Award-Winning Dress!

Super-fabulous news: I had entered my newest dress in FCCLA Sectionals and won 1st place in my category. In April I went to State Competition for a few days and my dress won Gold! The total score was 93/100 and both the judges loved it…. in one of the result pages one judge gave me ‘10+++++’ out of 10 for Fit! I am very pleased with the results and plan to use the pattern again – excellent. The dress is 1950’s casualwear-inspired, the fabric is navy and white cotton, includes ruching, mandarin collar. puff sleeves, and darts. Tell me what you think! * terribly sorry looking so…disheveled in this photo! At the time I was battling a cold…therefore my hair is a mess..ick. NOT fab.

Latest Trends, And How You Can Wear Them!

As of April 2009: As always, there are new trends showing up in everything from Lucky to Vogue to InStyle… and I just couldn’t wait to share them all with you! Of course, only the fabulous ones. Spring is finally here, so it’s time to pack away those puffers and bring out the belted trench coats!

(Creative) Canvas Sneaks : These  shoes mix just the right amount of casual with cute…even Nike has come out with a special limited-edition floral pair! Wear them with jeans or a sundress in creative textures/prints (metallic, floral, two-tone, or neon).

Cropped ‘Cigarette’ Pants: (NOT to be confused with ‘capri pants’) Similiar to skinny jeans, but should have a clingy (rather than skintight) fit. They end about two inches above the ankle (tighter at the end with zips or buttons up the side) and look surprisingly flattering with ballet flats.

Cropped Jackets: These should have a looser, boxier fit to them in order to take advantage of their full layering potential (especially in this unpredictable weather). Any solid color is great, and should end at the smallest part of your waist to further emphasize it. Looks fab with a light dress or denim trousers.

Sailor-Inspired Pieces: What do sailors wear? Stripes! Whether it’s a little navy blue/white collared blouse or a pair of button-front cotton trousers, these add class to any ensemble. Skirts or easy-breezy button-up blouses made out of seersucker fabric also look terrific. 

Pretty Watercolor-Print Skirts: Wear them with simple tees tucked in (should come up to your natural waist) with shorter hemlines. These can be found with pleats or drapes and with a variety of colors, but any way you wear them just gives off a joyful vibe!

Must- See Movies for Fashionistas

There are so many great films out there that display a timeless sense of style throught wardrobe. Edith Head, a well-known costume designer in mid-century movies, was responsible for some of the great looks we see on stars of the time. And although old classics are wonderful, some fabulous style is also shown in more current films. The list is as follows…make sure to hit up Blockbuster after you finish reading!

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY (1961)

BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967)

FUNNY FACE (1957)

TO CATCH A THIEF (1955)

CLUELESS

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (duh)

REAR WINDOW

Personal Style

In today’s fashion world, there exists a multitude of different styles, shops, and accessories that can help build ones personal fashion identity, or ‘look’. Creating your look requires thought: it can affect your approachability and how others ‘categorize’ you. It’s important that your ensemble of choice reflects the image you want to be represented as. For example, a quiet preppie girl wearing black goth boots and a ripped crimson minidress held together by safety pins? Um…doesn’t WORK. Not to say that you should resign yourself to a slight variation of the same outfit every day; mixing it up can be super fun if done well! The point is, balance is key.  Here are some examples of great looks and what they consist of:

PREPPIE: Usually associated with school/college apparel (like from the 1950s, not the horrible school hoodies of 2008). Ballet flats, pleated skirts, moccasin flats, cute cardigans, hair ribbons,knee socks, straightened hair, french manicures. Colors- navy, cream, pretty much just neutral solid colors.

BOHO: Very hippie-chic and free spirited. Flowy tops, knee high boots, wavy ‘beach’ hair, wide’leg trouser jeans, long skirts, cute embellished sandals, embroidery, ‘natural’ looking jewelry (long layered necklaces, leaf patterns, ect.), floral patterns, much layering. Colors – Khaki, green, anything soft.

MOD: Reminiscint of  sixties futuristic apparel. Color-block, jewel tones,ankle boots, cutout shapes, black, berets, straight lines and trapeze-cut jackets, flipped hair with volume, miniskirts (NOT denim), the whole ‘gamine’ look, strong eyeliner and pale lip colors.

 

FEMININE/ROMANTIC: Wannabe Juliets, this is your genre! Characterized by floaty fabrics, subtle florals, and frothy, light layering. Colors: pale pink, cream, pastels (but don’t fear bolder colors), elaborate trimmings and embellishments, bows (not overdone), waist-emphasising silhouettes, sweetheart necklines,lace, silk, french manicures.

 

ECLECTIC: Trendy and very hard to pull off. Different patterns mixed (such as leopard print with florals), edgy, sleek hairstyles, blazers, tights (not leggings; leggings are very OUT), silk dresses with Converse, mini vests, long scarves, think Kate Moss and Agnes Deyn. Colors: well, any!

