Most of us had a favorite T-shirt when we were kids. It was the one that was buttery soft from wear, with some sort of cool logo on the front (E.T., anyone?). It's the shirt that appears over and over again in childhood photos, the one we still wish we had and could fit into. That's the kind of shirt sisters Caren and Wendy Goldstein have tried to create with their T-shirt line, piper+olive.
"We want to fill the void for the urban mom and child who want something more than a monster truck shirt," Wendy Goldstein says. "We want a T-shirt that moms fall in love with, and kids never want to take off."
The line started a few years back when Caren, who's based in Philadelphia, teamed with a friend to start creating shirts for adults and children. Things slowed because of personal commitments, but picked up once Raleigh-based Wendy joined the venture. Now, piper+olive shirts are in more than 15 stores, including Zest and Nofo at the Pig in Raleigh, as well as on their website, piperandolive .com .
The line's designs are simple, yet whimsical, with logos that range from a cupcake and a flower to a robot and a rocket.
"We didn't want anything that was too prissy or too rock 'n' roll, because that style has been done," says Wendy. "We just wanted good designs using modern color combinations."
Though they offer shirts for women, girls and babies, their little boys' line has really taken off.
"We knew the market for boys' clothes was much weaker than for girls - many designs are so juvenile," says Wendy. "So we decided to focus slightly more on boys and thought this could be a good niche for us."
Though working with a sibling can sometimes be tricky, the Goldstein sisters have found that, so far, they make a good team.
"I enjoy working with Caren," says Wendy. "Our styles can be very different - she likes e-mail and I prefer to talk on the phone. We did have some concerns that our whole relationship would turn into the business - we ultimately don't want the business to take over the fact that we are first sisters. But I think our fears were allayed when she came to visit and things between us were like they had always been."
A phone call away
Michelle Little of One Chic Mama wants women to pare their wardrobes and find clothing that makes them look and feel good. She's offering the "Dress to Impress! The 5 Essential Elements of Style All Women MUST Know Before Getting Dressed" teleclass, Tuesday, 8 p.m.
The free class will offer fashion and dressing tips, and serve as a preview of a four-part teleclass that will run later this summer. To register, visit www.onechicmama .com.
This is not a mirage
Shopping poolside might sound like some sort of heat-induced hallucination, but it's a real thing on Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the club in Durham's Brightleaf subdivision. Jewelry from Stella & Dot, clothing and accessories from Clothes Hound, children's clothing from Julius & Me, as well as items from other vendors will be available.
The Club at Brightleaf is at Brightleaf Club, 2003 Copperleaf Parkway, Durham.
Bailey's adds a local fave
Fans of local designer Katie Jarvis' pieces for Sylvia Benson jewelry now have a new place to find the colorful line - Bailey's Fine Jewelry. The store recently added the collection, which features colorful, beachy pieces made with gold, colorful beads and gemstones. In addition to the store's stock, Bailey's can custom order other pieces not available in the store.
Bailey's is at 415 Daniels St., Raleigh. 829-7337, www.sylviabenson.com
Fashion camp in session
If you've got a budding designer, makeup artist, hair stylist or model in your house, sign the kid up for fashion camp. Cary native and designer Austin Jade Murray's Fashion Rocks camp for high schoolers runs July 19-23, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Method Community Center in Raleigh.
Campers will learn about all aspects of the industry - design, modeling, photography and hair and makeup styling. Campers will have a photo shoot to start their portfolio, and may compete in a "Project Runway"-style competition. One camper will be chosen to win a college scholarship.
Tuition is $199. For more info, send e-mail to austinjadeassistant@yahoo.com.
