"ATL...cruisin' in the ATL...ATL...cruisin' in the ATL...(BREAK!)."--Outkast, 'Cruisin in the ATL interlude'
Hey Y'all!
So as you know, I'm cruisin in the ATL most of the week...and my trip wouldn't be complete without a few shopping excursions! GA of course has run-of-the-mill malls chock full of the typical chain stores...but I'm trying to visit diamonds in the rough...gems in disguise...basically all the places a fashionista would go to buy one-of-a-kind, unique pieces that she won't see anywhere else.
For my first shopping excursion, I one-two stepped over to beautiful Little Five Points.
Yeah, it's gorgeous. Yeah, it's 70 degrees. Why do I live in New York? Anyway, Little Five is located at the intersection of Moreland, McLendon, and Euclid Avenues.
There are *so* many interesting shops, and I tried to stop in as many as I could. Below are a few standouts.
Rag-o-Rama (1111 Euclid Avenue, NE; www.ragorama.com)...
...carries new and used clothing and accessories at great prices. I bought a summery periwinkle scarf and vintage gold necklace for $21! Now that's what I call shopping.
Another favorite of mine was BluPrint (1146 Euclid Avenue)...
...which stocks brands like Ben Sherman, Blue Cult, and 525 Denim. Apparently Amerie, Usher, and Diddy shop there. I personally loved their blouses and club ready dresses...though one $50 silk screened t-shirt sent me running. Anyway, check it out!
Another must-see store? Bill Hallman (424 Moreland Avenue)...
Though they were a little curt about me taking pictures (boo!), I loved their patterned tops, vibrant accessories, and skinny jeans. The shoe selection looked a tad cheap, but I'd definitely recommend Bill Hallman as a one-stop shop for chic, classy clothes. Check out their website at www.shopbillhallman.com.
Want t-shirts? Hit up Tease (1166 Euclid Avenue; www.teaseshirtjunkie.com)...
...for African-American inspired tops (Ms. Fat Bottom anyone?).
Also definitely check out Bang-On (1152 Euclid Avenue; www.bang-on.ca)...
...where you can have cool, retro prints custom silkscreened onto a blank T of your choice.
My favorite store of the strip? Envy (1143 Euclid Avenue)...
They carried look-at-me accessories...
Tops...
And Jeans...
At affordable prices. And yes, those are House of Dereon's (on sale for $110!).
The owner is a very nice woman named Jilene Coggins, who actually, along with her sisters and play brother, hosts a show called the Envy Life on the Black Family Channel. Jilene and her sisters have styled for ATL superstars TI, Ciara, and Big Boi along with other celebs like Nelly, Nick Cannon, and Chris Brown. Very fabulous. Read more about the show here and tune in!
Smootches!
For today's Black History moment, I'm featuring two outstanding male designers I met at the Hot 107.9 Fashion Icons show...
...this past Saturday at Stonecrest Mall.
Etu Evans...
...is a shoe designer who's been in the business for 10 years. A graduate of Boston School of Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology, he counts Halle Berry, Beyonce, Boris Kodjoe, Madonna, and Tyra Banks as clients.
A few of his runway walks:
His stunning shoes retail for $550 ($2500-$3500 for custom made designs). Gotta start a fund for those! Visit his website, www.etuevans.com.
Also impressive was menswear designer Shaka King...
...a self financed international designer whose clothes are worn by Bill Bellamy, Gregory Hines, and Chris Webber.
A few of his runway styles:
Dapper. For more info, visit his website www.shakakingny.com.
Champagne all around!
This post came so right on time, thanks so much for the ATL shopping info...my bf is going to ATL to train for his new job, so I will be visiting him down there soon and now I know exactly where to go!! Thanks girl!! :)
ReplyDelete*FILA*! I'm actually going to visit my "college town" this weekend. This has maybe inspired me to hang out in Lil 5.
ReplyDeletei love that the fashion bom travels with the fashionista tips! (C:
ReplyDeleteThis makes me want to hop on a plane to Atlanta. Thanks for the shopping tips!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info, next time I stop in ATL I will hit some of the spots up... Also as someone that works in retail they probably did not allow you to take photos because of LP issues! That's why it's always good to ask first.
ReplyDeletethis blog is wonderful... if u live in atlanta. can't wait to move!
ReplyDeleteHi there,
ReplyDeleteI really like your blog on Active Wear. I feel motivated already! Some of the work out bottoms you suggested were "spandex" and one was a pair of shorts. My question applies to both. You mentioned undergarments for the top, but not for the bottom. What kind of underwear do you suggest for working out? A thong can be very uncomfortable while working out, but I would feel self-conscious with pantylines showing through my spandex. Are the tighter workout pants you posted designed to be worn with out underwear? What about the shorts? Do they have built in panties? It would just be a shame to have such flattering pieces and then have a pantyline travesty. Can you let us know about the ones you suggested and anymore styles that would circumvent this problem?
Thank you,
Tookus'd in Toulouse