Style Crush Saturday: Chris Hemsworth

Style Crush:  Chris Hemsworth

Known For:  Acting, "Thor"

Style:  Masculine, Sleek, Conservative, Casual

This week's Style Crush is the swoon-worthy Chris Hemsworth.  Chris is a 30-year old Australian actor who is best known for his role as "Thor" in the movies Thor, The Avengers, and Thor:  the Dark World.  He grew up moving between Bulman, Australia (very rural with buffalo and crocodiles), and Melbourne, Australia (second most populated city in Australia), with his brothers Luke and Liam.  You could say he has some rugged, outdoors-man in him as well as sophisticated, city-boy.  Best of both worlds.  At the age of 21, Chris auditioned for Home and Away, a hit Australian soap opera.  Although, he did not get the role he originally auditioned for, he ended up getting called back to join the cast as another lead role.  He went on to appear in 184 episodes before leaving to pursue a career in the United States.  He landed his first American film role in the 2009 Star Trek as James T. Kirk's father.  In 2011, after impressing the Hollywood scene with his good looks and talents, Chris scored the role of his lifetime as Thor (beating out numerous up-and-coming actors, including his younger brother, Liam).  Since then, he has gone on to star in blockbusters, such as The Cabin in the Woods, Snow White and the Huntsman, Red Dawn, and Rush.

In spite of a booming career, around-the-world fame, and an ever-growing fan base, Chris is a strong, loyal family man.  He met Spanish actress/model Elsa Pataky in early 2010 through mutual representation.  The two instantly hit it off and married that December.  The happy couple had their first daughter India Rose in May, 2012.  They just announced that they are 3 months pregnant with their second child. Chris is very content with his work, but he admits his best accomplishment thus far is definitely being a father.  On the subject of fatherhood, Chris said,  "Being a father is certainly a task. But the best one that I could ever ask for. Being home, being with the family, that's what it's about"  (Daily Mail Reporter).  As if being insanely handsome and incredibly talented wasn't enough...sigh.  Juggling his fast-paced career and loving family, Chris is a very busy man.  On the red carpet, he always looks dapper and well-dressed, while casual and cool on his downtime.  Definitely a guys' guy.  Whether he's flexing his muscles on screen, turning heads at premieres and awards shows, or making jaws drop while out and about, Chris Hemsworth is a total hunk.  

Credits:  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Work Cited:  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Style Crush Saturday: Demi Lovato

Style Crush:  Demi Lovato

Known For: Singing, Acting, X-Factor Judging

Style:  Glamorous, Edgy,  Bold, Sexy

This week's Style Crush is the "Love is Louder than the Pressure to be Perfect" campaign creator Demi Lovato.  Demi Lovato is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist.  Demi grew up in Texas with two sisters, Dallas and Madison, and mom Dianna, a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.  Starting her showbiz career at the age of 10, Demi starred on Barney & Friends alongside Selena Gomez.  In 2008, Demi rose to stardom by having a recurring role on Disney Channel's As The Bell Rings and the lead role in Disney Channel's original movie Camp Rock with the Jonas Brothers.  The success aftershock of the movie gained Demi her first album, Don't Forget, and starring role on her own show Sonny with a Chance.  Since then, Demi has gone onto release 3 more albums Here We Go Again, Unbroken, and Demi, enter rehab and become a spokesperson for teens going through the same issues, become a judge on the hit TV show X-Factor, and is set to release her book Stay Strong: 365 Days a Year this November and a personal memoir in 2014.  

Known for her powerful, wide vocal range and love of music, Demi has said music is her true love while acting is more of a hobby.  Growing up having been bullied to the point of homeschooling and constant pressure to be stick thin and have the Barbie doll appearance for Hollywood, Demi went through some dark times.  Not letting the bullies, critics, and self-doubt have the last word, Demi came out on top and stronger than ever.  To never let herself forget her struggles she has overcome, Demi got personal tattoos featuring inspiring quotes and the words "Stay Strong" on her wrists.  Demi once said "My tattoos are reminders to hang in there when things get tough."  Starting a trend, teens going through similar struggles and insecurities have taken her lead and tattooed the same words to remind themselves "Love is Louder than the Pressure to be Perfect."  Demi became a contributing editor to Seventeen Magazine to further her campaign in raising awareness of bullying and how to accept yourself.  Not only do I love Demi's music and personal mission, I also love her unique style.  Demi is constantly evolving and taking fashion risks which are very inspiring and enjoyable to see.  Whether she is living out her dream or helping others achieve theirs, Demi keeps her head held high, while showing major bravery and grace.

Credits:  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Work Cited:  1, 2, 3

Style Crush Saturday: Zooey Deschanel

Style Crush:  Zooey Deschanel

Known For:  Acting, Singing, Songwriting

Style:  Vintage, Conservative, Girly

This week's Style Crush is the quirky Zooey Deschanel.  Zooey was born in LA into a showbiz family with her father being an Academy Award Nominated cinematographer and her mother and older sister being actresses.  Zooey knew she wanted to be an actress at a very young age and had a strong drive to achieve success.  At the age of 17, Zooey had her first big role on the sitcom "Veronica's Closet" and her first film role the following year.  By hard work and true talent, Zooey, now 33, has steadily gained recognition in the film industry as well as admiration as a musician.   Her older sister, Emily Deschanel, has also been very successful in the business being the star on the popular TV show Bones as the infamous Dr. Brennan.  Girl power!  Today, Zooey stars on her own TV show as the dorky-yet-lovable Jess Day on FOX's hit comedy New Girl.  In addition to her hit TV show, Zooey has starred in numerous blockbusters including Elf with Will Ferrell, Yes Man with Jim Carrey, (500) Days of Summer with Joseph Gordan-Levitt, and The Happening with Mark Wahlberg.

Well known for her deadpan-comedy style, big blue eyes, and dark, blunt bangs, it's no doubt Zooey is adorable.  If all that isn't enough, Zooey also has a memorable fashion style.  Wearing feminine dresses, conservative nylons, and colorful prints has created a unique style that has a vintage flare with a modern twist.  On her TV show, her character's wardrobe reflects her own personal style in an exaggerated way with thick framed glasses and funky pieces put together, but the outfits always have a touch of Zooey. The ensembles are never dull or predictable.  Her style reflects a youthful glow with a mature finish.  Whether Zooey is making us laugh or stunning us with her cuteness, she is a joy to watch on television and on the red carpet.  

Credits:  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Work Cited:  1, 2

Style Crush Saturday: Bella Thorne

Style Crush:  Bella Thorne

Known For:  Acting, Singing, Dancing, Modeling

Style:  Fun, Modest, Chic, Flirty

This week's Style Crush is Bella Thorne.  Bella Thorne is an American actress, dancer, singer, and model.  Bella first started her career very young as a child model.  After getting the taste of the spotlight and seeing her older siblings follow their dreams of acting, Bella dreamed of becoming an actress.  She has been in over 20 films and television series and over 40 commercials.  To date, Bella is best known for her co-starring role as CeCe Jones on Disney Channel's sitcom Shake It Up.  Zendaya (see Style Crush Saturday for July 20, 2013) is Bella's costar, as well as real life BFF.  For her hard work and dedication on the sitcom, Bella has gone on to win the Young Artists Awards' Best Performance in a TV Series Leading Young Actress in the category comedy or drama and Imagen Awards' Best Young Actress in the category of television.  

Even though Bella is a teenager, she has  a chic, sophisticated, and mature style.  Her style reputation is near flawless.  Bella's red hair and bangs are her trademark, but her classy dresses, slick suits, and cutting-edge street style speak volumes.  Not only do the main pieces pop, but Bella never misses an opportunity to accessorize.  She always adds a belt, bag, pair of heels, earrings, or sunglasses to give her outfits the perfect final touch.  Yes, Bella may be young, but she sure knows that fashion is what you buy; style is what you do with it.

Credits:  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Works Cited: 1, 2

My Style: Dr. Martens Special

Today's Look:  has multiple statement pieces, from the velvet-tiger sweatshirt, spiked backpack, white Dr. Martens, to the "Fearless" charm bracelet.  Today's outfit is special, because my brother, who is a professional photographer and videographer, is in town visiting.  He was the photographer of today's photo-shoot.  To start the look off, I chose my light gray, embellished sweatshirt and white-washed, charcoal skinny jeans.  Next, I chose my white leather boots, spiked backpack, and white/black, charm bracelet.  Since the outfit is edgy, I wore my hair in loose curls to soften the look.  Finishing off the outfit, I wore three rings, black stud earrings, and cat-eye sunglasses.

Outfit Details:  Top by Forever 21 (Tucson, Arizona), Pants by Express (Scottsdale, Arizona), Boots by Dr. Martens at choicestore.co.uk, Backpack by River Island at riverisland.com, Sunglasses at Forever 21, Bracelets by BCBGeneration at Dillard's (Prescott, Arizona), Rings and Earrings at Aeropostale (Tucson, Arizona). 

