Fresh Style: Holiday Party Style with Macy's

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The holiday season is upon us, and while the weather outside is sometimes frightful, I'm enjoying the many opportunities to bundle up and keep cozy.

Macy's invited five bloggers to share their holiday party style with a $100 gift card and free reign to choose what we thought would accomplish our goal. At first, my thoughts went straight to sparkly party dresses and tights, but the reality of this Seattle city girl is one of casual comfort. My holiday season is about spending time with friends watching movies in our homes and buffet-style setups at a relative's home for huge Filipino family gatherings. 

After trying on a few dresses & jumpsuits, I settled on what I'd been eyeing when I first set foot on the women's floor at Macy's: this Rachel by Rachel Roy sweater coat. I actually went straight to the Rachel Roy section because, after meeting her this fall, she made a real fan of me and was the reason I agreed to do this campaign. 

It was love at first sight for this sweater coat, from the ornate Aztec-inspired design to the beautiful clay & burnt orange tones to the draping of the sleeves & neckline. It makes a statement in and of itself. I paired it with vegan leather leggings, a worn tee & layered silver necklaces for that holiday rockstar style.

Want to win $100 Macy's gift card of your own?

Vote for my holiday style! Find out how below.

Rachel by Rachel Roy sweater coat (courtesy Macy's via Curator) / vegan leather leggings / vintage boots (similar here) / various silver necklaces / AllSaints tee

Want to win $100 Macy's gift card of your own?

 Vote for my holiday style and one could be yours! Here's how (one vote per action:)

1) Leave a comment below

2) Tweet at Macy's & I:  Tweet

You can vote as much as you like until Monday, December 10th. I would love and appreciate your vote! Thank you for reading Fresh Jess, and happy holiday style shopping!

Check out AlixRose, Carolyn of Hey Pretty Thing & MollieinSeattle's holiday style too!

Thank you Macy's for the opportunity!

Fresh Style: Five Reasons for a Fancy Coat

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Because you scored an amazing deal on this coat at Goodwill's Glitter Sale.

Because a local reclaimed/vintage furniture studio is the perfect backdrop. Hi Marian Built!

Because sometimes you're asked to dress up for a 60's-themed party, and you oblige for once.

Because one of your best friends is in town and life becomes infinitely more colorful.

Because it's the icing on the (cup)cake of a wonderful girl's night out.

Vintage long dress coat w/faux-fur trim / vintage gold brocade dress (beautiful similar modern one here) & over-the-knee boots (similar) from Nasty Gal / vintage clutch

Fresh Style: Coast to Coast Cool

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C&C California sponsored the Lucky FABB conference back in September and invited us to show our "Coast to Coast Cool" with pieces from their fall/winter '12 collection. I was drawn again to the leather pieces, and chose a laser-cut tank along with a hi-lo wax-coated sweater. 

I styled these two pieces with other winter staples and classics from my closet. I had a lot of fun playing with mixing textures as much as I could; velvet over leather under chambray denim, and one of my favorite vintage brocade dresses underneath the waxed sweater. The results are more of that signature casual but cool. Fresh :)

C&C California leather laser-cut tank / Tobi velvet skirt / H&M chambray top / Zara leather jacket / vintage necklace

Thank you C&C California!

Fresh Style: Fight Night

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By day, my boyfriend is a spreadsheet ninja (analyst) at a global non-profit based in Seattle. By night, he's a professional mixed martial arts fighter. When I get to put my fighter wifey hat on for his fights, I always have a lot of fun dressing for it. 

The thoughts running through my mind are mostly around finding a balance between the glitzy glamour of Vegas fights and the overwhelming lack of any kind of dress code of fights here in Washington state. I never expect to attract attention, but I want to look put together for my fighter's big night. More than anything, I have to be comfortable and I have to stay true to my own style.

What you see here is the product of all that brainstorming before his last fight in August. Vintage, military and leather with red lips, a few accents and sleek hair. The ingredients for a fun night of fights!

Stones jacket from Piperlime / Vintage Eazy-E tee / Vegan leather skirt (similar) / Vintage Dior belt / ShoeMINT Kristin wedges c/o Bollare / Vintage crossbody bag / Jeweled bib necklace (similar)

Fresh Style: Leather Night Out

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Sometimes you gotta dress for a night that starts early and ends (somewhat) late. This particular night started at the Seattle Arts Museum for the Elles exhibition preview; moved onto the Diesel store for Crown Social's anniversary shindig; stopped by Tigerbeat Thursdays at TIG Tapas & Asian Bar in Pioneer Square and ended back downtown at the Rich Kids Brand fall launch party at 1927 Events. Then home in bed by midnight!

