Bright and early on last Saturday’s snowy morning, I ventured west to Brookfield Square for Boston Store’s annual Trend e’ Vous Spring Fashion Show. Presented yearly to draw attention to the stylish duds available
at this venerable department store, several hundred women and a few men braved the elements to see this professionally produced show.
Host Jordan Dechambre Childers, owner of Elements of Style Personal Shopping (www.elementsofstyle.info), channeled Grace Kelly in a lovely springtime-green Jessica Simpson dress with smocking under the bust as she presented four segments highlighting top spring 2010 trends. Featuring pieces from Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Kensie and many more, the event illustrated bright, floral, textured naturals, exotic prints and black-and-white themes. I was impressed by the array of accessories shown, especially the cool footwear by brand names such as GUESS, Nine West, Via Spiga and BCBG Generation. I enjoyed the show very much, and the professional models did a 
great job as they made their way down the long “runway” through the store and out into the main area of the mall.
Of course, no fashion excursion would be complete without shopping the sale racks for a fabulous bargain or two. So I set out to see what I could get to freshen up my own closet as well. Upstairs to the men’s department I went, where after some careful scanning, I scored a John Bartlett for Liz Claiborne button down shirt in a soft tan and brown pattern, originally $69.50 (I know it will look great with sleeves rolled up worn under a vest with a
vintage tie or ascot. See picture.), as well as a rich burgundy wool chauffeur’s cap, original price $40 (while I don’t believe in bad hair days, I do believe in good hats!) at 85 percent off the already reduced prices. Sale heaven! I got both pieces for a total of $18.50. Bravo Boston Store and Brookfield Square for keeping us abreast of the latest and greatest as well as giving us a reason to get up on a not-so-nice day.
Next I headed a few blocks farther west to the Fashion X-change (www.fashionxchangestore.com), located on Bluemound and Calhoun roads (next to Hooter’s), where the fashion stock comes from customers, literally. Following the recessive trend in the economy is the resale movement that was born out of the economic downturn. It brought a change in the way people shop for fashion to cities all over the nation. Different than consignment and more selective than donation-only thrifts, these types of stores have gained a great following.
The store will purchase your gently used brand name, contemporary clothing and accessories, if the store buyers approve them. Then, you can get either a store credit toward other merchandise (free shopping anyone?) or receive a percentage of what your items will sell for in cold, hard cash. This is an interesting premise in that the area surrounding the store sort of dictates what inventory it will have.
So are the Brookfield folks as fashionable as the Milwaukee people? I must say on my recent visit a week 
after the grand opening, I spied quite a few beautiful pieces for women, including some really cool shoes and a couple of great dresses. The men’s section was definitely smaller but well-organized. The dressing rooms were equivalent to that of any nice 
boutique and made the experience more luxe. I was able to unearth a black sweater from A/X Armani Exchange with asymmetrical industrial snap detail for around $28 and a green with multi-thread woven scarf for $5. Worth the trip for sure in that the combined value of those items would be around $150.
As Fashion X-Change and stores like it become known in the community, they will surely increase their stock. What’s great about the clothing and accessories available is that it’s always changing. The idea that they have young, fashion-forward people as buyers doesn’t hurt either. I have always been a believer in recycling and re-using, so having another store to check out on the West Side is great.
The grand total for my trip west? $51 and change. There was no need to break the bank. I got wearable pieces that will incorporate well into what I already have in my wardrobe. That is how I always shop, and it must be from my practical upbringing on the farm. Surely, it is the best way to stay on top of keeping my clothing budget in line. Remember, good style doesn’t have a price tag or location, so saddle up partners and head west to see if you can score some fashionable deals for yourself.
