Keeping it fresh

It’s easy to be hip when you have an armada of stylists paid an arm and a leg to keep you current. But with no Pat Field to pin an oversize orchid on a dress that’s so hip it hurts, there’s at least a fabulous selection of stores retailing trendy fashions at The Podium. Labels like Chocolate, People Are People and Girbaud keep the fun in fashion alive.

People Are People

Coolhunters consider People Are People a one-stop shop for colorful shoes, fashion-forward apparel and fun accessories. An eye-popping daffodil halter dress is soft in chiffon and toughened up with a black jacket with epaulets, while a saccharine tube with ruffles becomes nightwear when paired with a dark long-sleeved top.

NafNaf

NafNaf keeps fashion affordable with easy-breezy one-piece dresses that’ll take you from day to night. Shimmy in a white and purple number, with panels of purple floating in front of a sleeveless shift dress, or saunter in a short but chic sailor ensemble that’ll keep eyes on you.

Traffic

There’s something to be said for elegant men’s footwear. Traffic retails some of the snappiest and sharpest shoes I’ve seen locally, while lace-ups, rich chocolate loafers, razor sharp black dress shoes are just a few of the prize finds at Traffic. Well-shod men everywhere need to get their feet moving in this store’s direction.

Chocolate

Keep your sweet tooth in check, because Chocolate’s gone dark. Aside from the Aussie label’s signature Grab jeans, there are charcoal beaded cocktail frocks, flamenco tops and halter dresses in a wool-cotton mix. Pair it with some heels and a clutch for dinner and dancing or mix it with jeans and flip-flops for a cozier date.

Girbaud

Details are everything — especially to this French house, which brought high-end denim detailing to the masses. There are numerous no-fail pieces in the small boutique at The Podium, including a long-sleeved cotton top, which comes in black and white, that is part safari, part secretary. Paneled skirts with paperbag waists and, of course, super sleek jeans come a close second and third.