WV Living in Style
Find your West Virginia style
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05/03/13Get Dressed and Get Out This MonthWelcome to May! And hopefully some sunshine, butterflies, and ramp dinners. There’s a lot going on this month, so here are a few events to head to and some fashion ideas to think about donning for your outtings. Held each spring in Bridgeport, Scottish Festival is a lively event that draws in quite a crowd. By all means, if you have any of your clan’s tartan hanging in your closet, wear that! Khaki or a pair of jeans in a shade of brown can really help flesh out a wardrobe. Much like white jeans, brown jeans can help add more interest to an outfit than regular blue denim can. Brown jeans can also be worn year-round. As a fashion blogger, there’s no other event I could get any more excited for than the West Virginia Symphony... Posted at 10:43 AM Comments |
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04/22/13Navigating the World of Flash Sale WebsitesOnce upon a time in the not-too-distant past, flash sales were reserved for the truly brave in places like New York City and Los Angeles. These sales were often unadvertised and when a designer would announce one, people would descend en masse, packing tiny boutiques and showrooms. A few years ago, people decided to bring the flash sale experience into your living room, minus the pushing and shoving. The first of these sites was Gilt, followed closely by ideeli, Rue-La-La, and Hautelook. At first these websites were very selective on whom they allowed, usually the big name fashion bloggers, socialites, etc. If you were lucky, they'd email you an invitation to join. Now, anybody can sign up for savings on designer clothes and accessories. There are now flash sales sites for... Posted at 09:52 AM Comments |
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04/05/13Plus-Size Primer Part 2: Where to ShopLast time I gave you what to look for while shopping for plus-size clothing. This time I'm going to give you a breakdown of where to look, divided by style. Saks Fifth Avenue – Salon Z Forever 21 Talbot's Worthington/Liz Claiborne (J.C. Penney) Land's End L.L. Bean Light In The Box eShakti Modcloth Eloquii DKNY Calvin Klein Daisy Fuentes Nordstrom J.C. Penney Lane Bryant One Stop Plus Cacique Zappos 6 PM This list barely scratches the surface of where to find stylish plus-size clothing, but it should give you a great starting point. Posted at 08:43 AM Comments |
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04/01/13The Look for LessHave you ever walked into a store, spotted a piece that you loved, and then you looked at the price tag...$500?! There's nothing in the world worse than having to walk away. Zara, J.Crew, and Stella & Dot are a couple of my favorite stores, but they are usually a bit pricey. I thought I'd shop around, choose a couple of my favorite pieces, and compare prices. I put together two outfits that are very similar but there is a $904.59 difference in cost! I love bargain shopping, and I'm convinced you can always find the look you want for less. Dress Renegade Cluster Bracelet Bangles Satchel Bubble Necklace Pumps Dress Cross Bracelet Rhinestone Pyramid Bracelet Satchel... Posted at 08:24 AM Comments |
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03/29/13The Plus Size PrimerOne of the most common emails I get as a fashion blogger based in West Virginia is people asking for suggestions on plus-sized clothing. Many women have told me of spending hours in the mall looking for clothes, to only be put off by the increasingly limited selection and often to leave empty-handed. Just because a woman may be plus-sized doesn't mean she can't look amazing and stylish. Here's a basic primer to plus-size fashion. 1. Size ain't nothing but a number. Vanity sizing has gotten so out of hand that you may be a size 20 at one store but a size 24 at the shop next door. It's hard, but focus on the fit of the clothes, and not the number on the tag. Nobody but you knows what the tag says so try to disregard it. Criticize how the clothing fits, not your... Posted at 08:25 AM Comments |
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03/15/13Dresses Fit For Any Easter Parade1. Want something that can also be worn to work? Land's End $69 2. Take a look at this Easter classic. Lilly Pulitzer $228 3. Crave texture and on a budget? Old Navy $35 4. This show-stopper is also available in plus sizes. Coldwater Creek $129–$139 5. Embrace the flowers you may or may not find in your own backyard. J.C. Penney $35 6. Want to stay warm because there's still snow on the ground? TopShop $76 Posted at 09:27 AM Comments |
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03/01/13Jump Into Spring with these Easy TrendsOn a particularly frigid day on the campus of Concord University, Concord Charlie saw his shadow in a hallowed tradition, predicting six more weeks of winter. He made his prediction on February 1, whereas the next day his nemesis, Punxsutawney Phil, did not see his shadow and forecasted an early spring. It's the first day of March, and I'm still wearing snow boots and a down parka. Yet the windows of local shops are decorated in bright happy colors, sundresses, and models smiling on billboards advertising spring break essentials. It seems a bit ridiculous to be shopping for spring clothes when the forecast is still calling for snow, but now is a good time to jump into the trends for the season so when the sunshine and rainbows come out, you're prepared. Both... Posted at 08:36 AM Comments |
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02/15/13How to Wear Mint, That Tricky PastelIt's no secret that mint is one of the most popular colors from last year and is looking to continue its reign as the on-trend color. I'm seeing it more than I'm seeing emerald, Pantone's color for 2013. I first saw mint pop up last spring, and ever since then, I'd been looking for a pair of mint skinny jeans. I finally got a pair from Old Navy for Christmas and have been wearing them everywhere. I also bought a mint cardigan because I've been in a mint mood. Pastels are the hot color for spring (surprise!), meaning you'll be seeing a lot of mint in the coming months. While looking through my closet, I decided mint is somewhat hard to properly accessorize. I first tried accessorizing with dark browns, and I wasn't feeling it. I can't explain... Posted at 11:51 AM Comments |
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01/29/13Organizing Your YearI spend most of my day organizing things at the office so when I go home, organization is the last thing on my mind. One of my New Year’s resolutions is to become organized! Quite honestly, this is the first time I’ve really put any initiative into becoming better organized—so here it goes! I did a little research and came up with a few tips and pictures to help inspire you to organize your year. 1. Binders, Binders, Binders I use binders for EVERYTHING! They just seem to be so simple to grab at any time. Buy some bright pretty colors with cute patterns and display on the bookshelf. That’s so much cuter than storing manila files in an old filing cabinet anyway, wouldn’t you agree? Here is a link with some great, free printables for an... Posted at 01:46 PM Comments |
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12/19/12Be Party Ready in MinutesThere's less than a week until Christmas and about two weeks until New Year's. This part of the year is usually full of parties for many people, and impromtu parties are not unheard of. A lot of these spur-of-the-moment parties (and they're always the best ones) tend to happen right after work, after a Christmas program, or at generally bad times. With all the running around the holidays bring, it's a great idea to keep a tote bag ready with a party-ready outfit in your car or office for those random holiday gatherings. The Dress | Old Navy $20–$28 A little black dress is always in style for any party. I picked this cowl neck sweater dress from Old Navy for several reasons. A sweater or other knit dress won't wrinkle like many other fabrics... Posted at 11:52 AM Comments |
