Some options I found adorable on Etsy

Rosehip Tea Glovesfrom Efia Fair’s shop

The Aubrey Art Nouveau Fingerless Gloves from KnitLush’s shop

Black Bubble Knit Cowl from Torn Angel’s shop

Chunky Pumpkin Cowl from Boutique Beautiful’s shop

Image via marie claire

Always wearing a “uniform”? Update it with these quick tricks!

Do you ever find that you are always wearing the same thing? Ah yes, we always find solace in the trusty outfits that can get us through the day and do even better for us at night. What do you do when you are stuck in a rut? My friends jokingly call my daily American Apparel v-neck and skinny jean get-up a “uniform” even though it doesn’t scream plaid skirt and knee-high socks.

So what’s a girl do to when she’s got 10 of the same shirt in a different color? I, for one, would have to move out of my apartment if I had any dream of buying new clothes- so I try to keep it fresh and change it up. It’s easy to do:

• Bottoms up! If you are constantly wearing the same style of shirt, change it up with different bottoms. Always wearing a button up? Pair it with some to-the-minute bell bottoms or a high-waist skirt. For an even bolder statement, tuck that shirt in and give it some flair with a belt. To add a little spice, try a western belt or a belt with a unique buckle.

• Change up your neckline. If you are always wearing a crew neck, add something to it to change the look. If you’ve got a cool vintage-looking broach and the shirt is right, clip it on and it’ll surely be the focus of your outfit. Draw attention to yourself with a nice necklace or a scarf. If you’ve got awesome accessories, take an extra five minutes when you are getting ready to experiment a bit with different pairings of accessories.

• Don’t forget your feet. Change it up and keep it fresh. Try ankle boots one day and cowboy boots the next. If you sport attention-grabbing footwear, people are more likely to look at them instead of your favorite skinnys.

• Maximize those special pieces in your wardrobe. If you’ve got a unique skirt or piece of jewelry, play with the possibilities that are around you. Look at how you layer your clothes and look for other ways to wear the item.

• Take a peek in your closet. Are there other things that you haven’t worn in a while? Did you forget about that fabulous sundress that you purchased in May when it was rainy? Take it out and give it some love. There’s nothing better than putting on a fresh, new outfit and drawing the attention of everyone when you look at bit different!

• Have some girl time and go through your closet with a friend. Not only will you find some treasures that you forgot about, but your friend may have a few ideas of how you can wear things that you might not have thought of. Remember to keep your originality. Just because you are known for a specific style doesn’t mean it’s bad.

Once, a prominent person remarked that they remember me simply because of the outfit I wore when I met them. Who knew that my “uniform” would make such a statement? Keep it fresh and you can bring those basics to a whole new level.

If you are up on your labels and models, you will know Lykke May Andersen as one of the exotic beauties in Victoria’s Secret, Sports Illustrated and well known designer houses. Among her many talents the Danish model has a love for the fashion industry. With the help of other talented friends she has started a fashion line named Chick With Guns.  It all started with denim and quickly expanded.  The name is brilliant, to me the line represents a powerful woman who knows what she wants and takes no nonsense.  

I have admired the label for some time now and I am excited to announce le la Moda’s interview with May.  You will have to wait for it, however I am going to share some backstage images from a recent photo shoot for their Spring/Summer 2010 line.  Go to http://www.chickwithguns.com for more.

As cosmopolitan and style savvy as you might be I bet you can still spot a stranger and wonder, who is that beautiful person and where does she shop?  The Co-CEOs of Beautiful Stranger.tv Abby Wallach and Melissa Fedor have created a solution for your endless fashion curiosity.  Using streaming videos their website brings real and professional fashionistas to you, revealing exactly what you want to know. 

Abby Wallach has been wonderful enough to share her concept and business history with me, starting from the very beginning.  Not only is she one smart individual, she is laid back and very easy to talk to.  She has definitely inspired me.  If you want to know what it takes to be a business owner and how to get there, then listen up ladies!

llM: What is beautiful stranger.tv?

