Jalisa’s Fashion Files

Hello my loves,

As it's snowing outside, I'm thinking of color and lots of it! If you haven't yet heard, we're expecting about four feet of snow, if not more, here in the Northeast. I'm not looking forward to it because people start acting really crazy (since we're not used to this much snow here), I mean I nearly got into a car accident on my way home from the gym this morning. Thankfully both myself and the other driver are okay, but the roads were slippery and she was on the phone, not a good combination at all. 

Anyway, as I said, I'm looking at color to take my mind away from the frigid temps and piles of snow that's sure to develop within the next few days. Today's color of choice is the second color in the rainbow, orange. If you're not familiar, I did a YouTube video on some outfit ideas using orange, but this post is much more detailed with outfit ideas. In the video, I mainly concentrated on the best shades of orange for your skin tone. If you're interested, you can check that out here.

Since I did an introduction of the different categories or groups of colors featured in the sets in last week's post, using the color red, I don't feel it necessary to mention them again. You can however take a look at the post to check out the sets of looks I created, along with the information I just mentioned. I do want to mention, though, that you'll notice that there are different hues or tones of orange that I used, which was dependent upon the color I was matching it up against. For example, when creating a look using orange and green, I selected a cooler shade of orange, which has a bit of a bluish tint. I also selected a different shade of green, leaning more towards teal because these two compliment each other better than a true orange and green would. You see, when working with colors, you don't need to think of the true color in it's original hue to combine colors. You can always opt for a lighter, softer hue or darker, depending on which shades would work best with the color you wish to pair with. So without further adieu, here are the looks I created:

I hope you found these pairing ideas helpful and give them a try when creating your own looks! Thanks so much for stopping by :)

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Hello my loves,

A few months ago, one of my followers requested that I do something on matching colors. She mentioned how she sometimes struggled when creating outfits because she wasn't sure as to what colors worked best together. I thought this would be a great idea, but wasn't quite sure as to how I would present it. I mean, there are so many colors out there and so I knew that I would need to create a series that would include at least the main colors we're all familiar with, remember ROYGBIV from science class in elementary school? Well, I still use this acronym to help remind myself of all the colors in the rainbow, thanks Mrs. Mitchell! So, I will be starting a series on the blog that will discuss the different colors that work best together and I'll provide visual pairing examples. I felt it would be easier to present this information in the form of a blog post, because I feel it's just easier. However, in the future, I may just provide this information in the form of a video, we'll have to wait and see! But for now, let's start the series off with the first in the rainbow and that's the color red.  

One thing that's very important to know before we begin discussing pairing possibilities, is that there are various shades, tints, and hues of red; you will see examples of those in some of the outfit sets I've created. 

1. NEUTRALS AKA EARTH TONES

Neutrals have a tendency to go with everything because they're rather bland on their own, but when combined with other colors, can truly act as enhancer to the color featured, in this case red. Creating a pairing that features the combination of red and a neutral, would be a great option if you want your red piece to truly stand out. 

2. WARM COLORS 

These colors tend to be synonymous with the summer and sun, typically orange and yellow. I created two looks for each color group, both of which have different tones. The first look in the set to the left, features a warmer hue of red, which is burgundy, as well as the terracotta, a deeper hue for the color orange. I featured the same method for the yellow pairing, in which I included a true yellow and a deeper hue of the color, mustard yellow. This will hopefully broaden your creative mindset when it comes to selecting these colors to create a look. You don't necessarily need to work with the true color, you can work with various shades of the color, which sometimes blend better with colors you wouldn't typically think would. 

3. COOL COLORS

These colors tend to exude the opposite of warmer colors; they tend to denote winter and the colors associated with the season, or those of aquatic sceneries. 

4. MONOCHROME

Monochrome is simply the use of the same or similar shades of the same color. As many of you know, pink is a hue of red. Pink is not a color of it's own. Therefore, it's safe to pair it with a true red or various shades of red and pink.

I hope you all found this post helpful and that it gave you some pairing ideas when working with the color red. The next color in the series will be orange, so stay tuned for that one, it ought to be fun!

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Hey, hey my loves!

Can you believe it's Wednesday already? Can you believe it's January 6th for that matter?! My gosh time is flying! Anyway, I came up with this very chic and edgy pairing, which would be perfect for work and an after dinner date night because the leather jacket helps to add a bit of a casual element. A great tip to remember, is on a day that you're expected to hang out with some friends, co-workers, or your man after work, wear a leather jacket instead of a blazer. It'll add some edginess (especially if it's a motto style jacket) to your overall look and is also nighttime appropriate. I personally love the way leather jackets look with dressier pieces because as mentioned, they help to add a touch of edginess; instantly adding some interest, texture and dimension to your overall pairing. 

