Spring 2015 Trend Report at Belk Galleria Dallas

Models posing with Arlene Goldstein (VP of trend merchandising and fashion direction), Salem Boohaker (store manager), Charmaine Marshall (Belk stylist)

Spring has almost sprung and Belk Galleria Dallas started the new year with a showcase some of the best looks of the season.  After almost a year since the grand opening in 2014, Belk has continued to be a go-to Dallas destination for modern southern style.  Arlene Goldstein, VP of Trend Merchandising and Fashion Direction at Belk, highlights a selection of style statements each season, and her predictions always seem to be on-point.  I'm always lucky enough to be one of the bloggers invited to see her special preview each season.  From seeing outfits styled by Charmaine Marshall, Belk stylist, and the style statements by Arlene, I think it's going to be a fun fashion season with lots of opportunities to experiment with color, print and silhouette.  Spring is all about the following four trends, and I hope you are as inspired as I am!   

Garden Party: Floral motifs, traditional and digitized, will continue to be a leader this spring.  Arlene loves this look paired with statement accessories featuring colored stones or pearls.  Longer pleated skirts and classic lace are essential Garden Party elements.  Complete the look with a ladylike handbag and single-soled shoes (aka: non-platform).   

Sport Chic: The sporty motif has taken a turn toward chic with pieces like stylish sneakers and backpack totes.  Athletic-inspired hoodies and jog pants dressed up with polished items are a must.  And buying a "dressy" sweatshirt wouldn't hurt either.  This statement is the perfect way to update your usual casual yoga pant outfit, even though Arlene still thinks yoga pants are on-trend.  You'll be seeing a lot of textiles borrowed from the gym including mesh, pleather, nylon and neoprene accented with contrast zippers and color-blocking.

Spare Me: Bold architectural prints in black and white with pops of color makes a super-modern statement.  A-line, columns and trumpet skirts are key silhouettes to complement the grids and graphic prints of this statement.  Arlene incorporates white shoes and accessories with several of her outfits for the coming season.  According to Arlene, wearing white all year-round is no longer a crime, so breaking the "Labor Day" tradition is the new bold fashion-forward rule.  Speaking of being bold, cuffs, chokers and exaggerated bags (over-sized and mini) go perfectly with this trend.  Gold is also an important classic that you can bring out to pair with your geometric prints.

Islander: A mix of exotic prints and classic stripes will give your look a chic vacation vibe.  Arlene emphasized "matched sets" for spring which, are combinations of pieces of the same or similar prints.  An easy way to bring the islander trend into your wardrobe is to start with "color commonality," said Arlene.  She's also into the continuation of the fringe and tribal trends.  This look is fresh and exciting.

Belk's best stylist, Charmaine Marshall, did a fabulous job with the styling of these four outfits.  My favorite look was the "Islander" because the prints and textiles seemed like they would contradict each other, but her brilliant styling made the outfit come together beautifully.  Belk Galleria Dallas store manager Salem Boohaker is always a great host and the spring event was lovely.  Hearing Arlene explain her spring picks made me even more excited for the coming season.  She comes up with clever snippets about each trend that are always crowd pleasers.  I've noticed that Arlene thinks outside of the box with her style statements.  Each trend can be interpreted differently and easily incorporated into every woman's wardrobe, no matter your style or taste for risk when it comes to clothing.

Fashion friends: Leslie Chatman, Leah Frazier, Amber LaFrance, Charmaine Marshall

with Galleria Dallas stylist Holly Quartaro

The first fashion event of the year couldn't have been more fun.  Be ready for spring with Arlene Goldstein's Top 10 Most Wanted items for women and men this season.

Women’s Most Wanted Spring 2015

1.       Kimono

2.       Soft Pants 

3.       Easy Fit Top

4.       Matched Set

5.       Longer Skirt 

6.       Jumpsuit 

7.       Floral Dress

8.       Statement Earrings

9.       Glitzy Sandals

10.     Look at Me Lips 

Men’s Most Wanted Spring 2015

1.       Updated Polo

2.       Shorter Short

3.       Bold Prints 

4.       Jog Shorts

5.       Athletic-Inspired Knit 

6.       Plaid Sportcoat  

7.       White Pants

8.       Spring Suit 

9.       Fashion Add-Ons 

10.     Sneaker-Style Slip Ons

  

Attention designers!  Belk is also looking for the next big fashion designer.  The Belk Southern Designer Showcase is back and entries for 2015 are due by February 2, 2015.  Dallas-based Lucy Dang won in 2013 and her collection landed in Belk Galleria Dallas.  We're rooting for another Texan to win!  Complete this form and may the best designer win.

All photos in this post were taken by the amazing Shana Anderson and her son, Trevor.

with Yvonne Crum

Galleria Dallas Runway Revue 2014

Having worked at the Galleria Dallas for the past several years at Nordstrom, I always enjoyed the energy that tax-free weekend brought each August.  Galleria Dallas will host its annual Runway Revue on August 9 just in time for back-to-school shopping.  Galleria Dallas stylist Holly Quartaro will lead four fashion shows that will definitely inspire your fall wardrobe.  After the show, visit some of the over 200 stores at the Galleria. 

 Noon - Kid's Show

2:00 - Trend Show

4:00 - Tax-Free Show

6:00 - Toni & Guy Hair Show

Tax-free weekend is August 8-10.  This would have been my fifth summer working at Nordstrom if it hadn't been for my intermediate accounting classes.  Plus, I'll be out of town for this event.  Trust me, I wouldn't miss a Galleria Dallas event unless it was a good reason.   Have fun and happy tax-free shopping!

