Tete-à-Tee-Zone

Life & Style & LnA

2008-05-21T13:11:00.007-04:00

From Life & Style, this great article on how to wear LnA tees (click to enlarge):

"So soft, they feel like a boyfriend's old tee," we've been raving about LnA from the moment they came in. They're the perfect length, thin, soft basic tee. It doesn't hurt that they come in a great bunch of bright colors!

LnA at tee-zone.com.

Tying the Knot

2008-05-14T18:45:00.048-04:00

Flipping through this month's Lucky magazine I found this style detail on knotted blouses. I love this look- a little business casual, a little retro-chic.. versatile, and less fussy than you think.

Parker Blue's cap-sleeve tie collar top (left)is a great, tee-shirt version of this. Lucky paired their blouses with an A-line skirt and heels, but this number looks just as cute with leggings or jeans and your favorite flats.

For a less traditional tie-top, Sweet Pea's Banded Tie-Neck (right) has a looped drawstring neckline with a single side bow.. and it comes in two great prints. (And if you like those prints, have you checked out our new Mixed Prints collection?)

Michael S tars' Cropped Tie Cardi (below, left) turns any tee into a tie-neck. It's also a great day-to-night dress-up-your-tank-top and cover-those-chilly-shoulders cardigan. And if you love this look but can't be bothered with the bow, Velvet's Bow-Front top (below, right) has all the flair and none of the frill.

Looking for more? Click here for Tee-Zone's favorite ties.

Florals and Stripes and Patterns, Oh My!

2008-05-11T16:06:00.009-04:00

Feminine florals? Sporty stripes? Tribal goddess? Simple Solids?

How many women have woken up to face their closet with nothing short of an identity crisis? I know I have, which is why I am so thankful for this summer’s most malleable trend: mixed prints. And just when you thought taking on so many roles at one time could leave you more dysfunctional than Britney Spears, think again! Tops like the Crochet Strap Double V Top from Free People take you from day to night (a la AM sweetheart, PM vixen).

Meanwhile dresses such as this floral-solid combo from Splendid are perfect going straight to a dinner soirée after running errands (a la AM soccer mom, PM hostess with the mostest).

Check out Tee-Zone’s Mixed Prints collection for many more ideas. Seize the day (or night) and consider yourself a Jane of all trades!

Shopping around Shoes

2008-04-25T17:25:00.020-04:00

I set out last week to buy myself a new pair of shoes. I found what I was looking for at Nine West, where for $89.00 (a steal, if you ask me) I became the proud owner of these fabulous platform wedge gladiators (below & 1). They're light, and comfortable, and look amazing (in fact, a woman saw me trying them on and asked for a pair herself!).. but when I got home, I realized I had no clue how to wear them. I brought them in to work at Basic Basic for some help.

With Megan's help, I set out to match clothing to my new shoes. Who hasn't planned an outfit around a favorite pair of shoes? I know I'm not the only one. So I'm sharing my findings here. A sort of how-to wear this season's must-have sandal: the Gladiator.

Click to enlarge.

To start with, I knew I needed something hot to wear this out with. We went with long Tart leggings (2) - they're thin and tight, with a little sheen. If you prefer a thicker legging, So Low makes a great pair. On top is this Ruffle Tank by Parker Blue (3). It's long enough to cover all your questionable areas, and the ruffles add a sexy twist. Juicy's Sleeveless Ruffle Front Top is a nice summery alternative, or if you prefer something a little simpler, this Sleeveless Ruffle Tunic by Zooey has the same feel with less flounce.

On the other hand, I wanted to try the shoes with something girly, but not necessarily sexy. After trying on a few dresses with no luck, Megan grabbed Young, Fabulous, & Broke's Silk-blend Melrose dress (4). We found that the shoes looked best with an A-line skirt. The Melrose dress flows beautifully, and the pleating on the chest gives it a sweet little babydoll feeling. This Sleeveless Tiered Dress by Splendid ran a close second to the Melrose. To dress the sandals up, you can try Susanna Monaco's Pleated Scoop Tank Dress.

Finally I needed something to slum around in. Dressing these babies down was easier than I expected. I grabbed my new favorite white tee (Petit Bateau's Short Sleeve Light V-Neck.. it's their new super-thin fabric. I wish all my shirts flattered me like this one!) On top of that I threw on Juicy's Jacquard Terrycloth hoodie (5) in a color called "So Sari." I love the drawstring bottom, and the wide hood. So comfy! Kritik's hoodies are just as fantastic, and come in some seriously vibrant colors. A denim mini skirt or your favorite jeans will look great to finish off this outfit.

So I left the store a happy camper, with lots of new clothes (yay!) and tons of ideas, and hopefully helped a few of you that found themselves in the same situation. I'm debuting the shoes this weekend - wish me luck!

rachel rose

Deal of the Week, #2

2008-04-12T17:25:00.023-04:00

I woke up at 2AM last night and realized it's finally Spring. Now, I know it's been nice out lately (in NYC, at least) but for the most part it's been a tease. So what was different, besides the warm-ish weather forecast? Well.. I woke up in my tee-shirt and sweats, and I was HOT. Which means it is finally (finally!) time to crack open the window and break out the lighter jammies.

