Five Little Black Dresses Under $50: Part II

Black wrap dress with cute sleeves, $32.99.

I was paging through my usual shopping websites in search of a formal dress, and I was presently surprised when I got to ModCloth’s webpage. Actually, that’s a little understated. To be honest, I was overjoyed when I arrived at ModCloth’s homepage. Staring me right in the face were the words “Cabin Fever Sale, shop styles at 70% off!”  One click and I was looking at 300 sale dresses, all under $100. Imagine my delight.

As I was searching for the perfect dress, I realized that the Cabin Fever Sale was loaded with stylish LBDs at some pretty wonderful prices.  So in honoring my own personal girl code, always tell other girls about amazing fashion deals, I naturally felt obligated to share the good finds with other fashionistas.

Another Five Little Black Dress Under $50

Get this dress, with a unique one shoulder cutout, for $38.99.

A touch of femininity for $24.99.

My personal favorite, only $35.99.

A trendy twist on a classic look, $44.99.

I did buy a dress for formal from ModCloth, shockingly, it’s not black.  Do you like the dresses I picked out on ModCloth? Don’t be afraid to share your LBD purchases here on my blog.  If you find a great deal at the Cabin Fever Sale let me know.

Fashion Trend: Bright Orange

It’s wintertime, and I find myself always wearing black, grey, or dark blue clothes.  Like clockwork my bright, colorful, and fun wardrobe takes a turn down dreary lane every December.  With all the cold wind and snow on the ground it is difficult to mix bright colors into daily outfits.  However, I’ve decided to make a conscious effort to not let the winter weather bring my style down.  According to Glamour’s Slave to Fashion: Daily Style Blog, the color orange is a great way to spice up a drab winter wardrobe.

Bright orange maybe all over the runways, but you don’t have to pay designer prices.  I’ve found some inexpensive orange fashion fixes that will help you feel sunny even when the weather outside is anything but.

5 Orange Fashion Fixes

1. Sweaters

I love to wear sweaters in the wintertime because they are easy to layer and really keep you warm.  Wear a bright orange or coral colored sweater with jeans and a pair of boots, and you’ll be toasty warm.

Women's solid fine gauge boyfriend v-neck sweater, only $16.99.

2. Dresses

A girl can never have too many dresses.   A simple dress is perfect for colder weather, because it can be paired with tights, heels, and a chunky sweater.  This dress, from American Apparel, is the perfect inspiration piece for any outfit.

Get this simple dress from American Apparel, only $35.00.

3. Any Occasion Top

Maybe a complete orange dress is too much for you.  For a evening look try an orange top with black heels and jeans.  Add some fun statement jewelry and you’ve got a complete look.

Try this orange ruffle shirt from Forever 21, only $19.80.

4. Earrings

If you are afraid to incorporate orange into your wardrobe, start with a small amount of orange in your accessories.   A great way to add some color around your face is with a pair of coral earrings.  Even if you are dressed in all black, you’ll standout in the snow with bright accessories.

Try a splash of orange with these coral earrings from Couture Candy, $40.00.

5. Shoes

Every girl loves shoes.  No matter what kind of day you’re having you can always count on your shoes to look good.  Add a pair of orange shoes to your collection and start wearing them right away.

Wear these orange flats to add color to any outfit this winter. Currently on clearance at Aldo.com for $20.99.

Frugal Fashion Tip

Always start at the sale rack when you go into a store.  If you can find what you’re looking for on sale first you’ll save yourself a lot of money.  I usually search the sale rack at multiple stores before I buy something that’s not on clearance.

Five Little Black Dresses Under $50

Audrey Hepburn, my little black dress idol.

The holidays are just around the corner. Whether you are prepared or not. With all the cooking and shopping we do for others, we often forget about ourselves and our wardrobes.  I know it’s the season of giving, but you’ll feel better giving in style, right? Well I haven’t forgotten about you or your holiday style needs.  So with your schedules and budgets tightening up this holiday season, I’ve found some LBDs that won’t break your bank account.

 

1. Sequin

One trend that is popping up all over fashion magazines and blogs this season is sequins. WhoWhatWear reported that sequins are a shiny addition to any winter wardrobe. Maybe flashy isn’t your style.  However, a sequin LBD is an easy transition into the trend. Plus, everything is a little more flashy this time of year, you should be to. Add a pair of black tights and heels, and you’ve got a great look.

Black sequin dress from Wet Seal, only $24.80.

2. Embellished

So maybe sequins aren’t really your thing.  Don’t worry you have other options.  For example, a LBD with some small details might be more your style. InStyle agrees that small embellishments on a LBD make it standout from the crowd, while still maintaing a level of elegance.

London Times embellished black dress at Macy's, only $25.99.

