:00.000-07:00

three words. just three little words.

but what a difference they can make:

brochu walker. hache.

believe it or not, we already have some fall merchandise on the floor. and you won't want to miss it.

brochu walker's double-punch combo of a finely woven knit dress and sleek and sexy slip dress underpinning replete with side slit button detailing is knocking the socks off of our clients. and they cannot believe that the wonderful price point includes all of the above AND the beautiful belt that allows you to blouson the sweater so the slip dress peeps out from underneath. based out of california, this line is a definite favorite with boutique and client alike.

hache's fall lineup is nothing short of luxurious. think beautiful basics on steroids, and with a whole lot of design for the dollar. we are particularly smitten with the feather-weight asymmetrical down vest, the short-sleeve color blocked knit with pockets (SO soft!), and the essential long-sleeve black dress. we can't forget how well hache does pants, either. hache reminds us of why we like fall so much.

and just think: given the weather these last few days, you won't have to wait until september to wear your fall acquisitions. it's buy now, wear now!

chalk in the news

2009-07-01T16:47:00.000-07:00

we were absolutely blown away by the phenomenal article that appeared in the just-released issue of sheridan road. be sure to check it out (and if you can't get ahold of a copy, click on our "in the news" link, and you'll find an e-version of the article there).

thank you, j.w., evangeline, and jon.

the latest happenings at chalk

2009-06-06T09:44:00.000-07:00

the revelries have continued, as we've moved from winter's cold to summer's not-so-hot temperatures (what is UP with that?).

regardless, the cool temps and overcast skies haven't deterred you lovely ladies from joining us.

carrie and i are off to nyc these next few weeks, and have some wonderful surprises to share with you as we enter fall deliveries.

we don't want to give too much away (what's life without a little mystery, right?), but you will love the additions we are making to our designer roster.

pinkie swear.

what a whirlwind!

2009-05-03T21:44:00.000-07:00

what an incredible week this has been . . .

85 degree weather the night of our party, world-class live music, delicious crepes and champagne, and a stellar showing. we didn't think the boutique could hold that many people.

not to mention the personal appearance/trunk show by designer elaine kim. we thought we were fans before . . . now we're wholesale converts. that woman has more talent in her tiniest toe than many an entire corps of designers. and watching her style our clients blew us away. (it blew our clients away, too, if the smiles on their faces were any indication of their experience.) we love you, elaine!

winifred grace's jewelry trunk show started our events off perfectly. her lovely presence and beautiful designs wowed the attendees . . . so much so, we're pretty much out of stock. thank you, winnie. come hang with us any time.

we were thrilled to close our events out with a "mother's day is for men" night, replete with a lana jewelry trunk show and personal appearance by designer lana bramlette. men, you did good; we hope your wives and mothers are happy when they open those pretty little boxes. we're already planning next year's iteration. and we can't thank lana and co. enough for hanging out with us and educating us about the collection. it was a treat to partner with you, and we look forward to doing so again.

photos from the party soon to follow . . .

until then, enjoy the beautiful weather that finally has arrived.

it might just be time to pick up an alc sundress, a fiorentini + baker sandal, or 88 Orange organic tank.

the countdown has begun . . .

2009-04-16T20:20:00.000-07:00

it's hard to believe, but we're a week away from our
grand opening festivities.

preparations have kicked into high gear:

secure tent - check
confirm live music - check
order delicious food - check
procure lotsa bubbly - check
book lovely models - check, check
check off rsvp list - many, many checks
assemble goody bags - check
order flowers - check
get ready to celebrate - here's where you come in:

we'd be nothing without you, so please join us in
celebrating what amounts to the enormous
collaborative effort that is chalk boutique.

we can't wait to see you on the 23rd, 24th, and/or 25th.

(and if all of this is news to you, you can find all the
details by clicking on our "events" link.)

best,

sharon and carrie

tribune treat

2009-04-12T10:20:00.000-07:00

on easter sunday, april 12, 2009, we discovered that peter rabbit had brought
chalk the best treat of all:

a lovely mention in the trib's "smart" section (section 9, p. 6):

store openings feel like breath of spring

"at a time when store closings are more the norm, brave new openings--
complete with a few delicious deals--give us hope of brighter days ahead.

chalk of evanston (2611 prairie ave., 847-424-0011, chalkofevanston.com)
has opened to offer designer clothing at a range of prices. chalk has the
north shore exclusive on the now-famous jason wu (worn frequently by
michelle obama) but also carries cottage brands from spain and los angeles.
'we have some expensive lines, but, taking the economy into consideration,
we wanted to have compelling product that a woman could come in and buy
instead of being frustrated," said carrie kane, who owns the store with
sharon watrous. one hit so far is a $95 one-button cotton cardigan from the
organic line 88 orange. 'we've been really well received,' kane said. 'it's nice
to be new right now.'"

thank you, cotton-tail (and wendy donahue)!