31 Bits - Fashion for Good

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Every time we make a purchase we are choosing to support a person or a group of people. How cool is that?! Our money and what we value changes lives. Whether your are buying local, from a large corporation or from a socially conscious business you aren't just consuming you are supporting.

There are many brands that I love, but one of the companies that I love the most is 31 BITS. They create fashionable jewelry that supports women in Uganda. Not just supports, but they change their lives by offering healthcare, education and skills to support and sustain women. Doesn't that just make you want to donate your money let alone buy awesome jewelry?!

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You get both with 31 BITS.

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They just released their new collection for fall, and I'm in love. Just thinking about fall makes me happy. In fact, 31 BITS and I are partnering to bring you the latest fall fashions through Pinterest. Follow along and see what what trends we think are hot this year. Knits and boots are two of my favorite things this fall.

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You can also check out a fun Q & A where I share some of my favorite things about being a stylist, my top fall trends, and where I see myself in five years.

BIG thanks to Frances Vintage for this awesome maxi dress, clutch and rings. They also have awesome fall style coming into their store as I write this post. Go visit!

Amazing photos by Kym Ventola.

Get the look: sweater (a gift from my mom), maxi dress, clutch, bracelets, earrings

Young, Wild & Free

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Last week I shared a beautiful brand film for Jessica Daniels captured by Ale Vidal. Today, I'm sharing some images that Jess took the day of the shoot.

Jess really wanted to portray a girl who is adventurous and a free spirit for her brand film. A clothing brand that I really feel like embodies this is Free People. Thanks to Frances Vintage, we were able to work with all Free People clothing for this project. I'm in love with both of these dresses. The soft, flowy material was perfect for motion and further emphasized the "free bird" quality.

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Generally, I stay away from a black and white palette, but because this dress had a lot of detail and because we accessorized her to a great degree, it worked really well. Plus, the mint VW bus Jenny brought to the shoot created a bright pop of color for a background.

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Braids, natural makeup, stacked rings, a hat, booties...These were all of the details that came to my mind when I thought about this girl. Don't you just want to be friends with her?! Lea did such a great job of portraying this character.

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All in all this is my favorite shoot to date. It was just a joy to get lost in the details. Below is a little behind the scene pic of me and Ale creating a moment on set with Lea. If you haven't watched the film, go watch it here.

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Photography by Jessica Daniels // www.portland-vancouver-senior-portraits.com  Styling & Art Direction by Alexandra Evjen // www.avestyles.com

Hair by Jenny Strebe // www.theconfessionsofahairstylist.com Make up by Stephanie Neiheisel // www.snmakeupartist.com Model // Agency AZ (Lia Briehl) // www.theagencyaz.com Clothing and accessories supplied by Frances Vintage // www.francesvintage.com Calligraphy, hand drawn details by Alyssa Hodson

Bright Florals

If you peeked inside my closet you would see a bunch of solid colored pieces with a sprinkle of pattern here and there. I generally stick to a fall color palette since those complement my skin well, but this season I have ventured out of my comfort zone by wearing pastels and brights. I would like to say this experiment with brights was completely my idea, but it was actually the Alt Summit garden party that forced my hand to choose this floral dress from Lulu*s. You see, Alt Summit plans fabulous parties around themes, and this year's was a garden party where every person was encouraged to wear a floral print. I didn't have a single floral dress in my closet, but I didn't really have a budget to buy new clothes. Thankfully, I had some clothing credit left at Lulu*s, so I searched and searched on their site for the dress that I thought would suit my style the best and I came up with this brightly colored, shift dress.

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It actually reminds me of a recent Ted Baker print. I love that the neckline was modest, but that it gave me a chance to show off my newly toned legs thanks the past two months of workouts at Mountainside Fitness. It was a lady like frock with a loud color palette - the perfect balance of edge and sophistication. I also wore my strappy black shoes from Lulu*s. They definitely gave my calves a workout!

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I just happened to have a florescent orange Cambridge Satchel that Glamour Magazine gifted me last year. It surprisingly goes with a lot of things. Paired with my loud orange red nails and chunky rings, it was the first time I really felt like my accessories truly added to the outfit. The best accessory of all was this beautiful beaded statement necklace that Frances Vintage lent me just for this special occasion. They are THE best!

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While at the garden party an amazing photographer and expert Instagrammer, Sarah Deragon, captured my ensemble like a pro. She is SO talented and I wish she lived in Phoenix. She noticed the details in my accessories right away and really appreciated all of the fashion people showcased at the event. If you are looking to learn more about building your IG following, go check out her recap here.

Thanks Alt Summit for pushing me out of my comfort zone, thanks Lulu*s and Frances Vintage for being such wonderful places to shop. and thank you, Sarah, for capturing my outfit so well.

Photos by Sarah Deragon

Easter Outfit

Easter is coming this weekend. As a Christian, it's probably the most important holiday to me. I'm looking forward to wearing my Sunday best and celebrating that day Christ rose from the dead with my loved ones. Since it's so hot in Arizona already, wearing a dress or skirt is definitely my choice. I love this light-weight skirt from Frances Vintage with a picture of a field on it. It captures the essence of spring, and I added a polkadot chambray because it's my signature Alex piece.

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To check out more Easter outfit ideas, head on over to The Girls with Glasses blog. Some pretty amazing bloggers are sharing their picks for the special holiday.

Photos by Liz E. Studio

Graphic Tank 3 Ways

I made a new purchase last week from one of my favorite stores, Frances Vintage, and it has easily become my favorite thing in my closet. This graphic tank is so comfortable and made by a local artist. It was only $30.00! It has a picture of a skeleton the designer found in the desert and the geographic coordinates of where it was located. Cool, right? I love that by wearing it I'm supporting a local boutique, artist and Arizona. Sometimes these "edgier" pieces can be intimidating if you tend to be a bit more classic and feminine, so I thought I would show you how I style it three different ways.

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#1 Geek Chic - A classic blazer and jeans never goes out of style. Add this tank and some sandals to dress it down or put on pumps and jewelry to dress it up.

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#2 Femme - Wear a classic pencil skirt with it. You can tuck it in or untuck it and add a belt to define your waist. I wore my preppy oxfords from GAP, but wedges would look cute with it too. If you don't want to show off your body as much, choose a maxi skirt for comfort.

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#3 Indie - Overalls are a trend right now that I was a bit reluctant towards, but I really like them now. These overalls are by Free People and can be found at Frances as well.

Photos by Liz E Studio.

Tank and overalls from Frances Vintage.