Behind the Scenes: Summer 2013 Lookbook

This year summer is big! We had a two day shoot for our Summer 2013 Lookbook. As always, we snapped some behind the scenes photos to give you a little sneak peek of what’s coming up.

Aztec Chevron Dress

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Boho Chic Dress

Chiffon Oversized ruffle top

Snakeskin leggings paired with the lace oversized ruffle top

Chevron Signature Dress

Chiffon oversized ruffle top

3-tier ruffle Dress

Aztec top with Flared Sleeves

Aztec top with Flared Sleeves

Gameday Asymmetrical Sleeve Dress

Gameday oversized ruffle top

Striped Puff Sleeve Dress

Market Recap: Atlanta and Dallas Market April 2013

It’s been crazy over here at the 2tee Couture – but the good kind of crazy!

The past month we went to Atlanta and Dallas again to show our new Summer 2013 line. We were SO nervous this time around because we decided to take a few risks with the line and it was our first time in a new location at Atlanta Market.

We kicked off Market season in Dallas and our excitement levels were sky-high because we love that city! To our surprise, Dallas Market started their own runway shows just like Atlanta (score!!). Everyone knows we love our runways. And guess what? They did a phenomenal job.

Because we changed our booth decor, it took us some time to set up. We were so exhausted by the time we arrived at the Hilton Anatole. However, once we arrived we noticed one of our Fall 2012 houndstooth dresses were on display and our spirits were raised again!

We can never really seem to get used to items selling out at the first market – it’s an incredible feeling, but it tends to get our stress levels up because we worry about getting new styles for the next show. Luckily, we have a brilliant designer who works her magic and keeps us prepped for every show!

Atlanta was a bit different this time because it was the first time we previewed our Gameday collection in April. Luckily, the reception on our preview was great (phew!). We were more than pleased to see all the work and effort that went into the line pay off. Atlanta Market also put together a large Gameday party for all the buyers and exhibitors – food, DJ’s, fashion show,  friends… How could you go wrong?

Check out this cutie!

Can we also talk about our new location?! We. Are. In. Love!! We moved to the Premiere floor which made us more accessible to buyers and we were discovered by several new buyers. We also continued to use our vibrant booth design and kept our designs on the runway.

2tee Couture on the Runway

2tee Couture Gameday on the Runway

We enjoyed mingling with customers, new and old. More than anything though, we loved seeing the positive feedback from everyone.

Printed Pants!

Image via A little Bit of Ash

If you haven’t noticed, we are OBSESSING over printed pants or anything that looks a little bit out of the norm. Printed pants are made for girls who aren’t afraid to stand out in the crowd and add the fun factor to every outfit. We’re here to tell you that everyone should own at least one pair of printed pants to spice up their closet. If you’re scared of prints, opt for a different material than denim so that it stands out.

How do you wear printed pants?

1. Choose a solid top - Most of the pants, like our Aztec leggings, will have multiple colors which allow you to mix and match with a variety of different solids.
2. Match them to three items in your closet -Try not to invest in pants with a color scheme that doesn’t match your closet. When choosing your pants/leggings, picture which three items in your closet could match them. Often, people purchase pants they like only to find out that they can’t pair it up with anything else!
3. Do not wear it with another print - Unless you are an experienced fashionista, it takes a lot of practice and understanding of shapes and colors to match prints. Try to avoid the mixing them with other prints until you are 100% comfortable with it.
4. Wear neutral shoes -  some choose to wear bright solid shoes like Beyonce does, but we prefer wearing neautrals – stick to whites, grays, blacks and nudes.
5. Wear minimal accessories – you have two options for accessories. You can choose to wear one statement necklace – because it will be relatively far from the print, it won’t seem too busy. Your other choice is to wear simple and delicate jewelry such as a small pendant necklace and thin bangles. The choice is left to you, but remember not to take away from the print!

Image via NY Times

How to Travel and Stay Fashionable

We’re going to travel a lot the next month, so we were inspired to share with you some of the tricks we learned a long the way. If you rarely travel, traveling can be fun and the excitement to go somewhere new keeps you surprisingly patient. However, if you travel a lot like we do, you may find that traveling can be exhausting and maintaining a routine that keeps you looking fresh can be hard – oh yeah, and packing gets pretty annoying too!

Luckily, we’ve found ways to travel and stay fashionable. Here’s some of the tips we’ve picked up along the way:

1. Stay Comfortable - Try to avoid wearing jeans or anything that limits your ability to move. Instead wear leggings. The best part of leggings is that you can buy printed leggings, like our snakeskin leggings, so you don’t have to stick to those boring black ones!
2. Avoid over-accessorizing - With the current security situation at airports, it’s probably best to wear minimal accessories because you’ll be taking it all off. We suggest avoiding belts and bracelets that have clasps. Additionally, choose shoes that can easily slip on and off.
   
3. Stay Refreshed - Traveling  a lot have have a serious impact on your skin. All you need to carry in your purse is a toothbrush, moisturizer, mascara, concealer, lip gloss and a travel sized perfume. You don’t want too much makeup because touching up gets tedious and uncomfortable. These items serve as a way to touch up. If you’re traveling international flights, you may want to add a facial wash and a water spray like Evian Mineral Water Spray, which serves as a toner.
4. Wear Dark Clothing -  This may seem trivial, but airplanes can get messy. We suggest wearing dark colors in case something spills – this is especially important on long international flights.
5. Travel Light - Yes, we know it’s easier said than done (and it does take practice). The trick to packing light is choosing clothing that can be worn multiple times over the span of your trip. To do this, you’ll need to coordinate outfits and make sure that you aren’t packing something just because you like it. Those fancy shoes you want to pack because they’re pretty? Probably not a good idea. Instead, opt for a neutral colored top that could be dressed up or down like our oversized ruffle top.

We’ve traveled wearing our oversized ruffle top and leggings several times and we can definitely say that we felt great traveling. This time around, we’ll most likely sport our updated snakeskin leggings!

Do you have any travel advice you’d like to share with us?

Leather Rules!

We saw so much leather on the Spring 2013 runways this season – whether it be coats, pants, skirts, dresses or basic applique – it was everywhere!

What is it about leather that we love so much? Its quite simple, actually. Leather is versatile. Depending on the piece, leather can dress you up or dress you down. It can add edge to any outfit while remaining feminine – or it can be completely rock n’ roll.

Fendi Spring 2013

 

Isabel Marant Spring 2013

Balenciaga Spring 2013

 

 

Although we were inspired by leather on the runways, we felt that is lacked a bit of color. The leather pieces were predominantly white, black, red and with few neutrals. Yes, those colors are great, but at the same time  - it’s Spring/Summer!! We believe that colors should be bright and bold for summer to match the beautiful sunny days that await us.

Not many people could dress like runway models (it’s not always very practical), so we decided to make something a little bit more simple: Faux leather leggings. And no, these leggings aren’t black, white or red. We brought them in coral, mint and pearl! We want you to stay bright and make a statement during the summer! We also want you to have a wardrobe stable that changes every time you wear a different top!

 

 

 

Which look is your favorite?