Office Style: Henna, Curls and Classics
Posted 361 days ago by Melissa Murphy
The night before I had attended one of my favorite Mommy blogger networks, Mommys Links Glam Me event. It was a really fun time with a great group of girls. There were women empowerment speakers, fun vendors, and swag. At the party, I got my first henna tattoo and my hair curled. So when I got home, I put my hair in a loose bun, and secured it with a few bobby pins – a tip my regular stylist at BlowNY gave me.
The next day my hair and henna looked fab. Don’t ever underestimate the power of a professional with a curling iron;those curls lasted for days. So getting ready for work the next day was pretty easy. I think subconsciously the ornate orange design on my hand lead me to pick that bold orange pencil skirt that I paired with a simple white button down shirt.
You can never have too many crisp dry cleaned, fitted, collared shirts. They are a classic item that will always come in handy, and never go out of style. I recommend investing in a few.
Meet Natalie Yvonne Henry
Natalie is currently a social media moderator intern at SocialChorus. She got interested in fashion in high school and it just grew from there. Natalie blogs at fashionbystander.com, sharing the latest in fashion news with others; she hopes to expand it to showcase Caribbean fashion designers. She explains her style by saying,
“I dress how I feel. I love to look different, so I never focus on fitting into a particular genre or era of fashion. I just love to collect various pieces and make them my own. However, I love color! I prefer bright colors; the more than better!”
Her outfit today consists of a Forever 21 Chambray shirt, H&M floral print leggings,and a vintage bag and suede vest, which are both from a relative. The bow is a scrap piece of material that she had sitting around.
- Chambray Shirt: $22.90 Forever 21
- Floral Leggings: $14.00 H&M
- Vintage Bag: Gift from relative.
- Vest: Gift from relative.
- Bow: Homemade
Us Weekly’s So Called “Splurge Vs. Save” & The Right Way to Get a Deal
Posted 410 days ago by Amanda Raye
A recent Splurge Vs. Save in Us Weekly left the Broke & Chic team mad and discouraged. The splurge items started at $590, and yet all the save items were expensive as well — the most expensive being a whopping $138!
I’m sorry, but spending $138 on a simple summer dress is a splurge to me, and, in this day and age, is likely for you as well.
Fashion and style don’t have to equal credit card debt. You often pay more for an item simply based on the name printed on the inside and not quality. So, despite what Us Weekly says, there are quality items out there that won’t break the bank. Broke & Chic is here to show you how to get all these items for far less than these so called steals.
The Broke & Chic Way
Instead of spending $134 on the Elise Pink and Black Scallop dress, just stop into your local h&m to purchase this beautiful pastel pink dress for only $49.95. That’s $84 less than Us Weekly’s so called steal!
If you love the color blocking on Victoria Beckham’s dress, just add a black peter pan collar like this one from Etsy for only $25!
Both the Kenneth Jay Lane and C. Wonder bamboo bangles are beautiful. However, to get the desired look you’re going to have to buy at least five bangles. That multiplied by the $24 steal is $120! That’s way too much for something that isn’t going to be a part of your everyday wardrobe. Try either one of these bangle sets from your local Forever 21 instead. Three bracelets only cost $6.80.
Us Weekly is right, bright bags are in this season and you should totally jump on board; just not for $78, let alone $590. Try this adorable yellow satchel from Yes Style for only $35 instead.
The Navajo inspired skinny jeans have a fun look. Just not fun enough to spend $660 or $138. You’re better off wearing your favorite pair of white jeans and pairing them with a Navajo inspired shirt or sweater instead. That way you’re not spending too much on something you can only wear once in a while. If you just have to have a pair, try these ones from River Island for $80.
What do you personally think of Us Weekly’s definition of a save item? Let us know in the comments below! Also, do you have any steals to share?
Office Style: Effortless Chic
Posted 419 days ago by Melissa Murphy
Office Style is going to be a new weekly series on Broke & Chic. Learn how to be fashionable in the office. Melissa, who spends eight hours a day at SocialChorus, will be your style coach!
Effortless Chic
Today was a great day. I was still coming off my high from a really successful influencer event the night before. I had tons of fun hanging with yours truly Amanda from Broke & Chic, Haute Cocktail, Little Pink Blog, Kenton Magazine, Big Girls Small Kitchen, UInterview, Amanda from B5 and Poptimal. And I can’t leave out Josh from NYCFoodie who dazzled us all with his magic tricks over cocktails at Magia. I was out late and threw together this outfit quick. The cape is an effortless way to make me feel put together and you can never go wrong with jeans, paired with a nice blazer and heels.
