I'm Baaackkk!

Well, well, well.  Thought I forgot about the old blog, didn't you?  Yeah, I guess I did.  But my long-term memory is better than my short-term, so here I am!  Let me tell you where I've been... I know it's no excuse, but at least allow me an explanation.

I got a new job!  And I love it!  I still do some merchandising at American Eagle, but I am now also a product consultant at Sephora!  My local mall is opening a Sephora inside JC Penney (SiJCP).  The other consultants and I have spent countless hours learning, merchandising, cleaning, you name it... we had our soft opening this past Saturday, and the reception has already been overwhelmingly positive.  Grand opening is Friday; it's going to be nuts, and I can't wait!

I have a new-found love of skincare, and as much as I always loved make-up and beauty products, I have learned that investing in a bit more expensive product is well worth it. (That sounds so "not me," doesn't it??) Needless to say, expect some beauty product reviews and tutorials on here in addition to fashion posts.

Let's see, what else have I been up to?  I was in the cast of a musical as well as working on costumes for it.  The show closed the first weekend in May, and that Monday was my first day at Sephora.  I have also been volunteering in the theatre's office to learn a little more about the business end of theatre.  As much as I love the art, there is always a bottom line, and business acumen is always a marketable skill.  At a marketing committee meeting, I pointed out that our theatre doesn't have a great social media presence.  I will soon be starting a blog for the theatre! (Which, admittedly is what inspired me to start blogging here again.)  I'm sure I'll link to that as soon as it's up and running.

So I've been keeping pretty busy, but the good news is that I rarely have time to be bored.  It's good to be back, fashionistas!  Until next time (and I promise it will be sooner rather than later)!

X's and O's
~VeeLynn

You Were Warned

To be fair, you were warned in my original post that I'm really terrible at keeping up with blogs.  I thought I could prove myself wrong, but clearly old habits die hard.  I do have some fabulous looks in my queue (sic. cell phone camera), but sometimes typing is so hard.  I kid, I kid!

I have been working on another site, which showcases my work in costume design and fashion styling.  Give it a look-see while I get back to work on this blog.

Check it out!

Kickin' It Old School

Fashion is cyclical.  My friend buys clothes and accessories for her six-year-old daughter that look just like things we would have worn at age 6 in the 80's and early 90's.  Neon colors and high-waisted pants paired with a crop top (a la Topanga Lawrence) are making a big comeback.  The key is to add a touch of the new to make the vintage your very own.  Did I just refer to my childhood as "vintage?"  I must be approaching 30.

I put that wind chime there so I would remember to take it outside.  It's still there.

Well, this top is neither neon nor cropped.  And the shorts are high-waisted, but you can't really tell because they are covered by the shirt.  The baseball tee is a vintage staple, and I actually just bouThe coght this one this month!  The shorts are so high-waisted because I've actually had them for a really long time.  Maybe not since 1993 (I've about doubled in size since then), but definitely for a while.  The light blue undershirt is a cropped and fitted tank, but it wasn't always that way.  I think I got that tank in 7th or 8th grade, and I used to wear it as an actual shirt instead of an undershirt.  Oy.

The baseball tee is so sheer that in person (you can only see it a little bit in the pictures) you can sort-of see the high-waist of the shorts and the cropped undershirt.  The flowy shirt also occasionally gets tucked into the shorts, giving a peek of the shorts' waistline.  I'm not usually much for being "matchy-matchy;" I like to change it up and try new and interesting color combos. I thought that being matchy was another fun way to bring in the old school feel... pretty successful if you asked me.  The blue wedges match the baseball tee's sleeves pretty perfectly, and the undershirt is almost the same color as the shorts.  Add in the light blue hair tie on my wrist, and you've got some serious matching.  I thought it was another fun way to bring in the vintage feel.  I used to wear matching sweatsuits in the 90's... this is nothing.

I went to great pains (literally) to take a picture of the center-back exposed zipper.  Best appreciate.

How did I incorporate the modern?  For starters, the baseball tee has an exposed zipper detail in the back, a fairly recent trend.  Also, the loose-fitted top with tighter bottoms is a definite modern touch.  My shoes were blue suede sling-back wedges (my blue suede shoes!) which added a trendy twist.  Yep, summer suede is okay these days... but probably not 20 years ago.  Converse or Keds would have kept with the vintage theme quite nicely, just in case you want to go all the way back in time, dude.

Cowabunga!

~VeeLynn

Edit: My mother just pointed out that any shirt I actually wore back in the day would have featured a smiley face, peace sign, yin yang, or especially (what I considered my middle school trademark) a butterfly.  Those were darker times.

