Welcome to my blog!
I'm so glad you found me!
The Ultimate Fashionista blog was started in 2012 as creative outlet to share my personal style, outfit ideas, fashion tips, and a small piece of me with the world. My main goal is to reach as many people as I can to help them create and refine their own personal style.
Style is my business and I love exploring all the venues in getting my message across. I hope that my blog becomes a resource for many. I look forward to the challenge of sharing my personal style perspectives with an interactive audience.
I hope it will inspire you and thank you in advance for all your love and support!
From the Blog
Elevate Your Look with a Fur Vest
Depending on where you live you’re most likely experiencing transitional weather temperatures. I live in North Carolina, and the temperature has consistently fluctuated from the 50’s down to the 30’s, sometimes all within the same week. To combat these extreme changes in climate, one suggestion for your wardrobe is to wear fur vests. They are luxuriously warm, light, and can be the perfect outerwear option for transitional temperatures. A fur vest can be rocked with just about anything ranging from a skirt, dress or leggings, but on this particular day I decided to wear one casually over distressed skinnys. Let’s face it, all of us are looking to take our outfits to the next level. Wearing a fur vest on top of a very simple outfit will do just that. A Few Quick Tips for wearing Fur Vests A fur vest will add volume so pair it with a tighter bottom, like a fitted skirt or skinnys. When buying a fur vest, size matters. Avoid those with too much volume or too long if you are short and don’t wear heels, as they can make you look shorter because of the volume and length. If you have a few extra pounds, avoid those with too much volume and collars as they can make you look out of proportion. Get this look: Black Fur Vest – http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/toria-rose-genuine-lambs-fur-vest/3880945?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=Black&resultback=2260&cm_sp=personalizedsort-_-searchresults-_-1_6_B Orange Long Sleeve Blouse – https://www.perfectlybasics.nl/equipment-signature-shirt-rust-0107010171802015.aspx High Waisted ACID Mineral Light Wash Distressed Skinny Jeans – http://www.gojane.com/99252.html Grey Open-Toe Pump – http://www.shoedazzle.com/products/YVONNA-198-000329-0700?psrc=shop_shoes_new-arrivals I hope you have as much fun wearing your vest as I did. Love, The Ultimate... read more
Back Into the Groove
Happy New Year guys! I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays with family and friends as much as I did. I’m back with a quick first post of the year. This is currently one of my favorite jackets right now. I love the fit, color, and pattern. It’s versatile and works just right for leggings, jeans, a skirt or dress. Lately I’ve been obsessing over neutral patterned jackets which are perfect for being paired with solids or other patterned pieces. My top favorite fall/winter 2014-2015 colors are shades of orchid, gray, black and white, yellow, aurora red, sangria, and navy blue. They are quite impressive and glamorous. Be sure to try to incorporate some of these colors into your wardrobe before the end of the season. Jacket: Yoana Baraschi, Similar here: http://yoanabaraschi.com/yoanabaraschi/jackets-coats/sporting-life-geo-jacket.html Shirt: Forever21 Leggings: Marshalls Scarf: From my closet Shoes: Guess Enjoy your week! Xo Love, The Ultimate Fashionista... read more
My Grandma Dressed Better Than Me
Happy Monday Fashionistas! This past weekend I attended the 6th Annual Networking Social Featuring THE Hair & Fashion Show held in Raleigh, NC. The event was organized by Ms. Melody Council, and featured local vendors displaying everything from hand-made jewelry, clothing, t-shirts, photography, make-up and much more. It was an evening full of fun that also included raffles, door prizes, a fashion show, and getting to know fellow business owners as well as their products and services. What a great way to support the small businesses that serve our community every day. If you missed this event, be sure to catch the next one and you’ll be in for a treat! When I was deciding what to wear, what first came to mind was a cream lace turtleneck which was one of many items my mother had given me after my grandma passed away. The holiday season has always been a time when I reminisce about her and my dad, and long to feel closer to them. In the spirit of remembrance, especially during this time of the year, it always helps me get through the holidays to wear something of hers. During the event, several people complimented my top and it felt great to bring up and talk about my grandma. We talked about differences between vintage versus today’s clothing. Grandma’s hand-me-downs are timeless treasures for a number of reasons. Women back then didn’t just dress up every now and then; they dressed to impress for all occasions. Clothes were better because the material was higher quality and lasted longer. Small details often overlooked within fashion trends... read more
Fashion Stylist Shun Melson Hosts Holiday Event
Fashion Maven Shun Melson hosted a white holiday party for all the graduates of the 2014 FaShun 101 and 102 classes. I was lucky enough to have attended the first FaShun 101 class launched in January. Needless to say I was NOT going to be tardy for THIS party, so I teamed up with Fashion Stylist Essense Heel, and we hit the road to Atlanta! Fashun 101: Secrets of the Styling Business & Portfolio Building is an introduction to the basic principles behind the styling business where Shun travels the country spreading the magic secrets to her success. The course outlines all the secrets from the Fashion expert herself. Topics are how to get started in the fashion industry, building, relationships with clients, closet organizaSHUN, personal shopping, various ways a stylist can earn revenue, dealing with labels vs. personal clients. Shun provides all the inside secrets on client retention, the importance of the high-low fashion industry, and the necessities that every aspiring stylist should have in their closet. The room had a quaint, charming and festive atmosphere with a Christian Louboutin shoe theme. Fabulous red bottoms graced the tree and were carefully placed as decorations throughout the room. It was a shoe lovers paradise! After Shun greeted each guest, she wanted to know what everyone was up to after class. Everyone introduced themselves and had an opportunity to share their individual stories and recap what they have been doing all year. It great to see fellow students and hear all the amazing experiences and wonderful things they were involved in. At various times during the party a few... read more
Autumn’s Hottest Cover-up Trend – The Cape
Guess what? The old fashion cape is back on the scene this winter. It’s one of my favorite ways to stay warm on days when it’s a bit nippy, but not cold enough for a coat. I paired my cape with black slacks, a simple blouse, and my leopard ankle strap heels. Cape’s do wonders for simple outfits, transforming slacks or jeans and a blouse into a classic look. These bad boys are darling because they continue to allow movement of your arms without restriction. I find them perfect for appointments, business meetings, or just a day of shopping. So wrap yourself up in a gorgeous cape soon, and until next time stay warm my lovelies! Love, The Ultimate... read more
The Holiday’s are approaching…. Let the Shopping Begin!!!
