fashion hauties

Picnik.com

I absolutely love picnik. I am an avid photographer, as you probably know, but one of the best parts is actually editing the photo. A lot of times, I have taken a satisfactory picture and edited it to the point where it is unique. I also like picnik because it is so simple. My little kindergartner brother could probably figure it out. Unlike photoshop, picnik is easy to figure out and requires no training. I also like how there is simply a cancel button if you don't like how you altered the photo. This definitely helps me because I feel more inclined to exoeriment with different effects that I would have never found out about. If you would like to know the truth, I definitely prefer picnik over photoshop because of it's ease of access and simplicity. The one thing that photoshop wins about is quality. Picnik is definitely for amateur photographers, but it can definitely create the same product overall.

Before

After

What I did: I messed with the saturation and the shadowing and then with HSL filter, which I faded about 80%. I really liked the before photo, but I think the adjusted colors definitely make it a winner.

Before

After

What I did: With this picture, I made it black and white on HSL filter, and to make me, the subject, stand out, I used pixelate (click on pixelate and a small box should open giving the option of reverse effect) which I painted the city's background.

As you can see, I used HSL filter both times. I really like HSL filter because it lets you adjust more things in depth, rather than the typical reverse effect and fade.

Before

After

I really like this picture because it is a perfect silhouette next to the city. I used boost and shadows under exposure to make this the way it is and define the shapes. I believe it made it more of a unique, stand out picture.

Here are some more pictures from the shoot that I edited on Picnik:

Special thanks to Molly and Elli for Modeling!

Fall has just about ended.

Those brisk days where you have newly-stiff air and orange and yellow blanketed ground. Starbucks Caramel Apple Ciders and Salted Hot Chocolates are the sweetest welcome. I wish I could just wrap it up into a box and keep the sweater and flannel-filled days all year.
The leaves are the best part.

Fall is so beautiful.

Oh Vines, you beautiful Vines...

I love how the leaves are so defined, and although I took this with my Nikon Digital (and on auto take), it came out very artistic and wispy. The funny part is the big blur in the middle is me, throwing leaves in the air.

I like how this came out in a vintage effect. Photo cred to my 5 year old brother.

Jackets and Other Things

Isa wears an H&M jacket.

I really like this picture because it is kind of city-sleek with the chalkboard. I don't know, that's just me.

I like the vibes of these pictures. They are a bit city-artsy.

That makes sense, because these pictures were taken at a local art center and outside.

Sorry for not writing too much- I can never figure out what to say about a photo... picture is worth a thousand words, isn't it?

Thanks for reading!

Vintage according to the Pros

Hey guys, sorry I haven't posted since Sunday. My computer has been crazy all week!
Anyways, I interviewed two vintage store owners: Doris Raymond from The Way We Wore in Los Angeles, CA, and Leann Townbridge from Meeps in Georgetown in D.C. They have tons of helpful advice and will definately make your holiday and vintage shopping a lot less chaotic!

How many years have you been interested in Vintage? How many years have you been involved with vintage stores?

Doris: I started wearing vintage in the late 1960's, when I was teenager in high school. I can hardly believe this is the 30th anniversary of The Way We Wore®, Inc [editor's note: the 30th Anniversary will be celebrated in 2012!].

Leann: We have always been interested in vintage!

What sparked your interest in vintage?

Doris: I am basically a hippie in spirit and it was an inexpensive way for me to dress myself and also express my personality. It was a quasi-alternative to dressing that became a hobby and then when I moved to San Francisco in 1974, I started selling at the Marin City Flea Market. 7 years later I opened my first store.

Leann:We bought the store in 2001 and the previous owner created Meeps in 1993. Leann and I were big Meeps fans before we took over ownership.

If there is one mistake people make about buying vintage, what is it?

Doris: We often get people who say "Where would I wear something like that?" The past 15 years or so have been so unique because truly anything goes in fashion. You can wear sequins and lamé during the day and rhinestone jewelry too! My motto is if it makes you feel good and looks great on you, why not?

Leann: Most pieces are one of a kind, if you are interested in the item, you might have to make alterations, i.e. alter the length, change the buttons, fix the zippers, add a belt..etc.

Shopping on a budget, what do you think would make the biggest impact on someone’s wardrobe?

Leann: I think vintage accessories make a huge impact. A vintage tie with a unique pattern for men, vintage scarves, hats and jewelry for women worn with new pieces. Mixing vintage with modern makes your style unique.

Doris: Never buy trends as they go out of fashion and always buy items that transcend time, so you can always wear your purchase. I would also say invest in good accessories because you can transform a plain garment with a great belt or jewelry.

What is the best advice you have about shopping vintage?

Doris: Establish a rapport with the people you buy from so they can give you really good tips on how to take care of pieces, where to get items repaired, the best storage, etc. I would also advise people to invest in having their pieces altered, so it really fits well. That is the difference between looking like something is off-the-racks and looking custom made.

