Chris's/Kris's Closet (Christina) June 24,2013

Chris's Closet

I am Christina, the hot pink of ChristinaKristin, welcome to my closet.

 Monday was a pretty slow day for me. I didn't do much, I worked on some jewelry for a while. I quickly became bored and wanted to get out of the house. So I got dressed and just ran a few errands. This is one of my favorite T-shirts, I purchased in Atlanta, I was at a vendor event and Ethnicity Models was selling this shirt, I thought it was super cute and picked one up, along with my earrings. I paired it with different shades of pink. My neon pink tank top is a closet blog regular, I purchased it from Target.  The fuchsia skirt is from American Apparel. I love this store, haven't been there in a while, but they are known for their basic pieces. My belt is a thrift store purchase.

You have seen my bracelets before, on my right wrist the colorful bracelets are from Ghana, the gold bangles were purchased at the World Market. On my left wrist, that bracelet I purchased from a vendor at The Ohio State Fair. My straw clutch is also a thrift store find.

What do you think?

Until Next Time,Ciao!

*Chris*

Chris's/Kris's Closet (Kristin) June 21, 2013

Kris's Closet

In this blog post you will get a glimpse of pieces in my closet,learn where I found them

 and where I wore them.  

My name is Kristin. Welcome to my closet!

Friday night I went to an African wedding celebration with my friend Gayima. I was overwhelmed with color and beautiful African garments embellished with sequins and beading. The women there had the most beautiful head-dresses and jewelry. I fell in love with their extravagant buns and up-dos.  I felt so under dressed for once in my life. I was originally going to wear an outfit that I had made as a bride's maid for a wedding but I tried it on and it smashed my assets in a very unflattering way. Gayima's mom came to my rescue and sent me a new dress from her closet. While I loved the dress and was at least in the African attire that the invite requested, my dress was more of a casual kind of piece. This is what I wore.

The tunic dress as I said before was given to me by Gayima's mom. I am very excited to add it to my closet and look forward to wearing it in new ways in the future. It is shapeless and boxy so I added a thick brown belt to give it some shape per Gayima's suggestion.  The Fendi bag is a bag I bought my mom for mother's day in 2005. I borrowed it because I was not at home with my things when I got dressed. My bracelet and ring set are from Mali in Chicago. I am wearing the Kalahari Bangle and Artemis Cuff from Stella & Dot. The third bracelet on the arm to your right is the alligator Creature Cuff  by Tasha from Nordstrom. My shoes are BCBG and really old. I haven't worn them in many years but they were perfect for this dress.

This concludes another Kris's Closet. What do you think about my look?

Thank you so much for stopping by! Bonus photos below.

Check out our newest Heavy Metal Collection at our etsy shop! 

Be blessed! Be free! Be fashionable!

Kris,

My Favorite Photos & Looks from the Celebration!

The Bride & Groom

I wanted to share this photo of the couple in their matching garments. They looked happy and well. I'd never been to a wedding celebration like theirs and I was in awe of the traditions I became aware of while I observed those around me.

I saw this woman as soon as I arrived and stared at her all night. She probably thought I was strange. I finally got the courage to ask for her photo for the blog. I wanted to share her look because I thought she was so put together. She was elegant and very stunning. She reminded me of Madge Sinclair as Queen Aoleon from Coming to America. The beading on her dress and head-dress were amazing. Her red nails, red clutch and matching heels were also great added touches. I am sorry I didn't get those details for you to see.

I  really loved Saran's look as well. She was also very elegant and put together from head to toe. Her make-up and hair were flawless. Her french manicure was very classy and timeless. I also loved her necklace and matching ring. The orange and bronze mermaid style outfit was fun and bold. Her head-dress and clutch also matched her outfit perfectly.  I had to ask for her photo because all in all I thought she looked beautiful.

Chris's/Kris's Closet (Christina) June 17,2013

Chris's Closet

I am Christina, the hot pink of ChristinaKristin, welcome to my closet.

