Don't waste....

     I believe, as a society, we are really losing the art of mending, altering, and creating garments. There was a time when if you wore it, you probably made it. Today, even though I love clothes from the store and I love shopping, sometimes it is a bummer when you are someone's Twinkie all day at work or at a get together. So.. here's some reasons you should be inspired to pick up that needle and thread...
    There's nothing like patching up a piece of clothing to make you appreciate the fact you have it.  For instance. I have a brand new floral kimono that accidentally made it into the dryer. The fringe on the bottom became matted and wasn't able to be saved. After removing the seams, it turns out that there was a bottom layer of stitching and it looks like a beautiful brand new piece of clothing- a little different, but still gorgeous! If I had just tossed it, I would've wasted the money and been a beautiful kimono short.

 

    Also, if you love to be unique, there's nothing more wonderful than using a pattern or making something up that is totally your own. The first skirt that I made myself was for work. When I wore it in I was filled with pride every time someone commented or asked me where I purchased it. "Sorry, peeps-this is my own creation and it's the only one like it."

      So, if you don't own a sewing kit, go invest in one today and if you've never sewn before, my recommendation is to get a scrap piece of clothing and just practice. Before you know it you will be mending and creating your own custom wardrobe.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @GildaRedfashion

As always, Let your Fashionista Flag Fly!

Tuesday Fashion

WetSeal Oversized Sweater, JustFab boots, and Denimocracy Jeggings. Also, I have a coconut oil treatment on my hair(as I will for the next two weeks) since I am prepping for a color change.

 

 

 

+Wet Seal +JustFab +Denimocracy Fall '14 Campaign 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @GildaRedfashion

As always, Let your Fashionista Flag Fly!

Monday Fashion=Simplistic Fall Fashion

Nine West Shoes, Wet Seal Jeggings, Margaritaville Long Sleeve Tee, Macy's Scarf

+Margaritaville +Macy's +Wet Seal +Nine West 
Remember to follow me on Twitter @GildaRedfashion
As always, Let your Fashionista Flag Fly!

 

Live from New York...

     The only thing that rivals my love of fashion, New York,  and writing would be my life long love of Saturday Night Live.  To give you a little glimpse into my life long love- here are a couple of fun facts about my life filled with SNL: Many of my earliest memories involved watching old VHS tapes that my mom had of greats like Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, frequent guest host Steve Martin, and so many other amazing cast members.  As a matter of fact, when I was in Kindergarden and all of the other girls were Belle from Beauty and the Beast, I went as Connie the Conehead. It was epic to say the least.  The second I was old enough to start playing the August lottery for tickets, you better bet I was all over it and although I have not had the opportunity to see a live taping or a dress rehearsal, it is my DREAM! Really, to be honest, the way I can go on about an episode on Sunday morning, many of my friends have suggested I start an SNL blog, which I have heavily considered. I have never been able to pick a favorite cast member; each season  is filled with talented individuals and it isn't an accident that they make it onto the show at all.
     With Season 40 underway it made me think about how everyone claims their generation's cast was the best. Really I think because of the talent of Lorne Michaels, every season is amazing(even the transition years)- and a talent that only SNL has successfully harnessed is if you revisit episodes from the past, you can tell exactly what America and even the world was enduring in that period of time.   
    So, what does this have to do with fashion, you ask? Saks Fifth Avenue has teamed up with Saturday Night Live and created a trendy collection inspired by many great SNL characters over the decades. Mary Katherine Gallagher, Gilly, the Fabulous Gilda Radner's The Nerds character- they are all represented. One of my favorite pieces that they are offering is of course, the Eugenia Kim Marley SNL Ribbed Wool Beanie. As you can tell from the picture below, there are elements of  the Coneheads characters, but it is still an item that can be an everyday article of clothing.

 

     There are several articles of clothing that are able to be wardrobe staples and represent 40 seasons of pure talent, amazing memories, and comedy that pushes boundaries and moves mountains.  The link is below, so make sure to check it out and tune in every Saturday night.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @GildaRedfashion

As always, Let your Fashionista Flag Fly!

