Black Friday Recap #2

               It’s official! The Holiday Shopping Season is underway! Black Friday has evolved over the past few years with stores opening earlier and earlier and offering merchandise at even lower prices.  This year, Kmart, Meijer, and Sears were open Thanksgiving Day with Toys R Us opening at 10 p.m. Black Friday began with Old Navy opening at midnight and Kohl’s opening its doors right at 3 a.m. Most of the other big retailers followed right after, starting the day at 4 a.m. Extended hours kept most stores opened until midnight. Many bargain hunters waited in line for hours to be the first ones to rush through the doors looking for Early Bird incentives and this season’s hot items, which included electronic reading devices, gaming systems, and discounted apparel. 

             The traffic on Nicholasville Road to enter the mall truly reflected how much consumer traffic retailers were experiencing. Most stores at Fayette Mall opened at 6 a.m. with an exception of others that opened earlier. For example, Aeropostale opened its doors at midnight. There were mad dashes to parking spots because the mall’s parking lot was already completely full by 5 a.m. Many mall employees utilized carpooling mechanisms or had family and friends drop them off so they wouldn’t be late for work. It’s no wonder why customers were out shopping so early-there were the best bargains of the season to be seen on this day! Express and Ann Taylor Loft had 40% off their store until noon, Hollister’s entire store was 30%, Macy’s offered extraordinary savings for customers that possessed a WOW!pass, and even Abercrombie and Fitch offered a $25 gift card for every $75 purchase. It’s safe to say that the retail industry ended in a surplus on Black Friday.

Black Friday Recap #1

 

Lexington shoppers flocked to the stores this Friday along with thousands of other eager customers across the U.S. for Black Friday sales. This holiday takes place every year the Friday after Thanksgiving and was named as such because for many retailers, it marked the day on which the retailers went from being in the red to in the black. One UK student left for shopping as early as 4:30! She explained that she was determined to purchase the perfect gift for her nephew at Toys R Us and a dress for upcoming Christmas parties. She showed us her receipt for the dress she purchased from Express that was on sale for 40% off. Many retailers such as Express had deals that only lasted for a few hours on Friday.

             Confused about what to get the younger members of the family? According to an NRF survey, the most popular gifts this year for boys are video games, LEGO, and car toys. For girls the top three items were Barbie toys, dolls, and Dora the Explorer toys. Hannah Montana and Toy Story toys are also popular this year.

UK Football Attire: Game Day Trends

            One of the best ways to show team spirit is easy if you have the right colors in your wardrobe. At UK, this means blue and white. There is a lot more thought that goes into getting dressed for a football game than any other ordinary day. The colors a person is wearing at any football game can make it very clear which team they are cheering for. It is easy to spot UK fans wearing blue and white all over campus. One of the biggest trends for students, adults, and kids at football games is wearing a Kentucky t-shirt or UK sports shirt. This is one of the most classic trends that will be around as long as UK sporting events exist. Kentucky has some of the most loyal and dedicated fans that are always showing their support through the clothes they wear on game days. The above picture shows that this trend is great for males and females alike. This a comfortable, casual, and spirited way of showing support for the Cats. One of my favorite things about UK football games is being able to throw on a pair of jeans and a UK shirt to spend a day with friends and family supporting the Cats.

                There are some people that choose to go a different route with their clothing on game day. It is easy to wear blue without having to go buy a different UK shirt for every game. It may even be that you just want to change your look from a more casual style to a trendier look. In this picture they show their support by wearing our team’s colors.  The blue scarf can turn this simple outfit into the perfect look to show that she is cheering for the Cats.  It does not matter whether a UK fan chooses to wear a sporty look or a trendy look, you can always expect them to be dressed their best in blue and white.

Trends Around Lexington

              Like any other season, fall trends revolve around the weather. Students on UK’s campus should already be aware of this fact. It may be tough to still look nice while the cold air is coming your way on your way to class, but it’s do-able. The best way many students have been adjusting to the season is by wearing thick scarves, layering their clothing and throwing on a pair of boots. In this picture the student has did just that. Almost every girl on the campus has on some type of accessory; it can range from a thin necklace to a ring with a large flower on many female students added flare to her ensemble with bold jewelry. Accessorizing any outfit makes it look better.

              In the photo above, the young guy at the bookstore really stood out. His jacket had a military inspiration, and his twill trousers turned out to be a piece he'd acquired from the 70's.  To top it all off, he had a super cool mod pair of clear D&G glasses. His combination of dress with casual definitely stood out. The look was great because he wore it so comfortably and undoubtedly made it his own.

