Monday, April 29, 2013

Stripes

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Hello! This season, my hands keep reaching for stripes. I just cannot stop myself when it comes to donning patterns such as leopard print or stripes! The striped button down that I am wearing above is one of the latest additions to my wardrobe. I found it this past weekend at a thrift shop for just $1! I love how it embodies the sixties graphics/ stripes trend this season.

I wanted the striped blouse to be the focal point in this look so I paired it with basic pieces and a simple color combination. Black primarily dominated this look, appearing in my cat-eye sunglasses, backpack, ankle socks and vintage oxfords. I layered a stylish olive romper underneath of the striped blouse.

This look was very much inspired by two of my favorite bloggers- Natalie Liao of La Vagabond Dame and Julia Topaz. Like myself, Natalie is a fan of stripes and has been incorporating them into several of her looks this spring (I really love how she styled multiple striped pieces in THIS look). The simplicity in this look along with the ankle socks- vintage oxfords combo was inspired by Julia Topaz. All of her looks are delightfully minimalistic and her wardrobe contains an abundant supply of vintage oxfords and loafers.


Olive romper: Forever 21
Striped button down: Thrifted
Black socks: Anne Klein
Black oxfords: Vintage
Black backpack: Deena & Ozzy via Urban Outfitters
Black cat-eye sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Celebrating 500 Posts

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Hello! This is post #500 on Fashion, Trends & More. Can you guys believe that? 500 posts- that's quite a lot! I have been blogging for almost four years now and each year, blogging has provided me with wonderful opportunities and has allowed me to meet more people who share similar interests as myself.

I am going to use this post (#500!) to re-introduce myself to you guys. Because I have been blogging since I was 14 years old, I have greatly changed. And part of that is due to blogging. Blogging has provided me with a creative outlet to express and define my style. My style has certainly changed since I started this blog! I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to newer readers. Anyways, here it goes!

My name is Tori Radday and I am 17 years old. My entire life has been spent living in the extraordinary city of Richmond, Virginia. Well, the suburbs of Richmond really. But that is all about to change. Currently, I am a senior in high school. However, next year I will be a freshman at Philadelphia University and I absolutely cannot wait. I will be majoring in fashion merchandising and minoring in fashion journalism. Ideally, I would love to work as an editor for a fashion magazine. But you cannot jump straight from the bottom to the top of the fashion industry. That is one of the reasons that I started this blog- to get my foot in the door of the fashion industry. After all, networking really is key in fashion. To help me gain valuable experience in fashion, I also have a part-time retail job at the store Justice.

Besides blogging, I try to fill my time with several extracurricular activities. One of my favorites is Pilates which I take a couple of times a week. Not only is it a great way to stay healthy but it is also perfect for relieving stress. I also am a member of my school's Beta Club, Ecology Club and Art Club. I don't participate in any sports because I have zero athletic ability.

Another activity I fill my time with is listening to music. Some of my favorite artists and groups are Lana Del Rey, the XX, Santigold, the Broken Bells and Cat Power. It is my dream to be able to attend Coachella in either 2016 or 2017. Oh, how I envy those that were able to attend this year! I also love to watch old movies such as The Flamingo Kid, Grease, Breakfast Club, Reality Bites and Heathers and read. Some of my favorite magazines to read are Teen Vogue, Marie Claire and Seventeen. A few of my favorite novels are The Catcher in the Rye, 1984, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Great Gatsby, Brave New World and To Kill a Mockingbird.

Now, more about my personal style. I find it very hard to define my style in just a few terms. My style is continually changing. It actually changes on a day to day basis based on what I've been reading, what I've been watching, what has popped up on my tumblr dashboard, what my style icons have been wearing, etc. However, my style is typically very vintage-inspired and quirky. I love to play around with trends and make them my own. Mixing vintage and modern pieces is another one of my passions. I have a weakness for leopard print, platform heels, rhinestone earrings, vintage pins, high-rise bottoms and feminine dresses.

