Gossip Girl Fashion – Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass.

Everyone  has  muses  and  sources  of  inspiration  when  it  comes  to  fashion. One  of  my  favorite  sources  of  inspiration  stem  from  the  cast  of  Gossip Girl.   I  have  followed  Gossip  Girl  from  the  book  series  to  the  television  where  it  debuted  into one  of  the  most  popular  shows  for  young  adults  on  television.  I  think  one  of  the  reasons  for  this  is  the  fashion.

The  fashion  is much  like  New  York  itself - cutting  edge,  chic,  cosmopolitian,  and  brilliant. The  show  itself  takes  place  in  various  chic  places  in  New  York  City  and  portrays  a  world  of  fantasy  and  suspense. The  fashion  is  cutting  edge  and  everyone  wears  the  latest  designers.

But,  most  of  the  characters  have  their  own  signature  personal  style  which  provides  a  certain  inspiration for  viewers  and  fans  of  the  show.  And  this  is  perhaps  why  this  is  one  of  the most  popular  shows  on  television.  One of  my  favorite  things  to  study  on  this  show  is  the  fashion.

My  favorite  stylish  couple  would  probably  be  Blair  Waldorf and  Chuck  Bass played  by Leighton  Meester  and Ed  Westwick  as  seen  below.

Photo Credit:  Gossip Girl Insider

Blair  and  Chuck  are  a  perfect  match  for  each  other,  but  I’m  only  talking  about the  style  this  time!  Cosmopolitan  and  chic  would  describe  their  style  perfectly. Blair’s  style  is  the  classic,  feminine,  and  polished  and  Chuck  always  looks  refined  and  dapper.  If  you  want  a  coat  like  Blair’s,  look  for  peacoats  with  feminine  touches  like  quality  details  and  ruffles.   Blair  has  worn  a lot  of  Burberry  in  Season  3,  but  you  can’t  go  wrong  with  Milly,  Marc  Jacobs,  J.Crew,  or  Banana  Republic  either.   For  handbags,  Blair  isn’t  into  trendy  handbags  but  prefers  classic  handbag  styles.

Gentlemen,  if  you  want  a refined  suit  like  Chuck, I  would  advise  looking  into  a custom  tailor  for  the  modern  male  silhouette  of  broad  shoulders,  a slim  waist,  and  slim  trousers. This  should  have  you  covered  for  the  average  suit,  but  anyone  who  watches  the  show  will  realize  that  Chuck  Bass  lives  in  his  suits.  And  it’s  no  surprise  that  he  wouldn’t  dabble  with  a double  breasted  suit  or  a classic  three  piece  suit.   When  you  purchase a  double  breasted  suit,  look  for  the  Kent cut  named  after a  style  popularized  by  Prince  George  where a  longer  lapel  extends  into  the  waist. This  will  add  height  to  your  frame  and  if  tailored  correctly,  a  slimmer  waist.

When  you  purchase a  three  piece  suit,  look  for  cohesian. The  waistcoast  has  to be  in  the  same  fabric  as  the  other  two  pieces. Stick  to  a similar  color  palette  and  unless  you  work  in  the  fashion  industry,  stick  to  pinstripes  and  forgo  any  other  pattern. Look  for a  waistcoat  whose  V-shape  stops somewhere  between  the  sternum  and  the  base  of  your  rib  cage.

 

Black Friday shopping tips.

Photo Credit: glamazondiaries.com

After  the  meat  and  potatoes  are  down  and  you’ve  had  your  share  of  pumpkin  cheesecake,  some  people  prefer  to  channel  this  extra  energy  for  the  Black  Friday  holiday  sales  throughout  the  weekend.  The  Black  Friday  holiday sales  can  be  considered  the  biggest  shopping  weekend  of  the  year.  It  is a  shopper’s  dream  and  nightmare.  And  once  you’ve  managed  to  find  a  parking  spot,  beware  -  there’s  no  turning  back  now!

Shopping Tips:

1. Set  aside  the  credit  and  pay  for  everything  that  you  can  in  cash.  Doing  so  will  entice  you  not  to  overspend.

