IFBCON – Trends, Styles & Inspirations
This week was the much-anticipated Independent Fashion Bloggers Conference – Otherwise known as IFBCON – Held in New York City right before the start of the Spring 2013 Fashion Week.
“Looking back, what made this IFBCON special was how authentic & original everyone and every panel was. True representation of the community.” – IFB
{Fashionistas waiting to get into the conference @ 8:30am on a muggy NYC Tuesday}
The words above uttered by IFB couldn’t be truer, this was an amazing & educational experience. I mentioned here that I wanted to share all of the fabulous fashion that I got a chance to witness at the conference, so share I will.
{Top Left: Bobbie Austin’s Closet, Top Right: The Subtle Statement & Rachel The Stylish Wanderer}
The personal style of the fashion bloggers of IFBCON was utterly diverse, ranging from hippie inspired fringe and layers, to rock n’ roll studs and spikes, to mix-masters who seamlessly paired patterns, stripes, polka dots, or animal prints.
Needless to say, this conference was a people watching dream!
Heels, stacked bracelets, and oversized bags were pervasive, but aside from that there were so many trends and styles that I’m almost at a loss for how to describe it all to you. Over-the-shoulder bags, spiked bracelets, fun tennis shoes, daytime sequins, camo, maxi & midi length skirts, pleats, round sunglasses, printed & brocade pants, peplum dresses, geometric prints, pajama-inspired separates – There was a veritable sea of beautiful colors, great textures, fun prints, and interesting fabrics.
Nearly as fascinating as the fashion bloggers themselves were the panelists and speakers that we were all there to see. Top bloggers, buyers, writers, brands, publishers, tech wizards, journalists, stylists, social media experts, authors, models – Basically, the best in the biz all there offering us advice, inspiration, motivation, and a vision of a possible future for ourselves.
{The one. The only. Iman}
Check out more outtakes from the conference here – just log into Facebook to view
So in summary, I was lucky enough to spend two days with some of the greatest fashion-minded men and women in the industry. People of all ages, nationalities, races, and backgrounds who have one very important thing in common – An all-consuming passion for all things fashionable!
And what did I wear for this amazing event?
{Left – Day 1 & Right – Day 2}
What’s your favorite fashion blog?
What questions would you have posed to fashion industry greats like Derek Blasberg, Coco Rocha, Iman, Kelly Framel of The Glamourai, Lindsey Calla of Saucy Glossie, Nicole Warne of Gary Pepper Vintage, Jessie Artigue of Style And Pepper, or Erin of Apartment 34?
Accessories of the Week
Let’s spice things up today and rather than our usual Looks of the Week post, let’s try out something a little different. Here are some gorgeous shots of jewelry, bags, hats, shoes, and other glorious accessories to lust after.
Rock n’ roll goddess! This is such a ‘reach out & touch it’ texture fest – The crocheted top, the studded leather collar, and that phenomenal silver & gold necklace.
This safety-pin bag is pretty much the cutest thing I’ve seen lately. It’s an adorable piece to add to a basic black & white outfit like The Glamourai so expertly did.
Wow. She’s taking the splash of color trend to a whole new level – Can you imagine anything more mouth-watering than that gorgeous cherry red Celine bag? Want!
How adorable are there H&M earrings from Style Scrapbook? They’d be great at night or even during the day!
Alexander Wang. Nuff said!
A great pair of flats are a must have. What’s your perfect pair? I love ones like this DVF pair that have a little something special to make them unique.
I love classic and I love feminine, but I also love dramatic and avant garde. How fabulous is this ring?
This cuff is to DIE for. Leave it to Hermes!
Colorful. Fun. Irreverent. All words I like to use to describe accessories!
LOVE. Want it all.
These are so cute! A great neutral sandal that you can wear with virtually anything.
Holy high fashion Batman! Not only do I adore her black & gold jewelry, I’ve been dreaming of this Givenchy handbag for MONTHS. This is actually the gift that I’m planning to get myself for the big 3-0! 🙂
Doesn’t matter if you’re male or female, everyone loves arm candy!
A nude heel doesn’t have to be boring. Finding a great pair of pumps with interesting and one-of-a-kind detailing is the way to go!
Tres chic! Not sure about mixing gold & silver jewelry? Wendy makes it work.
Just stunning. I absolutely adore David Yurman, and the campaigns, and these are three fabulous examples of his chic, fun, timeless jewelry.
Audrey from Be Frassy always has killer accessories and these are no exception. I adore the classic black mixed with chic punk-inspired spikes.
If you’re not sure what basics you should have check out FabSugar’s Jewelry Every Woman Should Own – The 10 Pieces of Jewelry You’ll Need in Life and MCLV’s Real Women Need Real Closets & Real Women Need Real Closets – Accessories Edition.
Click on images above to visit the original source.
