“Classy and Fabulous”

I believe in learning every inch about one’s craft. To be a writer one must read just as much as they write to consider themselves skilled. My craft is writing about fashion, living fashion, breathing fashion and thus reading and researching fashion as much as possible. I started loving clothes from an early age, but I entered the fashion world during my tweens. I started realizing the influence of the industry, fashion designers and styling. I was given books like “How to Be Lovely,” “Style 101,” and “Best Kept Beauty Secrets.” I learned how to do my make up from Bobbi Brown’s book for teenage girls, so while my friends were smearing on tons of eyeliner I followed Bobbi’s idea of less is more. There is still always more to learn. While Christmas shopping I stumbled upon mountains of Fashion literature I have yet to get my hands on. In true shopaholic fashion I bought way too many of them and still wanted more.

"The Gospel According to CoCo Chanel" by Karen Karbo. One of the most influential women in the Fashion industry, Chanel is a world renowned brand.

"Style A to Zoe." If you've read my blog before, you have read my excerpt on Rachel Zoe and how I adore her styling abilties. I bought this book on Tuesday and have read the entire thing. Amazing, just like her!

"Fashion, A Philosophy" by Lars Svendsen. "Clothes are a vital part of the social construction of the self...All of us have to express in some way who we are via our visual appearance."

"Fashion 101." This book describes and depicts every piece of clothing in exsistence, from caftans to every type of dress, skirt, pant etc. A great reference.

"Vogue Fashion." Because you can't study fashion without studying Vogue, it's impossible.

"The Fashion Book" by Phaidon Press. A to Z, designers, clothes, photographers, and models. Comes in handy!

So if you are a burgeoning fashionista or just want to learn more about the fashion industry I recommend picking up one of these books or discovering one of the hundred others out there!

Reese Part II

A continuation of the “Reese Witherspoon Hair Style Gallery,” as I like to call it. We will go even further back to review the many phases of Reese’s gorgeous locks!

A cute little pomp with shoulder length locks.

A sleek ponytail with blunt bangs.

A cool, relaxed bob.

Long seductive flowing locks.

Gigantic curls.

An every-day look, long layers with a flip.

A slicked back bob.

Reese with darker brown hair.

A choppy bob.

There are many more looks of Reese but this a my short gallery of photos, which I think represents her versatile hair.

Reese

I am appauled at the recent rumors of a break up between Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal! I think they are the cutest, most wholesome star couple. But all entertainment issues aside (this is a style blog after all) there are too many things to love about Reese. I fell in love with Reese the second she stepped onto the silver screen in hot pink heels as “Legally Blonde” when I was in my tweens. Of course she’d been acting long before that; Reese has starred in films such as, “The Man in the Moon,” “Pleasantville,” “Cruel Intentions,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Vanity Fair,” “Walk the Line,” and more recently, “Four Christmases.” Being in film for that long of time we have watched her style evolve with her age, but the one constant she has held onto is her great hair. There is no hair style Reese Witherspoon cannot pull off! Trust me, I have twenty photos to prove it and I wish I could post even more. This most likely will have to be a two parter, so bear with me!

More recently, Reese with long locks and blunt bangs.

Reese with shorter hair and big curls framing her face.

A sophisticated up-do, with a side part and swept bangs.

Channeling Marilyn Monroe with a glam 50's hairstyle.

A fun, youthful look. Voluminous hair with a tight headband.

Sleek pompadour and bun.

Soft, waves with a side swept bang blended into the hair.

Middle part up-do, with little free wisps of hair.

A more casual look, half-up half-down with a subtle tousle.

The 90′s

The 90′s for me growing up with two older sisters was all about the grunge look. Big button ups and t-shirts, ripped jeans and leather jackets. It wasn’t punk, it was “roll out of bed in the morning and put on what you wore last night, and don’t bother running a comb through your hair.” Some say the 90′s did not really have a signature look, but this is what reminds me of that period in my life.

Ugh, the 90's

Now my version:

BDG Plaid Flannel

BDG Faux Leather Hooded Bomber

Urban Renewal Grommet Denim Vest

The Original Doc Martens (both my sisters owned a pair of these)

Oversized Van Halen T-shirt

BDG Blue Green Cigarette Jean

Once again, all the clothes from my versions for the 50′s, 60′s, 70′s, 80′s and 90′s can be found at Urban Outfitters online! I hope you enjoyed this series and got a chuckle out of the ones who came before!

The 80′s

The 80′s oh what can I say about the 80′s??? hmmm, it should possibly be ripped out of the fashion history books forever. That’s a little extreme, but then again so were the trends that walked through this decade. It was all about boldness, broad shoulders, bright colors, huge gawdy accessories and big hair. Looking back, I can’t really say I know someone who looked good in the 80′s, but here we go.