2. Most  stores  will  be  offering  tremendous  deals,  but  be  smart  and  compare  prices  on a  select  item.  If  you’re  in  the  market  for a  new  digital  camera,  put the  model  of  the  digital  camera  you  want  into  the  search  bar  at  sites  like PriceGrabber.com.  The  objective  of  PriceGrabber  is  to  find  how  and  where  you  can get  the  best  deal  on  say,  your  new  digital  camera.

3.   I  will  be  talking  about  discount  codes  in  a future  post,  but  they  are  your  best  friend.  They  are  more  familiar  with  online  transactions,  but  certain  stores  allow  you  to  print  out  coupons  that  can  be  used  on  clothes,  books,  toys,  to  beauty  supplies.

4. You  may  also  be  asked  to  sign  up  for a  store  credit  card  at  checkout.  Say “No, Thank you” even  if  the  discount  sounds  remotely  appealing.  When  you  sign  up  for  one,  your  credit  will  be  checked.  Every  time  your  credit  is  checked,  this  can  actually  lower  your  credit  score  by  a  few  points.  If  you  are  in  the  process  of  buying  a  home  or  a new  car,  you  may  find  yourself  paying  higher  interest  rates  than  you  originally  intended.

5. Most  stores  might  even  offer  a gift  wrap  service.  There  may  be a  small  fee  and  it  can  be  complimentary.  If  the  line  isn’t  huge,  I  say  go  for  it.  But,  if  the  line  is  huge,  you  can  always  purchase  ribbons,  bows,  and  wrapping  for  the  same  price  too.

 

Weekly Style Tips.

Photo Credit: Vogue

For Monday…

Tis the season for cold and flu!  Before you hibernate yourself within layers of blankets for the rest of the day, consider finishing that book you’ve always wanted to. If you need any suggestions, I would go for Malcolm Gladwell. I’m just starting to read “What The Dog Saw” which is his latest book.

For Tuesday…

Do your hair and make-up and go on a fashion shoot with some of your most recent shopping purchases from Autumn. Seek out the right location. I really like parks which gives me inspiration.

For Wednesday…

Do you have a peanut butter addiction?   Do your heart a favor by switching to almond butter which doesn’t have hydrogenated oils and sugar like most peanut butter brands do. Almond butter is composed of three minerals: calcium, potassium, and magnesium. It’s also an excellent source of monounsaturated fats, the heart-healthy type that helps lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. These fats are also a primal part of the Mediterranean diet, which is one of the healthiest diets in the world.

Spread some on whole wheat toast for your breakfast. Almond butter is more expensive than peanut butter, but you will be doing yourself and your heart a favor by keeping your cholesterol low and heart disease at bay.

For Thursday…

Sculpt your entire body without leaving your home.  Yes, for those of us who devote time and practice each week to workout tapes, we already know this. But, did you know that you can get the same advantage from doing chores in and around your house?  Try raking up leaves into a heaping pile and you’ll discover how sore your arms will really be. Doing odd tasks in and around the house can be a great cardio and strength workout for you. Make sure your workout is sufficient by adding some lower impact workout (like squats and lunges. 8 reps on each leg, 3x) in between raking.

For Friday…

Love is the moment and that’s what OperationBeautiful.com is about. This website is devoted to sending positive messages via Post-Its.  This website is created by a girl who started sending positive messages via Post-Its.  For example, “You’re beautiful – inside and out!” would be fitting for a vanity mirror. But, anyone can do it, regardless of where they are at.

Be the secret messenger in your neighborhood and give it a chance.  You can even take a picture and send it in to OperationBeautiful.com too!

Weekly Quote

“Training is the opposite of hoping.” - Nike

 

Weekly Style Tips

Capture the magic in each day. Credit: Vogue

At Disney World, cast members always ask how they can make a visitors day more magical. But, you don’t have to just go to Disney to enjoy a magical vacation.

Let’s start a new style trend that everyone can participate in. It requires love and joy to pour through your heart and seep into the hearts and minds of others. Best of all?  It will be the little things that you do each and every day that can really add up towards a phenomenal year.

