This past month, Rihanna was spotted wearing our Alice Skinny jeans in Vermillion after leaving My Studio Nightclub in Los Angeles! She paired her skinny jeans with a black and white patterned jacket and animal print sneakers! Her plum lipstick definitely completes her fabulous look! The “Diamonds” singer will also be performing at the Grammys this Sunday with Bruno Mars and Sting- a very unlikely trio. We can’t wait to see this performance!

Photo Credit

Two weeks ago, we participated in a special holiday sale with Fashion Girls For Humanity and HATCH to benefit communities who have been affected by Sandy through Architecture for Humanityand Waves for Water in New York. The sale in New York raised approximately $120,000. This weekend, Fashion Girls For Humanity will be hosting another special holiday designer sale where proceeds will also be donated to Architecture for Humanity and Waves for Water. But, for the first time, the sale will be in Los Angeles on Saturday Dec. 15 and Sunday Dec. 16 at the Cooper Design Space.

Habitual is honored to participate in the Los Angeles sale too, along with 100+ other designers that have committed to participating by contributing 100+ rolling racks worth of clothing from their collection, some creating exclusive items for this special sale.  The sale will include women’s wear, menswear, accessories and jewelry, and all items will be offered at 50% or more off of the retail price.

Fashion Girls For Humanity was started in the wake of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster by fashion leaders in New York. And today, the organization has evolved its mission to bring evolved its mission to bring humanitarian services and funds to communities in need – not just Japan – through its global network of fashion, and design industry professionals.

If you are in the Los Angeles, please stop by and shop for a great cause!

Fashion expert, stylist, host and blogger, Sydne Summer is always helping people look and feel their best. When she isn’t trend spotting, commentating on red carpet events, or appearing on the Style Network and E!, you can find her blogging the top fashion trends on Sydne Style.

Her fashion sense is as classy as she is, having evolved from her upbringing in Miami and L.A. to studying in Boston, London and Paris. Even though she is one popular and busy woman, we were lucky enough to catch up with Sydne Summer and learn about some of her personal fashion habits.

New York or Los Angeles, and why?

LA. I love the energy in New York and how incredibly chic everyone is. But I can’t give up my relaxed Cali lifestyle. Nothing beats the gorgeous weather, palm trees, beach and ocean. Plus, driving everywhere just means I get to wear even higher heels.

Give us a sense of your personal style?

I’ve always been a girlie-girl. I lean toward feminine fabrics and classic silhouettes. Even when I wear my denim, you’ll usually find it paired with a silk top or tweed blazer. Since I’m originally from Miami I’m also obsessed with color, especially neon. I always find that when I wear a bright top or dress people tend to smile at me more–or maybe it’s just because color puts me in a better mood.

You’re best known for being a fashion expert, but what do you consider your greatest talent?

I think it would have to be my eye for color. Whether it’s putting together outfits or incorporating unique color combos in my oil paintings, which I love doing in my spare time.

What’s your daily habit?

Dog time. I rescued my Pomeranian mix Bunny four years ago and she always puts a smile on my face. Even when I’m stressed prepping for a TV segment or finding the perfect mint necklace for a shoot I’ll look down at the adorable ball of black fur at my feet and realize everything is going to be just fine.

What’s one thing in your closet you could never give up? And what’s your go-to piece in the closet right now?

My turquoise Manolo Blahnik sandals. I bought them with my first paycheck and love them just as much now as I did then. My go-to is a pencil skirt. Black is safe but I have them in all different colors and patterns. I usually wear them with a tee and statement necklace to meetings or a bustier at night.

BONUS: What’s your ideal summer outfit?

A bikini! Clearly I’m on vacay-mode. Denim cut-offs and a loose printed top are perfect for throwing on top when I leave the beach.

Sydne is wearing HABITUAL Almas Skinny jeans in Snowfall in her photo. You can find your own pair on Nordstrom.com!

Over the past couple of months A Common Name, a.k.a. Julian Paige Smith, has been working on a street art project around Los Angeles. As a freelance artist and graphic designer one would expect her to be creating 2D installations – instead she has been aweing unexpected Los Angelino’s and visitors alike with her unexpected 3D treasures.

The project consists of amazingly intricate paper formations that bring the magic of real geodes, crystal, quartz, and other mineral formations normally found in nature, into everyday life within the bustling city of Los Angeles. The point of the project is not for everyone to notice these treasures (and many will not) and for them to be affected by the weather and other elements so they do not last forever.

Since the beginning of the project A Common Name has made 12 sculptures, some of which have since disappeared, but all of which can be found integrated throughout the city into the holes of buildings and pipes, taking the mundane and making it “sparkle.” This Memorial Weekend is the perfect time to get outside and enjoy a relaxing long weekend and you can be sure that we will be going on our own scavenger hunt to find the remaining sculptures.

If you want to also experience these fun and unique pieces, follow the map below and set out on the hunt for A Common Name’s “Geode” Street Art Project.