Hey Lovelies, It’s been a few months since my last blog post, and I’ve missed you all. I still can’t believe how fast this year has gone by, and now it’s almost time for the holidays. With that said, I’d like to remind you about my personal shopping service that can help you with the upcoming holiday season. My job as a Personal Stylist and Personal Shopper is to make you look good without you having to do any of the work! As we all know time is precious in today’s busy world, and sometimes there’s no time to dedicate to finding that special gift for that special someone or even yourself. Don’t worry! Let The Ultimate Fashionista take the pressure off you. Yes you! No matter where you are or where your gifts need to be shipped, I can take the guesswork out of how to shop, what to shop for, and where to shop. Just tell me what you need, how much you would like to spend, and I’ll take it from there. It’s that simple. I’ll do all of the shopping for you, and will even have your gifts shipped. I can also make sure that your gift(s) are all wrapped and ready to be presented. Whether it’s one item or hundreds of gifts for any occasion or holiday, I’ll take care of it. Feel free to email me or send a message on facebook today with your holiday shopping needs. I would love to help you turn ordinary into FABULOUS this holiday season! Love, The Ultimate Fashionista... read more
The Neighborhood Awards – What I Wore
This past weekend I attended the 12th Annual Ford Neighborhood Awards, also known as the Hoodie Awards in fun Atlanta, GA. Although I had heard of the awards before, I wasn’t really sure what they were all about. The Neighborhood Awards was created by Steve Harvey and Television/Radio Producer Rushion McDonald. The show honors and celebrates local businesses, religious and community leaders, churches, and high schools for their excellent contributions within their own neighborhoods. It’s been described as the Oscars with an urban flair, featuring diverse, ultra talented celebrities, actors, athletes, and recording artists who present the awards to the stars of the community. Each of the winners of the 12 non-traditional awards get a really cool plaque they can post in their business, and the Best Community Leader Award is presented with a cash prize. I literary found out only a few weeks ago that I was going to attend. Ordinarily I would have gone all out, but I didn’t have time, so I opted to wear a dress I had never worn from my closet. While out thrifting some time ago, I picked up this black dress by designer Joseph Ribkoff for $50. The dress had never been worn before, and still had the original tags on it. I had never heard of dress designer, so out of curiosity I did some research and found his website. http://www.josephribkoff.com Turns out the company is based in Canada and has been around since 1957. It’s won many prestigious awards, and is recognized internationally. I would say I SCORED big time with this find. Needless to say the dress was... read more
Modern Rockabilly
Rockabilly, which is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music started in the early 1950’s and was popular until the early 1960’s. During that time woman’s fashion reflected a complicated mix of conservatism and glamor. It was comprised of a girl-next-door freshness as well as alluring femininity. As I studied what was popular from a fashion stand-point, I wanted to provide some history on how the following styles were worn. Dresses and skirts – Swing dresses and skirts, as some are called were very popular, especially among teenagers. Dress designers made dresses and skirts full, and the shape of a perfect circle for sitting. Some people refer to them as “circle dresses.” The daytime hemline stopped around the knee. Hats – Wide brimmed hats. Smaller hats with veils. Glasses – Became more of a fashion statement. They featured new designs like the cat’s eye style with flared, pointed edges and frames were typically in different colors. Jewelry – Classic. Pearls or faux pearls were the most popular necklace. Jewelry was understated. Slim watches and subdued rings, along with conservative and elegant clip-on earrings were worn. Shoes – High heels had rounded toes, and were often with peep-toes. Espadrilles became a popular choice for casual comfort. When the rockabilly trend came back into the fashion scene a few years ago I was absolutely thrilled. I’ve always been very passionate about vintage styles, and this was no exception. Here’s my modern spin rockabilly outfit of the day. Blouse: New York & Company Skirt: kate spade new york (Jenica skirt) Retail $368. Not available any longer but found at... read more
Flat Out Fabulous!
That’s the name of the Mac lipstick I’m wearing today, which happens to be my favorite at the moment, and so befitting. My week has been an exciting one, and I wanted to enter the weekend being Flat Out Fabulous! There’s lots of new things going on in my life right now, and I’m definitely blessed. I can’t tell you how happy I am…. Oh, but I almost forgot this is a blog about Style, not about me, so let me get right to the point. Today my outfit of the day was: Lips: MAC Flat Out Fabulous Halter Top: Sky (Similar found here) http://www.shopsky.com/sky-tops-1/blausa.html Bag: Tumi Q Tote Shoulder Bag Quintessential Tote Jeans: Joe’s Heels: Stuart Weitzman I hope everyone has an exciting weekend, and remember you’re Flat Out Fabulous my darlings! Love, The Ultimate... read more
