More Fall Fashion – Oh My!

October 10, 2017

I love dressing for fall but it can be frustrating. It’s an exciting time of the year when I’ve had enough of the scorching sun and humidity and I’m ready for a much-needed cool and crisp breeze! It’s a torment though, I always find that its way too long of a moment when deciding between grabbing a cardigan or not, and then ultimately end up carrying it and not wearing it half the time. Same goes for leather jackets, and they are bulky to carry! I can’t count the times I’ve worn open toed sandals when it was too warm out and ended up feeling embarrassed on my walks home when the temperature suddenly dropped. I have to say, I am a city girl so a lot of my stress and wardrobe is dictated by the weather and how strenuous my commute will be that day. I remember I would wear layers during the cold winters of New York all to pass out from the heat inside the packed and heated subway cars during rush hour! What a disaster that was.

Trendy Chick Soaking In the Fall Sunshine, shoes from @BisouNYC

After some failed attempts, I’ve figured it all out! For days when you’re not certain about the finicky weather, wear pieces, which work in both scenarios. For instance, instead of wearing boots because that’s a real commitment, wear booties and swap the jeans for a pair of quality tights and pair it with a tweed or wool skirt and flannel shirt. Another option is to pair fall fashion such as plaid with summer styles. So for warmer days, instead of a plaid shirt and jeans, wear a plaid shift dress and pair it with a pair of low tops for a relaxed and comfortable look.

Fall is about tasteful experiments. Try to bring character to each piece you wear, give it a different definition each time. It’s easy to stand out in the wrong outfit but hopefully these tips were helpful to avoid the embarrassments and discomfort of fall fashion disasters.

If you need some outwear recs, check out our post on Fall Layering.

XO, Your Trendy Chick,

Puja

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On The Scene With Atlanta Fashion Designers

September 29, 2017

When we chicks have an opportunity to meet with creative influencers and check out emerging designers, we are there! For our most recent fashion adventure, we attended the Atlanta Fashion Designers annual showcase. The showcase was hosted in a beautiful garden venue and it did not disappoint. There were nearly a dozen designers showcasing ethnic, urban, and high-end designs with colorful fabrics and thoughtful silhouettes. It was a perfect evening with seating on an outdoor patio — while exchanging notes with other bloggers about fall trends and good vibes. Diversity was the theme that ran throughout the show.

The MC, Shorty Mac of HOT 107.9, was stunning and lively. She set the tone arranging a live band singing old school jams. She kicked off the event by introducing the designers and then the fashion unfolded for the evening. Chicks and salsa loved the show.. and sitting with a stylist, a fashion icon, and a designer doesn’t hurt either!

@chicksandsalsablog @nilabolour @atlantafashionicon @thesilverstylist

In particular, the men’s fashion by Lindbergh really stood apart from the rest. The ensembles were crisp and clean. In particular, the sneakers were our favorite. The use of zippers, open lacing, and bold colors really made them stand out, see the collection here.

Another thing to note this fashion season is that street style continues to trend! Alexis’ Suitcase, Shavonne, and the Girls and Curves Boutique pulled out all the stops with the street style looks. These designers were pairing sneakers with dresses and ruffles with capris.

The street style was contrasted by the next designer, HijabiPop, who explored more of an evening gown theme. This collection was a welcome addition representing fashion that is relevant in many parts of the world for millions of people.

HijabiPop taking a modern twist on traditional wear.

The evening closed with Samba dancers, nibbles and laughter. This is hands down one of the most diverse fashion shows in Atlanta. The designs and the crowd felt worldly and engaged in supporting the diverse platform that the Atlanta Fashion Designers have set up. This is a perfect avenue for emerging creative artists to put themselves out there. Thank you to the vendors who put in time at the Sip’n’Shop and the organizers for creating such a memorable event. I look forward to next year!

Your Party Chick,

Rina Puri

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Dressing for the Fall is a Hobby!

September 20, 2017

Fall means brisk mornings and chilly evenings. Colder weather also means layering which means it’s time for just a few of my favorite things: cardigans, jackets, and sweatshirts! Having grown up in the Midwest, pairing boots with hats and scarves has always been a hobby of sorts.

Layering is not only a cute fashion statement but one with high functionality. We make sure to layer up our kids when they go outside — but when it comes to ourselves, we fall into patterns and bad habits of reaching for that old over sized cardigan from years ago! Lucky for all of us the trends this fall have our back, having both comfort, fashion, and practicality in mind.

I took me 5 years, but I FINALLY found an army green jacket that I can jive with. At Rebecca Minkoff right now, there is a lot to love. My newest purchases for this year includes a camouflage Rebecca Minkoff jacket that is just right. It is warm and gorgeous and the silver studded detail that makes just enough of a statement. If I leave the house in basics like all black (aka the Chicks Uniform), this Minkoff jacket makes it seem like I am having fun with it.

The LOVE sweatshirt, also by Rebecca Minkoff, is trendy and comfy. Somewhere along the line I missed the ‘retro’ look trend, but this year I scooped this up. This sweatshirt is a must for getting that cute #streetstyle look, I paired this look with my three-year-old-and-still-rocking Stuart Weitzman OTK boots.

Lastly, since denim is ALWAYS trendy, this long denim jacket by Akira is just edgy enough that a mom can still rock it without feeling overly conscious. If you are in Chicago, you are lucky enough to just be able to walk into this amazing local boutique, but for the rest of us, we can go online, shop this jacket here.

You don’t have to stop there either. Belts over outerwear and scarves make layering so much more dynamic and functional, I will attempt a post with a few of those looks next month. Resist the urge to grab for those old sweaters, and see if you can “UMPH” up your closet. Try starting with some of these outerwear pieces that you can wear over and over again.

Cheers to being cozy!

Rina

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What does it look like “Behind The Scenes”

August 23, 2017

Whenever I post images or “bts” images on my social media pages, I get flooded with text messages from “hey, how can I become one of your models” or “what really happens behind the scenes?” I thought for my next blog post it would be fun to share some of my experiences.

For the past four years I have worked with a client helping create the looks for their spring and fall bridal campaigns. When I think back to our first campaign together, I can’t help but be reminded just how far we have come as a team. I can’t emphasize the word “team” enough because it truly is a group effort.

There are so many preparations that go into executing a successful shoot. A lot of creative energy and communication goes into. One of our first steps is our creative team will send emails and photographs of inspiration. After several meetings and inputs from everyone, they will usually confirm the mood and the process of building our sets start to take place.

While our set is starting to slowly be brought to life, the photographer will usually send his/her inspiration for lighting. I can’t tell you how important lighting is. It’s everything. You can have the most beautiful model, on a perfect set, wearing a gorgeous gown. If the lighting is off then everything is off! No pressure, right?!

Once we have all agreed on a lighting that is appropriate for our inspiration, we start brainstorming hair, makeup and styling looks. This can be from choosing a model with the right hair color, down to the color of their natural lips. Does she have freckles? How will they photograph? Does she have a birth mark on her back? Can our team of editors get rid of it and will it be expensive to do so.

From there we start our search for the perfect models. This process can be a long and draining process. They not only have to fit the image the creative team desires but they need to be the exact height and measurements as the sample sizes as they will not alter them.

These are really just a few but most important steps in bringing a vision to life. As I mentioned it’s truly a team effort. I always look forward to these shoots because they allow me the opportunity to work with such creative people whose passion for art and excellence is contagious.

Love,

Deanna-Your Beauty Chick

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