3. Lace

Another trend that I talked about in my fall fashion trends post is lace.  Lace is big this season.  Don’t be afraid to give it a try.  Just make sure that you follow marie claire’s advice.  Don’t over do it.  Wear one thing lace and accessorize minimally. Simple shoes and a great bracelet or statement ring are all you need to complete your look.

Black lace dress from Forever21, only $27.80.

4. Gold

If you’re like me then maybe you already have an extensive collection of LBDs.  When I see a good one I just can say no!  A different version of a LBD is just what you need.  Try one with a hint of gold in it.  A dress with a little hint of gold will make you glisten in the Winter snow.  Pair it with gold heels and you’ll be the envy of every girl at the party.

Little black dress with gold from Forever21, only $24.80.

5. Cutouts

For those of you who are more ambitious in your holiday fashions, try a little black dress with cutouts. MillionLooks reported that the cutout craze is just beginning.  So be one of the first to wear the trend during the holidays.  Cutouts add instant sex appeal to an outfit.  Here again, I have to caution you. Don’t over do it with multiple cutouts, and make sure that they are in tasteful locations.

Black dress with cutout from bebe, only $34.95.

Which LBD are you going to wear this year?

Frugal Fashion Tip

Already have a LBD in your closet that will do just fine for the holidays?  Great.  Go ahead, wear what you got.  You can spice your old LBD up with some new accessories or a velvet blazer.

Images provided by Spotlight Vintage, Wet Seal, Macy’s, Forever21, Forever21, and bebe.

Taylor Swift: Fashion Leader and Public Relations Goddess

Musician, Taylor Swift.

A few days ago I was watching the Ellen DeGeneras show and Taylor Swift was her feature guest.  She was well spoken, dressed to perfection, and of course her quirky charming self.  She has this ability to make you listen to and believe every word that comes out of her mouth.  That’s when it hit me.  The Taylor Swift that my college friends and I used to belt out and dance around the house to is much more than a musician.  My fashionista and PR brain kicked into action.  I realized, I love Taylor Swift for two very different reasons.  First, her fashion sense is impeccable.  I would wear every dress I have ever seen her in.  Second, she is a model for best practices when it comes to using the web and Facebook to engage an audience.

Taylor Swift: Fashion Leader

A few weeks ago I did a post on three free stylists.  Well I guess I should have included Taylor Swift on that list.  The girl knows how to dress.  Taylor Swift Fashion is a blog dedicated to following the musician and her fashions.  Carmen, the author of the blog, posts photos of Taylor’s outfits and informs her readers of where to get her exact look, or a similar look for less.  Naturally, I’m a fan of getting the look for less.  So why do I love Taylor’s fashion sense so much?

• Everything she wears is the epitome of femininity.
• Her style is effortless, flattering, and fun.
• Her clothing choices are in harmony with who she is as a person.
• She puts her own twist on current trends.

Taylor Swift in a black lace dress by Tadashi Shoji.

Get Taylor's look for less at dELiAs.com for $44.50.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taylor Swift: Public Relations Goddess

One of my professors recently shared a Facebook fan page best practices article with my class.  After reading the article, I realized that Taylor Swift excels at using Facebook and the web to engage her fans and make them feel appreciated.  It is obvious that Taylor Swift’s Facebook fan page as well as her official website are dedicated to giving her fans an inside look at her life and dreams.  From a PR perspective there are three things that I contribute to Taylor’s success:

1. Transparency: On her site and fan page Taylor keeps her fans updated about what she is up to and how she is feeling.  Her website even has a journal, where she posts her thoughts and personal pictures.
   

   One of Taylor's journal entries on her website.

2. Engaging: Taylor does a great job of engaging her fans.  Not only does Taylor interact with her fans through her fan page and website, but fans are interacting with one another, building a community of Taylor lovers.  On her website Taylor has a page dedicated to forums.  She uses this page to post news and special announcements.  Fans can also post comments and suggestions on the forum, making them feel valued.
   

   Screen shot of Taylor Swift's website forum.

3. Multimedia: Taylor does a great job using videos on her website and fan page to connect with her fans, while still promoting her personal brand.  Fans can watch videos of Taylor anytime from her fan page and her Taylor TV channel.  Every video of Taylor emphasizes that she is living her dreams, being true to herself, and no amount of fame will change her.

Do you guys agree? Is Taylor stylish? Does she do a great job of connecting with her fans?

Frugal Fashion Tip

Save $5 a day for rest of November, and use the money to buy yourself a new outfit for the holidays.  At the end of the month you will have $100 to spend on some festive fashion finds.  Do you like to dress up for the holidays? Good luck.

Images provided by SBNation, Glamour, and dELiAs.

Metrics for Fashion PR

Styleite, a website utilizing metrics to determine rankings in the fashion industry.