In case you couldn't tell, I'm reveling in the mountain of leather, vegan leather & leather-accented pieces available this season. I also am a fan of military & utilitarian anything. I like to stay in comfortable & functional wear!

Four different events with some elements of business and some of fun. One outfit to encompass it all. 

Stones military jacket w/leather sleeves / Nameless Clothing sheer hippie oversize dress top (worn as a shirt) via Flat 84 womens' tops / Zara platform wedge booties / Vintage clutch / Wood earrings from Moksha

Photos courtesy Crown Social & Rich Kids Brand

Fresh Style: Cozy in J Project Scarves

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Nothing screams fall like a good scarf or seven. I'm a big fan of pashminas, vintage wool and hand-knit scarves and can never have too many in my closet at a time. 

I saw these sweet handmade babies on J Project Clothing's Facebook page and had to make one my own. J Project's Jaime says these scarves a "joint project of love" with her and her mother. They get together on rainy Seattle days and create these beautiful scarves with vintage buttons. They're not infinity scarves although they look like them, and Jaime accepts custom orders if there's a specific color or button you like!

I fell in love with the clover button on this black knit scarf!

Jaime also makes knit necklaces with a flower & vintage brooch adornment in several colors. Get cute for fall!

Fresh Style: Quiksilver's Traveling Sweater

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Quiksilver's Traveling Sweater makes a stop in Seattle! I'm grateful to be a part of this fun campaign featuring nine of Quiksilver's fall sweaters. As you can see, fall had yet to arrive in Seattle when I snapped these photos last week. The Nantucket Sweater still made for an easy & comfortable outfit paired with shorts and boots. The Nantucket will be a staple for me this fall, layered over button-down shorts, worn over leather skirts & pants, and sitting pretty underneath my favorite coats and vests. Thanks Quiksilver for including me in Traveling Sweater!

Quiksilver Nantucket Sweater c/o Bollare / Banana Republic olive cargo shorts / Report Shoes Judith boot / Necklace from Strut Portland / Bag from Cozumel, Mexico

Fresh Style: Savoring Summer

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Outfit posts still make me cringe. Nevertheless, this is me owning the fact that I'm categorized as a fashion blogger nine times out of ten. I love this outfit. The leather, the Vans boat shoes, the "day after, still in great shape" big hairdo. Every piece I'm wearing is a current staple in my wardrobe and seeing extremely heavy rotation. A perfect outfit to savor one of Seattle's indian summer days.

Roxy Smokey Tribe jacket / Obey tank (old - similar here) / Tobi vegan leather skirt (similar here) / Anthropologie belt (old) / Vans Rata Lo Pro shoes / J Project purple bangle

Fresh Style: Glamour Girl at G5

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I had so much fun on the Fashion Panel at Girl Power Hour's G5 party last week I forgot to take photos! Here are the few that I took. Special thanks to Blue Nile for keeping a lady adorned with beautiful jewels for the night!

Got my face and hair done! More on the hair in a later post.

My beautiful city from the 74th floor of the Columbia Tower Club

Cupcakes!

With my girl Jen Joyce aka Uber Seattle

Enjoying champagne with the Girl Power Hour G5 Fashion Panel and founder Darnell Sue! Some amazing ladies here. Photography by Teresa Potter of www.1StopWeddingSpot.com

Fresh Style: NYC Outfit Diary

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I had such a fun week in New York for Lucky FABB, the Independent Fashion Bloggers conference & Fashion's Night Out last week! I'm catching up on real life and will crank out these NYC posts as quickly as I can. I took in the sights of the Big Apple, so I've got some posts coming about boutiques, markets and restaurants I enjoyed there. First off, the outfits:

Though I didn't attend any shows this season, I stopped by the tents for an obligatory photo after a blogger lunch one day. Trina Turk for Banana Republic top (similar BR top here)/ Vintage mandala print high-waist shorts from Everybody's Buying Vintage (similar here) / TopShop velvet studded flats / Vintage sunnies / J Project  wrap bracelet

My IFBcon outfit! Vintage orange hi-low tuxedo blazer from Kippy Ding Ding / Reconstructed vintage sheer print top from Moksha / Forever 21 faux leather shorts / Nine West strappy heels (similar here)

