For most of us, the days and nights leading up to Christmas and New Years mean sporting our favourite metallic and sparkle-embellished outfits. But just because New Years Eve is over and we are all feeling a bit guilty about how much we ate and drank during the party season, it doesn’t mean we have to bury away our sparkle! It’s a new year and what better way to beat January and cold-weather blues by adding a little shine to your outfit? Check out knitwear such as Chloe Chic’s Ready to mingle cardigan that have cool metallic or sequin embellishments. High street retailers like Topshop or Urban Outfitters are also good places to gain some sparkle-inspiration for 2013. Happy New Year everyone!

Ready to mingle cardigan by Chloe Chic

Sequin detail on the Ready to mingle cardigan

By Nicola Rothery

As the days become shorter and winter darkness sets in, it’s time to get wrapped up in layers and warm textures! Make a statement (as well as keeping cozy) this autumn/winter with faux fur. The attention to textures is huge this season and it’s the perfect way to add that little something extra to a monochromatic outfit. Try a faux fur vest or jacket over long sleeve raglans or dolmans paired with black skinny jeans for that sophisticated city look. Or pair faux fur detailed boots with distressed jeans for a casual day look. Stores like H&M and Zara are great for finding faux fur pieces as you know it’s faux (aka animal friendly) and the prices are very reasonable.

I am absolutely in love with Chloe Chic’s “Wild Child” vest! It serves as the perfect faux fur textured layer to any outfit!

The "Wild Child" vest by Chloe Chic

Faux fur jacket by H&M

Happy faux fur finding!

By Nicola Rothery

Chloe Chic dresses were recently featured at a fashion show called ULTRAVIOLET in Pittsburgh. To read about the show, here is a nice blog article written by Janine at her blog “The Pittsburgh Look“.

Additionally, I have scrapped together photos featuring Chloe Chic dresses from various facebook pages. The credit goes to Brian Herman.

From trendy Shoreditch to alternative Camden Town to the everyday catwalk that is Oxford Street, London’s pockets of boroughs are enough to fuel any fashionista’s fire for new found ideas and inspiration. In the 3 months that I’ve been in London, I am constantly surrounded by the next big trend and creative ways of wearing already beloved pieces. It’s impossible not to feel inspired and completely caught up in style and fashion. I find myself having even more fun than normal deciding what to wear in the morning because I know that second I step foot out of my flat, I’m also venturing onto one of the world’s biggest city catwalks. Not only that, but I also feel more inspired to write—mainly about fashion since I find myself observing it daily.

That said, I went a step further in my search for fashion inspiration and was able to attend an event that every fashion blogger dreams of attending. You got it: London Fashion Week (LFW). I was in fashion heaven. Just stepping foot into the courtyard of Somerset House was incredible. Everyone is snapping away photos of street style and asking you about what you’re wearing. It’s definitely a mix of high end sophistication (think lots of black and understated couture labels) and urban, cool street style. I was at LFW representing the London-based online magazine, Stilorama, so I was able to attend all of the press events and exhibitions. My UK Press pass also got me front row at several fashion shows!! I was so excited and overwhelmed just attempting to soak in the whole atmosphere. Talk about inspired!!! Of course, LFW which spanned September 14-18, presents designers’ collections for spring/summer 2013 because in fashion, we are always looking ahead despite the fact that trends are revitalized from the past. I noted several common themes from the catwalk presentations that I attended. These included emphasis on the colours orange, fuchsia, and blue for spring/summer 2013 as well as white and metallic and red accents. Fabrics included silk, leather, suede, and tweed and heavily embellished tops. Many collections were comprised of pieces that suggested the timelessness of casual sportswear juxtaposed with feminine chic flowing lines and soft tailored shapes. Summing up trends and inspiration for spring/summer 2013, I have two words. Sleek and playful.

While I feel completely immersed in the fashion realms that London has to offer, I can’t wait to discover more!