How fabulous are these pieces? I want them ALL. What are your favorite accessories above?
MCLV Style: Kisses!
How was your mid-week 4th of July holiday? Have you been dating everything Monday instead of Thursday all day today like I have?
{Top – Zara, Jeans – J Brand, Shoes – MaddenGirl, Bowling Bag – Zara, and Zebra Print Aviators – Piperlime}
{You can HYPE this look on Lookbook.nu, shop similar pieces on ASOS Style Finder, or click the hyperlinks above to shop comparable pieces and visit store websites}
Check out more outtakes from this shoot here (just log into Facebook to view).
Hope you like this cute new Zara top, I saw the little kisses and knew that it had to be mine! Are you a fan of lipstick kisses too?
I was lucky enough to have one of my best friends since college visit a few weeks ago and after delicious food, wine, and some much-needed catching up, we headed outside for a photo shoot. Her enthusiasm and energy were great and I had a phenomenal time taking these photos. It’s amazing how much visibly better a photograph turns out when the subject is genuinely enjoying themselves, that’s one of the reasons you pay the big bucks for a shoot with a good photographer.
Have a great Thursday.
Weekend Wonderland
I have to admit that I look forward to family events like a little kid on Christmas Eve, and luckily for me this past weekend was my dear Auntie’s birthday party.
The Queen’s Jubilee celebration if you will.
Oh what a night.
We celebrated with a stylish catered dinner party in her beautiful backyard which turned out to be a mini family reunion with champagne toasts & heartfelt speeches, pink nail polish comparisons, pets, pets, pets. Oh, and an enthusiastic dance party on the patio.
When the camera came out my cousins made jokes about needing to smile and look their best for pictures since they could end up on this blog. They kept shouting “blog” instead of “cheese.”
Gotta love having such an accepting & supportive family!
As it turned out all of the cousins all wore dresses to the event. From left to right: an embroidered cream strapless midi-length dress, a brightly patterned one-shouldered dress belted at the waist, and a sweet purple sundress paired with a white lace jacket.
And pink toenail polish.
Quite the stylish group of ladies if we do say so ourselves. 🙂
I wore a black & white floral Anthropologie top tucked into a black pleated Zara mini skirt, a cropped Aqua blazer, patent leather Oxford booties, and tons of gold necklaces & bracelets.
Do you like to be social over the weekends or just kick back and relax at home? If you enjoy the occasional outing, do you like to get dressed up or take advantage of being away from work to relax your personal style?
Listing…
Everyone seems to be in the mood for lists right now. A handful of bloggers that I adore have published list posts lately: The Life & Lessons of Rachel Wilkerson’s What I’ve Been Eating, What I’ve Been Reading, What I’ve Been Writing, What I’ve Been Wearing, Holly Would If She Could’s 16 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Me, and SnackFace’s This Week’s Sounds, Scents, Sips, Snacks & Sights…
And with my hectic schedule lately, both at work and personally, I’ve been living and dying by my daily To Do lists. First thing in the morning I make a list of all the things that need to get done that day and before I leave the office for the day I take the list of tasks and put them in chronological order. Don’t worry, I’m not going to share my daily To Do lists with you. I thought I’d take a cue from my blogging idols though and share some of the details of what’s going on in my life these days.
What I’ve Been Eating:
I didn’t do a great job following a healthy diet in April or May, as I confessed, so I’ve been doing my best to rectify that over the last few weeks. Tons of fruits and veggies, and smoothies galore. Green smoothies, berry-based smoothies, and even peanut butter smoothies. Yum!
What I’ve Been Reading:
My boyfriend’s mother insisted that I read The Botticelli Secret by Marina Fiorato, and I ended up reading all 544 pages over the course of a weekend because I couldn’t put it down. Botticelli’s Primavera has been my favorite painting of his since I saw it in Florence when I was 21 so I was especially drawn to the storyline. I’ve also just finished Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think by Brian Wansink and was stunned by how much I related to each and every study that he discussed. Definitely keep an eye out for a Book Report on this! I’ve also just started Add More -Ing to Your Life: A Hip Guide to Happiness by Gabrielle Bernstein, which isn’t a self-help book – I swear – it’s a self-transformation book. 🙂 I’m looking forward to seeing how it impacts my daily approach to life as part of my #1 2012 goal to Be Positive.
Oh, and I have a serious fashion magazine problem. Like a – I need a 12 step program type of problem.
What I’ve Been Writing:
One of my goals for 2012 is to publish a piece of my writing and while this has been a personal goal for years, this is the first time I’ve officially written it down. Not to make excuses, but as a result of my spinal injury and my laptop dying earlier this year, I haven’t worked on this goal much so far in 2012. Hopefully this post will serve as motivation for me to start editing my first novel, I started writing it when I was 20 and wrote a large chunk of it while I was traveling around Europe by myself when I was 21.
