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Still Trending: Floral Pants
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Ladies, there is no need to look both ways before crossing the street in an eye catching floral look! This edgy take on a floral pant will have people clearing traffic as if the streets were a runway! With Spring on the horizon, patterned and floral pants are taking their place as the latest fad. Even though florals are rooted with a feminine touch, playing with colors and textures can take a once girlie print to an edgy style with spunk. The floral pant shown here is paired with a solid scoop neck and faux leather vest. A cap sleeve tee works just as well as a long sleeve, especially if you live in a warmer climate and the faux leather vest gives the outfit just the right amount of texture. Accessory wise, pick your pleasure: gold, silver, gunmetal, rose gold, etc. Any metal will look great against a floral, just be sure to stick with one type of metal. Add a crossbody in one of the hottest colors for spring such as blush, with an ever so classic Mary Jane pump to your look, and you are ready to take on any sidewalk or street... as if it was your own personal runway.
Vest | Scoop neck | Floral pant | Mary Janes | Blush cross-body | Ring
Makeup Artist: Melissa Kinsey
Photo credit: Moments by Jen
City Fashion Shoot Video
/This video was truly a group effort. It was directed by Mom Powers, filmed by Delaney, and edited by Taylor Murray. While Lakeland has some great spots for photoshoots, we loved changing it up by heading over to the streets of downtown Orlando. This shoot features some looks that we have already posted and some that are coming up in the next couple weeks. Hope you have a great day!
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Do you follow us on Pinterest? Check out our boards for the latest in Fashion, Hair, Nail, Accessories, and How-To tutorials.
How To Wear Patterned Leggings
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Patterned leggings are everywhere this season! They are a fun and colorful trend that are definitely worth trying. Here are some tips on how to style them.
1. Think of leggings as tights, not pants. If you want to rock patterned pants, there are a ton of options on the market to choose from. Leggings, however are meant to be worn under clothing.
2. Pair them with a long top that covers your backside. Chambray shirts, blazers, blouses and boyfriend sweaters are great options.
3. Pair them with solid colors. Mixing too many patterns can look busy.
4. Keep accessories to a minimum. Let your leggings be the focal point. Too many accessories can be overwhelming.
5. Leggings can be worn with a number of different types of shoes. Boots, flats, and heels all work.
Leggings come in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Have fun and be creative when styling them. For more inspiration, check out our "All About Leggings" board on our Top Button's Pinterest account.
If you already have a favorite way to wear leggings let us know in the comments below, we would love to hear from you!
Happy Styling!
*Below are links to items that are similar to the outfit shown above.
Military Chic
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Call your friends and family, call everyone in your contact list! Better yet call a taxi, for this army jacket deserves more than one appearance uptown, and here is why. Military jackets and pieces usually give off a casual or grunge vibe. If styled with the proper accessories and paired with a closed-toe pump, the once "grunge" appeal will be booted to the curb. To tie in the feminine touches, go for a bow hair wrap or any other girlie hair accessory that may suit you best. As for jewelry, skip the bangle or two and complete the look with an arm party. All military styles have one thing in common and that is being bold. This preppy military look will not only hail every taxi in the city, it will leave you in the highest ranks of fashion!
Graphic T | Shoes | Jacket | Jeans | Head wrap | Purse | Gold Arm Party
Written by: Jenna Olinger Photos by: Moments by Jen
THE SWIMSUIT TOPIC
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The evolution of the swimsuit has been drastic over the last 50 years. While trends usually come full circle and it is apparent that some bathing suit styles have returned to the fore front from years past, the itsy bitsy bikini is going no where. Who doesn't feel the most comfortable in their underwear? Well, at home when no one is looking. But where is the line on bathing suits? As the more popular trends continue to lean towards skimpy rather than full coverage, it leaves many wondering where the line will be drawn, if at all? Many young females look forward to purchasing and wearing the hottest swimwear trends, but as with all clothing trends, popular doesn't always mean appropriate.
