Check out some awesome shirts and accessories we like!  They are a great way share faith and still look fashionable!

"They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint."

From the creator of this shirt: “I really wanted the Slub Fabric to act & feel like an Eagles wing. So very soft & textured like feathers. Yet I wanted to keep it simple in regards to application & technique so the art & scripture wouldn’t get lost in the piece.”

"Whoever lives and believes in Me will never die."

Brothers in Christ, this shirt is a beauty!

A great conversation starter!

Baptism Bracelet

Beautifully handmade!

Above, we featured items from:

http://1kingww.com/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PureRoxFaith

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColorsOfFaithJewelry

We’ll continue to share more finds with you!

Here is a cute outfit with mint green shoes from Le Bunny Bleu:

However, in society today there tends to be an obsession with consumerism, buying as much as possible to fit the model of a healthy person. Media outlets try hard to convince us that happiness equates a brand new television, a brand new e-reader, that one perfect pair of shoes, and so on.

Most people can see right through these ads but still fall for them because quite frankly they are effective (after all, advertising wouldn’t be a multi-billion dollar industry if ads weren’t effective). It’s easy to fall prey to wanting that new pair of shoes after being stuck in a train with pictures of the shoes worn by amazingly happy people, or watching ad after ad after ad of happy shoppers piling their shopping carts high as if moderation and money are foreign concepts.

Living out of these fantastic worlds that ads model, yet desiring the very things that seem to make these people happy is a challenge many young people have to face so here are practical ways to keep a tight reign on your bank account this holiday.

1. Budget: If you’re making a holiday list, don’t write down just the perfect gift for Uncle Tom, write down the perfect price and only allow yourself to go a certain limit above that ($5 for example. So if you have decided to only spend $30 on Uncle Tom’s gift and you find a great golf set for $32, you can still buy it without ruining your budget)

2. Leave the debit card at home: Only use credit cards or preferably cash to shop; that way you physically limit the amount of money you spend (if you take money) and the immediate damage done to your bank account (if you take credit cards).

3. Think in practical terms: Don’t look at a $100 pair of shoes and think of how gorgeous they are. Instead ask yourself, “How many times will I have the opportunity to wear this?” “What is $100 in terms of food?” “How many stock options can I buy for $100?” “How many books?” “How many hours would I have to work to make back $100?” Instead of looking at money as just figures, change it to something practical so that you know exactly how much you’re exchanging for that pair of shoes. 6 meals? 4 books? 5 hours at work? etc.

4. Go with a sensible friend who can keep you grounded and ask you hard questions such as “do you really need a glass jar for cookies when you can’t even bake?”

5. Practice the old un-named rule of walking away. If you really want something you didn’t specifically budget for, try walking away from it for about thirty minutes, coming back and deciding if you still want it or can do without.

6. For really unique fashion finds, go to small local stores instead of huge department stores and find the ‘discount’ stores around you that carries the same basics as other stores.

7. Avoid online shopping for clothes. If you must, read reviews. Make sure there is contact information and that you are 100% sure what you’re buying is what you’ll be receiving. Surprisingly, online shopping is perfect for jewelry as they tend to be cheaper online but make sure you do research before buying anything online.

8. Finally, for those times between seasons when you’re changing your entire wardrobe, look for outlets around you which would have the same outfits and accessories at much cheaper prices.

A few great gifts that either save money or go a longer way than a box of chocolates or a pair of new heels; give your friend tickets to a movie she wants to see and go with her, compile a list of books by your favorite authors and give them to him, invite everyone to your place and have a big fun potluck dinner or cook for them, give them a bible with useful prayers and promises highlighted or tab’d out, or take your secret santa out to dinner and listen to them (that’s a gift everyone wants!) let them talk about whatever, ask genuine questions about their lives, hope and ambitions for the coming year, and just be there for them.

The holidays can be a time when your bank account takes a downward dive, but it can also be a time when you practice smart shopping, and giving gifts your friends and relatives will remember for a long time.

Happy Holidays!

Short Boots (photo:shopstyle.com)

Fall and Winter means boots!!! Short, tall, knee length, wedge boots, thigh highs and everything in-between. Boots are the perfect (and somewhat necessary) shoes for the season, but how do you choose which one to buy? Here are a few things to consider;

Tall Boots (photo:overstock.com)

1. Comfort vs. Style: How high are the boots you have in mind? Are the padded on the insides or do you feel the hard sole through the interior of the boots? Getting a pair of stylish boots doesn’t necessarily mean forgoing the comfort and warmth you need but it is important to make sure whatever you buy is comfortable because chances are you’ll be wearing them for many hours. Look for boots that are lined on the inside and have layers of lining, not just a thin piece of leather over rubber soles.

2. Color: Prints may be in fashion this season but you don’t want to go all out when buying boots. Stick to something classic that you can wear to work, class, and semi-formal occasions next year and the year after that. Avoid pale grey boots that look faded and if you don’t want to wear classic black boots try going for mauve or deep brown shades.