What I’ve Been Wearing:
During May I submitted a handful of looks to a fashion challenge run by Definitely RA, you can so you can check out some of those looks – Mission: Put Together 2012 – Part I and Mission: Put Together 2012 – Part II. The challenge was great and I wish I’d had time to participate more, but even putting together a few looks was fun. And as part of my goals for June I wanted to make an effort to wear less black, especially on sunny weekends, so that’s been a major factor in choosing my daily looks. Definitely an adjustment not to automatically reach for the black pieces!
Some Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Me:
- I don’t actively follow astrology but I’ve always believed that I embody many of the traits of my Scorpio sign – Determined, loyal, suspicious, discreet, introverted, dramatic, passionate, possessive…
- I originally hurt my back springboard diving in college when I was 18
- If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life it would be sweet potatoes. There’s an endless number of ways to cook them… Chips, fries, baked, mashed, in pudding. They can be sweet or savory. Hmmm… Now I kind of want to spend a weekend eating only sweet potatoes and blog about all the recipes I come up with! 🙂
- Sometimes I forget that I don’t really “know” bloggers. I begin to feel like I’m friends with people whose lives I read about every day. Does that happen to anyone else?
- I have three tattoos.
And so that we can continue to get to know each other, I’m going to re-start my short-lived Les Confessions series, where I post some “confessions” about myself and my life on a regular basis.
Sounds:
I’ve been listening to 70’s and 80’s music non-stop. From vintage Bon Jovi, Kenny Loggins, and Twisted Sister to fabulous 80’s movie soundtracks – Footloose, Pretty In Pink, Breakfast Club. The upside is that it’s really upbeat music that wakes me up and makes me smile every morning, the downside is that I dance at my desk. A lot.
Scents:
I’m a peppermint junkie! Candles, air fresheners, essential oils… Whatever I can find. I’ve also been baking up a storm and I love the scent of raw cacao and carob powders as their heating up.
Sips:
Peppermint tea – duh – and I have to confess that my guilty pleasure these days is Cherry Coke Zero or Cherry Diet Dr. Pepper. My boyfriend is horrified by the red color from the syrup but I treat myself to one a week! I’ve also rediscovered the Synergy Kombucha drinks, and I laugh every time I get carded buying them!
Snacks:
I seem to have almost forgotten about hummus when the weather was cooler but now that it’s warming up I’m craving hummus daily. Carrots, celery, sugar snap peas, and radishes dipped in spicy hummus is favorite after-work snack. I’ve also been eating my bodyweight in fruit on virtually a daily basis – pounds of grapes, cherries, apples, and bananas. Just can’t get enough!
Sights:
This Spring was amazing with weekends in Sonoma, San Diego, and Sea Ranch, but June has been a gorgeous month in San Francisco and I’ve been really enjoying spending time in my favorite city. Walking everywhere, trips to the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market, lazy days spent shopping and wandering around the sun-drenched streets… Amazing!
So tell me, what have you been up to? Do you like to make lists to ensure that you get everything done that needs to be done each day?
MCLV Style: Pleats & Peplums
Happy – it’s almost the end of the week – Thursday! To celebrate I’d like to share some of my recent looks so that I can show how hard I’m working to meet my June fashion goals.
I have to confess, one of my favorite parts about having a stand-up desk at work is that I can wear pleated skirts to the office without having to worry about the pleats getting squished by sitting on them all day!
It’s the little things in life. 🙂
Skirt – Vince Camuto from Bloomingdale’s, Wide-strap tank – Zara, Cardigan – H&M, Mary Jane’s – Merona from Target, Rings – JewelMint, Vintage & Juicy Couture, and Watch – Vintage
You can HYPE this look on Lookbook.nu or shop similar pieces on ASOS Style Finder or by clicking the hyperlinks in the outfit breakdown above.
When I saw this skirt I knew that it was going to be mine, I loved both the stripes and the pleats. It’s also a fun length, almost like a cheerleader skirt (which I’ve never worn.,I swear). This whole look was inspired by the brightly colored, stripe-filled Jason Wu for Target Collection. And my love of stripes, of course.
I also recently made my first peplum attempt of the season. I’ve seen so many cute variations of this trend lately – from simple peplum tops to fun & wild peplum dresses – and I wanted to give it a try as well.
Liz from Late Afternoon has a fabulous and one-of-a-kind style, she frequently appears in my Looks of the Week posts, and I took her peplum outfit above as the inspiration for the look that I put together below.
