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! 

Tie Dye Affection

Ever since my finding of these bleach splattered jeans, i've been on the hunt for more fantastic tie dyed pieces to add to my arsenal! Tie dye printed jeans have this very lively and lived in feel to them that completes the perfect warm weathered look! This is probably the "bajillionth" pair of BDG jeans that I own, BDG just knows how to make great jeans! 

Tie dye was popularized by the music goers of Woodstock in the 1960's, which is why many associate the trend with "hippies" and "hipsters." It's a print that is fairly easy to recreate on one's own and alludes a cool and carefree attitude. My mother calls me a "hippie" all the time, I'm ok with it because it was a beautiful era for fashion and music! 

Jeans: BDG Jeans, shirt & necklace: Free People, sunnies & sandals: gifted

My hunt for more tie dye is not over! Dear readers, what is your take on the tie dye trend? How do you like to wear it?

Graphic Chic

Helsinki Inspiration by Jacqueline Davis Moranti

I was recently introduced to this amazing collection by Ivana Helsinki. It's a Finnish fashion brand designed by Paola Suhonen. The Fall/Winter 2013 collection, appropriately named The Rotterdam collection, brings forward a very Graphic nature, through pinup girls style inspiration. Paola travelled to Rotterdam(Netherlands) where she came across pictures of these gorgeous pinup girls and the inspiration struck! She wanted to capture "Winter marine magic moments," from the Rotterdam freight port. 

When I first saw the collection, I didn't really see the "pinup girl" style, I was immediately drawn to the prints and the patterns. I love unique prints, they can take any plain outfit and turn it into something much more fun! I could totally see myself wearing any of her pieces, from the peter pan collared frocks, to the bulky overcoats. When you look more closely at the collection you can see the the darting and the accentuating of the hips that helps form the beauty of the pinup inspiration. I also think i'm going to take a cue from the hairstylist and try this top- knot bun look, it has a very regal feeling that i'm fawning over!

Backstage with the makeup artist, John Jones

Dear readers, how do you feel about this collection, would you wear it?

 PS, I recently worked on a blog post for my dear friend and fellow blogger, Chaucee Stillman of Streets and Stripes. Check out my Valentine's day ensemble's here!

Remixed, Striped Dress

I'm really trying to be better about wearing pieces in my wardrobe more often. I find that months later i'll find a piece a wore once and wonder why I forgot it. With the reason being, that it may be a piece that's very specific to a certain season. This dress for instance, simple, horizontally striped, 3/4 sleeves and fitted. It's super comfy, and super thin, and because of that I tend to wear it in the warmer months. Well, I wanted to challenge that perception and save some money! And here are two of my results!

Jacket: Zara, dress: H&M, scarf: Urban Outfitters, bag: Forever21, wedges: Steve Madden

I absolutely adore the print mixing trend, I try to abide by it every day! Stripes paired with an ethnic print seemed like the perfect free spirited look for a rainy day. 

Jacket and skirt: Forever21, dress: H&M, belt: thrifted, pumps: shoedazzle, satchel: Urban Outfitters

Another one of my favorite trends, the monochromatic look, shades of the same color family. This is a fun way to revamp your dresses, wearing a skirt over it, adds a new feeling to it! Blue skirt and blazer, with accents of gold felt very appropriate for an afternoon brunch. 

As you have seen, the key to this thin, summery dress is layers. By adding or subtracting layers, one can turn any article of clothing into a summer or winter appropriate piece. By treating the dress as a canvas, I was able to variate the colors and prints to pair with it. Also, tights/ hosiery are your best friends through out the winter! 

Dear readers, what do you think of these looks? How would you style this dress?

A Partridge & A Pear Tree

One way to shine bright this season is by way of funky prints! Why not try a pair of corduroys with a print relating to this holiday season, such as a partridge and a pear tree?! The moment I saw these cords, it was love at first sight! I absolutely love prints, the more unique the better! Makes for a great conversation starter and the colors allow for plenty of options for blouse choices! 

