How To Avoid the Sandy Blues

By Jacqueline Davis Moranti

If you live on the East coast like I do, then I'm pretty sure you're aware of the current weather situation.  Hurricane Sandy aka "Frankenstorm" has us stuck, at home, catching up on our favorite shows and walking around the house in our pajamas. Being a blogger and a type A person, I constantly feel the need to photograph and go out, but right now safety is what matters, during this severe storm. Before cabin fever ensues, how can you make great use of all that time indoors? Here's a few suggestions!

1) Clean your bedroom. My bedroom has been neglected far too long!

2) Exercise, get in a pilates, yoga, etc workout. Now is a good time to pull out the weights.

3) Reading, finish reading that book you've been meaning to get to, but never had the time. Or in my case, get up to date with the news!

4) Work on your calendar, time to manage your schedule and set goals. Set some strategic plans for anything whether it be personal or professional. 

5) Straighten out that resume/ portfolio. You never know when that dream job will present itself!

Let me know readers, if you're on the east coast what are your stay at home plans? If you're not on the east coast, what would you do in a case such as this?

                                                                                                            Xoxo,

                                                                                                              Jacqui

To Be or Not to Be...

by Jacqueline Davis- Moranti

Growing up, I was constantly told by my family and family friends that I have "bad" hair. The truth of the matter is, that many little girls with kinky, curly, or coily hair are told everyday by their peers and the media that their hair is undesirable. Many girls who aren't born with smooth, long locks choose to hide it, by way of chemicals and/ or wigs. I too had succumbed to the pressure of trying to look the way  everyone wanted me to look. All that did for me was years of split ends and lackluster  hair. It just was not me. Then one day it hit me, why should I continue maintaing lackluster hair when I can have huge, bad ass, healthy hair?

Unfortunately because of the media's encouragement of sleek hair, many employers lump natural hair with tattoos and peircings. I'll admit that for many of my professional outings and interviews, i've hidden my hair in buns, or bunny tails for fear of being judged on the sole fact of the tiny curls that sprout from my scalp. It's just such a shame that a lot of us are brainwashed from childhood, to believe that the only way to be pretty and successful is by keeping our hair straight! Thank goodness I don't believe in conformity!

For me, I was in college--- that pretty much sums it all up! I was just too busy to wake up every morning and straighten my strands, make sure they laid down the right way, smooth, flyaway free... it got too hectic. Then one day, I cut it off and started fresh. Boy were those months awkward! But i'm never looking back! 

"We really need to move forward in the language of what beauty is. Beauty is such a minefield for a lot of people that we think it says something about the inner person, and it really doesn't."

-Iman

Photos courtesy of Chaucee Stillman

Ps.... I know I've been a bit lagging in my posts but that's only because i've been busy since i've been given the title of lead fashion stylist for Stardust Magazine! I've been doing tons of pre production work and now is when the fun part happens, photoshoots! Can't wait for this issue to be completed and show you all! If you want to keep up to date with me and what's happening, check out my Instagram! (Button on the right side)

                                                                                                                      Xoxo,

                                                                                                                         Jacqui

Starving Artist?

trench: thrifted, top: American Apparel, jeans: Anthropologie, belt: Club Monaco,  necklace: thrifted,  oxfords: Steve Madden

Until recently, the saying, "keep it simple, " didn't mean much more to me than what it obviously states.  You know how nowadays everyone is hopping on the bandwagon of the latest diet craze? Yes, I too have been vulnerable to juicing, cleansing, low carbs, gluten free, low calories, fasting, ugh it's crazy what we, as humans do to loose weight!
Guess what, I lost weight with out even worrying about it. I kept it simple by exercising, I love my pilates, and eating satiable portions.... Well, that's debatable since i've honestly been too busy to eat as much as I was used to. That's actually the secret, being a busy bee! Sounds great, right? The only thing is, now I need to seriously update my bottoms wardrobe! My credit card is going to burn! Anyone looking for a new pair of jeans? I have plenty!
Remember readers, to keep it simple! Don't stress out about it and what ever it is your're pining for, will come to you.

                                                                                                                         Xoxo,
                                                                                                                            Jacqui

Getting Intimate With Skin

By jacqueline Davis Moranti

This season I have been noticing many retailers and designers with clothes made of animal skin. The use of animal skin in fashion has been around for ages, literally. From the dawn of time, man started out wearing animal pelt, it was the only way to clothe yourself back then. If you think about it, fashion has gone barbaric, by making fur coats, crocodile loafers, python skirts, rabbit fur hats and the list goes on!

In my honest opinion, I'm not a fan of wearing animal skin. I know you might be thinking, shoes are made of leather that comes from cows. While yes, that is true, cows are one of the few animals that are farmed for their skin. Since cows are farmed and grown locally, we don't have to worry about an extinction of the beloved black and white, dairy producer.

