Get 25 percent off any purchase at Goldyn!

Fashion junkie: noun. One who treats fashion magazines like textbooks, laps up the latest trends and passionately pursues the hottest new labels. A number of boutiques in major cities like New York and L.A. cater to such fashion followers, but what’s an FJ to do if she finds herself in areas where the style potential still remains untapped? Frustrated with a lack of resources for hot brands in their hometown of Denver, fashion junkies Vanessa Barcus and Melissa Gelfand founded Goldyn, an e-commerce site (and Denver-based trunk-show service) specializing in the latest labels and hottest new fashions. With short designer bios to provide shoppers with background information on their discoveries, the site features more than 40 designers, including Adam, Charlotte Ronson, Botkier, Mint and more, along with an edited collection of vintage clothing and jewelry.

We Adore: This cowl neck with silk chain (regularly $295, Store Adore price $221) is the same one that saw on Gossip Girl’s Serena wore on this week’ episode. Love the way she paired it with purple jeans.

We Adore:Also, by ADAM, this pleated double collar jacket (regularly $595, Store Adore price $446) is just the right item for the transition from summer to fall.

We Adore: This Epice floral print wrap (regularly $95, Store Adore price $67) adds pop to almost anything.

Click here to get your 25 percent discount at Goldyn!

We’ve already learned how to Dress Like a Motherchucker.

Now here’s some inside scoop on what the girls have been wearing:

I admit that I have a longstanding girl crush on Serena (who doesn’t?) but bitchy Blair was looking mighty adorable by the pool in the Hammies on Monday night. Not sure that I could pull off the headband myself, but she sure looks cute. And if you want to give the look a try, you can buy the Joomi headband at Pink Olive. It’s $78, but only $66 with your 15% Store Adore discount. Click here to get it. (Photo provided to Store Adore by Pink Olive.)

In this coming week’s episode, this gigantic silver ring will be featured (our guess is that it’s on Blair, but no confirmation yet). The ring, an awesome interpretation of the oversized trend, is also by Joomi, and also for sale at Pink Olive (regularly $148, Store Adore price $126).

Finally, we admit that we don’t follow the shooting schedule as closely as we should, but we heard a rooming that the show will be filming on 78th and Madison next Friday. Our calendars are marked.

Ah, Labor Day – offering the chance to sit by the pool one last time, to enjoy cookouts with family and friends … and to catch the season premiere of Gossip Girl.

It’s a guilty pleasure any 20-something should be fine with admitting… particularly if she justifies it in one of three ways:
1.    Blake Lively is her celebrity crush.
2.    She’d secretly like to get under Ed Westwick (Chuck Bass’) argyle sweaters.
3.    OMG, the clothes!

While I can’t even begin to make the case that DC rivals Manhattan for clothing options, I can say that if the GG cast made their way to my fine hometown, they’d find more than enough shopping to satisfy.

And, while I’ll have to wait just a few more hours to see what my favorite starlets will be sporting in the season premiere, I thought I’d play a little game of mix and match… between my favorite characters and the best DC stores for their personalities, naturally.

Serena

Serena’s effortlessly put together sense of style is trendy, but not overly matched. For a daytime look, Serena might browse 14th Street’s Muleh, where a sweater dress like this number from 3.1 by Philip Lim would keep her warm… now that Dan is no longer in the picture.
(Photo courtesy of The CW)

Blair

Super stylish Blair wouldn’t be caught in less than this season’s hottest fashion. And when you’ve got a fashion designer for a mom, we’re sure that funding that wardrobe comes easy. If cost were no option, we’d stock up at Georgetown’s Relish for names like Marni, Dries Van Noten and Pedro Garcia.
(Photo courtesy of The CW)

Jenny

Dan’s lil sis may be high on style, she’s just definitely short on funds. Thankfully, she’s inventive. If she lived inside the Beltway, chances are she’d nab some hot looks from Secondi, Dupont Circle’s best resale boutique, or the high-style but budget friendly Annapolis shop Paradigm.

(Photo courtesy of The CW)
Georgina

At the end of Season Two, it looked like our resident bad girl, Georgina, had finally gotten her due. But if she reappears this season, I’m sure she’d enjoy a wardrobe update from CUSP, where she’d likely find fun going out frocks plus daytime wear like these great motorcycle boots from Tory Burch, $495.

