SHOP LOCAL: IMAGERY

After moving the store to Mission Farms for a short time, Imagery has moved back to its long time home in the heart of Westport. This locally owned boutique has been around for more than 26 years providing men and women some really cool and funky apparel for a great price. It's located on Pennsylvania Street between Westport Road and West 42nd Street.

This is not the place you would want to go for basics in your wardrobe, although I'm sure they carry them, this is the place to find one-of-a-kind details from a variety of designers. Along with glass cases full of jewelry, accessories, handbags, and shoes, they also sell some fun little houseware items including crystal wine stops and other fun trinkets. You can follow them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Imagery/57808779080?sk=events to find out more about the store, hours, and upcoming events.   

STREET STYLE: KATHRYN

Here we have Kathryn, a just legal high school student/hostess who was recently accepted to Mizzou to study in their business program in hopes to receive her B.A. with an emphasis on sports. She loves to listen to T. Swift and Rascal Flatts, catch reruns of Friends and Law and Order: SVU, and watch her favorite flicks including She’s the Man, Hitch, and anything Disney. For fun, Kathryn loves to play soccer and basketball, watch football games, and hang with her friends.

You can find her shopping at Nordstrom, Express and J. Crew for cute outfits like this one. Her dress is from Target, the black cardigan is White House Black Market and the sandals are from Bakers.



SHOP LOCAL: ENVOLVE BOUTIQUE

Envolve Boutique is one of many new stores that opened in the Garment District at Power & Light located at 1380 Main Street. Even though they are fairly new to P&L, Envolve has been around prior to with a location between 10th and 11th on Grand. They have also been involved in the fashion community for years by being a part of many events and fashion shows including the Rock N Fashion Show.

Even though there is no online store just yet, you still make it a point to stop by the store and shop for the whole family. They carry brands like Miss Me and Anama for women and Mek Denim and Ring Spun for men. Their selection of street chic clothes are fun and funky, great for any occasion.

STREET STYLE: AMANDA

Amanda, who has a great laugh by the way, is 25 year old Indiana University of Pennsylvania graduate who works at Sudden Link as a purchaser. She received her degree in Fashion Marketing and was at one time a buyer at Burlington Coat Factory purchasing coats for women throughout the US. 

She loves to watch any of The Real Housewives shows and reruns of Will & Grace., and her favorite movie has to be Definitely, Maybe. Her top music picks are according to her all over the map, including Billy Joel, Carrie Underwood and Incubus. 

This darling likes to shop at Anthropologie, J. Crew, and really misses shopping at Bloomie's (she used to live in Pennsylvania). In this pic she's wearing Joe's Jeans, Tucker for Target blouse, Cole Hahn Nike Air peep toes (who knew!) and a Louis Vuitton Speedy purse. Classic.

SHOP ONLINE: NET-A-PORTER

I know it's hard to tell what site I'm sending you and I'm very for that, but believe me it's legit. It's called Net-A-Porter and the website is http://www.net-a-porter.com/am/home.nap if you still don't believe me. This site is simple, clean, and like the last one super easy to move through. They offer luxury designer fashions from James Perse to Halston to Christian Louboutin.

What's really cool about this particular site is that they photograph the individual piece you've interested in and they take multiple full length and close up shots of the details. In addition they show another shot of the item paired with other pieces from the online store that coordinate with one another, just in case you're not sure how to wear the item in question. 

Net-A-Porter also has their own online magazine filled with editorials, photo shoots, and videos for additional fashion tips and trends.  

SHOP LOCAL: HEMLINE

Hemline is situated next to Three Dog Bakery on 48th Street on the Plaza in Kansas City. Over the past 14 years they have been successful and expanded to 11 addition stores in the South and Midwest since first opening in New Orleans.     

This store has a great selection of formal dresses year round that's great for any and every occasion. While their denim collection is a bit smaller than I would have expected, they have a pretty eclectic assortment of casual and dressy tops. In addition they also sell shoes, accessories, bags, and baby clothes. If you ask me selling baby clothes is a good idea because young women who shop for themselves could potentially have a baby shower or kids birthday to go to. Also mothers with young kids can get some shopping done for both themselves and their kids. 