Fashion Tip:  If you're in the United States and considering buying Dr. Martens, it's somewhat of an ordeal.  Not only is it difficult to decide what color to pick, but it is also difficult to figure out what size to buy.  Dr. Martens come in so many different shapes, colors, and patterns, and only are sold in U.K. whole sizes. Even though so many funky options are out there, when buying Dr. Martens, I recommend going with a solid color in the classic cut.  I'd say red and black are the two most popular colors of the brand.  Now, with which shoe size to buy, it can be tricky.  I researched the comparisons of U.K. sizes to U.S. and came to the conclusion that the U.K. sizes are one below the U.S. sizes.  Therefore meaning, a U.K. 7 is equal to a  U.S. 8.  I am a 6-6.5 so I bought a U.K. 5 and it fits great.  Even if you order your boots online, I definitely recommend going into a local store to try on a pair, making sure you like the fit. 

Photography by Billy Stuckman 

Above, I included a collage I made of some color options for Dr. Martens. Shoes and photo links found here. 

  Emma Roberts      Behati Prinsloo      Jessica Alba       Miley Cyrus       Gwen Stefani

My Style: Boho Chic Maxi Dress

Today's Look:  is inspired by the effortless style of boho chic.   Boho chic is a female fashion trend that shows major bohemian and hippie influences.  My favorite boho chic icons include Kate Moss, Florence Welch, and Sienna Miller.  Since the dress can be either dressy or casual, I paired it with a cut-off, light-denim vest, a brown suede, fringe purse, and thong gladiator sandals.   To go along with the boho chic theme of the outfit, I wore my hair in loose curls.

Outfit Details:  Dress by American Rag at Macy's, Vest by Charlotte Russe, Purse by Steve Madden, Sandals by Mossimo at Target, Necklace at Pacsun.

Fashion Tip:  Lately, the most popular fashion trends have been originating from Europe. If you're looking for the most current styles to stay ahead of the curve be sure to keep up with the fashion of the U.K., France, and Italy.

My Style: Gold, Silver, & Glitter

Today's Look:  is inspired by one of my favorite characters from Pretty Little Liars, Aria.  Aria always has such an unique, raw style.  I love it!  Today's outfit was picked carefully, because I had two different events I was attending, which included a fashion show/art auction and an underground concert.  These two events called for such different attire it's not even funny.  I had to be creative.  I chose to wear a skirt with lace, ribbon, & sequin detailing, to dress up my look for the fashion show, but I paired it will black tights and military boots so I wouldn't be over-dressed for the concert.  To finish off the look, I tucked in a silver, metallic top with leopard print sleeves and added silver and gold jewelry.  My necklace had both metals, therefore allowing me to wear both gold and silver accessories. 

Oufit Details:  Shirt by Potter's Pot, Skirt by Lovely Day at Urbanog.com, Boots by Steve Madden, Necklace by Express, Purse by Betsey Johnson.

Fashion Tip:  Opaque black tights with a short skirt and combat boots is a great way to stay warm and chic on a chilly spring evening. 

My Style: Black Lace and Military Boots

Today's Look:  is all about the contrast between black & white, lace & military boots, and goth & girly.  Somedays I just feel like wearing black, and today was one of those days.  I wore a sheer, lace top with a black cami, along with charcoal skinny jeans tucked into military boots.  Since the outfit was so dark, I chose to wear my bright white purse and bracelet to create contrast.

Outfit Details:  Shirt by Love Squared at Nordstrom, Jeans by Express, Boots by Steve Madden, Purse by Charming Charlies, White Bracelet by Charlotte Russe, Black Bracelet by APT. 9 at Kohl's, Necklace by BP at Nordstrom.

Fashion Tip:  When creating an outfit that includes metal on jewelry (necklaces, earrings, rings, etc.) and a purse, make sure to keep the type of metal (gold, silver, bronze, copper, etc.) consistant throughout the pieces to create unity; unless more than one piece contains two different metals (gold & silver normally).  In this case, you can have pieces that are gold or silver throughout without looking gauche.

My Style: Lace, Flowers, and Happy Colors

Today's Look:  is all about Easter.  In honor of Jesus and celebrating that he has risen, I wanted to dress feminine, classy, and bright.  I think lace and flowers were a perfect choice.   The pleated skirt had a floral design on it, which matched really well with the chunky, gold necklace. The lace added a touch of elegance and made the outfit dressy, but the sandals kept it from getting too fancy (which I wanted).  Hope you had a wonderful Easter!

