black again

January 14, 2015

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On Wednesdays, I wear black. I’m not much of a pink girl at all so my alternative: black. I do dress girlier than some(my sister) but you will hardly ever catch me in pink. This year, black is the new black. Or atleast that is what I think. When asked my favorite color, I’ve started to say black because I wear it more than I should and always find myself buying more and more black. So, today I decided to share with you an outfit, consisting of nothin’ but black!

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Styling an outfit with one color is super simple, especially when done with black. I typically never wear all of one color but I’ll make an exception for my favorite color. I wore this black leather jacket from Forever 21 that I got a few years back. It has held up great and makes me feel cooler than I actually am. Under my leather jacket I wore a simple scoop neck black t-shirt from Old Navy(only 6 bucks!). If you are ever looking for plain shirts to layer with, Old Navy is your place. I finished the outfit with black jeggings from American Eagle and black combat boots from TjMaxx. This outfit is comfy, casual, and edgy without looking like you hate the world. I highly recommend you add some more black to your closet, you won’t be disappointed.

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To accesorize this outfit, I only needed one thing: a baseball cap. Besides watches, hats are my favorite accessory, especially on bad hair days ladies. This baseball cap is from Target and it is actually red and black buffalo plaid, and I’m in L O V E. Anyway, this is a perfect winter time baseball hat and it matches anything and everything black! Well, that’s it for this week fashionistas, check black next week for a new post- xoxo, Julia

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Black Leather Jacket(similar) + Black t-shirt + Black Jeggings + Black Combat Boots(similar) + Buffalo Plaid Baseball Cap

>>>Nicole Ciolino Photography

let’s be fair isle

January 4, 2015

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Happy Sunday y’all! I’m finally blogging again after a few crazy weeks of traveling, celebrating Christmas, and ringing in the new year! I hope y’all had as much fun as me. Well now that Christmas is over and the cold winter months are upon us, it’s time to bundle up and hit the books, school is just around the corner. hah. Wow life moves too fast and I’m not ready for this break to be over. However, I am looking forward to beginning my student teaching career. So today, I decided to share with you an outfit that is a little more work appropriate but will still keep you warm and stylish during these 30 degree days we have been having lately!

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Life is not fair isle. I mean seriously, school just ended and we have to go back already? Okay I’ll stop my rant. This sweater’s pattern is called fair isle if you haven’t caught on and it is my all time favorite winter pattern. I love the vintage look of it and how festive it is, even after the holidays! We haven’t gotten to see any snow this year so why not wear it?! Anyway, I own so many things in this pattern and it’s a great pattern to wear all winter long! I paired this gray fair isle sweater from H&M with these dark khaki skinnies from Old Navy(leggings so they are comfy but work appropriate, woot woot). I finished the outfit by adding these tall chestnut riding boots. I thought it added a bit of prep to the outfit and I liked the contrast of browns together with the gray in the sweater.

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When your on the run and headed to work, accessorizing isn’t always an option. Just make sure you have a cute purse and outfit and that’s all you need. I wore my all time favorite bag, this dark red tote from Charming Charlie’s that was only 45 dollars! They have it in a few other colors as well! Well that’s all folks, have a blessed Sunday & a great week!

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Fair Isle Sweater(similar) + Khaki Jeggings + Chestnut Riding Boots + Dark Red Tote

>>>Nicole Ciolino Photography

vest wishes

December 23, 2014

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Can you believe that Christmas is in two days? Because I can’t. I’m not ready to give up all the things that make this time of year so special(binge christmas movie watching, shopping for others, family and friends coming home for the holidays, and especially, growing closer to God and remembering what is really important about Christmas day. I love the music, the lights, the colors, and the memories made around this time of year. I’m not ready for it all to be over which explains my rant. Anyway, hope you have a wonderful Christmas and remember what’s important! Because the holidays kind of take over and leaves me little time to blog, I thought I’d share with you one last look before Christmas. This look was created with the centerpiece being the vest.