Below are some of the photos I took while attending catwalk presentations:

Manuela Dack's catwalk presentation, s/s13

Craig Lawrence catwalk presentation s/s13

Eudon Choi catwalk presentation s/s13

Zoe Jordan catwalk presentation (finale) s/s13

A few Chloe Chic pieces that will be perfect for spring/summer 2013:

The Perfectly Primped Top by Chloe Chic

The Down by the Bay dress from Chloe Chic

By Nicola Rothery

By: Maureen Connors-McBride

  In my last blog I wrote about Fall fashion trends, and now in light of Fashion Week, I’m jumping right into Spring trends. Although spring may be the last thing on your mind, it’s always nice to get a sneak peak of what’s coming next season.

   Since we love vintage inspired clothing at Chloe Chic, I chose runway pieces that fit this look. In scanning the images from Fashion Week, I found even the most avant garde designers sporting vintage.

Katie Gallagher and Ruffain

Midriff Trend- You’ll be sporting a lot of belly this spring. I love the ruffled and ruched Katie Gallagher skirt paired with transparent tights. In the second photo, the baby pink pin-stripes and pink sash fit perfectly with Chloe Chic’s romantic image. The model’s red lipstick, retro up-do, and Converse sneakers add the perfect vintage touch.

Tia Cibani and Belstaff

"Seaside Top"

Stripes- Stripes hit the runway in all shapes and sizes. The chiffon fabric and button detail on the Tia Cibani dress remind me of Chloe Chic pieces, particularly the Seaside Top  . The second outfit is oh-so-vintage. Her short bob, ankle-strap pumps, and empire waist-line make the model look like she walked straight out of Boardwalk Empire.

Tadashi Shoji and “Ruffle Me Up” Dress

Lace- You can never go wrong pairing a lady with lace. It’s one of the most feminine fabrics I can think of, and I love that it makes an appearance this Spring. The Tadashi Shoji dress keeps it classy with a high neckline, which allows for the short length and peek of midriff. I couldn’t help but think of Chloe Chic’s “Ruffle Me Up” Dress when I saw this.

In anticipation of fall, I’ve listed some of the accessory trends we’ll see this season:

1. Embellishments: shoes, bags, and clothing will all get “blinged” this fall with jeweled accents.  (Marc Jacobs, Vogue’s Guide to Fall 2012)

2. Metallic: shiny metallic shoes will be all the rave. (Nine West, Stylelist)

3. Fur bags: fur isn’t just for clothes,  now it’s for bags too. (Givenchy, Vogue’s Guide to Fall 2012)

4. Houndstooth: this classic print is back and ready to be paired with any color. (Hubpages Top 10 Fall 2012 Trends and Prints)

5. Nail jewelry: jewelry and nails will come together this fall. (Jennifer Fisher, Elle Jewelry Trends Fall 2012)

6. Animal inspired jewelry: animals will be key figures on jewelry. (Ileana Makri, Elle Jewelry Trends Fall 2012)

By: Maureen Connors-McBride

I adore summer weather and I love the fashion that goes along with it, but this time of August always reminds me of the cooler weather that’s right around the corner. The days are a little shorter, the nights have the slightest chill to them, and sometimes it’s just cool enough to wear a light sweatshirt, (when I was young these were the signals that reminded me dreaded school was  about to start).
Now that I’m an adult, I’ve decided to take these cues as motivation to prepare my wardrobe for the next fashion season: Fall.  Fittingly, I searched Choe Chic for inspiration and put together warm and cool weather looks with a few outside pieces.

Lunch with your Girlfriends Outfit

Victorian Vixen Skirt

Wild Child Vest

H&M Top

Forever 21 Booties

This outfit is perfect for early fall. Tuck the cotton tee into the maxi skirt and pair it with the beige fuzzy vest. The skirt is the perfect length for the booties to peep through the bottom.

Indian Summer Outfit

Country Breeze Top

AE Jeans

Forever21 Straw Hat

Perfect for that quirky warm day, this outfit is great for any fall occasion: apple picking, pumpkin carving, hay rides, anything!

