Who were fashion week's best dressed? You decide!!!

That's right! We're running a poll to find out which three AmandaBeth readers should be this summer's fashion icons! (Or something to that effect. lol. ;) Below is a list of all the participants in Fashion Week and links to their posts and pictures. Please look through them all before you make your decision. Once you've picked a favorite, you can vote for them using the poll in the right-hand sidebar. Please, only one vote per person! Voting will be open for one week.

The three fashiony folks with the most votes will be official AmandaBeth fashionistas of Summer Fashion Week and will be showcased on the blog. I will also be conducting an exclusive interview with each one, where they'll have the chance to share about their own personal style and what inspires them.

So...browse the links and photos and let the voting begin!!! :)

Anna Kristine - Sunday / Monday / Tuesday

Ashley - Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday

Audrey Ann - Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday

Courtney - Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday

FlynnKids - Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday

HannaBeth - Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday

Julia - Friday

Kathleen - Friday

Kasie - Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday

TheLittlePoet - Thursday

Melissa - Sunday through Saturday

MissEponine - Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Thursday / Saturday

MissJR - Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday

Molly - Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday

Olivia - Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday

Rachel - Sunday / Monday / Tuesday and Wednesday / Saturday

Rose - Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday

Ruby - Thursday / Friday / Saturday

Sarah - Sunday / Monday / Wednesday / Saturday

Yaviel - Thursday

Kudos to those of you who completed all seven days - I've had an amazing time looking at all your pictures! God bless...

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And the winners are...

Giveaway 1 - Pretty in Pearls Necklace: Samantha

Giveaway 2 - Simple Fancies Notecard Sampler: Molly
Giveaway 3 - ELIZA Magazine: Lily

William helped me draw the lucky winners. lol. :)

I will be in contacting the winners and sending out their prizes when I get home next week. Thanks again to everyone who entered - you are the best!

I'll be posting a list of all of this past week's fashionista very soon...and voting will begin! :)



P.S. In case you missed the memo, I am actually out in the middle of nowhere in MO, visiting my best friend Melissa (and her sweet family!). So, I am planning on enjoying myself this next week and don't have regular posts planned. Regular blogging will resume the week after the 4th of July. Have a fabulous holiday! :)

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All Giveaways Are Closed!!!

Yep, that's it for the fashion week giveaways! (I hope you were able to enter! :) Now, the little pixies who work for me are collecting all the entries. They'll be doing a random drawing very soon to pick the winners and I'll let you all know who the lucky folks are sometime on Monday.

Hope you all enjoyed your week - I sure did! We're going to have to do this again some time! :)

God bless...

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Fashion Week Day 7 - Lovin' Lavender

Or... In which I teach Hanneke the art of taking fashion-y self portraits. :)

I absolutely love the color lavender (also known as violet, pale purple, et cetera), but it's taken me a while to discover it. When I was younger "purple" was an incredibly girly, seemingly silly color to be fond of and so I resorted to blue (just a side note - blue is still my favorite color :). When I got older, I discovered that purple is a cool shade and, therefore, it's nearly impossible for me to find anything that flatters my skin tone. Fortunately, after staying uptight in the color "dos and don'ts" for a few years, I have taken some more risks. This shirt called my name in a thrift store and the shade is calm enough for me to wear without it overpowering my super-fair skin tone (although you may notice that I look even paler than usual in these shots - it's the color! :).

What I'm Wearing:

• Stretch Button-Up Shirt by - from SAVERS
  
• Stretch Denim Capris by ANN TAYLOR
  
• Shoes by xhiliration - from TARGET

The color purple is known to have a calming and restful effect and is also considered uplifting and encourages creativity. I'd have to agree with the first one for sure (I've always found rooms that were painted light purple to be soothing) - which of these are true for you?


Hanneke decided to accompany me on this photo shoot and had a fun time running into my pictures and otherwise overwhelming me with her cuteness. Let's hear it for little sisters! :)

• Add the link to your Fashion Week blog post (today's only) by clicking the image below:
  

• You can also post your fashion photos directly to the AmandaBeth Fashion Week Flickr Group!!!
  

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Daily Wear- Summer Dress

Sorry y'all, this is my last day of Fashion Week. I'll be leaving in about 2 minutes for my sister's wedding, so I'll have to catch you when I get back. Here is my outfit for the day:



Dress: NY & Company, $9.99

Tan tank top: NY & Company, I have no idea

Necklace: Burlington Coat Factory, $7

Purse: Burlington Coat Factory, $24

Sunglasses: Forever 21, $5

Shoes: I've had them for 8 years...so I have no clue, lol.

Fashion Week Day 6 - "European" Detour

Well...the family and I hit Venice today, just for kicks. I mean, why not go for a spin in a gondola when it's so easy?


OK, so we didn't go to Venice. We went to a park and the zoo. But it made for some pretty pictures, including this shot of the "Marco Polo" exhibit. It's really a blast to go traipsing around the zoo with your millions of siblings - they got such a kick out of it, and we got bunches of adorable photos. I think my favorite place was the rose garden we ate lunch in later...the delicious smells were overpowering and the flowers, although past their prime, were bursting with color.


What I'm Wearing:

• Knit Top by Heart Soul
• Ruffled Skirt by J. CREW
• Earrings - made by me

What favorite haunts have you been hitting recently? Any special stories to share? :)

• Add the link to your Fashion Week blog post (today's only) by clicking the image below:
  

• You can also post your fashion photos directly to the AmandaBeth Fashion Week Flickr Group!!!
  

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Giveaway 3 - ELIZA Magazine!!!