In This Outfit:
Baseball Tee ~ American Eagle Outfitters, Pre-Fall 2013
Shorts ~ S.O. (Some department store... probably Bon-Ton or Kohl's), ca. 2002? 2003?
Undershirt Tank ~ energie, (Ditto on the department store), ca. 2000?
Shoes ~ Mossimo (Target), Summer 2012

Naturalizer Woman

Greetings, fashionistas! I haven't posted in a LONG time, but rest assured that the blog has hardly been forgotten.  I have been working a whole lot and not necessarily dressing to the nines. (Or the eights for that matter...) So not only have I not had time to blog, I haven't had much to blog about. At least as far as my own wardrobe is concerned.

Back in April, I mentioned in this post that my snake print heels were from Naturalizer. Ans they're actually cute!  Brands like Naturalizer, Easy Spirit, Aerosoles, and White Mountain get a bad rep as "old lady brands" because they are geared toward comfort. To be honest, they have traditionally put comfort over style, but that has been changing in recent years.

They sort-of match my decor.

Granted, my Naturalizer heels aren't my usual 4" stilettos, but they are almost 3" tall and the heels are thinner than my chunky heels from my last post.  At the bottom of this post, I linked the websites for the four brands I mentioned earlier.  Most of the brands can be purchased at stores like Macy's, Penney's, Bon-Ton, etc.  They all do have some definite granny shoes, but sift through the different categories and see what you can find!  Here are my recommendations for which brand to check out for different types of shoes.  Keep in mind, I only browsed the individual sites briefly, so this is just a generalization. (And my opinion!)
For Heels: Easy Spirit and Naturalizer
For Flats: Naturalizer and Aerosoles
For Wedges: Aerosoles
For Sneakers: Easy Spirit and Aerosoles (both have cute slip-ons, too... similar to Toms)
For Flip Flops: White Mountain
For Winter Boots (Uggs type): White Mountain

Site Links:
Naturalizer
Easy Spirit
Aerosoles
White Mountain

Keep your best foot forward!
~VeeLynn

Trail Blazer

THIS is a great example of how to use what you already have in your closet to make something brand new.  Some of the things in this outfit I've had since high school.  It's also a great example of how more expensive doesn't necessarily mean "better."  It's not always WHAT you wear, but HOW you wear it. (Okay, what  you wear matters a little.)

My husband never puts his sneakers away...

I think my favorite thing about this look is the blazer.  It's a little bit longer and less tailored than a more formal blazer, so it looks a little weird with a pencil skirt or dress pants.  It does, however, look awesome with a pair of skinny jeans.  This is the one thing in this outfit that I bought recently, and I am so happy with it.  In my mind, blazers are the new cardigans.  I used to take a cardigan with me wherever I went, but now I take a blazer.  Blazers give a little more structure to an outfit than a cardigan, and blazers can quickly add just the right amount of edge.

So what piece have I had since high school?  The shoes, of course!  Round toes, chunky heels, and Mary Jane straps are back, baby, and I'm taking full advantage.  The shoes also have some cute details: white "stitching" around the arch and a little white flower on the outside where the strap meets the shoe.  I probably wouldn't wear these shoes with a skirt or dress.  They are fairly casual-looking, and I think the shape of them along with the chunkier heel would look a little unflattering.  Plus, I don't really think of them as a summer shoe.  Yes, they have a white flower, but I still think they are a "cool [not cold] weather" shoe.

All in all, I kind-of felt like a rock star that day.  Cute tee featuring the British flag, sick blazer, the perfect pair of skinny jeans, and I found a way to wear some heels that have gone under-appreciated for far too long.  Feeling like a rock star always makes you look one!

Rock on!
~VeeLynn

In This Outfit:
Tee-Shirt ~ Miley Cyrus for Max Azria (Wal-Mart), ca. 2009? (Don't judge me... it's a cute shirt!)
Blazer ~ American Rag (Macy's), Fall / Winter 2012
Skinny Jeans ~ Ann Taylor LOFT, 2012
Shoes ~ Payless?, ca. 2000?

Ask Anything: Got the Blues?

My cousin Stacey and I have been best friends since we were babies. She is just six months older, but she has always been the more dominant personality. She used to tell me lies about baby ducks living in our grandmother's shag carpeting. Now Stacey turns to me for fashion advice. Should I threaten to punch her in the face? Should I make-up a story about baby animals living in her closet? NEVER! This is far too serious a matter.

Stacey asked a really great 2-part question that I think could benefit a lot of people with their summer wardrobe. Both questions have to do with matching shades of blue... never an easy task!

"First... I have a navy and white striped shirt which I wear with a white jacket (and it looks super cute).  I wore black pants with it and nude shoes which I equally liked, BUT I don't particularly like black and navy blue together.  Besides jeans (because I obviously can't wear them to work), what color pants would you wear with that shirt and not look ridic?  ANNNDD... I have a dress that is navy blue, light blue, tan, and white.  What color shoes would you wear with them? (besides your usual nude, white, or blue?) --Stacey

First, to the navy blue and white striped shirt.  Stacey mentioned later in her e-mail that she has a pair of green pants that she recently bought, and I say YES.  (We all know how I feel about colored pants).  Navy blue is technically a neutral, so wearing this top with a pair of colored pants is a definite fashion do.  Another color that could work with it is red, which, paired with gold jewelry, would give an adorable nautical look.  If Stacey ever plans on wearing the top without the white jacket, she could try white pants for an extra light and summery feel.

