Our friend, the Color Wheel - Part 2

About a month ago, I addressed how to dress in complimentary colors in my first color wheel post. If you missed that post, I encourage you to click here and read that article first! For those of you who have already read the first post, your very long wait is over. Welcome to part two!

We'll start off (as usual) with the example outfit...

Shirt - JCPenney ($14.99)Scarf - Old Navy (Gift)Belt - Ebay ($8.00)Skirt - Wet Seal ($5.00)Tights - Forever 21 ($4.00)Shoes - Forever 21 ($15.00)
As you might guess, the skirt is the focal point of the colors in this look. My shirt, scarf, and tights are some of the colors in the skirt that stood out to me upon first glance. Take a look at the pattern and see what colors jump out to you.


As you can see, there are many to choose from; so many that it's hard to pick just a few. I could have done sky blue, cobalt, mint green, pale yellow, light brown, even a near olive shade! The fact that I picked a vibrant red, purple, and mustard yellow to take from this skirt is just a testament to how much I adore bright colors and the fact that this was the last rare 50 degree day in Chicago (at least for a few months)! It's up to you, your personality, and the season that you wear this pattern in which will determine the colors you choose to highlight. This brings me to the next bullet point on the list.
4) Seasons determine the colors that you sport.
Point number two (Pick whatever accent color speaks to you) also goes hand in hand with your surroundings. Yes, it's January in Chicago, but up until a few days ago, we were experiencing Spring-like weather. In my opinion, this skirt transcends the seasonal color suggestion. That may not be the truth for some of you out there. Fashion commonly dictates that certain color options accompany the change of the seasons. Usually, these are common sense changes - bright colors for Spring and Summer; browns, yellows, oranges, dark reds for Fall; and paler, more washed out colors for Winter. In between the seasons, colors that are trending may slowly transition. It's up to you to determine if you want to follow the seasonal color suggestions exactly, or if you want to throw in a little bit of your own interpretation as I've done here. Feel free to experiment. It's always up to you.
5) Patterns are the friendliest complimentary color palette.
If you look back at the last Color Wheel post and examine my focal point for this outfit, you will notice a glaring similarity - both of my "main" pieces sport colorful patterns. If you are going for complimentary colors (especially in accessorizing), it is easiest to work with multicolored patterned clothing. For me, I like going a bit outside the box with my accessories (i.e. not perfectly matching the colors), but for this outfit, I've put together some accessories that draw out those colors that really caught my eye in order to give you a "jumping off point" of sorts.

Necklace - Forever 21 ($3.80)
Bracelets - Forever 21 ($6.80)Earrings - Thrifted ($1.99)
We discussed in the last color post about gold being a neutral. I've also decided to highlight the greens, blues, and reds in the skirt with the set of bracelets and earrings. These, too, have gold accents to tie them back in with the necklace.
Once you are more comfortable with picking out colors from your focal point in the outfit, you can start picking more avant garde looking accessories.
6) Have fun, and don't be afraid to take the next step!
Learning how to match and compliment colors does not happen overnight. It takes practice and many outfits. Don't ever be afraid to think outside the box when you have reached your comfort zone. That is how fashion is made!
Have any of my steps helped you out in your daily dressing excursions? Do you have tips for drawing out complimentary colors? Comment on this post to tell me all about it!
Until next time.
~ they seek her there

Snow Day Links!

I don't know about the rest of you, but right now we are getting HAMMERED with snow in Chicago. I've been able to do nothing this afternoon but sit in my office and just stare at the inches and inches of powdery stuff coming down and covering everything.

While in contemplation, I wanted to give something back to those of you who are stuck inside on this snowy day.

~ Over at my Pinterest, I've assembled some awesome links to vintage DIYs and fashion that some of you might like to check out.

~ Rookie Mag has an article for tips on looking glam (with a vintage twist) in your everyday life!

~ Pop over to A Beautiful Mess for a simple wall art DIY that will waste a little time and allow you to get your creativity on.

~ Like The Hunger Games? A Tumblr has been launched entitled Capitol Couture. Sign up using the password #lookyourbest, and you can receive updates from the site.

~ Now, something for the guys! Visit The Effortless Gent for tips on classy dressing that won't have you reeling in confusion.

~ Finally, something for everyone. Cracked is my favorite internet time waster. Try The 5 Most Insane Original Uses for Famous Products on for size.

How are you celebrating this unexpected snow day? Comment and feel free to link me to some of your favorite time wasting websites.

Until next time.

~ they seek her there

(Image courtesy of bliss-of-seasons on Tumblr)

Pinterest - Everyone's newest addiction

It's the board where you can post your latest addictions, pictures, and eye candy. It's Pinterest, and it's taking the internet by storm. Not familiar with Pinterest? Right now, the site is invitation only, but it's easy to secure your own invite. Just ask a fellow member for a recommendation, or you can slip into Pinterest's queue for acceptance. It's easy!