AW: Beautiful Stranger.tv is an online media brand that selects stylish people from streets around the world and features them as stars in a one-minute video as well as still content online. We find out what they are using, loving, wearing, how they are going green and more. We then link to every product and service that they mention.

llM: When and how was the idea of BeautifulStranger.tv born?

AW: I have spent my career in entertainment (Moscow Circus, Showtime Networks and Nederlander TV and Film) and my partner, Melissa Fedor in magazines (WWD, W, Glamour, InStyle and Real Simple). Together we have merged magazine content and TV programming to lead the consumer to shop online. We came up with this idea many years ago and realized that as technology finally converged we could launch the brand online. There were no barriers to entry and no one else was doing what we we were doing in regards to video online with links to product and services.    

llM: What compelled you to start your own business?

AW: I have always been an entrepreneur at heart. I love creating new ideas that that will inform and entertain the consumer. I have always had a strong interest in business because I come from a strong line of women entrepreneurs starting back with my great grandmother who built a very successful catering business and sleep-away camp business in new york.

llM: What did you find to be the most difficult part of planning and launching the website?

AW: The most difficult part of a business is getting it off the ground   

llM: Once launched what was the biggest realization you had regarding every day operations?

AW:  Watch your bottom line very closely and always be prepared to evolve with the times. Stay focused with your goals, but be open to different opportunity and change. A business evolves. A lot is trial and error. You have to keep trying until you get it right.  

llM: Who is or can be a beautiful stranger?

AW: Anyone who’s got a handle on style can be a beautiful stranger! It is a person, of any age, who has a look that you want to know more about! A person with an individual sense of style and the confidence to where what they love.  

llM: What kind of a team did you build and now employ to help you run beautiful stranger.tv?

AW: We have a fantastic team of technology and design experts, as well as production team. Everyday we find new people in different industries who want to be involved with the Beautiful Stranger brand. We have very dedicated interns and will be launching a university platform for college students to be a part of this growing brand. The team is very important and crucial to the success of any business. Melissa and I have been partners for over 12 years, so we have an unbelievable working relationship. We both have our expertise and respect each others’ decisions.

llM: Where do you plan on taking the concept of your business in the future?

AW: In the future where do you plan on taking the concept of your business? Beautiful Stranger.tv is a global media brand that we hope to have on a global platform in all mediums including tv, mobile applications, in store events and tours across the country, on the look out for the next Beautiful Stranger.    

llM: What are some of your favorite reactions/answers people have when approached on the street?

AW:  Cute question!! The first thing people say is what a great idea. That name is awesome!!

Our Beautiful Strangers are so flattered when we stop them. Because it is all authentic (no pre-arranged interviews except for our celebrity expert content) we get the nicest compliments. Some include: Can’t wait to see who will be in my inbox tomorrow with beautiful stranger of the day. Keep them coming. I shared with all of my friends and family. It’s awesome. You made my day!! How can I be Beautiful Strangered? Great concept. Wish I had thought of it! Our greatest satisfaction comes from our audience and the Beautiful Strangers themselves. We have built such a strong network and community of people whom we continue to speak to on a regular basis. They share so much information with us. Also, it is so important for us to provide the ultimate service to the consumer at home, who can’t get enough of the daily eye candy and information we provide. It is truly inspiring to our team that we are getting such a wonderful and positive reaction on so many levels!  

Also, we created a User-Generated section where you can submit yourself to become a Beautiful Stranger. You can also sign up for a daily dose of style and receive a Beautiful Stranger of the Day in your email box three times a week. It makes us very proud to have created something that people around the world want to be a part of.

llM: What advice would you give to young women who aspire to being small business owners?

AW: Follow your passion and your dreams. Set simple goals so you can accomplish them. Create a business plan and guideline for your business with financials. Most importantly, don’t take ‘no’ for an answer, and NEVER give up!!!

