FashionPlaytes Blog: Rhinestones Make Everything Better

photo courtesy of uberchicforcheap.blogspot.com

Look great, feel comfy & stay warm with the coolest looks this season. It’s totally easy!

Versatile & fun, layering is the key to looking fabulous! You don’t need many new clothes to get this look because you probably already have a ton of pieces in your very own closet. Maybe add a few new & hip FashionPlaytes items to your wardrobe & I can guarantee you that the number of combinations you can put together will be endless!

Let’s start with the basics: Leggings, jeggings, jeans or a great skirt are all you’ll need to start building your layered look!

Now comes the fun part: Start gathering a variety of different tops to mix together. Try pairing a glittery graphic tee with a furry vest. For another awesome look, use that same vest over a long tunic top, a bright hoodie, or one of this season’s big comfy sweaters! Whether short or long-sleeved, chunky or textured, patterned or solid, don’t spend time worrying about matching because mixing funky patterns & materials is the way to go this season! You simply can’t go wrong!

Final step: When you have your outfit put together, it’s time to add some accessories! Belts are everywhere this season & they’re no longer for just holding up your pants! They can be worn over a tee, tunic, sweater or even a jacket. Boots are also very big this year. Whether they are Uggs, riding-inspired, or miliary, boots always look great with your pants tucked in or an awesome pair of tights or leggings. And lastly, make sure you add a funky chunky necklace or sparkly headband and you’re good to go!

Good luck layering & make sure that you send us some pictures of your best designs!!

Photo courtesy of www.extremehalloween.com

What will you be for Halloween - a princess, rock star, athlete, or monster?  There are so many awesome ideas for costumes to choose from this year. Whether you buy one from a store, or get inspired and make your own, the time you spend planning your costume can be just as much fun as actually dressing up!

To express the real you, consider being something that has to do with what you love the most.  Do you love to draw & paint? Be an artist (or a paintbrush)!  Is soccer, basketball or skating your passion? Tell the world with a sporty outfit or dress up as your favorite professional player.  You can also reflect what you want to be when you grow-up. A doctor, rock star or teacher can be an easy and a fun way to go.  And for those of you who simply want to look out-of-this-world beautiful, a classic princess never fails to please.

Not into reality? Maybe you’d rather concentrate on trying to shock and scare your neighbors when they open the door. There’s never a shortage of ghoulish costumes and haunting makeup on Halloween, and they always get a laugh (or a scream)! Aiming for something you’re not? That’s OK too! Try to challenge yourself and be extra creative! Girly girls, dress like a witch.  Athletic girls, try being Tinkerbelle for the night.  Vegetable haters, be broccoli or a carrot!  : )

No matter what you decide to be for Halloween, remember to have fun and don’t forget to comment on our blog & tell us what costume you’ve decided on! We can’t wait to hear your great ideas!

Happy costume hunting!

Photo Courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/chocolate-soup

As the end of summer draws near, a new chapter of our lives begins – like it or not. Whether you’re a 10 year-old girl heading back to school or a 40 year-old mom returning to the office, the changing seasons remind us that we are changing too. This is a great time for women to reevaluate our lives and our futures. We all have dreams and each and every one of them is important. Maybe your dream is ready to become a reality or maybe it’s still a work in progress. Either way, try to stay positive and make sure that the changes in your life will empower you to become the best you can be. Always be self-confident and know you can be anything that you can dream!

And the great news? It doesn’t take much to follow your dreams and aspirations. To start, all you have to do is believe in yourself!

Mom/Daughter Exercise:

1. Fold a piece of paper in half.

2. On one side, write down your personal dreams. What do you want to work towards this season, or what do you want to be in the future? Do you want to be more popular in school, more active in sports, or get better grades? Maybe you want to plan a future as a doctor, veterinarian, or a fashion designer?

3. On the other side, write down positive traits about yourself that will help you achieve your dreams. Ask your mom or friends to help you come up with positive things about yourself. Are you organized, energetic, fun, and loving? Are you determined, hardworking, and honest?

It’s easy to make changes and work towards your dreams once you realize what they are! It’s also important to look at your strengths – and we all have them! Look over your list of positive traits. This tells you that you that you already have the resources be able to reach your goals if you want them badly enough! Remember: It doesn’t matter how big or small your wishes and hopes are. A little planning and an upbeat attitude are all you need!