Also – These are only a few of the numerous styles out there. If you are categorized as one of these, feel free to break the mold. Come to school one day with something a little different than your usual attire: experimenting is good.

New Sketches…..

Here are a few more sketches…..leave comments telling me if you would wear the clothes….thanks!

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes!

As you all know, there are TONS of footwear styles in stores right now. Some are super-stylish, but others can lead right to a dreaded fashion disaster! Yes, even though they are worn on your cute little pedicured feet, shoes can MAKE or BREAK the entire look of your outfit. Example: A trendy rayon-silk blend blouse tucked into a black pencil skirt with a patent-leather headband and…………..Crocs. Obviously this is a rather extreme example, but it just proves that SHOES ARE IMPORTANT. Some rules that should always be followed: (1) Never wear socks with ballet flats or heels, (2) Be careful with shoes that cut you off at the ankle….this can make a leg look very thick and is hard to wear for most. (3)Heels should not exceed 6 inches unless you want to look as if you have a questionable profession, (4) Shoes don’t always have to match your handbag, and (5) Save those large white running shoes for the gym.

Anyway, here are some of the footwear trends for this fall and winter………..

*Pointy flats

*Mod suede pumps

*Riding boots (ends about to mid-kneecap)

*Patent leather flats

*Subtle flat boots (channeling 60’s Beatles go-go boots)

And remember: cute shoes can also be found at stores like even Payless! However, if you want the shoe to last a longer time span, go to a better-quality shop such as Aldo. Their shoes are very well made, mold to the shape of your feet after time (which cheap synthetic shoes will not do), and range from about $25 to $150. This is a way to have expensive-looking shoes (think Prada and Jimmy Choo) without spending thousands of dollars. Enjoy!

Jacqueline Goes Shopping..

So I had a few bucks to spare and……..spent it on fashion! Really, what else do you expect? Anyway, here are some of my purchases….

*grey ruched pencil skirt

*white/tangerine striped knit vest

*cream blouse

*classic stovepipe jeans in indigo

*high waisted pleated blue cotton skirt

*white pintucked blouse

I was super psyched that I actually could check off some of the items on my School Clothes List (always tucked neatly in my oversized black/white snakeskin bag). Now I need to find a new pair of pointy ballet flats, cardigans, and a blazer with contrasting piping (so VERY Phillip Lim).

Wish me luck!

Some IN Items Worth Noting

Here are some of the hottest new trends seen on the streets, on the runway, and in your favorite mags- with commentary by me!

FLORAL-PATTERNED TIGHTS: these can look really cute when in a dark color with a faint, ladylike print of flowers. Be careful: they can make a large leg look even bigger, and should be worn with a more muted skirt or dress to make them the star piece of your ensemble.

CRAZY SKINNY JEANS: Can be very cool when in solid colors like neon blue, pink, and even white, but avoid ones with SUPER wild plaids (such as those seen on the House of Holland runway) because only very skinny, long-legged people can actually get away with it.

ENVELOPE CLUTCHES:are wide, flat clutch bags that (yes) look like envelopes. These are chic for everywhere from the workplace to parties. They can be purchased in glossy patent leather, detailed embroidery, sequined…….pretty much anything you can imagine.

POINTY BALLET FLATS: these are (gasp) even better than standard ballet flats: the pointy toe elongates the leg and can make even the most basic outfit look polished. Buy as many as possible!
BOHO TOPS: are flowy blouses usually made of cotton, with embroidery near the neck or sleeves, incorporating a keyhole neckline. Wear with darker colored bottoms to offset the pattern.

Two Design Sketches by me

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These are some of my sketches for dresses…..Don’t know if I can actually make these, because my sewing skills aren’t advanced as some of the techniques shown in the sketches……But I’m getting there!

Fashion on a Budget….what do I do???

Because of all the problems with the economy(those darn gas prices!), middle-class fashionistas such as myself are faced with a problem: how do we go shopping with a super-tight budget?
Well, there are totally do-able solutions.
1)Shop at stores such as Forever 21 (the poor girl’s Marc Jacobs), Steve&Barry’s, H&M, and Aldo. You can find really cute clothes/shoes that are under $100 and are up-to-date. My personal favorite is Forever 21: their stuff is unbelievably cool and great pricing too (I just scored an awesome black and white dress for $26!)
2) Remember, if you feel shameful for not buying your WHOLE wardrobe from Bergdorfs, you don’t have to tell ANYBODY that you bought those wide leg trouser jeans for $29. A little mystery is good (“Where are those ah-mazing jeans from? Are they Sevens?”……”Oh, I just picked them up at this one place the other day…I forget the name…”) and sometimes you really can’t tell the difference between jeans that cost $300 and cute jeans that you got for $30.