Getting Persun-al...

Ok, so many of you know that I went to undergrad for fashion/design, lived in Paris, moved to Manhattan, worked there for a bit and then headed home to Chicago because I super wanted to become a teacher.  I went to grad school and got a degree in special education and have been working in that field for the last 4 years... but the fashion bug (along with a slew of real live bugs, as of late) bit me BIG TIME, so I started working independently as a stylist and wardrobe consultant. 

A few weeks ago, I had a client tell me that it is impossible to get an entire outfit from one place because not one store has every single piece (top, layer, bottom, jewelry, bag, shoes) to create a cohesive look.  I challenged that client and told her that I'd be able to make her not one, but 729 (!!!!) different looks from less than 20 pieces and that I'd do it from the store of her choice.  She deliberated and took me up on the bet, figuring that there was NO possible way I'd be able to make that many different outfits from under 20 pieces that all come from the same shop.  The shop she chose is called Persun Mall and it is an online retailer based in Hong Kong. 

Challenge accepted!  

Which look do you like the most?  Which piece is your favourite?  Don't forget to click the links to see each individual product detail.  I've got to admit... I think these style boards have turned into my own personal wish list! Click the links at the bottom of the collages for product details!

Tops: Blue with Studs, Beige Chiffon, Orange Tank/ Blazers: Black, Blue, Beige/ Bottoms: Leopard Pants, Floral Skirt, Blue Faux Leather Pants/ Jewelry: Necklace, Ring, Bracelets/ Bags: Floral Satchel, Orange Studs, Blue Shoulder Bag/ Heels: Wedges, Cheetah, Tri-Color Pumps

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Always buzzing just like neon, NEON...

Don't you just love when carnivals randomly appear in town?  I sure do!  My friend Erik and I got to go on a small, but slightly creepy, adventure in the mall parking lot!  We arrived before the carnival opened, so the rides and things were just being set up and we got permission from the carnival manager to do just about anything we wanted, including breaking in to the carousel, standing in the spinny tube thinger in the funhouse and invading the gaming booths! It was marvelous!

Like my step-mom always says, "You can't have a bad day when  you're wearing red shoes"... or cheetah print... or crazy neon skimmer pants...  

... and since I inherited these fabulous neon limeade-coloured skimmers from Mum last night and actually figured out a way to dress around them, I thought that this week, I'd vlog about budget fashion.  Like REAL budget fashion... not the "I only shop at Forever 21 and H&M" kind of budget fashion.  I'm talking $30-$50 per month budget fashion!  

Top Forever 21 c/o Plato's Closet
Skimmer Pants "C" c/o Mum's closet
Belt/Bracelet c/o Forever 21
Red Wedges c/o Charlotte Russe

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Pardon my French...

... sérieusement. En ricochant autour de ma chambre / voiture / classe / monde/ etc. après avoir gagné le concours IFB et d'obtenir mon parti de projection privée pour le nouveau film, Epic (ce qui est f*cking awesome!), et en attendant la dernière étape du déploiement de Soldier Boy (chère terroristes, f*ck-ez vous beaucoup), j'ai certainement dit des gros mots! 

  ... et en anglais..

... seriously. Between ricocheting around my room/car/classroom/world after winning the IFB challenge and getting my very own private screening party for the new movie, Epic (this is f*cking awesome!), and waiting out the last leg of Soldier Boy's deployment (dear terrorists, f*ck you very much), I have certainly uttered a few choice words.  

Alors, tout le monde, please pardon my French and just bear with me!  If you want to make a silly shirt just like this, take a look at the tutorial and give it a go!  Making and styling this tee has probably opened a huge can of worms and I'm going to end up cranking out screen tees by the dozen now!  

What would you put on a tee like this?  What does your screen tee say about you? 

Cardigan c/o H&M

Tee c/o : the daily savant : 

Skirt c/o Target (kid's section!)

Oxfords c/o H&M

Satchel c/o Target

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Got me 10 feet off the ground...

I am SO excited!  Seriously!  I'm totally up in the air.  Literally.  And I'm not going to tell you why!  You just have to check out my EPIC announcement vlog to find out what has got me over the moon!   Seriously... check it out.  I'm bouncing off the walls! Really... I took these pictures with a tripod and had to try about a zillion times to get them just right and it still didn't tire me out!  I'm THAT hyped! 

Ok... if you happened not to watch the vlog, I'll tell you what happened!  Last week, on a total whim, I entered the IFB weekly challenge.  It was in conjunction with the new animated film, Epic (about a girl shrinking down to approximately Thumbellina size, meets some leaf men and slugs and such and saves all of nature from the bad guys who are trying to destroy it.  The concept of the challenge was to wear a nature inspired look, so I sent in my post, Crossing Bridges, and totally forgot about it.  

