UO Blog

From New York

05/07/13 11:03AM

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Urban Outfitters Presents BAZAAAAAR: NYC Opening Party

Don't worry New York, we didn't forget about you! We'll be setting up our second BAZAAAAAR pop-up shop at our 5th Avenue store (521 5th Ave. at 43rd) on May 9 with an opening party from 6-9 PM.  Shop the Zamrock-inspired shop and art show—featuring limited edition pieces and collections by brands like Della, Fashion Rising, African Lookbook, Osei Duro and more—while listening to a DJ set by the lovely Wynne of Twin Shadow. RSVP Here!

From Philadelphia

04/19/13 12:24PM

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UO Hair-To Videos

It's hard being a girl. You have all of this hair just flopping around on the top of your head and sometimes you just don't know what to do with it. In our new video Hair-Tos, our expert hair-doers will teach you some easy techniques to turn your boring hair into something with flair! WARNING: The videos you are about to see are going to change your life... forever.—Ally



 


From Elsewhere

04/18/13 02:52PM

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Coachella Street Style: Girls

Not unlike the guys at the festival, the girls left very little to the imagination.  The standard Coachella uniform seems to be a combo of crop tops, short shorts, maxi skirts and bikinis (oh, and a LOT of killer sunnies). These are some of our favorite looks we've spotted on the festival grounds during Weekend One!




























From Elsewhere

04/13/13 03:36PM

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Coachella Street Style: Guys

Let's hear it for the boys! We spotted a bunch of babes in their fest best and fell in love with all of the print-on-print, high socks, and awesome outfits (or lack there of).




















From Philadelphia

04/02/13 11:05AM

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Trend: Neons

While many people go the flower child route during festivals, I've been seeing a lot more neon colors radiating out from the crowds thanks to color-friendly musicians like Grimes, movies like Spring Breakers and designers like Christopher Kane.  Playing with these neon beauty products will help you to stand out in a way that no amount of pachouli will, without making you look like a rave-vampire who feeds on glow sticks in the night. —Ally






Get The Look:

This look will walk right off the runway and onto your eyelids.

I can't help but think this is the exact color Gwennie Gwen Gwen was describing when she sang "Bubble Pop Electric."

This makes me want to cover all my friends' cheeks in sparkly coral kisses.

Some of Floss Gloss' colors look like they could straight up glow in the dark. Hmmm, that gives me an idea for a future trend post... wait, what? Typing out loud again.

These stick on decals are a super easy add-on for those of us who are nail art impaired.

After trying out a bunch of different brands, I bought this set for SXSW and can vouch for it being the best hair chalking set out there! Just a few minutes of rubbing and hair of all shades can to turn into an double rainbow right before your eyes.

From Los Angeles

03/29/13 01:03PM

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Festival Beauty: Everything Goes

When it comes to beauty trends, it's usually a good bet to follow the 'one-at-a-time' rule, but there's one magical time of year when wearing hair chalk, body glitter, face gems, fake tattoos and henna designs all at once is actually encouraged. And that time is called COACHELLA. Just be careful not to become one of those girls.—Kate


"Oh, my, god. That is crazy. Crazy! I can't believe that you're a Virgo and my mom is a Virgo, and I love Grimes and you love Grimes and I just knew from the moment I saw you that we were going to be best friends."

"No, I've never been to India, but I go to yoga, at my gym, and the teacher there is really good. I can do three push-ups now."

"I know what tattoo I want. I just need to have someone draw it up. It's going to have the Chinese symbol for water, because I'm a Pisces—water sign...duh—carved into the trunk of an oak tree and above that in the sky there's going to be a cloud in the shape of a buffalo because that's my spirit animal and the Little Dipper constellation, then next to the tree there's going to be a gravestone that says R.I.P. Marilyn, Gone Too Soon."

"These face gems are modeled after the traditional ones that were originally worn by Gwen Stefani in the 1990s to signify the third-eye connection she felt with Gavin Rossdale."

