Top 4 Reasons to Love Preteen Style

We all know fashion is no longer defined by age. Preteen style isn't frilly dresses anymore! These ladies are learning more about what they like and don't like everyday. With that in mind we should love, encourage, and get inspiration from their creative looks. At Top Buttons, we can't get enough of their LOVE of LIFE and each other! We asked some young ladies to wear their favorite summer looks for this photoshoot. The outcome couldn't have been orchestrated any better if we would have chosen the outfits for them. So here are our Top 4 Reasons to Love Preteen Style... Take a look.

1. Preteens LOVE clothing items which are Bright and Fun!

Ever found yourself buying that same neutral or black item over and over again?  Your tween self would have totally gone with a neon or bright color, no questions asked!  Embrace color this summer!

2. Preteens will try a new style or trend without fuss!

As they continue to develop their own unique style, this age group isn't afraid to branch out and try something new with their wardrobe.  Aztec, chambray, you name it, and they will try it.  Mixing patterns and colors are a must and it's a great way to maximize your wardrobe.

3. Preteens love to capture fashion and friendship!

You know it's true.  A Preteen does not miss a moment to snap a pic of their new look with their closest friends. Why not make the most of a great outfit, smile, and camera combo???  During summer, it is a most opportune time.

4. Preteens NEVER FORGET their favorite accessories to complete every look!

Everything about this outfit just works!  Try not to be so predictable with your accessories. Mixing things up a bit by adding a totally different color to your shoes or jewelry will add some spunk in your step and some serious interest to your outfit.

Now we all know, clothing which line the shelves for preteen's is often not... hmm... How shall we say it?...  age appropriate or modest.

Finding shorts which aren't too short for those growing legs, being bold without being offensive, showing off your mood as it changes day to day, all add to the difficulty of expressing individual style with healthy boundaries. But we've seen it done and done well.

Fashion is ART. We believe the preteen is pretty amazing. She is one who is worth the extra time to find clothing which fits properly and sends a message to the world that she is way more than just a body. She has a beautiful spirit, a heart to give, a strength to overcome, a mind to change the world around her and some spunk to make us all forget our troubles.

At Top Buttons, we want to give our tween followers a chance to share their style and healthy self-confidence with the world.  This is why we have decided to start featuring them right here on topbuttons.org!  With this in mind, We have also started an Instagram account devoted to preteens, @tb_girls!

We want to hear what you love the most about this age group AND their fashion sense. Let us know in the comments below! We can't wait for our next preteen photoshoot!

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Hair and Makeup: Yolanda Delacerda Photography:   Beth Carter

A Fresh Take On Chambray

Spring has finally arrived! It's time to pack away your winter wardrobe and replace those now empty hangers with light-weight, breezy clothes. One of our preferred trends for this season is a refreshing favorite from seasons past, chambray! Checkout Memory Mouro, a junior at the University of Central Florida, to see how she styles her favorite chambray top! The great thing about chambray is its versatility. It can be worn like a denim jacket over a loose fitted top, pair it with your favorite pair of heels and a cute bag and you are ready to go!

We love the effortless look of tying a chambray top around your waist for a casual outing. Memory chose an orange and white striped top and added a pop of teal in her accessories to complete this outfit!

 One of Memory's favorite ways to style a chambray top is over a maxi dress.

Spring is the perfect time to bring new life to your style! So whether you are going for a casual look or something more sophisticated try reinventing your classic chambray top!

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Written by: Amanda Jacobs

Meet Macey and her Modern-Chic Apparel

Meet Macey and her Modern-Chic Apparel!She's currently in college pursuing a degree in Multi-Disciplinary Studies. Her charming personality is both fun-loving and personable. Macey currently  juggles several involvements between her college classes, maintaining friendships, and volunteering at church. She even serves as a Community Leader in her residence hall at college, meaning that her role is to help build community among her peers. What amazed the Top Buttons team is that she accomplishes all this and more with such poise and professionalism.

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For Macey's first outfit, she wore a plaid flannel top (purchased at Salvation Army for $3) and her favorite high-waisted black pants (purchased at Forever21 for $10).

What's so great about this look is that Macey pulls together staple items and makes them her own! She wears her clothes, and doesn't allow her clothes to wear her. It's amazing how much confidence can make a difference.

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Macey's second outfit provides a completely different look and feel, but incorporates a lot of the same articles of clothing.

This is a really admirable quality, because most girls deal with the illusion of thinking, "I have NOTHING to wear," in the midst of staring at a full closet. While most of us here at TopButtons can admit to having said that, we all know we were mostly being dramatic. Instead of resorting to that thought, challenge yourself to rework old pieces with new ones and pair a variety of tops and accessories with the same basic pants and shoes. Your closet will seem to grow without breaking the bank.

Let's see how Macey did it:

Macey wears a denim chambray that her sister gave her as a hand-me-down; a chunky gold necklace that she got from a closet exchange with a friend; and the same pants and shoes as her last outfit.

[blockquote]My favorite piece is the necklace. It dresses anything up. It was a tie between that and the shoes. They're just so comfy.[/blockquote]

Now that you've seen how Macey styled two outfits by incorporating a few of the same pieces, TopButtons encourages you to do the same with YOUR wardrobe and to let us know your results!

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On behalf of TopButtons, thanks for staying tuned with us on this three part article series with Tiffany, Maddy, and Macey!

How To Wear The Neon Trend

Colors, prints, and neon are huge for Spring and Summer. If you are apprehensive of neon, start small. Try on a neon necklace, scarf, purse, or a simple coat of nail polish. Accessories are a safe way to incorporate this trend into your daily wardrobe. Above are 6 key pieces to keep you in style this season. I have put together two looks to help you navigate the neon trend. Both mix neutrals with neon. The first is a chambray shirt, neon pants, earrings and a statement necklace, paired with a neutral purse and shoes. The purse and shoes help to ground the neon and break up the bright colors, keeping the eye moving and not landing on just one area.

Shirt | Pants | Shoes | Purse | Necklace | Earrings

The second is a sleeveless shirt, pants, and neon necklace paired with neutral accessories. The purse and shoes have an element of neon that ties in the look, while not being too loud. A solid gold pair of earrings and bracelet compliment the outift.

Shirt | Pants | Shoes | Purse | Necklace | Bracelet | Earrings

Neon can be worn many different ways. You can be as BOLD as you want to be this season. Start out by adding neon accessories and then move on to adding neon clothing. Experiment with different pairings. Don't be afraid to add in florals and patterns with neon. For more outfit inspiration check out our Pinterest board here.

Happy Styling!

Rebekah

The 6 neon accessories above can be found here:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6