Now, Stacey's question about the dress had me stumped at first.  My obvious first reaction would be tan or nude shoes, but she wants to think a little more outside the box than that.  And why not?  I asked Stacey to send me a picture of her dress, and I used Polyvore to put something together.

"Blue Summer" by VeeLynn on Polyvore... created especially for Stacey. :)

The verdict is: color blocking!  An excellent spring and summer trend.  There are a couple of options for shoes.  A sunshine yellow pump (or flat) contrasts nicely with the blue in the dress.  A matching yellow belt pulls it all together.  (Although the belt is optional since I know how Stacey feels about belts).  Another option is this adorable Nine West wedge.  It has all the colors of the dress plus some complimentary yellow and mint green.  Even though the wedge has its own pattern, it works with the striped dress because they are in the same "family" of patterns. (In this case, stripes!)  As far as jewelry: dress it up with some pretty gold earrings, or keep it casual with some chunky bangles.

Don't let blues get you down!
~VeeLynn

In The Polyvore Set:
Dress ~ Old Navy, Spring 2013
Pumps ~ Guess, Spring 2013
Wedges ~ Nine West, Spring 2013
Belt ~ Ted Baker, Spring 2013

Grr, Baby

Animal print is touchy.  It is so easy to go overboard, and then it goes from fashionable to trashy.  I think that tops and dresses that are just one solid animal print are too much.  For example, some thing are mixed prints, and that keeps it from being too overwhelming if all the prints are in the same color family.

I cropped out my unmade bed.  You're welcome.

This piece has elements of leopard print, giraffe print, zebra print, and also throws in some purple.  Think about this dress / tunic-that-I-can-wear-as-a-dress-because-I'm-short as a solid leopard print.  Not as cute, right?  While it seems like having more than one print would make something even busier, it actually draws the eye in various directions and keeps it from being too much.  It actually adds a degree of subtlety as each pattern is, in itself, subtly represented.

About a month ago, I had to go to a dinner with the artistic team and a reviewer for a show I had designed.  I thought, "As the costume designer, should I not look fabulous?"  A resounding yes!  It was starting to warm-up (only to get cold again the next day), so I thought a leopard print skirt would be a great choice.  Sadly, my legs need a tan like Barbara Streisand needs people.  So it goes.

2 pictures, 1 post.  I didn't crop out my mess in this one.  Deal.

Wait, is that skirt a solid animal print?  What did I just say?!  I SAID, "... tops and dresses that are just one solid animal print are too much."  I also tend to like my statement pieces to be on the bottom, like in this post, so maybe it's just me.  You'll notice I paired the skirt with a purple tank.  It is so easy to want to put black or brown with leopard print because it obviously matches and that's that.  Adding a color like purple, pink, blue, white, you-name-it, makes your outfit pop.  It also keeps the animal print from being overwhelming because, like the mixed-pattern print of the dress up there (^) it draws the eye in various directions.  Black and brown are dull and keep the focus on the print.

The tank I'm wearing is a silky material with lace and sequins... I know you can't really tell from the picture.  This adds texture, as the skirt doesn't have any sort of embellishment.  Over top, I added a loose-fitting peplum cardigan.  The looser fit and the peplum at the hips balances out the tighter fitting skirt and tank.

Wait, is that cardigan black?  What did I just say?!  I'm just full of contradictions today, aren't I?  Well, you don't want to go TOO overboard with color.  A black or brown cardigan over top of a colored top brings it all together.  Which brings me to the shoes...

Black heels could also have worked with this outfit, but I feel that would have broken things up too much, especially since the skirt is primarily tan.  Also, nude colored shoes lengthen your legs with dresses and skirts, and we all know I NEED that.  These shoes aren't a solid nude... they are various colors of tan and a snake skin texture.  Putting these with the leopard was a risk, but I think it worked.  Snakeskin is more of a texture than a print, so it doesn't take away from the leopard at all, especially since they aren't right next to each other.  I finished the look with simple jewelry... a small blingy bow-tie necklace and some dangly earrings that have a hint of pinkish-purple.

From my jungle to yours,

~VeeLynn

First Photo:

Dress ~ Love Purple, found at GoodWill (!) <-- more on this later.

Second Photo:

Tank Top ~ Xhileration (Target), A long time ago

Skirt ~ Ann Taylor LOFT, Spring 2012

Cardigan ~ American Rag (Macy's), Winter 2012

Shoes ~ Naturalizer (!) (Naturalizer.com) Winter 2012 <-- more on this later, too.

Necklace ~ my  friend ordered it for me from a Chinese website. :) Spring 2011

Earrings ~ Betsey Johnson (Macy's), Winter 2012