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I came across this navy striped vest at TjMaxx earlier this fall and was so excited. It is the exact replica of the JCrew vest that is over 100 dollars. It seriously matches it perfectly, even the pockets! & to top it off, it was only 34.99! Thank you Tj. I have worn this vest with several different pieces underneath, mostly nudes/whites. However, today I decided to change it up and give the vest more contrast. Since it was also chilly out I decided to go for a sweater as the first layer. This mustard yellow quilted sweater from Old Navy is one of my favorite finds this year. It is a great color and it’s warm, comfy, and cute! I have always loved navy and yellow together, they compliment each other well and the yellow sweater went great with the gold detailing on the vest. I finished off the outfit with some jean jeggings that I rolled up to show off my shoes. I wore these lace up boots from Target that aren’t so girly which I like about them. I love dressing girly but I also love mixing styles and I like to add something more worn in and casual to outfits from time to time. These boots completed the look I was going for and I love this outfit because it’s more colorful than what I usually wear.

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To accessorize, I added my gold/tan wrapped watch that coordinated well with my shoes. I then added a layered creme/gold bracelet on top of the watch to add some girl to the look. The vest was an accessory in itself which is a super easy way to stay warm and accessorize! Well I’m off to do some last minute Christmas shopping in downtown Dallas for the day! A pitstop at Sprinkles and RiffRaff might just happen! I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas and enjoys time with family and friends(and Jesus of course!). Vest wishes,

XOXO, Julia

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Navy Striped Vest(similar) + Mustard Quilted Sweater + Jean Jeggings + Tan Boots(similar) + Fossil Gold Wrapped Watch + Layered Bracelet(similar)

>>>Nicole Ciolino Photography

pat(turn) up

December 17, 2014

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On Wednesdays, I wear patterns. It’s been awhile since I’ve done some pattern mixing so I figured it was time! I love polka dots and stripes separately but when you put them together, I love them even more. If your are experiencing the weirdest warm winter like we are in Texas, then you know how hard it is to figure out something to wear that still looks wintery but doesn’t make you sweat. Well layering is your friend ladies! Scarves and jackets are so easy to take on and off and they are great accessories! For today’s look, I mixed different patterns and colors together that might not typically go together but I wanted to go a little crazy! Style is something we have that makes us unique and we can do with it what we want, so why not experiment and have a little fun with patterns!

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To create this look, I started with this creme and navy striped sweater. I love oversized sweaters, especially striped ones! I added this chestnut polka dot scarf that I got from Charming Charlie’s recently! It goes with almost everything and it’s polka dot so I’m not complaining. It was a little chilly out so I added this army green suede jacket that I found at Ross several years ago! It was only 10 dollars but it looks expensive(Ross is where I find hidden treasures, but trust me you have to dig). Army green is a color that can pretty much go well with any other color and I love it for that. I finished the outfit with my typical jean jeggings and chestnut riding boots.

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Since I added a jacket and scarf, I went light on the accessorizing and just wore a few rings. Scarves are the best because they are both practical and cute. They are like a comfy, warm necklace! & I know, don’t freak out but I didn’t wear a watch. How will I ever know what time it is? Hah. I guess I was in a rush to get out the door! This outfit is great for a long day of shopping because it’s comfortable, cute, and you can take off layers when you are doing your cardio(shopping). Only 8 days til Christmas people! Lots of Christmas shopping and parties to get ready for! Time to cram in as much hot chocolate, gift wrapping, Christmas movie watching, cookie eating, and Christmas music as possible!

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Army Green Jacket(similar) + Creme/Navy Striped Sweater(similar) + Jeggings + Chesnut Riding Boots + Polka-Dot Scarf + Gold Rings(similar)

>>>Nicole Ciolino Photography

fur real.

December 12, 2014

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I’m fur real when I say today is the best Friday ever! Wanna know why? Okay, I’ll tell you! I am done with my fall semester starting today and I get to do a little r&r for an entire month. Praise Jesus, literally it’s almost his bday. Anyway, yay because I’m starting a big chapter in my life next semester, I’m officially a student teacher! Woot woot. Anyway, enough about my boring life! Read on and learn about how I channeled my inner Gatsby with a little fur & a whole lot of sass.

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The centerpiece of this outfit was obviously this fun fur vest. I’ve got a collection of fur vests accumulating in my closet and I’m not ashamed. This one is one of my faves because of the color and length. I love wearing whites in the winter and I love how long it is compared to most vests. When I realized how great this floppy hat matched the fur vest, I about cried. It was screaming Gatsby and with a few additions, the look was complete. I found this blue shirt dress at Old Navy a few months back and I am so glad I did. I love shirt dresses and especially the color of this one. It contrasted well against the whites in the rest of my outfit. Then I finished the outfit with my chestnut riding boots to keep it classy.