Making music that evokes their love and the culture of California is the motto for this week’s band we love. Out of the hundreds of indie bands in California, Best Coast has thundered past the competition and intense level of scrutiny to become a phenomenal success. The duo prides themselves on straightforward love and relationship pop songs that tell simple stories, inspired by 60s and 70s California culture. And with influences such as Fleetwood Mac and the Beach Boys and the debut of their first album at No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 list, it’s no surprise that Best Coast’s sounds appeal to almost everyone.

As the release of their second album, The Only Place, fast approaches (you can get it on May 15^th) Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno are gearing up for their first North American tour. Best Coast will continue to gain new fans and wow audiences from every corner of the country with their balance of imperfect sounds and friendly hooks, as they begin their 28 show tour next week. As everyone can relate to “loving someone so much, they make you crazy” we can’t wait to see Best Coast kick everything off in the city going back to their California roots, Los Angeles.

It was a throw on your sunnies and enjoy the blue skies type of a weekend in LA (sorry for those of you in other cities!), so we decided to explore another great part of LA’s East side, Highland Park and Eagle Rock. Seriously, this neck of the woods houses some of the most underrated parts of LA; here’s our guide to some of the top spots.

In anticipation of all the salty Super Bowl food, we had a salad at FOUR Café in Eagle Rock. They not only have amazing organic fare, but THE NICEST servers and staff we have ever met! Nothing is better than a great meal and great service from an eatery dedicated to green business practices.

After eating, we wandered over to POSSESSION VINTAGE for our vintage fix. Each of their unique pieces are handpicked and repaired of any imperfections. Their wonderfully curated product is found on York Blvd. in Highland Park, and they also set up shop at the Melrose Fairfax flea market every Sunday. Great spot to find a new pair of vintage shades here.

Just down York Blvd, we stopped by THE YORK, a fantastic neighborhood gastropub which draws all different types of folks and makes for superb people watching. This place is all about good company and tasty drinks, and we also hear they have a great happy hour and weekend brunch.

If you are looking a more fast-casual dining experience, don’t forget the OINKSTER. The Oinkster, also located in Eagle Rock, is the place to go for American classics. They have some of the best premium sandwiches, including house-cured pastrami, a slow roasted pork sandwich and juicy burgers. Our recommendation is to finish off a slow–roasted pork sandwich with a Hand scooped shake made with Fosselman’s ice cream. You won’t have to worry about breaking the bank here thanks to their $10-and-under menu.

Where should we explore next?

It’s the first week of December, and that means it’s time for Miami Art Week, several days of high profile exhibitions, special events, and art sales in South Beach.

At the center of Art Week each year is Art Basel Miami Beach, which is celebrating its 10^th year. Art Basel started in Switzerland in 1970 before expanding to the U.S. and quickly establishing itself as the art event of the year. With over 260 galleries showing work by more than 2,000 artists, this is Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, but for the art set. The show is expecting 46,000 curators, private collectors, tourists, and celebs. Previous attendees have included everyone from Brad Pitt to Jay-Z and Beyonce.

If you can’t make the event, Art Basel has put out a mobile app where you can browse galleries and selected works on an interactive map.  You can also follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #artbasel or catch up on the Miami Herald’s Art Basel section.

As Art Basel has continued to increase its profile, so too has Miami itself as one of America’s premiere art cities. Now in addition to Art Basel, more than 15 additional specialty shows come to Miami each year to take part in Art Week. Our good friend Marco Zamora will be showing work in the Mallick Williams booth at Scope, a contemporary art showcase open from November 29^th to December 4^th.

Marco uses a pen and brush technique to create images of urban landscapes and the people who live in them, influenced by Los Angeles, skate culture, and people’s “awkard moments”. Marco has shown work all over the U.S. and also designed advertising for Vans.

Fashion’s Night Out is rapidly approaching, and this year you’re invited to join us at hip’tique, our favorite beachfront shop in Santa Monica, on September 8^th from 6PM to 11PM. The event is hosted by celeb stylist Toni Ferrara, and we’ll be on hand doing a HABITUAL denim trunk show, with 20% off all styles. hip’tique has also arranged refreshments from Stella Rossa Pizza Bar and M Street Kitchen, music by DJ Miss Bliss of the Viper Room, and giveaways all night long.

hip’tique – 2727 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405 – 310.399.6106

You can also visit the Fashion’s Night Out website to find other LA Fashion events and plan an itinerary for your own Fashion’s Night Out.

There is big news coming from the HABITUAL brand for the spring season - we’re launching a line of premium men’s denim.

HABITUAL saw a void in the marketplace for a sophisticated, handcrafted men’s jean. The line is all about clean, modern, “city-inspired” looks and Handmade in USA craftsmanship. In the words of Design Director Jennifer Wojinski, “It’s a very tailored and sophisticated look with a European aesthetic. It’s more of a city look than the vintage look a lot of other brands are going for these days.”

Fit and Wash:

We’ve chosen a comfortable, higher rise that sits right at the hips, going against the trend of lower rise denim that has been prevalent the past several years. You’ll be able to find slim straight, straight, skinny, and relaxed boot fits, along with denim trousers and jackets. We are focusing on medium indigo, dark indigo, grey and black washes. You will also see a hand-applied black pigment coating, available on the skinny fit and the jacket, lending a leathery, rock & roll inspired feel. Some designs will have a minimal amount of hand-distressing.