About the Author:
Melissa Murphy connects brands with influencers as Senior Manager of Influencer Activation and Collaboration at SocialChorus. Her campaigns with Fortune 500 companies like Tropicana, Intel and Toyota are awesome – she’s the ultimate PR turned social media maven. Murphy attended The Fashion Institute of Technology majoring in Marketing Communications, and was previously the Director of Communications for The Trump Grande Resort and Pop Artist Romero Britto. She loves meeting influencers (IRL), rocking a killer pair of heels, and a great party! Follow her on twitter @MelMurphytweets
About Laura:
Laura E. Marcus is a writer and editor. She joined SocialChorus in October 2011, and helms the company’s quality control as lead copy editor. Her writing has been published in various magazines including Spin, Gotham, Trace and Impose. Although her writing centers around lifestyle and entertainment themes, most recently she worked as a due diligence investigator. Her heart beats for West Coast jazz, good food and New York City. http://www.lauraemarcus.com
What’s your favorite office outfit? Let us know in the comments!
Trend Alert: Yellow
Posted 423 days ago by Amanda Raye
Yes, the color yellow. Yellow bags, dresses, pants and even hair. It’s the hot spring color — move over mint! Yellow is the perfect color to welcome into your wardrobe when spring arrives and everything starts to bloom.
Don’t just enjoy the sunshine, be the sunshine! Don’t think yellow is your color? Try incorporating a yellow bag or clutch instead. Emmy Rossum did a perfect job of adding a pop of yellow to her simple yet edgy outfit by adding an adorable yellow satchel from Kate Spade!
(Photo via Blooming Vogue)
Don’t have $395 laying around to purchase Emmy’s bag? Me neither. Luckily, H&M has come out with a yellow satchel (above) for their S/S season for only $30!
Have you incorporated yellow into your spring outfits yet? Submit your pictures to hey@brokeandchic.com for a possible feature!
Broke Fashion: Lu’s Retro Meets Trendy Look
Posted 433 days ago by Amanda Raye
Lu is a fashion forward musician and hairstylist based in Manhattan! She loves red lipstick and anything leather!
- Jacket: $200 H&M’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo collection
- Skirt: $7.80 Forever 21
- Boots: $30 Urban Outfitters sale
- Tights: $9.95 H&M
- Scarf: $19 Express
- Glasses: $70 (vintage)
See More of Lu’s Style Here: Broke Fashion #37
What do you think of Lu’s rockin’ style?
Broke Fashion: Madison’s Casual Spring Outfit
Posted 433 days ago by Amanda Raye
Madison is a 19 year old journalism student based in Virginia with a casual yet trendy style. She love to pair solids with simple patterns while following the season’s hottest trends.
I wouldn’t really call my style anything specific. I like mixing retro sophistication with the trends of today.
- Shirt: $9.95 h&m
- Skirt: $5.95 h&m
- Cardigan: $40 Urban Outfitters
- Wristlet: $9.99 Target
- Flats: $10 Burlington Coat Factory
- Sunglasses: Stole from boyfriend!
Q&A
B&C: Who are your style icons?
Madison: The classics, Audrey Hepburn and Coco Chanel.
B&C: What’s your favorite 2012 trend?
Madison: Color blocking!
B&C: What’s a popular trend you can’t stand?
Madison: I’m not liking the fact that flares and bell bottoms are coming back. I cringe every time I see them.
What do you think of Madison’s style? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
Broke Fashion: Chic Winter Style in Manhattan
Posted 454 days ago by Amanda Raye
Winter can be a tough season for style. With slushy snow filled streets, below freezing temperatures and a gloomy overcast of grey, getting out of bed and putting effort into our outfits isn’t always first on our list’s.
Another factor to consider is that we’re all hidden by big warm coats! These things aside, Broke & Chic found a few girls who know how to look stylish — no matter what the weather is!
- Top: $3.50 Forever 21
- Cardigan: Vintage from her mom’s closet
- Belt: $1 Thrift
- Bag: $10 Thrift (in Los Angeles)
- Pants: Free from American Apparel (employee)
- Boots: $115 Dr. Martens
- Zebra Top: $14.50 Strawberry
- Skirt: $22.80 Forever 21
- Leggings: $6.50 Forever 21
- Boots: $40 Journey’s
- Top: $30 H&M
- Shorts: $19.95 H&M
- Tights: $9.95 H&M
- Belt: $20 Gap
- Vince Camuto Boots: $150 Bloomingdale’s
Previous
