Modern Rockabilly

Rockabilly, which is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music started in the early 1950’s and was popular until the early 1960’s.  During that time woman's fashion reflected a complicated mix of conservatism and glamor.  It was comprised of a girl-next-door freshness as well as alluring femininity.  As I studied what was popular from a fashion stand-point, I wanted to provide some history on how the following styles were worn.

Dresses and skirts - Swing dresses and skirts, as some are called were very popular, especially among teenagers.  Dress designers made dresses and skirts full, and the shape of a perfect circle for sitting.  Some people refer to them as “circle dresses.”  The daytime hemline stopped around the knee.
Hats - Wide brimmed hats.  Smaller hats with veils.
Glasses - Became more of a fashion statement.  They featured new designs like the cat's eye style with flared, pointed edges and frames were typically in different colors.
Jewelry - Classic.  Pearls or faux pearls were the most popular necklace.  Jewelry was understated.  Slim watches and subdued rings, along with conservative and elegant clip-on earrings were worn.
Shoes - High heels had  rounded toes, and were often with peep-toes. Espadrilles became a popular choice for casual comfort.

When the rockabilly trend came back into the fashion scene a few years ago I was absolutely thrilled.  I've always been very passionate about vintage styles, and this was no exception.  

Here’s my modern spin rockabilly outfit of the day. 

Blouse:  New York & Company
 Skirt:  kate spade new york (Jenica skirt)  Retail $368.  Not available any longer but found at TJ Maxx clearance for $29 :-)

Bag:  Elaine Turner

Heels: BCBGeneration

Hat:  Vintage

Eyeglasses:  Fendi

 

   
Even though the rockabilly era was a narrow window of time, it was an influential look unique to the time era.  It continues to inspire fashion designers and vintage fans, and is here to stay.

Have a blessed rest of the week my darlings!

Love,
The Ultimate Fashionista

Flat Out Fabulous!

That's the name of the Mac lipstick I'm wearing today, which happens to be my favorite at the moment, and so befitting.  My week has been an exciting one, and I wanted to enter the weekend being Flat Out Fabulous!  There's lots of new things going on in my life right now, and I'm definitely blessed.  I can't tell you how happy I am.... Oh, but I almost forgot this is a blog about Style, not about me, so let me get right to the point.  Today my outfit of the day was:

Lips:  MAC Flat Out Fabulous

Halter Top:  Sky (Similar found here) http://www.shopsky.com/sky-tops-1/blausa.html

Bag: Tumi Q Tote Shoulder Bag Quintessential Tote

Jeans: Joe's

Heels:  Stuart Weitzman

I hope everyone has an exciting weekend, and remember you're Flat Out Fabulous my darlings!

Love,
The Ultimate Fashionista

Lunch in Floral Pants

I hope all of my lovely Fashionistas are having a fabulous Sunday!  My son and I decided to grab lunch today, and I wanted to wear something casual and comfortable.  I shopped my closet and pulled my floral pants, which I had totally forgotten about.  This isn't a new trend, but I still love them.  These bad boys were popular in the 1960's, and if you ask me will be around for a while.  Instead of pairing them with casual flats or sandals, I threw on some edgy heels that I'd had for years, and off we went... 

Lunch was great!  We ate at Zoe's Kitchen, and I quickly caught on to the whole #sharegoodness theme.   If you like mediterranean, you'll love Zoe's for a quick bite.

I hope you all have a great start of the week!

Love,
The Ultimate Fashionista

Birthday Bash!

Last Saturday night I hit the town and headed to a friend's birthday bash.  I wanted to wear something casual but fun, so I pulled out my silk leopard shorts and paired it with my Bailey 44 Leather Trim Cap Sleeve Top.  I accessorized with vintage earrings from a thrift shop, a necklace from Charming Charlie, linen open toe pumps by Elizabeth and James, and a black envelope clutch!

Here I am before heading out for the night...

The party was at Thaiphoon Bistro. http://www.thaiphoonbistro.com/ 

This venue was absolutely gorgeous with a balcony and view of a popular street in downtown Raleigh.  Two of my favorite fly girls met me there.  They are gorgeous both inside and out!

I fell in love with her bag!  Isn't it to die for?

Here's a selfie of us having fun!

And finally, here's us posing with the Birthday Boy!

It was an EPIC night that only Rodney could pull off! Happy Birthday Rodney!!!!

I hope everyone has a great rest of the week.  Stay Stylish!

Love,
The Ultimate Fashionista 
 

Spend with savvy!

Be Excited about your clothes!

If you don’t want to break the bank but want to look great, keep reading to learn how to spend with savvy!  Now more than ever all of us want to look our best, but not spend a fortunate on clothes.  People often ask me where I shop.  They’re surprised when I tell them that I shop every where.  That's because I enjoy wearing lesser-known brands and throwing in designer pieces to create an eclectic look.  I also love mixing current and past fashion trends, as well as mixing high-end clothing with low-end ideas.  I’m a firm believer it’s not where you shop, but how you put things together.

Most people think the main item of an outfit should be the big-ticket item, but it’s not always the case.  The skeleton of an outfit, such as handbag, shoes, and jacket should generally be what you spend the most on, but sometimes it depends on the circumstances.  This is where a good stylist and personal shopper can help.  One rule of thumb is to always invest in clothing and accessories that not only excite you, but will last long.  Wearing the latest trends is perfectly fine, but my rule of thumb is to throw in a few of those pieces opposed to making them my entire wardrobe.

Here’s an example of how I pulled together an eclectic look from shopping everywhere.

Dress:  Ross

Linen Jacket:  Elie Tahari (Found at a thrift store)

Shoes:  Michael Kors (From my closet)

Bag:  Cromia http://www.cromiabags.com/

Earrings:  Kate Spade (T.J.Maxx)

Until next time.... Smooches!

Love,
The Ultimate Fashionista