Hemline has their own style blog just in case you really don't want to read mine...lol. They also host fashion show and trunk show events just to name a couple and they have offered great deals on new purchases through Groupon. Like many other boutiques today they have an online store, http://www.shophemline.com/, that you can browse through in case you're having a lazy or busy day (in my case it would be lazy).

STREET STYLE: JOANNA

This 23 year old nanny is currently attending UMSL in St. Louis, MO to pursue a degree in Elementary Education. Her favorite TV shows are True Blood and The Event and she really likes to watch the movie Inception. She likes to listen to music from Gucci Mane, Lil Wayne, and Nicki Minaj. Her dad is an avid motorcyclist and JoAnna has also taken a liking; she is about to get her motorcycle licence here in the next few weeks.  

She loves to shop at The Buckle for jeans, online at Victoria's Secret, Shoe Stop, Express and Nordstrom. JoAnna looks so cute in this 70s inspired top by Heart & Soul from Kohl's, Big Star jeans from The Buckle, and Joan & David wedges (so cute!).

SHOP LOCAL: UPTOWN BOUTIQUE

Located at Liberty Street and Maple Avenue in the new Independence Square, this boutique is truly a hidden gem on the Kansas City fashion scene. They carry designers like Diane von Furstenberg, Alice + Olivia, Milly, Vince and even Spanx. Uptown offers great apparel and accessories at a variety of prices so there's something for everyone. This a great place to go for women who want something different than what's at the local mall and who also don't want to travel downtown for the newest trends. You can also shop online at http://www.shoptheub.com/.  

 Anytime I've shopped there, the employees were always so nice and helpful; they didn't make me feel as though I was a burden, I've felt comfortable and relaxed. I think it helps that the store is somewhat smaller and employees are easy to find. There's nothing worse that trying to find an associate to help you or see that they are also juggling a number of other clients. 

A majority of their clothes are geared toward young women but they also have clothes that could cater to the mother's of these young women, in hopes that they could appeal to both mother and daughter at the same time. The location has a great small town feel and is within walking distance from other restaurants and local shops.     

STREET STYLE: MELISSA

Everyone this is Melissa; she is a 22 year full-time student at Mizzou who is about to graduate with her degree in Business Marketing with a minor in Spanish. She loves, loves, loves to listen to music from some favorite artists like T. Swift, Lady Antebellum and Rascal Flatts. You can find reruns of 24, Friends, Sex and the City, and Law and Order: SVU on her TiVo, or whatever it is that she subscribes to. Do people still have TiVo? Anyways, she really enjoys reading and cooking with her family and friends. Her favorite places to shop include Bebe, Express, and Guess. 

In the pic Melissa is wearing a Victoria's Secret Pink v-neck tee, Rick & Skinny jeans, chocolate moccasins from Sorrento, Italy and a cognac crossbody bag from Florence, Italy.

SHOP ONLINE: SHOPBOP

This online store carries some of the best brands and designers, in my opinion of course, at a slightly higher price than say Express or J. Crew. The buyers definitely know what they're doing when it comes to delivering the right trends at the right time. A number of celebs are photographed daily wearing some of the same pieces that are available at this online store. You can follow ShopBop on Facebook, Twitter, and even on their own blog. Or better yet, you can subscribe to emails from ShopBop for the latest styles, designers, and giveaways! 

I really like this site because they often offer free shipping and returns, your own link with personal favorites, and obviously the clothes. It's super easy to navigate through the site by category, designers, or sale. And trust me their sales are not to be ignored. To check out the website go to http://www.shopbop.com/ and see for yourself why I can't get enough of ShopBop.

STREET STYLE: TAYLOR

Taylor is the owner of Lovebird and in this picture is the non-official spokesperson for the store, wearing head-to-toe Lovebird designers. The shirt made by Line & Dot layered with a black SkinnyTee, Level 99 skinny/straights, Bird Cage Designs hair clip, and Big Buhda oxford shoes. Her savvy style comes from some of her favorite places shop including Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Bunker, Nordstrom, Addie Rose and Target.