Why am I talking to you about this site? Well, I (they seek her there) have my own Pinterest, and I'd like to share all of my amazing links and pictures with you. Today, I've put up my predictions for hot Spring looks which seem to be popping up everywhere! If you'd like to check out my updates, please visit they seek her there on Pinterest for daily insights, outfits, and links to my favorite things.

Do you have a Pinterest? If so, comment here. I'd like to know what you're up to!

Until next time.

~ they seek her there

Trend Tip: Faux Fur Vests

It hasn't been very "wintry" in Chicago as of late. The weather continues to bounce back and forth between freezing cold temperatures and near, pseudo-spring days. I'm a bit crushed, as I love to layer and love seeing what bits and pieces of sweaters and vests and shirts I can pile on top of each other to get the chic-est layered look. A few years ago, I fear that would not have been the case.

I used to hate winters in Chicago (like many, many other citizens of northern Illinois), but even more I HATED layering. "You? Hate layering?!?!" one may ask with a stunned expression. If you know me now, I layer at every turn I can get. When I was 16 or 17, not so much. I hadn't quite reached my fashionable peak so to speak. Why am I telling you all of this? Because, dear readers, this is precisely whom I have designed this blog for - those who want to climb the mountain to reach the fashion zenith. Today, I have chosen to write about yet another trend to help you all in your quest. Our lesson for this post is having to do with fur vests.

(From top left) - Tan; White; Black; Black/Gray; Gray; Vintage Inspired

This is just a small collection I've put together while browsing through some of the online selections of my favorite stores. Right now, you can find faux fur vests just about anywhere. Why is this? Well, first of all it's winter. Despite what the Chicago weather would have you believe, it is the month of January and layering is usually a necessity. Fur vests are a stylish way to layer. Secondly, they add texture and pop to an outfit whereas your normal, everyday cardigan does not. Everyone wears cardigans, but not everyone has the guts to pull off a faux fur vest. Executing this trend comes down to, again, taking a leap and seeing if it works for you. Don't know how to wear it? I'll give you my example...

Oxford - JCrew (Thrifted; $4.99)Sweater - Old Navy (Gift)Faux Fur Vest - Forever 21 ($27.80)Skirt - Old Navy ($4.00)Tights - Target ($5.00)Shoes - Forever 21 ($15.80)
If this was solely an outfit post, I might have called this look "Little Red Riding Hood". The color scheme is just right, and one of my co-workers commented that it looked like I had stepped out of the woods. Fairy tale chic anyone?
Admittedly, it was quite different for me to wear my vest in this way. Usually, I would have done without the sweater, but I decided to take the plunge and it got me a stunning amount of compliments at work. Who would have thought?
The sweater is a cable knit type of sorts which SCREAMS wintry. Coupled with my fur vest and a blue oxford (to add a touch of class) I've got a very work appropriate winter outfit. It is "cold chic" and professional all at the same time. My shoes just top off the professional air I'm trying to emit. I've got the cranberry tights in there for a bit of color.
Again, my outfit is just a single example. You can tone your own fur vest look down a bit by staying to more neutral colors or less layers. You can make it even more wintry by adding a pair of fur-lined boots and long socks. It's really up to you!
Have you tried the fur vest trend? Comment here about your thoughts and attempts. I'd love to hear them!
Until next time.
~ they seek her there

So you want to dress like...Sherlock Holmes & John Watson

I've been told that I watch too much TV. This is a fact that I will happily admit to. I also have somewhat of a bad habit of watching too many movies. In this day and age when movie tickets are $10 at best, I still spend my hard earned money gazing at the beloved silver screen. Oh, I know I'm not the only one.

Now, one of the biggest conventions in modern TV and cinema is the detective story. Today, I'm posting about not just any particular detective story, but one that is very dear to many out there - Sherlock Holmes.

I would hope, dear readers, that you are more than familiar with the characters of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson from the lovely Sherlock Holmes stories penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I hope that you are also familiar with the Sherlock Holmes movies starring Robert Downey Jr. and the Jude Law. In addition to this new take on Sherlock Holmes, there is a modern retelling of the story which stars two (virtually) unknown British actors - Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. I suspect Martin Freeman will soon be a household name, however, as he is now Bilbo Baggins in the new Hobbit movie!

I digress. If you haven't seen the new Sherlock Holmes movie (A Game of Shadows) that came out around Christmas and (even more likely) haven't seen the TV show put out by the BBC, then you're in for an amazing treat today. The outfits I've put together for this post are inspirational collaborations which draw in key elements from the new movie and the BBC series. Let's get started!