Prepster Paradise: Belk Galleria Dallas Opening Gala

Glitzy and Glam: Stephanie Koh, Holly Quartaro, Alex Small, Steve Kemble

Celebrating the grand opening of Belk with some of the most influential people in Dallas, and fashion friends, was an affair to remember.  The North Carolina-based company revealed its massive flagship store at the Galleria Dallas earlier this spring after much anticipation from the Dallas community.  Belk and Galleria Dallas pulled out all the stops to welcome guests with some Southern [and glamorous] hospitality at the Opening Gala on April 3.  Tickets were $50 and all proceeds went to Susan G. Komen, one of the charities that Belk supports.

 Belk was the place for star sightings that night.  Actress and Belk brand ambassador Hayden Panettiere opened the runway show with a Q&A.  In case you were wondering, she's even more petite in person than she is on TV.  I really need to start watching ABC's Nashville because I hear it's amazing.  Moreover, she seemed like a nice girl with a cool personality.

What I enjoy about Belk is that it's unlike any other department store in Dallas.  Although they showcase a deep offering of preppy merchandise, Belk still manages to offer a product breadth that appeals to pretty much everyone.  Plus, I appreciate their frequent sales and promotions so you can get the most bang for your buck.

Nelli Tokleh, thank you for inviting me to this phenomenal event.  I had such a fun time, and so did my friend Stephanie Koh.  She recently started a blog called Dollie Gal, so check out her post about the Belk extravaganza! 
Southern. Modern. Style.  Does it get more Dallas than that?

Sam Sichanh, Alex Small, Stephanie Koh.  Photo c/o Sam Sichanh

Reunited with fellow former Nordstrom intern Sam Sichanh.  Photo c/o Sam Sichanh

Beauty-Ful at Nordstrom Galleria Dallas Spring 2014

Holly Quartaro, Cynthia Smoot, Lisa Petty, Alex Small

Nordstrom Galleria Dallas recently held its semi-annual Beauty Trend Show and, as usual, it was a huge hit.  This is one of the best beauty events of the year.  Hundreds of energetic makeup-lovers gather at 7:00am for what some call "beauty church."  And if you haven't been, trust me, that's what it is!  Vendors and brand reps from Dallas and around the country come to teach us about the latest in skincare, makeup, and perfume.  

Another thing that makes this event so useful is a presentation of the latest trends of the season.  Learning about how to do your makeup is great, but you also have to know what to wear it with!   

What made it even better was spending this beauty-filled morning with friends and fellow bloggers.  I got to sit next to three of the most fun and fashionable ladies in Dallas: Lisa Petty, Cynthia Smoot, and Holly Quartaro.  Elysa Ellis of Gen Pink (love that name!) was also in attendance, but I didn't get to chat with her as much as I wanted to.  Thank you, Kelly Hunter for inviting me to share the event with Small 4 Style readers!

Didn't make it to the event?  No problem!  Browse some of the featured products available for purchase at nordstrom.com.
   

Project Emilie: Chic Shopping at the Galleria Dallas

Emilie and I needed to do some serious shopping.  So where else would we go other than the Galleria Dallas, the premier mall in Dallas.  Emilie and I were on a mission to find stylish outfits for our varied events coming up this summer like weddings, graduation, and of course, fashion parties. 

Our first stop was Nordstrom, our FAVORITE store.  We saw some of my pals at the Women's Shoes department.  Also, Emilie got to meet my new boss, Dana.  I'm so excited to do my internship this summer!  Sidebar: my old boss Angela got a huge promotion.  I will so miss her but am looking forward to working for Dana.  Dana wasn't the only celeb we ran into on our shopping trip.  We caught Holly Quartaro, the Galleria Dallas stylist, when she was off-duty. 

For those of you just tuning into "Project Emilie," you should know a little bit about how close we are.  My Aunt Emilie is one of my best friends.  As you can see, she is special and we always have a special time together.  Follow our journey below.  It's always joyous and inspiring.

 Me and Emilie with my boss, Dana

 Our next stop was J. Crew...

 ...and we couldn't go to the Galleria Dallas without seeing the diamonds at Tiffany's

 We took a trip to the Galleria's mini museum...

 ...and Juicy is one of our favorite stores!

 After visiting Uno de 50 during their blogger party, we just had to come back...

  ... then after a long day of shopping and walking, we took a pretzel break... Whew!

Steal Our Style! 

Uno De 50 at Galleria Dallas

Uno de 50 is a unique jewelry store at the Galleria Dallas.  Having never been to this chic Spanish store, I was excited to check it out and see what it's all about.  The concept is quite cool - only 50 of each piece is produced so everything is special and ultra-exclusive.  All of the jewelry is very European and there's something for everyone's style.  Only the finest silvers, stones, and Swarovski crystals are used in these creations.   

Thank you Galleria Dallas for inviting me to Uno de 50.  The store is beautiful and the employees are lovely.  I also chatted with the Galleria's stylist, Holly Quartaro.  I loved seeing PR experts Kelly Hunter, Autumn Reo, and Paige Milligan.  I also met super-blogger Elysa Ellis of Gen Pink.  If you live in Dallas, check out the Uno de 50 store at the Galleria or find one near you.