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With the holidays coming up, entertaining at home and Zoom gatherings are in vogue. Wondering what to wear? Luck clothing boutique in Lafayette offers high-end comfortable attire. Proprietor Lorin Platto says that we are dressing more comfortably these days, but we still want to dress up.
"People are sick of sweats and they want to feel human again," she says.
Keeping that in mind she has stocked jogger style pants with matching tops in elegant fabrics such as satin and velvet. In these outfits "People can dress up, look nice, but still be cozy and comfortable," Platto says. As we spend more time entertaining outside, layering is essential and Luck has that covered too, offering an array of sweaters with festive details such as rainbow buttons or sparkle inset designs, and faux fur jackets, puffer coats, as well as blanket-like shirt jackets, which are popular paired with tights and boots. Dresses are also a customer favorite and for something dramatic, the Rainbow Sequin Midi Dress by Farm Rio combines comfort with a high fashion impact, perfect for New Year's Eve at home.
Additional fashion selections are available at Luck's pop-up store located around the corner at 3575 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Open through the end of the year, the pop-up has items removed from the main store selling at reduced prices.
In local fashion news, Lafayette's Myara Children's Boutique has closed but they are still offering their festive dresses online at Myara.com.
For the fashionista on your holiday shopping list, the recently published book "Chinatown Pretty: Chinatown's Most Stylish Seniors" by photographer Andria Lo and journalist Valerie Luu, is an excellent gift choice.
As second generation Asian Americans, Lo and Luu have a shared fascination with the unique sartorial style of the older members of the San Francisco Chinatown community. Curious about the people behind the clothes, they began to approach individuals on the street and ask how they put their outfits together. This interest turned into a book, which covers dozens of stylin' seniors in six city Chinatowns - SF, Oakland, LA, Chicago, Manhattan, and Vancouver, BC. The people interviewed are as varied as their clothing with ages ranging from 60 to one woman over 100. Most immigrated decades ago from China or Vietnam, and they have held all kinds of occupations from seamstress to social worker. I enjoyed the peek into these people's lives and I also appreciated that the authors included a brief history of each of the six Chinatown neighborhoods. "Chinatown Pretty" is a fun read, a visual treat, and important documentation of an overlooked segment of fashion history.
Consider ordering "Chinatown Pretty" from Orinda Books or the new independent bookstore Reasonable Books located in the old Papyrus shop on Mt. Diablo in Lafayette. Shop owner, Rudy Winnacker, says that they are happy to special order books for customers. Enjoy the season and remember to go forth (safely) in style.
Moya Stone is a fashion writer and blogger at www.overdressedforlife.com.
Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA