Sunday, February 25, 2018

Blue House RVA Spring 2018 Lookbook

Fashion, Trends & More x Blue House RVA
Fashion, Trends & More x Blue House RVA
Fashion, Trends & More x Blue House RVA
Fashion, Trends & More x Blue House RVA
Fashion, Trends & More x Blue House RVA
Fashion, Trends & More x Blue House RVA
Fashion, Trends & More x Blue House RVA
Fashion, Trends & More x Blue House RVA
Fashion, Trends & More x Blue House RVA
Fashion, Trends & More x Blue House RVA
Fashion, Trends & More x Blue House RVA
Fashion, Trends & More x Blue House RVA
Fashion, Trends & More x Blue House RVA
Fashion, Trends & More x Blue House RVA
Fashion, Trends & More x Blue House RVA

Hello! I recently teamed up with Blue House RVA, a local Richmond second-hand fashion e-commerce retailer, to coordinate and style a collaborative lookbook for their spring/summer 2018 collection. Nicole Kappatos, a fellow Richmond boss babe, launched Blue House RVA last year and immediately caught my attention. She stocks her shop with a variety of cool vintage pieces at affordable prices- and I love supporting local Richmond boss babes. I reached out to fellow boss babes, Magan Shively and Elissa Rumford, to involve them in the shoot as well as models. Elissa also shot a majority of the photos for the look book. Nicole also involved her friend, AC Cosby, to help behind the scenes of the look book. 

Nicole brought over a rack full of the prettiest vintage pieces to my styling studio space for me to pull from for the look book. Magan, Elissa and I all tried on the pieces that we were most drawn to and then I got to work on the styling of those pieces. I pulled accessories and a few supplemental pieces of clothing from my own wardrobe to perfect the looks. 

I wanted to focus on creating a very carefree "retro vacay in California" aesthetic with the looks. I played around with styling contemporary pieces with Blue House RVA's vintage pieces for really fun spring looks. Pops of color, playful sunglasses and killer heels really enhanced the beauty of Blue House RVA's garments. 

I had a wonderful time styling Blue House RVA's vintage garments and have the shop bookmarked on my laptop for future vintage purchases. I'd highly recommend checking out all of the gorgeous second-hand pieces that Blue House RVA has to offer here. And right now, Nicole is offering Fashion, Trends & More readers 10% off their purchase- which you should definitely take advantage of! Use promo code Tori at checkout for 10% off your purchase for the next 24 hours. 


If you're interested in my styling services, please feel free to email me at tori@fashiontrendsmore.com 

Photos shot by Elissa Rumford and myself. Edits by me. 

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Saturday, February 24, 2018

Avoid the Office "Blahs," Play with Neutrals

Fashion, Trends & More
Fashion, Trends & More
Fashion, Trends & More
Fashion, Trends & More

Hello! I graduated from college almost two years ago and started working in an office shortly after my graduation. I work as an e-commerce retail catalog assistant for a home decor retailer; I process our shipments, file claims, handle our social media and marketing and write our copy. It was exciting to be working my first "big girl" job but dressing the part seemed slightly daunting. I rocked micro minis and platform heels constantly (and still do!)- what was I supposed to wear to the office? Luckily, I work in a relatively laid-back office environment and am granted a lot of freedom in my style choices. However, I do like to do my best to put together "office looks" and have found myself trying to play around with these styles more and more lately. Who says that office attire has to be boring?

One office style element that I've been experimenting a lot with lately is neutral color. Neutral colors work wonderfully for the office but unfortunately, can often feel very "blah" if not styled appropriately. But there's no need for neutrals to be boring. I paired neutral colors with other interesting style elements in my look above to create an aesthetic that not only works well for the office but also feels fresh and hip at the same time. Wondering how you can take your neutrals away from "blah" and to a new level of office style cool? Well, I've compiled a list of my five best tips for avoiding the office "blahs" while playing with neutrals, keep reading to check them out:

1. Play with prints. Neutral colors on their own are boring. But neutral colors within prints? Simply charming! Go for more patterned neutral pieces rather than solids to create interesting looks. Even neutral prints tend to be relatively quiet but that gives you a lot of freedom to mix and match different neutral prints like I did above. When mixing and matching neutral prints, be sure that the pieces that you're styling together share at least one color in common. For example, the sweater and skirt that I'm wearing above both have white within their prints.

2. Experiment with texture. Mixing and matching textures is another way to create more interest when styling neutral pieces. Try pairing a cozy sweater with a silky skirt or a knit top with a cotton skirt. Add interest with a funky leather fringe purse or vinyl clutch. The juxtaposition of different textures is more visually appealing than a look composed of entirely one texture.

3. Use accessories to make a powerful impact. Neutrals provide you with a simple palette to accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. Since the emphasis of your look isn't on color, you can have more fun with accessories. Go for a bold pair of earrings or unique glasses. This also works well for the workplace because you often have more freedom when it comes to accessorizing.

4. Elevate the look with a cool pair of shoes. Details are key! A great pair of statement shoes can take neutrals from "eh" to "okay, wow" in a matter of minutes.

5. Add just a touch of color. A hint of color will instantly add visual interest. One thing I love about neutrals? They look good with many different colors so you have a lot of different choices. I paired subtle dark green accents with this look to keep it from feeling "blah."

What do y'all think about neutrals?

Photos shot by Elissa Rumford. Edits by me.

Skirt: Banana Republic, second-hand
Sweater/top: Madewell, second-hand
Green clutch: Vintage
Rings: Vintage
Aviator glasses: c/o Giant Vintage
Green booties: Urban Outfitters
"Tori" necklace: c/o Personal Necklace
Earrings: Wish

Saturday, February 17, 2018

How to Rock a Vintage Maxi (or Midi) Skirt

Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography

Hello! It's that time of year again: when you find yourself wearing a winter coat one day and a mini dress sans tights the very next day. It's a tricky time of year when it comes to fashion; temperatures flip flop back and forth- even from early morning to later in the afternoon. So what's a fashion-forward gal supposed to do? Invest in several key winter-to-spring transitional pieces. Maxi and midi skirts in particular work wonderfully for transitioning your wardrobe from winter to spring. I often prefer vintage pieces to modern ones and when it comes to maxi and midi skirts, I most definitely think that vintage styles outrank modern ones.

Another great thing about vintage maxi and midi skirts? You can easily find them at thrift shops for less than the cost of your weekly pizza. Don't feel like digging through rack after rack at your local thrift shop? LA Retro Girl also carries the most wonderful selection of vintage maxi and midi skirts.  In fact, LA Retro Girl actually sent me the chic maxi skirt that I'm wearing above. Its artistic print, pretty colors and flattering front slit make it an easy, effortless piece to style. LA Retro Girl sells the coolest vintage clothing and accessories online on Unitiques, Poshmark and Etsy. You can see how I've rocked the LA Retro Girl brand in the past on my blog here and here.

But as much as I love vintage maxi and midi skirts, I understand that they can often be more difficult to style. The length of maxi and midi skirts makes them great for transitioning your wardrobe from winter to spring but their length can also be problematic; I mean hey, there's a lot of fabric in maxi and midi skirts. And the last thing that you want is to be drowning in fabric! You have to be careful to not let the maxi or midi skirt overpower you, or your look. Keep reading for a few different tips on how to rock a vintage maxi or midi skirt this winter/spring:

1. It's all about balance. Maxi/midi skirts = a LOT of fabric. Balance all of that fabric out with a crop top or a tighter top like the form-fitting white turtleneck that I'm wearing in the photos above. Avoid voluminous tops and dramatic sleeves. And most importantly, tuck that top in (with the exception of crop tops that hit above the waist of the skirt.) I'm cringing just thinking about a loose top over a maxi skirt; the combo looks sloppy and that's never the goal. If you layer a sweater over the top that you pair with the skirt, make sure it's a more form-fitting sweater and not a breezy, free-flowing cardigan.

2. Selecting the right pair of shoes is crucial. I took a style risk by pairing my thigh-high boots with my maxi skirt but typically a slim pair of heels or sandals looks best with midi and maxi skirts. Showing just a little bit of ankle will help the skirt feel a little more sexy and a little less "Grandma-esque."

3. Belt it. Like I mentioned earlier, tucking your top into your skirt is the best option. Throwing a belt on over that combination will make the outfit even more flattering as the belt will cinch in the your waist.

