Do You Have a Passion for Fashion?

Everyone has their own sense of style and fashion. I love fashion and styling my pieces from my closet. I stick to my personal style and do only what is best for me. One of my accomplished bucket list items is attending New York Fashion Week. Not only was I able to make that a reality in September 2015 but thanks to my good friend Harrison (@iamHDiddy) I was able to attend 4 fashion shows including Kids Rock (the one with all the celebrity's kids) and Betsy Johnson 3rd row sitting behind the fashion queen June Ambrose! Dreams do come true! Over the years I have learned how to reuse great pieces to get the most out of my closet. But I am not a fashion expert so I am bringing in a special and AMAZING expert Danielle Green.

Danielle is the Owner/Personal Stylist of Style Is My Obsession, a style destination and online personal styling service designed for fashion-minded women to indulge in style, inspiration, and creativity. I have been following her for years and I love her style inspiration post. Speaking of NYFW my all white suit and nude bodysuit look was totally inspired by her personal outfit on Instagram. She was so sweet and helpful. The look was classic and a major hit! I was so glad I seen her post featured on my fav fashion blog Fashion Bomb Daily and I have been in love every since. If you are looking for outfit inspiration her page is PERFECT! If any mentees are interested in a fashion or styling career or just interested in fashion this will be a great read! Also follow her on social media and check out her website:

Website: www.styleismyobsession.com

Instagram: @styleismyobsession

Facebook: www.facebook.com/styleismyobsession

1. What inspired you to get into fashion?

I know this is cliché, but honestly, I’ve always been into fashion. When I was a little girl, I would draw sketches of fashion models dressed up in clothes I designed, and I’d tape the pictures all over the walls in my room. One of my first fashion moments was when I watched Clueless. To this day, Cher Horowitz is one of my all-time favorite style icons. After I watched Clueless, my best friend and I went to the mall and bought matching checked print capri pants and sweaters inspired by the ones Cher wore in the movie. As I got older and started working, I would spend my whole paycheck at the mall, every two weeks like clockwork. I was always a shopper and used every moment to get dressed up and put outfits together, but it wasn’t until my last year in grad school that a friend of mine suggested I become a stylist. I was getting my Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and had it set in my mind that I was going to be a therapist and own my own private practice. But that conversation was sort of the beginning of my transition from therapist to stylist.

2. How do you come up with your fashion looks for your page? And how did you connect with Fashion Bomb Daily?

When it comes to putting looks together, my motto is really just to go with the flow. Each look varies depending on my mood and what I think my followers would like to see. Am I feeling girly? Am I feeling casual? Did my last post have black jeans? So once I figure that out, how it usually begins is I’ll see an item of clothing that I like and I’ll just start creating the outfit in my head. Like what shoes would go with this bag, should there be a jacket, etc. I think of it like a formula or a puzzle and just start putting the pieces together.

Before I became the resident stylist for Fashion Bomb Daily (FBD), I was an avid reader of the site. Naturally, my favorite part of the blog was the What To Wear section. I visited the site daily and one day I noticed that they were looking for an intern to take over the What To Wear section. I submitted some of my work, along with 2 other candidates and we participated in a 3-day virtual styling contest where the readers of the blog chose the winner. And I won! I started out as an intern which turned into a permanent position. Working for Fashion Bomb Daily has really been such a blessing. It’s provided such an amazing platform for my work, my brand, and my business and I’ve learned a ton about blogging and creating a fashion based website as a result.

3. What are some staple pieces a young woman should have in their closet?

Honestly, it really depends on her lifestyle. Young women are venturing into so many different avenues and the wardrobe staples for a young woman who works in a corporate setting will be totally different from one who is a freelance writer or works at a trendy clothing boutique or a small tech startup. But if I had to name a few staple pieces, I would say a black blazer, neutral pumps (black and nude), a dark pair of jeans that fit like a glove, a white tee because it’s such a versatile piece that you can style a million different ways, a causal jacket for the weekends- either a bomber, denim, or leather jacket, a structured everyday bag (satchel or tote), a stylish pair of sneakers, a white button down blouse, tailored suit pants, a going out dress, an evening clutch, and some type of statement jewelry, it can be a gold cuff, necklace, etc., just something that stands out and adds character to your look.