Ok, here's the last giveaway of the week, and it's a big one! How'd you like a subscription to ELIZA Magazine? Please click link to find out more about this alternative to the "trashy" fashion look books that line the magazine racks. I think it's great that somebody is stepping out and moving towards a focus on conservative fashion and beauty that comes from within.

If you'd like a chance to win this, here's the rules again! :)

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Leave a comment on the blog post in which the giveaway is announced, including your name and some way to contact you.
2. Post about fashion week on your blog and leave a SEPARATE comment with a link to your post.
3. Tweet http://amandabethonline.blogspot.com on Twitter. (Be sure to include @AmandaBFly so that I can find you and count the entry!)
4. Join the AmandaBeth Fashion Week Flickr Group and post your photos.
5. Enter your fashion week link in the Mr. Linky box for the appropriate day.

Do all of these and you'll have 5 entries! Remember, all giveaways close on Sunday, June 28th at 12:00 AM EST. Be sure to enter soon! :)

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Daily Wear- Turquoise & Coral

I absolutely love the color combo of coral and turquoise. I'm not usually a girl that can wear coral, but I got spray tanned this morning (lol!) and that little bit of extra color had me ready for summer brights. Even my husband complimented me on this one! :)

Coral Sweater: Banana Republic Outlet, $14 I think
Turquoise Necklace: Burlington Coat Factory, $7
Wide-Leg Jeans: GAP Outlet, I have no idea
Sandals: Kohls, $8
Purse: Nine West via Burlington Coat Factory, $24
Sunglasses: Forever 21, $5

By the way, in case you were wondering....I LOVE the spray tan. Usually I'm all for pale skin and won't even think about tanning...but the pink color of the bridesmaid dress I'm wearing this weekend was begging for some color in my skin. I broke down and paid to be airbrushed instead of risking my health for a from-the-tanning-bed glow. It's amazing, and I think you can tell from this photo that I look like I just got back from a vacation!

Actually, that's why I took so long to post this. Until the spray tan has dried I had to wear old, dark, loose clothes so I didn't stain my good ones. I'm pretty sure you didn't want to see them. :)

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Fashion Week Day 5 - Style on Fire

I picked this top up at Kohl's (for $10) the other day. It's rather bold for me, as I tend to be a very traditional girl, but I've been trying harder to break out with some fun and funky stuff lately, and I really like this top. The colors just work and it makes me feel all cheery and full of life. :)

The shoes are probably the most uncomfortable thing I own and I have yet to wear them out anywhere. I am not a coward when it comes to high heels, but these are just so awkward. Oh, well...a waste of $2 at my local thrift store. :P

What I'm Wearing:

• Stretch Top by Self Esteem - from KOHL's
• White Linen Skirt by INC International Concepts
• Black Heels by MOOTSIES TOOTSIES Collection - from a thrift store

Oh yes, and these pictures were taken on an angle, in case you are wondering why I resemble the Leaning Tower of Pisa... ;)

• Add the link to your Fashion Week blog post (today's only) by clicking the image below:
  

• You can also post your fashion photos directly to the AmandaBeth Fashion Week Flickr Group!!!
  

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Boho Style

You've probably heard the word "boho" in reference to fashion before now, although, to be honest, it didn't come into my vocabulary until the last few years. In the past, whenever I saw something that represented Bohemian style, I probably just called it "hippie".

The two terms do have a bit in common, as you will see. The word Bohemian originally came from the country of Bohemia (now within the Czech Republic) and soon came into use to describe wandering, "free-spirited" gypsy types of people. This idea has evolved over the years and, yes, was a big part of the "hippie" movement.

The Wikipedia Page says...

"The term bohemian, of French origin, was first used in the English language in the nineteenth century to describe the untraditional lifestyles of marginalised and impoverished artists, writers, musicians, and actors in major European cities. Bohemians were associated with unorthodox or antiestablishment political or social viewpoints, which were often expressed through free love, frugality, and/or voluntary poverty."

Why do we need to know all this? Well, if you've taken a look around any of your local fashion stores (even Wal Mart), you'll see that the Boho style is here with a vengeance! Crazy colors, patterns and unusual combinations are reigning and lots of celebrities have made the trend part of their own personal style. Here are some, albeit ugly and not-so-modest examples, in case you need a visual. ;)

So, I guess the big question is, what do you think of this look? In my opinion, some of the Bohemian pieces and accesories are really cool. I definitely like most things that are "gypsy" inspired, including scarves, bangle bracelets, long flowing skirts, and ginormous hoop earrings. On the other hand, I sometimes think this trend goes to far and ends up on the ugly side of things. A bit Boho is all good and well, but go overboard and you will look like a hippie from the 60s. (Although, if you want to look like that I guess you should go overboard. I'll just pretend not to notice. ;)

What are your thoughts? How can you work this trend into your wardrobe in a chic and classy way?


Images: Bohema photo shoot - behance.com, Boho example - madmoizelle.com

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Daily Wear- Comfort Clothes

Today I had to run some errands and work on my sister's aisle runner for her wedding this weekend. It meant that comfy clothes were not only preferred, but necessary since I'm estimating that the runner will take at least 10 hours to paint. (I'm only about 4 hours in at this point.) I can't say that this is the cutest outfit I've ever put on, but it definitely fulfills its purpose!



Gray Tee: TJ Maxx, $5

Green Cardigan: Target, $14 I think

Capris: Gap Outlet, $9

Sandals: Target, gifted

Purse: Nine West via Burlington Coat Factory, $24

Necklaces: Short- Tiffany & Co. Long- Juicy Couture, both gifted

Bracelet: Tiffany & Co., gifted

Watch: Citizen via Macy's, gifted

Sunglasses: Forever21, $5