Monday morning I unfortunately had to attend a funeral. My cousin's grandfather passed away, but he lived a long life, I knew him and wanted to go and pay my respects. After the service I had lunch with a friend and requested that he take pictures of me. He is an amateur I have to hone his skills. After I looked at the pictures I realized that I had the same pose in every pic...ooops!

Of course I opted for a simple LBD (little black dress). The dress was given to me by Karen, Kristin's mother. The dress is from White House Black Market, I personally don't shop there, but I love this dress it's so simple and easy to dress up. I found a similar black A-line black dress here.

 My striped blazer is from Burlington Coat Factory, I think I paid $16.00 for it. Monday was a very hot day, but I knew that I would be cold in the church and the blazer went well with my look. Here is a similar blazer.

My Avery chain and pearl necklace is from Stella & Dot. The Avery necklace has been discontinued, but check this one out,also Stella & Dot.  I mixed my bracelets with some pearls, and the Starstruck ring also from Stella & Dot. The black studded belt is really old, not sure where I found it, I believe it was in a shoe store Aldo possibly.  I found a super cute studded bow belt by White House Black Market. My black leather clutch is a thrift store find, I believe it was about $2.00. I purchased my silver sandals last summer at some cheap shoe store, I don't even remember where or how much I paid, but I love these little shoes.

What do you think?

Until Next Time, Ciao!

*Chris*

Chris's/Kris's Closet (Kristin) June 15, 2013

Kris's Closet

In this blog post you will get a glimpse of pieces in my closet,learn where I found them

 and where I wore them.  

My name is Kristin. Welcome to my closet!

Saturday I spent the day with Leo. We had a patio brunch at DK Diner where I had the craziest Bloody Mary that was garnished with tater-tots, olives and bacon. He took me to a place called Gentiles where they sell wine and beer making supplies. I left there wanting to learn how to make beer and I don't even like beer. The rest of the day we spent riding around Ohio. We stopped at Uptown Westerville where I found a great boutique called Deja Vu and we had ice cream at the area Graters. We ended up in Chesterville, Ohio where we stopped at the Chesterville Flea Market. We both found some items for a great bargain. I took these photos in Uptown Westerville. This is what I wore.

I have had this vintage chevron style dress for many years. I found it at Rag-O-Rama in Clintonville for $12. I love this dress because it fits when I am at my lowest or heaviest weight. This striped dress is right on trend for the season. Find a similar dress here.

I found this zodiac necklace in a thrift store in a suburb of Chicago last year. I think I paid $7 for it. I love zodiac pieces. Find a similar necklace here.

The belt is from Lincoln Mall in Miami, Florida. I bought it from a second hand shop when I was there for a Memorial Day weekend. I can't recall what I spent but it was somewhere between $20 & $30. I couldn't find anything similar to share.

The purse is an old Nine West bag. I bought it over ten years ago. I couldn't tell you what I paid for it. Find similar handbags here and here. The bracelets are mostly from Stella & Dot and Nordstrom. They are from bottom to top: the Cara Cross Knuckle Ring from Nordstrom, snake wrap bracelet from etsy, the Artemis Cuff and Kalahari Bangle from Stella & Dot and the Creature Cuff from Nordstrom.

My shoes are called 'Jayden' by Sam Edelman. I love these. Those of you who follow my looks weekly have probably seen these a lot lately.(In my whisper voice) It's because they are very comfortable. 

This concludes another Kris's Closet. What do you think about my look?

Thank you so much for stopping by! Bonus photos below.

Check out our newest Heavy Metal Collection at our etsy shop! 

Be blessed! Be free! Be fashionable!

Kris,

The DK All the Way Mary! Garnished with tater-tots, olives and bacon. The best Bloody Mary I have had. At the DK Diner in Grandview Heights.

I love food the way I love fashion. I am a foodie and also enjoy a great cocktail. My favorite meal is brunch. What is your favorite place to do brunch?

ChristinaKristin's Fashion Night Out! June 14, 2013

ChristinaKristin's Fashion Night Out!