4. What advice would you give my mentees on how to put pieces together?

I think the number one thing is to first create a wardrobe that is versatile and functional. While in college or just starting your first job out of college, your funds are probably limited, so you have to pick and choose your wardrobe wisely. Shop for pieces that you can wear and style multiple ways. Create a uniform that works for your everyday routine, but also shows your personality. My tips for putting an outfit together are to start with the foundation pieces -top and bottom, then add accessories to accent and enhance the look – shoes, bag, jewelry, etc. Also try a few styling tricks, like adding a third item to your foundation to layer the look or work in a pop of color. This can give your outfit a completely different feel.

5. How can the mentees be stylish on a budget?

Invest in quality staple pieces that you can rework and restyle, but dress them up with bold and fun accessories. I think accessories are the best way to create a stylish look without spending a lot of money. Play with trends and fast-fashion, but don’t dedicate your entire wardrobe to trendy pieces.

6. What are some good websites for shopping?

Asos is one of my favorite online retailers, along with Zara, Missguided, and Forever 21 has stepped their game up too. I also love Mango.com, they have a great professional/work wear section. What I love about all of these websites is that they’re affordable as well as stylish.

7. What advice would you give a mentee that is looking to go into Fashion as a career? Do you work in fashion full-time?

My journey into fashion is a bit different than most stylists as I didn’t go to fashion school or work as an assistant to a lead stylist, which is traditionally the route that most stylists take. I was just really dedicated to my passion and started creating looks on my own, styling family and friends, when the opportunity to intern for Fashion Bomb came along. From that experience I was able to turn my passion into an online styling business.

But the number one thing I would advise is to have patience. Having patience is the biggest thing when it comes to starting a career in fashion. You have to be dedicated and really show that you are passionate about whatever it is that you want to do in the industry. You most likely won’t land your dream job right away and at times it will be hard and you will be frustrated and you’ll want to give up, but if it’s something that you really want to do then you have to keep going. Take the opportunity to land as many different internships as possible to get a good idea on what exactly it is that you want to do. Develop as many skills as possible. Spend your time studying your craft, go above and beyond, do what others aren’t willing to do. Go in early, stay late. It’s the little things that will get you noticed and ultimately land you the job that you want. But above anything else, you have to stay focused, stay hungry, stay prayerful, and don’t give up. Your hard work will pay off.

8. What advice would you give for re-wearing pieces or outfits that have already been posted on social media since we live in that era?

Honestly, at the end of the day, if you spent your money on those clothes, you should wear them as often as you like. Yes, we do live in an era where it’s “frowned upon” to “snap” or post a photo in the same outfit twice, but let’s be real. It’s a waste of coins to only wear something once and then never wear it again just for the sake of social media. I think re-wearing the same pieces or outfits is a great way to show your creativity and your range in style. It’s all about reworking your wardrobe and learning how to style the look a different way. You don’t have to wear the same shirt with the same pair of jeans and the same shoes. Mix it up and snap those photos.

9. Who is your style crush and why?

I have so many style crushes. I love Rihanna because she gives no f*cks and she’s daring and likes to take risks when it comes to her style. Jennifer Lopez is another one of my favs. J.Lo is just body/style goals 100%. I’ve been a fan of hers since her “Jenny From the Block” days when she was rocking the Manolo Blahnik timbs. She just knows what works for her and brings a sexy/glam feel to every look. Gwen Stefani is another favorite of mine. I was a big No Doubt fan growing up and to see her now, doing her solo thing, her street style is everything! Even though she keeps it casual with a tomboy chic twist, there’s always an element of femininity, whether it’s a red lip or she rocks a pair of heels with camo cargo pants. She’s another style icon that knows what works for her and can go from tomboy chic to glam effortlessly. I also love Kahlana Barfield-Brown’s style and the way she rocks her denim. She just kills it every time.

10. What trends can we expect for this Fall and Winter? Any particular colors that will be in trend?

The trends I’m loving right now are velvet, statement boots are having a moment, from slouchy, sparkly, and white ankle boots. I’m also really into street style inspired looks so anything with a 90s influence, vinyl, statement coats are definitely in. Berets and baker hats are a great accessory item for the season and red is also having a major fashion moment as well.

I loved reading all of Danielle's answers! I learned some tips and tricks hopefully you all enjoyed it as well. I want to add a few more staple pieces in my wardrobe to have a solid closet.