And so, in honor of warm nights, this week's deal is this adorable (& light!)
cami-and-hot short PJ set by Splendid (on sale, $53.00). The set comes in either a berry or cobalt stripe, packaged in a cotton drawstring bag. The shorts have a drawstring waist for comfort, and sweet lace edging for that perfect girly touch.

They're on sale, so treat yourself (or your girlfriends) and rejoice. It's Spring!

If this set doesn't strike your fancy, here are some other cute and comfy sleep alternatives:
C&C California Classic Bold Tank
City Lights Relaxed S/S Crew
Hanky Panky Modal Boy Shorts
Juicy Couture Terry Drawstring Pants

Wardrobe Staples for Spring

2008-04-06T17:37:00.013-04:00

Hey It's Megan Checking In!

This week has been crazy busy, but so exciting at the same time! Being on the set of the photo shoot, it was great to see all of our fabulous new items on the model instead of just the hanger. The clothes just come to life!

I am currently obsessed with the 2 strapless dresses from Susana Monaco and the light, gauzy Cassy dress from Velvet.

I have definitely found a few staples for my spring wardrobe after these past few photo shoots!

Susana Monaco Simpson Strapless Dress

Speaking of wardrobe staples, be sure to check out our collection of the Best
White Tees.

The other day while brainstorming, we asked "What is the one thing you have to have this spring?!" My answer: "An amazing white deep v neck tee" that can be worn with anything from high waisted skirts, to those old cut-offs from 5 years ago. So simple, yet so fabulously versatile!

James Perse Short Sleeve Vintage V Neck

Til Next Time!

Deal of the Week, #1

2008-04-01T13:28:00.009-04:00

Before we get started, we'd like to welcome our "fierce" new model Lisa. You may recognize her as Christian's winning model from this year's Project Runway.. and we're thrilled to have her!

Lisa is wearing Karoo's Shorter Front Blouson Top, $143.00

Now, to kick off April with our very first Deal of the Week:

Bordeaux Pleated Tank Top
(on sale, $41.00)

This pretty tank is made of Bordeaux's signature form-fitting nylon-spandex blend.. it feels great and is super-flattering. The pleating at the top makes it the perfect wear-me-to-work-under-your-suit shell, but it's also just right for adding a bit of interest underneath a deep-V. And the best part? It's half-off. How can you go wrong??

Spring Items Sale

2008-03-25T16:50:00.006-04:00

Isn’t it fabulous when we realize that adding substance to our closet in preparation for the new season doesn’t mean draining our wallets? We start building our wardrobe from the bottom up by first cruising Sale items- there are plenty of Spring-friendly basics (and more) at great prices for awesome quality. Take for example this tank top by C&C California ($18.00): a perfect staple for layering or to wear alone. And it’s not just basics that can be fancy finds. Dressier items like this glitzy tank by Zooey ($37.00) or this free flowing dress by Velvet ($30.00) take you right into those first warm nights of Spring!

Here are a few more of our favorites:
Michael Stars Stripe Cami ($19.00)
Zooey Short Sleeve Ruffle Neck Tunic with Pockets ($29.00)
So Low Cropped Leggings with Snaps ($27.00)
Splendid Long Sleeve Ruched Double V Neck Top ($31.00)
Free People Strappy Knit Tie Front Dress ($42.00)
Rebecca Beeson Short Sleeve V-Neck ($30.00)

Celebrity Stylin'

2008-03-25T14:44:00.021-04:00

Just a quick update with some photos from pagesix.com:

We found Nicole Ritchie (left) sporting Bobi's versatile Heather Stripe "Big Tee" in Military/Light Camel. It's really hard not to love this shirt, considering how cute AND forgiving it is!

And here's Lindsay Lohan (right) stepping out in Young Fabulous and Broke's Laura Cape, 60% off at
tee-zone.com and perfect for Spring. (Speaking of Spring, aren't we all ready for a little light outerwear?)

Until next time,

rachel rose

Introducing...

2008-03-18T13:02:00.014-04:00

So welcome to Tete-a-Tee-Zone, a brand-spankin' new blog for the website tee-zone.com and our NYC location, Basic Basic. Here you'll find information about new brands, our favorite new items, and behind the scenes scoop from our photo shoots and in-store shenanigans. With that said, some brief introductions are in order..

I'm Rachel. I've worked at Basic Basic for a lifetime. Currently I'm in charge of store styling (those mannequins are heavier than they look!) and web-site odds and ends, which is what led me here, writing my first blog.

My two co-authors are Mary and Megan. Mary does web-site styling. You know those catchy phrases on the front page? Those intuitive style collections? That's all her, and she's great at it. Megan (lucky girl) accompanies our photographer on photo shoots and creates the product pages for all our items. In fact, she's standing behind me as I type this, preparing outfits for tomorrow's shoot. We're all a little jealous.

Anyways, on with the show..

On the L-train to work today, Megan found a picture of Michelle Williams in this month's Elle magazine wearing a Michael Stars Striped Tank (see left). You can get a similar look with this Michael Stars Striped Beater in delicious candy colors, or take a look at the Stripe 2-button Cami, currently on sale for a skimpy $19.00!

And check this out: Jessica Alba wearing the LA Made Full-length Trench. Celebritystyleguide.com added a handy Link to our product page on tee-zone.com. We're almost famous!

That's all we've got for today. Be sure to check out Susanna Monaco, as featured on our home page.. we're all dying for that Amy Halter Dress. Until next time,

rachel rose