Special Edition Chris's/Kris's Closet

June 14, 2013

THE GREAT GATSBY PARTY

Friday night, Kristin and I attended a "Great Gatsby" inspired event. We are always up for a costume party, and were super excited to get dressed up in our own rendition of the glamorous 1920's. That afternoon we both went internet surfing for inspiration. If you follow us on facebook, you will see some of the inspiration pictures that were posted. In case you missed it, we created an inspiration board to share with you.

When going to a themed event it is much easier to gather inspiration before going to shop, that way you know exactly what you are looking for. Here are a collection of pictures that inspired us.

Inspiration

Photos courtesy of: www.vogue.com, www.weddingbells.ca, www.scoop.it

Photos courtesy of: dishwwasher.tumblr.com, www.bearingnews.com, www.perfectlocks.com

Shopping At Easton ( H&M/Forever 21)

Onto the shopping. Kristin and I were both on a budget, so we went to the two most inexpensive stores at Easton, H&M and Forever 21. Forever 21 actually had several dresses with drop waists that were inspired by the 20's. I was only looking for a shirt, which I found in H & M. I knew I wanted a shirt that was not too blousy, I wanted to have a sleek silhouette especially since my skirt had a lot of fabric around the waist. Kristin picked this shirt out for me, she found it as soon as we walked in the store. It was a steal for only $10, I also purchased a knit mini skirt that I wore as a tube top up under the shirt for only $5.95.

                              Christina                                                                     Kristin

Christina's Look!

When choosing my outfit the first thing I did was brainstorm what  was already in my closet.  I knew that I already had a black silk BCBG wrap skirt  that I purchased at a discount when I was employed there. I pulled the skirt out of the bottom of a suitcase, therefore it was extremely disheveled and wrinkled. I already had jewelry and shoes, all I needed was a shirt. 

All of my jewelry is Stella & Dot. I opted to stick with black and gold, which I have a lot of. The tassel necklace was perfect because it fit the  long silhouette of jewelry worn in the 20's, the tassel was an added bonus. My t-strap heels are Steve Madden that I purchased last year on my birthday, this was my second time wearing these shoes. I found a similar pair here. Honestly, they hurt if I wear them too long, but because of the t-strap they went perfect with the era I was dressing for. The black feather fascinator in my hair, is a ChristinaKristin original. We also design custom hair accessories by request. 

Kristin's Look!

I originally planned to wear something I already had but I struggled with items because of weight gain. I suddenly had a moment where I wished I could go back in time six months to shed these extra pounds. The dress I wanted to wear was a size six and I am now a size ten. I also pulled from my closet a very art deco feeling skirt that I would have just needed a shirt for (seen in my dressing room photo above). I found the perfect top but I felt the overly beaded waist on my skirt was unflattering to my wider waist. With Christina's help at Forever 21 I opted for a solid black drop waist dress for $24.80. I knew I could do more with the abundance of turbans, hair accessories, jewelry, shoes and bags that I already owned.

I chose to accessorize with gold and black. Just about all my jewelry items were pieces that I normally wear. I bought a bracelet/ring for $3.80 at Forever 21 and I borrowed my mom's Stella & Dot Starstruck cocktail ring that Christina our Stella & Dot Stylist also happened to be wearing. The snake wrap bracelet is from etsy, the pearl stretch bangle was $1.99 at the Valley Thrift Store outside Dayton. I also wore the Artemis Cuff from Stella & Dot which has lion heads at each in and felt very art deco. My purse came from a vintage shop in Grove City.

I continued with my gold and black accessories. My earrings originally came from Macy's a  couple years ago. The shoes are some designer inspired shoes that I bought from Forever 21 quite a few years ago. The fox scarf, I bought on ebay during a fur scarf phase also purchased a few years ago. I was happy to finally wear a fur item this season since it is on trend for Spring/Summer 2013.

Devin's Look!

Devin is my sister (Kristin speaking), can you see any resemblance? Remember the dress I spoke about earlier? Well I thought someone should wear the dress, so I put it on Devin. I love any opportunity to play dress up with my sister. The dress is about six years old. I found it a JC Penney and originally wore it for a landmark birthday. The combination of dress shape, pleats, lace and beading really made this dress feel like something from the art deco era. I accessorized the dress with Stella & Dot Cleo Fringe earrings, a black beaded purse with a vintage look and stuck loose feathers into my sister's bun. She wore her own shoes and bracelets. I wish I would have taken photos of the heels of her shoes because they were very art deco inspired.

