Teen and Tween Lifestyle … Tulle Skirt Tutorial

Hello again! I’m back this week to show you five different ways to wear a tulle skirt AND how to make your very own! Last week Sarah posted about tulle skirt inspiration on the weekly “Eye on Fashion” post. We love seeing tulle skirts in fashion this year, and they’re even more fun to photograph!

Tulle skirts can be worn in several different ways, depicting more than one style genre. From Country Chic, to Hipster, all the way to Funky and glamorous, they are easy to dress up, or down, for just the right look.

 

Aren’t they so much fun?! And guess what? They’re SO easy to make! Follow this little tutorial and you’ll be twirling on your way into this fun fashion trend in no time!

 

What you need:

  1. Depending on the the desired fullness of your tulle skirt, you will need 8-10 yards of tulle fabric. You can find tulle for around $1.50/yard at JoAnn’s, and some places online carry bolts for as little as .50 cents a yard!
  2. An old belt that fits you perfectly. I found mine at a thrift shop! *Alternately, you could use a sash or ribbon instead of a belt, but I think the belt looks more “finished”.
  3. Sharp scissors for cutting the tulle & a measuring tape.

 

Directions:

  1. Fold your fabric in half and cut out 2 inch strips until your entire 8-10 yards are cut.
  2. Using one piece at a time, and keeping your piece of tulle folded, make a loop at the top of the fold, and place under the belt. Pull the loose ends into the loop, securing a knot onto the belt.
  3. Repeat step 2 until all pieces are used, or the skirt is as full as you like!

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See, easy peasy!

Not a “crafty” kinda gal? No worries! You can purchase a tulle skirt from places like chicwish for around $50, and they come in all different colors and lengths.
If you get inspired to rock a tulle skirt, whether homemade or store bought, post a photo on instagram and tag us @mdernteen. We want to see!

Eye on Fashion | Ballerina Style

Something big is happening in teen style and it has been coming up slowly for a long time now: Ballerina  inspired looks. Tutus, tights, high on the head buns, wrap sweaters, etc. Style has been taking a cue from ballerinas for a while but it wasn’t until recently that it exploded onto the scene- now tutus are everywhere! Short, long, bright colors, pastels, you name it! And it is GORGEOUS!

What better inspiration for a soft, feminine, FUN look than tutus, tights, and wrap sweaters?

Today I’m going to focus on the tutus because, well, why not start with the best part of this inspirational look? Tutus are super fun and can be worn a ton of different ways. A long tutu inspired tulle skirt is best for dinner dates and “fancier” events like going to a Broadway show. The length allows for modesty and a mature look but the tulle and a bright color help show of a youthful side, too!

The short tutus are the perfect excuse to wear something outside of the box on a regular basis. Wear it to school, to the movies, or even a Saturday of shopping with your girlfriends. Tutu inspired skirts come in a ton of styles so really, there is one out there for EVERY occasion if you look hard enough 😉

Want your OWN ballerina inspired skirt? Check by next week on the Teen and Tween Lifestyle post for a “how to” on making your very own tutu skirt! It’s a lot easier than you think!

In love and fashion,
Sarah

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Images above by:
Madeline Taylor Photography

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Images above by: Victoria Simmons Photography

Inspired By Music … Teen and Tween Lifestyle

I LOVE music. I love it just as much as I love photos. (And that’s a lot!) I am constantly inspired by music, and it often crosses over into my portrait work. Whether it’s inspiring a particular style for an entire photo shoot, or just something as simple as creating the right mood while I’m editing photos, music always seems to help give me a little extra something.

Having a house full of girls, I’ve listened to my fair share of Taylor Swift songs over the years. And though TS’s music has changed drastically over time, moving from a Country genre into more of a pop sound, one thing that remains consistent is her fantastic sense of style. She manages to pull off so many awesome looks, from glamorous and classic, to edgy and hipster. It’s always exciting to see what’s in her wardrobe with each new album tour or awards show.

Her latest album “1989” is no exception. TS has managed to push the envelope with some newer, modern styles. Stark white and clean lines become the perfect styling for songs like “Welcome to New York”. Taylor also manages to throw back some great 80’s fashion, rocking combat boots and suspenders for the look I’ve named after one of my favorite songs from the new album titled “I Wish You Would”. “This Love” and “I Know Places” show off Taylors more daring and “hipster” side. I just love the big bulky geometric sweater, paired with a cute skater style skirt and heels.

One of the most popular songs from the 1989 album is “Blank Spaces”. If you haven’t heard it by now, you probably live in a bubble. You almost can’t turn on the radio without hearing it at least once an hour. The video is particularly fun and highlights many of Taylor’s spunky, as well as elegant, fashion choices. I counted at least eighteen different outfits in the video, ranging from the most lovely evening wear, to some fun and flirty vintage inspired ensembles. Watching the outfit changes is half the fun of a TS music video. Of course, the other half is the awesome music.