Craftsmanship:

All of the looks will be hand crafted and hand finished in HABITUAL’s Los Angeles Factory with as little machinery as possible. The designs are cut from the best European denim fabrics, and laundering is done by denim artisans. We use fair labor practices at all levels of the production process.

How can you spot HABITUAL Men’s Denim?

We’ve opted away from aggressive embellishments and focused on a few subtle identifiers that will set HABITUAL Men’s apart and signify premium craftsmanship.

For most of the men’s line, you will find our signature Glory pocket in the front, on the coin pocket, along with a white contrast stitching that stretches up to the waistband. We are featuring both button and zipper flies, all with custom hardware and rivets. In back, you’ll see a leather patch stamped with the HABITUAL logo and tucked neatly underneath the top seam of the pocket, along with a white bartack on the back center belt loop. Inside, an artist-designed pocket lining features a skull, a crying eye, and an architectural arch along with a variety of text elements. Reinforced seams feature a black binding with the word “Believe” subtly visible.

The Fine Print:

The line will be available at retail in January 2012 at specialty department and specialty stores, retailing from $175 to $195 for basic washes, $225 for looks with hand distressing, and up to $325 for premium selvage. The denim jackets will retail at $275, except for one with calf leather sleeves, which will run $575.

Buyers and editors can get a true first look at the line at ENK, in Las Vegas, August 22-24th. You Can Find HABITUAL at booth number 11015. To make an appointment, please contact Christina Zamarripa at christina.zamarripa@pmkbnc.com.

By now everyone in LA (and the rest of the country for that matter) has heard about ‘Carmageddon’, this weekend’s closure of the 405 Freeway between the 101 Freeway in the Valley and the 10 Freeway in Los Angeles. We don’t even know why it’s happening (something about drilling holes in a bridge or two?), but it is supposed to be bad, like hide your kids, hide your wives bad. It’s even become a bit of a pop culture parody, with sites like car-mageddon.com showing where to get deals in your local neighborhood, and fast-moving retailers creating a slew of novelty merchandise.

For the first time in a long time, we might actually keep the car in the garage this weekend (hoping to finish the shopping for our upcoming shoot by the end of the day), and that means we’ll either have to stay home or (gasp!) walk around our neighborhoods for a change. For those of you who will brave the outdoors on foot this weekend, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite local LA shops in each neighborhood.

Hollywood – American Rag – 150 S. La Brea Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036
This is a mainstay of the LA shopping scene. American Rag features clothing, shoes, bags, accessories, and even home decor items, all carefully selected by a team of buyers led by founder Mark Werts. From top global designers to niche lines, it’s hard to leave here empty-handed. Look for HABITUAL among the enormous selection of jeans in the World Denim Bar.

West Hollywood – OPENING CEREMONY – 451 N. La Cienega Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90048
This is the queen royal of specialty stores in Los Angeles. The shop is a series of rooms, a department store in itself, some of them dedicated to specific designers like Nom de Guerre and Topshop,  laid out to make the shopper feel like they are driving on LA’s freeway system. O.C. is also known for its eclectic but orginal take on merchandising and décor – just google their Tokyo outpost.

West LA – Hip’tique – 2727 Main St. Santa Monica, CA 90405
We don’t know why you’d be shopping when you live close enough to walk to the beach (supposed to be nice this weekend), but if the sun becomes too much, walk down Main Street to an airy, hip boutique called… Hip’tique. Perfect for beach wear, day dresses from DVF and others, bath and body products, and even work from local artists. Maybe it’s better to stop before you set out your beach chair. You can find several HABITUAL styles here, as well.

Pasadena – Gold  Bug - 22 E. Union St. Pasadena, CA 91103
This new store in Pasadena is one of the coolest we’ve ever been to. It’s a bit dark and witchy, but a must visit.  Think diamonds hanging off of spider sculptures, pressed butterflies and bug specimens on framed canvases, bronze and pewter casted animal skull paperweights, iodized scarabs, Alice in Wonderland shadow boxes with gemstones, alchemy bottles made into chandeliers. It’s more of an experience than a store.  On Saturday and Sunday mornings, there is a line just to get inside. It reminds us a little bit of EvolutionNYC in Soho, but it brings nature-as-décor to whole new level.

Silverlake – Vivier + Bentley – 1404 Micheltorena St. Los Angeles, CA 90026
This is a joint shopping and studio space in Silver Lake owned by LA hangbag maker Clare Vivier and jewelry designer Kathryn Bentley. Both lines favor a luxe, clean look (sound familiar?). The small shop also features pottery from local artists Heather Levine and Victoria Morris and leather shoes from LA designer Beatrice Valenzuela. If you are a fan of Vivier’s utilitarian, hip designs, this is the place to find her one-of-a-kind items that aren’t sold online or in other stores.

For more local shopping ideas, see Racked LA’s Racked 38, a roundup of their favorite stores in the area.