More Photos!

photo 1: ChristinaKristin  say Gatsby! Kristin left & Christina right, photo 2: Bourbon Appreciation Day! Yima, Kristin & Devin,  photo 3: Turban Time with Yima! our friend Yima

Until next time, Be blessed! Be free! Be fashionable!
Chris & Kris,
Ciao!

Chris's/Kris's Closet (Christina) June 14, 2013

Chris's Closet

I am Christina, the hot pink of ChristinaKristin, welcome to my closet.

Friday, I met up with Kristin to do some shopping for a themed event we were attending that night. I planned to be cute and casual. Also, I wanted to wear pink to show my support in stopping the violence against the LGBT community that has been taken place locally. This is what I wore.

My pink Kangol hat is super old, I believe it was purchased on a NYC trip. At one point I was really obsessed with Kangol hats, and I had many different styles. I don't wear hats as much now, unless my hair is twisted. 

I love this giraffe t-shirt wearing turquiose sunglasses. I bought this from my favorite store Target, for $10.00. I purchased this shirt to pair with floral jeans, but have since found other ways to wear it. 

I found these fluorescent peach jeans at Madewell, on sale of course. They were originally   $89.99, on  sale for 31.99, final sale, a steal. I was in a hurry when I purchased them, I didn't even try them on, I grabbed my size and left. I'm not really sure if there are more left, but Madewell is at Easton Town Center, sale items are always in the back left corner.  The jeans are designed by BLANKNYC, find these same jeans on the site, although they are not on sale.

I purchased these sandals last summer, they are denim with chains around the ankles, purchased from Bakers. I know they currently have similar styles, but not with denim. My handbag was a gift from Ghana, I love this bag, the print and color are so me. My knit earrings are from our "Cotton Candy" collection, you can see similar styles in our online shop.

Are you wearing brights this summer?

Until Next Time, Ciao!

*Chris*

Style Adventures Vol. 11( Uptown Westerville & Chesterville, Ohio)

STYLE ADVENTURES 

(Uptown Westerville & Chesterville Ohio 6/15)

This post is about how to add to your wardrobe using antique shops, thrift stores, yard sales and other venues. We travel Ohio and beyond discovering unique and stylish items we want to share and the places we found them.

Deja Vu

 11 N. State St. 

Uptown Westerville, Ohio 43081

www.dejavuclothes.com

Saturday I spent the day riding around Ohio with Leo. One of the places we stopped was Uptown Westerville where I found Deja Vu. I was really excited about exploring the Uptown Westerville area because it was just the kind of shopping area I love. The area is full of boutiques carrying everything from Amish furniture, antiques, arts & crafts by local artists and second hand clothing. My favorite place was Deja Vu.

Deja Vu opened in 1989. It had a few owners since then but today it is owned by Debbie Bowers and her daughter Lesa Halliwell. The store specializes in new, gently worn designer clothes, shoes and accessory items. It's a great place to take items to sell for extra cash or to find some very neat items at great prices. For more information check out their website above.

When I first entered the store, I noticed a sign indicating a 20% sale off most items in the store. I was excited to see a large quantity of jewelry in the jewelry section up front. Though I did not find anything I wanted that day, I did have better luck in other areas. The first thing I came across that I had to have was a black and white hounds-tooth mini skirt. The tag was broken up into three dates and three different prices which told me that after 6/8 that my skirt would be $5.50. I guess the skirt had already been there close to the 60 day expiration date. This means they don't hold on to the same items for more than a couple months so there is an urgency to get things when you see them and on your next visit its likely that you will see most of the store stocked with new items.

My favorite section was the belt section. There were so many stylish pieces but I only allowed myself to pick one belt, a black and metal belt that felt 'western rock star'. I am still thinking about a pearl belt I left behind that I probably should have purchased.

