Cardigan Love

Ralph Lauren's new All-American uniforms for U.S. Winter Olympic team are the best looking ones ever

Olympic opening ceremony uniforms are usually pretty blah. Remember what the U.S. Olympic team wore in London two years ago? Didn't think so.

But this time could be different.

Ralph Lauren has unveiled what Team USA will wear to the opening ceremonies of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia on Feb. 6 and they're the smartest, snazziest-looking uniforms ever.

These look like clothes you could actually wear. And you can.

The highlight is a red, white and blue knit cardigan with patchwork designs of stars and stripes, Olympic rings and the year 2014. The cardigan is paired with a cream cotton turtleneck sweater, white fleece athletic pants, sporty black leather boots with red laces, a cotton belt accented with jacquard tape featuring patriotic graphics, and a knit cap with the American flag.

These look like clothes you could actually wear. And you can. The cardigan, which retails for $595, is available online, with the entire purchase price donated to the U.S. Olympic Committee. All other Olympic gear is available for sale on the Lauren site or at selected Lauren stores. (A Lauren spokeswoman says that while the Galleria Lauren store won't carry the items, they can easily order whatever customers want for home delivery.)

One reason for the more accessible look: Since Sochi has a temperate climate (the high Wednesday was 54 degrees), Lauren didn't have to create such a bulky style. But in case it gets colder, Olympians can throw on a double-breasted navy peacoat emblazoned with the official logo of the U.S. Olympic team and the signature Lauren polo pony (it retails for $795).

The uniform is entirely made in the USA, as the designer utilized more than 40 American vendors to create the look. The company generated a whirlwind of controversy in 2012 when it was revealed that part of the London Olympics uniforms were made in China — and apparently learned its lesson.

The U.S. Olympic team will wear red, white and blue cardigans at the opening ceremonies of the Sochi Olympics.

Ralph Lauren Olympic opening ceremonies uniforms January 2014 athletes

Photo courtesy of © Ralph Lauren

The U.S. Olympic team will wear red, white and blue cardigans at the opening ceremonies of the Sochi Olympics.

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COWGIRL CORE

Western boutique Flea Style rides back to Houston with rodeo-ready looks

Photo courtesy of Flea Style

Founder and CEO Brittany Cobb brings Flea Style back to Houston, returning to the city where she first began at The Houston Flea.

Just in time for rodeo season, Flea Style is making its long-awaited return to Houston, giving shoppers a new River Oaks destination for boots, belts, and beautifully decorated hats.

The Texas-born brand will officially open its newest storefront in River Oaks on March 7, which is a full-circle moment for founder and CEO Brittany Cobb, who got her start in the Bayou City at the Houston Flea at Silver Street Studios. Since then, Flea Style has become a nine-location retail brand worn by celebrities including Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, Leon Bridges, and Post Malone.

“I’ve been looking for a Houston location for about five years,” Cobb says. “Each visit, I just never found the right spot that worked for the business at the time. Last fall, I visited, determined to find something, even if just a pop-up, to open by rodeo season. That’s when I finally found a location that checked every box and truly felt like our long-term Houston home.”

With the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo attracting stylish crowds to NRG Stadium through March 22, Cobb made sure Houston shoppers would have access to exclusives. The River Oaks location is launching with a small collection of vintage women’s cowboy boots, a special collection of kantha quilt capes and jackets, and 30 custom-decorated hats.

Flea Style’s new River Oaks storefront opens March 7, just in time for rodeo season.Photo courtesy of Flea Style

“We’re offering an incredible selection of vintage women’s cowboy boots,” Cobb says. “It’s only our second location to carry them, and we’re launching with about 40 pairs. We’re also bringing our fan-favorite Belt Bar, featuring blank belts and vintage buckles. Our Houston customer loves vintage and one-of-a-kind pieces, so I specifically shopped at the market with them in mind.”

Cobb tells CultureMap returning to Houston feels like she never really left. “The Houston shopper is so special to me, and to the company, because they’ve been a part of my story since before our first retail location,” Cobb says. “We go way back to my days as a collector, early entrepreneur, and a young mom starting my business. I’m so excited to be back in Houston to continue our story, face-to-face, and help our shoppers and fans create unique styles with pieces that aren’t offered anywhere else in the city.”

The Houston opening also coincides with a huge milestone for Cobb. She will release her debut book, How To Style A Hat, with a foreword by Miranda Lambert, on April 21.

Flea Style, 1963 W Gray St. 7019, Monday - Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Flea Style

Founder and CEO Brittany Cobb brings Flea Style back to Houston, returning to the city where she first began at The Houston Flea.

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