Fine Design Fashionista: September 2014

Monday, September 29, 2014

Daydream Believer

Sometimes even the simplest images can spark creativity in our minds. Usually when I see a picture of something, the first thing I notice is the color. Do the colors pop out at me or do they all mesh into one color blend?

I think that the reason why I notice the color of the picture first is because I like seeing how different colors look together and how they contrast. This stems from my obsession with interior design and finding new paint colors that flow well together.

When I see this picture, I notice reds, greens, and browns. Whenever I am looking at a picture of a house, I like to think about what the inside of that house looks like. I like to take inspiration from the colors used on the exterior to imagine what the interior looks like.

This doesn't necessarily mean that the interior colors need to go with the same bold theme as the exterior does! For instance, I think the best look for the interior of this home is oak floors and cream colored walls with an open floor plan. A fireplace would dominate one wall in the living room, bringing back the sense of a cozy country cottage. The inside of the home has modern features, but uses small details to bring you back to the country feel, like the small square windows.

I’d like to know if you guys have any different ideas about what the interior of this house might look like, as well as what you notice first about this picture. Happy daydreaming!

Monday, September 22, 2014

Dress to Impress: Business Casual to Dinner Date in Minutes

For many of us, it is hard to balance both work and our social life. Throw college student on top of that and you've got a deadly combo. Luckily, I have a relatively simple solution to save some time when balancing your work and/or college life with your social one.

In the illustration below, I have made two outfits that can work for a long day at school or your job and then be easily transitioned into an outfit for a night on the town.

On the left side of the illustration, we have a sweater dress that is comfortable enough to last throughout the day and into the night. I have paired the sweater dress with a belt to cinch in at the waist to give some definition to the usually shapeless dress. For shoes, I chose a classic high-heeled boot that is perfect for fall and winter.

For accessories, I paired the dress, belt, and boots with a smart black and white bag that is big enough for all your work essentials as well as anything else you need to pack for after work. I also put a watch into the mix for a little bit of flash, but a nice bracelet would also do the trick.
For the transition to your date night or dinner out with friends, I kept the same dress (Woohoo! No awkward changing in the Wiekamp bathroom stalls!) and paired it with a different belt that keeps your dress shapely but gives it a fun something extra.

For the accessories on this outfit, I tried to keep it classic but also find things that were going to fit in the bag from the business casual outfit. The shoes are simple suede black booties, paired with a fold-over clutch and onyx-like earrings. I think this outfit is sophisticated and sexy without trying to hard. It also has a little bit of a playful side that makes it so charming.

I made my illustration on Polyvore, where you can put together outfits at your leisure if you so wish. I find this extremely helpful as they have just about every clothing item you can think of so the chances of them having actual pieces that are in your closet are very high.

If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below! I hope you liked my very first blog post!