For The Love of Shoes

Illustrated by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

Every year, thousands of women everywhere, on this specific date dress up in the most seemingly obnoxious or very simplistic ensembles, never in between. Valentines day is just around the corner and many of you probably have already picked out your outfits for that day, figuring out what dress to wear is easy because it's most likely the first piece of item thought of for that event. I, myself have no problem trying to figure out what dress or flirty skirt I'm going to wear, but I challenged my self to think differently this time. It comes to no surprise that i'm obsessed with shoes, I want to make my footwear be the center of attention this year. I'm experimenting with nudes! 

Holiday Outfitting 3

Photos by Kevin Smith

There's nothing like a good coat to keep you warm, in close to freezing temperatures. Looking luxurious in dire weather is no easy task, sensible clothing  options get in the way of our style, like rain and snow boots, bulky down coats, thermal base layers and other "sensible" garments. Occasionally all we need is a new trend to inspire the downtrodden for other ways to enjoy the plummeting temperatures, taking a cue from this season's new neutral, burgundy! 

Holiday Outfitting 2

Photos by Kevin Smith

Figuring out what to wear to your holiday parties is tough enough, but figuring out what piece to throw over said look can be even trickier! With the weather getting cooler, finding a jacket or coat that's equal parts elegant and cozy is crucial. A tailored topper that will lend a flirty dress that little bit of mystery is something I try to strive for, with Primark the search is made easier! 

Retro

Photos by the awesome Kevin Smith

Like everyone else, I have a penchant for new, shiny and often, the latest.  While it's nice to have what's current, sometimes older pieces and garments are what's better for our wardrobes. Style revivals happen every few seasons, which means something you wore adored all the time, five years ago, will come back in style to be the hottest and trendiest thing on the market! I'm not the best at vintage shopping, but when I do find something, it's a total score! 

Silver Lining

Spring is finally here! After a long and dreadful winter season, warmer weather is welcomed with wide, open arms and ofcourse Spring fashion! This season I'm ready to shake things up by playing with shapes and proportions in my ensembles. There are many ways to change your look but for me, building shapes with my wardrobe is a bit daunting but also very inviting! A pair of culottes is the best way to start a very fashionable Spring season!

Cool Navy

With the weather getting increasingly cooler, it's time to pull out the neutral pieces to the forefront of our wardrobes. Different shades of browns, grays and berries might be what most of our closets seem to look like, with a giant hint of black! As much as I love neutrals, especially my black pieces, I would still rather keep things somewhat bright and cheery. Obviously, I can't let go of my Summer wardrobe just yet! The best base color, next to black for me is navy. Navy is one of those colors that seems to get forgotten, but I want to make every use of it! 

Slinky Silk

Technically, there are still two weeks of the Summer season left, but it's the time of the season where the weather can be quite unpredictable. Some days are bright and humid, others are cool and breezy which makes for the perfect time to experiment with ensembles! This is the time to mix and match your summer pieces with fun Fall items to make the transition smoothly. 

Summer Prints

With summer coming to a close, the weather is getting to be cooler and cloudier. The days are much shorter and the humidity isn't nearly as burdensome! Don't let the nostalgia of summer trip you, enjoy it while you can! I'm going to enjoy it to the very end, with a ton of white separates, floral patterns and beautiful Philadelphian gardens! 

Casual Cool

As you know, I have an undying love for tee shirts in all shapes and sizes. They are literally the easiest and coolest pieces for hot days. The looser and more billowy fitting shirt always wins me over, those are the shirts that can be paired with endless amounts of pieces! 

T-Shirt Daze

Some days you just want to throw on a comfortable t shirt and pants because putting on anything else feels like such a hassle! It's been quite a hot and humid summer so far, and i'll admit that it's been making me a bit lazy with my warm weather dressing! One of my biggest essentials and main stay pieces for the summer is a handful of t shirts, they make getting dressed in the morning so much easier. Especially when they're quality tees! 

White Linen

Wearing your whites for the summer is now new fad. Wearing whites for the warmer seasons has been the thing to do since Jacqueline Onassis has been donning it, back in the 60s. Wearing white also keeps you cooler, darker colors tend to draw more heat and make you sweat more. I think I sweat quite enough, so wearing clothes of the lightest hue is definitely my go to for hot Philadelphian summers! 

Basic Instinct

I'll be the first to admit, that lately adding color into my outfits has been a bit callous. I love color, but since the winter hit, the sun has been playing hide and seek for weeks! The way the sun dances on bright colorful fabrics is such a beautiful thing to see, and these grey and cloudy days have me going stale with color. However, I'll still make sure that my blacks, whites and greys look fantastic even with a bare color palette! 

Sweater Dressing

These days, getting dressed for events has become somewhat of a challenge because of the brisk, chilly air! Layering up has been essential in staying warm and comfortable, especially with the intense snowfall we've been getting here in Philadelphia. Wearing oversized sweaters as dresses has been crucial for staying warm and looking chic. Sweater dresses are fairly new to me since I absolutely have to be covered in layers to feel cozy, yet I felt the need to try something new! 

American Gothic

I'm an art history buff, when it comes to learning about history, it's always been the arts that could grasp my interest, naturally! As you can probably tell, my art history courses in undergrad were my absolute favorites, aced them every single time! When I got the chance to study abroad in Greece, I jumped at the opportunity! Being able to see with your own eyes the art work that we as students only got to see in textbooks, was phenomenal. 