So, FashionPlaytes girls (and moms!): stay optimistic, set a goal, and never give up on your dreams. A great life full of accomplishments is there for the taking and it all begins with one simple line of thinking!

Believe you can do it? Share your dreams with us & then take over the world!

Love designing your own clothes online? Check out these fabulous fall fashion ideas - to make right in your own home! We found these awesome ideas on the Disney Family Fun website (www.familyfun.go.com) - what creative fashion ideas can you come up with?!

1) Looping Leaf T-shirt

Materials

• T-shirt

• Fabric

• Iron-on adhesive
• Embroidery floss and needel

Instructions

1. Start with a shirt that’s been washed and dried. Choose a piece of fabric — a pattern looks best — and fuse it to iron-on adhesive, following the package’s instructions.
2. Cut a basic leaf shape from the fused fabric, then iron the leaf to the shirt.
3. Thread an embroidery needle with about 30 inches of embroidery floss. Tie a knot at the end. Use a running stitch to sew a line from one shoulder down through the center of the leaf, making a loop along the way, as shown.
4. Add several stitches to the leaf to form the veins. On the final stitch, pull the needle through to the inside of the shirt and knot the thread tightly.

2) Nature T-shirt

Materials

• Solid-colored T-Shirt
• Assorted natural objects (leaves, ferns, flowers)
• Rubber gloves
• Spray bottle

• Bleach
• Bucket
• Water

Instructions

1. Lay the shirt outdoors on a hard, flat surface, such as cement, away from anything that might be damaged by bleach. Arrange the leaves, flowers and other objects in a simple design on the shirt. Only the silhouettes of the items will show, so objects with distinctive shapes work best. If there’s a breeze, place stones on the objects to hold them in place.
2. This step is for adults only: Wearing rubber gloves, spray the shirt lightly with bleach around all the edges of the design. Let the shirt set until you see the color start to change—about 1 minute or so. Carefully remove and dispose of the flowers and leaves.
3. Submerge the shirt in a bucket of water and thoroughly rinse it. This stops the bleach from eating through the fabric. Put it through the washer and dryer, and your masterpiece is ready to wear. Note: Be sure to label the spray bottle, or empty and rinse it immediately.

Tips:

Shirts in bright hues of pink, blue and green work best.

3) Nature Crowns

Materials

• Poster board

Instructions

1. Cut a length of poster board to fit your child’s head.
2. Make horizontal slits in the paper with a craft knife, and tape the ends together.
3. Out of doors, you can insert their discoveries into the slits for a wearable collection.

It’s time for a new featured design of the week from one of our fabulously talented designers! This week we are featuring our relatively new Maddie pant that has been expertly designed by Mtnative2. These pants are comfort and style in one! They can be worn to school, hanging out with friends, or on a lazy Saturday afternoon. And Mtnative2’s design, with the pink ruffle and the adorable cat embellishment make them super girly and fun. We know these will be her new favorite pants!

What do you think of these great pants?  Post your comments below!

Don’t forget - keep expressing your style and inner fashionista with your designs! You could be our next Design of the Week!

Who doesn’t love a fashion show?! We certainly love them and FashionPlaytes was recently lucky to be part of a fabulous event for the Marblehead Animal Shelter and Friend’s of Marblehead’s Abandoned Animals called “Pawsitively Fashionable” -  a fashion show to help raise money for our furry friends! The event was held on September 19th and featured fashions provided by FashionPlayes and Signatures, as well as items for pets and owners and chances to win raffles!

Our fashionistas had a fabulous time rocking the runway in their custom designed outfits full of glitz and glamor. There were over 100 people there to see them strut their stuff and to help support our furry friends! We had so much fun, we hope this is an annual event! Check out more pictures of the event on our Facebook page!

It’s time for a new featured design of the week from one of our fabulously talented designers! This week we are featuring this fantastic poncho designed by AliciaJae. With the horse embellishment and the teal and green ribbon accent it is the perfect garment to keep you warm at any of your favorite fall activities! Whether its horseback riding, apple picking, football games or just rocking it in the halls of school – AliciaJae is definitely going to be styling this fall in her beautifully designed super warm fleece poncho. Everyone should have one of these to complete their wardrobe’s!

What do you think of this awesome poncho?  Post your comments below!

Don’t forget - keep expressing your style and inner fashionista with your designs! You could be our next Design of the Week!