I’ll get you started with some style tips below:

November 1st:

Devise fancy outfits to do generic things like going to the market or running errands. Test out those new kitten heels while you shop for pasta or tie a bold pashima around your neck when you have to run to the bank or the post office. This will save you from pulling on a pair of sweats. Sure, sweats may be our old reliables for comfort, but taking these few steps to doll up teaches us to look our best for whatever the occasion. You never know when the right one will pop up!

November 2nd:

Smile at strangers when you go about your daily day. Go ahead. I dare you.

November 3rd:

It’s Election Day. Last year’s event for the Presidential nominee may have been huge, but this doesn’t mean that this year’s election day isn’t just as important. I hope you got out and made your vote known. Also, help someone in need and offer them a ride to their registered polling station if they need one. Don’t forget to pick up your “I Voted” sticker on the way out!

November 4th:

Are there any baseball fans out there?   The Phillies take on the Yankees in Game 6 of the World Series this week.  Throw a pizza party, pop some butter popcorn, and root for your home team.  Regardless of what happens, they are our two year defending series champs.

November 5th:

You may be able to reduce your SPF, but that doesn’t mean you should skimp out on the sunscreen entirely. Cover up all visible parts of your epidermis and stay protected and healthy.

November 6th:

Take the word BELLATRIX (It’s Latin for “female warrior”) and use it as your motto for the rest of the week.

November 7th:

Don’t be too perfect. It was even emphasized in American Vogue this month,  that it would be considered boring if we all donned flawless faces and perfect lives. Even though you should always strive to look your best, don’t worry if at least one part of it will always feel off: You might have a few flyaways in your hair, your out of so and so in your makeup stash, or something doesn’t match. If you try without trying too hard, you won’t look bad but genuine and better.

 

Inspiration for this post has been credited to iCiNG (http://www.galadarling.com) at her blog.

 

Baby, it will be cold outside!

I hate to break it to you angels, but it’s going to get cold sooner or later. And not just forty degrees cold. That isn’t cold enough for water to freeze and turn into snow!  Snow!?  Oh, you better believe it’s coming!   I’m talking about twenty degrees or maybe so many degrees below zero.  Sure, your Snuggie may help keep you warm and toasty inside.

However, what are you doing to do when you step outside?  No worries. These must-have items below will you keep you toasty through those chilly Northern winters.

The temperature outside is frightful, but these must-haves sure are delightful!

Gap Fringed Merino Wool Scarf, $24.50

One of my favorite things about bundling up is getting to wear my scarf again. A fine cashmere speaks volumes in comfort, but I also like merino wool which provides great insulation from the cool, even when wet during inclement weather. And merino wool stretches far beyond scarves. Look for it in jackets and sweaters to socks. Plus, the thick knits of wool helps you ward off cold and flu season! (Bonus)

They’re are also great cruelty-free wool alternatives too. Look for cotton flannel, polyester fleece, synthetic shearling, and Tencel (which is a breathable, durable, and biodegradable wool substitute)

North Face “La Fonda” Jacket, $299

Winter Sports, anyone?  Whether you’re coasting down the slopes or doing figure skates on the ice rink or simply just going sledding, you’ll need something resistant to the cold weather elements to keep you comfortable and warm during your time. A quality outerwear parka comes with a hefty price, but it can last you for quite a few years.  North Face is your best bet for all-sport and all-terrain choices.  However, if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, try Columbia or the Outerwear section of American Eagle Outfitters.

Banana Republic Classic wool-blend coat, $198

A lady should have at least two quality coats in her Winter Wardrobe.  The first is an outerwear parka to take her to the slopes, but the second is a peacoat to take her to school, business meetings, and dinner. I loved the classic trench coat style that I’ve seen at Banana Republic, but I think  this wool blend is much more appropriate for the chilly temps.  And it looks chic too!

Ugg Classic Cardy Boot, $144 (at Zappos.com)

Fear not, you don’t have to slip into heels for work when you can just pick out a boot with a bit of a wedge from now on. There’s a boot to fit every occasion, if not just because. Oh, we know – just because. Uggs are definitely one of those “just because” boots that have swept the nation by storm because of their comfortable insulation.