 

(http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/search/EndecaSearch.jsp?bmForm=endeca_search_form_one&bmFormID=kBSGp4g&bmUID=kBSGp4h&bmIsForm=true&bmPrevTemplate=%2Fsearch%2FEndecaSearch.jsp&bmText=SearchString&SearchString=snl&submit-search=&bmSingle=N_Dim&N_Dim=0&bmHidden=Ntk&Ntk=Entire+Site&bmHidden=Ntx&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchpartialmax&bmHidden=prp8&prp8=t15&bmHidden=prp13&prp13=&bmHidden=sid&sid=149769C7A3E1&bmHidden=FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=&bmHidden=PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524446722326)

     

Pardon me

     Please Pardon my absence these past couple of weeks. I have been working on so much for 2016- trend boards, power points, blank choices, and colors of the year for our collection.  It can be very time consuming, but if you love your career, then the time spent is pure bliss.  Just like with everything else, I am a bit of a perfectionist, so making sure our 2016 and my part in it were as flawless as possible, I had to put my complete self into it. BUT I really missed  discussing fashion with all of you! So, here we are. I have so much to talk to you about and I can't wait to catch up with you this week.

This One's for Dad...

 

  10 years ago to the day, I felt as if the world was so much bigger than I ever imagined and I was completely unprotected by the elements for the first time. The reason being is that the world's strongest man, my Dad, passed away.  He seemed to be able to do everything and taught me so much about the world and business( I was very blessed to say that my mom and dad are very smart and business savvy).  It was very unexpected, one minute my dad is running a country music business and a farm and the next minute he's trying his best to fight back from the after math of a heart attack. It took me a long time to find the bright side in this, but today I thought I would share this with you(in the fashion arena).

    My Dad was a cowboy with a sense of style. He was responsible for causing quite a few country music stars and song writers to accelerate to fame and he did this by a syndicated radio show and by inviting record companies to watch potential talents perform every Friday and Saturday. Before the shows he would spend a good deal of time getting ready. I can remember he had a customized wall rack for his cowboy hats-24 total- all different colors, patterns, and for every occasion. Of course he had ones he favored, like his classic black(in the above picture). Also, his cowboy neckties, I feel like he had a million designs and everyone gave him different belt buckles as gifts so there was quite a few designs including one from Hee Haw when they invited him to the show. 
    I never once saw him in a traditional suit. His version of dressing up was his nicest pair of Wrangler jeans, cowboy boots(which when I went into our laundry room where each pair filed so perfectly into line, I felt as if his choices were endless), and a beautifully pressed blazer.
     I remember a million and one things about him and I thought I would share this with you. He was a man of class and as he gave his final moment's glance in the mirror as he whistled, I always felt proud. He worked for everything in life and it showed every second and his last pause in the mirror always reminds me of this. The thing with these anniversaries as the years increase is that you feel a sense of pride and luck to have known someone so special in this world and now, you know a little about him too.

 Remember to follow me on Twitter @GildaRedfashion

As always, Let your Fashionista Flag Fly!

 

Head to Toe

     The thing about having guests over to your house for a casual get together, is that you want everything to look like you are the most put together person in the world, BUT that you didn't just overly try to make it seem that way. This doesn't just apply to your house, but also to your wardrobe.  When I know that company will be coming over to my house, I don't want to wear jogging pants, but also it's not really appropriate to wear my Vera Wang dresses either(even though I wish I could wear these every second of my day). So instead I go with casual attire that's tied together with either an accessory or small article of clothing that raises the look to another level. My recent go to item for this look to be off the charts has been my pair of Odd Sox.
     They specialize in fashion socks, which if I may say is something that many of us are missing out on. My first pair, the Fries design pictured above, I found to be not only comfortable, but a very nice quality. By this I mean when you slide the fabric over your foot, they aren't the type of sock to feel as if they would wear out quickly. There's also an artistry behind it. When I had a couple of my friends over recently, they were a hit. They were drawn to the design and because most of their styles display a graphic that carries from one foot to the other, it's a conversation starter.
    After owning these for about a month and a half, there's no signs of wearing out to the fabric and the design is still looking fresh. I'm actually looking at getting a second pair-probably the Bombshell design, since I'm a Marilyn Monroe fan.

     Even if you aren't into the trend, make sure to check these guys out. The designs themselves are really detailed, striking, and beautifully thought out- and if you dare, add a pair to your collection...  http://oddsoxofficial.com/collections/all 

 

 Remember to follow me on Twitter @GildaRedfashion

As always, Let your Fashionista Flag Fly!