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To accessorize this outfit, the key component was this feathered floppy hat from my favorite boutique, RiffRaff. It is so fun and makes a big statement, which I like to do from time to time. I added a brown cross body bag to tie in with my shoes and the feathers in my hat. Then I finished my accessorizing with a layered gold/creme bracelet that gave the outfit it’s final Gatsby touch. & of course some berry lip stain to finish it off.

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Have a fab weekend,

xoxo- Julia

>>>Nicole Ciolino Photography

Don’t hold a grunge.

December 5, 2014

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It’s Friday, Friday, gotta get grunge on friday. Alright I probably just lost your respect. I take it back. But really, I love Fridays and I love dressing cooler than I am. Hence this outfit. Grunge is not something you will always find me gravitating towards(it’s more of my sister’s thing) but I love to experiment with my wardrobe and do something out of my comfort zone that isn’t typical Julia attire. I honestly remember saying a few years back how I would not be caught dead in camo. I always thought of camo as red neck and for hunting only, but within the past year, I have grown to love it. It is up there in my top favorite patterns now with cheetah, stripes, and polka dots! I think what I like most about it is that it includes neutral colors that go with almost everything.

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To get this grunge look, I started with this Hello Friday graphic tee from Target. This tee is simple but I love the font and of course what it says. I then added this camo button up because it coordinated with the neutral colors of the tee. To keep the grunge theme alive I wanted to wear some ripped boyfriend jeans. I love these pants! I actually got them from Francescas awhile back and they are the best casual jeans. Now let’s talk about these boots. They are life changing and from none other than Target!! They are first of all comfy, and they are the best color. If combat boots and oxfords had a baby, it would look like this shoe! I’m loving this camel color this winter because it looks good with literally anything. I also like to style these boots with crew socks, socks need more attention every now and then. Anyway, these shoes were meant to be with this outfit!

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To top off the grunge look, I added my new favorite beanie. I never thought I would own a slouchy beanie until now. This beanie has the perfect amount of slouch(what a weird word). I also love the light heather grey color of it! I got this beanie from Charming Charlie’s and they have several other colors in this same style. Its a knitted beanie that almost reminds me of a sweater because of its patterns. I bought all of these items at different times but when I put them together, it was like a match made in fashion heaven. The beanie matched perfectly with my graphic tee and it also went great with camo. The beanie was my favorite part of this outfit because it really solidified the grunge look. To keep it grunge and not so girly, I stayed away from almost all jewelry. I did however add some simple pieces like my gold/tan wrapped Fossil watch and a few gold rings to add even more edge.

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I now challenge you to add some grunge into your life, you won’t regret it! Have a wonderful weekend my fellow fashionistas!

Camo Button-up(similar) + Hello Friday Graphic Tee(similar) + Ripped Boyfriend Jeans(similar) + Camel Lace-up Boots(similar) + Heather Grey Beanie + Fossil Gold/Tan Watch + Gold Rings

>>>Nicole Ciolino Photography

plaiditude

December 1, 2014

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HELLO D E C E M B E R!! It’s officially Christmas time ladies & gentleman! So long turkeys, pumpkins, and too much pie & hello Christmas music, peppermint mochas, cookies, Christmas decor & of course, plaid! I feel like every year I fall more and more in love with plaid and never have enough of it. My favorite way to wear plaid is with flannels. They are super warm, comfy, and look great on anyone! You can wear them buttoned up, or unbuttoned and layered! I know people do flannel friday, but I think everyday deserves some flannel & of course plaid!

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Today’s look was inspired by this plaid flannel. It reminded me of winter and has the lumberjack look so I decided combat boots were a must. I love how casual this outfit is. It is also super simple and I’m sure you have these items in your own closet! It’s perfect for a day out Christmas shopping when you don’t have time to pick out an outfit but want to wear something that looks somewhat put together. All I did was pair the flannel and combat boots with holy boyfriend jeans. I thought the jeans finished off the look because they are worn and gave the outfit an extra touch.