(Photo courtesy of SideReel.com)
Lily

It’s no doubt that Lily van der Woodsen, now Lily Bass, would make a regular date at the Chevy Chase outpost of haute couture, Saks Jandel. I’m sure she’d love this “ladies who lunch” spot, known for its luxe selection of names like Alexander McQueen.
(Photo courtesy of The CW.)

Vanessa

Vanessa may not be much for designer names, but we’re sure she’d like at least a few new (or nearly new) items in her wardrobe every now and again. She could find style for a song at boutiques like U Street staple Fly Betty, or upscale resale at Arlington’s best consignment shop, Current Boutique.
(Photo courtesy of StarPulse.com)

What’s your take on trends? Some say they pay them no heed; others blow their budgets on expensive designer ponchos and knife-point pumps, only to dispose of them a season later.

Here’s a new strategy. Double (or triple) up on trends with quality items that encompass several hot (for now) styles. Rocking three trends with one dress saves you time and money… and you’ll look really cool.

Here are a few options that we like right now:

1. Maxi-length + Cinched at the Waist + Bold Color

ingwa; melero Alba Dress ($319), available at boutiques nationwide including Lisa Kline, Big Drop and Bleu

2. Blazer + Exposed Zipper

Nelson Double Zipper Sheen in Grey (regularly $260, Store Adore Price $208), available at Intuition, where Store Adore Shoppers save 20 percent

3. Gossip Girl + Green

As seen on Gossip Girl (proof below), this Nauhy Olin wrist-bag is made of recycled candy wrappers. Available at Caravan.

It’s Serena van der Woodsen and LC, seen here at our Store Adore party at Intermix in Boston!

Seems I’m not the only one having Blake Lively envy. This hair is just so…deliciously messy and luscious–exhibit A of why long hair is always the sexiest option. (Sorry for short hair fans, but it’s true.) I actually spent hours this weekend browsing Folica for a curling iron. As a former straightening iron addict (I know I’m not alone), I feel like a curly haired novice, but I do have my eye on this one from Hot Tools ($34.95) because of the jumbo two inch barrel. It also gets excellent user reviews–one of the best features of this sometimes overwhelming haircare site. Does anyone have any curling iron recommendations? I don’t even know where to begin.

As for LC’s braid, it’s kind of growing on me. But is the look just to signature to try to pull off?

Let us know your thoughts.

Yesterday, I saw a girl on the subway wearing a headband clamped with a huge, structured satin bow. The rest of her outfit was very office-conservative, but the bow gave it spark. Maybe it was a nod to the pretty-preppy style of Gossip Girl, the formal, girly headgear that Marc Jacobs and Luella sent down recent runways, or an ironic play on a classic symbol of femininity. Whatever the inspiration, I’ve seen statement-making headbands and barrettes popping up in boutiques everywhere-they’re a fun, flirty and humidity-friendly way to dress up basic outfits.

1. Leave it to Intermix to offer such a standout take on the trend: Jennifer Behr’s thin satin headband adorned with crystal stars ($88) would look chic with neutral colors and dressed-down clothes.

2. My favorite: Phillip Lim’s silk organza headband ($135) with a peacock detail (unfortunately it’s hard to see on the screen)—so elegant and flapper-ish, but real-world wearable, too. I can see it going out to an art gallery opening, a show, dinner, to the supermarket with a tee-shirt. Get it at Net-a-Porter, the luxury brand mainstay.

3. This gem-cluster barrette (Regularly $54, Store Adore price $44) is the perfect hair jewelry—prim, pretty, lots of color and a little over the top. Find it at Privilege, the Soho shop with loads of pretty and edgy accessories and apparel. Plus, Store Adore shoppers get 20 percent off everything in the store and online! See profile for details.

4. A bold, preppy color and a huge faceted gemstone cincher take this silk headband ($48) miles above the ones that were de rigueur in grade school—but it still maintains a sweet and girly charm. Find at New York mega-accessories store Wink.

5. This one may not dazzle like the rest of them, but it’s the closest thing I could find to what I saw during my subway encounter. Not quite the same thing, but for $3.80 at Forever21, it’s a no-brainer entry into the trend.