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Sunday, November 3, 2013

School Girl



Where do I start? Well, I guess I can start by saying… heeelllooo to all of you beautiful followers! I feel so bad that I have neglected my blog for a few months. I hate taking these long breaks and hope that this doesn’t happen again. I’m ready to get back to business and start sharing style tips and outfit ideas with you and sooo much more!  

I know that classes start at the end of August or beginning of September, which is when I wanted to share this outfit post, but just couldn’t find the time to do so. I styled an outfit inspired by the popular school girl look, which I think is very chic and fabulous. This is not your typical school girl look with the short plaid, pleated skirt and the knee high stockings. I wanted to do something a little different. I found this lovely skirt at forever 21 about two months ago. I wasn’t sure what I was going to wear it with, but after looking in my closet, I found a white, button down shirt with black buttons and black bow and thought it was the perfect match for the skirt. I also had these black and white spectator style shoes from Charlotte Russe that I purchased a while ago. After putting all the pieces together my school girl look was pretty much complete.

Since we are on this topic of school, I also want to recommend the book I am posing with in some of the photos below. It's called Real Solutions for Busy Moms by Kathy Ireland. I just started reading the book and so far I find it helpful. It's a great read for all you busy mothers out there. I know a few blogger moms and just young mothers who have full-time jobs, who work hard not just at work, but also try to maintain a strong family bond, some even go to school, etc.  Whatever the case may be, if you are a mother, you can all understand how difficult it is to keep up and take a little time to do what we enjoy (hence my lack of blog posts). I hate to make excuses, but it's reality. I want to talk more about the book, but I think I'll save the review for when I finally finish reading it.

Back to the outfit. I want to know what you think about this look. Would you wear this outfit? Do you think it’s too youthful? I want to hear your thoughts and opinions. 



















I want to point out that today is my bloggerversary. Exactly one year ago, I published my first style blog post. I can't believe it's been a year already! I have a lot of work ahead of me for this next year. I have so much that I want to accomplish with my blog. It's been a great learning experience.Thank you so much for visiting my blog and for those who continue to follow it! Stay tuned... and remember to stay beautiful inside and out.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Southwestern Style with a Modern Flair



Aztec print has become very popular recently. I personally have been in love with the Southwestern look for a few years. I began to appreciate it more after traveling across the country throughout the Midwest. I have always had a deep appreciation for ethnic designs. I enjoy meeting people from all parts of the world and learning about their culture and traditions. In fact, some of the things I wear and even some of my designs are based on the different cultures I have learned about and become attracted to over the years. From the food, to the clothes, to the music and dance, or artifacts; I believe there is a lot of knowledge we can gain and there's so much we can appreciate if we took the time to learn from each other's cultural backgrounds. 


"If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him."
                                                                    John F. Kennedy







For this outfit post, I chose to give the Southwestern look a modern flair by pairing this beautiful coral high/low top with Aztec print leggings. What I like about this top is the beautiful gold studded detail on the collar and along the button line. Leggings or high/low tops are not a part of the traditional Southwestern look, but the Aztec print on these leggings and the metal detail on the collar of the shirt give the Southwestern style a more fresh and updated look. This outfit is perfect for an evening dinner with girlfriends or a gallery opening on a first Friday. 



High/Low Top: Easy Pickins | Aztec Print Leggings: Forever 21 | Heels: Forever 21 | Clutch: Vintage








So I'm curious...what culture(s) are you drawn to? What do you enjoy about the culture(s) (i.e. clothing, art, food, music, dance)?










Saturday, May 18, 2013

Fashion Meets Interior Design: Check’er Out!


The checker pattern has been used for many years in a variety of ways. Of course when we think of this pattern, we think of the game of Chess, the checker flag used in car races, or maybe the floor in your grandmother’s 1950s kitchen. Although it has been used for many years, this old pattern is not as old-fashioned as we think. It has come a long way and has made its way into contemporary room designs and fashion pieces. Whether it’s on a piece of fabric, a soft or hard material, this repetitive pattern always seems to make a bold statement.

When using a repetitive pattern like the checker pattern in a room's décor or outfit, I like to keep everything clean and simple by using mostly black and white.  I then select an area of focus where the checker pattern will be placed, and for the final touch, I like to add a pop of color. Using a bright color against the black and white gives the room or outfit some pizzaz.

For this outfit that I styled, I was inspired by this very cool and contemporary living room designed by Jeff Andrews. This is a good example of a black and white room design with a pop of color and a subtle mix of texture and prints. He used the checker pattern on the floor around the perimeter of the room and kept everything else pretty neutral throughout using black and white and some tan and brown. The chartreuse green curtains and accent pillows brighten up this room and break away from all of the black and white. This minimal use color gives this room a soft and comfortable appearance. He also added some natural earth tones with the tan carpet in the center and the natural plants. Jeff Andrews is a renowned Interior Designer who designs for celebrities including reality stars like the Kardashians.