The outfit photographed above is a pretty good representation of my style. I paired a thrifted "LOVE" cropped tee over a high-low star print dress. This combination was inspired by the trendy black and white sixties inspired combos that were present on the runways of many designers including Marc Jacobs. Read about the sensation HERE. Over top of that I layered a vintage denim jacket (one of the key pieces in my wardrobe). Given the layering in this look, it should come as no surprise that layering is omnipresent in my looks. Giant Vintage heart sunglasses and leopard print boots from Target completed the look. Earlier when I said I had a weakness for leopard print, I may have been playing my love for leopard print down. My affinity for leopard print is more of an obsession than a weakness. Hardly a day goes by when I'm not wearing leopard print.

I'm not sure what more to say about myself but if you ever have any questions, feel free to comment with them or email them to me at tori@fashiontrendsmore.com Or if you ever just want to talk about fashion or the latest trends, email me at tori@fashiontrendsmore.com I would love to have like-minded individuals to discuss fashion and trends with because hardly anyone at my school has the slightest interest in designers and trends.

If you still want to get to know me and my blog better, you can check out a few of my favorite posts of all time, listed below:

Top 10 Favorite Posts:
1. DIY Faux Chanel Bag (this post earned me 100+ notes on tumblr)
2. Fashion Don't: Uggs (my most controversial post ever)
3. My Weekend in Williamsburg (some of my favorite photos ever taken for my blog)
4. How to Organize Your Wardrobe (must-read tips)
5. 7 Money Saving Tips (because who doesn't like to save money?)
6. 3 Ways to Wear a Patterned Dress (a must-read for pattern lovers like myself)
7. 8 Ways to Re-Use Worn or Torn Tights (save the environment by re-using worn or torn tights instead of throwing them out)
8. Snow White (the look that won me the Chictopia contest last spring)
9. Meow! (probably my best look from all of my fall 2013 outfits!)
10. Nags Head (photos taken from my trip to Nags Head a while back)


Oh and I've been hearing rumors that the GFC feed is no longer going to function in the near future, so if you would like to receive updates when I post, I would suggest either following me on Bloglovin' (which has a feed similar to GFC), liking "Fashion, Trends & More" on Facebook (every time I post on this blog, I post a link to it on my Facebook page) or subscribing to receive emails when I update (enter your email in the box located below the GFC widget).

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Black Flowers & Vibrant Butterflies

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Hello! As spring progresses, I find myself continually reaching for this butterfly print skirt. The great thing about it is that there are so many different ways to style it. Today, I styled it with a quirky tee shirt. This tee shirt is another one of my tried-and-true favorites. It is emblazoned with the French phrase "Bonjour. Je M'Appelle ___________" in soft blue writing. This tee really played up the vibrant colors present in my skirt.

My look today also incorporated my latest DIY flower crown- a bold chain of black flowers. What I like so much about this crown is the contrast it creates. Flowers typically represent joy and vitality while black represents death and darkness. I found that it was particularly interesting to combine the two opposing forces to create an intriguing accessory. And of course, I like the versatility of this crown because black goes with virtually every piece in my wardrobe.

To balance out the black of my flower crown, I slipped into my black, faux leather jacket, black heart sunglasses and black combat boots. These black combat boots have been worn time and time again in the eight or so months that I have owned them. Unfortunately, they are becoming more and more ragged with each wear. Scuff marks? Check. Rips? Check. Holes? Almost. However, I'm going to continue to wear them throughout the rest of the spring and the summer. Hopefully, I will be able to afford to buy a real pair of Doc Martens in late July or August before I head off to Philadelphia. I have a feeling that they would be a great investment in my wardrobe. The real question would be what color to get.

