After 5 in Just 5

Written by Juliane Torczon

Fearless Fashionista

Where do I start? I’m a Bakersfield native and style-obsessed shopaholic, writing to share my superficial obsession with you. Fashion isn’t something that came to me at a very young age. In fact, one could say I had absolutely no fashion sense at all for a very long while!

However, I’ve always had a fascination and a love for it. I still remember when I received my first Vogue and Vanity Fair magazines. My aunt would give me her magazines as soon as she got done reading them. I became enthralled—I didn’t know what it was about the magazines, but I would tear out pages that drew my attention. Whether it was the way the model posed, the makeup she was wearing, the clothes that were perfectly placed on her body, a bracelet she was wearing, or a chair she was sitting on, I would hold onto that picture and place it in an ever-growing folder. Since that point, I have replaced the random folder that had zero organization and created fashion scrapbooks (these make great coffee table books, by the way).

During junior high all my friends got to shop at the “cool stores” like Charlotte Russe, Contempo, Miller’s Outpost, and Forever 21 because they were fitting into the junior sizes. I still had to shop in the kids section because I couldn’t fit into those sizes yet. I started altering my clothes to fit in with trends that were not yet available to me. Once, I saw an eye-catching pair of acid-wash jeans in Teen Vogue. Of course, all of the stores I shopped at didn’t have them, so I was forced to figure out how to make them myself. I took a pair of jeans and put what seemed like a gallon of bleach into the washing machine. Next, I put red dye into the washer (sorry again, Mom) and voilà—my very own pair of purple acid-wash jeans. Purple? I wore them anyway, very proudly I might add. That began my “I don’t care what people think about my fashion” attitude.

I have since refined my style from acid-wash jeans and pink rain boots (another story for another time) to what I like to call simple, monochromatic, modern classic style. I gravitate toward black, white, and gray—my closet is color-coordinated and those three sections are abundantly filled. I really have to step out of my comfort zone when I buy colors. Just recently, however, I fully dove into this year’s trend color: honeysuckle. Seriously, this color looks great on every skin tone! I digress. I do have some fashion tips.

1. Never underestimate what a good pair of heels and beautiful, but not necessarily pricey, jewelry can do for any outfit.

2. There’s nothing better than finding a great fitting t-shirt and pair of jeans.

3. When building a wardrobe, begin with must-have basics (leather jacket, a black blazer, black heels, etc.) before you go crazy and buy a hot pink dress that you will wear only once.

4. Mix and match! Right now is a fun time in fashion. Fashionistas everywhere are mixing different patterns, different eras of fashion, and so on, which brings me to the next tip.

5. Weed your closet as often as you can. Throw away that vest that you keep hoping is going to come back in style. Yes, it is true styles are cyclical; however, they never come back in the same way. Each time a certain look comes back, it’s reinvented. Holding on to those items might get you a spot on the next Hoarders episode.

For my first article, I wanted to do something that women everywhere can relate to. And that’s the “utilitarian” movement. People are reveling in the fact that you can wear one article of clothing many different ways and throughout many seasons. The most versatile articles of clothing are “body conscious” aka “bandage” dresses and skirts. These dresses and skirts are essentially made to look good on every figure, from those that are more curvy like Kim Kardashian, to those that are more slender like Kate Moss. With the correct styling, “body con” skirts can be worn during the day or to the office. This time I chose to pair my skirt with a loose-fitting top to balance out the look and give it a more casual feel. I then decided to wear light-colored heels that made the look a daytime one. If you wore this look to the office you might want to try a cargo jacket or a fitted blazer with a loose fitting t-shirt. The extreme opposites of a t-shirt and a blazer neutralizes the look so it’s not too dressy or too casual. I used minimal jewelry to play down the look so it wouldn’t be so formal. To add in the pop of color, I am using this bright hand bag to finish the look.

Now, with a few swift changes we can make this outfit into a sexy one for a night out. It’s time to show off that figure! First we switch out the bohemian (boho) loose-fitting top into a tight-fitting tank. One of this year’s hottest colors is a muted pink...and pink and grey look really great together. Body con dresses/skirts are made to show off the body, so you don’t want to wear anything too flashy that distracts from that. That’s why I chose this necklace that has muted-down colors: gold, pink, and grey. Next, to accentuate the waist, I used a black belt. With this black belt, I can now tie in my black suede pumps. I then trade out my big, colorful bag for a clutch. And done! With five small changes, you are now ready to take on the town without having to spend time picking out a completely new outfit.

Article appeared in our 28-4 Issue - October 2011