Style Profile // Morgan

Every week, I have the opportunity to feature the prettiest ladies with the prettiest style. Today, I'm featuring Morgan. Morgan and I were in the same Freshman ward at BYU. She is an advertising major and she's a dream come true. No really, she is. She arranged her own wedding bouquet and she has the prettiest golden bands for her rings. Talk about dreamy! Teach me your ways, Morgan! She's also one of the nicest people I know. She is full of kindness and she glows! I mean, look at her! Also, follow her blog and instagram!

In this Style Profile she shares her love for oversized styles (girl after my own heart), her signature sweatshirt and hairstyle and her fashion philosophy that applies to everyone! 

Q. How would you describe your personal style?

A.  I feel like it often changes! Some days I feel super preppy and others I could probably pass as a boy; but typically i would say slightly androgynous with a feminine touch.

Q. How did you “find” your personal style?

A.  My style has evolved over the years, but it started with me wearing clothes I felt comfortable in. Comfortable as in feeling good about myself and also literally cozy. And I like classic pieces with fun details, so if it fits in that category, it’s probably in my closet.

Q. How do you plan your outfits or put them together?

A. Usually I try on an outfit I originally think up, change the top, then the shoes, and then the pants. So after a few mixes and matches, I end up deciding on something completely different. It is kind of nice though because I can make a mental note for another outfit that had gotten changed out in the search. 

Q. Do you have any style “splurges”?

A.  Almost everything in my closet is affordable, I try and find the best deals. But I will spend a little more on shoes, it’s worth it to me if I can wear them with everything! 

Q. How does wearing your uniform/favorite outfit make you feel?

A.  I wish I could wear my uniform (favorite black JCrew sweatshirt, black zipper leggings, leather booties) everyday. I honestly think it makes me in a better mood, and I just love the feeling that I’m wearing something I love and I don’t even care what anyone thinks. 

Q. What do you like about your sense of style?

A.  I like that I can go from school to work to internship all while feeling comfortable and put together. I’m a creative person and I like that its usually reflected in what I’m wearing.

Q. Any style secrets we should know about?

A. I looove oversized everything, I feel like it is a cute/flattering style on everyone!

Q. Any signature piece?

A. Oversized sweater and a top knot. And neutrals. Oh and stripes!

Q. What's a trend you tried and regretted?

A. TOO MANY!  In my defense,  they were usually(?) in style at the time. The worst I can remember is plaid bermuda shorts, an Abercrombie polo and a contrasting tee on top. Or shrugs. Or gaucho pants. Lace cami’s. (!!!!!) 

Q.  Anything you absolutely won’t wear?

A. Eeek. Super tight tee’s or patterned leggings. Seriously nothing against anyone who chooses those styles, they are just not for me.

Q.  What is your overall fashion philosophy?

A. If you feel confident in what you are wearing, you can pull it off

Thanks Morgan! 

Style Profile // Erika

Today's Style Profile is Erika. Erika is another one of those girls that I wish I was better friends in high school because she is inspiring and so down to earth and I definitely needed/need more people like her in my life. Down to earth can be overused, but she is. She just is. She also is the creator of Walking With Teal , her personal blog that "accentuates the life of a moving, shaking, healing, evolving, walking, and speaking sexual assault survivor." The blog is powerful in word and purpose and so is Erika and that is why I wanted to feature her in my Style Profile today. Despite everything she's gone through she has a purpose and her style has a purpose, and that I love. Oh and of course, she has great hair. Don't you just love girls with great hair?

Anyway, I am so grateful for everyone who's participated in these Style Profiles. I've learned so much about my own personal style and what style means to others. May we all learn to dress in a way that makes us feel like we deserve a fresh bouquet of flowers, every day. Above all, be confident. That's what I've learned. So thank you.

Q: How would you describe your personal style?

A: My style is made up of mostly plain colors and fabrics that flow. I like to imagine I could blend in with the blues, browns, grays, and greens of the earth: natural, unadorned, and austere. 