SHOP LOCAL: LOVEBIRD

Lovebird is a brand new boutique located at 1330 Main Street in downtown Kansas City in the Power & Light District. As you first walk in you're greeted by a large overhead sign, which is pretty cool, and a couple of small parakeets, Jim and Sally, who welcome you with a startling chirp. It's completely unexpected but it makes sense if you think about it. The store is bright and airy and easy to move through. It's filled with brand names like William Rast, Hudson, and James Jeans, and clothing and accessories from local designers.

If that's not enough to get your butt down to KCP&L, maybe a glass of champagne will do it? Every Thursday they offer each customer a complimentary glass of bubbly as they shop. Come on, who doesn't love a free glass of booze?

If you want to know more about Lovebird boutique visit their website at www.lovebirdkc.com for online shopping and upcoming events. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

STREET STYLE: SUZY

I love how Suzy incorporated the menswear inspired vest in her street style. This adorable gal is the manager and buyer for Lovebird,  the newest women's clothing boutique in the Power & Light District. You can find this adorable gal shopping at stores like Target, Anthropologie, and supporting a number of local boutiques.   

SHOP LOCAL: STANDARD STYLE BOUTIQUE

Standard Style on the Plaza has been a local hot spot for the past seven years or so. I'm a bit more familiar with them due to my four month stint as an intern. The original store opened at Town Center Plaza, with the addition of the Plaza store a few years later. They carry celeb favorite designers like Diane von Furstenberg, Elizabeth & James, Winter Kate, and Marc by Marc Jacobs just to name a few. And they have recently lauched their own line of men and womens denim called Baldwin Denim. The prices all depend on which part of the store you shop in with co-op being the least expensive and designer being the most.

Every year they hold the VIEWS benefit fashion show on the rooftop of the store featuring the latest seasonal trends and a well-known band to entertain the crowd after the show is over. Their blog, which is fairly new, replaced the online store they once had. Instead they dedicate it the readers of KC to inform them of new styles, events, and the like. In addition to that, they also put out a bi-annual magazine full of, again, the latest seasonal trends offered at Standard and any updates that can be made using your current wardrobe.

You can find them on Facebook and Twitter or follow their blog at http://blog.standardstyle.com/ to look for the newest styles and designers.  

STREET STYLE: TARA

Wearing J.Crew rolled up trousers, a thrift store blouse, shoes from Standard, and Urban Outfitters glasses, Tara has a chic, eclectic style that's all her own....and I love it! She's a twenty-three year old stylist who works at Standard Style Boutique on the Plaza. So of course her favorite stores to shop at include Standard (gotta represent), American Apparel and various thrift stores. Her favorite TV shows include 30 Rock, The Office, and Ugly Betty. The artists you're most likely to hear on her iPod include Florence and the Machine and Karen Elson. Her favorite celebs and fashion influences are Jenna Lyons, the Creative Director of J.Crew, Olivia Palermo, and Cate Blanchett.  

STREET STYLE: AMANDA

Here we have Amanda, a saucy Marketing Assistant from Kansas City who recently has been offered a real job out in LA. Don't worry I know her, I wouldn't normally say such things about perfect strangers. 

My twenty-three year old look-a-like always dresses to impress; I'm always asking her where she got her clothes, mainly because I'm broke and lazy when it comes to shopping. But this girl is always on the prowl for current trends, the hottest designers and like the rest of us a great deal. In this photo, the young, fun globetrotter wears a colorful Elizabeth & James shirt, Twenty8Twelve jeggings, Cynthia Vincent sandals and a vintage Louis Vuitton crossbody bag.

Lady Gaga, Goldfrapp, The Black Keys, and Kings of Leon reign as her favorite artists. When she has time, she sits down to watch The History Channel and Grey's Anatomy. On her list of movies favorites are the Sex & The City movies (awesome), Taken (yesss), and Priceless (huh?). She takes her style cues from SJP and Giselle Bundchen, and loves to shop at H&M, Bloomindale's, and Gilt online. 

