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Showing posts with label Inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inspiration. Show all posts

July 2, 2012

Live Well, Dress Well: Fourth Festivities

How to dress for Independence Day is probably never a big question in the minds of today's fashionistas. Some charming but cliche combination of red, white, and blue is sure to do the trick.

But how can one really stand out fashion-wise in the same old shades of red, white, and blue? I mean, we all want to be patriotic, but we don't all want to look like little clones of Uncle Sam. We want to be unique as well, and hopefully (I know I do) we want to be classy.As much as I love Katy Perry and her sense of style, this is not especially classy. Definitely unique, though!

Here's an idea!

How about dressing for what you'll be doing on this day rather than dressing for the day itself?

Here are three sample outfits based on your Fourth of July Festivities.

1. BBQ Cutie
If your plans include a nice family event or any type of get-together where you want to feel a little more feminine and put-together (or want to catch the eye of a certain someone who looks juts great in his board shorts), pairing a high-waisted skirt with nautical stripes is a great way to give off a fun-loving, flirty, and slightly more formal vibe.

Add some girly and glamorous details like a sleek watch, a flower headband, and golden glads. Best to keep the shoes flat to avoid looking a little too dressy. It is a barbecue, after all ;-)

2. All Night Long

No matter how hot the day may be, you'll wish you were layered up if you're planning any type of late-night fireworks-watching escapade followed by partying into the early morning. For one thing, temperatures can plummet in the hours past midnight regardless of daytime highs. For another, bugs can't bite skin that they can't find! So cover up!

Starting with blue jeans and then adding red and white accents such as a quirky printed t-shirt and red heels (I would go with wedges since you'll be on your feet for awhile) is the key to looking party-ready without overdoing the Independence-Day pride. These star earrings are also a subtle and sexy rockstar nod to the American flag. Instead of a hoodie or sweater, bring along a jacket that looks fierce enough to amp up your night-out look.

Pro Tip: Embrace neutral accessories to keep from looking too costumey.

3. I'm On a Boat

My family members are lake people, and we are spending Wednesday afternoon and evening on my uncle's new houseboat!

If your Fourth looks anything like mine, there's bound to be a lot of swimming involved, so try working a retro bathing suit into your boating-day outfit. Layering a fun pattern like polka dots (I would probably avoid stars and stripes) under a drapey tank (or crop top) and distressed shorts is an easy recipe for a fun summer holiday look.

If you're craving a little star-spangled banner, why not just add a cool star bangle like this one? You might want to skip the earrings to avoid losing them in the water! As for shoes, they don't call 'em boat shoes for nothing! Shy away from heels and other non-sturdy numbers if you plan on being on a boat.

P.S. If you're more of a bikini girl, you can make that work, too. Just don't wear a white shirt over that soon-to-be-sopping-wet swimsuit!
 
What are your plans for the Independence Day? I hope I've given you some inspiration for ways to dress for your Fourth festivities.


June 26, 2012

33 Ways to Stay Creative


This poster absolutely made my day after a night of dealing with a stomach bug and still needing to come into work this evening. I came across it on tumblr and have had no luck locating the original author, which breaks my heart a little bit. He or she deserves credit for something so inspirational!

It's all so simple, yet so ingenious.

I couldn't have stated so many of these tips better myself, and the list is perfectly inclusive. When I think of my favorite ways to "spring clean" my creative mind and exercise those imagination muscles, I come up with almost this list exactly! It seems to me that the author left nothing out!

Well, you know what I think of this list (I highly recommend making lists to foster creativity, by the way), but what do you think?

What do you do to stay creative?

June 23, 2012

Photo Shoot: Awoken Beauty Part 1


The premise of this lovely, ethereal, fairy-tale shoot that Rachel was kind enough to help me out with is a question that I found myself asking while walking through the woods on my grandparents' property.

"What if there were no prince by her side when Sleeping Beauty woke up?"