I know Taylor Swift has inspired a few of my senior sessions, mostly through fashion and styling. How about you? Do you have any T Swift inspired photoshoots you’d like to share? Or is there another musical talent out there that is currently inspiring your work? If you would like to share with us your sessions that were inspired by music, email us at  info@seniorsstyleguide.com with “Inspired by Music” in the subject line. You just might be featured on the next “Inspired by Music” post!

Eye on Fashion…Teen Guys – Preppy

Hey Guys!  This is Melissa – I’m back again on Modern Teen Style with my next Eye on Fashion Blog Post.  This week we are talking all things Preppy!  This is one of my favorite looks on teen guys.  It’s classic, sophisticated, and fashionable.

Preppy styles are synonymous with Ivy League, but you do not have to be Ivy League to pull off this week’s preppy look.  With a few key clothing items, you can be just as preppy looking as the models you see in J Crew.  Brands associated with preppy looks are Izod, JCrew, and Ralph Lauren.  Whether you choose chinos, polos, striped oxfords, or cable knit sweaters, anyone can pull off this preppy look that is one of my favorites.  Check out the examples listed below and some of my own photos from one of my 2015 senior models.

I hope you enjoy this post and if I would love to hear your comments.

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Modern Teen Style….Renee Marchelle Photography

Fall is my favorite time of year, do on this cold, snowy day I wanted to think back to that gorgeous time of year. Today’s feature comes from Renee Marchelle Photography in Germany and is a classic fall session. Be still my heart! Fall light is my absolute favorite.

Renee describes the session, “This teen session features a gorgeous sophomore named Charlotte! It took place on a sunny October day at alocal horse field in Wiesbaden, Germany. Her mom wanted photos to document this time in her life and I was so honored to be the one to photograph her!

This session was inspired by her mother’s love for nature and Charlotte’s natural beauty. I chose a location that I knew would have gorgeous light and man did we get lucky! It had been raining for a week straight and after rescheduling once already I was so happy to photograph Charlotte beneath the luminous mid-day sun. It was just as we had all envisioned! She incorporated a little bit of German culture by wearing a traditional Bavarian blouse in some of the photos. Super cool!”

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What a beautiful young lady! You can find more of Renee’s beautiful work on her website and Facebook page.

Do you have a favorite shooting season?

Thanks for stopping by!

Robin

Eye on Fashion | Oscar Style

Two weeks ago we focused on fashion from the Grammy Awards. The styles were edgy, shiny and sleek. This past Sunday, we had the “Super Bowl” of award shows – the Academy Awards. As always, the stars didn’t disappoint on the Red Carpet. The stars were out in full force and if you haven’t already picked your prom dress, you might get some ideas from Oscar night.

At the Grammy Awards, it was all about nude, understated lips. At the Oscars, berry-stained lips ruled the Red Carpet. Chrissy Teigen opted for a dark berry stain which was a lovely contrast to her ice-blue gown. Naomi Watts upped the star-power of her amazing dress with a pinkish-berry color paired with downplayed eyes and rosy cheeks. And the always stunning Lupita Nyong’o went with shiny, berry lips and frosted eye shadow for a clean, crisp look. With so many different shades of berry, there’s one that’s right for everyone. To learn more about these product, go here.

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Perhaps the biggest fashion trend of the night was white. But it wasn’t just plain white, these dresses went one step further with embellishments. Best Actress winner Julianne Moore stunned in a strapless dress covered in thousands of sequins and flower details. Lady Gaga paired her full-length gown with crimson gloves while Best Actress Nominee Marion Cotillard’s dress relied on eyelet and a unique back for the wow-factor. White can be hard to wear because as the old saying goes, you’re not supposed to wear white before Memorial Day or after Labor Day. However, “white hot” was THE trend on the Red Carpet Sunday and I doubt anyone would tell these women that they were wearing white out of season. Long or short, white doesn’t have to be boring and a little something extra can go a long way. For details on these white dresses, go here.

whitehotMy personal favorite trend of the night was the statement necklace. When I saw my girl Cate Blanchett wearing that incredible turquoise necklace against a long black dress with an open back, I gasped out loud. I love that she knew it wasn’t her night to shine but that she still brought her amazing style to the Red Carpet. Margot Robbie is quickly becoming my new favorite fashionista. I loved everything about her look Sunday night but mostly that fantastic necklace. It was the perfect complement to low neckline. And who doesn’t love ScarJo? That green dress was incredible and the fact that dress was “plain” meant she could add that insanely gorgeous necklace. Can you say wow? So if you’re going for a statement, it might be what’s around your neck that gets everyone talking. Shopping information on these pieces can be found here.

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Red hot was another trend from Oscar night. Some of the biggest stars in Hollywood today opted for a more fiery look Sunday. Dakota Johnson wore a simple long dress made memorable by metallic roping on one-shoulder. Best Actress nominee Rosamund Pike wore one of my favorite dresses of the night – a red, lace number with a front slit. And Adam Levine’s wife Behati Prinsloo shone in a red and black beaded dress. Red is always a fun, bold color when it comes to fashion so it’s no wonder these women chose it for Oscar night. And as we see here, red comes in so many shades and it’s important to pick the one that’s right for you. Whether it’s a pinkish red or more of a wine color. Find these dress here.