Did you know that it’s possible to measure the effectiveness of a fashion PR campaign? As a PR graduate student I am always looking for ways to measure the success of my efforts. Anyone working in the public relations industry knows that we don’t research our audience for hours on end, create concise communication/business objectives, or perfect goals for nothing.  The PR campaign design process is a methodical science.  Who wouldn’t want to have a tool to measure success after all the research and work?

So what measurement tools are available to fashion PR professionals?  Dan Abrams, created a website, Styleite, dedicated to ranking individuals and companies in all aspects of the fashion industry.  Styleite is a tool professionals can use to measure the success of their PR campaigns.  The higher an individual or company ranks, the more successful the PR professional’s efforts have been.

Power Grid

Rachel Zoe ranks No. 1 on Styleite in the stylist category.

So how does Styleite work?  The homepage of the website is called the Power Grid.  According to Stylite’s FAQ the Power Grid is “an objective ranking of roughly 1,500 known and important players in fashion today, divided into categories.” These categories include:

• Fashion Titans
• Personal Style Bloggers
• Modeling Agencies
• Modeling Executives
• Fashion Magazines Editor in Chiefs
• Fashion Magazine Fashion Directors
• Brand Executives
• Models
• Fashion Photographers
• Fashion Writers
• Stylists

To be No. 1 on the Power Grid, in your respectful category, essentially means that you are a leader in your fashion category.  Your PR team must be doing a tremendous job of getting your name/brand out through the web, social media, and many other avenues.  So maybe you’re not at high as you would like to be.  Launch a PR campaign and monitor your success as you rise through the ranks (easier said than done, but possible).

Metrics

What metrics is Stylite using to determine these rankings?  Styleite has created an algorithm that includes traditional metrics such as net worth estimations from Forbes, number of employees, financial data (reported by the companies themselves), print circulation, and column ratings.  However, the algorithm also contains nontraditional metrics as well.  Nontraditional metrics include:

• Google Buzz Name
• Google Blog Buzz Name
• Google Buzz of Affiliation of Company
• Google Blog Buzz of Affiliation or Title
• Unique Online Visitors
• TV Airtime (through TVEyes)
• Twitter Followers

The goal is to rank has highly as possible in as many of these metrics as possible.  The higher an individual ranks in these metrics, the higher his/her ranking on the Power Grid.

The Power Grid is Not Perfection

The creator of the site admits that there are flaws.  Obviously, some important people may have been overlooked, while others may fall into more than one ranking category. Also, some metrics, like net worth, have to be estimated.  These estimations may decrease the accuracy of the rankings.  Regardless or these flaws, Styleite is a tool that every Fashion PR professional should have in his/her toolbox.

Frugal Fashion Tip

This week treat yourself to a fashion splurge.  You’ve been following my tips for a couple of weeks now, and hopefully saving money along the way.  Reward yourself for you frugal habits and purchase that item you’ve been dreaming about.

Images provided by Styleite and Jewerlry.com.

Three Free Personal Stylists

Stylists bring racks of clothes to celebrities and help them pick what works best.

Have you ever noticed that celebrities and socialites always look stylish and well put together?  How do they do it? I’ve come to two conclusions.  First, some women and men are just born with the ability to make any outfit look effortless and figure flattering.  My second, more realistic and expensive conclusion, is that they depend on the hired help of a fashion stylist.  Fashion stylist can charge $125 an hour to offer their fashion expertise.  The more accomplished the stylist, the more they charge.

How to get Fashion Advice for Free

I don’t know too many girls, if any at all, who have money to blow on a personal stylist. I’m guessing if you’re reading this you don’t have the money either.  So what are girls with average fashion sense and a tight budget to do?  The answer to this question might shock you.  Believe it or not, I was able to come up with three free personal stylist websites anyone can use to get fashion advice.

WhoWhatWear

WhoWhatWear is a website dedicated to following fashion trendsetters and reporting on new trends.  The website also offers subscribers the option to ask fashion experts any fashion question they might desire.  For example, let’s say you read one of my earlier posts, and bought a trendy green military inspired jacket.   You love the jacket, but your’re losing sleep at night because you can’t seem to find boots that match.  Snap a few pictures of your new jacket, and ask the website’s stylists to suggest some appropriate boots for you.  Fashion dilemma solved, free of charge.

French Connection

Maybe you don’t have time to wait on a reply from a sytlist.  You procrastinated and need fashion advice pronto.  Have no fear, French Connection has launched a YouTube channel called Youtique, where you are just one click away from outfits on demand.  The channel offers advice on what to wear to a range of events.  They have you covered from weddings to trips to the city.  However, I don’t suggest procrastinating on fashion advice.  Check out the YouTube channel prior to the event, so you can plan a shopping trip if need be.

