One Piece Three Ways

It's about time that I actually did some how-to style posts don't you think? My good friend Alejandra Vidal of Imaginale Design approached me with the idea of using one piece of clothing in three different looks. So, I took her up on the idea. She came over to my house with a suitcase of clothes and asked me to work my magic with what she brought.

The piece that her three outfits revolve around is an awesome dusty coral blazer. I'm going to do my best to explain the inter-workings of my mind. haha. I hope you find it helpful.

Oh, and a little side note...I took the pictures of Alejandra! Maybe there's a bit of a photographer in me after all.

First up is a spring transitional look. I paired the blazer with an oxford button-down, so the top part of the outfit looks very classic and sophisticated. However, I juxtaposed tattered shorts and booties for some easy edge. Opposites do attract!

For her next look, I grabbed a gold sequined top, black skinny jeans and some black "wow factor" shoes.

This outfit fits with Alejandra's personality the most. She loves a bit of sparkle and a bit of edge in everything.

Gold is a really hot color right now and preferred over silver in the fashion world. So, if you see something gold grab it.

This outfit would be great for drinks and dinner with friends or a date night. It's a great balance of femininity and boldness.

Her last look is perfect for client meetings, but isn't boring in the slightest.

I saw this beautiful pastel dress she had, and it looked lovely with the blazer, but it needed a bit more. With the addition of the navy cardigan and belt, the outfit was taken to the next level. Without the sweater it would be a great summer look, but not the best to wear right now.

In this season of fashion it's all about mixing and matching patterns (you can read about it here), so I thought her round-toe leopard pumps were perfect. The brown tones still fit into the color equation.

You could even add some knit tights to this look to make it work for winter.

Check out Alejandra's post about her experience being styled by me, and how it felt to be put in outfits she would never put together herself.

Also, tomorrow I'll showcase some outfits I put together for myself. Yep, I'm in front of the camera this time. eek!

Trash the Dress - Winter Wonderland

Imagine this...30 degrees, snow falling with a foot of snow already on the ground, a beautiful bride in a strapless wedding dress, a handsome man in a black suit, one stylist and two photographers all trampling through the snow to capture love and to trash a wedding dress.

True story! Thankfully The Troyans, our beautiful couple, did not get frost bite. It was totally worth freezing all of our butts off.

Jason and Jessica of Session Nine Photography and I came together to give Rachel and Mikis a anniversary/trash-the-dress shoot they would love.

Jason and Jessica approached Rachel and Mikis with the idea of going up North to the snow. They loved the idea.

So, for clothing, I knew that we would use the dress and suit Rachel and Mikis wore for their wedding day. We just made sure to bring accessories such as scarves, hats, gloves, blankets and belts to bring this winter wonderland concept to life.

I did a touch of visualization using pinterest to see the elements come together, see here.

From there, I made as many combinations as we could with the props and accessories. I always try to give the photographers and clients as much variety as possible. Sometimes the outfit that you love the most won't translate on camera as well as your second favorite. So, try them all if you have time.

Other than having a fabulous couple, the location really made the photos. We happened to come across the perfect spot of wooded forest and right next to it was this AMAZING, old barn where we got some of my favorite shots of Rachel.

We ended the shoot as sopping wet messes, but had so much fun! I definitely encourage you artists out there to change your environment and walk on the wild side for a day. It will leave you with some great memories and will rejuvenate your creativity.

To see more photos from the shoot, visit Session Nine Photography's blog.

Top Button

You don't want to forget that top button on your oxford these days. "But I'll look like a total nerd," you say. YEP! That's the point. Looking like you're part of the geek squad is fashion forward. Whether it's a shirt dress or a typical oxford, that top button is an easy indicator as to whether you're more fashion forward than you're co-worker. DISCLAIMER - If you have a larger bust line you may want to stay away from this trend all together.

Check out some trend inspiration below.

All images from The Electric

ALT SUMMIT PART 2: New favorites

When you meet new people you usually learn new things. Hanging with creative people for five days at Alt Summit gave me the chance to find out about some new talent on the web, new blog addictions and new magazine favorites. I'm going to share them with you, so make sure to thank me later. I prefer Madewell gift cards, yellow neon accessories and pretty coffee table books if you need some ideas.

1. KINFOLK Magazine - This pretty read has to be one of the most artistic and lovely magazines on the market right now. It's not just a good read though. Kinfolk is changing the way magazines impact readers by hosting community events around the globe   to build community with those that share the same likes and art. Check it out!

Kinfolk Manifesto from Kinfolk on Vimeo.

2. LA PETITE Magazine - This is the first magazine devoted to children's fashion, DIY projects and parenting that is just as artistic and beautiful as some of my favorite monthly fashion reads. Rachelle's taste takes this magazine to another level, free from the clutter of cheesy trucks, frogs and hot pink that we usually see walking up and down the kids' aisle in stores. You'll want to flip through all of the issues after one click.

3. SIMPLY GROVE - An interior design blog written by Kirsten Grove, and interior stylist in Boise, Idaho. Kirsten is one of the sweetest people that I met at Alt Summit, along with her cousin Rachelle (La Petite). She has impeccable taste and loves the Scandinavian design aesthetic.

4. TULIP LOUISE - This is a blog by a fellow stylist that has that southern charm you just can't deny. She regularly posts pictures of her outfits that always incorporate a bit of glam and sweetness.

5. Lisa Congdon - an artist and illustrator whose work is so whimsy and thoughtful. There are so many cute prints in her etsy shop that I would love to own. Hopefully one of them will be mine soon. =)

Center Part

Hair trends don't come and go as quickly as clothing trends. Thank goodness because my hair grows as slow as molasses! But when they do arise you know it because everyone starts sporting them. Remember when zebra stripe highlights and pixie cuts were popular? Let's just be honest, neither of those look good on the majority of people.

However, the latest hair trend, center parts, usually do. Hurray! Something that we can actually take part in without sacrificing our lovely locks. You may have already been enjoying this hairstyle because it's a pretty timeless look, but for a lot of us, including myself, side parts have been our staple - maybe even with side swooped bangs.

So, why make the switch?

Check out this side by side comparison of Anne Hathaway deviating from her side part to a center one. So much more modern if you ask me.

So, what do you think? Are you going to move your part over a couple of centimeters?