"I really want to look like a mermaid but my mom won't let me dye my hair, so I had to use chalk. Which reminds me, I didn't tell her I was coming here, and I need to be back by 10. In L.A. So, yeah, sorry I didn't mention this before, but we need to leave, like, now. Don't be mad! I said I was sorry."

"Is she here? Oh my god, I heard she was here. She was here last year. Is she here? You'd tell me if you saw her, right? I would die if you saw her and I didn't. Is she here? Someone said she was here. Is she here?"

From Philadelphia

03/29/13 12:00PM

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Look of the Week: Josiah Nedd

Introduce yourself!
Hey-yo, I’m Josiah Nedd. I was born in California, raised in Massachusetts, and I'm a current Philadelphian. I'm a T-shirt junkie whose head you will never see because it’s always under a hat.




What do you do here at UO?
I’m the Sr. Financial Analyst for Urban. I help prepare and track our budgets, forecasts, and analyze financial blah blah blah… I basically help with the money stuff so the really creative people can focus on the creative stuff. 


We've spent the past two weeks taking photos of you wearing nothing else but a tee and hat, but today you come in all dressed up. What are you wearing today and why the switch up?
Tonight we're going to happy hour with my crew here at UO and today I’m a little more dressed up than usual. I’m wearing an Express dress shirt with a skinny black UO Silk Tie, my Brooks Brothers tuxedo jacket (that I actually wore to my high school prom), Levi’s 514 jeans, and my drinkin’ shoes (black dress shoes that I don’t mind spilling drinks on), topped off with a Brooklyn Dodgers fitted. 


We love that you have your own personal style with your hat and tee combo. What inspired that look?
Umm.. comfort maybe? I’m really just a T-shirt and jeans kind of guy. When I first interviewed here in 2004 they said there wasn’t a dress code and they weren’t kidding, so I’m living it up. Since then T-shirts have been kind of an obsession and I’ll spend hours trolling the internet to find something unique, weird or mildly offensive.


  
The hats started in college when my boy Prince (whuddup Prince!) took me to Cherry Hill Mall where I got my first fitted. Since then you’ll very rarely find me without a hat on.


What is your favorite hat? Your favorite shirt?
My favorite hat (for now) is my Tim Burton, Alice in Wonderland, Cheshire Cat Hat, mostly because it’s really polarizing—people either love it or hate it. 


My favorite tee is my Print Liberation “I Survived the Bush Administration” one which is also very polarizing and never fails to get a comment from someone.


Where are your top five places to shop?
1. Karma Loop: Endless selection of tees
2. Print Liberation: Philly screen-printers with great tees
3. Society6: Really cool artwork on tees
4. MiLB Store: If you want a fitted that nobody’s seen before, you can’t beat Minor League Baseball
5. CraniumFitteds: Pages and pages of unique fitteds
+1 Urban Outfitters: I get a pretty sweet discount

From Elsewhere

03/28/13 03:19PM

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Riff Raff Reviews 'Spring Breakers'...Sort Of

Here's a video of Riff Raff trying to review Spring Breakers. Of course, he brings up the Alien and Riff Raff comparison, which leads to a long, nonsensical rant ending with him challenging James Franco to a MGM Grand boxing match. He's out of his damn mind but I have to admit, the thought of James Franco going out and buying a RR Halloween costume and superglueing it to his body made me lol.


99% of the time, I want to grab RR by the shoulders, give him a good shaking and knock some sense into him (or some cents out of him. I wouldn't mind a diamond or two...). However, maybe he's right about this all, y'all. That other 1% of me believes that he is, in fact, the real Alien. Or an actual alien, seeing as how no human being could possibly be this annoying. How do we get his spaceship to come and transport him back to his former planet? Riff Raff phone home.—Ally


From Austin

03/15/13 04:11PM

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UO Look of the Week: Hannah Harbour

Here's our favorite look of the week:  We spotted the UT Campus store's newest hire, Hannah Harbour, standing side stage at the UO Backlot Sesh and couldn't resist snapping a pic!