3. Fit: When trying on your boots remember that you’ll most likely be wearing them with socks or leg warmers so you don’t want to get your exact size, getting something a half size larger or wider will help accommodate thick socks you may want to wear inside your boots.

Knee Boots (photo:fashion-withstyle.com)

4. Trimmings: Pull on, laces, zips, combinations? What kind of trimmings are you comfortable with. If you’ll need a pair that you can just slip into, then you may want to consider boots with zips, on the other hand if you don’t want to deal with having to zip up things (or worse, broken zippers) you may consider pull-ups, etc.

Thight Boots (photo:shoeblog.com)

5. Price: A sensible price range for any pair of decent boots is between $30- $100. Of course you can go above or below that, but as always never buy the first pair you see, google it, search other stores, look for discounts and make sure the price you’re paying is one that you can afford and will get your money’s worth from.

Wedge Boots (photo:intheircloset.com)

(photo:myloveisgrowing.com) Form many looks this season with an Eternity scarf

It’s getting colder and Christmas is almost here!!! With the joy of the holiday season comes having to dress up warmly without looking like an overburdened snowman. So here are a few tips on holiday clothing, what to wear and what to avoid.

1. You can definitely experiment with wearing festive colors this season. Cute sweaters with reindeer and snowmen daringly sipping hot chocolate can be paired with warm stockings and long boots. Just avoid paring red and green items so you don’t get mistaken for wrapping paper.

2. Keeping warm without overbundling seems to be a lot easier this fall. Try wearing fleece-lined or spandex materials which generate body heat and keep you warm.

3. Also invest in a sturdy practical made out of wool or like material which you can wear on days when it gets a lot colder

4. Finally an eternity scarf made out of wool which is long enough and versatile enough to be worn in many styles abs still keep you warm is an absolute necessity, a lot better than flimsy alternatives. If however you can’t find that definitely ensure that whatever scarves and gloves you invest in are made of wool which  will keep you warm.

Enjoy the season!

Kim Kardashian sports an upscale casual look (photo: Denim Blog)

Most young ladies aren’t sure what to wear to church on Sunday or Saturday depending on the church in question. Do you dress up? Is it more laid-back? Will dressing up make you more focused on how you look instead of God? Is dressing casual not showing respect for God? Etc…

While there are no set rules on how to dress for church (they vary dependent on the congregation and church’s aura), it comes down to your attitude and beliefs. If you want to dress-up to honor the fact that you are going into God’s “house” that’s fine. If you want to dress casual in order to keep our focus on hearing from God before going to church and not pre-occupied with how you look, that’s also fine.

As in a lot of Christian principles, it boils down to your attitude and thoughts towards it. It also depends on your comfort level and what type of service you’re going to. Most young people don’t get the chance to dress up everyday so Sundays, when they’re going to the house of the Lord, are a pretty good time to don on heels and dressy outfits.

However, you also don’t want to be ‘over dressed’ and call too much attention to yourself instead of focusing on the sermon. If you’re attending a sermon in a regular church or an informal youth group meeting, you can also dress semi-casual with dress pants or a medium length skirt, a cute or formal top and either flats or medium length heels. A purse to put your bible, notebook, phone etc., in is also essential.

The general idea is to look presentable and keep in mind that you’re going to learn more about God, so don’t sweat it and just remember what kind of congregation you’re going to be learning with on that Sunday. If it’s casual, be casual and if it’s more formal take the opportunity to dress up a little bit just remember, your focus should be on your purpose for going to church and not on what everyone else is wearing.

This season going back in time is in with the 50's mid-length skirts. This is a smart and savy look for any fashion fan! (photo: Splurgerina.com)

(photo:lizziealamode.blogspot.com)

(photo:alibaba.com)

Fall Fashion Trends: Colorful Pants and Tights!

Most people see Fall as preparation for Winter blues.  Fall fashion is often rather dreary, full of greys, coal shades, and other dark colors. However, this Fall one popular fashion trend is colorful pants and tights!

Pants and tights in brilliant colors such as red, orange, jade green, etc. can be paired with simple chic dresses, long tops and even worn underneath coats. Also try wearing tights in multiple colors, or different dark colored shades in large vertical stripes.

Things to note when wearing tights include:

- In the Fall, the weather is (obviously) cold and it’s important to get tights that are lined inside. Those ensure that you don’t freeze over while walking around in the cold. You can also try ‘doubling’ tights; wear the cool, colored pair of tights over a pair of black spandex tights which will keep you warm and also not ruin the color/ shape of your outer pair of tights.

- An incredible fashion ‘no-no’ (and also a basic decency ‘no-no’) is to wear see through tights with underwear lines showing (panty lines). Not only is that indecent, having underwear lines peeking out from tights makes any outfit seem tacky and definitely un-stylish. So, when you wear tights try to wear underwear that won’t show lines, such as boy shorts, unlined underwear, etc.

-Tights look really brilliant underneath simple dresses, long shirts, etc. If you wear a short top over a pair of tights, also have a long cardigan to enhance the simple outfit or a long wrap cardigan which also enhances the outfit.