Shoe Trends

  

             With the warm weather ending and the cold front coming in, the campus shoe trends are beginning to change.  Instead of the summer open toed Rainbows or other flip flops; we are beginning to see more thick and closed toed shoes.  Boys will be boys and typically stay the same with their Sperry Top-Sider boat shoes and classic Nike or Jordan’s gym shoes but lately we are seeing the trend of Clarks Wallabee's.  These shoes are more popular in the winter because of its thick sole and its moccasin look.  These are very comfortable but more expensive type of shoe that can be worn by girls or guys.  Clarks Wallabee’s tend to act as the “boy ugg boot” for the wintertime.  Another men’s shoe is the classic Sperry Top-Sider that also keep the feet dry and warm and will most likely always be a UK campus favorite.  Lastly you have the sporty Nike or Michael Jordan gym shoe.  These casual running or sport playing shoes are popular for the typical UK boys.  These shoes will never go out of style and will always be seen around campus.

             If you ask a girl how many pairs of shoes she owns you can almost be positive it will be in the double digits. An essential part of everyone’s wardrobe, especially girls, is shoes. They make the outfit complete and in order to be trendy us girls must always have the latest fashions. From season to season different shoe brands fade in and out, but the ladies will always have the perfect fit. On the University of Kentucky's campus girls can be seen walking around in the always popular flip flops, but are most likely to spice up there outfit with a cute studded sandal to take their casual look a little more fun. When the weather starts to get a little chillier the Sperry’s start making their winter debut coming in an assortment of shades, designs, and patterns. But let's not forget those mornings when the rain decides to make a visit. During these dreary days, the girls can be seen sporting a bright colored rain boot, or even a flat neutral colored boot perfect for keeping their pants of choice dry. So whether it is rain or shine, a walk to class or a night out on the town, you can always count on the ladies of UK to be wearing trendy footwear!

Highlight of Lexington Boutiques

Bella Rose is a store full of classic and trend setting clothes. They have everything from the everyday jeans to the perfect dress for any occasion.  The store is located on the corner of South Upper and West Maxwell. They have an eye popping red trimmed door and colorful roses painted on the columns. Almost everyone coming in from the airport, or going to visit the University of Kentucky recognizes the store. It has become almost a landmark that people identify with.

              “Many people see the store and come in to try on a featured dress displayed in the window” said an employee. The stores window displays are always changing. The employee also said that their window displays are most profitable during the holiday seasons and around horse racing season. Bella Rose is a woman’s store primarily stocked with dresses, and classic accessories yet still up to date. It is truly a cute boutique that Lexington makes its own. 

Third Street Stuff was chosen because it is one of the most unique shops in Lexington. When looking into the window you see tons of colorful knick-knacks and trinkets.  Most everything is hand-made, with an indie kind of feel. They sell jewelry; paintings, knick knacks, café style food and drinks, and accommodate all their guest with several different settings. The entry way is a small store, the middle is the café, and the back is a different genre from the middle. Third Street stuff is the ideal place to relax, write a paper, or find a gift for someone.  The entire store has no set decorative pattern, no chairs match, nothing is consistent, and yet it all flows together perfectly. Third Street Stuff is such a special place, every inch of venue is artistically inspired, to their handmade “bike” bike rack, to beautifully painted trashcans.

                  The actual windows of Third Street stuff are spectacular but a more abstract way of marketing is the outside area, which is brightly and oddly decorated. It brings to focus immediately the type of place Third Street Stuff is.  Immediately your eyes are drawn to the colorful patio and wall. The wall is decorated with coins, dolls, quotes, abstract art, bright paint, bottle caps, and bottles. As we watched people pull up, the first thing they were drawn to is this wall of art. Small stores like this are important to Lexington’s rich culture and small businesses. Third Street Stuff is not a corporate owned store, but started by a few people with a simple dream. The busiest time of the year for them is around the holidays, and more particular the fall and winter when customers want to get in out of the cold, and be in a warm, welcoming, and creative environment.  If anyone is looking for a place to call their own special spot, Third Street Stuff should be considered.

Mr. UK Pageant

          Delta Zeta hosted the 12^th annual Mr. UK Pageant where guys from all over campus meet to compete for the title of Mr. UK. The contestants participated in swimwear, formal wear, talent and a question and answer round. The contestants wore silly outfits for the talent and swimwear portion. These outfits ranged from Speedo’s, to scuba diving gear, to the infamous Borat swimsuit. As the competition progressed, the contestants wore tuxedos donated by Geno’s Formal Affair. Geno’s is a company that sells or rent out formal attire for special occasions. In the end, only one guy can take the crown. The winner was David Hutter, a wind ensemble and orchestra member at UK. He was nominated by Alpha Gamma Delta sorority.

              During the intermission of the pageant, Rent the Runway hosted a fashion show showcasing the line of dresses offered by the company. Presidents of each sorority had the opportunity to model designer dresses. These range from Nicole Miller, to Halston Heritage, to Leila Rose. The retail price of the dresses range from $300 to over $1,000, but they can be rented starting at $50. Anyone interested in renting a dress can sign up at RentTheRunway.com and get $15 off any order until November 15, 2010 using the promo code KENTUCKY15.