Wednesday, March 30, 2011

One Day Without Shoes

Tuesday, April 5, 2011. Go without shoes.


That's the word TOMS shoes is trying to spread. The mission behind the brand is "one for one" - meaning with every pair of shoes you purchase, a child i need also gets a pair. The thought of not having shoes is hard for most of us to fathom. But the problem is so real. On April 5, 2011, we TOMS is encouraging people everywhere to go without shoes to see what it might be like for children all over the world who don't have shoes period.

"Millions of children grow up without shoes and at risk of infection and disease. One day without shoes is the day we take off our shoes to raise awareness of the impact a pair of shoes can have on a child's life."- www.onedaywithoutshoes.com

So join us at Hemline Kansas City on April 5th for a little barefoot shopping. We will be without shoes for the day, and are inviting you to kick yours off along with us! Come shopping on Tuesday, April 5 and leave your shoes at the door and enter a drawing for a free pair of TOMS shoes! While this short time you will spend barefoot will be nothing compared to what children worldwide endure every day, it might give you a glimpse at the sadness they must feel. And if nothing else, we've reached our goal of spreading awareness! Hope to see you all there!


Also, please take a minute to watch this video about the one day without shoes campaign. It will make you think!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BitShRujoeA&feature=player_embedded

Monday, March 28, 2011

Hemline Baby is Here!

Hemline Kansas City is proud to introduce Hemline Baby! When the owner of Hemline Kansas City had her little bundle, she quickly realized the need for great baby clothes. Hemline Baby was the answer! In a small section of the Kansas City store sit brands such as Kicky Pants, Splendid Littles, Little Ella by Ella Moss and Trumpette - and these are only a few! 
Today we wanted to spotlight Kicky Pants. All the pieces are made from 100% eco friendly bamboo. They are oh so soft - once you feel them, you'll never want your little one in anything else! We've even had customers ask if they make anything in their size. They make everything basic your little one could need such as bloomers, gowns, t-shirts, onesies, and their most popular item, coveralls. They have a button flap on the butt. So cute!

From left to right:
Pants: $22.00
Ruffle Pants: $22.00
Coveralls: $28.50


Footie Pajamas: $32.00
Gown: $28.50
Bloomers: $22.00


Photos taken from the Kicky Pants website: www.kickypants.com

Keep checking our website, www.shophemline.com to see when Kicky Pants will be available there!

Friday, March 25, 2011

"Give a Girl the Right Shoes"...

"and she can conquer the world" -Bette Midler

We are so excited about all the beautiful shoes we have in our stores right now! These particular ones from Seychelles are so pretty, and have a vintage quality about them that we adore. Call your Hemline to save your size - they are going fast!


Shoes from top:
Aquamarine - $90.00
Purr - $95.00
Second to None - $95.00
Chant - $110.00
Greatest Hits - $95.00
Point of no Return - $110.00

Shop online at www.shophemline.com

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Sseko

Hemline is always for doing things to help others. Over the years we have sold everything from picture frames made of houses destroyed by Hurricane Katrina to necklaces made from shoes that when purchased give a child in need a pair of their own. Each time we come across an idea such as these we are drawn in and ready to be a part in whatever way we can. 
Our newest (and one of the most amazing) organizations we've come across are these sandals by Sseko Designs. Read on to hear about the company, and their mission.

If you happen to find yourself in Kampala, Uganda, make your way to the Old Taxi Park. From there, grab a taxi van to Matuga. Jump off at the end of the line, and hop on a boda boda to the Cornerstone Leadership Academy. After a (bumpy) ride along a dirt road, you will find yourself in the company of some of the most intelligent and committed young women in Uganda. These women are graduates of the CornerstUganda Africa Girlsone Leadership Academy and employees of Sseko Designs.
Sseko \say-ko\ Designs was created to help these bright young women continue their education. The Ugandan school system is designed with a nine month gap between secondary school and university. These nine months are intended to allow time for students to earn money for tuition before continuing on to university. However, in an impoverished and male dominated society, many of these young women struggle to find fair work during this time.
Sseko Designs hires recent secondary school graduates for this nine month period to live and work together, while earning money that will go directly towards their university education. These women will not make sandals forever. They will go on to be doctors, lawyers, politicians, writers and teachers that will bring change and unification to a country divided and ravished by a 22 year-long war.
Sseko Designs is a not-just-for-profit enterprise that recognizes the power of business and responsible consumerism to support sustainable economic development, which in turn affects a country's educational, justice, and health care systems. The goal of Sseko Designs is two-fold: provide university tuition for these promising young women through a sustainable monthly income, while also contributing to the overall economic development of Uganda.
Although consumerism makes many empty promises, responsible and proactive consumerism has the ability to change lives. Like the lives of Mercy, Mary and Rebbecca.
Every sandal has a story. This story has only just begun, but with your help, it will be a story of hope, success and change.
Taken from the Sseko website at www.ssekodesigns.com/ourstory/
When you buy these sandals, first you purchase the "shoe" part. It's the sole of a shoe with three loops attached. That's where you attach the fabric of your choice! They can be wrapped and tied in over a hundred different ways. Plus, after you buy the soles, you can buy as many fabrics as you want! With each new fabric it's like getting a new pair of shoes - for $8.00.
So I'm guessing you're ready to see what they look like - well here they are! We are slightly obsessed. Can you blame us? We hope to see you in store soon to purchase your favorites!


Also keep checking www.shophemline.com to see when Ssekos are available there!


Wednesday, March 16, 2011

HEMLINE Lafayette Spring Show

Join Hemline Lafayette on March 24, 2011 for our Spring fashion show!