Introduce yourself and tell us what you do for UO!
I'm Hannah Harbour and I'm a sales associate here at the UT Campus store. I just started two weeks ago!

Are you from Austin?
I'm originally from San Antonio, born and raised.

We love your style, where do you shop?
All thrift store. I just shop at Goodwill and every time I come across a thrift store, I stop. I’m a thrift queen.

Is that how you got this dress?
Yes! I always go to the dresses first. People give away really good dresses. I think this dress might be lingerie because it is really silky. I always go to the lingerie section too, because they have cute little blouses and slips.

So how many times have you been to SXSW?
Twice. I went when I lived here at 17-years-old. This is the first year that I am back in Austin. 

What's you're favorite part about it?
I like listening to the music and seeing the people. It’s good vibes and the people are happy, they’re not in a rush to shop and get out.

Are there any bands that you really want to see?
I wanted to see Flying Lotus, and hopefully I’ll get to see him. Mister Lies played here this morning, but I was working in the fitting room, so I would try to run out and listen. And Death Grips, they’re playing tomorrow and I am going to try to go see them.

Where can we find you online?
My Twitter or Tumblr, they're both named demonsemen666 (laughs).

From Elsewhere

03/08/13 09:55AM

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Packing for Spring Break

Okay, so, I just robbed the local Chicken Shack and FINALLY have all the money I need to go to Spring Break!!!! But wait... what the fuck am I gonna bring besides my fat stacks?  Time to pick out my party gear and hop on a bus heading south. Cue the music, it's time to pack bitches! —Ally


First off. Neon. EVERYTHING NEON. And they definitely need to glow under black-light. These hats are perfect and come in four colors for me and my three BFFs who are like, totally going to find ourselves on this trip. (I'm throwing my middle fingers up.)


Sparkle & Fade Cropped Side Vent Mesh Tee & BDG Lou High/Low Denim Short - Dye Tech
Next, I'll need a badass outfit to wear on the bus ride down south.  My neon hat, plus my mesh crop-top and cut off shorts will give me that young, "girls just wanna have fun" look, with just a splash of trash. Now, where can I get these shorts air-brushed? 

For fun in the sun, going to concerts on the beach that take you to a different planet, and hangin' with da dopeboys.

I need a totally skimpy bikini. If not, something neon tie-dye, with side-boob cut outs, and no back will definitely do during the wild booty poppin' party days! Or, it would look super swaggy with a pink unicorn face-mask and DTF sweatpants during sunset. Note to self: keep boobs in bathing suit.

Oh, duh, totally forgot to mention a gun. A gun is a MUST. Real or fake, you never know whose mouth you're gonna have to stick it in. Plus it's hot pink, what now motha' fucker? GIMME ALL UR MONEY!!!!

Because need somewhere to stash them dolla dolla bills, y'all.

Finally, some kicks. Did you think I'd be runnin' this town in flip-flops? Just ask everyone we stomped out. Check that pop of green—that's for Alien. Love you for fucking ever, mane. Spring Break Forever...

From Austin

03/03/13 09:00AM

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See You In Austin

OMG It's happening again! Stay tuned to get the latest news about our UO Backlot Sesh lineup, plus pics, videos and daily posts from Austin once the party gets started!

From New York

(Photography by Bobby Whigham)

02/28/13 10:18AM

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Featured Brand: Staple

This week in our Featured Brands section, we are showcasing the menswear brand Staple! Known for its iconic New York pigeon logo for over a decade, Staple—founded by designer-turned-entrepreneur Jeff "jeffstaple" Ng— has created one of the most respected brands in streetwear. It is distributed globally and showcases a full lifestyle menswear collection.