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Accessories for this outfit were easy and I kept it simple. I wore a chestnut cross body bag that tied in with the combat boots. This purse is from Tory Burch and it’s one of my few designer bags. It might be small but it holds the necessities and doesn’t feel like you are carrying around a suitcase. I added some touches of gold with this gold and tortoise fossil watch and a short arrow necklace. I didn’t want to add any accessories that were too girly or dressy because I wanted to go for more of a lumberjack chic look. Yes that’s a thing, or I just made it a thing.

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Well I’m sure you’ve plaid enough of me, hope your monday is a little less like a monday & remember, only 25 days til CHRISTMAS!

P.S. Today is not just any monday, it’s Cyber Monday and here are a few of my favorite deals:

Old Navy: 40% off everything(my flannel and jeans from this outfit are on sale!!)

Gap: 40% off everything

Kendra Scott: 15% off everything

RiffRaff: 50% off everything

Grab your laptops and get your Christmas shopping done right ladies!!

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Plaid Flannel + Boyfriend Jeans + Chesnut Combat Boots(similar) + Tory Burch Crossbody Bag + Fossil Gold Watch + Arrow Necklace(similar)

>>>Nicole Ciolino Photography

shopaholic.

November 24, 2014

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The first step to recovery is acceptance. Fine, I accept that I have a shopping problem. I admit that I am a shopaholic and that I do indeed shop a little(a lot) too much. How do I plan on overcoming this problem you might ask, I’ll have to go do some retail therapy and get back to you. While my shopping problem might make my bank account sad, it sure does make my closet happy. It’s a good thing I don’t have expensive taste so I at least can work off what I spend…most of it. hah. I know you are probably thinking, wow this girl has real issues. Well yes, I know thank you very much I already admitted to that in the sentences above, no need to rub it in. While this might seem like a dumb way to spend my money(which yes, it kind of is), it’s my way of expressing myself. My style is what makes me unique and shopping for new ways to express myself is my favorite thing to do. If shopping is my one bad habit, I think I’m okay(emphasis on think).

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As you’ve heard, I like shopping. So when I came across this hilariously cute graphic tee at TjMaxx, I pulled out my debit card and didn’t look back. While I try to workout once a day, I still haven’t fully developed a burning passion to sweat. On the other hand, my burning passion for shopping is never going away(sorry future husband). Anyway, This graphic tee is my life summed up in a shirt and I don’t think I could have said it better myself. I styled the tee with this polka-dotted blazer from RiffRaff, hands down, my all time favorite boutique. A new RiffRaff just opened in Dallas, stop what you are doing and go there, now! I kept it casual with these light washed boyfriend jeans and nude ballet flats.

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To add to the outfit, I accessorized with a long necklace and layered gold/nude bracelets. I added some color to my neutral outfit with my wine red tote that I love oh so much. As for the shoes, these are the best 8 dollars I’ve ever spent(yep 8 dollars, thank you Target). These bow ballet flats are the most comfy shoe I own and I love them for that. They can be dressed up or down and they pretty much match everything. Target has this color and about five other colors of this shoe and I highly recommend you get some! I think they even have cheetah! Well now that you know about my shopping problem and I know I have one, I just have to say one last thing courtesy of tswift,

{shoppers gonna shop, shop, shop, shop, shop}

p.s. hope everyone has a wonderful thanksgiving full of all things to be thankful for. I’ll be spending it with food & family in Arkansas for the week! Check back next week for a new post comin your way!

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Polka-Dot Blazer(similar) + Shopping is My Cardio Graphic Tee(similar) + Boyfriend Jeans(similar) + Nude Bow Flats + Wine Red Tote + Layered Bracelet(similar)

>>>Nicole Ciolino Photography

Invested

November 19, 2014

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I am fully invested in vests this time of year. As we layer up during the cooler temps, vests are a must. Not only are they practical and warm, but they are also adorable! I also love that they don’t hide your outfit, but rather they make it complete. With jackets and coats, you can’t really see what is underneath, but with vests, the rest of your outfit isn’t hidden. I am a big fan of puffer vests and quilted vests because they actually keep you warm. Warning: after reading this post you might feel the urge to go buy a vest. Please check bank account before proceeding…

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This vest is the vest of all vests. It includes all the things I love: black, creme, gold, & pockets. The pattern is a whole other story. I’ve seen this vest everywhere, especially on Pinterest, which has about a million different ways to style it. This vest is from JCrew which is why it is so beautiful. It’s also one of the only things I own from JCrew because broke. The only reason I have this beaut is because it was a gift from my parents for my 22nd birthday(thanks mom&dad). Anyway, Christmas is around the corner so put this on your wish list, it is the Regina George of vests. Like I said before, Pinterest provides about 100 different ways to style this exact vest, ranging from flannels to sweaters, and of course mixing it with other fun patterns. For this outfit, I decided to stick with a simple sweater so that the vest would stand out. I styled it with a a berry v-neck sweater and jeggings. I wore my tall chestnut riding boots that I wear almost everyday in the winter.