Leann: Be creative and open minded. Be willing to make alterations.

If you had a friend that wasn’t too interested in fashion but may like vintage, what would you buy them for Christmas?

Leann: A gift certificate from Meeps!

Doris: That is a difficult question because I always keep in mind the personality and gender of the friend I am buying for. I may gift a great sweater or jewelry, because it is easier to get the "right" fit and match.

Thanks so much to Doris and Leann!

The Way We Wore is located at:

334 S. La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 937-0878 (p)
http://www.thewaywewore.com/
Monday through Saturday 11-7
Sunday 12-6

This store is such a dirty little secret of Californians-well, not a secret. The Way we Wore has been featured in Harper's Bazzar, Genlux, and The Wall Street Journal, to name a few! This store, which unfortunately I haven't been able to visit myself but I have heard rave after rave about, looks amazing. They offer tons of vintage and even custom design services- and I can't wait to order from their online store!

Meeps is located at:

2104 18th St NW
(between N California St & N Wyoming Ave)
Washington, DC 20009
Neighborhood: Adams Morgan

(202) 265-6546

www.meepsdc.com

Meeps has been featured in tons of publications, especially Lucky Magazine and Washingtonian. This quaint store is one of the cutest and most adorable stores in Georgetown! I reccomend trekking down to Meeps- its worth it.

Photos courtesy Doris and Leann.

How to shop at a vintage store: without looking like an Amateur

Vintage clothing (and accessories) are the best. Here are ten ways to help you get the best and most unique pieces, a bargain, and something that you will constantly wear.

Unlabeled Earrings Purchased for $7.

Vintage Britches Messageries Aeriennes Aviation Jacket, gift so price unknown.

Bring a Friend- Bring a friend or family member, especially one that is knowledgeable about vintage or fashion to help you along the way, especially so you don't get ripped off. Something to take into consideration is that they aren't with you to tear you down or to tell you what to buy. It is your decision, and they are your clothes.
Check out the Garment- Look at it. Does it have any stains or rips? Are there any buttons missing? Does the zipper work? For more expensive items, do a quick Google search to decide whether or not the price is right.
Unique- Is this item something you would see elsewhere, such as at Forever 21 or H&M? These stores often go for a vintage-look, but usually don't look legit. Some things to look for are artistic prints, odd cuts, zippers, embellishments, and color(s). Although an item is unique, that doesn't necessarily give it the right to a high price tag.
Price- Is this a brand that you have heard of that is considered couture? At that point, the prices tend to be higher-but make sure you check the wear and tear of the garment. If there is no label or it is a casual piece, the prices tend to be lower.
Piece- This seems very obvious, but think about it before buying. If you have 3 dozen marigold shirts already sitting in your closet, the same one isn't going to do you much good just because it's vintage.
Impulse- I have a rule about shopping, especially at vintage stores. The return policy at the store is often no returns, so decide carefully. If you live in a close proximity to your local vintage store, this rule of thumb applies to you: pick a price point. If the item is above your price point of, say, $10-$20, put the item on hold. If you sleep on it and decide you like it (if it is allowed, I suggest taking a picture of the item so it will firmly stick in your memory so you don't remember it wrong- trust me, it happens a lot.), come back to the store and buy it. It's that simple.
Size- This is again, very obvious sounding, but I tend to sometimes pick things up if I love them, no matter what the size is. I have made tons of purchases I have later regretted because of size issues, and they just sit in my closet collecting dust.
Store Atmosphere- Although this may seem irrelevant, look around the store. Is it a ritzy, high end shop or a cheap and chic store filled with vintage lovers. Make sure the piece and the store are a a good fit for you and your clothes attitude. I recommend the ritzy shops for special occasions or if you are willing to pay more,
Think: Would Goodwill have this?- Thrift stores like good will typically carry a lot of Ralph Lauren and brands of the like. Ralph doesn't really feature vintage esque pieces, but they occasionally turn up overpriced in these types of stores.
True Love- Think about it. Do you love the garment? Love and impulse are a fine line, so be careful. If you numbers 1-9 all turn in it's favor, and you can see yourself wearing the item on a weekly basis, buy it.

Thanks for reading, guys! I hope this advice comes in handy in your vintage endeavors! Feel free to comment your questions, or lucky deals for a chance to be featured in Hauties!

Zebra Dress, $45.

Good things to look for Vintage:

Jewelry and Accessories. My favorite pair of earrings came from a vintage store, and they were only $7!
Coats. I have purchased multiple Burberry Trenches and a Leather Jacket as well as some blazers for at least half of the retail cost chopped off.
Dresses. Everybody needs them, and no one wants to be the girl at the party compared to someone else wearing the same dress.
Hats. I know, hats aren't very high on anyone's to-do list, but vintage stores that I've seen have by far the best hat selections I have ever seen.
Whatever draws you in. There is such unique stuff at vintage stores. I have bought the weirdest things there and ended up loving them.

