We have some very talented customers, and we're excited to host our first in-store performance:

Please join us this Saturday, May 18, for an informal evening of classical music with Cait O’Brien and Jameson Platte. Pieces include Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major by J.S. Bach, the Sonata for Viola and Piano by Rebecca Clarke, The Eyeglass Duet by Beethoven, and possible impromptu additions. Light refreshments will be provided, and the entire event is free and open to the public! RVSP here.

You can learn more about the musicians in their bios below: 

Cait O’Brien grew up in the New York City area and pursued her viola studies at The Juilliard School, the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and the Eastman School of Music, from which she received her BM and studied with Mr. George Taylor. She also received a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing from the University of Rochester. She now lives in the Boston area and spends most of her time with small children introducing them to the many joys of music through Playful Tunes. She also maintains a private teaching studio for violinists and violists of all ages, and performs with many groups in the northeast area such as the Boston Neo-politan Chamber Orchestra, the Boston Chamber Orchestra, the Orchestra of Northern New York, the Chelsea Opera, and more.

In the small amount of time in which she's not teaching people to play the violin/viola and hanging out with toddlers, Cait enjoys reading, writing, and hot yoga. And despite being a classical musician, she also secretly enjoys listening to truly terrible pop music and dancing in her car. 

Cellist Jameson Platte maintains an active career both as a performer and a teacher. He is currently a member of the critically acclaimed Axis quintet, the Omega Trio, Duo 92 with pianist/composer Matthew Quayle, principal cellist of the Glens Falls Symphony, The Orchestra of Northern New York, Plainfield Symphony, Chelsea Opera, Bachanalia Virtuosi and assistant principal of the Allentown Symphony.  Mr. Platte works extensively as a clinician, guest conductor and cello coach, performs as a soloist and maintains a large private studio. He is in constant demand as a guest principal cellist throughout the northeast. A frequent recitalist in New York City, he has been featured in Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Lincoln Center and the 92nd St. Y, among others. His recitals have been heard throughout North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Mr. Platte is also Artist/Faculty at New England Music Camp, where he enjoys catching very large fish and canoeing when he isn't playing cello. 

Mother’s Day is almost here, and I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all our customers who are moms! It has been wonderful to see so many of you become regular customers, and we can’t thank you enough. 

You’d be surprised how many toddlers have serious fashion opinions! One little boy in particular loves a skirt printed with cars and trucks, and he tries to persuade his mother to wear it every time they come in. It’s hilarious.

So, whether I’ve distracted your toddler while you tried on dresses or helped you find a gift for your adult son, it has been lovely to get to know each of you these past six months.

As a thank you, I’ve rounded up some of my Mother’s Day gift picks below: feel free to send in your children and spouses, and we’ll steer them in the right direction!

This green bucket bag (made by local designer Kelly De Angelis) is lightweight and has several interior pockets for the myriad of items moms seem to have on hand at all times. It pairs nicely with this summery scarf by Global Girlfriend, a company that works to bring education and employment opportunities to women around the world.  (Bag, $60; Scarf, $38)

Do you know a new mom with a teething baby? This red bracelet from TeePearls, made from recycled t-shirts, is both stylish and functional: plus, it comes in several colors! If you’re like me, and have given Mom jewelry and scarves year after year, you might like the idea of giving her a meaningful object instead. This year I’m opting for one of these hand blown glass paperweights: they are heart shaped, unique, and come in an array of colorful options. (Bracelet, $5; Paperweight, $6)

Local artist Helen Eddy adds a bit of sparkle to beautiful photographs, resulting in some truly special cards. Forgo Hallmark this year and get Mom something local and unique. One of my favorites (that I think is perfect for Mother’s Day) is this one that features the ducklings in the public garden. Another springtime favorite is this bright tagua nut bracelet from Andean Collection; this is probably my favorite color for spring, and this collection has been so popular that I think it’s a foolproof gift. (Cards, $5; Bracelet, $26)

For a mom with funky taste, here are two repurposed jewelry options, both from local designers. This necklace by Kathryn Hansis is made from clock gears, and these earrings were originally vintage coins. Both are gifts that you can’t find anywhere else! (Necklace, $75; Earrings, $10)

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I hope those give you some gift ideas. To make things even easier for you, we're taking 10% off everything in the store, in honor of all moms! Join us tonight, Thurs 5/9, from 5-7pm for a gifting party with light refreshments. We'd love to see you and help you find the perfect gift.