Q: How did you "find" your personal style?

A: Trial and error. Tailoring my personal style to my lifestyle was necessary. Some days I end up doing yoga, walking my dog, and grocery shopping in a matter of hours. My clothes needed to be versatile, comfortable, and presentable. Oh, and I'm twenty and not married so everything must be affordable! 

Q: How do you plan your outfits or put them together?

A: I recently minimized all of my belongings, clothing included. My closet now holds my favorite items, which makes dressing myself easier. If you only have things you know you love, your day will never go wrong because of a fashion faux pas! Lastly, I do that squinty eye thing while looking in the mirror to make sure the proportions look, well, proportional. Does anyone else do that? 

Q: Do you have any style splurges?

A: Comfy tees. No graphics. End of story. It's just, you can wear them with anything. Under a sweater with skinny jeans, over a loose dress with sandals, with overalls or summery shorts. Endless opportunities. 

Q: How does wearing your "uniform" make you feel? 

A: Like I deserve a bouquet of flowers every darn day!

Q: What do you like about your sense of style?

A: After 20 years of living, it has finally become effortless to wear pieces I (emphasis on the I) love. That's because I did lots of playing with my "uniform" in previous years. I finally dress for my own comfort and happiness. Turns out it was a lot more simple than I ever anticipated. Although, a few quirky items are necessary in the spring and summer. 

Q: Any style secrets we should know about?

A: If I'm being completely honest...wear a hat when your hair is dirty. Ta-da! Problem solved.

Q: Any signature piece?

A: I'm a part time nanny during the week. Naturally, as nannies do, I was listening to the Annie Soundtrack on the way home from school. These lyrics struck me: Who cares what they're wearing on Main Street, or Saville Row. It's what you wear from ear to ear, and not from head to toe that matters. I'd like to think I'm never fully dressed without a smile. Smiling is contagious.

Q: Any trends you tried and regretted?

A: I can't seem to pull off the elegance that Rory Gilmore does. I've tried fancier pieces, with straight hair, ear rings, and ya know...the works. I'm a touch too playful though. 

Q: Anything you absolutely won't wear?

A: Jeans with bedazzled bum pockets, I'm sorry.

Q: What is your overall fashion philosophy?

A: Too glam to give a damn! Just kidding. Kind of. 

On a more serious note, I would say in fashion make a means to be rooted, but also flow. 

+ t h a n k s // e r i k a 

& 

+ s t a y // g o l d

Style Profile // Talor

When I started thinking about the idea of doing a Style Profile series and the girls I wanted to feature for it, Talor was the first to come to mind. She is SO lovely. She is a dream, really. I knew Talor briefly in high school. We had friends of friends of friends, but when I went to college it was like we became friends over the internet and it has been the best cyber (and real life) friendship I have ever had. We have shared so many words with each other (her words are the best) and I look up to her (and her artistic skills), plus she has the best little love story. I'm so in love with her and her husband, Dean. #goals

Also, Talor has helped me through love, heartbreak, spiritual journeys, and self-love discoveries. She has also helped me develop my own personal style.

Talor, I'm so glad you shared your personal style with me. Enjoy!

p.s. she has also read more books than anyone on this earth and she's going to be the first female president. Just saying.

How would you describe your personal style?

My personal style is somewhere between a political candidate and a lazy college student with a hint of pizzazz.

How did you “find” your personal style?
It took me a while. In high school I kind of followed the trends of other people--which added up to a lot of fashion mistakes. But then I went to college and there were so many different, unique people and no one else seemed to judge others for how they dressed (What an idea!). That made me feel more comfortable to dress the way I liked--not what was in style.