Why I don't shop at the Mall: an Unconformed Series

Well, Readers, the truth is about to come out. Do you want to hear it? I went to the mall today for the first time since August. And I don't know if either of those trips even counted- I didn't buy anything either time.

That seems moderately ridiculous. I am a fashion blogger, and yes, I have multitudes of photo shoots, all featuring different outfits. No, I do not shop online- I can't get a credit card until... undetermined, and my mother definitely won't let me use hers. I buy a good majority of my clothes from various boutiques around my area, especially unique items, and go to somewhere like JCrew or Old Navy for less expensive staples like plain tees and layers.

Here is a perfect sample (Sorry about how far away the shot was taken!) of an entire outfit not bought at the mall. The sweater was from my neighborhood JCrew. I live near a boutique shopping district, so it was outside of a mall. The pants are and the tank is from another boutique in the district. This shows how using just a few shops around your town that you didn't know existed can help you create an outfit.

This series is designed to help you just about everything that has to do with shopping outside the mall. It will cover everything from how to distinct good and bad from vintage, get good deals, and finding unique pieces that you can guarantee that nobody else will have. This series will also help with techniques in budgeting and finding things you love even on a slim allowance.

Here are a just a few of the topics to look out for in the next couple weeks:

The Do's and Dont's of Vintage
Thrifitng: Pro's and Cons
Affording things you want as a Teen
Key Pieces for Budgeters
How to find a local boutique
Benefits of shopping at boutiques instead of the mall
How to figure out if something is worth buying thrift, some reasons to turn down vintage

Hopefully, this series will have an addition added to it at least a few times a week until Christmas! To keep up with how to shop smart as a teenager-or an adult, please subscribe to the blog- every subscriber means a lot to us! Email subscriptions are also available on the sidebar.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments below!

This Ralph Lauren oxford was purchased for $15 at a local designer consignment store.

I got a rock.

Checking up on style.com, I looked at some Spring 2012 RTWs. Pretty much, everything is all about white.

Celine and Valentino; both from style.com.

Don't get me wrong, I love white, on tan and darker skin tones. White looks fabulous on them, people with extremely pale skin that barely tans in the summer (like me), wearing white after a long winter... leads to some ghost-comparison problems. Basically, all of the shows (luckily they used tan models and had the shows right after the summer) featured pretty much unwearable items for the February and March spring months. Personally, I do not plan to be following these white trends.

Poor Charlie Brown. Definitely, ghostliness is not appealing, especially in the early spring months, without a costume party to attend, and while being handed rocks.

Alexander McQueen, Style.com.

I totally respect Alexander McQueen. He is an infamous style icon that changed fashion in America for years. But again with the ghost thing, even with the yellow-gold embellishments the effect is still there, especially with the makeup. To Do: Invest in some self tanner (actually no, it scares me, so I'll just chill with some spring-like colors and hope the rest of the world catches on.). Till next time, stay fabulous.

Check it out: Philosophy of Elegance

Molly, one of my blogging friends, recently started a new blog, Philosophy of Elegance.

Her adorable, half prep, half anything-goes style is definitely timeless.

Here she wears a Marmalade dress (this is not a literal MJ ad, I promise.. just an effective editing job)

Here she wears a JCrew top and Nordstrom Kids glasses.

Again going half prepster, half hipster.

Molly's own shirt and cardigan, hair bow from JCrew.

Check out her blog at: http://philosophyofelegance.dinstudio.com/

Fashion Hauties approve!

Not Another Urban Rebel.

Here's a shoot which we like to title "Marmalade."

Marmalade Dress, Patagonia Sweater, JCrew Belt.

Although these colors don't match completely, don't go crazy. Fall is all about experimentation and layering- whatever the colors are.

The wonderful Molly!

Definitely give her blog a click- she is new to the blogging biz, but gives great and practical advice to all fashionistas!

This look would be appropriate to wear practically anywhere! It is so versatile; wear it to school, a party, church, an event. Out to dinner, shopping, the possibilities are endless.

Back for awhile

Sorry friends, this summer literally was mind spinning.
I have so much to share with you, It's not even funny.
First and foremost, I love you all! All of you guys are the best, most loyal readers ever, and I'm so sorry that I let you down! I have lots to tell, and advise, so don't worry!
So, to the trend report:
This fall, I am absolutely loving jewel tones. The colors are beyond wonderful, not only because they are pretty, but because they bring out everyone's eyes, no matter what the color.

In the transition from fall to winter, be sure to layer. Cardigans and brightly colored jeans and skirts can help brighten up the dark days!

Unfortunately, In all trend reports, I was disappointed to not see forest green on the list. I am always keen to forest green (no rhyme intended), and I believe it looks great on almost everyone. It looks good with most skin tones, and the olive family is frequent on many people's color wheels. Realizing that doesn't stop me- and it shouldn't stop anyone. Just because something doesn't fit someone's trends doesn't mean that they aren't allowed, its your style, not theirs, and don't let anyone take that away from you.