The perfect maxi for a low-key night out on the town. IntiMint black maxi dress & Flirt Catalog aqua skinny belt w/gold plate c/o Bollare / Dolce Vita t-strap leopard sandals / gold jewelry via Lucky FABB  

My Lucky FABB outfit: Yellow tiered tank w/lace back from Moksha / Forever 21 leopard print pants (similar here) / Julian Louie for Aldo wedges

After traipsing the streets of Manhattan & Brooklyn all day, I decided to keep it super casual for Fashion's Night Out. Quiksilver Women tank (similar here) / High-waisted harem pants from Moksha / Triangle necklace from Strut (Portland)

Sunday brunch in Williamsburg followed by Brooklyn Flea browsing & MoMA Quiksilver Women tank / Forever 21 necklace / Vintage Levi's cutoff shorts

Leopard flats & floral top for shopping with fellow bloggers in SoHo!

Floral print tee from Moksha / BCBG high-waisted leather shorts from Sell Your Sole / Dolce Vita leopard oxfords

Exhausted but loving life! Jack by BB Dakota Harland jacket / Report Shoes boots

Seattle Style: Capitol Hill Block Party 2012

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A couple of weeks ago, I was part of a team tweeting for the Capitol Hill Block Party. Since I wasn't the only one live tweeting from the music festival, I decided to focus on capturing the various stylings of CHBP-goers. Capitol Hill is one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in the city, and the fashion at CHBP represented all that and more. Check out these stylish Seattleites!

It's me! Roxy military jacket (cute print one here)/ Kelly Wearstler tank (similar) / thrifted Levi's cutoff shorts (similar) / Senso spiked booties

A Taste of Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

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Most of you Nordstrom fans have already shopped the early access sale or are in line as I speak for the 2012 Anniversary Sale. Nordstrom Flagship Via C's Sanda Belaire invited a few bloggers to come in and get a tour of her stylist favorites from the Sale, after a sampling of Nordstrom Grill's new summer small plates menu (served from 4:00p.m. to close.)

It's so nice to have another central Downtown place to go to for happy hour with good food for great prices. My personal favorites were the crab cakes, vegetable chips and the wings. I'd have more food pics for you but the bloggers were hungry. :)

After happy hour, Sanda led us on a tour through the Early Access tents in the store for a firsthand look at featured pieces which are sure to go like hotcakes when the Sale opens this morning.

I need these Report motorcylcle boots! Perfect for sludging around Seattle fall & winters!

After our store tour, we were whisked off the sales floor and into the land where all the social media  & celebrity styling magic happens! From a born & raised Seattleite who's been around Nordstrom her whole life, it makes me really happy to see the words 'social media' in this classic Nordy font.

In the styling room were all of Sanda's top picks for this year's Sale, from Rebecca Minkoff to Kate Spade to the softest wool scarves handmade in the East Coast:

I want everything on the rack & mannequin!

The beautiful Sanda describing to us how the leather ruched cuff-sleeve detail on this Elizabeth & James shirt is INSANE.

After our styling session, we went home with a swag bag with a couple of extra sweet goodies:

Many thanks once again to Nordstrom for having us!

Photo credit Nordstrom

Fresh Style: Blue Nile at the Nordstrom Designer Preview

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Blue Nile's been so kind as to let me take this beautiful new necklace out on the town, and it's been a part of my outfit almost every day for the past two weeks. The Chalcedony & Aquamarine necklace was one of two major pieces shaping my outfit for Nordstrom's Designer Preview, held last week at Pier 91 in Seattle and benefiting the Seattle Art Museum.

The cushion-shaped chalcedony gemstone is bezel-set in gold vermeil with faceted aquamarine  gemstones along the chain.

You'll see the other piece shaping my outfit in a bit :)

Nordstrom and the Seattle Art Museum have partnered to put on the Designer Preview for many years, and have consistently sold out the venue, packing it full of SAM supporters, Nordstrom shoppers and other fashion & art enthusiasts. This year's Designer Preview proceeds will benefit SAM's upcoming exhibit, Elles: Women Artists from the Centre Pompidou, Paris. Elles will open in October through January 13th, 2013. The exhibit will feature all women artists, with the iconic Frida Kahlo and more artist works on display.

Here are a few of my iPhone shots from the Designer Preview party, boutique and pre-runway. Check in tomorrow when I'll post my favorite runway looks from the show!