Jacket: Urban Outfitters, top and pants: Club Monaco, socks: American Apparel,  wedges: Shoemint, scarf: thrifted

Wearing prints can be done for this season, just make sure that you're sticking to seasonal colors such as jewel tones, neutrals, and subdued colors. Don't be afraid to wear something other than florals on your pants. Be daring and try something new.

                                                                                         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

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

Fashion's New Year.

It Girls by Jacqueline Moranti

September is probably my favorite month of the year, if you're as addicted to fashion as I am you might agree. I mean besides the perfect weather, September is the beginning of the new year for fashion, new trends, brands, designs are introduced. And one of the starting events for the fashion new year is FNO(Fashion's Night Out). I'm pretty sure most of you are familiar with Fashion's Night Out, and if your not check out the site, ASAP! It takes place on Thursday evening, September 6, all around the world! If you're in the Philadelphia area, make sure you check out all the awesome events happening, i've already built my itinerary! Figuring out where to go is a big part of that night, but so is what to wear. Since you will be doing a lot of walking around, comfortability plays a big role. Stilettos, out of the question! Wedges, platforms and booties, yes! You're going to want to wear something that says you know the trends and know how to incorporate it into your daily wardrobe.

With these looks I've put together, I tried to do just that. The first one, top left, is the printed denim shorts, a popular trend from the early spring season that still has moves to make this Fall. I've paired it with a colorblocked blouse, and gold accents to dress it up. The next image, top right, is the animal printed top,with a stream lined, black maxi skirt. Honestly, animal print won't go anywhere, that trend is here to stay! The bottom left image features the peplum trend. Peplum is super flattering and looks great with so many pieces. I've paired the peplum top with a calf length, printed skirt and tucked a complimentary blouse underneath the peplum top. The last image uses the metallic trend and coated denim trend together. Pieces with sheen look particularly good together, just make sure the colors aren't overbearing. 

PS, illustrating the outfits down is such a great way of planning your looks. I know exactly what I want  to pair with this and that because I already have an image of what it will look like! Hopefully your FNO outfit woes are cleared away and I hope to see some of you on September 6!

                                                                                                               Xoxo,

                                                                                                                 Jacqui

Be Bold.

Top and shorts: Forever21, Shoes: Bakers, Jewelry: H&M, Forever21

I absolutely love bold prints and bright colors! This outfit totally reminds me of Betsey Johnson and her vibrant ensembles.

                                                                                     Xoxo,

                                                                                           Jacqui 

Recent.

Top, blazer, skirt and shoes: Forever21, Belt: H&M, Jewelry: gifted

Top: Forever21, Bandeau: Guess, Jeans: J Brand, Boots: Bakers, Jewelry: Forever21, gifted

                                                                                                                 Xoxo,
                                                                                                                       Jacqui

Chevron Dreams.

Top and pants: Forever21, Flatforms: Ecote, Bag: Urban Outfitters, Jewelry: Forever21, gifted

I am having a lot of fun this season wearing prints! Prints on prints or prints by it's self is a great way to wear the trend this season. Experimenting with prints is my goal for this year!

                                                                          Xoxo, 

                                                                                 Jacqui

Empty Night Skies.

Dress: Forever21, Vest: DIY, Belt and Bag: H&M, Booties, Steve Madden via Shoemint, Jewelry and Sunnies: Forever21 

There was an art show opening reception at a local cafe, where my lovely boyfriend was featured! It was the perfect opportunity to dress contemporary, trendy. Art events usually call for an eclectic crowd of people, so it's nice to show your personality through what you wear. I chose to wear this printed sheath dress, it's so fun and it called my inner bohemian! I paired it with this olive vest for more comfort, it was sure to be a chilly evening. The accessories help edge out the outfit!

I just had to throw a picture of my boyfriend. Styled by me!

                                                                                                  Xoxo,

                                                                                                             Jacqui