RVCA is a knock-out

Photo courtesy of RVCA

When PM Tenore founded his signature collection in 2001 and dubbed it RVCA, short for Recession Collection, we're pretty sure he didn't know that close to a decade later, the economy would tank. While times remain turbulent, one thing is for sure, the RVCA brand is booming.

Closely associated with art, music and culture, RVCA also is a sponsor of skate and surf. Recently the company began sponsoring UFC fighter B.J. Penn and the brand is a hit -- make that a knock-out! -- with his followers. I can say this from experience because our Director of Marketing and Promotions (Hi Jaymie!) for The Planet Pulse is huge Penn fan!

So why I am telling you this? Well, in case you haven't guessed, we just began carrying the RVCA (pronounced Rew-Cah) line at the store and we expect it to be a big seller for the fall. Not only does it have some pretty cool associations, but the brand's hoodies -- and indeed all the pieces in the line -- are comfortable and stylish.

And, even though the weather is still warm, have you noticed the nights are getting a little cooler? Perfect weather for a hoodie. May I suggest a RVCA ;)

Will You Miss Me?

Photo Copyright, Miss Me

No, I'm not going anywhere, but thanks for asking. Ha! What I AM talking about is the brand Miss Me, a line of hip, trendy -- and budget friendly -- designs (including denim, shirts and dresses) that we feature heavily at The Planet Pulse ... and for good reason.

Launched in the spring of 2001, Miss Me jeans are known for their fun, embellished back pockets as well as a fit that rivals that of True Religion Brand Jeans. Best of all, there's very little buckage for all for all that bling. Jeans range in price from $86 to $106.

We just got in a new shipment of these designer denim duds and shoppers already are gobbling them up . Some of my favorite looks include an angelic pair of jeans with silver rhinestone wings on the back as well as a pair featuring a strip of leather and shiny studs lining the waistband. Bad girl! To placate your inner hippie-chick, check out our dark denim wash with a duo of peace signs on the behind.

Miss Me also has a killer line of cute clothing options that goes by the name of MM Couture. A new addition to the Miss Me family, MM Couture was created in 2008 and showcases high fashion designs that range from blouses, skirts and dresses to coats and jackets. Some of the fun looks we're excited by at the store include a one shouldered white tank with tuft of distressed netting on the side and a silver sequined mini-dress that reminds me of a disco ball. Just yesterday, I saw a young girl try on one of these dresses for a Hollywood-themed party and, I must say, she looked fabulous!

So that now that I've babbled on about our unique labels, I'll again leave you with a question. Will you Miss Me? Leave your comments below ... and I'm expecting answers folks!

A Tale of Two Pirates

It was just a few short weeks ago that an athletic-looking young man walked into The Planet Pulse. The owner of the store also happened to be there that day and, being the kind of owner he is (friendly!), he promptly began to chat up the young man, who looked like he could be a star player of some sort.

Boy, was he right.

The gentleman turned out to be Pine Township native Neil Walker. A 2004 graduate of Pine-Richland High school and a Pittsburgh Pirate since 2009, Neil also has been a fan of The Planet Pulse since it opened close to two years ago.

A fast friendship -- helped no doubt by a mutual love of fashion -- was soon born.

Luckily for us, Neil Walker is a friendly sort ... and charitable too. Along with fellow player Garrett Jones, Neil will be at The Planet Pulse from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday to sign player cards (the guys will provide their own) and other memorabilia. The Planet Pulse also will donate a portion of the proceeds from Saturday's sales to The Pirates-supported charity, Fields for Kids. This is a terrific -- and local -- organization that provides financial support for new baseball and softball fields around the Pittsburgh community.

See, so not only do you have a chance to meet The Pirates, it's for a good cause too!

Now, just a word or two about Garrett Jones, not only does he look good in his uniform, the outfielder (Nickname: G.I. Jones), like Neil, is an extremely nice guy. But don't just take my word for it, find out for yourself -- and ask them what denim brands they prefer -- when you visit The Planet Pulse this weekend. An added bonus? You also can check out all the recent new arrivals to the store, including fab looks from Miss Me, Ella Moss and RVCA.