From New York

02/28/13 09:57AM

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Signe Sugar

If there's one thing in the world I love more than cats, it's pure, unadulterated sugar.  While perusing the inter-webs this morning looking for my next fix, I came across Signe Sugar—an amazing cake topping decoration option for just about any occasion.  Creating a variety of pastel, glittery and gold colored fonts, symbols, and romantic shapes, founder Sarah Foote makes each one by hand using sugar gum paste and non-toxic coloring. She even teaches you how to make your own letters and shapes so you can impress your friends. Try it out here! —Ally




From Philadelphia

02/27/13 02:53PM

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Trend: Tie-Dye

Although we were already down for wearing tie-dyed everything 24 hours a day/seven days a week/365 days a year, our beliefs that tie-dye will never go out of style have been confirmed thanks to the Spring 2013 runways. Whether you're doing it yourself or buying it from a store (no shame, we'll never get those god damn spirals perfect!), tie-dye is the perfect print for all your spring break fun in the sun.—Hazel

W118 by Walter Baker


Get the look:
Life and death, yin and yang, tie and dye. It's all here in one shirt.

Navy and bleached white? Or white and tie-dyed navy? IT'S A MYSTERY.

If there is one place tie-dye was born to be, it's at the beach in the sweltering heat. For that, this suit is perfect.

Tie-dyed tunes? Count us in!

A little bit of spattered green to punch up boring denim

From Miami

02/26/13 01:33PM

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RiFF RaFF: "Art Ballin'"

RIFF RAFF, WHAT ARE YOU?—Katie

From Philadelphia

02/22/13 04:38PM

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UO Look of the Week: Brian DeYong

Here's our favorite look of the week:  Our Display Director Brian has traveled everywhere from Walmart to Paris, but our favorite piece of this look is his panda patch! 


Hi Brian! What do you do at UO?
I am the Display Director yo!!! Basically, I get yelled at by every creative person out there who thinks all Urban does is steal their ideas. Frankly there is nothing new under the sun and we have probably been doing it longer than they have. I guess that is just part of working for "The Man." UO is an easy target.

What are you wearing?
Haha, you kind of caught me on a good day. I am going to sound so well travelled!!! I am wearing a black hat from WalMart, a Henrik Vibskov button up, a vintage Oakland Athletics tee I found in San Fran, Black Levis 510s, USA sock from DC, and oxblood MOMA boots from Merci in Paris (I love that store).

We love your panda patch. Do you have a collection? If not, do you collect or wear a lot of any other clothing accessories?
Uhmmm, not typically an accessory kind of guy. I'm usually pretty stripped down and generic. I have to give Jesse Medlin (a Senior Display Coordinator in NYC) a shout out for getting me into the flair game. We went to this giant flea market/thrift store in Maryland and I found a rad old Caboodle so I filled it with cheap pins from the same spot, since then I have been stocking up on quirky patches and the like. I will probably end up giving them all away in a few months—nothing lasts.

Tell us a funny or sentimental story behind a piece of clothing you own.
Lets see, about five years ago Julia Koral (Manager of Display Design) gave me a sweatshirt with a really bonkers techy/African print on it. I was in Berlin a few years back and let a cute friend of a friend borrow it after a long night of hanging (it was chilly in the early morning). I didn't see her again during the trip and thought the sweatshirt was all but lost. Last year I met up with my friend Chris in New York (he was visiting from Berlin) and he had rescued the sweatshirt and returned it to me. I have probably only worn it like three times ever but I really like that I have it.

You travel a lot, which I'm sure leads to shopping in a lot of strange places. In your opinion, where is the best shopping city/town in the USA?
I guess its all about what you are into. Some of the weirdest, smallest cities have the best thrifting and generally rad shit, New York has essentially any designer you are looking for, but I have found the mid-sized cities like Austin, Minneapolis, San Fran, etc. have a lot of personality and great vintage without much pretense.

