RunwayDaze

This is my newest blog creation!

Every Friday I will post a styled outfit based on weather, season, events, and more, then on Monday I will post an outfit post and see if what I created is actually what I wore.... it's that simple!

So here is my first styled outfit!

Let me know what you think!

Whether you are classic, punk, grung, hip, modern, girly, or just plain you, I want to see it! Send me pics of your amazing style so I can post them to my blog and share your awesome styling tips and tricks with the world!

Everyones style is unique to their own personalitys and also can vary day to day as mine typically does so let me see what you are showing off on the runway of the daily world!

Send me a message or email me at jcoley13@gmail.com

Fashionably Late,

Under Cover Fashion Lover

Next Thursday is the day, the day that Fashion Week in New York kicks off the fun and faboulous runway shows!

I will be updating my blog everyday to inform you of what's going on with fashion week, designers, what was on the runway, pics, video clips, and much more! So make sure you check back to find out all you need to know about fashion week! Thursday the 9th, thru Thursday the 16th!

As you may have read in one of my articles Small Business Saturday this Saturday November 26, 2011. This is the second year that American Express is lending a hand to small business owners and merchants all over the U.S. in promoting this event.

Black Friday is clearly the biggest shopping holiday of the year and Cyber Monday is a close second for the stay at home shopping type. Well if you like to shop and will be heading out this weekend for some gift buying be sure to support a small business in your area.

Fashion is a hard industry to break into, and small business fashion designers need your support as well. Here are some local Chicago fashion designers to stay on the look out for and to support on Small Business Saturday!

One local fashion designer who happens to be a friend of mine as well as a former classmate is Alexandria Hedman. She is a very talented designer with a vast collection of clothing and accessories. Her pieces are completely original with amazing attention to detail. You can visit her Etsy shop here! Alexandria's designs are becoming more and more popular and she is someone to be on the look out for in the future she is sure to be a big name in fashion.

This next designer is not new to the industry nor does she need any help getting her name out there. She is a local Chicago designer with a great deal of attention on her work already. However, she is slightly new to the accessories department, and an amazing designer. Kristin Hassan, who starting off in women's wear has turned her focus to accessories. I interned with Kristin a few years back, her style is impeccable and her designs reflect that style perfectly. Her new collection of accessories make the perfect finishing touch to any outfit. Check out her website here.

Borris J. Powellis certainly not new to the fashion world especially in Chicago. His designer are amazing works of art and he has had quite a few celeb clients. He is constantly on the move in the world of fashion so check out his website for more info about his designs. With his very exciting designs he is sure to be a household name one day and not only in Chicago. He is definaltly one to keep a close eye on for you  fashionistas. 

Joy Viis another great designer who I also had the pleasure of attending school with, her wonderful attention to detail and technique has landed her in the tailoring business. Not only is she a tailor she owns her own company. So if you or any of your friends would like to get anything altered please contact Joy. Here is a link to her site!

The next designer I want you all to check out is Jaclyn Triphahn, she is the designer of JMarie Designs, she does custom graphic designs, personalized invitations and event displays. Hereyou can find her facebook page and 'like' it as well as shop around and if you need any personalized business cards or other graphic design needs be sure to contact her, you will be very pleased you did.

Chezare Bingham, a friend who I meet backstage at a fashion show of mine has her own Chicago based business as well. Sweet Pearls Confection and Cateringis her newest talent outlet. This delicious endeavor specializes in hors d'oeuvres and desserts. Chezare and her sister are the creators, owners, and the chefs of the business. Yummy!

A few of these designers are not designing strictly in the fashion industry but their creations are just as wonderful as the rest. All of these companies and designers are in the Chicago area and your business would be greatly appreciated, keep Chicago alive and support your local business this holiday season as well as this Saturday. Small Business Saturday is not just important for the companies themselves it is important for the growth of the City and the growth of America by keeping our purchases local. Go forth and shop!

I am a sucker for diy projects! I love to take something old that I will never wear again and transform it into something new and modern.

Well this winter some easy projects can turn your old dull winter coat into something new and very stylish. As the temperature is going down we need to dress a little warmer and for those of us who do not want to go out and purchase a new coat you can use these simple tricks to make your's into new.