So, there you have it; Pirates hotties and an afternoon spent shopping. Sigh. Sounds like a perfect day for any Pittsburgh fashionista worth her salt ... and whose heart belongs to the city.

Makeovers for the soul ... and sole!

Whether it's is a new job, a fresh coat of paint in your living room or just cleaning out your car, life is all about make-overs (unfortunately, we don't get too many "do-overs," but that's another story).

How you choose to do it is up to you, but for me, one of the most satisfying make-overs is not the existential kind, it's the get your hair and nails done, blow of bunch of money on cosmetics and feel fabulous traditonal kind of makeover. Does anything feel quite as good as stepping out of the salon with professionally blown out hair and a new set of highlights? Is there anything more satisfying that finding a great deal on a killer new dress?

If you don't know what I'm talking about, then I invite you to find out for yourself when The Planet Pulse teams up with Harmony Salon of Wexford and Bobbie Brown Cosmetics to present "Makeover Sunday" at the store from noon to 4 p.m. on July 11.

Named after owner Harmony Kaiser, Harmony is a great little salon -- I know, I get my hair done there -- and Bobbie Brown is the preferred make-up vendor to the stars. Combined with the recent additions to the store, including new denim from super popular brand Miss Me, and our helpful and knowlegable staff (they'll tell you when your butt looks great in something!) and it creates an all-out lesson is fabulosity.

To make it extra-special, we'll document the make-over process for you. The talented Freesia, who also created the flyer above, will be on hand to take before and after photos of your updated look.

So relax, leave your troubles at home and prepare for a whole new you. Not only will you be looking good on the outside, but you'll be feeling so good on the inside that you might just leave with one of those inner-makovers I spoke of earlier after all. A day of beauty + inner beauty. I can't think of anything better... On that warm and fuzzy note, have a nice weekend everyone!

(P.S. The Planet Pulse also will be at Cranberry's Community Days on Saturday at the local park. There will be rides, games, food and us, along with a selection of items from the store. Oh, and fireworks! We'll be at Booth 21. Please stop by and say hi!)

Babes in Bikerland

Have you ever watched the movie "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants?" Or maybe read the book? If you haven't (and I think you should, as both the movie and book are very cute), I won't spoil it with the details, but the title was an apt description of our Thursday night as the ladies of the Planet Pulse (including yours truly, I'm the second in from the right) went mobile with a selection of denim from the store.
The pants traveled (haha!) from the store to the Quaker Steak & Lube in Cranberry, where we set up our wares during the restaurant's "Bike Night," which is held every Thursday evening throughout the summer.
The weather was gorgeous and a fun time was had by all as we chatted with the resident bikers and invited them to "rev up their style" with some of the well-known motorcycle-related brands we carry at the story. Some favorites were Johnson Motor Company (I absolutely adore a light-blue baby tee we just got in), Affliction for the guys and Sinful for the gals. Also a hit was a denim vest for chicks by Robin's Jeans (photo above).
Now, even if you're not a biker, these looks will still work for you. Trust me, put on a V-necked, blinged-out Sinful T-shirt and you'll look so good that no one will even question where your Harley is.
We carry all of the above mentioned brands in the store full-time, but, if you're so inclined, The Planet Pulse will be at Bike Night every Thursday at The Lube (weather permitting) with more choice labels chosen just for our biker friends.
And, of course, I have to give a shout-out to the gals who attended Bike Night and manned (ladied?) the tent with me. They are, from left, Alexis, Emily, Me (Jessica) and store owner/buyer Sophia, who is responsible for all the hot items displayed both at the tent and at the store. A special thanks also goes to Nick, Justin and Marty Fin for helping set up and take down the tent and to store owner Marty for being such a super salesman.
We all look forward to the next Bike Night on Thursday and we hope to see you there!