Bodysuit Power

Photography by Brandon

This summer the heat feels like it's been intensified even more than last year! I love summer, but I wish that profusely sweating wasn't apart of it. Believe me I totally understand how science works and know that it's inevitable. The only thing left is to accommodate myself and my wardrobe for the heatwave. In the summer, I tend to wear minimal layers, but enough to stay comfortable. Bodysuits are the perfect pairing for your summer wardrobe, one layer that will transform you life! This one piece will get you out the door faster and it looks good with just about anything. This wardrobe staple is also subtly sexy without going overboard. 

Minimalist Fashion, Shoe Edit

Illustrated by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

Sometimes less really is more, and when it comes to your wardrobe that is undoubtedly the new trend among unfussy fashionistas. If you finally take the plunge and decide to become one of the minimalist fashion crew, it does more than just free up room in your closet. In fact, the minimalist fashion trend is advantageous in a multitude of ways. Take the following benefits for example: you'll have more money, more time, less stressful work days, and better organization to name a few.

Now when it comes to footwear, you can adopt the same mindset. The difference here lines in the overall versatility and fluidity of the shoes that you do decide to purchase. Even if you don't know where to start, relax! Straight from the pages of Lyst, I've found some great ideas to inspire your new minimalist shoe collection.

City Chic

Photos by Kevin Smith

Fall is in the air, the winds are whippier, the leaves are brown, the scent is crisper, it's a beautiful time to be outside. With the change of the season comes a change in my wardrobe. I put away all of the light chiffon blouses, put away all of the slinky dresses, put away anything linen and replace everything with heavier textures and bolder colors. It's not necessary to do so, but it is very pleasing to the eye to see similar colors of your environment in your wardrobe. Black is easy, black is forgiving, black is always my first option. I'm challenging myself to mix it up a bit and break out of my demure instincts with adding some vibrant colors and prints. Boisterous was my result!

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!

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! 

Holiday Whites

One of this season biggest trends is about breaking the rules and doing what you want to do, wear whites after Labor Day! Is it strange that I'm more apt to wearing white well after the summer months?! Usually the white pieces for the colder months are much more structured and silhouetted than the ones specifically for the summer months. Rather than linens and chiffons, there are now off- white leathers, cream silks, and beige knits! Another plus, is that these textures are much easier to clean too, which is one of the many reasons why I wear whites in the winter! 

Trousers and coat: J. Crew, sweater and belt: Club Monaco, blouse: Forever21, pumps: Shoemint, jewelry: gifted, forever21, thrifted

With this look I wanted to create something cozy yet sleek! I've always considered leopard print to be a neutral, pairing it with white felt like such a 

good combination. The key is to keep the white as the main attraction, keep everything else secondary. 

Anyone thinking of trying the winter white trend for Christmas or NYE?

Holiday Shimmer

I still can not believe it's the month of December already! Time sure does fly. With Christmas fast approaching, thinking about what the perfect gift to give is definitely as important as what you're going to wear that day!

Blouse and belt: Forever21, skirt: Club Monaco, socks: American Apparel, boots: Steve Madden, necklace: thrifted

This skirt from Club Monaco makes me feel festive for the holidays! It has just the right amount of shimmer that isn't too distracting. It's forgiving A- line shape and length are perfect for unwrapping gifts and putting up the Christmas tree! Skirts are one of the best options, plenty of shapes to choose from, just make sure you pick the right one for you. A- line is universally flattering. They just tend to have a very chic and feminine edge! I kept the rest of the look neutral to keep the focus on the skirt's details. Plus, a nice chunky necklace and viola! 

This is just one look I'm considering. Have you thought about you want to wear for Christmas?

                                                                                         Xoxo,

                                                                                               Jacqui

Feast- ival Dressing!

By Jacqueline Davis Moranti

The time has come to that time of the the year, where we spend most of our days with families and close friends, and we stuff our faces with a little more than we are used to because we don't know when the next time we'll be getting that fabulous meal again! Thanksgiving is only a few days away, so it's time to think of an outfit that will impress and look great with all the family photo taking!

The perfect Thanksgiving ensemble should be comfortable enough to contain a full belly, kitchen helping, table setting, tv watching and chasing your little niece and nephew! Another thing to keep in mind, which may not mean much to some, is dressing in seasonal colors.

During this time of the year, neutrals play a big part in fashion and bold, less saturated colors too. I love mixing in jewel tones with the neutrals, think burgundy, ochre, forest green, sapphire and plum strewn in with navy, black, camel, grey and wintery white!

The first outfit, top left, combines this gorgeous forest green blazer with a camel/ gold sequin dress. This is an outfit for the girl who wants all eyes on her! What's great about this dress is that it's a shift/ sheath style, meaning it is more of a straight line. Making it a pretty forgiving style!

The top right look is for the edgy girl who has no problem with standing out! Put together a sapphire blue maxi dress with a metallic silver blazer and a black and white striped blouse and you've got a winning look! Maxi dresses are a great option, hides bloated tummies really well and provides you with a long, lean, flattering figure.