- You can also wear long knee-length socks over tights to add a fun chic essence to your outfit.

In conclusion, colorful pants and tights are a major trend this season, but can also be carried over to next season if you stick to basic colors (reds, dark blues, etc) which match your fashion style. But as always, experiment with your outfits and make sure whatever you decide to wear is ‘you,’ decent, and makes you feel confident and comfortable.

Enjoy the fall!!!

(L -R photos: 2modern, bluefly, red carpet fashion)

Fall is here and finally fashion is back in fashion! A key fashion trend for this fall is Prints.

Known as ‘Ankara’ in its native Yoruba language (or ‘ethnic  prints’ if they are made outside of Africa) prints are the new black. Whether in snazzy sophisticated patterns as in Ankara, or in bright beautiful colors as in the Ghanian kinte, or even in dark leopard spots and colorful ambience patterns, prints are everywhere.

The key to wearing prints properly is to pair them with other outfits based on the brightest/ dominant color in the print’s pattern. So pair a bright orange pastel print top with dark blue jeans and flat shoes or a leopard print dress with plain black shoes. If you want to be more daring try mixing large stripes with tiny dark leopard prints or a dull orange jacket with a leopard print camisole.

No matter how you chose to wear prints remember experimentation is key. Don’t just try to reproduce the fashion trend the same way everybody does, be daring! Accessorize and have fun!

(photo:SkorInc) Christian artist Natalie Grant exhibits fashion that holds beyond the phase of a season

The Difference Between Fashion and Style

You probably have looked into windows and scoffed at the prices listed, “$200 for a coat! That’s ridiculous!” However, there is a difference between just buying what’s in style now and buying stylish pieces that will last for ages and can be used over and over  as basic pieces for your wardrobe.

If you only shop for items that are trendy and in season, by the next season you’ll be left with jeans that went out of style last year, and other outfits you won’t want to wear for fear of rocking last season’s wears.

You can however, shop for clothes that look good on you and can be worn with slight alterations every season.

Some examples of fashion icons whose looks change in line with the ‘hippest’ fashion: mainstream artists such as Cassie and Rihanna. Some examples of style: First Lady, Michelle Obama, and Kate Middleton.

The problem with buying clothes that are well made and will last for a while is that they are expensive, so the trick is to scour stores (online and in person) when looking for classic pieces such as fall coats, and to buy such items in colors which are versatile and can be worn with anything, no matter the season, a black sweater for example.

So remember, when shopping try to find items that are not just in fashion, but items that you won’t mind wearing a year from now when a different item is in style, because it suits you and is stylish as opposed to just being in fashion.

Fashion changes every season, while style looks good no matter what season it is.

Actress Raven Symone arrives at the Teen Choice Awards in Los Angeles August 7, 2011. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT)

Scenario: The guy you like finally asked you out! You’re extremely excited to go out with him and a few other friends, to have fun somewhere nice and safe. New problem: What do you wear? As christian young ladies we know the boundaries of dating and interacting with guys. Here are a few ways to make sure what we wear on a date enforces those boundaries while presenting you in a positive light.

First, dress for the occasion. If you’re going to a fun dinner at a casual restaurant, you can choose to wear jeans and a cute top or another outfit based on your personal style (check out the article on how to determine your personal fashion style here).

Pick an outfit out in advance. This seems a little over the top, but it’s better to already know what you’re going to wear to avoid tossing out clothes in a panic a few minutes before your date.

Take a jacket or scarf with you. If the whether is really hot, you can keep a very light drape cardigan folded in your purse. By having a jacket or scarf with you, you ensure that in the event of spills, smudges or stains, you will have something to cover them up.

Ensure that what you wear is comfortable for you. Confidence is everything. It’s worth more than the latest pair of Manolos, and it’s certainly an essential trait of a woman who knows she belongs to God! You want to wear something that makes you feel confident enough to concentrate on your date and not on making sure your outfit isn’t slipping, rising up or won’t stop your circulation.

Don’t wear anything low cut, strapless, backless, or having too many straps.  Avoiding clothes like that also make sure that the guy is focused on you and not on your clothes or what’s beneath them. Remember the bible extends the definition of lust (and adultery) to the things we think. You want your date to be thinking about you in pure, wholesome ways and not committing adultery in his mind because of your outfit. (You also want your date to be thinking things like “wow she’s so smart” not “wow that’s an interesting dress”)

Unless you are going somewhere upscale, try to wear makeup that makes you appear as natural as possible. If your date asked you out, knowing the way you look and dress, then you probably don’t have to go overboard with makeup to look different or better. If the date is somewhere upscale or formal, use very minimal makeup, don’t go overboard mixing too many colors or using too much of any item.

Finally, the most important thing to wear on a date is a smile! While the idea behind a date is to spend some time alone (or with other friends) with a guy, in order to learn more about him and eventually decide if you want to be in a relationship with him. It’s essential also for you to have fun, laugh and just be yourself!