4. Try out different silhouettes and shapes of maxi and midi skirts. Maxi and midi skirts with slits will always be my favorite as I love the movement that they create. Slits also help you avoid drowning in all of the skirt's fabric.

What do y'all think of vintage maxi and midi skirts? You can shop a couple of my favorite LA Retro Girl maxi/midi skirts here and here. Expect to see me wearing more of them this spring!

Photos by Rachel Dwyer Photography. You can browse more of her work on her website here or her Instagram here.

Maxi skirt: c/o LA Retro Girl
White turtleneck: via a clothing swap
Black lace-up boots: Nasty Gal
"Tori" necklace: c/o Personal Necklace
Blue purse: Vintage
Earrings: Wish

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Wednesday, February 14, 2018

MP Magic Socks: The Best Odorless Socks

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Untitled
Untitled

Hello! Owen from the MP team recently reached out to me regarding a collaboration for MP Magic Socks and I immediately hopped on board. Their socks use a unique fabric that uses three different metals to eliminate any foot odor. Odorless socks? Count me in! MP Magic Socks sent over two different styles of socks for me to try out: one pair of crew socks and one pair of ankle socks. 

I usually go for trendy, fashion-forward socks but MP Magic Socks are definitely more straightforward, basic socks. Nothing too fancy. I did prefer the crew socks over the ankle socks. They're not usually what I would rock but the concept behind them was what really drew me to them anyways. I tested out both pairs of socks and both pairs delighted me with how they truly eliminated foot odor. 

After working all day long, my feet usually have an unpleasant smell when I take off my shoes. Which is totally normal but not always the most pleasant- especially if I'm over at a friends' house after work and worried about the smell of my feet. And that's where MP Magic Socks come in. After wearing their socks all day at work, I took off my shoes and was surprised by how there was no odor at all. Truly like magic! A couple of my friends even noted the difference when I discussed the socks. 

I will certainly be buying these "magic socks" for myself in the future and would highly recommend that you try them out for yourself too. You'll be surprised by how well they truly work! 

Photos shot by Elissa Rumford and edited by myself. 

Red dress: c/o LA Retro Girl
Red purse: c/o LA Retro Girl
Red aviator sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage
Black booties: Jeffrey Campbell via Urban Outfitters
Statement earrings: Vintage

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Sunday, February 11, 2018

Fashion, Trends & More x Wonderless Photo

Photo by Sonnie Marie
Photo by Sonnie Marie
Photo by Sonnie Marie

Hello! I recently teamed up with Sonnie Marie, a local Richmond model and photographer, for a collaborative photoshoot. Sonnie continually impresses me with the work she posts on Wonderless Photo; her work has a distinct aesthetic with traces of vintage influence. She has a strong grasp on capturing a specific vision and I highly enjoy working with her. "Phenomenal" would be the best word to describe Sonnie's editing skills, and her photo work in general. You can browse more of her work on her Instagram page here.

I pulled a little black and white striped top out of my wardrobe for our shoot. Shein recently sent me this top and I love its iconic striped design. You can check it out on their site here. I wanted to focus on the classic style of the top so I styled it with a simple black circle skirt and layered on the vintage accessories. Chic cat-eye shades, a vintage purse and a golden vintage watch all contributed to the style of the look. I added just a touch of color to the look with a vintage red Budweiser bandana worn as a neck scarf.

Striped top: c/o Shein
Black circle skirt: H&M
Budweiser bandana (worn as a neck scarf): Vintage
Tan purse: Vintage (it used to be my grandmother's!)
Nautical scarf (tied around my purse): Vintage
Golden watch: Vintage
Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage

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Saturday, February 10, 2018

8 Ways to Incorporate Elements of the Seventies into Your Personal Style

Hello! If you know me then you know that I absolutely L-O-V-E vintage fashion with a particular affinity for retro seventies styles. There's just something about the free-spirited, bohemian flair of the seventies that I cannot resist. I fill my wardrobe with as many authentic vintage seventies designs as well as modern takes on seventies designs that I can find. But as much as I love seventies fashion, I understand that it can often be harder to style vintage pieces. There's a fine line between looking like you're wearing a costume (which I'm actually not opposed to but hey, that's just me) and effortlessly blending retro styles with modern ones. I've been rocking the seventies aesthetic for a few years now and I've picked up a few styling tips and tricks along the way. Keep reading for eight ways that you also can incorporate elements of the seventies into your personal style: 