I hope this gives you some ideas on creating your work look for tomorrow! Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Faux fur coat: Baby Phat (old) // Shirt: Marshalls // Skinny Jeans: Marshalls // Shoes: Nine West // Sunglasses: Salvatore Ferragamo 

It's snowing!!!! You know, I was just talking to my husband and mom the other day about how warm it was (it was 60 on Sunday!) and how we may not even have a winter...guess mother nature had a way of showing who's boss, while stuffing my mouth with snow, lol! I do get excited for the snowfall, but I must admit, once you have to drive and walk in it, it does become a bit annoying, ah...such pros and cons of living in NY, huh?!

These photos were obviously taken before the snow fell and I felt rather glamorous in this number; I mean fur (faux) has a way of making the ordinary girl like you and I, feel so luxurious, doesn't it? This one in particular is one of those flashy yet chic pieces I have, which has lasted me about 10 years! Can you believe it? 10 years ago faux fur bombers were all the rave and I loved it so much, I actually have it in black as well, that I kept it over the years and broke it out for the first time in what seems like forever! I was 17 when I was gifted this by my now husband, Eddie, and I feel that I just didn't know how to wear it back then and I'm thankful I kept it. On that note, fur pieces (I prefer faux), are one that can be kept for years and years. You never have to worry about them going out of style because they won't, they're classic, chic, and timeless. Three combinations that are essential to any true fashionista's wardrobe! 

If you're one who finds fur pieces a little too much or intimidating, there are sooo many options out there for you to grow in your comfort level with. You can simply start off with a fur vest, which I have a YouTube video on how to wear (WATCH HERE), which by the way is prompting me to do a video on how to wear fur coats. There are also so many colors to choose from, all of which exude different styles and vibes. I understand white can be a bit much, but it's perfect for all of you fashion lovers who love to make a lasting statement at fashion week or at an event. For everyday wear, try selecting more subtle colors, such as black and various shades of brown. 

I hope this post was of help! I now need to head out and drive in this mount of snow, not looking forward to it!

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VEST (FAUX FUR): TjMaxx//  LEATHER JACKET: Michael Kors (Marshall's)// TURTLE NECK: Marshalls// JEANS: New York & Company// BOOTS: Adrienne Vittadini (TjMaxx)// PURSE: Michael Kors (TjMaxx)// NECKLACE: Express

Happy Monday, everyone!

I hope you all are having an amazing start to the week so far. Let's start getting happy about Mondays; and every day for that matter because every day we have a chance to live and express ourselves freely in our clothing and in the outfits we put together. Today, I felt like wearing something a bit edgy and rocker chic, which is why I created this pairing. I also wanted to mix fabrics and textures because that is what fall and winter is all about, since layering helps warm us up more, especially on days when it's not necessary to wear a huge coat, but it's still a nippy! 

In my video on styling a fur vest (which you can watch here), I created a look similar to this, layering a fur vest over this leather jacket. The contrast in texture and color really helped to enhance the look I was going for. The vest helps to add some dimension, which is again great to amplify your fall or early winter look. I added the magenta colored purse to help bring out the subtle feminine vibe I wanted to create and establish ,and I loved how the cranberry vest and magenta looked together as well! 

When it comes to the different body shapes, I believe that this look would be great for all. The one thing I would suggest you pay attention and perhaps alter according to your height, are the boots. If you're petite, ankle boots look best, since they expose more of the leg. However, that doesn't mean you have to write off knee or thigh high boots. When wearing boots such as those, I would only suggest doing so if the boots are the same or within the same color scheme as your bottoms. For instance, if you wanted to recreate this look wearing black jeans or leggings, you could certainly get away with wearing taller boots, in fact, they would actually make you appear taller and leaner, since no one would be able to tell where the boots start and finish. 

Another thing to consider is if you have fuller calves. I wouldn't necessarily suggest wearing boots that stop around where the fullest part of your calves are because they'll only make them appear fuller, especially if you're petite and have full calves, they can make you appear short and stout. In a situtation like that, I would suggest boots that don't go any higher than your ankles. Again, these are only suggestions, at the end of the day, I want you to wear what you feel most comfortable and confident in :)

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you felt inspired!

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