Houndstooth skirt and leather and metal belt from Deja Vu
Total $12

Chesterville Flea Market 

State Route 95

Chesterville, Ohio

 This place is a revisit. I stopped in around the same time last year and was pleasantly surprised to find  bunch of great accessories, in fact one of my favorite pieces that I bought for a quarter. This time I found a few belts I had to have but Leo did even better than I this time around. I won't bore you with his industrial finds. This visit was different, some of the vendors were different. I ran across a guy who frequents the airport auctions and had lots of belts and knickknacks. I purchased several stylish belts from him, 3 for $5. 

The flea market is owned by John and Joelyn Lanning. It's located on State Route 95 in between Columbus and Cleveland. You can see the bright  flags from the road. The flea market houses antiques, collectibles and home grown and handmade products from the locals. 

Belts from Chesterville Flea Market $5

Look for my new skirt and belts in future closet blog posts! Fashionista's, antiquers & store owners! Got a store or area I should visit? Leave me a comment.

Be blessed! Be free! Be fashionable!

Kris,

Thursday's Inspiration

Parisian Dreams

As a little girl growing up in Ohio, there were 2 places I always wanted to go, New York City and Paris. I've always adored the big city, I love the people, the things to do, the hustle and bustle, the diversity, and yes the use of public transportation.  I've had the opportunity to visit NYC many, many times, but I have yet to visit Paris. My dream to visit Paris has always been far-fetched, it was one of those things that I never really thought could happen. Now that I am older and wiser, life's experiences and people have shown me that I can do anything I want, no limits.

Photos courtesy of: cataldoleneo.tumblr.com, thrglitterguide.tumblr.com, www.thebrokesocialite.com

In Yesterday's "Style Crush" I featured a stylist/event planner by the name of Lerkia Lee. I talked about how I was inspired by the way she lived her life to the fullest. She recently took a trip to Paris, I lived vicariously through her trip by stalking her fb updates about the city. Whenever I see women who look like me doing things that I want to do, or pursuing their dreams, it makes me more optimistic about my own personal dreams.

Photos courtesy of: www.perpetually-busy.org,www.vogue.com, theglitterguide.tumblr.com

So one day, I will be in Paris, until then I will continue dreaming about it, and work on getting my passport!

If you are dreaming of visiting the City of Lights get more inspiration from my etsy treasury "Dreams of Paris".

What city/country have you always wanted to visit?

Until Next Time, Ciao!

*Chris*

Style Crush

I met this fabulous diva on facebook sometime ago. I'm not really sure how we became friends, but I'm glad we did. I love looking at her pics, she's so fashionable and she is a fellow stylist. I have been wanting to do a "Style Crush" post on a normal everyday person. Lerkia was the first person I thought about featuring.  I had always admired her love of fashion,her natural hair and she seems like she's always happy. So, I thought who better to write about, than someone who is living life to the fullest and pursuing their passion! Read on to find out why I was excited when she agreed to be featured in this article!!

Lerkia Lee. 30-something. Washington,DC. Stylist/Event Planner.

My take on fashion:

Fashion is everywhere – and it’s extremely subjective.  In three words, I would describe my signature style as edgy, yet refined with a dash of femininity.  I’ve always admired women who believed that the small details really make a lasting impression.  Further, I feel that seasonal trends should be used as inspiration and that we should all stay true to our own individual style.  Nothing is worse than feeling uncomfortable in your skin/clothes because you saw a cute skirt in a fashion magazine that you just had to have.  Fashion is a beautiful thing and I’m convinced that you just can’t buy style. 

One of my favorite quotes is “Dare to be yourself and wear the clothes that express the unique and fabulous person you are!”  Fashion is fun, fashion should be bold, and your personal style should shine through always!

 

Where I have been:  

I started styling brides and professional clients after working in the special events industry for 10 years.  Many of my former clients would request that I assist them with finding the perfect gown for their wedding, special event accessories for their parents, date night shoes and from there, the rest is history.   I’m inspired by many people, especially women who use the streets as their personal catwalk.  I can spend countless hours of people watching.  I secretly adore women who take risks when dressing.  For example, pairing an unconventional piece of clothing with an ultra conservative piece to create a smashing look (really makes me want to pull out my phone and snap a picture).  Usually, when I’m running low on inspiration, I travel.  From New York to Paris , it’s necessary to get away to obtain a fresh prospective.