Butterfly skirt: DIY from an H&M dress
"Bonjour" tee shirt: Forever 21
Black combat boots: Target
Black faux leather jacket: Marshall's (similar)
Black flower crown: DIY
Black heart sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage

Monday, April 22, 2013

3 Up-And-Coming Models to Watch

Cara Delevingne

Name: Cara Delevingne
Age: 20
Country of Origin: England
Height: 5 feet 8 inches
Publications appeared in: Vogue, Style.com, RUSSH
Brands modeled for: Burberry, DKNY, ZARA, Pepe Jeans, Chanel
Shows walked in: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Oscar de la Renta, Chanel, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana
Unique characteristics: gorgeous eyebrows and personality in spades

Lindsey Wixson

 
Name: Lindsey Wixson
Age: 19
Country of Origin: America
Height: 5 feet 10 inches
Publications appeared in: Harpers Bazaar, Flare, W, Vogue
Brands modeled for: H&M, Versace, YSL
Shows walked in: Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Lanvin, Jean Paul Gaultier
Unique characteristics: wonderful bee-stung lips and imperfect teeth

 
Daphne Groeneveld

Name: Daphne Groeneveld
Age: 18
Country of Origin: The Netherlands
Height: 5 feet 10.5 inches
Publications appeared in: Flair, Harpers Bazaar, Muse Magazine
Brands modeled for: Calvin Klein, Dior, H&M
Shows walked in: Anna Sui, Calvin Klein, Chanel

Unique characteristics: wonderful bone structure and a very high-fashion look

Friday, April 19, 2013

Swept Away

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Hello! This lace, peplum top has been on repeat in my outfits throughout the past several weeks. A few weeks back, I redeemed 2400 of my "chic points" on Chictopia for this beauty of a shirt. This shirt can be found on DIVA NY here for $28. Peplum tops have been trending for a while now and every time that I saw someone wearing one, I immediately wished that their peplum top was in my closet. However, I am extremely thrifty (*ahem* cheap) and did not want to dish over $20 for a trendy piece. So up until a few weeks ago, I went without the peplum trend in my wardrobe. How I did so, I have absolutely no idea because when I say that this top has been on repeat, I really mean that it has been on repeat. I find myself constantly grabbing for it when putting my outfits together.

Practically everything about this top impresses me. The quality is superb, the fit is flawless and the versatility of the top is unbelievable. I love the way that it defines and draws attention to my waist. For the look featured above, I chose to draw even more attention to my waist by donning a leopard print belt over the peplum top. Keeping with the neutral color combination, I slipped into one of my favorite skirts- a cream-colored, vintage treasure. I swear, I will never tire of this skirt. The mid-calf length and movement of the skirt/the way that my skirt is swept away by the breeze is all just charming.

My heeled sandals were also a neutral tan color. The heel on these sandals makes me feel so glamorous! To be honest, they kind of make me feel like I am at fashion week when really I'm just living life in the suburbs. And that is the best feeling in the world. It is my goal to attend several shows during fashion week while attending school at Philadelphia University next year and I absolutely cannot wait!

I hope that you guys have a terrific weekend!

Cream-colored skirt: Vintage (similar- on sale!)
Peplum lace top: DIVA NY via Chictopia Rewards
Heeled sandals: Vintage (similar)
Leopard print belt: Vintage (similar- on sale!)
Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Denim Overalls


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Hello! This is the last outfit from my trip to the beach a few weeks ago. The day before these photos were taken, I purchased this pair of denim overalls. And let's just say that I was dying to wear them. So the next morning, I woke up and decided to rock this spring/summer 2013 trend.
 
A floral button down was layered underneath the denim overalls in order to add a feminine touch to the look. Over top of both the blouse and overalls, I layered this black, sleeveless knit duster. In this look, black was also found in my oxfords and sweet heart sunglasses. My look was completed with my bling-y, rhinestone collar.
 
I hope that you guys are enjoying this beautiful, spring weather!

Denim overalls: Thrifted
Floral button down: Thrifted
Black oxfords: Vintage
Black duster: Vintage
Rhinestone collar: Unknown
Black heart sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Off to the Races

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Hello! This is another one of the outfits that I wore while at the beach. While planning this look, I tried to keep in mind that simplicity + style= the perfect beach look. Whenever, I make a trip to the beach or even to my lake house, I try to keep my looks relatively easy and simple yet chic. How can one relax if worried about ruining or losing one of their beloved accessories?

To begin my look, I pulled this black lace bandeau out of my suitcase. I've been waiting forever to wear this piece and the beach was definitely the perfect place to debut it. I didn't want to show too much skin so I layered a light-weight denim button down over top of the bandeau and slipped into a pair of high-rise jeans. Of course, I couldn't resist pairing my black combat boots with these jeans.

