Who says the clothes have to steal the whole show in fashion boutiques? Not interior designer Mark Norkaitis, whose designs are all ready changing the face of State Street in downtown Geneva. His work in retail businesses ranges from dressing the place up for holidays/seasonal to total transformations—as he’s done at his most recent projects: The Denim Loft at 206 W. State St., and Merra-Lee at the corner of State and Third streets.  Norkaitas’ design approach begins with selecting a color palette and an overall look and feel. Then he becomes a man on a mission, and the hunt begins, because …

Tops, dresses and pants aren't the only items that'll get switched out as the snow melts one final time and the temperatures rise for good. We’ll be kicking off the boots and telling our Mary Janes see ya later, but what to replace them with?   All fashion is somewhat subjective, and shoes more than anything because there’s so much more than looks to consider. Our feet are working for us all the time, so we’ve got to keep them comfortable and happy, and everyone’s shoe needs differ.  Some factors to consider ... Work: What’s the level of activity—a lot of standing, walking, running around?  …

I had the extreme pleasure of spending the first part of this month in London with my sister, Colleen (Keough) Wagner, who lived in her condo on Ford Street in Geneva before her move to the U.K. in 2008. She’s always had a flair for fashion, and moving overseas hasn’t changed that one bit. So while I was there, I decided to pick her brain about fashion in metropolitan London versus hometown Geneva. One of the first things she noticed was that Londoners don’t hesitate to mix and match styles, patterns, and textures. This is an upcoming local trend noted in an earlier article, but the Brits are…

Brand new spring fashions are arriving at Geneva retailers, and it's time to refresh those wardrobes. Keeping up with the latest trends can be confusing and expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Many of the items currently hanging in your closet are still trending, so all you need to do is add a few key pieces to keep your look easily and affordably up-to-snuff. There's a lot to know, so I’ll break the upcoming season's fashion tips into a series of articles: 2011 Spring Fashion 101! To start out, here's a quick peek at Spring 2011: Something Old: Look around Geneva Commons or the downtown …