Floral Dress – Vintage from Belle Cose, Peplum top – Zara, Patent (faux) Leather Oxford Booties – Wild Diva, Necklace – Express, Rings – JewelMint, Vintage & Juicy Couture, and Bracelets – JewelMint & Forever 21
In these photos is doesn’t appear that my body type is ideal for the peplum trend, but I decided that it was just the silhouette of the dress I’d chosen to wear under the peplum top. Besides, as far as I’m concerned the highlight of this look is the jewelry anyway. The finger-length floral ring is a recent acquisition from JewelMint and I’m madly madly in love.
Peplum Attempt Take II
Peplum Top – Zara, Pencil Skirt – Zara, Black & White Jacket – Zara, Round Toe Pumps – Very Volatile, Tweed Handbag – Kate Spade, Necklace – Asos, and Rings & Bracelets – JewelMint, Vintage, Forever 21 & BCBG
You can HYPE these looks on Lookbook.nu or shop similar pieces on ASOS Style Finder or by clicking the hyperlinks in the outfit breakdown above.
“I’m a Zara girl, in a Zara world…” I was definitely singing Barbie Girl in my head all morning. 🙂 The pencil skirt did a much better job of complementing the volume of the peplum top than the floral dress that I chose the first day. I’m glad that I gave this another try and didn’t give up after the first attempt was a disappointment!
What do you guys think? Are you willing to try interesting new trends each season? Or do you prefer to stick to your tried-and-true personal style?
A special thank you to my friend Liz for her help with these pictures, I’m an awful subject because I’m so uncomfortable in front of the camera, and I appreciate her never-ending patience with me!
Links You’ll Love
Happy Earth Day!
I had a long, relaxing, amazing weekend away from the hustle and bustle of the city and I hope that you all enjoyed your weekends just as much.
Health/Fitness:
Trying to clean up your act this Spring? Check out FitSugar’s Easy Ways to Green Your Fitness and Daily Routineand Fit Bottomed Girls’ Behold the Power of Bamboo: 3 Eco-Friendly Fitness Goodies.
If you’re aiming for a healthier diet this Spring, it’s all about fresh fruits and vegetables! One Green Planet has you covered with one of the healthiest greens out there – Kale: Health Benefits, Tips and Recipes. They’ve got all the goods, from the rockstar health benefits to awesome recipes like Lentil-Kale Risotto and Roasted Sweet Potatoes w/ Shallots & Kale Ribbons. Or you can check out Holly Would If She Could’s No Fail Kale: 25 Delicious Recipes To Make Your Friends Green With Envy.
If you have a lemon tree in your yard this is the article for you – Glowing Lemon Hand Scrub & 11 Other Ways To Use Lemons from OhSheGlows.
I don’t know about you, but as soon as the weather warms up its all I can do to stay inside. That’s the only reason I ever took up running, to get out of the gym and enjoy my favorite city bathed in sunshine. Hiking, running, long walks – Any excuse to suck up some Vitamin D. Fit Bottomed Girls & FitSugar both agree – Getting Out in Nature Makes Me a Better Person & Outdoor Cardio Workout.
Try a new type of cookie next time you’re baking – one make with almond meal. Pure 2 Raw has a great gluten-free recipe for Almond Meal Chip Cookies that’s quick and easy – only 5 minutes of prep time! Or you can even try FitSugar’s surprisingly healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Raisin (and Bean!) Cookies.
Fashion:
Time to work some patterns into your wardrobe for Spring! Check out Beauty & the Budget’s Pattern of the Month, PLUS 6 Ways to Wear It.
There’s so much negativity in the world and it’s easy to slip into patterns of negativity and doubt. One of my major goals for 2012 is to really put an effort into Being Positive and approaching my life with joy and enthusiasm. Do you want to start your radical self-love journey? Gala Darling is here to help you get started on your journey to self-love. Not only does she have a Radical Self Love Bootcamp, she’s also helpfully provided us with a list of articles on the subject of self-love that you can read through on your own. Including 100 Ways You Can Start Loving Yourself Right Now, I Am Not Sorry, How To Be Confident, and How To Get Calm In A World Full Of Crazy!
Still wishing you were part of Coachella? Why not make yourself an Embellished Friendship Bracelet as a consolation prize? Trust me, they’re pretty perfect!
Need some inspiration for collecting and storing jewelry? Take a cue from Kayture‘s gorgeous collection! I love jewelry and I think it’s a vital part of any outfit that you’re putting together – I talked about some of the basics a girl should keep in her jewelry box in my Real Girls Need Real Closets & Real Girls Need Real Closets – Accessories Edition. I’ll also be doing an entire post dedicated to my collection soon, in the meantime the photo below is a sneak peek of what I have in store for you! 🙂
Interested in rompers and jumpsuits but not sure if you can pull them off, or even – gasp – whether you should even try? Check out FabSugar’s Yes, You Can Pull Off Jumpsuits and Rompers — 15 Real-Life Street Snaps to Show You How. These shots of real girls on the streets looking fabulous will definitely get you in the mood.
Moi Contre La Vie 