Fashion Fantasy: Red Carpet Look

The popular media is knee deep in awards season.  While the entertainment industry bestows accolades on this years darlings, all I really am interested in is the fashion.  The red carpet provides every fashion lover with a dream playground where you can wear the most decadent, expensive and fantastical gowns.  My inner 10 year old delights in tulle, revels in the princess updos, dies for the decadent jewels. So in honor of red carpet style I have created my own look, if I ever should have the good fortune to stride down any awards arrival line.  The dress by Lela Rose from Spring 2012 RTW was the central inspiration for the entire collage.  The look is inspired by ocean hues of blues and corals, Adele's 60's mod makeup and voluminous hair, and the lush materials of the brocade and the diamonds. 

Fashion Fantasy: Red Carpet Awards Look by jrosestyle featuring high heel pumps

Layering Procedure For Winter

Every winter I am faced with the choice stay warm or stay stylish. I mean layers of bulky sweaters, scarves, and long johns don't add up to chic and sleek right? Well I have been working on layering the last couple of winter seasons and I think I finally have it figured out. Five lightweight layers (no bulk)that add up to a warm and toasty outfit.

Here's the layering procedure:

Layer 1 and cheerleader pose. Am I harboring pent up desires to be a member of the pep squad? Nah! Just happy to be wearing two tanks to add warmth especially when one is a HEATTECH tank from UNIQLO.

Steal this sweater from your dad, your brother, boyfriend or buy your own.  The only rules are to look for lightweight wool and to buy it slightly large.

The first two layers are a little utilitarian, let layer 3 put the pretty and feminine back into the outfit.

Buh-Bye neck see you in the spring!  I have been know to wear scarves around the house to keep cozy.  While scarves add bulk at least it's not at the mid-section or hip area of the outfit.

It's blazer time (and cue cheesy smile)! You can also don a lightweight jacket or leather cropped jacket, it's your choice really!  Just throw on a heavy winter coat when you are ready for the outdoors.

Items in Order of Appearence:

Tanks: Old Navy and UNIQLO

Pants: Mavi 'Alexa' Jeans

Boots: FRYE 'Carmen'

Cardigan: Ann Taylor

Kimono Jacket: Love on a Hanger

Scarf: Echo

Blazer: Ann Taylor

Note:  Many of the items are not current season, but I found many similar items and you can shop the look below.

More Mavi Jeans...

Try it or mock it, this is the outfit formula that keeps me warm. Which in the winter is the closest thing to happy. How do you keep warm in the winter months?

Weekend Challenge: Get Thrifty

I have been really watching my pennies lately, practical sure, responsible yeah, but not a lot fun. Especially for a girl who loves clothes, shoes and accessories.  So what am I doing with the time that I used to spend store hopping and trying on clothes. Well I have discovered a new fascination, thrift stores.  Thrift stores, second hand shops, consignment they all deal in used (sometimes new if you're lucky) merchandise that has been cast off.  Some are independent businesses,  others support local causes/organizations and is run by volunteers, each has there own unique vibe and merchandise.  They are interesting thrilling places to shop and part of the excitement is you never know what you are going to find.  Some days I hit the jackpot and go home with a bag full others I leave empty handed, but even in those cases it was still fun just to look. This weekend I challenge you to check out a thrift store near you.  To add to the incentive, check out some of my thrift store haul from last week.

Painted Silk Japanese Fan, $3

Love the intricate detail on the wood handle.

Gilt Mirror Tray, $10

I am currently housing my nail polish collection on this, makes any assortment of stuff look insanely posh.

Metal Feather Pin, $3

This pin is such a beautiful adornment, adding to any shirt or jacket collar instantly ups the style ante.

I hope that you having an amazing weekend treasure hunting!! I would love to hear about your latest and greatest second hand finds in the comments.

P.S.  If you can't make it out this weekend you could always try thrifting online, ebay or etsy anyone?  I have an etsy shop called the Land of Misfit Goods, devoted to the unusual and unique things I have found, but alas can't keep.

A Chic Retro Do That's Completely Modern

Last night I was watching the movie "An American in Paris" starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron.  I had seen this movie before, but this time around I was completely in awe of Leslie Caron's, poise and style.  Caron epitomized unpretentious elegance with her petite frame, gamine style, her charming overbite and wide effervescent smile.  I went on a hunt for more pictures of Ms. Caron and what I discovered was a series of pictures of the actress sporting one of the most elegant and timeless pixie cuts I have ever seen.  I had to share.

 

The cut is absolutely tailored to her face.  I love how the fringe is angled longer on the left side.  So gorgeous, very dramatic, a statement haircut.  Now if I only had the face for it.... le sigh.

  

I have not been terribly faithful to my blog lately, it's regrettable, and I miss it, but I have a good reason.  I was feeling a little burned out.  It hasn't even been a year, but my creativity and energy were feeling sapped.  The other day I was on the Independent Fashion Bloggers site looking for ideas and seeking reasons for my burn out when I stumbled across this week's IFB Project.  The project proposes starting a photo journal and snapping one pic for every day in a year. If done consistently that would add up to 365 pictures at the end of the year.   This project might seem like a daunting task to try, but realistically it is just one picture a day, which since I got my iphone I have been taking one picture almost every day anyway.  So here goes nothing... I am going to post my project on a few platforms so if you want to follow along, please do.  If you are doing the same project leave your site in the comments I would love to see what you do.

Day 1: The Fortune Told Me So

Day 2: Amaryllis Rising

I will be posting photos on Instagram under user name jroseg, on tumblr Snapshot of My Heart or on Twitter @jrosestyle.