Ten-Hut!

The Military trend is seriously underappreciated. (Kind of like the real military) Many people don't see it for the fashion goldmine it is. So in honor of Veteran's Day, I've decided to do a post on how you can salute these men and women any day of the year.
Here are the basics.
Fatigues
These are the loose, army-green articles of clothing. I have been hunting for a good fatigue jacket/shirt FOREVER. They are essential to any wardrobe.Just remember that these are usually very loose pieces, so try to balance out the volume with skinny jeans or a bodycon skirt (Tuck it into the skirt, or it'll look like you forgot this cool thing called pants).
As for fatigue pants, go for skinny-cut ones. (If you want to get technical, you could just get skinny cargos).
Fatigue hats are hard to pull of without looking too 2005. Keep the rest of your pieces simple yet modern and you should be okay.
In short, fatigues are a great piece to add to one's closet. If you want to be unique, go vintage.



Ahoy, Sailor! The Navy has always had the most fashionable uniforms with their sailor motifs, escpecially in the 1940's. Middy blouses, horizontal stripes, peacoats and piping are all great, preppy basics to add to your closet.
(A word of warning on horizontal stripes. They can make curvy girls look wider, so be sure to play around with the fit and width of the stripes to find the right piece)
Don't forget to add some anchors!


There you have it. Two great ways to honor the troops. Happy belated Veteran's Day!
Ciao!

Costume Drama

Halloween is a lovely time. People dress up, give out and receive candy, watch seasonal movies. But one of my readers has a dilemma, as you can see.

Can you please do a post on how to make a halloween costume thats cute and WARM (warm enough for an oregon night)
Maddy

Well Maddy, that is an excellent request.Unfortunately, there are people out there who have to trick-or-treat in colder climates.But how does one do that while looking cute? Well I'll tell you. The key is to be original. Here are a few costumes that are flattering and guaranteed crowd-pleasers.

#1-Cowgirl
Throw on a pair of high-waisted jeans, some flannel, and slap a cowboy hat over some low pigtails and you've got yourself a look. Don't forget the boots.(and for girls in warmer climates, go sleeveless)




#2-Nerd
The possibilities are truly endless with this one. As long as you've got a collared shirt, some nerdy glasses and a bowtie, you can't go wrong.



#3-Hippie
Not warm enough, you say? Throw a loose, flowy cardi over a comfy maxi dress or caftan and add a headband. Then you'll be ready to embrace your inner flower child. (Another fun touch? Use a guitar case to carry your candy!)


#4-Sailor
All you need for this look is horizontal stripes and a sailor hat, which can be found at any costume store.


#5-Animals
By this I mean a bunny, cat, dog, or something of this nature, an oldie but a goodie. But don"t mistake this for the animal costumes you see online, which is basically lingerie and ears. Wear a tee or turtleneck in a neutral color, then paint on a nose and whiskers with eyeliner. Don't forget the ears!


#6- Jungle Animals

This territory is even more dangerous, because if you show too much skin the costume becomes trashy. Stay flirty but demure with fitted pieces in the print of the animal you want to be. Add ears and a nose with whiskers,(and maybe even a tail)  and you're good!






#7- Pop Culture
These are  fun little costumes you can wear that are relevant to today.
Directioner- Bust out your 1D swag and have yourself a time!
Hipster-Throw on some colored skinny jeans, a scarf and a fedora and you're good to go. Bonus points for glasses!
Taylor Swift- Throw on a sweet girl outfit and a curly blonde wig.


Happy Halloween, and Ciao!

Here are some tunes to play while you and your friends get ready to go out!
Getting Ready Playlist
Wildflower by the JaneDear Girls
Wings by Little Mix
Live While We're Young by One Direction
4ever by The Veronicas
Into the Groove by Madonna
Mean by Taylor Swift
Young Blood by The Naked and the Famous
Et Alors by Shy'm
Time After Time by Quietdrive

Sorry I haven't written in a while, ladies (I'm assuming). But I've been waiting for inspiration to strike. And it has, to be sure! A reader known by the name of Lilly writes:

Plz Plz Plz do a post on how to wear knee high socks and shorts/skirts without looking skanky

What a challenge! Never you mind Lilly, FashionStrudel is here to save the day!
Knee high socks are practical, comfortable and unfortunately, very tricky to pull off.
Let's start off with what NOT to do.

#1-No white. Unless you go to a Catholic school and the sisters are threatening to use the ruler on your heathen behind, no white. It makes everything, and I do mean everything, look bigger and more obnoxious. See below.
(OMG, Katie Price being drunk and disorderly. Who saw that one coming?)




#2- Since some people tend to confuse the two, I'm going to say it right now.
GYM SOCKS ARE NOT THE SAME AS KNEE HIGHS.
And gym socks are obviously for gym. The only people who can actually pull off gym socks are girls with flawless calves, and this guy:



#3- No obnoxious prints. Rainbow, unicorn print or Spongebob knee-highs (and things of that nature) are meant only to be witnessed by your nearest and dearest friends at slumber parties.



Oh, and one more thing,
NO HORIZONTAL STRIPES. THEY ARE GROSS, IMMATURE, AND YOU'RE NOT SOME BRAINLESS GOTH WANNABE FROM  2003.

