"Gung Ho Green!"

Believe me you won't have to go AWOL in this military inspired jacket! This is a wardrobe ESSENTIAL! It is a great piece to sport all year round. I purchased this jacket on sale at Just The Thing for all of you Columbia-Devine Street lovers about two months or so ago and have already worn it to death! It is great for absolutely any occasion. Just a little tidbit- When it was still chilly, I wore it with jeans and a turtleneck, and sometimes with leggings and a tunic. I've also worn it with cut out patterned tights, knee/thigh-high boots, and zipped it all the way up for my more sassy days. Now that the weather is warming up (thank goodness!) you can wear it with jeans, a tee, and some flats/riding boots. You can also leave it unzipped and wear it with casual dresses and skirts, but what I am most excited about is when the real warm weather starts to spring our way and I can wear it with shorts, short boots or sandals, and cotton dresses. Here is the link of my jacket that is sold at Macy's (http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=531802&CategoryID=120&LinkType=#fn=sp%3D3%26spc%3D324). I cuff the sleeves by rolling them once. The best part about this jacket is that it is flattering for all body types. I bought the jacket in a size Medium and it comes down to my mid-thigh. Because of its accentuated drawstring waist, it will look good on anyone. It is an A-line skirt so it flows away from the body. Whether you are busty, curvy, or neither, this jacket will flatter your figure. If you want it to fit a little tighter to the body, cinch the waist as tight as you can tie the belt. If you want your look to be a little more militant and structured, you can leave the belt untied, half zipped, or choose to leave the jacket open. **For all of you in the Columbia area, I was in Mary's on Saluda Avenue in 5pts. yesterday and just happened to see one almost identical in a light khaki/sand color up on a shelf on display that would also work well. It is made out of cotton so it is very light and comfortable and can be washed. Try not to dry these jackets though, because I would be concerned they will start to shrink and lose its shape and color.
Check out this clip from one of my all time favorite movies, "White Christmas!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_fMFHpf-ME&feature=related Look how far we have come in fashion over the years. To me, this piece is a twist between your everyday trench coat and army jacket... and what a perfect combo it is!
Here are some other options to think about if you are not sold on my jacket! Macy's has so many options to choose from! Here is a BCBG jacket that is really stylish, on sale but still a bit more expensive. This jacket is great because it is cinched in at the waist AND the bottom where it will hit the thigh, which is ultra flattering as well (http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=515453&CategoryID=120&LinkType=#fn=sp%3D3%26spc%3D324). On the other end of the spectrum, here is an Alfani Jacket that resembles more of a trench coat. It comes in a gorgeous color called, "Truffle" which is a mix between caramel and tan, and then another color great for spring called, "Washed Lime" (http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=533874&CategoryID=120&LinkType=#fn=sp%3D4%26spc%3D324). So just remember- the most flattering styles for anyone are going to have a belted/draw-string waist, hit right above or below the mid-thigh, and try to have something with a collar you can play around with up or down! Enjoy and Happy Wednesday! : )

New School, New Me!

Ok, let me just preface by saying I am SO sorry for those of you that I talked to who were excited for me starting me blog and pushed me to jot all my ideas down. I thought off and on about writing but got caught up and never sat down to actually write. Just a recap- I recently switched schools from Clemson University to the University of South Carolina to pursue Fashion Merchandising in the Retail Department of HRSM and I am absolutely head over heels! Who knew that you could love school so much? Although, I believe everything happens for a reason and I truly think that after trying so hard to find my passion at Clemson, I was led to USC. Everyone kept telling me to go there and pursue Fashion Merchandising but like most people in my head I was thinking, "What kind of job can I get with that kind of degree. I will be making NO money, working retail, hating my life... NO WAY." Well people, that is definitely not the case. There are many different paths you can take with retail. My goal is to become a corporate buyer for a company like Nordstroms, Belks, Anthropologie, etc. in the Southeast. I would love to open up my own boutique one day, but I have not put much thought into where exactly that would fit in on my timeline. I am back working at Handpicked on Devine Street, and it feels GREAT to have a job again! Things you might have missed: before I left Clemson in December, I went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic with 15 other Greek students and that experience changed my life forever. We built a house for a family in need there for an organization called, "Cambiando Vidas" which translates in English to "Changing Lives." It truly was the most rewarding experience I have ever encountered and I feel so lucky to have met these people and shared such an awesome week soaking up their culture. Shout out to all my CV crew! : ) I encourage everyone to get out there and give back to your community because we all have so much to give. "Not everyone can do everything, but everyone can do something." They really taught me a completely new meaning to the word "unity." If you want to hear more about "Cambiando Vidas," their mission, and who to contact if you would like to become involved just go to the website at https://www.cambiandovidas.info/ or just contact me and I'll be happy to help!
Anywho, I am very excited to actually get my career started and I finally feel like I am right where I need to be. I am planning my summer endeavors already and trying to keep my fingers crossed that it all works out. My plan is to take two fashion classes for my major in London for 5 weeks this summer. Then the remaining 5 weeks in London I will spend interning for a fashion company that will count towards my practicum for my major.
Weekly fashion updates according to none other than yours truly coming very soon... Get excited!

To Wear Fur or Not to Wear Fur...

Ok Ladies this one is for you! I have recently been asked my opinion on FUR vests and boy do I have quite a lot to say about this one! I have a strong love/hate relationship with fur vests. A few things to note- When you want to wear fur vests try to stay away from normal torso-length vests. Those tend to make us look larger around the mid-section than we actually are and can be unflattering. However what you want to do is gravitate towards the "cropped" styled vests that are going to stop right under the last of your ribs and also look for the long vests that are going to hit at the mid-thigh. Those are much more flattering and I recommend the long style vests. They are incredibly stylish and look great with a pair of leggings, boots, and just a simple long-sleeve tee underneath! For all of our animal lovers: if you are concerned about wearing something coming from one of our "furry friends" I can understand that and they make very stylish faux-fur vests that are certainly more affordable than the real thing! This LaROK Rabbit Fur vest from Nordstroms.com (http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3100938?origin=category&resultback=228) is a great piece but not all of us would pay $400 dollars and rightfully so for a vest. An alternative I would suggest [that is also fur friendly : )] I found on Macy's website is the Gray Kensie Vest for 88 dollars (http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=500064&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results). Another option I like is the Kensie Shaggy Faux-Fur vest which comes in two really great colors.. I LOVE the Cocoa and the Lead..(http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/3126772?origin=category) These would both also look great with dark wash skinny jeans or leggings. Another idea ladies if you like the fur effect but do not want to be drowning in it is a sweater vest on Macy's that has a gorgeous fur trim (http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=498444&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results). This style vest is not quite as edgy and will work for all those that want to add a little flair without going overboard! It's also on sale for $46.99! AWESOME DEAL GIRLS!! Til next time, baci to all my fashion lovers! : )

Welcome Fellow Fashionistas and Smashingly Stylish Studs!

Hello All!
I have wanted to start a fashion blog for the longest time and have finally taken the time to put all of my day to day/weekly thoughts down. Just a little intro of what you will see on this blog- I am going start out posting new trends that we are all going to see throughout this fall and into Winter, some of my favorite pieces that I have come across, and I will also answer any questions that have recently been thrown my way and give some tips/suggestions on things I think will expand each and every one of our wardrobes! : ) Let me know what you all think and start throwing some questions my way that I can help with. Hooray for Fall weather and the start to everyone wearing lots of beautiful Pashmina scarves, beautiful leather boots, and peacoats!