Women of the 80's

Now my version:

Silence & Noise Strong Shoulder Dress

Urban Renewal Oversized Slouch Blazer in Liquid Gold

Silence & Noise Velvet Dress

Urban Renewal Ruffle Shoulder Bodycon Dress

Knot Studs

Silence & Noise Sequin Shirt

Spring Break Sunglasses

The 60′s & 70′s

The 60′s & 70′s issued the second wave in the Women’s Movement, sexual freedom, the right to chose, and experimental drug usage. This spurred a new fashion trend for women in which their clothes did not have to be so structured, women “burned their bras,” and embraced their sexual prowess. All of these movements were translated into the fashions of these two decades.

The 60's

The 70's

Now my version:

Deena & Ozzy hat

Kimichi and Blue Vintage Tweed Dress

Deena & Ozzy Leather boots

Vintage Flower Posts

Double Braided Head Wrap

Ecotre Scarf Dress

Fletcher by Lyell

Decade by Decade Mini Series: 50′s, 60′s, 70′s, 80′s, 90′s

To make up for all the lost blogging in the past few weeks I have decided to do a mini series on fashion. For many people trends tend to come and go year by year, but what many do not realize is that trends recycle. So please, do your future daughters a favor and save your best pieces instead of trashing them, they’ll appreciate it later. I chose one store to find modern outfits that emulate the trends of the 50′s, 60′s & 70′s, 80′s and 90′s to show that trends which were born 50 years ago are still alive today (with a little twist of course). Let’s get started!

The 50′s: Norman Rockwell, full A-line skirts, pearls and florals, Happy Days…all things that come to mind. The quintessential 50′s house wife with the perfect hair, doing the dishes in pumps and a strand of pearls.

The model.

Now my version:

Kimichi and Blue Lace Dress

Cocktail hair clip

Painted Floral Studs

This modern dress emulates the 50′s A-line silouette, the cinched waist and the cap sleeves, but to put a new spin on it black lace was chosen to give it an edgy vibe. This hairclip is key to the 50′s look, if not a hair clip, a hair pin would be used or a plain headband of sorts. 50′s hair was clean, classy and perfectly pinned. To top it all off a petite pair of studs, whether they be floral like these or pearls. All of these items can be found at Urban Outfitters online.

The Twins!

If your mind went automatically to Hef’s new girlfriends then please leave this blog right now. No, I am talking about the famous moguls, Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen! From birth they have been loved in homes all across America. I grew up with them and have loved them every step of the way, except for that horrible movie “A New York Minute” or something like that. I have admired their evolution of style from “Two of A Kind” to “Holiday in the Sun” to now! They believe that fashion should be fun and they don’t let trends dictate their wardrobe. Ashley once said in an article, that she walks into her closet each morning and puts on whatever she feels like wearing that day. Although every now and again they will step out in some crazy get up that even I can not comprehend I applaud their fearless attitudes and hope many more would acquire their courageous view on clothing!

Ashley Olsen

Mary Kate Olsen

Ashley's Photo Shoot

 

Mary Kate

Mary Kate & Ashley

The Twins in Shades

All dressed up!

Always in the Cool.

 

My Apologies, then Onward!!

My sincerest apologies for the long break from my last post, work has seemed to avalanche in the last few weeks leaving me barely enough time to sleep let alone blog. I am also in the process of filing years and years of magazine articles and photographs into several look books. But back to business!

So as we all know by now I am a self proclaimed shopaholic! In the midst of my Holiday shopping I couldn’t resist passing up on sale prices and ordering a little something for myself! Usually I would pass on the teen brand Abercrombie & Fitch, as I used to work there and quit due to the horrific smell plaguing my brain for 8 to 10 hours, not to mention the way way way too loud god awful music. However, sometimes they have extremely comfy basics, and if they aren’t printed over a million times with the AF logo I’ll pick them up on sale to lounge around in! So here are my recent purchases!

An oversized sweater vest, that I plan to pair with a white long sleeve T, dark skinny jeans and knee high boots!

A cream colored, embellished sweater that I can throw over anything on the go!

These I happen to be wearing right now (sorry, TMI) and are incredibly comfy! I love how they taper at the bottom!

This plain grungy t-shirt I plan to wear under a cute jacket for a casual look!

I also bought a very cute button up sweat shirt with a huge collar instead of a hood, but by the time I went back to get the photo it was sold out and the picture gone! Here are some items I am currently considering purchasing.

Love sequins + Love vests = their Love child

This heavy sweater vest reminds me of the bulky sweaters my older sister used to wear when I was young. I love the thick knit.

This is a perfect plaid for Holiday season, any other time of the year you might look like Farmer John.

New obsession: wrap around scarves that have no end, they are chunky and bulky and look great over any t-shirt!