Happy Mother's Day!

What a wonderful way to start off this week: it's Earth Day! 

One of the core values at Whats-Nü is sustainability; in addition to the many local designers we carry, we feature several eco-friendly lines. We liked the aesthetic of these lines so much that you might not even realize that they're "sustainable fashion!" Here are some of our favorites:

 1. Andean Collection jewelry is made from Tagua nuts and other materials sustainably harvested from South America in partnership with local artisans. 

4. Ethos makes stylish dresses, tops, and jackets from 100% organic cotton and natural dyes. Ethos pieces are some of our best sellers in the store, even though it's not immediately obvious that they are eco-friendly! (image source)

To celebrate, we're throwing a party! Join Whats-Nü on Thursday, April 18^th from 5-7pm for a springtime celebration and opening reception for artist Kathryn Hansis.

Enjoy spring treats like lemon bars and bubbly while taking advantage of a 10% storewide discount. Meet the artist and hear about the inspiration behind both her visual art and jewelry.

Really, this event is just an excuse to have a neighborhood party in celebration of warmer temperatures. Come check out our spring arrivals, socialize, and introduce yourself; we can’t wait to meet you!

RSVP on Facebook here.

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About the artist:

Kathryn Hansis, artist and designer behind RESOUL’D, creates jewelry and art from pre-used objects. Her current jewelry line features repurposed clock pieces: internal gears, faces, and parts that aren’t usually seen. The result is surprisingly delicate and feminine. 

Kathryn is a graphic designer from Boston who started making jewelry after her mentor, a woman at her first job in a Saugus bridal shop, taught her the craft. In addition to jewelry, Kathryn makes visual art, much of which is also comprised of recycled and found materials.

From her website: “By salvaging used materials and finding imaginative ways to re-use them, RESOUL'D creates inspiring pieces that are fun, original, and green. By giving life back to pre-used items and putting a soul back into the things we love, RESOUL'D hopes to regain a sense of connection with the "stuff" in our lives.”

A new year is upon us, and we have many exciting things in the works! Before we look ahead though, we’d like to take a moment to appreciate the great opportunities of 2012. Whats-Nü opened in October of 2012, and we couldn’t have hoped for a warmer welcome. We’d like to thank the entire community and all of our Crü members for a great opening season! We had so much fun helping many of you choose gifts during the holidays, and we really appreciate your decision to shop locally. This lovely article from the Somerville Beat perfectly sums up the creative momentum of Somerville that we feel every day. Somervillians care as much about local businesses and producers as we do, and it’s exciting to think of what the next year has in store for our great city. 

In the new year, we want to continue to work for you and your style. We want to know what items you’d like to see! Don’t hold back—we want Whats-Nü to be responsive to the community. In 2013, we plan to add new local designers and work even harder to fit the needs of our customers. In addition, we also plan to have regular events in 2013! Many will be designer-related, with great opportunities to meet some of the local designers and artists we have in store. Others will feature local businesses we love. Do you like premium coffee and gourmet donuts? Stay tuned… From all of us at Whats-Nü, thank you for a wonderful 2012. We are so looking forward to meeting even more of you in 2013. Happy New Year!

We like to carry items for both men and women, and these bags and belts by Splaff are great unisex accessories. They are a perfect example of functional fashion plus eco-awareness. The bags are sturdy and secure enough for biking, but they are stylish enough to use as a briefcase, school bag or purse. The wallets have a loop on the back so they can fit easily over a belt and free up your pockets.

Besides their great design, what attracted us to Splaff was their commitment to using environmentally friendly materials. The bags and belts use recycled tires (from racecars and bicycles) with natural hemp fabric. The adhesives are also natural and water-based, making the entire product line vegan and free of harmful chemicals. In addition, all items are made in North America.

Splaff started as a sandal company: it was founded in 1997 after owner Cliff Drill, inspired by traditional Mexican sandals, set about making flip flops out of recycled tires. He expanded Splaff to include hemp-based bags, bike tube belts, and wallets soon after. 

We are excited to offer the Splaff line and support the use of conscious materials for tasteful and functional accessories for all.

Bag, $72

Wallet, $24

Grommet belt, $28

Solid belt, $24

Pouch: $24