Where can we find you on the web?
http://www.packers.com

From Elsewhere

02/22/13 11:05AM

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Employee Side Projects

Over the past few months, Urban Outfitters has supported employee entrepreneurial efforts by creating Side Projects, a chance for employees to show off their amazing talents and get their products featured in local stores. Below were our first round of employees, with more coming throughout the year. Enjoy! -Ally


UO Sales Associate Andrew Cunningham has spent his time working with wood and building for the last 11 years. Recently, he's been making his own skateboards out of reclaimed wood, turning material that others might pass right by into hand-carved works of art.  The reason he started making these decks? "I couldn't find the skateboards that I wanted, so I went out into my parents garage and started making my own."  He's been perfecting his craft ever since. You can find his boards in our Santa Monica store (1440 Third St. Promenade).






Upper Midwest District Manager John Migala helps run this vintage shop which is described as, "American heritage with a touch of white collar flair referencing utility, work wear and military styles." Focusing on the needs of the quintessential "man," Scout manages to mix the outdoors with low-cost, unique clothing that will have even the most experienced male thifters at a loss for words. Go get some new digs before they run out at our NYC stores at 14th and 6th (526 Avenue of the Americas).





This vintage shop is filled with all of the things you want to fill your closet with but can never find in any stores. If you want some one-of-a-kind outfits (especially with festival season right around the bend), then this is your to-go shop for making you look cooler than you are.  Shop BPV by San Francisco Store Merchandiser Laura Cerri and her BFF Jessica Dega at the NYC Broadway Store (2633 Broadway) and in San Francisco (3322 Fillmore St.).



Hollywood Sales Associate Sean Tully (and our former Employee of the Month) is back for more Urban fun with a bunch of new zines, T-shirts and faux wooden spray cans he created in between his surf days at sea.  You can find his stuff in San Francisco and on 5th Ave in NYC. Get 'em while they're hot!



Looking for some new zines to flip through? Then Portland Sales Associate Sara Golden is your girl.  Just browsing through her photographs on Tumblr is like having a little kid on your leg begging you to take her on a trip to Disney Land (yeah, that's my idea of a getaway. Sue me.).  Her 'Zines are in San Francisco, Cambridge, MA, and NYC.




You would never guess from employee Kat Mills' cat-filled Tumblr that she makes super gnarly zines. You can buy her satanic kitty zine (and more) here, or check her out in San Francisco and NYC.

Lila Ash
Lila Ash, assistant display artist at UO Space 15Twenty, is an illustrator, sculptor and performance artist from NYC who lives and works in L.A. Her paintings and comics have been exhibited at L.A.'s Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and are published bi-monthly in L.A. Record Magazine. She is an alum of the painting department at the Rhode Island School of Design, class of 2011.

From Sydney

02/19/13 12:39PM

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Girl Crush: Elise Pioch Balzac

We first met the delightful Elise Pioch Balzac in Sydney when she was the head buyer for the Belinda boutiques. Her French girl coolitude (to borrow a phrase from another Gallic style crush Garance Doré, who took the above picture of Elise) had us at bonjour. Elise has a way of dressing that exudes both classic and quirk in equal measure and, aesthetics aside, it's her joie de vivre that really shines through. These are all qualities the South-of-France born, Sydney-based creative has channeled into Maison Balzac, her new line of natural scented candles, which she founded last year after leaving Belinda. Here, we ask her about starting a passion project, being a Frenchie in Australia, and why the South of France is the most beautiful smelling place on earth. —Natalie





Hi Elise! How did Maison Balzac come to life?
After eight years living in Australia I started to seriously miss my homeland so I decided to collect my best childhood memories and translate them into perfumed candles. The place [in the South of France]  where I grew up is so enchanting and so fragrant that it deserved to be captured in soy wax. 