The bottom left image is a more low key look. A black and white A- line dress paired with a long sleeved, sheer blouse. One of the key points to think about when it comes to family functions is to not be overtly sexy.... unless, for your Thanksgiving dinner it's just you and your significant other! Honestly, when you show too much skin, it tends to make you feel a bit uncomfortable because you start to wonder whether this or that is too short or too low. It's not fun going a whole day thinking that way. The sheer blouse under the dress, provides the right amount of "sexy" plus it's a great way of updating a summer dress into the cooler months! This dress has an a - line shape, making it the perfect amount of forgiving!

For the girl who wants to wear pants rather than dresses or skirts, try patterns! Patterns help distract the viewers from one part of the body, to the part with the patterns, in this situation, the legs. But why not mix it up with another pattern?! The key point to mixing prints is pairing a smaller print with a bigger print, that way it doesn't look confusing. Wearing a chunky sweater is also very comfortable and accommodating to a full belly. 

The best thing to remember this Thursday, is to be comfortable and suited to your personality. Have fun, eat as much as you want, get rested and then prepare to shop afterwards! Happy Thanksgiving readers!

                                                                                                                          Xoxo,

                                                                                                                              Jacqui

Golden Girl

Golden Girl by Jacqueline Davis-Moranti

Ever wonder what it feels like to be dripping in gold?! Me too, but fortunately thanks to Chanel and Balenciaga, from their F/W '12 collections, we can easily envision it! The lustrous, metallic trend is definitely worth a try! I know you're probably thinking, disco ball or Zenon Girl of the 21st Century, if paired right it looks amazing. I wear my metallics with neutrals, like our basic blacks, browns, and whites. Here's a few of my fabulous foiled pieces that I'm really digging right now.

Items from
J.Crew
Shoedazzle
Forever21
Steve Madden
Thrifted

Just think, gold top and black, coated jeans or brown leather jacket with bronze pants! The possibilities are endless and exciting for this seemingly "futuristic" trend!

                                                                                                        Xoxo,
                                                                                                             Jacqui

Color Fusion.

Razzled, me.

Let's face it, it gets boring wearing the same clothes a lot. Shopping is always a lot of fun, but sometimes you know you really shouldn't spend more money on clothes. The only solution to that is to get creative with your closet! 

Recently, I've taken some neutral pieces from my closet and paired them with some bright counterparts. It was the perfect way to liven up demure looking fabrics. 

The order of the illustrated outfits are the same order of the photos.

           

The first outfit, is a great choice for a night out with the girls. Bright and architectural are fun GNO(Girl's Night Out) choices! It's actually a black peplum dress paired with a pink pencil skirt. I love reinventing my dresses!

The second outfit is great to run errands in and still look great while you're mailing out your bills or buying a soy latte from your favorite coffee shop. A neon maxi dress with a light, fuzzy, white top. This outfit screams for comfy, flat sandals!

The third look, is perfect for a date night. This outfit is also a dress underneath a skirt. Tangerine is one of the hottest colors of this season. Paired it with some colorful accessories to dress up the neutral skirt.

The last outfit, is also a really great choice for GNO. When it comes, to hangin' with the girls, for me anyways, I like to dress a little more sexy than I would for a date. I'd rather be more feminine than too sexy for a date, I don't want to send the wrong vibes!

Dress and skirt: Forever21, Belt: J.crew, sandals: Colin Stuart, jewelry: thrifted

I've recently worn the 3rd outfit. I truly love this pleated skirt, it makes me feel like a ballerina! Have you tried the dress and skirt combo yet?!

                                                                                      Xoxo,

                                                                                             Jacqui

The Alternative.

Blazer: Heritage, Blouse: H&M, Pants: Gap, Pumps: Forever21, Jewelry: Forever21 and Pacsun

I think that pastel colored pants are a great alternative to the basic white. Don't get me wrong, I love my white skinnies, but I think this pale pink will be more frequented in rotation this season to try new things with! Pink and neutrals, pink and brights, pink and metallics, pink in monotones, oh the combinations to pair!

                                                                                              Xoxo,

                                                                                                        Jacqui

Cloudy with a Chance of Rain.

boots: Doc Martens, dress and cardigan thrifted, bag: H&M, scarf: thrifted, belt: F21, necklaces: F21, rings: gifted

 I know on rainy days, most people prefer to wear rain specific boots, like the great Wellingtons. I actually prefer Doc Martens, I call them my rain boots. They have the best grip on slick ground and icy situations. And of course extremely comfortable without clashing with most of my outfits!

   

   

Photo Credits: Silvia Baptiste

 On this particular rainy day, I went with a very subdued look, an olive green dress and a brown oversized cardigan to keep me warm in this frigid weather. I feel like I live in black opaques throughout the winter season, it's one the easiest bases for any outfit. My pops of color are from the bag, the necklaces and the belt, it's my way of keeping things interesting on an otherwise neutral look. 

Xoxo, 

Jacqui