 

I am passionate about:  

Living life to the fullest – although I love to style my brides and blog about everything fashion, I’ve learned that family is so important and vital to my sanity.  Spending quality time with those who matter enriches my being and really centers me.  These things make me a better person, mentally, spiritually and physically.   Stopping to smell the flowers and living in the moment is my personal trend for 2013.

You can find me:  

 Since each day presents new challenges and rewards, I have to hit the gym to set the tone of my day.  Meeting with clients, bridal fittings, blogging, finding unique vintage pieces and scheduling time to unwind and read are all very important to me.  Styling brides and events is extremely rewarding and it doesn’t feel like work.  I’m truly blessed.

 

  I love to interact with my peers and style mavens as they provide me with that daily dose of inspiration that’s required to get me through the day.  I have fabulous social media friends, and you are one of them as well!  You can visit and LIKE us on Facebook at MODAGE:  Where Modern Meets Vintage and/or follow us on Twitter at @Modage_Style.

_________________________________________________________________________________ 

Thanks again Lerkia for your help with this article. I hope you enjoy it. Make sure you check out both of her pages, you will love them as much as I do!

If you would like to be featured as our "Style Crush", or know someone with fabulous style that should be featured, please email us with your pics: christinakristin1@yahoo.com

Until Next Time, Ciao!

*Chris*

Chris's/Kris's Closet (Kristin) June 8, 2013

Kris's Closet

In this blog post you will get a glimpse of pieces in my closet,learn where I found them

 and where I wore them.  

My name is Kristin. Welcome to my closet!

Saturday I spent most of my day watching Leo and the neighbor install an outside drain and having drinks with the neighbor's other half. We gave moral support while the men sweated through the all day task. Then we had grilled burgers and hot dogs with the neighbors. Finally, Leo and I headed out to Park Street Festival and listened to some live music and people watched. This is what I wore.

The black and white sleeveless stripe dress is another dress Deepika bought me for helping her with a job. It is from Marshall's. The brand is Fun & Flirt. It was $16. I love that it is right on trend for the season, being black and white and striped. Find a similar dress here. The jacket is Gap. I found it at the Ohio Thrift Store a while ago for $10. Find a similar denim jacket here.

The earrings are many years old. I bought them from a street vendor in Harlem, NY. I paid under $10 for them. They are sterling silver so I spent about ten minute cleaning them with an old tooth brush and toothpaste because I realized I didn't have any silver cleaner. Tip: The toothpaste should be white and whitening toothpaste works best, if you ever need to clean silver and find yourself in the same predicament. Brush and rinse.

The black and white leather clutch is new to Kris's Closet. This was my first time carrying it. It was another great find from the Valley Thrift Store outside of Dayton. The brand is Elke Sommer. I paid $1.99 for it. Find a similar clutch here. The belt is also a first time wear. I bought it at a thrift store for $1. I did not find anything similar to post. The bracelets from top to bottom are the Artemis Cuff from Stella & Dot,  the alligator Creature Cuff by Tasha from Nordstrom, the  Kalahari Bangle from Stella & Dot, a wrap snake bracelet that I found on Etsy, and finally the Cara Cross Knuckle Ring also from Nordstrom. The black and white ring, I picked up from a vendor at the Macy's Festival over three years ago. No similar options located for the ring.

My shoes are black and white studded oxfords from zappos. They are a few years old. The brand is Not Too Coy. I selected these for my look because I was going to be outside doing a lot of walking in a crowded area. There is nothing like having on heels, not being able to sit down when your feet hurt and people stepping on your toes. These are very comfortable but they are no longer available. Find similar oxfords here and here.

This concludes another Kris's Closet. What do you think about my look?

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Check out our newest Heavy Metal Collection at our etsy shop! 

Be blessed! Be free! Be fashionable!

Kris,