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

This movie is all about travel and gypsies and catching Moriarty...and Watson's honeymoon. Without giving too much of the plot away (as I have been known to be a bit spoiler crazy), Holmes and Watson spend a significant amount of their time traveling with a group of gypsies across Europe.

Above, we can see our heroes in the wardrobes which they wear for pretty much the entire movie. Not too much variation here. For my Holmes-inspired outfit, I've made the scarf he's wearing the focal point of the set. It's entirely bohemian and has so much variation in color. A great accessory to base an outfit on!

For Watson, I went a similar route. Whether or not this is because I'm obsessed with scarves is besides the point. It's also winter right now, and a scarf is an essential part of bundling up in the cold.

Here, we can see said trademark scarf which Watson wears for most of the movie.

Now for what I came up with...

For Holmes:

Shirt; Skirt; Scarf; Tights; Socks; Boots; Cuff

Miraculously, I was able to find a scarf that strongly resembled Holmes' own from the movie. This look combines high fashion accents (like neutrals) with bohemian touches (the boots, scarf, skirt).

For Watson:

Sweater; Top; Trousers; Blazer; Booties; Scarf

I haven't put a flashy accessory in the Watson-inspired outfit as he is a former military man who dresses in neutrals and military-style jackets. You can see that the blazer is tailored with a high neck. This is the military touch in the outfit. The booties are my "gypsy touch" in this set, and you can see the look-a-like scarf which ties the whole look together in colors that just happen to end up matching. Very bohemian.

Sherlock (BBC Series)

This series has only produced six episodes to date. It's a sort of miniseries if you prefer to think of it that way. It stars Benedict Cumerbatch (War Horse; Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman (The Office - UK; The Hobbit) as his trusty doctor sidekick John Watson. These are modern retellings of the books with Holmes not being so bohemian any more, but more "designer label" driven. There is quite a bit of discussion in fan circles if the man wears Armani or Dolce and Gabbana. Watson has maintained his "everyman" look - wearing only simple shirts, sweaters, jackets, and trousers.

Above is pretty much the staple clothing choices for our boys. As you can see, John looks a bit more practically dressed whereas Holmes is wearing a suit, pressed pants, and dress shoes. The blue scarf and the coat (complete with red button hole at the collar) are staples of his character.

For Sherlock:

Blazer; Top; Trousers; Shoes; Earrings; Ring; Scarf; Coat; Socks

This look started with the shoes. I wanted a piece that would tie the original Sherlock Holmes to this modern adaptation. Oxfords were the solution. Sherlock wears neutrals in the series, with small pops of jewel toned color. His shirts are usually a rich scarlet or deep purple. I tried to bring that in with the shirt and the earrings. It goes without saying that the coat and scarf are a must. The signature look cannot be complete without them.

For John:

Jacket; Sweater; Shirt; Skirt; Boots

I again went with the "less is more" approach with my John-inspired look. John is nothing but practical - the complete opposite of his colleague who is nothing but flashy. One of John's staple looks in the series is also his cable knit sweater. There are also occasions where he is seen wearing generous amounts of plaid. I've combined these two looks into one fashionable statement that has just enough color to pop.

It was undoubtedly interesting to warp menswear into something fashionable and functional for women. Next time, I would love to do a menswear (for men!) post. If you are a man and a reader of my blog, please feel free to comment or send me and e-mail about what you would like to see! I'm always open to ideas!

Until next time.

~ they seek her there

So you want to dress like...Florence Welch

This week has been kicking my butt...but I have returned to once again bring you quality fashion advice. Today, we're going to try something new. The "So you want to dress like..." posts will be a regular thing on my blog. I'm very excited to announce this as a feature, and even more excited to discuss my style muse for this post - Florence Welch.

If you haven't heard of our dear Florence, she is the lead singer for a lovely and creative band called Florence + The Machine. Who exactly "The Machine" part of this group is, is a long story to try and explain. For now, let's just consider Florence. She is a stunning red head that never fails to sport color, geometrics, flowly accents, and a bit of sparkle on the side. These four categories can essentially sum up Florence's own personal style. Below, I'm going to give you four sets of clothes - each incorporates one or more facet(s) of Florence's style. There's even a set that is my own personal interpretation of imitating the lovely musician.

Geometrics + Sparkle

Top; Jeans; Wedges; Earrings; Bracelet

This one really took its inspiration from the picture above. Notice the overall shimmery quality to her dress. It's draped and geometric with the lines crisscrossing every which way. One thing you must know about Florence is that she adores looking ethereal. The draped quality to the dress and the way the stripes seem to stretch out to infinity convey this. There are also two themes to be had here: shapes and sparkle. In this casual outfit, the accessories give the casual top and jeans a bit of a twist and add a whole new texture to the set.