 First Date Outfit

By Liz Bey.

When you picture a romantic getaway I bet you picture somewhere with green palm trees, white sandy beaches and lots of quiet places for you and your partner to hide away in. And normally you probably don’t picture that happening in the United States. I don’t blame you, if I had a secret stash of cash I’d want to fly out of the States for a short getaway myself. But why not find a cozy, romantic place in the States to save some money but still get that experience?

I believe romance is in the eye of the beholder (much like beauty), everyone has their own ideas of romance outside of the stereotypical. I picked four different place I found to be romantic to visit in the land of the free.

#1 – Monterey, California 

Monterey Bay, California

Any place that has a picture like that has me visiting. Crystal blue waters and picturesque views – yup I’m hooked. And how about you can pick from 7 Secret Beaches for all that white sand you’ve been looking for? Don’t forget all the spas, wine tasting rooms and romantic walks you can get.

Expedia has flight +hotel + car packages for the Monterey area that cost just under $2,000 for 2 people for FOUR days (coming from the Pittsburgh area). Pretty nice steal!

#2 – Kauai, Hawaii 

Kauai Island, Hawaii

Hawaii is the States own personal getaway for sure but I’ve only really heard of the major islands like Honolulu … never about Kauai. But apparently it’s the perfect island to getaway from it all with your romantic partner. Take your pick from horseback riding, surf lessons or even a romantic helocopter tour.

Expedia has flight + hotel + car packages for Kauai Island that cost about $2,500 for 2 people for FOUR days (coming from the Pittsburgh area). This would be perfect for those vacation hours you’ve been saving.

#3 – San Francisco, California 

San Francisco, California

I’ve been in love with San Francisco since “Full House” was filmed there … then there was “Charmed” and let’s not forget “The Princess Diaries.” San Fran has had it’s fair share of popularity in films and television. With it’s picturesque views of the bay area and the rolling hills with iconic street cars (that STILL work) what wouldn’t you like?

Expeida has flight + hotel + car packages for San Francisco that cost right around $1,500 for 2 people for FOUR days (coming from the Pittsburgh area). Get some history in with your romantic trip here!

#4 – Savannah, Georgia 

Savannah, Georgia

We’ve all heard of “Southern beauty,” well now I know why … with beautiful fields, plantations and bed & breakfasts I could lose myself in the romance. Calculate in all the romantic stories and movies that have come from the South, would you like to star in your own Southern romance novel? There is so much to do in Savannah as well: ghost tours, trolley tours, and cruises!

Expedia has flight + hotel + car packages for Savannah that cost $1,300 or less for 2 people for FOUR days (coming form the Pittsburgh area). Talk about a Southern revival!

Jessica Ennis

In light of the Olympics I felt compelled to write about the history of sportswear. While one might think of sports bras and yoga pants right off the bat (at least that’s what I thought), true sportswear traces its origins from leisurewear.
Sportswear began as a type of clothing women wore to watch sporting events. But as the pace of their lifestyles increased after World War I, they required applicable fashions. So ready-to-wear designers introduced interchangeable pieces like blouses, shorts, skirts, and dresses to meet this need. Designer Coco Chanel adapted the simplicity of sportswear, but her clothes were still considered haute couture. By the 1930s and 40s, American women were turning away from Parisian fashion, which was deemed impractical, and embraced sportswear. This marked the beginning of the “relaxed” fashions we see in the American wardrobe today. Claire McCardell is one of the most notable designer from this era, who’s fashions were simple and accessible.
In the 70s and 80s, sportswear morphed into something that denoted both luxury and simplicity. Designer Geoffrey Beene became known for layering his sports pieces. In the 80s, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hillfiger, and Marc Jacobs, emerged as dominant sportswear designers, whose fashions still set trends today.
While you might see sports inspired trends in fashion today, such as scuba dresses and fashion sweatshirts, remember that sportswear in it’s purest meaning comes from the premise of relaxed clothing, which most Americans embrace today.

Ralph Lauren

Claire McCardell Dresses