Like I mentioned earlier, simplicity dominated this look. No jewelry at all was present in this look and only a few accessories were present: a pair of heart sunglasses that kept the sun out of my eyes and a plain backpack that held my stuff (wallet, phone, etc.).

For these photos, I also lacquered my lips with berry lipstick. The warm-colored lipstick added an unexpected touch to the otherwise cool-colored outfit. And you guys know that I love juxtaposition! For my non-artistic readers, warm colors are colors such as oranges, reds and yellows. These colors give off a caring, loving, comforting, cheery vibe. Cool colors are colors such as blues, greens and purples. These colors give off a calm, relaxed vibe.Often, these colors are placed together to create contrast. This artistic process is known as juxtaposition.

Wondering about the title of this post? Off to the Races is one of my favorite songs by Lana Del Rey. I found the song title fitting for this post because I am posing in front of racing stripes.

Denim button down: Thrifted (similar- on sale!)
Green high-rise jeans: BDG via Urban Outfitters
Black combat boots: Target
Faux leather backpack: Urban Outfitters
Black lace bandeau: Wet Seal
White heart sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage
Berry lipstick: Wet 'N Wild

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Spring/Summer 2013 Trend Report: Denim Overalls

Spring/Summer 2013 Trend Report: Denim Overalls

 
Hello! This spring/summer take a fashion cue from the nineties because denim overalls are bacccck! Overalls were originally not seen as fashionable but rather as utilitarian. However, they grew trendy in the nineties. Many celebrities flaunted overalls in the nineties including Justin Timberlake and 'N Sync along with Drew Barrymore. Rachel Green, a fictional character from the nineties sitcom F.R.I.E.N.D.S, wore overalls on multiple episodes of the show. And now, overalls are resurfacing from the depths of the nineties.

Recently, overalls have been spotted on celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Vanessa Hudgens and Heidi Klum. Other fashion gurus such as Alexa Chung, who has been seen in overalls, and Nina Garcia, who states that "Yeah, I do think you can wear overalls," have given overalls their seal of approval.

This season, I too give overalls my kiss of approval. Denim is definitely one of my favorite fabrics because it is just such a versatile fabric. When styling any denim piece, you have so many different options because denim can be styled with practically every piece in your wardrobe.

Great places to buy denim overalls this season include ASOS and Urban Outfitters. However, I would first recommend flipping through the racks at a few local thrift shops and digging through stacks of clothing at yard sales in order to find a pair of overalls. Used overalls are going to be much less expensive than a pair of new ones and who really wants to spend a bunch of money on a trend that is "in" one season and "out" the next?

I know that I will certainly be trying this trend out this spring/summer season! In fact, I already have. While at the beach last week, I thrifted a pair of denim overalls for less than $5; I am so lucky to have found them! They are the perfect trendy piece of clothing to amp up my spring/summer wardrobe.

What do you guys think about this trend? Are you embracing it with open arms or wishing that it had stayed in the nineties?

Monday, April 8, 2013

Cotton Candy Colors

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Hello! My week at the beach was not only filled with lazy days by the beach and in the hot tub but also with several shopping excursions. These photos were taken when my mom, sister and I headed to a few tourist-y shops. Our first stop was at Farmer's Daughter where these photos were taken. Isn't the building just lovely? I feel as though the background really brings out the colors in my outfit.

Farmer's Daughter sells a wide variety of products ranging from casual sweatshirts to bathing suits to beach jewelry. While there, I picked up a green Baja jacket for only $12 (originally $14). A Baja jacket has been on my wish list for quite a while so I was pleased to find one I adored at a reasonable price.

Next we headed off to Wings, the classic beach shop. Wings stocks everything from shot glasses to beach towels to small nautical figurines. However, nothing really caught my eye so I left the store empty-handed.

Then my sister, mom and I journeyed a few miles down the road to the TimBuck II shopping center. Various shops abound in the TimBuck II shopping center and my family and I certainly took our time while browsing through them. Although my sister and mom made quite a few purchases in the Timbuck II shopping center, I only made one. At Michael's Gems, I purchased 10 sticks of patchouli incense and a new incense holder for less than $5- talk about a great deal!

