My friend and Oklahoma-native Sarah James shared a great list of ways to provide assistance to victims of yesterday’s horrible tornado, and I thought I would be helpful to share here as well.

Per Sarah, here are some ways to help:

• Text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 to the disaster relief fund – this took me about 10 seconds to complete
• If you prefer to donate to the Red Cross online, click here.
• You can text FOOD to 32333 (the OK Food Bank) to give $10 to help with relief efforts via News 9
• The Salvation Army
• Feed The Children Disaster Relief
• Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief
• Disaster Relief of Oklahoma
• World Vision
• If you are looking for a family member, please visit Safe & Well.
• Google Crisis Map
• The Penn South Pet Clinic is collecting displaced animals.
• Annie’s Ruff House in Norman, OK is taking any dogs displaced by the tornadoes in Moore.

If you have any other suggestions, feel free to add it in the comments section.

photography by Emilia Gaston

What was Number One/Le Jus, a combo of Brian Bolke’s boutique and apothecary plus Dana Card’s paleo cafe, is now just Number One. Dana Card is going back to full-time nutritional counseling and the shop’s juice business will being taken over by the elixirs of the Vim + Vigor girls, Annie Portman and Liz Black. We’ll miss Dana’s intense passion for the menu, but the we know Portman and Black whip up a damn good pineapple/pear/apple/romaine/mint concoction. The cafe has a new menu of salads, soups, and sammies, all organice and gluten free, and come May 1, you’ll also have a place to pick up the Vim + Vigor detox kits.

So, here’s my next question: Will stores rally and host a local version of this fall fashion festival?

Update: Please no pearl-studded Western wear. We Texas ladies really have evolved. Honestly.

The name of The Pretty Kitty Brazilian waxing salon got tongues wagging.

GiltCity Dallas didn’t quite make it. We shed a tear for Barneys New York closing too.

New stores opened: REUSE Jeans, Five & Ten, Jonathan Adler, and y&i. New salons, too: The Do.

Shoe news! We fell in love with locally made and eco-conscious Hari Mari sandals and SMU grad Emily Jamison’s gorgeous new Italian Emy Mack heel collection. And Angela Scott of The Office of Angela Scott opened her namesake shop in Victory Park.

A few notable out-of-towners came to visit. Like, Lubov Azria of BCBG and Herve Leger, Magda Berliner, lace connoisseur and designer, Bobbi Brown, and Victoria Beckham.

We turned our brows over to Anna Wintour’s facialist, Joanna Czech.

We did a major detox with Roots Juices.

We spilled some fun purses, like Kendi Skeen’s (of Kendie Every Day) and Courtney Kerr (of Bravo’s new Courtney Love Dallas, airing in the new year).

We composed our first ShopTalk editorial photo shoot, using our favorite local boutiques. (And we wanted to take home each look.)

We got even more stores and salons: Haven, L.bartlett Shoes and Rye 51, La Bichette blowout salon, Gemma Collection jewelry, Nicole Kwon, Number One/Le Jus shop and cafe, mobile boutique Luxeliner, and makeover spot Blushington Beauty Lounge.

photography by Maxine Helfman

It seems like our newest publication, D Moms, has been in the making for a long time, and finally, it’s here. And boy, is it gorgeous. It’s not about finding the perfect bottle or how to make nap time easier, but rather, how to encourage moms to live their best lives, which in turn, enhances the lives of their kiddos. I love that concept.

The glossy book is chock full of good stuff, like a list of uber cool tunes to introduce to the kids, tips on throwing an artful birthday bash, and this stunning fashion spread, featuring Dallas model and mom Chandra North.

Ask Alice by George Mang (photo courtesy of Ask Alice)

According to a Women’s Wear Daily article (warning: pay wall), Ask Alice shoe designer George Mang says Dallas is “a fantastic shoe market” (along with Houston and Atlanta). Does this mean Ask Alice by George Mang pieces of shoe art will launch in Big D? We shall see.

The hip, boutique hotel is getting a makeover. An $80 million makeover. This will include expansion to allow two new cool shops to open doors: TenOverSix and Traffic L.A., both California-based boutiques, set to open in February, according to Women’s Wear Daily (warning: pay wall). According to the WWD article, Traffic L.A. will stock Dolce & Gabbana, Comme des Garçons, Rick Owens, Isabel Marant, and more; and TenOverSix will continue to carry Phillip Lim, Loeffler Randall, Vena Cava, Pamela Love, and others.

I don’t know if these high-end retailers will draw enough shoppers to sustain the lives of the stores and revitalize the energy of downtown, but it’s a start.

photography by Alex Ham

That’s the email blast I received this morning. I love the airy, wood-floored cottage that currently houses the Uptown boutique, so I’m sad to see John Piermarini move his store to a shopping center. On the other hand, the new space, which will open before the end of the August, will allow them to expand and grow. Of course, you reap more benefits from this move, as Piermarini Boutique is hosting a sale this Saturday. Most things are already 40 percent off, but Saturday purchases will earn an extra 25 percent off.

The 24 Neiman Marcus + Target 2012 holiday gift collection designers (photo courtesy of NM and Target)

The newest speck of information regarding the Neiman Marcus + Target Holiday Collaboration was released yesterday via YouTube. If you haven’t heard the news, Target and Neiman Marcus have joined hands, put their heads together with 24 designers from the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and come up with more than 50 “amazing gifts.” All items, which range from $8 to $500–most of which are said to be under $60–will be in all locations of both stores and their websites. I have mixed feelings about this.

On the one hand, it sounds like an enormous gimmick; on the other, I see a list of formidable designers who, despite my reservations, make me excited to see what affordable trinkets they’ll dream up. (Proenza Schouler, Diane von Furstenberg, Alice + Olivia, Thom Browne, etc.)

Unfortunately, I think affordability takes away from the exhilaration of buying designer luxuries. I wouldn’t buy a Gucci key chain, for example. It’s not the same as buying a new handsome Gucci bag. Sure, it’s stamped with that familiar logo, but it’s not nearly as exciting as making that expensive purchase. Then again, I am absolutely enchanted by Prabal Gurung, one of the project’s designers, and can’t imagine anything he creates would disappoint. Especially when Stacia Andersen, Target’s senior vice president of merchandising says, “These are some of the most fantastic items I’ve ever seen.”

The collection of souvenirs will include men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel, accessories, sporting goods (interesting), home decor, pet accessories, and electronics accessories (no surprise there). Some designers are staying true to their medium; others are reaching out and designing items they don’t usually produce.

Because we cannot yet get a sneak peek of the actual products, allow me to dazzle you with the the products I’d like to see come December 1, when the gift collection is released.

My proposed Neiman Marcus + Target gift ideas

DJ Paris Vidal aka Jane Aldridge from Sea of Shoes (photography by William Neal)

Beloved Dallas fashion blogger Jane Aldridge from Sea of Shoes is wearing more hats these days as she’s added DJ to her resume. Spinning under the name DJ Paris Vidal, the style star hit the decks at Texas Theatre’s Yesterday’s Gold concert this weekend. Though we weren’t able to get a listen ourselves, Jane’s eclectic wardrobe and quirky inspiration makes me think a personal music compilation of hers would be just as interesting. See more photos from the event here.

Jane Aldridge's choice of shoes for the evening (photography by William Neal)