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Monday, February 1, 2010

Cardigan Heaven: Martin & Osa

My favorite store is not one that most people have heard of (thanks to crappy marketing prior to this year).  If you read magazines you may have noticed ads for Martin & Osa, the more grown up version of American Eagle Outfitters.  If you happen to live near NorthPark or The Domain in Austin (or any of the other stores in the US) you really should stop in and check it out.

For me, it's the perfect blend of classic pieces with a hint of trendy.  And, there are currently 24 cardigans for sale on the website, so I always find something I want.  (Beware of the pants, though.  They're skinny.)  If you're into trends you'll still find pieces to wear (apparently we're all supposed to dress for a sailing trip this spring) but mostly you'll find staple pieces.

I feel very lucky to have wandered into the store one day last year because finding stores that cater my odd pre-middle age demographic is hard.  Old Navy often feels too high school and you have to get lucky to find the few quality pieces before they're snapped up.  Gap tends to get tunnel vision when it comes to trends (does anyone else remember Lumberjack Christmas 2009?) and now I only go there for jeans (see below).  Banana Republic is wonderful, but sometimes pricy, and waiting for a sale usually means I miss out on what I want.  One day I'll be rich enough to shop at J. Crew, but until then I recreate similar looks at Ann Taylor Loft and The Limited.

Luckily, M&O strikes the right balance between affordable and quality.  You rarely see anything with a three-digit price (my rule is that only boots and coats are worth more than $89), the jewelry is unique and affordable, and it's not uncommon to stumble upon a remarkable sale on the website that is gone the next day.  I got $280 Corso Como boots for $134.  Yes, really.    You can also find cashmere for under $100.

This may sound like I'm being paid, but I want more people to know about the brand because I don't want them to go out of business and leave me sweater-less. 

Check it out:  http://www.martinandosa.com/

Pretty things under $45, all from the Women's sale page:



You're welcome.  :)

2 comments:

  1. I'm so glad there's another M&O fan out there. Together, we'll spread the word about its greatness!

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  2. Yes! Hopefully Womens Wear Daily's gloom and doom article about them is not a sign of things to come. They have the right clothes... everyone I've converted likes them!

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