What I Wore- 4/26/2013 (Photo Set)

One morning my friend Ashley posted on Facebook wondering if she could pull of a maxi dress even though she's on the short side. My friend Luke and I were planning to see one of our former students sing opera choruses at his university that evening, and I had struggled for days with what to wear. But Ashley's question inspired me. 

I assured her that yes, she could! Just find one with a nice pattern and pair it with some high wedges. Or if you pick a solid, you can belt it! The trick is to show off your shoulders, so a strapless or thin-strapped dress is perfect. (Capped sleeves are also always a good option).

 Throw on a cute cropped jacket or sweater over it, to change the look completely. Add a fab pair of platforms that will elongate your legs, and make the whole dress fall easier. Make sure your accessories that highlight your face and arms-dangle earrings, bangles, or a statement ring would be perfect. The other important thing is to try before you buy. Not all maxi dresses are made the same. They have different waistlines, lengths, bodices etc… it’s important to know what kind of maxi dress fits your body type! 

The good news is, lots of stores have these dresses for cheap, so you aren't in danger of breaking the bank. Target has great ones, which is where I purchased both of mine. (In addition to the one in the picture, I have a solid yellow one.) If you want to splurge, Nordstrom has a wide variety of maxis. Really, they can be found anywhere. It just depends on how much you want to spend!

I’m a huge advocate for wedges, and my favorites are the Dolce Vita ones I’m wearing in the picture below. They’re comfortable and super cute. I've had them for two years and I wear them with dresses, jeans, skirts, and shorts. Dolce Vita brand can be found in many department stores, so don't sweat the price! As usual, I got mine at Target.  Once again, try before you buy! 

I carried a brown leather purse and a took a jean jacket. The jean jacket makes it casual, but sometimes I'll wear a white cropped sweater over the dress. I wore pink drop earrings that were a gift from my sister, and I pulled my hair back into a maiden braid and pinned the rest to the side. 

Maxi dresses are appropriate for weddings, going out with friends, or a nice walk downtown. Really, you can't go wrong! So go wild, and find one that fits your personal style! 

Shine Bright

-S. 

My ring is from Lia Sophia, and my nail polish is "I Just Blue Myself" by Wet n Wild. 

Camera: Canon Rebel t3

New Life Plan

Fun fact: I love clothes. (All kinds of clothes. Dresses, shirts, skirts, pants, accessories); I love the way they look on and off the rack. (Be warned: how they are styled on mannequins is deceiving). I love the way it feels when I touch a sleeve, or study stitching.
I love keeping up with current trends and designers. (Peplum? Depends. Neons? Yes. Nautical inspired anything? ALWAYS. ) Additionally, I love spending a normal, healthy amount of money on outfits. I rarely pass up a great pair of clearance shoes, and I'm obsessed with Retail Me Not. (Coupons and promo codes for basically any retail store you go to! Don't go out without checking it first!)
I also love how other people look in clothes. I love picking out clothes and making outfits for other people. All of this has led me to this realization: 

I officially want to be an amateur personal stylist/shopper. 

I know what you're thinking: "But S...how?"
I'm glad you asked. The answer is...I'm not sure yet. Unfortunately, WikiHow is proving to be unhelpful by having absolutely zero articles on this topic, but this is something I've toyed around with for a year or two.
Really, I owe all of this to my friend Kim who has an amazing sense of style. One of the first times we spent time together, she took me to Forever 21 and essentially changed the way I look at clothes. Her quick study of me and knowledge of my personality made it easy for her to pull clothes off the rack and have me try them on. She also has this way of saying "you look so cute" that can make anyone feel good about themselves and the outfit they're wearing

I want to be that person for someone else. It's really no secret that I love people. If making friends was a profession, I'd cash in on that. I love to see people take pride (in a positive way!) in themselves, and where they are in life. We all know that true beauty comes from the inside. I really believe that confidence is key.  But confidence is harder to fake if you're not feeling good about your outsides. And sometimes, it works the other way too: if you're not feeling like you look your best, that can do a number on your self-esteem. Trust me, I know this from experience... kinky-hair problems...

Now, if you're sitting there, a little cynical at everything I've said, I encourage you to throw out every scary thing you've ever heard about fashion trends. Forget all of the crazy hairstyles you've seen from Fashion Week runways, and please, I'm begging you, forget about the price tags.

Forget fashion, and focus on style. Style is all about your personality and how you feel when you put on that outfit. Editor-in-chief of American Vogue, Anna Wintour, has said: "Create your own style...Let it be unique for yourself, and identifiable for others." I love this because it allows total creative freedom!
If you're a young, athletic student (I'm looking at you Shannon!), and you tend to lean towards sweatpants, there are ways to still be comfortable without the "I look like a college student who has given up on trying" look. If you're preppy, but you want to shed the "school girl" stigma, we can find places to buy outfits that won't break the bank. If you hate every single trend out there, we can mix things up, create a style, and name it after you! If you teach* pre-school, and need that balance of functional and professional, there are stores just for that too!

The reason I feel so strongly about this is because I'm realizing more and more that  women are so beautifully different.

God has made everyone into an individual with different physical and characteristic traits. We should celebrate that. And what better way than encouraging confidence and sporting a great blazer? 

I'm serious about helping people, so if you have any questions, or need outfit suggestions, please don't hesitate to ask! If I don't know the answer, or where to get a great shirt for your first date with that hot delivery guy, we'll figure it out together! (Key word: together. It's about your personal style, not just what I think you'll look good in. You always have the final say!) 

Shine Bright!
-s.

P.S.: There are great blogs online devoted to finding clothes from your favorite TV shows as well! Seriously, the internet is a storehouse of information!
*Some places will even give you an educator's discount! That's right, friends, it can be done: you can have an upgraded wardrobe and not groan at your bank statement the next month!