There are many different styles available, but it is important to find the style that fits your body best and one that doesn't expose everything. Talking about modesty in general is controversial, let alone the subject of swimwear. In Florida, ladies can practically live in a swimsuit year round! Some might wonder, if there should be a standard at the beach. Many churches and even some civic organizations believe so. Standards are set for the benefit of the group and the benefit of the individual (but in that order). It makes sense to ask young men and women, attending a group function together at the beach, to consider the fun to be had by the whole group free of distractions rather than placing priority on the individual desires which often leads to expression with no boundaries. So can a young woman "be herself" and still wear something with more coverage than the typical two piece bikini options?
If stores supplied, and celebs promoted only 1 piece swimsuits, would women go out and sew their own two piece bathing suits anyway? When wearing a swimsuit, should consideration be given to others? Should modesty apply to swimsuits, or do sand and water negate the concept? Should current trends dictate our fashion sense? If so, how far will we go allowing the fashion industry to determine our standards?
The options for adorable swimsuits are out there. Since there is so much encouragement for young women to where the super revealing swimsuits, why not balance it out with an alternative?!
Sarah Powers, our Director, grew up out on the water. Her grandparents owned and operated a water ski school for decades and she competed in water sports. It made sense to talk to her about this topic since she has such a passion to see young women dress with their own personal style while not negating their personal values. "I care more about the functionality of a swimsuit than the cuteness factor, but that is because I was always training for a competition. Wearing a bikini might result in some unintended exposure." She laughed as she described some embarrassing moments that occurred from some bad spills while throwing big tricks. "The bottom line is that our belief system should affect our choice of clothing at school, church, work, and the beach. The first thing that people notice about us is most often not what we say or do, but what we wear. If we say we want to honor God with our life, that should be reflected accordingly. As a Christian, our goal in life should not be to get attention from revealing clothes and then to post it on instagram to get more attention." The beach is the perfect opportunity to be set apart and to consider the impression we are giving off to others. I say... wear the look you want, but within reason." She went on to share how the impact of social media has fueled the growth of immodest trends as people continue to post every moment, especially "beachy" ones, with the public.
Both Rebekah, the Top Buttons's Stylist, and Sarah suggested the tankini as a reasonable choice for young women and stated that one pieces are very flattering on most all body types.
It's also interesting to note that most young females, struggle with their changing bodies. Some of the flaws that they see include, small bust line, large bust line, large hips, no curves, large thighs. According to Seventeen.com, young women who see these flaws were 87% more confident when wearing a one piece bathing suit, or one that covered their mid-section.
So with that being said, Be on the lookout for future posts that include where to find some fashionable one pieces, tankinis, and cover ups!
A SHOPPING SPREE WITH PURPOSE
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The team would agree that our favorite part of the Top Button's Project is being able to Give Back. In addition to providing cute and modest clothing styles online for young ladies to get ideas from, we take young women on shopping sprees who would not otherwise be able to do so for themselves! As our organization continues to grow, we look to offer the Top Buttons Wardrobe Makeover opportunity for young women across the country- and more often. At the bottom of this post are details on how to collaborate with us on this project if interested.
This month we partnered with The Core; a youth group from Epic church in Lakeland, FL. Anastasia Malone, the host who nominated the teen chosen to be on this shopping spree, began as a leader for The Core a little over a year ago. She shared a bit about why she volunteers to mentor youth by saying, “I do it because I have a passion for young ladies between the ages of 12-16 to see, understand and grab hold of what God has called and purposed them to do! I just love that age in general, so why not take time out of my week to just love on them!”
As we have done with shopping sprees before, we took Deni into a shop and filled 2 carts full of clothing! Choosing clothes for Deni to try on was a fun-filled, group effort. As the shopping progressed, the “no’s” turned into “maybe’s” and the “maybe’s” turned into “YES!” We did have to convince her to step out of her box a bit to try on a couple items, but once she put them on, the smile of satisfaction on her face told us how pleased she was. We enjoyed sharing ideas on how to wear different pieces in a way that would express her personal style, work with her body type, and keep her essentials covered. After a morning of power shopping, Deni went home with several items to create a new wardrobe with! This sweet young lady came out of the store radiating with positive energy.
And off to Peterson Park we go for Deni's photo shoot in one of her new outfits...
When asked what her favorite part of the day was, Deni said, “picking out the clothes!” She shared how she felt honored to have been nominated, and we felt honored to have been able to provide her with this experience.