Such a stylish crowd!

A perfect Seattle day. View from Pier 91.

With my gorgeous friends Patrick of Golazo & Jane of Seattleite

Amazing looks from Alaia and Valentino in the entryway to the show

The crowd anxiously awaiting the start of the show!

Post-show runway! Blue Nile Chalcedony & Aquamarine necklace & white agate vermeil drop earrings, LA Made double v-neck tee, vintage cross-body bag & heels, Forever 21 high-waisted trousers (similar here)

When summer finally arrives in Seattle, it's truly unmatched!

Thank you Nordstrom & Blue Nile! Runway faves tomorrow.

Thrift Shopping Tips from a Value Village Fashion Ambassador

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Hi, I'm Jess, and I'm a thrift-a-holic!

Five years ago, you couldn't pay me to go thrift shopping alone. Even though some of those closest to me are lifelong fans, I got easily overwhelmed every time I set foot into a thrift store. Thanks to the rise of fashion blogging, I figured out a way to organize my thoughts and get my mind in the right place for my thrifting outings. Over time, I've mixed thrifted pieces into more and more of my wardrobe, and now, it's a mainstay in my "West Coast fresh" style.

Value Village reached out to me in the spring about becoming one of their Fashion Ambassadors. Even though I'd only been to one in the area, I was excited to see what I could find at other Value Villages around the region. I've made my way to almost all of them in the Puget Sound.

Value Village is great, because they partner with a non-profit close to each store and support that versus a big national one. So even though VV may not be Seattle-grown, they make sure to plant roots in each community they're part of. That means a lot to me.

So what are my tips for shopping smart at your favorite thrift store? 

Know what you want.

I made the choice to use this spring & summer trend reports as a guide to the things I wanted to buy at Value Village this season. I purposefully looked for lots of bright colors, prints and patterns, flowy shirts and denim that could be a DIY project for summer cutoffs.

Favor organic fibers.

I picked this tip up from Tina at GlamSpoon (check out her tips here.) Sticking to cotton, silk and wool will help you weed out the clothes without the staying power of natural fabrics. These are easier to clean and repair if needed.

Don't discriminate!

Not your size? Not a problem. The beauty of thrift shopping is the hunt for great finds. That means being as open-minded as possible. Look in size racks that aren't normally your sizes. You never know what might actually be a great fit - or a fun DIY project!

Try everything on.

This one's a no-brainer, but if you're going to be shopping for all kinds of sizes, it helps to try everything on before you decide what to buy. You'll get the best idea of how to style pieces, what needs to be cleaned, and if there are any stains, rips or other defects that are beyond repair. Oh yeah - make sure all of your zippers and buttons work properly, and repair them immediately if not.

Take risks.

When I'm thrift shopping, I love to try trends and pieces I'd never otherwise try. I even brought home a pair of sheer palazzo pants for the summer! It could be a sleeper hit for your wardrobe, and if it's not, at least you won't have the guilt of having spent cheese on it.

Know when to go.

Ask the store when they get their shipments and how often they restock. Check the website or sign up for their newsletter to get an idea of their sales schedules. What's better than a $4.99 Escada top? One that's half-off of that!

Take notes. 

Hopefully you will be thrift shopping more than once if you're reading these. Take notes of what your experience is like. Which stores do you like and why? What do you tend to gravitate towards when you're buying thrifted pieces? I know now that my favorite Value Village is the Ballard/Crown Hill location, and that I tend to buy more knitwear and button-downs when I'm thrift shopping. This way, you can be more conscious of how your style is evolving and incorporate thrifted pieces that much more easily.

Recognize this? It's my LuckyFABB outfit!

I recently took my girl & fellow thrifty fashion blogger, AlixRose with me to Value Village's Memorial Day sale. EVERYTHING you can wear was half-off! Needless to say, we went crazy at the Ballard store and came out with bags full of new pieces.

My Memorial Day Sale haul included: tons of knitwear and brand-names like: Pendleton, Escada, Calvin Klein, J.Crew, American Eagle Outfitters & its now-defunct brand Martin + Osa & more.

All for $56!

This particular cardigan has seen a lot of play lately. The striped cardi goes with everything and is light enough, but warm enough for Seattle grey days.

Thanks so much to Value Village for their generous offer to be a VV Fashion Ambassador! What an easy & simple way to update my wardrobe for such a great deal.