SHOP LOCAL: BELLA B'S LEE'S SUMMIT

This charming branch of Bella B's Boutique is located in downtown Lee's Summit on 3rd Street. The owner, who was gracious enough to let me take pictures of the store, is bringing some much needed style from the city to the burbs. They have been voted as one of the best places to shop in Kansas City because of the wide selection of brands and the services they offer. In home closet consultations and girl's night out parties, hosted at the store, are just two unique services they offer that sets them apart from the rest.  

 Bella B's is currently stocked for spring with flowy dresses and bright florals. The ultra feminine store caters to a wide range of women who desire a one-of-a-kind wardrobe full of stylish pieces that no one else has.   

Check them out online at http://www.bellabsboutique.com/ or become a fan of Bella B's on Facebook and Myspace.    

STREET STYLE: NICOLE

This little darling is the owner of the aforementioned Clothz Minded that opened in August of last year. As soon as I saw her I knew I had to share her style with all of you. I love the look of her daytime casual chic ensemble; something like this is so easy to wear. And you don't have to spend full price to achieve an expensive, put together look like Nicole; which according to her are words to live by, and I agree. Here she dons an Old Navy Shirt layered with a Gap cardigan, Banana Republic Jeans, and Mix It flats.

Nicole loves to watch the Sex & The City series and Netflix which, trust me, is a godsend when you're as busy as this store owner. She likes to listen to artists such as Shaday and Erykah Badu, and looks to her favorite celeb Jennifer Lopez for inspiration.

Her favorite places to shop include Clothz Minded of course, thrift stores, and sales racks. Who doesn't love a good sale, really? In addition to being a shopaholic for the business, she is a great photographer. Her black and white prints that grace the walls of her store were shot in St. Louis, Chicago, and right here in Kansas City. In my opinion, they are worth seeing, if nothing else. You can email her at clothzminded@yahoo.com to find out more about the store or purchasing some prints. 

SHOP LOCAL: CLOTHZ MINDED

Clothz Minded, located in historic Westport on Pennsylvania Ave., is one locally owned boutique not to be missed. This eclectic store buys, sells, and trades your designer, vintage, and brand name clothes. But they don't just take anything that comes in from every customer; the clothes are thoroughly looked at and only the highest in quality are selected for re-sale. In return, they offer you a competitive price and your choice of cash or store credit! How sweet is that?

They're inventory is like a revolving door. It's flying off the racks just as soon as it comes in and is constantly being updated and changed. In other words, strike while the iron is hot Don't let anything you've been contemplating over for more than 30 minutes slip through you're fingers...EVER.

So the next time you find yourself in Westport, you should really stroll on down Pennsylvania to Clothz Minded for a one-of-a-kind piece and a unique Kansas City experience. Or you can check them out online at http://www.clothzminded.com/ for more info.  

STREET STYLE: RINA

If Kim Kardashian and Nicole Scherzinger had a baby, this is what she would look like! Say hello to Rina, and some guy's hairy arm. She's a twenty-&!%@ year old Professional Talent that has recently moved from KC to LA to pursue her life-long dreams.

Now, if she looks really familiar to you and you know you've seen her somewhere it's probably because you have. She's been modeling for more than seven years, has both starred and been featured in Indie and Bollywood films, and has been the on air host for KCWE for the past couple of years. See now you're saying to yourself, "oh yeah, that's where I've seen her." And see now you don't have to wrack your brain figuring it out.....you're welcome.

She likes to find fun, flirty clothes like the dress above at Express, Bebe, and Forever 21.

The one-shouldered floral dress is from Envolve in downtown KC and the peep-toe pumps are from Charlotte Russe. So cute! 

   

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Welcome to The Style Snitch, the Kansas City blog that brings you the latest trends from the streets and the best places to shop! Follow me to get the best fashions right at your finger tips.