What You CAN Do -
As far a solid colors go......
Black
Navy
Gray
Teal
Burgundy
Basically any dark, rich colors.



The key is the shoes. If the shoes and the socks look good together, and your top isn't completely out there, you should be fine.Try to make sure your top is the right amounts of demure and flattering.
Now, about prints......
If you MUST do a print or non-solid, made sure it is faded, muted or textured. The same rules as above apply, just make sure the pattern/print doesn't smack people in the face.

The final equation
Knee-Highs + Good Shoes x Shorts/Skirt + Complimentary Top = Fabulous

Well, Lilly I hope you have your answer. And as for other readers, don't be afraid to ask questions! I don't bite! Unless we're at a Lilly Pulitzer sample sale and fighting over that last turquoise polo shirt. Then I get nasty.
Ciao

X Marks The Dot

Polka dots. Many people regard them with disdain, while others embrace them. I am encouraging you, dear reader, to be an embracer of polka dots. They add the perfect touch of whimsy to almost any outfit. See?



The three important features that determine dotted piece's cuteness are:
#1-The Piece Itself.
Dotted outerwear? It's a stretch if you're over ten years old. As for shoes, the only piece of footwear that cannot pull off dot is unfortunately.......heels. They give off the air of an overly whimsical and/or childish lady of the night. And dotted pants? Proceed with MUCH caution. That being said, almost anything else is fine. Dresses, tops, shorts, bags.




#2-Fit
I'll keep it simple. Too loose screams cat lady. Too tight screams childish prostitute.



#3-Color
Two colors only, please. Only people below eleven are exempt from this rule.Even clowns know to stay away from rainbow polka dots. Just......no.


That's all the time I have for today,dears. Sorry I haven"t written in so long, but let me tell ya, I have been having one hectic summer.
Ciao!

Lace.....

Me, I'm pretty feminine. A friend of mine, not so much. Sure, she can wear a dress with the best of  'em, she just chooses not to, but recently we were out shopping, and I persuaded her to purchase a lace tee, just to layer over tanks and camis. It's now one of her wardrobe essentials, and she loves it. (I secretly maintain that it's the reason her longtime crush FINALLY asking her out)
The point is, lace doesn't have to be limited to lingerie. Or lingerie that tries to disguise itself as clothing, like this.

I say, miss Abby Clancy, your frock is simply charming, eh what?
Lace is one of those fabrics where it can be worn either way, as long as it the RIGHT way.
In the case of Loose Lace, you really can't go wrong as long as it's a small piece. You don't want to look like a fancy-schmancy feed sack. Or like the cover image for a cheesy romance novel.



On an unrelated note, Lace Pants: NO
Don't touch them, don't go near them, just........NO. Shorts or a skirt, maybe capris, but that's it. Lace is not for pants. NO.



On to tight lace. As said, wear it right. As in, not like this.


It's okay for lace to be tight, just not see-through. And notice how the lace here is just a repetitive pattern? Yeah, that means it's cheap. You think Kate Middleton's wedding dress looked like that? Nu-uh.
And while you don't have to marry Prince William to get your hands on some quality lace, you should make sure it doesn't look like the above.


Better. Enjoy the fact you can wear this stuff.

Ciao

Stunning Vintage That Won't Break the Bank!

I love, love, love vintage clothing. Except for when it doesn't fit me. That's the problem with this beautiful collection of clothes. none of them fit me! So I was hoping that I could get some help emptying my closet of these gorgeous dresses that tease me day in and day out. Help me!!!

modelling courtesy of Gracie H.




A dress I bought because of its 50's style. It does not look very good on me.......but it will on you!


This dress has a bit of stretch, and is glittery and comfy with a cute animal print. Roll it up and pair it with a denim jacket for an artsy urban look.



A vintage black velvet dress bought by my mom in 1984. Perfect for formal event or costume party!!!

All of these are available at:
http://style.ly/boutique/Samantha-Hartley-86900

Mob Style

Stop right there, ya dirty bum! Doncha  know it's nearly Valentine's Day? Instead of doing the typical date-night look posts most fashion blogs do, I'll be posting in honor of the Valentine's Day Massacre. I'll give you your own mob style, with some tips you can't refuse.

Okay, that was really bad. Sorry.

Anyway, while the Mafia did some really gross stuff, they knew how to suit up. Really. Of course, there are some ways Mafia style can be misconstrued. Like so.




A fedora and a tommy gun do not make a Mafia look. Just..........no.  No.
Mafia Staple #1 Pinstripes
Most mobsters know how to wear a suit, and while you don't have to suit up, per se, pinstripes are  a definite must.


#2 A Hat
Usually fedora or cloche. Mob activity became very big in the 20's or 30's, around the same time this flapper trend came around. This may be just me, but I seem to see big similarities between flappers and gangster's molls.


#3 Spectators
The ultimate moll shoe. These shoes come in varying heights, sometimes with straps, but they ALWAYS are black and white, like so.

All in all, there are two basic rules.
#1
Black and white are always right.
#2
If you look like you can kill in it, you probably can.



Ciao!