Back to School!

Hello everybody!  I hope you all I had a fantastic summer.  I know I did.  I spent the last two months in New York for a costuming internship but now I'm ready to begin my sophomore year of college.  I thought I would share with you what I wore to my first day of classes.  Growing up, my favorite part of back to school time was picking out my first day outfit. It's your chance to tell the world (or at least school world) who you are.  And college is no exception!  Above you can see I'm wearing a black dress that I layered with a ruffle purple shirt, a black waist belt, pearl earrings, a purple flower hair clip, and a sashay skirt made by my very talented mother.  

Also I thought I should give you all some Back to School fashion tips!

1.)  Make sure you understand your school's dress code.  When I was in high school our dress code was so strict, I couldn't wait to go to college so I could express myself more freely.

2.)  Make sure you have a comfortable pair of shoes.  I wore a pair of heels on my first day but kept a pair of flip flops in my backpack for when I was walking long distances on campus.  Also if you choose to wear heels, be wary going down hard floored hallways.  You don't want to make a lot of noise during class!

3.)  Try not to wear anything that will distract you in class.  I actually had to stop wearing bracelets to class because I would be distracted and would start playing with them when I should be listening.  (Curse you A.D.D.!)  Just remember that it is school and we actually have to pay attention.

4.)  Accessorize!  Any outfit can be jazzed up with a scarf, a headband, a necklace, etc.  Don't be afraid to try out different looks.  

5.)  Have fun!  It's a brand new year and a brand new start.  

Love,

Rachel

Black dress from Peebles

Ruffled purple shirt from Cato's

Sashay scarf by Mom!

June 2013 Haul

June 2013 Haul

Hey Everybody!  Sorry I've been gone for a while.  In the last month, I moved to New York for the summer for a internship in costume design.  I'm having so much fun and learning so much.  Anyways, I was able to go shopping a few weeks ago.  I actually went to Hudson on my day off and went to the Salvation Army there.   I spent hours there browsing and I happened to go on a Wednesday where the prices are all half price!  I bought 3 great items for a grand total of $6.  You cannot beat that for the quality!  

I think I was in the mood for a purple and silver theme when I went shopping as you will see.

This first item is a purple/silver top that is satin and so comfortable!  It has rope straps that connect in the back and it is too cute.  I actually wore this top when I went to visit Times Square and I think it really shows off my fashionista self.  I think this top was around $2 at the Salvation Army.  A great value.  The designer name is Charlotte Russe.

The next item is this purple dress.  This dress was around $2 and I bought because I'm always looking for solid colored dresses to hopefully build onto and design.  It's a little short for me for so I think I would like to wear some silver leggings with it.  I might end up replacing the straps but it was a great find and maybe I'll be able to add to the design if inspiration every hits me.  The designer is Rue 21 (one of my favorite stores!)

This item above is a silver studded purse I also found at Salvation army for a dollar!  It is so cute and stylish I had to get it.  I'm not a big purse collector but I knew there were certain outfits I would love to match this with.  It actually goes great with the purple top that I also purchased.  It does not have a tag so I do not know the brand or designer unfortunately but I'm still so happy I found it.

That's all I got at the Salvation Army.  For those of you who are a little uncomfortable about shopping at a second hand store or thrift store I encourage you to try to over come that because you can find some amazing items at great prices.  I also suggest that you look for Salvation Armys or GoodWills in more wealthier neighborhoods because you can find some brand named clothes at such a great discount

I also went to Fred's before I left for New York and found this amazing product:

This is now one of my favorite eye shadow pallets.  I love the purple and grey/silver combinations and the colors really stay put on your eyelid and last all day.  The best part..... it was a dollar!  That is such an amazing deal.  Another great thing is that the pallet has a built-in mirror! I'm so happy with this pallet and I hope to find more from the brand.  The brand is Profusion and the pallet name is Twinkle Twinkle so go check it out!

I hope you enjoyed my monthly haul.  I wish I had more to show you but I'm working so much I don't have a  lot of time to shop.  Make sure to follow my blog for more about New York, fashion, styles, makeup, and my own designs. My next blog is about the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York city which I was lucky enough to visit so catch you later!

Love,

Rachel  

Cheshire Cat Heels

These are my Cheshire Cat heels that I designed.  The inspiration comes from...well... The Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland.  Alice in Wonderland is one of my all-time favorite movies and I wanted to show my love for my favorite character the Cheshire Cat.  

I decided to do a purple base with a hint of pink because I felt if I did it the other way around it wouldn't express the character enough.

And to finish off the design I added a pink and purple curled tassel at the back of the shoes to represent the tail.

I love how this design came out and that I was able to express my love for such a whimsical character.

"Haven't you noticed?  We're all a little mad here." 

Another Fashion Rant.  Rant on Mustaches (for teenage girls)

Haul Video- May 2013

Modern Gypsy Inspired Outfit

This is an outfit that I designed about a year ago but now it's finally come together!
I have a deep love for the Gypsy culture and I design a lot of outfits inspired by their spirits.

I designed the shirt, armlet, and headpiece.

Fashion Rant - Rant on Fashion Labels

My first vlog.  Doing a fashion rant on labels