Truthfully, I’m still not feeling the Classic Ugg Boots. But, it doesn’t stop there. The unisex brand retails in different styles to appeal to all. I really adore the Cardy Boot which comes in a rainbow of colors  even though I think I’m just going to stick with grey because I know it will go with everything for my “just because” mood.

Trip Planner

I recently visited by the Mall’s website (http://www.kingofprussiamall.com) where I spotted a new addition to their site. It’s called Trip Planner and it’s meant to help you find what you’re looking for at the mall. Just plug in what you’re shopping for and Trip Planner will find the quickest route for everything you need without walking through the entire mall to get there. The only bummer is not walking through the entire mall to get there. But, I can guarantee that your feet will thank you for that.

 

 

 

Would you wear…Olsenboye?

Photo Credit: Google

Raise your hand if you remember Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen from Full House. The twins themselves have grown into media powerhouses and style icons and that speaks volumes from their fans who have been following them for much longer. Both of their fashion lines, The Row (Ashley Olsen) and Elizabeth and James (Mary-Kate Olsen), have been so successful that the twins plan on taking another hit.

Photo Credit: Fibre2Fashion.com

Enter Olsenboye. Olsenboye will be an economical line of casual sportswear and accessories for teenagers at JC Penney.

Olsenboye is named after the Olsens ancestral name and plans to bring sophistication and aspiration to their Juniors department while offering young customers new, fashion-forward merchandise at budget friendly prices. The brand will be targeting teen trends around the world, providing the Juniors customer with constant changes for fresh, fun-spirited, and edgy new looks.

Olsenboye will make it’s first debut in JC Penney on November 6th, with a full launch during the Spring of next year. Keep your eyes peeled!

 

Still saving up for your first Jimmys?

Photo Credit: H&M

Manolo. Jimmy. Christian! The following have swept the fashion industry and shoeaholics alike – by storm.  It was no surprise that these beautifully crafted details were going to rest on a Neiman Marcus display for long. But then again, and unless you’re not making six figures or higher astronomical dollars, they may as well just sit pretty.

Regardless of whether it be a local sample sale or an H&M, fans of fashion will often flock elsewhere when the boutiques and department stores disappoint. Case in point: H&M. H&M has become a fashion mecca on a wallet-friendly budget. It’s a nice store of being able to find that one shirt or skirt or that one necklace or those earrings, that can just make an outfit pop in a fun and stylish way. In order to keep things fresh and up to date, the international chain has collaborated with such well-known designers as Stella McCartney (2005), Viktor and Rolf (2006), Roberto Cavalli (2007), Rei Kawakubo of the avante-grande Japanese label Commes Des Garcons (Fall 2008)

This has led up to quite possibly one of the most anticipated collaborations to date: Jimmy Choo (November 2009)

The British accessory brand is well-known for it’s shoes and handbags that have become an iconic stylish essential from the red carpet to shoeaholics in general. The details provide an air of glamorous appeal to them that add that special touch for that red carpet premiere or that special night out.

And regardless of whether or not you’re red carpet ready, everyone deserves to look very nice for their special night out.

Tamara Mellon, the President and Founder of the brand, is very excited about Jimmy Choo’s collaboration with H&M…

“We are privileged to be among the fashion greats who have been affiliated with H&M so far, and to be designing a collection appealing to fashion savvy, street smart women, and to be including some great pieces for men, too. Jimmy Choo will bring to H&M a sophisticated, fashion forward, accessible and glamorous collection – the perfect party pieces to buy now and then wear out that night!” - As stated to H&M.com

Jimmy Choo for H&M will make it’s debut on November 14th in approx. 200 stores across the world. As of today, there’s no speculation as to whether or not both H&M locations at King of Prussia Mall will be among the 200 to receive the collaboration. For now, the closest stores to King of Prussia Mall that will receive the collaboration are among the H&M locations in New York City below:

NYC locations with the Jimmy Choo Collaboration

640 5th Avenue & 51st Street, 86th Street Manhattan, 435 7th Avenue at 34th Street, 731 Lexington St and 59th Street, and Herald Square.

I’d imagine that more stores will be able to receive the collaboration as popularity grows. Everyone will be able to have their Jimmy and wear it too within time.

Thoughts?