These are actual photos of my reptiles.

Most of you might not know this little tidbit about me, my BF and I are proud owners of pythons, how many.... I won't say! Our pythons are the sweetest and most intelligent animals we've come to know, sorry Chibi! My fascination with pythons grew from the predisposition of fear that many of us have with anything that slithers and flickers a forked tongue. It also helps that I have a BF that knows everything there is to know about them.

Designers such as Gucci, Prada, Donna Karan, Roberto Cavalli, and Yves Saint Laurent have fashioned snakeskin into boots, belts, bags and much more. They're encouraging illegal trades from south Asia and animal cruelty. Did you know that once captured, the snakes are skinned alive? Reptiles are known for being able to survive many hardships, you can imagine the suffering they can withstand. They are left to die, which an last from 2-3 days... such troopers. Alot of the companies that allow this act of cruelty to happen claim that the snakes are farmed, which in fact is not true. The care for snakes cost a lot and when plucked out of their natural habitat, they do really poor and are susceptible of sicknesses. 

Wearing 100% animal skin, just isn't my thing, I just can not see myself condoning that practice to look good and be a part of the "in" crowd. Faux fur/skin all the way. These animals need their skin more than we do, why should we continue barbaric actions for the sake of fashion in the 21st century? Don't we have the technology to recreate the look and feel of these animal skins? I'm not going to lie, I still love a lot of these designers and retailers' work, I just won't support the purchase of their animal skinned products. 

Readers, let me know how you feel about this?

                                                                                                                          Xoxo,
                                                                                                                              Jacqui

Camouflage Print

by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

One of this season's biggest comeback is the camouflage print! It was a big thing in the 90's, think big, baggy, fatigues. Ugh, that reminds me of my high school days! Tons of retailers, like my personal favorite, Nastygal are reintroducing this print in a more interesting way by applying it to blazers and jackets, skirts and skinny, fatigue pants. It can seem like a difficult trend, but once you understand that camouflage is a neutral, the pairings are endless!

I've compiled four different looks with this awesome camouflage jacket i've found thrifting! The bottom  left is probably my favorite look because one might think that this print is geared towards the more Bohemian girl but if paired the right way, you can get a great polished, girly look! I put the camo jacket underneath a trench coat, it undermines the print so that it's not too overwhelming. Under the jackets I have a pink sequined sweater with a collared blouse to "girl" it up. Then finish the look off with a pair of olive green, skinny fatigue pants and a feminine, wing tipped shoe and you're good to go!

The bottom right one, is also very interesting because it plays with different patterns. Thin stripes and chunky stripes balance out the camo pattern, underneath a fun fur vest! Having fun with the pattern is what makes this look really enjoyable.

The top right look is a great, and unique date look. I've paired a little black, sheath dress with the camo jacket and a soft, suede vest. This is look that many will say defines me the most, "You're such a 'hippie" as my mother would say! Why not have fun with that little black dress?

Top left outfit pairs the camo jacket with a brightly colored dress. Bright colors with a neutral, in this case camouflage green, go hand in hand. It's a great combination because, camouflage was traditional used to bland in with the environment, but we fashionistas want to stand out and what better way than to glow?

Remember ladies, if you're going to try out this camouflage trend, have fun with it and mix it up! Let me know how you wear your camo!

                                                                                                                    Xoxo,

                                                                                                                      Jacqui

Where the Creatives Unite.

For the past eight years, Philadelphia has hosted the Design Philadelphia Festival. Philadelphia is full and brimming with new and old artistic individuals. Philly's reputation of a strong and creative community is abundantly growing! Design Philadelphia Festival spans over 5 days with over 120 events, no possible way to attend all of them but that is what makes it an exciting and truly unique experience. You set your itinerary to satisfy your artistic curiosity. This festival features artists of all kinds, from industrial designers to fashion designers, painters to innovators, making for a great wealth of opportunity for design inquiries. I love being in a room full of creatives, it is truly inspiring, and I have to say it makes me miss my undergrad years. Events such as this, I believe is crucial to the city of brotherly love, because it shows that art is inspirational and important to a lot of us, as it is a sense of community. 

"DesignPhiladelphia demonstrates, supports and promotes the ability that design has to generate innovation, solve problems, enhance daily life, and influence both the perception and economics of the region." 

Last night's kick off event featured an exhibit on sustainable design, and it also featured a Socially Responsible Fashion Showcase (So Re Fa) , it was really exciting, it was something you had to see in person to really experience and understand it. 

Artist, Jesse Rose Lentz, next to her piece.