To get your daily dose of beautiful strangers and fashion/beauty advice go to http://beautifulstranger.tv  Images taken from beautifulstranger.tv 

The paralyzing effects of depression and anxiety in young women can be very devastating.  There are of course many different mental illnesses, some more serious than others.  I will not get into the practical terms or explanations as there is only so much I can write in the constraint of an article. Rather I want to focus attention on the positive results of what can happen when life throws you challenges.  I believe the best way to tackle any problem is to overcome it on your own terms. There is no formula, but from my personal experience putting your worth and talents into something useful and inspirational is one way to make the pain quiet down and eventually go away. 

One such inspiration comes from Rebecca George.  She is Australian’s a brand new and well respected entrepreneur and a classy young woman.  Rebecca’s passion is to teach others how to lead a more sustainable life and remain fashionable while doing it. Through her small business she has discovered the therapeutic effects a rewarding career or hobby can have.  Rebecca has suffered from depression and anxiety since she was a child.  If you met her you would think she is a very strong individual and very well put together, however on the inside she has suffered through the roller coaster of depression.  She is just like anyone else except her lifelong feelings of isolation, suicide, hatred and not understanding why this is happening to her have kept her from leading the healthy life others take for granted. Now at the age of 19 she has learned to cope and decided to change her life. The fact that she is willing to share her story with you and me in order to inspire and help others is amazing in itself. 

Rebecca has always wanted to own a business and is currently attending a university for a business degree.  As a result of her depression it has been difficult for her to hold down a part time job for a longer period of time.  After loosing her last job she has decided it is far more realistic to work for herself and therefore has decided to start a business while managing her illness.   The first step was to start exploring the different business options out there.  Swap parties have been around for some time now and are continuously becoming more popular.  Rebecca has grabbed the concept and made it her own.  She receives a lot of support from local businesses, among them are eco companies, that she herself loves.  Miss Green’s wardrobe is getting bigger and branching out each month, watch out for her events because this is not the last you will hear from her.

Quotes from Rebecca:

“Somehow with persistence and by believing in myself I got to where I am now. I may not go clubbing every week like most people my age and I may not have many friends, but Miss Green’s Wardrobe gives me satisfaction and something to get up for in the morning.  I need that.”

To get your tickets to one of her swaps or just to find out more go to http://missgreenswardrobe.com.au

Kristina O’Connor is a perfect example of a fashionista who is a leader and as a result is well on her way to becoming an icon.  She refuses to let the latest trends wear her and in her own words she does not believe in being the kind of girl who “dresses to impress”, but rather “dressing to express”. Kristina is the creator of StoreSociety and this is her philosophy.  One only has to go to her website once and you will instantly be hooked.  

There are many websites out there who let you upload photos of yourself but her concept is fresh and unique because it combines all the best of google, flickr and the very addicting facebook.  There is something new to discover every day and the inspirations are endless. I can safely say that I have seen a lot of things related to fashion but even I was instantly intrigued by Kristina’s individual style and once I discovered that her passion exceeds to creating a website I knew I had to interview her.  

Interview with Kristina O’Connor-fashionista and the creator of StoreSociety.com 

Kristina: You’ve found the site right at the very start. The guys are working on ‘Store Pages’ – this will let stores, from tiny boutiques to large chains, upload their stock and let StoreSociety members know when they have hot new items, and when they’ve got sales running. We’ve also just appointed a graphic company to inject some real design values into the look and feel. I also have a plan to support new designers and design students. It’s all really exciting! 

Kristina: Well, to young girls who aspire to an individual style, naturally I would encourage them to get onto the website and explore! I would also say that they should dress to please themselves and no one else, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks! In terms of business, you need to start with an idea. Everyone has them… it’s just noticing them and then having the confidence to say “I believe in this and I’m going to try to make it work”. Then it’s just important to maintain that determination and to keep on going, no matter what. You never know until you try.