Outfit Details:  Embroidered Lace Tee by Express, Pleated Floral Skirt by American Eagle, P-Kirra Multi Sandals by Steve Madden, Side-Sling Purse by Charming Charlies, Floral Gold Necklace from Nordstrom.

Fashion Tip:  Lace is #1 this spring, so have fun with it :)

My Style: Outfit Transformation from Daytime to Nighttime

Daytime outfits are different from nighttime outfits. For one, the sun is out so it's warmer, but also our daytime activities (shopping, swimming, school, lunch, work, etc.) are normally more casual than what we have planned for the night (clubbing, movies, date, dinner, etc.).  Today I was a total girl and went shopping all afternoon, until it was time to get ready for my night plans, which were to attend the MIM Rocks Fashion Show during PHX Fashion Week. 

F.Y.I. if you have never been to a fashion show, here's a tip: wear heels and a dress or skirt with a nice blouse! This was my first fashion show (of many to come), so I wasn't completely sure of the dress code.  Luckily, I made some changes to my outfit before I left for the show. I swapped out my comfy flats for some strappy, black heels, my big cross-body bag, for a sleek clutch, and got rid of the sunglasses. Unless you're famous, you have no reason to wear sunglasses at night.

Fashion Tip:  Wear sequins or something sparkly to a fashion show.  A lot of people just wear black or solid colors, so wearing sequins will not only look glamorous under all the lights, but it will also make you stand out.  I cannot tell you how many people complimented my skirt. At a fashion show, everyone is judging everyone on what they are wearing, so be bold and confident.  Nothing is more attractive than confidence (and sequins). ;)

The final nighttime outfit:

My Style: Sequins in Scottsdale

Today's Look:  is all about the sequins!  I was spending the day shopping in Scottsdale, where the weather is beautiful at this time of year, so I decided to wear a skirt.  Since shopping involves a lot of walking, I wore my favorite black flats that are fashionable-yet-comfortable (a rare find).  The necklace matched the colors of the sequined skirt perfectly and pulled the outfit together.  To not take away attention from the skirt or necklace, I went with a simple off-white blouse that I tucked in.

Outfit Details:  Blouse and Skirt from Express (Scottsdale, Arizona), Necklace and Purse by Betsey Johnson from betseyjohnson.com, Flats by Qupid at urbanog.com.

Fashion Tip:  Short skirts have a thin line between being classy and being trashy. Personally, I have never seen a short, denim skirt that looked classy, so just be careful. 

My Style: A Cozy Sweater on a Chilly Day

Today's Look:  is all about the vibrant, teal sweater.  I am in love with this sweater. Not only is it comfy and warm, but I also got it on sale. Score!  Today was overcast and windy, so a sweater was needed, but since it's still spring time, I wore sandals with rolled-up skinny jeans. To show off the gorgeous color of the sweater, I darkened the rest of the outfit by wearing a black undershirt, grey jeans, teal earrings, and of course my favorite Betsey bag.

Outfit Details:  Sweater by Roxy at PacSun, Pants by Express, Sandals by Steve Madden, Bag by Betsey Johnson, Earrings by With Love From California at Pacsun.

Fashion Tip:  When wearing a baggy sweater or a loose fitting top, you should wear form fitting jeans.  Baggy pants with a baggy sweater is not attractive, nor is a loose top with bell bottoms. 

My Style: Bold, Bright Colors, & Bling



Today's Look: is all about bold, bright colors and bling!  To celebrate a warm, beautiful spring day here in AZ, I chose to not wear boots.  I always wear boots...but since the weather is finally decent I decided to wear my Conncords. I am obsessed with how gorgeous these shoes are.  The shoes are definitely the statement piece of the outfit, so I went with a simple off-white blouse and light blue jeans.  I rolled up the pant legs of the jeans to make them more seasonal appropriate. To tie everything together, I wore a pink purse that matched the pink in the shoes. 

Outfit Details: Shirt by Express, Jeans by Express, Shoes by Steve Madden, Purse by Betsey Johnson.

Fashion Tip:  After winter has finally gone and spring has arrived, the trend always seems to be ankle pants.  Don't waste your money by buying pants that are flood ready. Instead, just roll your skinny jeans up a couple inches and voila`!  You're spring ready.