I love industrial designs, the more unique and strange, the better it is! I once took an industrial design class, first project was to create a lamp with non traditional sources and it had to be functional too... it was not my forte to say the least. When I saw artist, Jesse Rose Lentz's piece on the wall I was truly befuddled! I was glad to find the "Turn Them" sticker underneath. Interactivity is the key with any successful design. Her piece was all about taking toys that kids and adults both love and turning it into something useful and entertaining once again. There were music boxes from old snow globes and jewelry chests as far back as 1960's to now, the viewer could turn the knob from any knob at multiple times to create their very own orchestra of music! It was really cool. 

D' Agostino Fashion Textile Design

CherylAna organic atelier

I love that fashion designers are turning to more organic and environmentally friendly resources for their work. The So Re Fa fashion show was all about that, they showcased six amazing local designers and the Fall collection from one of my favorite local boutiques (Arcadia Boutique). 

And ofcourse, what I wore....

Vest/jacket: DIY, dress: thrifted, scarf, H&M, tights: American Apparel, shoes: Aldo,  jewelry: Forever21, Pacsun

Photos by Chaucee Stillman

Please do yourself a favor and check out some if not all of DesignPhiladelphia's events (Oct. 10- 14)! Experience what the artists of Philly have to say!

                                                                                                                Xoxo,

                                                                                                                  Jacqui

 

Stardust Magazine Launch Event

This past summer, some of you might remember that I was a part of a new magazine, Stardust Magazine, founded by Sophie Xu and Justin Julius Santos. I styled one of the spreads, with model, Andrey Prikhodko. This past Friday was the launch of the magazine, it was a really fun experience to meet with everyone who also worked with the premiere issue, which is appropriately called the "Birth" issue! The turn out, at the event was great, the food was great but best of all, the magazine was insanely amazing! I've looked through the magazine about 50 times already, front to back, and back to front! The photos are just so mesmerizing that you have to take double, triple, and quadruple takes! 

The event was held at Curated Goods, a wickedly good vintage store in the Northern Liberties area of Philadelphia. The furniture sold in the store remind me of pieces from one of my favorite television shows, Mad Men, very mid century modern. Everything in the store is authentically vintage, which is really rare to find nowadays with stores like Plato's closet and Buffalo Exchange. If you like authentic vintage finds then definitely check this store out!

Awesome peeps, from left: Tina Furr, Drake Murray, Daniel Wooden and Amanda Keo

The cool kids breaking it down!

Remember Andrey?!

The BF taking pictures of the awesome green, leather couch

Swabreen Bakr, a great Philly blogger, of Urbsvox.com

Amanda's sweet kicks!

Holly Smith, part of the duo that makes FakingFashion.com, a great inspirational fashion blog!

Sophie Xu, one of Stardust magazine's lovely co founder, photographer and editor!

A part of being fashion bloggers and stylists, Holly and Charlotte also sell vintage pieces that they reconstruct. Janet Jackson, circa 1980's revival jacket!




Yummy cupcakes and Stardust buttons!

 Beer Cakes Philly was a sponsor of the event, "Turning your favorite Philly beers into delicious cupcakes!" These cupcakes are out of this world good! 

My outfit that night....

Top: Gap, new favorite cardigan: American Apparel, jeans: J Brand, wedges: Jeffrey Campbell, jewelry: forever21, gifted, bag: Urban Outfitters

                         

Love wearing gold and this cardigan is my perfect fix! I am very much looking forward to the future of Stardust Magazine and thanks to Justin Julius Santos and Sophie Xu for a wonderful event! Hope you had a great weekend!

PS, don't forget to check out the magazine!

                                                                                                                         Xoxo,

                                                                                                                            Jacqui

Layered With Love

Is it strange that I'm more keen on wearing skirts and shorts during the fall season rather than the summer months? I just love the looks of skirts with tall socks, shorts with duster cardigans and knee high boots. Layering is the key word for fall and part of what makes fall fashion so much fun! I've put together two looks that would rock any fall season event! With these looks I really pulled for the more feminine side of myself!

This is such a summer skirt, but what fun is fashion if you don't try wearing it in your own unique ways?! This look is all about layering the paisley patterns, the graphic and the textural paisley. 

Photos by Drake Murray, Model: Adrea Mcneish

Layering black pieces together can be tricky, but with the right pieces you can execute it with perfect precision! If done wrong, one can look like an extra from 'Queen of The Damned.' The black maxi skirt paired with the black peplum top make for a great faux dress! The leopard print top and booties elevate the ensemble by giving it more of an unexpected edge. The fishbone necklace is a great contrast with the leopard! 

So readers, how do you like to layer your fall looks? Do you transition some of your summer pieces into the mix as well?

                                                                                                                       Xoxo,

                                                                                                                           Jacqui