Valentine's Day is tomorrow, and regardless of whether or not you have a sweetheart, you can look as sweet as can be. One easy way is to accessorize with bows. There's nothing that says, "I'm cute and sweet," like a bow.
Right now a big trend with these childhood classics is to place then just underneath your hair bun. Leather bows, floral bows, plaid bows...There is something for everyone. Have fun with it!
As guys, our wardrobes are far less subject to trends. The cut of our denim and the width of our ties seem to be the only variables for the most part, unlike our female companions, who face the whims of fashion head-on. The good news is that this means that we can buy better rather than more often, because the pieces we buy will last longer. Or they will if you're willing to prioritize.
Read MoreI've been on Pinterest for a year now, and I like I've said many times before, Pinterest has changed my life and my business in wonderful ways. One of the many ways it has changed my business is that I now make boards for clients and vendors as a service.
Why would someone ever pay for this kind of service you ask?
1. To visualize their personal style
2. For a shopping list of the latest trends to incorporate into their wordrobe
3. A visual uniform of what to wear to work, an engagement session, a holiday party, etc.
4. To see a summation of a vibe for a styled shoot
Below, is an example of a board I created for my friend Mike who wanted ideas for outfits he could wear to client meetings and to shoot weddings in. I put together a board that showed items that he should buy such as a crisp white oxford, chambray shirt, slacks, etc. I then sent him an email listing out all of the different combinations he could wear.
You might be saying to yourself, "Well, anyone can do this!" That's true. Anyone can sign up for Pinterest and make boards, but at the end of the day my job as a stylist is to bank on my artistic eye. I mean, all of you get dressed in the morning, right? But, I have to hope that the way I visualize outfits is more appealing. My growth in followers on Pinterest has definitely affirmed this thankfully because otherwise I might have to start thinking about a different career. haha!
Having a fashion stylist create a look book or style board for you is an extremely affordable way to get personal style advice tailored to your needs. After getting to know someone through email, phone or in person (depending on where you are located), in an hour or two I can create a shopping list and/or visualization of outfits that would look wonderful on you.
This service really came about from several requests from photographers, friends and social media followers. I'm happy to say that they are satisfied customers, and I would LOVE to make one for you!!!
To learn more about my pricing, shoot me an email, alexandra@avestyles.com. I'm also happy to offer this to photographers, planners, or agencies that would like to incorporate this service into their pricing packages!
Last year, I blogged about how cat-eye sunglasses were the shades to sport. Well, trends to move quickly sometimes, and already we are seeing a shift to round sunglasses. Ultimately, you have to pick the shades that are best for your face shape, but it definitely is nice when trends happen to coincide with your God-given looks.
Check out some style inspiration below, and tell me if you think you'll be buying into this sunny trend. (Images found on The Electric)
I'm continuing yesterday's post on how to style three outfits using one central piece of clothing. This time I'm in front of the camera and Alejandra took the pictures. I've chosen to focus on stripes. Stripes are continuing to be huge in fashion, and you no longer have to fear them.
I decided to style three different outfits based on different types of personal style such as preppy, artsy and feminine. I did this because I know a lot of outfit posts that you see on fashion blogs showcase great style, but you may not personally relate to it. I wanted to create something for everyone with this exercise.
1. The Bold Artist - Combining bright colored pants and mismatched patterns is definitely bold, but it's also so fun. I'm the person that likes to dress for their mood, and sometimes I get the urge to put unusual things together to express my spunky attitude. 
The great thing about black and white striped shirts is that they truly go with everything.
Now, I would classify my everyday style as preppy, so this look comes straight from my usual line up of outfits.
I love my jeggings, I love wearing blazers and I often wear neck scarves. To me, this is an easy, classic outfit that I know I can rely on for style and comfort.
Last, but not least, is a very feminine east coast outfit. Tweed is one of my favorite things about fall and winter. So, I put my long-sleeved shirt underneath my tweed jumper, added some colored tights, and topped it off with some classic round-toe pumps. So feminine, flirty and happy.
Don't forget that your shirts can often go underneath things and not just over them.
I hope you enjoyed this mini series and are inspired to create outfits from your closet. A little creativity could spare you a shopping trip and money!
To hear from Alejandra what it was like to photograph this experience, click here.
Inspiration and ideas by stylist Alexandra on fashion, jewelry, beauty, lifestyle, home décor and more…
