What?!  Yes, that’s right.  Google has recently launched a new fashion website called Boutiques.com.  Unlike eBay or other fashion retailers, Boutique.com is not an e-commerce site but a place for retailers, designers, celebrities, and bloggers to connect with fashionistas around the world.  It is a fashion search site and community where members can check out and follow your favorite fashion styles.  Boutique.com is very similar to Polyvore and Shopstyle in terms of functionality and style.  It is Google’s attempt to dominate the online fashion world.

My personal Boutique.com page.  You can also upload your own personal pictures too, which I have yet to do myself.

After learning the launch of this site from WWD, I am eager to find out what it is all about and to share with you if it’s worth your time to use this site.   When you first sign up, it prompted a short quiz to find out your personal style, and it’d show you a series of pictures for you to pick.  Don’t worry.   It’s not an IQ test and it is actually fun to do.  After you finished the quiz, it will evaluate your responses and tell you what your personal style is.  You are now part of the Boutique community where you can make friends with other online fashionistas like you and me or search by trend, designers, retailers and even celebrities who have created accounts.  My favorites are Carey Mulligan and Nicole Richie.

How about follow your favorite celebrities and see their styles?

If you follow your favorite designers, you can see their current products and find the retailers that sell them.

Do you want to know the current trends?  Try exploring the site by trends and see the latest and greatest.

Because one of the purposes of Boutique.com is to promote retailers and hopefully purchases, the site makes it very easy for you to purchase the products that you love and will recommend similar products.  You can also save your favorites and share them with friends.

Overall, I would say that it’s a good styling resource for fashionistas everywhere to find great fashion pieces from a wide variety of designer brands and retailers, get inspiration, and learn how to style outfits together to get the look that you want.  In my opinion, the site is not as dynamic as, say, Polyvore but it is a great start for Google to get into fashion.  Google is also working on integrating YouTube and Google search to the site as well.  I’m curious how Boutique.com will evolve in the future.  Try it out and see what you think of it!  Do you think it is useful for you?

Lindsey Lohan and Emanuel Ungaro collaboration – Spring 2010 runway show

Celebrity collections are either a hit or miss.  There are many successful endeavors like Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B and Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen’s Elizabeth and James.  But consumers are getting tired of seeing celebrities jumping into the designing scenes especially when the recession hits, and many celebrity’s collections have either downsized or shut down completely.  Jennifer Lopez announced earlier this year that she’s shutting down her high end contemporary line Sweetface as well as Mandy Moore’s Mblem.

On the left:  Elizabeth and James “Alexandra” Blouse, Shopbop, $295

On the right: L.A.M.B. Embossed Vertical Tote, Nordstrom, $495

Don’t expect the celebrity collections going away anytime soon.  Nicole Richie will launch her new contemporary line Winter Kate in spring 2010 and Selena Gomez will launch her first fashion brand Dream Out Loud by Selena Gomez in fall 2010.  Nicole Richie already has her fashion accessories brand called House of Harlow 1960 and a maternity collection called Nicole for A Pea in the Pod.  This new line will include mostly tops, vests, and bed jackets.  I’m personally not a big fan of the bohemian chic but it has been a fashion trend for many years.  It will be interesting to see how the collection will turn out.

On the left: 3/4 sleeve button detail maternity blouse, Nicole for Pea in the Pod, $88

On the right: 6 strand bracelet, House of Harlow, Piperlime, $75

Selena Gomez is currently in the works for creating Dream Out Loud by Selena Gomez.  According to WWD, Selena will launch a full RTW collection that includes dresses, tops, jeans, skirts, jackets, and some accessories with a focus on eco-friendly fabrics for the clothes.  As an up and coming young teen star, she will be joining her peers like Miley Cyrus as a teen celebrity designer.

It’s actually exciting see that many new fashion lines are launching next year including my first bridesmaid dress collection called ju.Lee.  Certainly, the recession is not slowing us down.

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