Living Room Designed by: Jeff Andrews




 If you walk into any store in the mall right now, you can’t miss all the black and white outfits on their displays.  Black and white is so on trend this season. I happened to run into this cute checker pattern turtle neck crop top and knew I had to have it. I saw checker print leggings, dresses, and skirts, but I found this top was much more appealing. I styled it with this puffed black skirt to give it a soft feminine look. The shoes were also a great find being that they too have some square shapes on the design of the straps. I have an obsession with pretty much any shade of green and yellow. I used neon green as my pop of color for this black and white outfit. Since it is a bright color, I used it only on my nail color and my clutch. The rest of my accessories include silver hoop earring and a black and silver beaded necklace. The necklace is very special to me because it belonged to a dear friend (jewelry designer) who passed away. This necklace complements this outfit beautifully and adds a bit of contrast with the mix of square and round shapes.












Black and Silver Beaded Necklace: C/O Jule's Jewels   


Checker Pattern Crop Top: Easy Pickins | Skirt: Charlotte Russe | Jessica Simpson Clutch: TJ Maxx | Merona Heels: Target


 





Check out the location of my photo shoot! I grew up down the street from this great location in downtown Trenton. The dome shaped building is the planetarium, which is part of the NJ State Museum where you can find old artifacts of the native American Indians that settled in this region many years ago. If you're ever in Trenton, be sure to stop by the museum and planetarium for a fun learning experience.


Sunday, May 5, 2013

Love The Skin You're In



Summer is right around the corner! While some of us are eager to show off some skin by wearing miniskirts, shorts, crop tops, and bikinis, there are others who are afraid to show certain parts of their body. One thing we need to keep in mind is that we are all beautiful.  Let’s face it, no one is perfect, and no one has a perfect body. You might have looked at photos of celebrities and wish that maybe you had a little more of this and a little less of that. In today’s society, looks are everything! We’re constantly pointing out our defects, but let’s take a moment to stop thinking about what you want to change, and find something that you absolutely love about your body. Is it your legs, arms, face, or maybe your stomach? What part of your body do you feel most proud of?

I used to love showing off my legs when I was younger, but after having my baby, I got a few stretch marks, over the years I accumulated a few scars from scratching my mosquito bites, and suddenly I was no longer excited to show off my beautiful legs. It wasn't until recently that I began to love my legs again. Scars and all! I have learned to love my body the way that it is. I have no shame in my scars because they each represent a different experience in my life. Each scar has a story behind it. Each day we build a history in our own skin. So why not embrace your beauty and love the skin you're in!






          



           


Whether or not you like to show some skin, there are a few tips you must keep in mind if you want to keep it classy and not look trashy. When wearing something really short or revealing, make sure to use some contrast when styling your outfit. First, select a part of your body that you want to show more of. For this outfit, I decided to show off my legs. I wore taupe shorts, which were really pretty short. Because the shorts were so short and a little tight, I chose a top that was loose and not so revealing. This lace top is semi see-through, but it still has a good amount of coverage. To dress it up I added a pearl necklace. Pearls are very ladylike, so I thought they were the perfect addition and made the outfit look nice and classy. I styled my hair with the classic lower bun with a bit of a hump and a piece of bangs on each side. A sexy pair of heels and a large bag and the look was complete! As you can see, there are ways to look sexy, without showing too much. 


So how do you keep your skin looking healthy and glowing? It’s very simple. All it takes is some effort and determination. Here are my top three tips on how to keep your skin looking flawless.

  • Tip #1: I love to sunbathe. The sun can be really good in providing vitamin D, but too much sun and no protection is bad for your skin. Make sure to protect your skin with sunscreen. I like to use Coppertone SPF 30 for extra protection.  

  • Tip #2: Eat lots of fruits and vegetables! It’s so important to have healthy eating habits. Instead of that bag of oily chips, snack on a bowl of baby carrots or strawberries.
  • Tip #3: Exercise a few times a week, if possible, on a daily basis. I know we all have busy schedules and are always on the go, but start out by taking a half hour out of your day and do a few crunches or squats before hitting the shower. You’ll see and feel your body start to change and you will start your path to a healthier skin, and healthier you.












Want more tips on how to improve the appearance of your skin? I recommend checking out the article 6 Secrets to Gorgeous Skin by Shelley Levitt.

Thank you for stopping by my blog! Stay tuned...and stay beautiful inside and out.