Yesterday, to my great and total surprise, I received an e-mail informing me that out of all the entries, the Epic team selected my outfit as the winner!  I've won a feature on the Epic Facebook page, an original sketch of one of Chris Benz's Spring 2013 collection pieces that was adapted for the film, and a private screening party for me and 49 of my closest friends!  If you read and follow : the daily savant : and happen to live in the greater Chicago area and want to come to the screening, please leave me a comment and I'll see if I can make it happen!  I don't yet know when it will be, but I shall keep you posted! 

I am SO excited!  Not only did I design and make half of the winning outfit, it was the first time I entered a contest like this and I nailed it! 

Button down c/o Wet Seal

Skirt self-made

Necklace c/o Amazon

Shoes c/o Macy's

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Packing for a European holiday...

It has been nearly 3 months since I have seen Soldier Boy and I am getting ridiculously antsy.  I cannot WAIT for his deployment to end!  Since when he is not deployed, he is stationed in Germany and I live in the US, we only get a few weeks to spend together every 4 months or so.  The first month apart is super hard, the second month gets a bit easier, the third month begins with the distance not feeling so terrible, but by the end of the third month, we're both going crazy!  Don't even get me started on the fourth month apart!  

Since summer is approaching and deployment is (fingers and toes and brains crossed) almost over, my mind has wandered to all of the wonderful European adventures we are sure to have once my love and I are reunited!  Since my love of getting dressed is nearly as incurable as my case of chronic wanderlust, I decided to do a little online window shopping/packing.  I planned out a look for 6 European cities that are on my summer bucket list.  Everything comes from SheInside (be sure to click the product links below each collage for more info!)  Which look do you like the most? 

PARIS

Ring, Necklace, Bracelet, Dress

AMSTERDAM

Top, Jacket, Earrings, Shorts

PRAGUE

Earrings, Bracelet, Shorts, Top

ROME

Dress, Earrings, Ring, Bracelet

BARCELONA

Necklace, Ring, Shorts, Top

BERLIN

 Pants, Tee, Bracelet, Blazer

See?  My virtual suitcase is already packed!  Let's go!

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Snag that Style: Look 5: What's black, white, and red all over?

Ta da!  This is my last look for the Snag that Style Challenge!  It is funny, actually, because I didn't initially realize that Nicole is actually the one who snagged MY style from years ago!  I posted a #throwbackthursday on Instagram from back in the stone ages (when I was in college) and had on almost this exact same outfit, so basically, I wore it, Nic snagged it, and then I snagged it back!  Whatever.  Red and black is classic! 

The Snag that Style Challenge was a lot of fun.  In style-stealing, I discovered a lot about they way I dress myself.  Where Nicole tends to pick one accent piece per outfit, I like to dress in such a way that every part of the look has some sort of detail.  Soldier Boy noticed immediately that I was dressing differently and more simpler after I had posted just two looks!  I definitely enjoyed getting to step into Nic's shoes for a bit and will walk away from this challenge with the newly-gleaned knowledge that I really don't always have to put tons of effort into putting outfits together. 

If you chose to participate, please send me the link to your Pinterest board!  If enough people were able to try this challenge, I'd like to build one giant feature board for the whole Pinterest world to see!

Blazer Guess c/o my college roommate

Pants c/o H&M

Stilettos/Necklace c/o Charlotte Russe

Bracelet c/o Forever 21

Ring vintage

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Crossing bridges...

Ohmygosh, did you know that it is spring?  The snow last week kind of threw me off.  Seriously.  So, it was finally gorgeous out and I got to play outside!  My small adventure today took me to a forest preserve right around twilight (are you thinking of Edward Cullen now?  If not, you should be!).

I was so excited to finally be able to wear something uber trendy for this season!  Back in February, just before Trip deployed, I devoted myself to scouring Pinterest, Instagram, and fashion mags like crazy so I would have some sewing projects to get me through the first few days after he left.  I started seeing silk printed pants and knew I could make some pretty easily, so I went to the fabric store, bought myself some fabric, drafted a pattern, and tailored these to myself... and then they hung in my closet for 2 MONTHS! 

As the days grew longer, I had more and more daylight by which to comb the internet for ways to dress around these trendy new pantalones.  Finally, the days became warm enough to cross this spring trend bridge.  I paired these crazy pants with a lace blouse (stolen from Mum's closet, of course), cobalt rhinestone earrings, and my favourite green pumps.  This time last year, there is no way I ever would have chosen this outfit... but this time this year... oh yeah!  Hooray for the nature-inspired evolution of seasonal trends! 

If you have any interest in hearing me rant about trends, or want to contribute to a lovely discussion on trends you love, trends you want to try, and the trends you wish you never bought into, please watch my lovely vlog about it! 

Pants made by moi

Lace Blouse Banana Republic c/o Mum's Closet

Green Stilettos c/o Charlotte Russe

Earrings c/o H&M

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Oh, and hey... since this is a nature-inspired look, be sure to check out Epic... an animated nature-inspired movie: https://www.facebook.com/EpicTheMovie