What are some of your favorite scent memories?
Each candle captures one of my favorite scents. "Le Sud": Thyme and lavender; "La Rose": Garden roses; "Le Bois": Cedar and pine wood; "Le Soleil": Orange and tuberose; and "Le Eglise": Musk and clove buds. The five of them together talk about a typical Sunday at home: I would wake-up and drink a freshly-squeezed orange juice and then take a bath infused with lavender flowers before heading to the local church with my grandmother. Then, after a big lunch, we would walk in the bush—here are the five scents!

What's your approach to building a brand? 
Maison Balzac is about nature, authenticity, quality and fun. I admire labels like Marni, Christopher Kane and Martin Margiela where a sense of humor and personality are mixed with excellence and eccentricity.


What have you learned about the art of candle-making?
Everything from perfumes to essential oils to working with precious materials like milk glass and the different natures of waxes. 

The name Maison Balzac is so romantic. Where does your last name originate from?
My mother's maiden name is Balzac and apparently she is related to Honoré de Balzac, the French novelist from the 19th century. 

Wow, that is quite the pedigree! How did you decide on the design of the packaging?
I wanted the design to be very clean and French with a touch of quirk. We had to strip back and back until we got to this bare box. The design team (Mine Design in Sydney) thought I went mad, but I feel this simple packaging can allow for a lot of things in the future. 


                    

Speaking of packaging, you are always so beautifully turned out! What are some of your everyday luxuries and style essentials?
I live in the countryside near Sydney and wake up to nature every day. This is definitely my first luxury! In terms of fashion, I think once you own a few pieces from Marni (necklaces, dresses and knits) and Dries Van Noten (shoes, pants, jackets), you are ready to go anywhere. Paired back with some tees and denims by Bassike, you don't need much else!

Being a Frenchie in Australia, how do the two cultures mix?
On a cultural level both countries share the same passion for food and wine, but I would give a little advantage to Australia for being so open-minded and relaxed. 

 

What's next for you?
There are so many projects and collaborations coming up this year. And our office-slash-laboratory is moving into an 1880s renovated church on the banks of the Colo River. 

From New York

02/12/13 03:36PM

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Penny on a Track

In her spare time, Urban Outfitters' NYC Regional Merchandise Manager Shelly Horst (with help from friends and family around the country), flattens pennies by leaving them on train tracks.  Because of the variety of the placement, speed of the train, temperature, and year of penny used (different years have different metal compositions) each one turns out differently, causing a unique, one-of-a-kind item.  After retrieving the pennies, they are then turned into jewelry, including commissioned pieces and special engravings. See more below and contact her on her Etsy page to make a purchase! -Ally




From Philadelphia


02/08/13 12:57PM

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Trend: Pin-Up Style

Spring and summer are just around the corner!!! Sort of. Almost. Okay, we're still kind of far away from swimsuit season, but that doesn't mean y'all can't plan your summer swimsuit look. Finally, the pin-up look is back! Thank god. Sorry, side-tie bikini bottoms—you are totally useless on waterslides. Here are some great pin-up inspired looks that will save your butt from being exposed at the waterpark.—Katie







Get the look:


Lolli Big-Bow One-Piece Swimsuit
Perfect for some good-lookin' sunbathing.


UO Mix & Match High-Waisted Bikini Bottom
Just like Barbie.


UO Mix & Match Tie-Front Bandeau Bikini Top
Matching up a fun top with plain bottoms is an easy way to breathe new life into your bikinis. HELL YEAH.


MINKPINK Eden Floral Bikini
A little less high-waisted if you're too afraid to go full-on pin-up gal.


Lolli Crisscross Bikini
Chevron and high-waisted? Sign me up.


Lolli Mixed Floral Bikini
OMG, mixed florals and patterns are really speaking2me right now, so this bathing suit is absolutely perfect.


Retro Polka Dot Bikini
You'll look just like Bettie Page in this.


Kimchi Blue See Me Tote Bag
The perfect beach tote.


Cult Gaia Pin-Up Headwrap
Look fine, fresh, fierce on the beach.


None The Wiser Vale St. Cat-Eye Sunglasses
Stay sassy, stay classy.