Shot by Rachel Dwyer Photography

Shot by Rachel Dwyer Photography. Sweater c/o Shein. Watch c/o Lilienthal Berlin. Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage. Statement necklace: c/o KristinsCandiShop


1. Go for a paisley scarf. Paisley prints reigned supreme in the seventies and it's easy to see why. If you're not ready to rock that seventies maxi paisley dress, incorporate a smaller dose of the print into your wardrobe with something like a paisley scarf or clutch. Pair it with solid colors to let the retro appeal of the print truly shine.

Photo by Hannah Carroll

Photo by Hannah Carroll. Celestial earrings: c/o Zaful. Aviator glasses: c/o Giant Vintage

2. Rock a pair of aviator glasses. Aviator glasses and sunglasses popped up everywhere in the seventies. Throwing on a pair of aviator glasses or sunglasses is one of the easiest ways to incorporate a touch of seventies flair into your personal style.

Photo by Caroline Thornton

Photo by Caroline Thornton. Yellow sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage.

3. Try out retro red, white and blue Americana vibes. Ah, seventies Americana. There's nothing that I love better than some patriotic red, white and blue hues circa 1975. However, this aesthetic is not for the faint of heart; you really have to go for it. It's a bold look and one that you need a little more confidence to rock. Start with an authentic red, white and blue seventies vintage piece, such as the sweater I'm wearing above, and style it with pieces that emphasize its patriotic, retro nature, such as my American flag bodysuit and red lipstick. Bring in a couple quieter pieces, such as my black circle skirt and rhinestone stud earrings, to keep the look from appearing like a costume. Avoid going overboard with the accessories. I always love to add just a touch of yellow to my seventies Americana looks to really solidify the vintage influence (like I did with my yellow shades above.)

Photo by Elissa Rumford

Photo by Elissa Rumford. Dress: c/o eShakti. Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage.

4. Add a couple inches to your height with a pair of platform heels. Bonus retro points for wooden platform heels! If you really want to go for the seventies gold, pair your platform heels with a pair of bellbottoms or flare pants. Besides radiating retro style, this combo will make your legs look about a million miles long. And who could say "no" to that?


Photo by Jon Faulconer

Photo by Jon Falcouner. 

 5. Wear mustard yellow (and rock a middle part if you're feeling bold.) Mustard yellow = THE color of the seventies. You can also experiment with burnt orange and rich avocado green. Sure, these colors may be traditionally thought of as "ugly" but are they really?? I can't help but be drawn to the aesthetic of these "ugly" colors. If you're feeling unsure, try bringing them into your wardrobe in small doses. Start with a burnt orange silk scarf and then move onto the puke green maxi skirt.

Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography


6. Carry a fun, retro suitcase. Modern luggage is boring anyways. Just take a look at the luggage carousel at the airport- how many plain black suitcases do you see? I'm cringing just thinking about it! Stray away from blah and have fun with a colorful piece of luggage like the suitcase I'm holding above. You can often find these at thrift shops, yard sales, estate sales and of course, Etsy.

Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography

Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography. Dress: c/o Shop Nebula. Earrings: c/o Zaful. Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage. Necklace: c/o Personal Necklace.

7. Wear authentic seventies vintage pieces. Enough said. Scour local thrift shops as well as Etsy and Poshmark for authentic seventies vintage pieces.

Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography

Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography. Wardrobe: Urban Outfitters. Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage.

8. Get groovy with bell sleeves. Bell sleeves presided in seventies fashion and to my delight, they're trending yet again. You can easily find bell sleeve tops and dresses at many fashion retailers today and their options usually blend retro and modern style really well- which makes styling them with other pieces in your wardrobe super easy. Start small and pair a bell sleeve top with a pair of flared denim or go bold and rock a bell sleeve maxi dress in a burnt orange paisley print.

Do y'all have a favorite decade in regards to style? Let me know in the comments!