One of the many trends this season is fur collared coats and fur covered cuffs. This trend can be yours for a few dollars and a needle and tread. Here are a few easy steps to creating this look for yourself

1. Go to your local fabric store (Joann, Michaels, Walmart) and pick up a yard of any type of fur you like.

2. Take a piece of paper and trace your jackets collar

3. Cut out the traced image and pin in to the backside of the fur and cut around it ( this would be easier if you used a cutting wheel on a tracing pad ( so you don't scratch your tables and counters)

4. Take a needle and matching colored thread and use a simple stick to sew the fur onto the exisitng collar.

That is it!! You now have a stylish warm fur collared coat.

Now for the remainder of the fabric you can make your cuffed sleeves.

1. Messure the width of the sleeve, and decide how far up the sleeve you would like the cuff to go.

2. Once you have done that take a piece of paper and draw two straight lines parrell to each other as long as the width of the sleeve.

3. Next draw two lines parrell to each other on the ends of the first two lines (making a rectangle) as high as you want the cuffs to be.

4. Once you have messured drawn out the pattern then cut it out and pin to the back side of the fur and cut.

5. Take a needle and matching colored thread and sew the cuffs onto the bottom of your sleeves.

Presto! you have fur covered sleeves and collar!

Now many of us are admiring the millitary like buttons and embelishments that have been popping up all over winter coats this season and last. Well another easy project to do on a cold November day!

For this all you need are some great buttons and any other kinds of embelishments you like. You can find these at Joann, Micheals, or even your local army surplus and good will stores. Another great place to find such things are vintage stores.

Sewing buttons and embelishments on are simple, take off the old buttons by cutting the thread and sew on the new button in place of it.

When adding embelishments like changes and patches you can add them where ever your heart desires to create that one of a kind look.

One last way to add to your exisiting coat or jacket is to add a belt!

Check back later for more tips on transforming your old things into new creations!

Fashionably Late,

Under Cover Fashion Lover

Every October no matter the current trends, Pink is the color to remember! October is national breast cancer awarness month. Last year I decided to buy a pink extention for my hair the proceeds went to breast cancer research and I thought it looked pretty cute!

I will be doing this again this year.. who else is thinking of getting one??

Pics will be up!!

Fashionably Late,

Under Cover Fashion Lover

Good afternoon fashionistas, well as you may know from my previous posts I love love love Betsey Johnson!!! She is just fashion brilliant!! Withe her recent apperance on Project Runway last week it has made me even more super excited to see her Spring 2011 collection, and guess what? It's tonight!!!! Yes thats correct at 6pm tonight you can watch a live feed of her show just go to www.mbfashionweek.com and check out all the live coverage!

Let me know what you think!

Fashionably Late,

Under Cover Fashion Lover

Well, Labor Day has come and gone the unofficial start of fall, and today in the Chi it was a little chily, a sure sign of whats to come in the next month. Today I saw a great deal of people jumping way  to far into the cool weather clothing then need be.

For instance it was a cool 62 degrees today, and yes compared to the 95 degree day we had just last friday it was very chilly but puffy vests and furry boots was a little far to take it. I guess some of us just do not appreciate or know how to utalize their wardrobe for the cooler days. Furry boots and puffy anything need to stay for at least 50 and below as well as gloves, nondecorative scarfs and most of all Uggs!

What do you think??? know of anything else that should stay in the closet just a tad longer??

let me know!

Fashionably Late,

Under Cover Fashion Lover

Ok, who likes Project Runway?! I have to admit that I have never really been able to watch the show until now! I know epic fail right? Well let me tell you the 'logical' reasoning behind that.

As you may or may not know I went to school for Fashion Design and since it was very stressful, emotional, time sensative and very difficutl to meet dealines and produce just exactly what vision was it was extremly hard for me to watch the show!! I know it may seem silly but everytime I tuned in to watch the designers make their magic I felt like I was going to have a panic attack!! " They will never finish in time" is what mostly ran through my head!

Well since I have been done with my fashion degree for a while now I have been able to watch! So season 9 has been the first season of Project Runway that I have been able to get into! I am very excited to watch it now and really enjoy seeing others during their creative process! Don't get me wrong I have always thought the show was amazing!

So last nights episode was great I am so happy that Victor and Joshua won I think both of their garments were spectacular and well constructed and their teams were deligated very well.

What do you think?? Give me some feedback if you saw the show!

Fashionably Late,

Under Cover Fashion Lover