Anastasia Malone is seen below on the left, then Kenady (our TB teen team member), Deni (shopping spree winner), and Anastasia Jones (our TB Give Back Director).
All shopping sprees are funded through donations given to our non-profit organization. If you are interested in donating funds or services to provide deserving teens with a Top Buttons Wardrobe Makeover, please contact Anastasia Jones-Downing at anastasia@topbuttons.org.
Written by: Anastasia Jones
Photo Credit: Shelby Danielle
Top Buttons Funny Valentine's Video: If All Else Fails, Just Eat Chocolate
/This video was filmed while having our TB Valentine's Party! The girls were asked to share about how they would be spending their Valentine's Day. It turned out so funny that we just had to share it! Hope you had a good Valentine's Week!
FOR THE PETITE: BUYING NAME BRAND DRESSES FOR LESS
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Anyone who knows me [Katie] knows that I adore a cute, girly Lilly Pulitzer dress. Lilly dresses can be expensive but if you’re shopping on a budget and don't mind waiting for the sales, they can be affordable. My secret is buying the junior girls dresses. These dresses can be $100.00 to $200.00 dollars cheaper than the women’s dresses. Not all of the junior girls dresses work for my body type, it is important to make sure they’re not too short, but when I find the right one I make sure to add certain accessories that I know will complete the look. Personally some of my favorite accessories are my monogram necklace, bubble necklace, Michael Kors watch, and Tory Burch flats. Now I know these accessories I chose are not cheap, but if you shop the outlets, you can save a bundle, or shop for cheaper accessories that will look just as great!
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If junior girls dresses don’t work for your body type then Lilly Pulitzer has 2 major online sales per year with certain boutiques participating: the New Year Cheer sale and the Endless Summer sale. During these sales dresses can be up to 75 % off. It can be difficult to wait for these sales but if you have your eye on an expensive dress, it is well worth it. In saying that, not every Lilly Pulitzer dress is as expensive as others, they have cute t-shirt dresses that are under $100.00. The t-shirt dresses are functional because you can dress them up or down by simply changing your accessories. They are great investment pieces for all seasons.
So if you are a petite young women, you might want to keep this idea in mind for your next purchase! Just watch out for the issue of length... Personally, I work to keep the dresses and skirts at least to mid thigh.
Have a great day,
Valentine's Day Outfit Options
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With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, here is some outfit inspiration for those who are still deciding what to wear. If you want to stay in the Valentine’s Day spirit but red just isn’t your color, pink is a great alternative. It is classic, feminine, and on trend. Whether you have a date with that special someone or a girl’s night out with your closest friends, you will be styling in an ensemble like this!
For hair and make-up think Lauren Conrad. Try pairing a soft neutral eye palette with liquid liner. Add some drama with false lashes that have a slight flair on the sides. Sweep on pink blush, and finish with a nude lip. For the hair, try loose waves or a chignon.
You can’t go wrong with this look. It is clean, fresh, and oh so pretty!
Have a happy and stylish Valentine’s Day!
Rebekah
Valentine's Day Outfit by topbuttons featuring plastic jewelry
White lace dress
modcloth.com
Miss Patina high heel
modcloth.com
Corto Moltedo studded handbag
$1,530 - farfetch.com
Irene Neuwirth diamond jewelry
ylang23.com
Plastic jewelry
modcloth.com
LAYERED WITH FLARE
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Drop the coats and winter wear! It is time to stop piling on the turtle necks and thermals, and begin layering garments that are fashionably lighter. Orange County is no stranger to a variety of unique and fresh styles, but here is a look that has class and flare...well a flare sleeve that is. Now the flare sleeve is usually associated with bell bottoms and a completely different era. So to modernize the full sleeve top and add a touch of youth, pair the top with a dark wash skinny and flats. Being that the season is in transition, a faux fur vest is the perfect choice. This particular faux fur adds texture to the outfit and the rich color of the vest pops against the patterned top. Add the finishing touch of a chunky long necklace and your look is anything but from the past.
The links provided below offer some items that are actual and some that are similar to the ones seen above.
Skinny Jeans | Vest | Blouse | Purse | Necklace | Flats
Photos by: Jen Duarte
COPENHAGEN FASHION WEEK
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Being a fashion insider means constantly keeping up to date with what's IN and what's NOT. Probably the best and most notable way to do that is to attend different fashion shows and fairs.