 How do you plan your outfits or put them together?
 I am in college, so I don't always have time to put a beautiful, thoughtful outfit together. On those days, I usually pick jeans and a shirt with a collar on it and add on from there--whether it's a jacket, sweater, or a cardigan-- I've learned the hard way that when you're sitting in a class for two hours, you want to be comfortable, not tugging at a sleeve or pulling down a shirt. But lets be honest. There are days (aka finals week) where I wear my husband's best Star Wars shirt with leggings and try to take on the world. Because that counts as part of my style. I'm an imperfect human who loves Anikin Skywalker and I need to live accordingly.

Do you have any style “splurges”?
I love sweaters. And I tend to love the sweaters that people hate. Bright, or flashy, or lots of prints. I've loved sweaters since high school, but it took me a while to be confident in them. One day everyone decided to wear ugly sweaters (I was unaware) and I showed up to school in one of my favorites--it was from Old Navy and it had little and big horizontal stripes with different colors. All day people came up to me and said things like, "Awesome ugly sweater!" What. I was devastated. But now that it happens weekly basis (I'm almost not exaggerating), I learned how to shake it off. I like what I like and I try not to care what people think.

I stole this from Talor's instagram, which is beautiful, because I LOVED THE CAPTION: My wardrobe currently consists of: Dean's wardrobe. #yes #preach 

How does wearing your “uniform/favorite outfit” make you feel?
I feel comfortable. I try really hard to wear things that will portray me as the person I want to be. I want to be smart, I want to be capable, but I also want to have style--and I want people to know that and respect me. I want there to be power in what I wear, and I want it to work for a lot of occasions--like going to school, or going on a date, or becoming the first female president. A girl can dream.

 What do you like about your sense of style?
I really like my style--because it's mine. I like my bright, quirky sweaters. I like my colored jeans and polka dot pants. And I like that a lot of my pieces can be versatile and work together.

 Any style secrets we should know about?
Oh boy. I'm no expert, and I won't pretend to know what clashes and what blends or the rules about brown on black. But I do think it's important to know/remember that style is a personal thing. It's not just what is in magazines or online--it's all about you and how you want to look. Your style is you.

 Any signature item?
I would say my collared shirts are a big one--and all of my "ugly" sweaters.

Any trends you tried and regretted?
UM everything I tried in high school. Yikes. I went through a "hippie" phase, where I wore a lot of headbands around my forehead. Which a lot of people tend to pull off--when it's their actual style. But I just looked like a lost girl with something cutting off circulation to her brain.

 Anything you absolutely won’t wear?
Yes! Any shirt that has to be ironed, haha. But seriously, I try not to wear anything that I wouldn't be comfortable wearing. Sure, I will wear heels on Sundays or special occasions, but I wouldn't/couldn't wear them everyday. I will let someone with stronger feet take on that style.

Do you have an overall fashion philosophy?

Confidence is key. Be confident in who you are and who you want to become. If you dress yourself according to that, you can't really go wrong. 

+ t h a n k s // t a l o r 

+ s t a y // g o l d

Style Profile // Emilee

Oh my friends. My friends, my friends, my friends, my friends. I am so so so incredibly excited, words really can't describe how excited I am for this new series for the blog. And I am so grateful for my sweet friend Emilee who was willing to be my guinea pig for it. Guinea pig is a crude word to use...but I don't know what else to use. Anyway, yes a new series for the blog called STYLE PROFILE starring you and all the cool cat girls I know.

Today's style profile is Emilee. She has been one of my best friends since 9th grade! 9th grade people! That love runs deep. She was also my freshman roommate and she lives in my apartment complex today! She's in my ward and she's literally the greatest girl. She's sweet and kind and smart and funny and all around awesome. Plus, she's got great style. Oh and her hair...let's just look at her hair and marvel at it for one moment.

I asked her some questions about her personal style (this was inspired by Cup of Jo Beauty Uniforms). She has some wise and wonderful things to share. ENJOY!

p.s. her husband Ryan took the pictures. He took over 100 photos. How cute is that? Thank you Ryan, and thank you Emilee for being the best model for my first Style Profile.