One of my favorite paintings, is by Grant Wood, his iconic American Gothic painting. The painting with the couple standing in front of a colonial home. This outfit, totally reminds me of that painting. I've got the overalls, all I need is a pitchfork and a dude in a dress to recreate it! 

#NoTightsUntilDecember

I don't know why, but every time the Fall season hits, I tend to wear shorts, skirts and mini dresses more so than I do in the warmer months! It just feels more comfortable since there's a cool breeze in the air and its not humid and muggy, which doesn't feel comfortable on our skin. Lately, bare legs have been my go to ensemble, what woman doesn't like to show off her legs!? I'm actually pledging not to put on a pair of tights/ hosiery until the month of December. Luckily it's been a warm autumn here in Philly and i'm loving it! Keeping my fingers crossed!

#InstyleEssentials

I recently had the pleasure to meet and hang out with InStyle Magazine's fashion editors for a chat about finding the right fit when it comes to white button downs! I also got to chat with Drew Paluba, one of the co founders of the Trio fit sizing for the shirts, it basically ensures that you won't ever have a gap in your shirt while wearing it, when it's the right size. Finding the right size is also made easy by sizing them in bra sizes rather than small, medium, and large because let's face it, not all of us can fit into that mold!

Last Bit of Summer Brights

Can you believe it's nearly the end of the year already?! September is finally here, meaning the end of summer has arrived. While I'm excited to say goodbye to the frizz inducing humid, hot weather, I am looking forward to the crisp, cool weather the autumn brings. I also look forward to wearing layers, jackets, boots, tall socks and frizz- free hair! 

I had to squeeze in some bright, summery colors before I pull out my fall/ winter wardrobe and put away all of the summer stuff away. As you may have noticed, I have a slight obsession with this citron color, I love the way it looks against my complexion! Plus, wearing the camouflage pants makes it an easy transitional outfit, since camo is traditionally an autumnal print. 

Top: Club Monaco, jeans: Tripp NYC, belt: thrifted, wedges: Shoemint(Similar), jewelry: c/o berricle, Aoki boutique, Loren Hope

Have fun and enjoy your last days of summer because as soon as you know it, it'll be the holiday season, oh boy what a stress that is! Dear readers, what do you think of this outfit? How will you squeeze in a last bit of fun, summer color?

Bohemian Glam

Photos of me by Anh Mai

Wearing white always makes me feel so fresh... and super aware of my surroundings since I don't want anything to stain the ensemble! White is the color of new beginnings, birth, and youth. Ironically, I would much rather choose a sexy little white dress over a little black dress. Maybe that has something to say about me... forever young! Also, wearing white is the best way to beat the current heat wave we've been experiencing in Philadelphia. It's hard not to have fun while you're wearing all white, which was perfect for the Glamour magazine event! The event was filled with lots of dancing, good live music, old friends and new friends! All in all, fantastic evening (Thanks Dylana!) 

Tunic: Free People, skirt(worn as slip): Club Monaco(similar), wedges: Shoemint(similar), jewelry: Juicy Couture, gifted

I'm the sort of person that would wear white even after labor day, who cares about some unknown rule?! Your style, your fashion sense has no rules to abide by because it's your choice! I will be wearing my fresh whites every season! Dear readers what do you prefer, a lwd(little white dress) or a lbd(little black dress) and how do you like to wear your whites?

#WhiteParty

Photos of me by Chaucee Stillman

Last week I attended this fantastic party for Philadelphia's premier lash [extension] authority! The theme for the event was to wear white! It was a celebration for Deneen Marcel's grand opening in Society Hill. Deneen is the most sought after for fabulous lashes, there were models wearing some of her amazing lash extensions. They were pretty extreme, a little too much for everyday wear but still beautiful!

Top: Threadsence, dress: Zara(similar), belt: Club Monaco, pumps: Shoemint(similar), jewelry: Forever21, The Hatters

The party was filled with delicious, sweet and savory cupcakes, luxurious skin care products and chilled champagne to cool us down from the insane heat wave! All in all, it was a fun night out with my friends, and it was really interesting to see how everyone interpreted the "white soiree" get together, in their own way. Sure, everyone wore a white dress or a white pant suit, but they managed to add something to differentiate themselves from others! I opted to pair the mesh top with the strapless dress to show a bit of my funky, bohemian style. Also, I wanted to "sex" down the outfit, it just felt unnecessary for the event. Dear readers, what do you think of my look and have you ever received lash extensions?

It's Electric!

It's true, jewel tones are usually associated with the fall/ winter seasons but this year it has trickled into the warmer months! Jewel tones pack a punch of bold color, more so then it's distant cousins, pastels. I would most likely be caught drenched in saturated and bright colors rather than muted, pastels. I just don't appreciate how those hues look on my complexion. Easter egg colors, just aren't my thing!

Jumpsuit: Club Monaco(Similar), jacket: Levi's,  sports bra: Forever21,  pumps: Shoemint, necklaces: The Hatters, House of Harlow

Photos by Chaucee Stillman, hair is styled with Mixed Chicks! 

This color, cobalt/ electric/ sapphire blue is one of my favorites for this season. It's my kind of blue, I can pair it with other colors and it still looks good! In this look, I neutralized it with the white pieces, for day time purposes! It's the perfect color for me to transition from winter to spring/summer! Not everyone would be as daring as I am and go for head to toe color, another way to introduce is by subtle pieces. Belts, shoes, bags, jewelry are the easiest ways to inject an electrifying burst of color to your wardrobe! Dear readers, how do you like to stand out in bold colors?