Fresh Style: Snapshots

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For someone who gets pegged as a fashion blogger a lot, I sure don't do many of my own style posts on here. I was not one of the ones blessed with a photography background or a photog boyfriend :), plus I hate taking outfit pictures. Anywho, here are some of the pieces and things that have been in heavy rotation in my wardrobe lately. Seattle doesn't seem to know what to do with itself weather-wise, so the last couple of months have been all about layers and toting around both sunglasses and an umbrella. Increment weather conditions indeed!

Got my hair done at Swink Style Bar for my birthday dinner & dancing!

In God We Trust sunglasses (funky similar ones here) / Marc Jacobs necklace / old leather jacket (similar)

Watching my friend Sara's boutique SPUN Sustainable Collective in layered bursts of color. This orange tank was our swag from the Lucky FABB opening cocktail party at Kelly Wearstler's boutique!

H&M denim shirt / Kelly Wearstler distressed neon tank / scarf from Moksha / old snakeskin print leggings (coated denim version here) / Topshop studded flats

What can I say? I love Alive & Well. They don't even sell women's gear. I've been living in this hoodie every time it's cold.

Waiting our turn for brunch at Pete's Egg Nest in Greenwood. I have also been living in this maxi dress and military jacket!

MinkPink printed maxi dress (similar) / Roxy military jacket / black/speckled gold TOMS / vintage crossbody bag

detail of the Roxy military jacket

AlixRose and I hung out on the Google campus in Fremont prepping for our DIY Hangout on Air earlier this month.

Uniqlo windbreaker / Sincerely Jules' Dream-Believe-Achieve tee / printed denim from Moksha / Zara platform booties

 Alix actually gave me this tee for my birthday. It's designed by one of our favorite bloggers, Sincerely Jules! I love the positivity oozing from this tee.

What are your wardrobe staples?

Get Your Coachella Wardrobe Ready!

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I had so much fun at Coachella last year, and definitely recommend it if you're a big fan of the artists on the bill. This year's festival is just three years away, and my girl Andrea over at SkinnyPurse has a few of her favorite Coachella-inspired looks from ThreadSence's latest lookbook. 

Check out the rest of Andrea's faves over at SkinnyPurse!

Fresh Style: Umbrella Love

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The weather in Seattle lately has been downright miserable. Blustery winds, pouring rain mixed with sheets of snow, and milliseconds of sunshine leave me wanting to just bundle up in my sweats and a blanket at home.

There's a stereotype that "real" Seattleites don't carry umbrellas - but I walk to work and I'd prefer not to be drenched and windblown when I get there! 

Here are some pretty parasols I found to bring a small ray of light into our grey days:

Bella Umbrella Pagoda ($129) (magenta here)

Yellow Bubble Umbrella ($18) (black here, dotted here, similar here)

Marc by Marc Jacobs Logo Umbrella ($58) (more Marc Jacobs here and here)

Printed Sky Umbrella ($38) (similar here)

ModCloth Polka Dot Umbrella ($24.99) (more fun prints here)

Tray6 Floral Print Umbrella ($29.99) (more florals here and here)

Fresh Style: Fight Night

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My boyfriend had his second pro mixed martial arts fight last night (and came home with the win!)

I love fight nights. People always ask me if I get scared or nervous watching him fight, but I always tell them that MMA is a sport and like every other athlete, he goes through training, conditioning and strict dieting to prep for the fight. I do get nervous during the fight because I want him to win :)

Dressing for fight nights is always a lot of fun. I like to think of the significant others of famous boxers and ultimate fighters, while keeping it fun, functional and fresh. In a sea of jeans and tees though, it's not that hard to stand out!

This time I took my Jeffrey Campbell Night Walks for a spin. You can find them at SoleStruck!

Dimepiece Designs dress / Jeffrey Campbell Night Walks / MNG wool coat / Vintage Pendelton scarf / Bracelets from: Sustalux, Moksha & gifted (from my grandma in the Philippines)

Fresh Style in NYC

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Snaps of my outfits while in NYC. Shouts to Mollie for taking these! 

With Mollie & Michelle (Amuse Bouche) outside Chelsea Market

Climbing the steps up to the Highline

Illin' in Soho

H&M denim shirt / Vintage crossbody bag & sunnies / Necklace & speckled denim from Moksha / Steve Madden boots

At the tents!

Uniqlo J+ kimono down coat / H&M colored denim / Zara booties

Had a blast with Mollie!