What do you think of Jimmy Choo collaborating with H&M? Are you excited?  Let us know in the comments!

 

Brief hiatus? Sort of. But, I’m back – and in black!

Firstly, I would like to apologize for my lack of posts lately. I recently just started a new job that I love. I’m still getting adjusted, but in the meantime, I do promise more posts to my loyal readers.

This post will be a how to devoted on how to wear a very ordinary that we all have in our closets. If it’s not white, it’s black. Black is special. Everybody stops playing games when black makes it’s appearance. The color black is a no nonsense shade that make outfits look elegant and polished.  But, it can also  come off as severe and almost medieval.

Here are some points to remember:

Sateen Lace Party Dress, $22.80, Forever 21.

Black can appear less severe when the fabric is transparent – such as the lace in this dress. The transparent parts will act like another color which will break up all of the black.  Select in good taste and you will have a slightly more elegant and classier look.

Megan Satin-Wrapped Suede Heels, $150. J.Crew

Avoid dressing in all black by combining it with another color in good taste. Some good selections are grey, ink blue, or cobalt.  What about brown, another color that seems to pop up in a lot of wardrobes?  I think that you should go for it, especially if you like the way a certain item pops on you. But, if you’re still nervous about brown and black, I would go with cream.  The cream and black pumps above are adorable.

Flutter Scoopneck Dress, $78. J.Crew

Going out in black? Combine a slightly lower neckline with with a contrasting necklace.  The neckline will distance the black from your face, drawing attention to the necklace. You can’t go wrong with mother’s pearls, or any elegant and feminine necklace.

Makeup

Audrey Hepburn was an elegant actress who often liked to wear a lot of black too. She also wasn’t afraid to draw attention to her face by experimenting with make-up.  Watch the video below to perfect one of her signature makeup looks that you can wear for Halloween or for your next night out even!

Thoughts?

How do you like to wear black?  Share your personal tips with us in the comments!

 

How to…find your ideal colors.

Photo Credit: Cali369 on Flickr

What’s the hottest shade?  What new shade should you try to incorporate into your wardrobe?  That’s what fashion magazines will try to answer for quite some time.  But, these “It” colors are often unaffordable for realistic stylish girls to keep up with.  Another thing I also noticed is that a lot of fashion magazines don’t always mention how to find your perfect colors that will best compliment your own look.

This is because finding someone’s colors can take on a broad approach. It has a lot to do with your overall coloring: the color of your hair, your eyes, and the color of your skin. All of these features are taken into scrutiny under seasonal color analysis. Based on your features, you can find out what type of make-up colors, clothing, and accessories will compliment your look best so you can look and feel confident year-round.

So, are you an Winter, Spring, Summer, or Autumn?

Types of Winters

1. Deep Winter

Anyone who is considered a deep winter would usually have black, black-brown, or hazel eyes. Their hair would usually be black-brown, medium brown, steel grey, or salt and pepper. The skin tone would be black, medium-beige, black-brown, or olive with no peach undertones.

Deep Winters would look very good in black, charcoal, black-brown, red-brown, icy-grey, grey, hot pink, red, aubergine, mint, yellow, lime green, emerald green, olive, purple, clear teal, periwinkle, blue, and navy.

2. Clear Winter

Clear Winters have bright blue, violet, or green eyes. They have black, chestnut, medium brown, or dark brown hair. Their skin is black, deep brown, neutral beige, pale olive, or milky white.

Clear Winters look good in charcoal grey, black, navy to an bright golden yellow, icy pink, clear red, or a raspberry pink.

3. Cool Winter

Cool Winters have charcoal grey, blue, dark brown, or violet eyes. They have blue-black, silver, or salt and pepper hair with no red tones. They have cool brown, olive, or neutral beige skin tones.

Cool Winters look best in all shades of grey, taupe, rose pink, hot pink, navy, royal blue, purple, and navy.

Types of Springs

1. Light Spring

Light Springs have blue, green, turquoise, or light hazel eyes. They have light to medium golden blonde hair, ash blonde or light to medium brown hair. Their skin tone is often ivory with peach undertones.

Light Springs often look best in camel, khaki, charcoal, taupe, warm pastel pink, coral, watermelon, fuchsia, light green, clear aqua, and powder blue.