This Blog

Blogs like this offer a great platform for fashion advice.  I’m sure by now you’re all aware of my obsession with fashion.  If you have fashion questions post them on my blog.  I would love to help my readers become more stylish versions of themselves.  I promise to offer good advice, free of charge.  Also, other readers might have tips and advice for you as well.

Where do you get your style advice?  Will you use any of the ideas I have suggested?

Frugal Fashion Tip

We may not want to admit it, but we all have a friend who is a little more stylish than we are.  Don’t get jealous.  If you have a friend who likes to keep up with current trends ask her to do a clothes swap.  Raid her closet for something new and give her something of yours in return.  By swapping clothes you’ll have one of her items as collateral, you won’t have to worry about not getting your stuff back.  It’s an inexpensive way to mix up your wardrobe.

Image provided by styleposh.

Frugal Fashion Shopping List

Hopefully fashions shaped like foods won't be on your shopping list.

Have you ever gone to the grocery store hungry and without a shopping list?  If you have, then you know how disastrous it can be.  Without your shopping list you have no guidelines.  You end up with more food than you need, because everything in sight sounds delicious.  Not to mention the more food you buy, the more money you spend. Smart shoppers make a list of what they need, and enjoy a small treat before heading down the aisles of their local supermarkets.  This got me thinking, about all the times I’ve gone to the mall and spent more than I need to.  What if I could make a shopping list, to set limits, beforehand.

Tools to Create a Fashion Shopping List

A few weeks ago I was doing research for my blog and stumbled upon three great fashion sites.  The first being Polyvore, a website that allows you to make an image collage of fashion items, creating a complete outfit.  The second site is LOOKBOOK.nu. LOOKBOOK.nu allows people, from all over the world, to post images of outfits they have created as inspiration for others.  The third site is Weardrobe, like LOOKBOOK.nu, it is an outfit sharing site.  Weardrobe provides a platform for people to share photos of what they wear.  So what do these sites have to do with my recent obsession with saving money, via the restrictions of a shopping list?  They are the shopping lists.

Polyvore

How do you make a shopping list on Polyvore?  It’s simple.  Polyvore allows you to browse through current fashion items, put the ones you like in a collage, print, and shop. With shopping list in hand, or collage in this case, you’ll know exactly what your shopping for. This is a tool to help set your purchasing limits, so you won’t buy more than you need. Polyvore features items from high end designers.  So your challenge is to use the collage, and find the look for less.

My fashion shopping list for a great fall outfit, designed at Polyvore.

• McQ Rose-print silk top- $290.00
• Current/Elliott The Easy Biker nappa-leather jacket- $835.00
• Superfine Swirl mid-rise skinny jeans- $450.00
• Fendi Cut-Out Pump- $895.00
• Chloé Marcie medium leather messenger bag- $1,650.00
• Rose Gold Round Case Glitz Index Watch by Michael Kors Watch- $295.00
• Pastel flower bomb ring- $13.00
• ASOS Lion Cameo Heart Short Pendant Necklace- $10.00

This outfit cost a ridiculous $4, 438.  A price I’m sure none of you are willing to pay.  I challenged myself to find the look for less.  I kept the ring and necklace from the original because they were a steal.

• America Rag V-Neck Short Sleeve Floral Blouse- $34.99
• Forever21 Fab Faux Leather Jacket- $24.50
• Bebe 2b Skinny Kitty Grey Pintuck Jean- $39.95
• Lori’s Black Cut-Out Heel- $60.00
• Cole Hann Daisy Small Soft Tote- $99.00
• Skagen Denmark Swarovski Crystal Stainless Steel Pink Leather Watch- $70.26
• Pastel flower bomb ring- $13.00
• ASOS Lion Cameo Heart Short Pendant Necklace- $10.00

The total for this outfit is $351.70.  A lot less in comparison to the outfit on the shopping list.  However, the shopping list kept me from spending money on items I hadn’t already budgeted for.  How much would you spend on this outfit?

LOOKBOOK.NU and Weardrobe

LOOKBOOK.nu and Weardrobe make it even easier to generate a shopping list.  You simply log onto the site, find an outfit you like, print it out, and start searching for your own frugal version.  These two sites allow you to keep up with fashion trends all over the world. Both sites are a great source for fashion inspiration.

I liked this look that Sydney posted on Weardrobe.

Frugal Fashion Tip

So how does shopping while your hungry apply to this? I thought a tip of a different kind might be helpful this week.

Frugal Fashion Tip: Shopping burns a lot of energy.  So you might be tempted to buy an Auntie Anne’s pretzel or Orange Julius while shopping.  Save yourself some money and calories, and eat a healthy snack before leaving home.  I recommend something like greek yogurt or oatmeal with blueberries.  Both will keep you feeling fuller longer, but not so full you’ll dread trying on clothes.

Image provided by Inventor Spot.