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This vest is an accessory in itself. The gold detailing of the zipper makes the need for accessories not so needed. I know I am always all about accessorizing as much as possible, but sometimes, I make exceptions. For this outfit, the only accessory I really wore was a watch of course. Sometimes, when I am in a rush and have no time to accessorize, I throw on a watch and call it a day. Accessories aren’t limited to necklaces and watches. Sometimes, even something like sunglasses can add something extra to an outfit to make it complete. For this outfit, I wore my all time favorite sunglasses, these gold aviator Ray Bans that coordinated perfectly with the vest. I also wore my black & gold cross body Michael Kors bag that I found at TjMaxx a few years back. I wanted to let the vest be the main focus of the outfit & by adding some extra gold accessories, it made it complete.

Thanks for reading, vest wishes.

xoxo, Julia

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>>>Nicole Ciolino Photography

Holy Chic

November 12, 2014

chic

adjective

1. elegance and sophistication, especially of dress or manner.

2. a classy, sophisticated manner, much like Audrey Hepburn. it is classy, glamorous, without being flashy. its an element of class.

When I decided to start my own fashion blog, it took me awhile to decide on a name. I knew it had to be a pun, because what is funnier than a pun? Okay, I’m sure a lot, but for some reason, there’s nothing that makes me laugh more. I think if someone asked me what my talent was, about the only thing I know for sure is that I’m punny. Not necessarily funny, but definitely punny. Besides naming my blog something punny, I kept going back to the word chic. I loved the saying “Holy Chic” but it was obviously taken by someone cooler than me so I had to think of something else. When I think of my style and what I want it to be, the word chic I think sums it up. I want my style to be classy yet current and sophisticated yet fun(if that makes any sense). Atleast I aim to be as close to this as possible, which is why I decided on the name: Little Piece of Chic. I might not be a lot of chic, but at least a little.

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Well if you read any of the long paragraph above, you know that I love puns and chic. So when I came across this graphic tee, I about died. I mean seriously, can it be anymore perfect?? It’s like it was made for me, thanks Old Navy, you really know how to make a girl happy. Since I’ve bought this shirt, for super cheap might I add(it is only 10 dollars online right now!), I have worn it s ridiculous amount. I like to style it with camo, polka dots, stripes, and cheetah, like so. The simplicity of the shirt allows it to practically go with everything. I wanted to do the shirt justice and make my outfit as chic as possible. I wore the graphic tee with this cheetah sweater and paired it with some light washed boyfriend jeans that are about as holy as the shirt(get it? hah). I completed the look with my all time favorite black heeled booties.

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If you want to get your chic together, accessorize as much and as often as you can. It’s the little details that make an outfit complete. For this outfit, I wanted my accessories to coordinate with the neutral colors of my outfit. I wore one of my go to watches, this gold and tan wrapped watch from Fossil. I also wore my favorite gold rings that I got from Charming Charlie and Old Navy. One is an ampersand sign, cause I let my fingers do the talking & the other is a vintage “diamond” ring with gold detail. I love adding rings to any outfit(especially gold), it adds a little edge and it is a necessary accessory(say that 3 times fast). I didn’t wear any necklace or earrings with this outfit because I wanted to let the shirt stand on its own. I did however add something extra to the outfit with this nude/gold cross body bag that I love oh so much. I love any bag with a gold chain because it dresses up any outfit, giving it more of a night out on the town look. I also added some sunnies. These sunglasses were a little out of my comfort zone at first because they were so round and different from any I had worn before. However, I am loving them now! I think I like them because they feel very retro and I love anything and everything tortoise. They were also super cheap from Old Navy. Well that is all for now fellow fashionistas, check back later this week for a new post; exciting fall looks coming your way!

& Cheers to the long awaited cold weather, my closet has never been so happy!

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>>>Nicole Ciolino Photography

chic

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