Sparkle + Hardware

Dress; Earrings; Shoes; Clutch

This look is modeled after her outfit during a performance on Saturday Night Live in 2010...

This is more of a direct or mirrored look of hers, with some colorful accents based on the bit of eccentricity she likes to add to her videos and outfits. I also can't stand a LBD (no matter how fancy) without a bit of color. The "hardware" on the clutch coupled with the earrings and dress make this an interesting mix of "tough" and "feminine".

Flowy + Fairytale

Florence's first album was a creative retelling of many fairytales and the weaving of her own. Often, I see pictures of her at concerts favoring a long, flowy dress design. Again, this is her exercise in appearing ethereal. This is only one example of the type of dress she usually wears on stage:

And here's my interpretation...

Dress; Wedges; Bracelet; Earrings; Necklace

You can definitely see why I chose the dress. It most closely mirrors the one she's wearing in this picture. Shortly after I stumbled onto the necklace. I will never deny a good accessory, and the color of the dress just screams for a light teal to be paired with it. I didn't want to overload the rest of the accessories with so much color, so I went with black accents and minimal teal (for the bracelet).

My take on Florence's look...

Dress; Earrings; Tights; Shoes; Ring

The dress has that blocked geometric shape with defined colors. The red earrings and shoes add a bit of accent color, and the skull ring and sparkle tights can be chalked up to trying to tie in our ethereal elements.

How would you pull together an outfit in the style of Florence? Is there a dress or a top in your closet just begging to be styled just like this? Feel free to comment below or send pictures! I would love to hear all of your wonderful ideas.

Our friend, the Color Wheel - Part 1

Remember a few posts ago when I promised to teach you the fine art of color matching? Well, this is part one of that post. You're in for a lot of logistics, so sit comfortably and read on! Hopefully, when you are done with this post, you will have a bit of a renewed (or new) idea on the concept of complimentary colors.

First, my outfit example for this post:

Shirt - Thrifted: $4.99Belt - Thrifted: $1.99Skirt - Thrifted: $6.00Tights - Thrifted (unpackaged from Target): $3.00Shoes - Forever 21: $15.99
If you can't properly see the colors on the shirt, maybe this shot will serve you better...


Also my lovely necklace, which has been re-purposed as a cuff for this post. (Only $6.00 at Forever 21!)
If you're still having trouble seeing the colors, they include a canary yellow, fuchsia, a deep red, kelly green, royal blue, white, and purple against a black background. It's best described as all blending together in a semblance of a paisley pattern. If you know my personal sense of style, you will understand why this shirt screamed at me from the Goodwill stacks. It's colorful, it's elegant, it's just me. That is one of they key elements I would ALWAYS use to describe my own personal sense of style: colorful.
What does it mean to be colorful? I would say it definitely involves being color oriented. What is color oriented? Well, if you wish to be color oriented, you must first be best friends with the amazing color wheel:
(Source)

Admittedly, this is a very intimidating looking color wheel, but it is the best color wheel I could find for the best use in my own example for this blog. We'll take it slow. Let's find our shirt colors in the wheel. For purposes of using this specific color wheel, let's say the colors that we have are fuchsia, lemon, green, blue, plum, red-orange, and white. I would also say that my tights, belt, and shoes that I am wearing with this outfit are fuchsia and blue. Now for steps on undertaking an outfit such as this...
1) Always match complimentary colors with your focal piece.
For this outfit, the focal piece is clearly my shirt. A neutral skirt is a safe bet to pair with the shirt. Yes, the undertone of the shirt is also black, but the various colors on the shirt make it stand out as a "busier" piece than usual. A neutral is always good for tying an outfit together. To bring the color back into the outfit, I've chosen tights in a color that are also in our shirt and shoes and a belt that also match a color from the shirt. It doesn't look too busy because the color has been broken up with the skirt. The black skirt also does not wash out the color since we've chosen two tones from the skirt and played them up with subtle accents. It all ties together!
2) Pick whatever accent color speaks to you.
I tend to favor "cool" colors (greens, blues, purples) over "warm" ones (reds, oranges, yellows). This is why I've chosen to go with the blue belt and shoes and the fuchsia tights. You've got seven accent colors in all that one can easily spot in the shirt. Pick whichever color you favor and go with it...just make sure at the end of the day the shoes match! ;)
3) Neutral and simple accessories are best.
Because this is a high-necked vintage top with a tie around the neckline, I would not need to wear a necklace. You can't see it in the above picture, but I'm wearing the simple pearl and gold post earrings I was wearing in the "Let it Snow" post. I also have my re-purposed necklace/cuff. That is it. Too many accessories is going to make this already busy outfit outrageously busy and over the top. I've got an elegant, neutral gold working in my accessories. It's just enough to make the piece pop without overwhelming the general public.
Continue your color education in Part Two! (Coming soon...)