How would you describe your personal style? This was tricky for me, because I don’t necessarily feel like I have a set, distinct style. Some days, I am wearing a hoodie and jeans and then other days, I am wearing my favorite sparkly pants and some heels. But in some ways, I guess that reflects who I am, because my style matches my personality. So I think that I would describe my style as charming, classic, and comfortable.

How did you “find” your personal style? It took some time for me to find a style that fit my personality, rather than me trying to fit into certain styles. Interestingly enough, I found solidarity in what my style was at the same rate that I understood and appreciated who I was and what my interests were, the things that make me unique. It took some experimenting and I’ve learned to appreciate other’s styles while recognizing that it may not fit my own style and that is okay. I think my style is still growing and changing as I move through life and gain new experiences and find new inspirations.

P.S. – it was a certain freshman roommate of mine who has taught me the majority of what I know about fashion and style and, although my style is my own, she is the one who made me aware of it. Thank you Dani.

How do you plan your outfits or put them together? Honestly, I had never thought too much about it until I started answering this question. Turns out I have a method of planning outfits that was subconscious, but very real. I just discovered that I put outfits together based on color. I put colors together to make a basic color palate and then I incorporate accessories into the outfit that match the palate. Sometimes, I like to have one main pop of color, while other days I prefer my outfit to be cohesive. (On special days, I will sometimes even take inspiration from movies for my color palate, hence Dani’s super sweet post about my interest in Disneybounding.) Also, I love wearing navy and polka dots and stripes. On good days, I will even wear polka dots and stripes together. So that tends to play a part in my decision making too.

Do you have any style “splurges”? I have loved dressing up since I was a little girl and I think that has influenced my style splurges. Dresses and skirts, fancy pants, an awesome pair of shoes… I love them all. I never really outgrew wanting to be a Disney princess, so anything that makes me feel whimsical or special is hard for me to resist.

How does wearing your “uniform” make you feel? Comfortable and confident. It’s really that simple. I wear clothing that makes me feel comfortable, but also beautiful, which helps me to feel confident.

What do you like about your sense of style? Like I said, my style is based on who I am and I like that my style allows me to feel like myself. I also feel like it is a wonderful way to use creatively express myself.

Any style secrets we should know about? I think that the secret to having great style is to be true to yourself and your interests. While certain clothing items may look cute or be deemed very fashionable, it’s hard to rock them and be confident when they make you feel uncomfortable or awkward. Don’t be afraid to be yourself because you are interesting and beautiful and worth more than diamonds. Style is simply a way to show the world who you are.

Any signature item? While this may sound odd, I think my signature items are my jewelry. I’m a very sentimental person, so my wedding ring is one of my favorite accessories, along with my necklace I got from Ryan for my birthday that says r & e on it. They are subtle reminders of what is the most important to me and how much love fills my life.

Any trends you tried and regretted? Oh way too many, although I don’t necessarily regret too many of them. Looking back on pictures throughout my adolescence can be kind of embarrassing, but I remember absolutely loving those same outfits at the time so I don’t think that I can actually regret wearing them. I guess the one trend that never really fit me, but that I tried a few times were the shirts with the brand written in large ostentatious fonts of the front. While these shirts work for other people and are sometimes really soft, they just were not my style and the trend for me didn’t last too long.

Anything you absolutely won’t wear? I believe that my body is a wonderful gift from my Heavenly Father and I want to show my respect for Him, myself, and the covenants I have made by maintaining standards of modesty. While many of the immodest trends and styles promote fashionable and cute clothing, I choose not to wear them because of my personal beliefs.

Do you have an overall fashion philosophy? I guess my philosophy would be that my clothing should reflect who I am and my values and I should feel comfortable in it. Never comprise who you are for an outfit. I believe in trying new things, but also staying true to myself. So, while an outfit may be incredibly cute, if I don’t feel comfortable in it, I won’t wear it. Instead, enhance the best parts of you. Oh and I also believe that it is always better to be overdressed rather than underdressed.

+ t h a n k s // e m i l e e 

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+ s t a y // g o l d