Location:
Moss BMW Showroom
1401 Surrey St
Lafayette, LA

To purchase tickets, go to:
http://hemlinespringshow.eventbrite.com/

Doors open at 7:30, and the fashion show starts at 8:30. Hope to see you all there!



Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Fingers and Toes!

We talk a lot about fashion on this blog, because that's our expertise. So far we've covered plenty of clothes, shoes and even makeup - but today we are reaching out to the tip of our fingers and toes! Your hands tell a lot about how you present yourself, and we feel it's important to keep them well kept. We are showcasing the top 5 trends for your fingers and toes for Spring 2011! Some are a little out there, and some are just simply beautiful. Either way, let's have a little fun with our digits!

First off, we have the "half-moon manicure". It can be done with any colors you choose, but we like it in a neutral palate. It was seen on numerous runways for Spring, and with a little practice, this is one you can do on your own!


How we did it: We found it easiest to use a nail art pen. We used one from Sally Hansen, and it worked beautifully! You can get them at most drug stores. Sephora also has their own brand that you could give a try. Just paint on your base coat, (we like to use a neutral here) and let it dry. Then take your black nail art pen - or whatever color you choose!- and draw on your "half moon". Apply a top coat and you're done!
Helpful Hint: We used Sally Hansen "Insta Dri" in Petal Pusher or Expresso for the base coat. It only takes one coat and dries completely in under a minute! We are slightly obsessed. This way you don't have to wait so long to add the black.


Next we have metallic and gold foil nails. While we love the look of the gold foil, it's a little tricky to apply, and hard to find in most stores. So the next best thing is a metallic version of your favorite polish. The picture on the left is the real gold leaf, the other two are metallic polish. Both look great to us!


How we did it: The gold leaf took some practice, but once it was on, it was almost better to have it messy. Too perfect doesn't look nearly as cool! We painted on a clear coat and let it dry just until tacky. We grabbed a piece of gold leaf with a pair of tweezers and applied it right to the nail. Lightly press down on the gold leaf to make sure it sticks to the whole nail (or if you like the look of the picture like we do, make sure you miss those spots!) Once the polish underneath is dry, simply peel off the excess gold leaf and apply a clear coat. So perfectly un-perfect!
For the metallic nails, we like the color "luxe" by Orly. It's so very shiny, and is the closest thing we found to the gold leaf look! Plus, there is an entire color collection to the Orly metallics, so you don't have to stop at gold!



Our next look is a little on the wild side, and we love it! Minx nails have been a huge hit in Hollywood for the past few years, and they've finally become mainstream. They are a sort of patterned overlay for your nails, and companies like Sally Hansen and Sephora sell them in a variety of colors and patterns. 


How we did it: Make sure your nails are free of polish, and are nice and clean. Trim the sides and base of the overlay to match the size of your nail. Don't trim off the length just yet though, you do that at the very end. It's a little tricky to get just the right fit, but the further along you get the better they start to look - plus the package comes with a few extras just in case. Once it's trimmed, press it firmly down onto your nail, making sure it's stuck completely. Then take the extra length and pull it over the tip of your nail, press down around the edge, and file off the extra. Voila! Plus, there's no top coat needed, so no dry time! Gotta love that. To remove, you can peel from a corner after a few days, or you can use nail polish remover to get it off immediately.



At the opposite end of the spectrum, neutral nails were also a hit on the runway. We love the look of clean, nicely manicured nails, and this is just the way to get that look. And the best part of neutrals is that it doesn't just mean tan. Neutrals can be a soft green, a soft mocha, light pink, or even a soft white.


From left to right:
Chanel nail colour in Particuliere
Chanel nail colour in Khaki Vert
OPI nail lacquer in Altar Ego
OPI nail lacquer in Isn't It Romantic
OPI nail lacquer in At First Sight
How we did it: This one is pretty self explanatory! Just paint on your favorite color and add a topcoat for a pretty, classic and clean looking manicure!




Last but not least, we have the crackle manicure. We like the look with a neutral base coat since the crackle we used is black, but you can do any color your little heart desires! The crackle comes in many brands and many colors too, so you can customize it any way you choose.




How we did it: Apply your base coat in whatever color you choose. This is the color that will "crack through" your top coat. Be sure to let it dry completely, or you will end up with streaks when you apply the crackle coat. Next, paint on a thin layer of the crackle, making sure you don't go over the same section twice. The crackle will dry matte, so if you like that look you can leave it alone, or if you want a shiny look, apply a clear top coat and you're done!


So there you have it. Our favorite looks for your pretty little fingers and cute little toes! Now go have some fun.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Finished Product!

Here is the final product from our Spring 2011 photo shoot! We wanted to capture the true spirit of Hemline, and the Hemline lady. She is beautiful. Natural. She is set apart from the rest of the world. She is a leader. She finds beauty where others do not.

We hope this will inspire you to find your inner Hemline.














Hemline Spring/Summer 2011










Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Hemline 2011 Spring Collection

Yesterday was a big day at Hemline. Time to shoot some of the pieces from our new Spring 2011 Collection! The day couldn't have gone any better, and we got some BEAUTIFUL shots. We wanted to share some behind the scenes pictures with all of you! And don't forget to click on the link to the video - all I can say is "WOW"!






Video Photo Credits:

Wardrobe styling: Annie Kennedy and Jen Atagi of Hemline.
Hair: The artists of Pinkie Couture.
Makeup: Cara Porter.
Environment styling: Malissa Browning, Ruth Wheat and Sarah Lyons. 
Vintage props: Vintage Market - Leawood
Location: Weston's Red Barn Farm.
Lamb: Green Dirt Farm.
Models: Kat Richardson, Samantha Bartows, Abby Wilson, Grant Knauff and John. (Voicesand and Hoffman)
Photography: Jenny Wheat
Video coming soon by Ray Dalida!