I’ve never really gotten into Project Runway. Don’t get me wrong…I LIKE it, and I’ve seen several episodes, but it’s never gotten me hooked. However, I am now completely hooked on one of the show’s designers, Gordana Gehlhausen, after I happened upon her new store in Santa Monica last week.
Let me preface this by saying I love clothes and fashion, but I’m not willing to pay crazy designer prices. So that means I end up doing most of my shopping at stores like J.Crew, Gap, Banana Republic, Anthropologie, and maybe the occasional online designer sale. But seriously, aside from a collection of vintage clothes I bought in college, my closet is chain-store all the way. I also get discouraged buying clothes because I’m tall (6′ 1″), and unless you’re buying super high-end, it’s hard to buy stuff that fits without having to alter it, or be forced to choose from the store’s measely selection of ‘Tall’ clothes (gag).
So when I went out looking for a new outfit to wear to dinner last Friday night and saw Gordana Gehlhausen’s new store, Goga, on Main Street in Santa Monica (she has another store in San Diego) I thought it was probably too expensive but I would go in and just get some ideas. Gordana was there (as evidenced by some of the fans that would stop in), and was making dresses towards the back. I started browsing around, and literally fell in love with pretty much all of her designs. Also, her prices. Everything was, shockingly, extremely well priced. This meant I could actually try stuff on!
During the course of my visit there, the extremely nice Gordana helped piece together some outfits for me (super fun, btw), and paired things together that I would have never thought of, but that looked great. It’s easy to forget that sometimes all you need to update your look is somebody else’s eyes (albeit, talented eyes like Gordana). She even offered for me to bring in clothes I already had at home that I was bored with, and she would help me think of ways to wear them. Can we say love? Also, for you tall ladies out there…everything fit me GREAT. I’m telling you, I felt like I hit the jackpot.
Before I go into too long of a gush fest, I’ll just say that if you’re in Santa Monica or San Diego, I HIGHLY suggest going into her store, not only for everyday pieces but to talk to her about custom wedding dress or bridesmaid designs. Her website doesn’t do her clothes justice, so I would go and check them out yourself. I’m already saving up for my next trip.
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