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Tuesday, February 6, 2018

What I'm Loving Right Now: Unitiques

Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography
Photo by Rachel Dwyer Photography

Hello! I recently teamed up with a unique fashion marketplace that I think y'all will love: Unitiques. Unitiques allows female college students and young professionals to buy and sell fashion-forward clothing and accessories. You can also buy and sell men's fashion, home & furniture items as well as books and supplies on Unitiques.

I primarily shop second-hand and am always on the lookout for new platforms to buy second-hand fashion so I was delighted to discover Unitiques. Shopping second-hand fashion is better for your wallet as well as the environment- I mean, c'mon, why would you not shop second-hand? However, sometimes you just don't have time to dig through piles of grandma dresses at the thrift shop or wake up at 8am on a Saturday for yard sales. And this is where Unitiques comes in: you can shop second-hand fashion whenever you want AND you don't have to do much sifting- Unitiques carries fashion-forward pieces for everyone. It's easy to find cute pieces of clothing and accessories with friendly price tags. Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself!

For my collaboration with Unitiques, Alex, Unitiques' CEO, picked out this gorgeous orange blouse for me and it's quite the match made in heaven. I love the blouse's vintage appeal, seventies burnt orange color and feminine detailing. It was originally listed in La Retro Girl for $18 here.

I've also set up my own store on Unitiques with a few items in it so far. I enjoy editing my wardrobe on a frequent basis and being able to sell the pieces that I'm no longer loving on Unitiques is perfect. Cleaning out my closet while also making a little extra cash? Count me in! You can check out my Unitiques "store" here. Maybe buy something and help a girl pay off her student loans?

Photos by Rachel Dwyer Photography. You can see more of her work on her website here or her Instagram here.

Orange blouse: Vintage c/o Unitiques
Maxi skirt: Forever 21 (from my high school days!)
Lace-up heels: Nasty Gal via Ashby
Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage
Blue purse: Vintage
Portrait earrings: c/o Zaful

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Saturday, February 3, 2018

What to Wear for Valentine's Day

Photo by Sandy Swagger Jones
Photo by Sandy Swagger Jones
Photo by Sandy Swagger Jones
Photo by Sandy Swagger Jones

Hello! Can you believe we're already making our way into February? January seems to have flown by! As we delve into February, visions of pink hearts and red bows dance in my mind. Yes, you guessed it: Valentine's Day has been on my mind. And while all the Valentine's Day chocolate may be pretty darn great, I love the fashion even more. Lace, red, feminine silhouettes? Count me in. There's a lot of different ways that you can do Valentine's Day fashion; you could go the cutesy pink route, all black heartbreaker look or something a little more traditional with red hues. And I'm really feeling the red hues this Valentine's Day. I recently teamed up with Sandy Swagger Jones, local Richmond photographer, to shoot a couple looks perfect for Valentine's Day.

I pulled a little black romper out of my wardrobe for the first look. Although I've had this piece in my wardrobe for a few years, I love it now as much as ever. Its feminine lace detailing and sexy silhouette make it the perfect option for Valentine's Day. I paired it with one of most recent favorite thrift finds: this gorgeous red vintage coat. I scored this beauty at a Salvation Army a couple of months ago for just $11. The coat fits perfectly and I'm beyond impressed with its quality. I styled it with a pair of golden platform boots, pretty vintage earrings and a statement pair of cat-eye shades.

I stuck to the same color palette for the second look but switched up my styling a little bit. I started styling the look around this cute little red dress. Shein recently sent it to me to incorporate into my wardrobe and I've worn it several times since then. I love its vibrant color and adorable sweetheart neckline. I created a little drama in the look by styling it with a leopard print faux fur coat. Black lace-up boots, a silver statement purse and yellow shades perfected the look.

What do y'all think about Valentine's Day fashion? Do you have the perfect look picked out? Let me know in the comments!

Photos by Sandy Swagger Jones. You can browse through more of her work on her website here or her Instagram here.

First look:
Red coat: Vintage
Black romper: Express
Golden boots: Jeffrey Campbell
Striped scarf: Vintage
Earrings: Vintage
Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage

Second look:
Red dress: c/o Shein
Leopard print coat: Vintage
Yellow sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage
Silver statement purse: Ashby
Thigh-high boots: Nasty Gal
Earrings: Urban Outfitters
Necklace: Vintage

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