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See you back in here in two weeks!

Megan

Modern Teen Style….Krystal Woods Photography

Today’s featured session comes to us from Krystal Woods Photography in Tennessee. This aspiring model has great style and is absolutely stunning.

Krystal describes the session, “Makynna is a high school junior with big dreams of becoming a commercial model one day. We shot this session in downtown Cleveland, TN. We wanted an urban/editorial style for this session.

Since Makynna wants to be a model one day we wanted to get some editorial style shots, some gorgeous head shots and some portraits that showed her interests and personality.”

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Absolutely stunning, Krystal! The post processing is so subtle and the skin tones are perfect. You can enjoy more of Krystal’s work on her website or Facebook page.

Cheers!

Robin

Be Inspired by…. Lilly Pulitzer | Eye on Fashion

I love Lilly Pulitzer.

Until my husband surprised me with one of her dresses as a gift, Lilly Pulitzer was my “drool over from afar but save my pennies for forever because they’re too expensive” dream designer (we all have one of those, right?).

Her bright colors, funky patterns, and super girly silhouettes make Lilly Pulitzer the perfect Spring and Summer inspiration. With her amazing way of bringing sunshine and summer to everything in her line, it was an easy choice making Lilly Pulitzer this week’s Eye on Fashion designer inspiration. PLUS with the recent announcement of her new “Lilly for Target” line launching April 19th at a Target near you, now Lilly is accessible to ALL budgets (and I won’t have to save as many of my pennies for her anymore).

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Is anyone else as excited as I am to have Lilly that much closer to my closet soon? I know I can’t wait to see the launch at Target this Spring! Which part of Lilly’s line is YOUR favorite?

In love and fashion,
Sarah

Design Inspiration

 

Hello again! Rey here, and I’m excited to bring you my first “Design Inspiration” post today! I want to show you how you can decorate a space, in this case a studio or teen room, off of a few things that might catch your eye. Some of you teens and tweens out there might be getting ready to change-up your own space from your “childhood” bedroom to something more mature or age-appropriate. Ready to get rid of the princess or Bieber bedding and move up to something more beautiful and chic? Read on! Or maybe you’re a photographer with a newly acquired studio space in need of freshening up? I got you covered!

Tribal and geometric patterns have been huge this past year and are still being found everywhere. Gold is still popular as well, and makes a great accent to almost any color scheme. I chose a sea foam green and peachy pink since spring is almost here in the desert! These tribal patterned feathers caught my eye the other day so I stashed them away in my design inspiration folder. I think along with the gold they make great, bold accent pieces that pop.

What’s nice about these colors and accents, is that they can be used all together, or broken up. The sea foam and peachy pink compliment each other nicely and can be used in the same space.  You can pop the black and white tribal pattern in there in some art work, throw pillows or even a rug. Or you can go bold and make it the main focus like the bedding in the bedroom inspiration below, accenting with the chosen colors and gold decor. If both colors are too much, choose your favorite and accent with either the black and white or gold.

When making a design or inspiration board, it’s a good idea to find 2-3 complimentary colors as well as at least two accent options. Metals make great accent options. Gold, silver, bronze and copper can add just the right pop of shine and texture. Earthy accents like stone, wood, glass, and fur can add a nice natural element to the room and make it feel either cozy or sleek (or both). I was going for a nice balance between boho and modern so I’m using the accent pieces sparingly to keep it from being too much one or the other. You can adjust the accents to whichever look that inspires you most to create something that is one of a kind and YOU!

Are you a photographer with a beautifully designed studio space? We want to see! MTS would love to feature your space along with our inspiration boards once a month.
Are you a teen or tween who is getting ready to graduate from a kid room to an awesome teen space? Share your before and afters with us and you can be featured in our monthly design inspiration post too! Just email us at info@seniorsstyleguide.com with “Studio Design” in the subject line. We look forward to seeing your awesome spaces!

Happy designing!

*hugs* Rey

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Modern Teen Style….Hillary Frost Photography

I love birthday sessions! There’s no better way to celebrate milestone occasions than a fun styled shoot. Today’s feature is a 13th birthday session from Hillary Frost Photography.

Hillary describes the session, “A client of ours came to us wanting a very special session for her daughter’s 13th Birthday. We figured glitter, a giant balloon, cupcakes and her 10 best friends would do the trick!

The inspiration for this session came 100% from Maddie (The Birthday Girl). She is the sweetest, most caring and beautiful teenager and we wanted to give her something as amazing as her!”

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So cute! What a fun way to celebrate. And I am loving Maddie’s style and adorable curly hair.

You can find more of Hillary’s work on her website or Facebook page.

Cheers!

Robin