2. Clear Spring

Clear Spring have turquoise, blue, green, golden brown, or topaz eyes. They have medium to dark brown hair or brown-black hair that may be streaked with red highlights. Their skin is bronze, deep warm brown, brown-black, light ivory, light peach, or porcelain.

Clear Springs look best in navy, charcoal, black, light grey, turquoise, yellow, green, dark green, mint green, clear teal, light turquoise, red, pastel pink, and hot pink.

3. Warm Spring

Warm Springs have topaz, olive green, light hazel, or warm turquoise eyes. They have light golden brown, red, strawberry blonde, or deep golden blonde hair. They have bronze, golden beige, ivory, or porcelain skin tones which may be dotted with freckles.

Warm Springs look best in camel, bronze, golden brown, dark brown, stone, grey green, peach, light orange, coral, red, green, emerald turquoise, evergreen, and deep periwinkle.

Types of Summers

1. Light Summer

Light Summers have blue, grey, or green eyes. They have light to medium ash blonde or light to medium ash brown hair. They have pale beige, porcelain, or pink beige skin tones that are usually have pink undertones.

Light Summers look best in light grey, powder pink, cocoa, rose pink, coral pink, clear salmon, light lemon yellow, light aqua, blue green, spruce, light navy, sky blue, medium blue, lavender, and violent.

2. Soft Summer

Soft Summers often have gray-blue, hazel, or turquoise eyes. They have light to medium ash brown or mousy brown that may have some blonde in it. They have light to medium neutral beige or ivory skin tones.

Soft Summers look best in medium grey, light grey, taupe, rose, raspberry, baby pink, soft fuchsia, burgundy, light lemon yellow, light green, turquoise, navy, lavender, and teal.

3. Cool Summer

Cool Summers have gray, blue, or slate eyes. They have medium to deep ash brown hair with little or no red tones. They have ivory, pink beige, gray beige, or neutral beige skin tones.

Cool Summers tend to look best in light grey, grey blue, cocoa, light brown, ice pink, burgundy, turquoise, aqua, lavender, navy.

Types of Autumns

1. Deep Autumn

Deep Autumns have dark brown, dark hazel, black, or dark green eyes. They have medium brown, medium to deep auburn, dark brown deep chestnut or black hair. They also have warm beige, neutral beige, golden brown, dark brown, or olive skin tones.

Deep Autumns look best in black brown, black, marigold, peach, salmon pink, deep red, red, cerulean, evergreen, dark purple, and purple.

2. Soft Autumn

Soft Autumns have light brown, soft hazel, blue, or gray-green eyes. They have golden blonde to medium or mousy brown hair which may be streaked with blonde or red highlights. They also have ivory, neutral or warm beige, or golden brown skin tones.

Soft Autumns look best in brown, medium grey, camel, khaki, light pink, deep rose, light coral, dusty pink, coral, mint green, emerald turquoise, evergreen, purple, and dark purple.

3. Warm Autumn

Warm Autumns have brown, olive green, hazel, or topaz eyes. They have medium golden brown, red, auburn, strawberry blonde, or golden blonde hair. They also have bronze, golden brown, golden beige, ivory, or warm beige skin tones.

Warm Autumns look best in camel, khaki, coffee brown, cream, medium brown, dark brown, light salmon, dark peach, salmon, pumpkin, light yellow, evergreen, emerald turquoise, teal, forest green, deep periwinkle, and purple.

Bottom Line

You may fit into a few different categories – and that’s okay. Seasonal color analysis is meant to give you a general analysis of what color suggestions would make you look and feel at your most confident.  When you try on these suggestions, you (or anyone else) may agree that these might be your best colors. Invest in these colors when you spot them in your favorite shops and even print out this handy dandy guide so you can reflect back on. There’s a lot to look over!

Thoughts?

What do you think of shopping by seasonal color analysis? Do you find it helpful? Which season are you?  Is this guide a fit for what you already have in your wardrobe or do you need to buy a completely new wardrobe?

Let us know in the comments!

 

Gossip Girl Style Series: Jenny Humphrey.