In other words, if you are curious to find out what’s on trend for the upcoming Autumn and Winter seasons, you'll want to take a peak at the catwalks of the many Fashion Weeks around the world.
On her journey to the beautiful city of Copenhagen, our Scandinavian team member, Sandra, was able to get the scoop on some fresh new designers around the region, as well as, some inspiration for the upcoming Fall season 2013…
After several fashion shows and a visit to the Gallery fashion fair, she is ready to give her REVIEW: “It’s looks like we’re heading towards nature-inspired clothing with a preference towards organically produced material. At the same time, we will observe a great appreciation of modern femininity inspired by the 40’s and 60’s glamorous haute couture. Finally, why not throw in a bit of a futuristic edge, achieved through blending metallics and geometrically inspired shapes, into the choice of accessories and other apparel?! It was an impressive week with unique combinations that will be sure to leave an impact as these trends make their way into the shops later this year!"
Faux Fur and Pleather
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Now where I live, the weather is hardly ever cold enough to strut this coat around day in and day out. But trust me, I am an opportunist. I wear this coat every chance I get. My favorite thing about this faux fur is how versatile it is. It gives a luxe appeal to any outfit but because it is a statement piece, you can style it for a night out on the town or take a more casual approach as shown here.
Although the coat completes the look, each garment and accessory helps tell the story of this casual downtown style. For starters, a basic solid tee is the perfect choice to balance the outfit. For the pants, be bold and go for a pleather pant. Pleather is a seasonal material so you definitely want to wear it while you can. Plus, it will give you an edge that your denim otherwise may not. Now for the finishing touches, boots are a must for an all day affair downtown. Any type of motorcycle or combat boot will work. As for accessories, mixing metals is a must. I have never been one to mix match metals, but when it comes to pairing gunmetal with silver, or bronze with gold, I say yes.
Other than the fact that I am a proud faux fur owner, faux fur is not nearly as pricey as real fur. Also you won't feel guilty for wearing a real animal and right now is the best time to buy...faux furs are on sale!
Hat | Coat | Pleather Pants | Purse | Shoes | Jewelry
Written by: Jenna Olinger
Photo Credit: Jen Duarte
MODEST TIPS FROM THE TALL GIRL
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With longer legs come greater challenges to dress modestly, especially with the current trends. The goal is not to set a standard by which all judgements on modesty should be made, but rather offer a perspective and some suggestions to consider when shopping with modesty in mind from one tall girl to another. Miss Amelia with her breathtaking smile and gorgeous long blonde hair, is 5 feet 9 inches tall. She is a full head taller than most of her peers.
The issue of finding dresses and shorts that reach her mid thigh has been a challenge for her for many years. If a person is petite or average in height, they might not realize just how difficult it is to find stores and styles that offer more conservative options for taller girls. Tall girls living in the southern states might have even more trouble. With skimpy summer trends and squelching heat comes the battle of flesh versus staying true to values.
"It is possible, if you are willing to work at it," says the resident tall girl, Miss Amelia. She was all smiles as she shared her challenges and the tricks that she has learned to dress with dignity, despite the push of the culture to do the opposite.
When asked which stores she has the best luck finding clothes that fit her tall frame and body type, she said, "I get most of my shorts from J Crew, and occasionally Loft. The 'teenager stores' don't make an alternative for taller girls like me. Their options generally consist of short and shorter. Both J Crew and Loft make it so easy to wear longer shorts, because they have all the same patterns but offer them in a 3, 5, or 8-inch length." The petite young woman could more easily find shorts that reach mid thigh, while someone with Amelia's height might have to wear at least a 5 or 8 inch inseam to even get close to mid thigh. Then there are the "bermudas." Not everyone is fond of this knee length style. They are, however, a super safe option. Some might argue that they don't look fantastic on their body type. This thought process is likely encouraged by the current trends to wear shorts that barely cover one's bottom. When all the fashion magazines show styles and celebrities wearing super short shorts, it seems natural that many would want to do the same. But that doesn't mean that they should!