My outfit that day was a pastel dream with soft, cotton candy colors dominating the look. I began with a pair of sweet yellow shorts. Next, I threw on my "Bonjour" tee. Since it was a bit chilly out, I slipped into this faux fur jacket. Talk about adding glamour to a look with just one piece!

For the first time this year, I was able to don my blue suede Calvin Klein sandals. Hooray for spring! I accessorized with a pair of white heart sunglasses and a DIY floral tote.

"Bonjour" tee: Forever 21
Yellow shorts: Boho Fairytale
Faux fur jacket: c/o Haute Juncture
Blue sandals: Calvin Klein
White heart sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage
Floral tote bag: DIY

Friday, April 5, 2013

Pizzazz Pizza

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Hello! Where can you find the best slice of pizza in the Outer Banks? Pizzazz Pizza! I absolutely LOVE Pizzazz Pizza. It's cheap, easy and delicious. So far while in the Outer Banks, my sister and I have visited two different Pizzazz Pizza restaurants. We were most definitely pleased with both of our experiences! Both times, I helped my self to several slices of mouth-watering pizza as well as grabbing a salad on my second visit. The second photo in this post is a photo of my meal on my second visit to Pizzazz Pizza. If you are ever in the Outer Banks, I would certainly recommend stopping by Pizzazz Pizza to try a slice of their pizza!

That day, my family also visited several thrift shops. None of which I can remember the name- sorry! I scored many vintage goodies for practically pennies. Alright maybe not pennies but all the pieces that I bought were fairly inexpensive.

Thrift shop #1 purchases:
-A white "LOVE" crop top. $3
-A red nightgown/dress. $3
-A red, white & blue vintage rain jacket. $3
-A blush-colored piece of lingerie/dress. $3
-A floral button down. $3
-A glass mug for my dorm room. 50 cents

Thrift shop #2 purchases:
-A "mermaid" skirt. $2
-A leopard print tee. $1
-A pair of denim overalls. $4
-A red and white checked button down. $2

Thrift shop #3 purchases:
-A vintage pin. 25 cents
-Another glass mug for my dorm room. 25 cents

As you may have noticed, I picked up yet another leopard print piece. And for only $1, how could I not jump at the leopard print tee?

For my outfit that day, I chose to go casual. Since it was a bit chilly outside, I started with a pair of black ripped jeans. Next, I slipped into my navy and white striped top. Who says that you can't pair navy and black together? I pinned an assortment of vintage pins onto my shirt including a "dressed to kill" pin, airline pin and U.S. pin. To amp up the quirkiness of my look, I grabbed a pair of red heart sunglasses and slid my feet into a pair of lace-y white socks followed by a pair of leopard print boots. As I walked out of our (rented) beach house, I grabbed my Polaroid but didn't see anything worthy of taking a photo of. At about $4 a photo, I am very picky with what I will take a photo of! So far, I have only snapped three photos (which I will be sure to share with you guys later).

Striped top: The Limited (thrifted)
Black ripped jeans: BDG via Urban Outfitters
Polaroid camera: Vintage
Leopard print boots: Target
Lace-y socks: JCP
Red heart sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage
Pins: Vintage

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Sunny Skies

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Hi! This is just a quick snapshot from a day spent earlier this week by the beach. The sunny skies and warm temperatures provided for a perfect day at the beach. While on the beach, I donned a black bikini. I threw a breezy, white top over top of the bikini, wearing it open. This is definitely one of my favorite Easter gifts! I also wore a wide-brimmed straw hat along with classic sunglasses and red lip gloss. And of course sunscreen! I cannot stress enough the importance of sunscreen. By applying it when out in the sun, you are saving your skin from damage and helping lower your risk of skin cancer. Why not lather up with sunscreen every time you hit the beach?
 
I hope that you guys are enjoying your week and (hopefully) warm weather!
 
Straw hat: Vintage
Classic sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage
Red lip gloss: Mary Kay
Black top: Victoria's Secret
White sleeveless button down (worn open): JCP