What if, in the age-old fairy tale, hundreds of years passed without her Prince Charming riding in to rescue her kingdom from it's enchanted sleep? What if the curse wore off after years of hopelessness, and Beauty awoke alone to a castle and kingdom collapsed and overgrown beyond recognition? Would she feel fear and desperation? Or maybe just disappointment--even anger?

This is an example of the artsy-fartsy mishmash that goes through my head when I've gone too long without creating something.

Anyway, I'm now happy to present to you the first half of what I believe was a very successful photo shoot entitled Awoken Beauty.







More imaginative photos after the jump!

June 22, 2012

Live Well, Dress Well: Easy Trends to Try Right Now

Hi, all! 

It's been a while since I took a minute to pull together a fashion post. These Polyvore sets are real time-suckers.  

These are some outfits that I included in my application for the College Fashion writing internship. I needed to comment on my favorite current fashion trends. Well, they were more current back in March when I submitted the application . . . 

Anyway, I have been a fan of College Fashion for about four years, and I really wanted to land this internship with them since my blogging style is often very similar to theirs. While I didn't get the job I still wanted to share these trendy outfit ideas with you all!

I thought it would be fun if I based each outfit idea on an outfit that I've personally worn in a past fashion shoot. What do you think?

**NOTE** The focus was on both summer and fall fashions, so just ignore the chunky sweaters that I'm sure you won't be sporting in this heat!

1.  Athletic-Inspired

Bright colors and simple athletic silhouettes mixed with surprising feminine details such as velvet, a wedge heel, or some bangles are what bring the sporty side of any style to life. Check out this post for more tips for looking like a champ without looking like you're coming back from a pickup game at school.

2. Warm Hues
Even if this season's so-hot brights are a bit much much for you, you can still embrace the fiery palettes lighting up the runways by choosing romantic color mediums like lace and chiffon to create an ensemble that is very easy on the eyes. 

3. Classic Silhouettes
Simplicity and sophistication are super-hot wardrobe staples now as always. Start with a sheath dress and then accentuate your mature shape with a well-fitting jacket for a look worthy of breakfast at Tiffany's. You could pull off this timeless style at a job interview or dinner out.

4. Crop Tops

Anyone can show a little skin, but try to rock a crop that goes outside the box this summer. Look for unique cropped styles such as polo necklines or asymmetrical hems to bring a new level of trendiness to a relaxed outfit. Layering is also a great option for more conservative fashionistas like me.

5. Short Chic

From shorts to rompers, summer's bottoms have a classy vintage pin-up vibe about them. Embrace it with well-tailored styles and nautical-inspired details like Breton tops and Sperry-style loafers. Don't forget a beach-ready hat!

I hope you enjoyed these fashion trend ideas and can incorporate them into some of your looks this summer and fall.


What's your favorite look that's hot right now? Tell me in the comments!

June 16, 2012

Wishlist: I Adorn You


Tell me this is not the most adorably romantic dress you have ever seen. I dare you.

Once again, ModCloth takes the cake in the "Cutest Dresses in the History of Ever" cakewalk. They are the go-to place for the perfect LBD, LRD (little red dress), LWD (little white dress), and basically any and all LCD (little cute dresses) your little heart could possibly desire. Haha, that's kind of funny because LCD is an actual thing--has to do with one of those big screen TVs that Josh wants, I believe.

Better than Little Sexy Dresses, am I right? I feel like LSD is not a good thing to advertise. I'm sure ModCloth's selection will seem even more magical after some of that action . . .

Alright, enough drug jokes for the Christian girl's blog.

The point is, what are your thoughts on ModCloth? Do you like the romantic, indie feel of their pieces, or do you like something more polished? Their price range is a whole other story. Basically, my relationship with ModCloth consists of the following:
  1. Drooling. 
  2. Telling Josh that for our next milestone anniversary he can skip the jewelry and buy me a ModCloth frock instead. 
  3. Resuming drooling.
And remember this one? Garden party dress? How romantic can you get?


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