Taller girls may also be limited in the current trends they can wear modestly. Responding to this idea, Amelia said that a trend she wished she could pull off is the high waisted shorts. "They look so cute on petite girls with a tucked in shirt and the right accessories. But when I wear them it seems like all you see are my mile long legs! Unfortunately that's one trend I've had to give up on." She also admitted that she doesn't always wear the longer shorts, but that she tries her best to balance it out by wearing a looser fitted shirt that undeniably provides full coverage on top to balance the outfit out.
Here are some trends that Amelia likes to wear and she added some tips to make the trend more modest for the tall girl.
The Tunic is adorable to wear to outdoor lunches and beachy events, but she recommends wearing thicker leggings, jeggings, or even comfy skinny jeans underneath. Otherwise, if you bend over at all, everything will be exposed.
The patterned shirt dress is classy. And this particular dress does hit mid thigh on Amelia, but she still feels more comfortable in it (especially in this time of year) with a pair of tights and tall boots. It must be added that with this young lady, an outfit isn't complete without the right accessories!
With the longer length of this dress hitting just above her knee, she feels comfortable wearing the wedges to make it dressier. Often times a shorter dress paired with high heeled shoes make the dress appear even shorter. This is something for the tall girl to keep in mind when trying to dress more modestly.
So what can keep a tall girl motivated when the modest fashion odds are stacked up against her? Good role models? A scripture verse? Accountability? Any and all of these ideas would be valid and helpful. Amelia comes from a large family. She has 5 brothers, and 17 cousins. There are many little eyes looking up to her which keeps her in check. "Since my family is pretty close I have my brothers that constantly monitor my outfits. They make their opinions pretty vocal and will let me know if they think I’m wearing something too short, even when I don't ask for their opinion." In addition to sharing about her young family members, She said that her Mother has been a great example and has encouraged her along the way. "My mom is an influence that helps me keep my standards high. Since she is also tall and has shown me great alternatives while being fashionable. I also stay motivated knowing that I don’t dress to impress people on earth, but want to be a representation of Christ through the way I look and act," she said.
It is safe to conclude that it does take more effort to find decent clothing for the taller young lady, but like Amelia says, "don’t give in to what everyone else says is 'normal.' "I know first hand that being tall and modest is a hard combination, but it builds character and makes your outfits worth the extra effort. I have one last tip when buying shorts or dresses that are a little shorter," She continued. "Try buying a size up from what you would normally wear. There is no need to feel self conscious about the size of your clothing. When you wear bigger clothes it not only makes you look slimmer, but also draws the attention away from your legs. This adds a little length and width, instead of your clothes seeming tight and short."
Thank you, Amelia!
More Tips from the Tall Girl can be expected pre-Summer!
***We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Beth Carter! She has donated her professional photography services to support our cause for many photo shoots. We are thankful for her, and look forward to working with her more in the future!***
Style Your Phone
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From studs to chevron, phone cases are getting their very own wardrobe. Designers like Tory Burch, Kate Spade, and Karl Lagerfeld are offering a number of cases that are fun, modern, and trendy. Above are just a few cases that we love. Check them out and add a little style to your phone!
If you already have a case that you absolutely love, we want to see it! Upload a picture on Facebook and tag Top Buttons.
Happy Styling,
Rebekah
Tory burch
toryburch.com
Tory burch
shopbop.com
Tech accessory
urbanoutfitters.com
Dkny
my-wardrobe.com
FOSSIL tech accessory
fossil.com
Tech accessory
etsy.com
Molly's OOTW
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In our TB fashion posts, we will still be showing off some styles for cooler weather, BUT we have to face the facts! Spring has sprung according to the groundhog! Therefore, now is a great time to break out those white jeans that you have been sobbing about not being able to wear since Labor Day!
Pair them with a cute pink pastel shirt and another solid color jacket for a business casual look great for school, work, or play! Below are the links to find these items at the right price.
For the shoes, I would pair something that would tie in the color in the jacket, like these adorable peep toe wedges.
For accessories, to me less is more. I like these adjustable bracelets because they are inexpensive and they come in so many varieties.
Jacket | Jeans | Top | Belt | Shoes | Bracelet
All of these items were found at Forever21.com. Forever 21 is a popular store with lots to offer, but not all items are TB worthy. We will provide our modest picks from this store and others like it with our "OOTW" posts!