Little J has come a long way, as style observers would note. When Gossip Girl was just warming up on the CW, Jenny’s biggest concern was trying to fit in. She often dressed like the other girls, but soon enough, her true colors showed and her long peacoats were probably not designer and her headbands probably did not cost somewhere in the triple digits.

She tried to look like everyone else and hence, her style wasn’t as much fun to observe and covet like some of our other favorites.  But, just when the show started heating up on the CW, style observers noted Jenny’s sudden stroke of creativity with her style.  She may have not been born in a lap of luxury and couldn’t afford to outfit herself in the very best, but she completely reinvented her own look to something that’s completely her.

And suddenly, everyone is starting to talk about Jenny’s style.

How to Get Jenny’s Style…

Photo Credit: CW

Jenny’s new style pays a glance to the latest trends and it’s a bit rocker chic. She still loves her hats and often gives nods to the latest trends. What’s important to remember is to pay attention to the latest trends that work for you. And if pink and black doesn’t exactly float your boat? That’s okay. Find a color combination that you like and build your wardrobe around it. If you’re dressing like Jenny, this is important to remember.

Get Jenny’s Hair and Make-Up

Photo Credit: CW

Jenny gave herself a head-to-toe makeover, which does and doesn’t always work for everyone. If you’re tempted to copy Jenny’s hair, make sure you look good with bangs! Some styles can actually make some face shapes appear wider or less attractive.  Jenny wears her hair poker straight a lot now, so you’ll want to invest in a quality ceramic hair straightener like the Sedu. A quality hair straightener can actually do less damage to your hair than a cheaper one can. Blow dry until your hair is completely dry. You don’t want to use any hot irons on wet hair, otherwise you can damage your hair far worse than any deep conditioning can fix. Straighten your hair by working your way up from the bottom layers.  Spritz with hairspray.

For Jenny’s make-up, she concentrates on her eyes. Apply sunscreen, foundation, and concealer as usual. Apply a peachy pink blush and blend it into your cheeks. For her eyes, apply a shimmery grey shadow to your eyelids and you’ll want to line the top and bottom of your eyelids with a liquid eyeliner. Use a steady hand to create a straight line. If you’re more experienced, you can continue and create a cat eye for a more dramatic look. If you’re not as experienced, just use a steady hand to create a straight line before using a Q-Tip to smudge it which will create a smokey look. Blend this with the grey shadow. Apply about two coats of mascara and finish with a nude gloss on your lips.  Keep the rest of your face minimal.

You don’t necessarily have to dress like Jenny either, because spending money on all of those trends and accessories do add up. If you don’t want to dress like Jenny, but still want to stand out from the crowd, it’s time to develop your own personal style. That’s right. Do as Jenny did on the show and branch off in your peers and create your own look. Regardless, if you have to design it yourself.

5 Tips to Developing Your Own Personal Style…

1. Create an inspiration wall.

Clip out ads, photos, and quotes from magazines that just. hit. home. to you. Chances are, these will inspire you and your new look the most.

2. Be your own Sartorialist.

Instead of waiting around for Scott Schuman to stop you on the sidewalk, start taking pictures of some of your favorite daily outfits worn together. It’s easy to visualize how perfect something would look, but once worn, you can get a better sense of your coloring, shape, and the proportions. Does it work? What would you change about it?

3. Host a clothing swap!

Junk in one hand can be a treasure in another hand. You’ll never know what some of your stylish friends might have on hand and what they’ll want to trade off of you.

4. Get thrifty.

Honestly, I turned my nose up a few times at my local TJ Maxx and Ross too. Hey, I’m a small town girl, and some of us just aren’t lucky enough to find a pair of $15 Citizens hiding between the racks!  But, we’re also the same people who can’t necessarily easily offer $200 for a pair of jeans everytime either.

What to do, what to do. My advice is to keep checking back periodically and be more open-minded about it. You may also want to try another store closer to a bigger city which may have what you’re looking for. You can also bump into great outlet stores like the Neiman’s and Nordstrom outlet too.

5. Time is what it takes.

Every great piece is acquired with time based on a certain period or trend. Don’t be afraid to make lists and make mistakes in your search. You’re only pushing the envelope further.