A Page From Katie's Diary

This photo was taken of me last August for the premier of my
first collection. It reminds me so much of the heart of New
York City, and I'm so excited to be making the return "home."

I started this blog about 1 month ago. However, the vision was planted into my heart a little before that though....

In late November, I was in Italy for a design trip to obtain inspiration for the Elegantees collections of 2011. However, I felt so discouraged because my dreams were not working. The vision for my company is to fight sex trafficking through distributing the profits into the hands of those who are missionaries in the work of fighting the evil. But the finances of Elegantees are not realistically there yet, and I wondered what all my hard work and sacrifices are for. In all my discouragement and doubt, I just let it go emotionally, and then the blog came into my mind. The inspiration came to me when I was on a train from Rome to Milan. It was nice and quiet, and I was able to spend some alone time to just journal, process my emotions, and have peace about me realizing I cannot be superwoman. This company is not really mine, nor is the dream, or the skills even that I have been blessed with. I shared with God that I didn't want to do this anymore, it's too much to handle. I said He would have to if this is what He wants. And then the inspiration came because He showed me my company may fight sex trafficking one day when it's profitable, but for now, He has a plan for me before all that will happen. He wants to build who I am as a designer, as the hands and heart that direct this brand's image.

Modesty is the core of my vision in fashion. In the photography, the goal is to capture the beauty of the set, the clothes, and most importantly, the women wearing them. Many of ladies are not models by trade, they are simply beautiful women that are enhanced with beautiful styling and a lovely elegantee. As the Art Director of them, I hope to assure the women they are gorgeous so their confidence radiates from the inside out. I stand next to the models to direct them, hoping they will just be themselves. It’s important that you can feel like you could be friends with the women. As many of you know, my belief in modesty is rooted in motives, and I think of it in the shoots. If the motive is not to seduce, then, your motive is in being your true self. I believe this is so important, and that is one layer of the world of beauty I want to be permanently braided into the brand’s DNA. It means a lot to have the support of all you graceful women!! Because, otherwise, this would be a more difficult thing...modesty is not the norm in this industry.

The next month or so, I am going to be undergoing a makeover myself! I will be very busy working on the Spring collection, too busy to post on this blog. So, I will be praying for inspiration for ways this blog will become "new." I desire to minister to women and incorporate women other than me into the blog especially through video interviews and demos, while helping women style through them (and maybe get a few pointers myself ;-)).

I will also undergo a transition. I live in both Iowa and New York City (yes, bizarre!). However, starting early March, I will be spending much more time in NYC than I am right now and plan to rent a small room so my time in NYC will be much longer and I can keep some things there (currently I just crash with friends when I go over there, so renting something will allow me to feel like a New Yorker again, and get more rooted into fashion since I won't be living in a suitcase anymore...yay!). I am so excited for many reasons, but one thing is the blog. I believe there will be many opportunities to share my vision and dream with people who can help. Also, to work with a special women on the blog for each series to enhance her outer beauty through modest and classy styling, and maybe her inner beauty will shine more too. I know mine is after receiving so much love from all you ladies!! 

I am so thankful to all my fans. I am looking forward to what is ahead in the next few months. I believe there are many transformations for this blog, the Elegantees brand, and for me due in short time. I will talk to you in March :0)

Love always,
Katie

P.S. Once facebook hits 200 fans, I will be doing a huge Elegantees giveaway. Hope you enjoy it! (Other than the giveaways, I will be likely be not posting much if at all until March).

Elegantees' Beautiful Photos!

I just added a bunch of great photos from www.elegantees.com! I was the art director for them, and am so proud of the work :) Beautiful women, beautiful clothes. Let me know which of the 12 photos are your fav!!! xoxo, Katie

Belting Tips Video

The video I made of the latest belted looks, with footage from The Cloisters in NYC (and Josh Groban singing in Italian...perfect for the elegant occasions and styles). Enjoy!!!

Hi-Lo Sweater

A hi-lo sweater jacket is longer in the front and higher in the back. They are comfortable and very chic. The fullness creates a playfulness especially when adding a belt. In this first example, I wore all black with the navy sweater. My belt has silver hardware, so added a silver bangle. So chic....It even makes it look like I'm wearing a Diane Von Furstenberg dress, which retail around $400!!

Navy always reminds me of nautical (cruises, sunny weather, 4th of July colors). So, for this look I changed my black jeans to white, and added a white belt. The belt has gold studs on it. Brought the look tog w/ gold earrings.

Fullness on the Top of the Dress Deserves a Belt

Good morning, Beauties!! The radiant young lady in the middle pic is Kristina, and she looks so stylish in this Elegantees "Hayllie" dress. I loved the accents she added with her matching belt and bag, and the gorgeous nude heels! She's about 5'3" in real life, but I think she looks about 5"7"! The belt really lengthens her legs, which is otherwise hard to do with dresses that end at the knees.


I'm wearing the same dress. I added this belt because it happened to match so well! There are a lot of details on the top half of this dress, so breaking it up with a belt is a good idea. It makes it look like we're wearing a beautiful cropped blouse with a high-waisted pencil skirt. 


Now looking back at the total outfit on the far left photo, I see this would look just as thoughtful also with a black belt to match my leggings. So next time I wear this, you know how I'll be styling it ;-)


Wanted to share with you a Bible verse that was really helpful to me yesterday. Sometimes I feel so weak, or insufficient, and helpless. It's part of me having unrealistic expectations for myself, which can cause me to just beat myself up. But, even when I'm focused, and joyful, and have drive, I don't have it together even still! I was reminded of this in 2 Corinthians 12:9 where God is saying to us: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  When we are weak, He is strong. And how glorious is that! For us to be made strong by the God of all creation. Quite powerful!


Hope you have a wonderful week!!
Love always,
Katie

The Peplum

Transform your simple sweater into an edgy silhouette in 2 easy steps!

1:: Cinch a belt over your entire outfit
2:: Pick up the fabric of the sweater in the back to create a peplum.

It will also make your hem hi-low which is quite trendy ;-)

Aren't belts fabulous!!??

Thank you, Dr. King!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."                                                                                                                                                 -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Layering:: Bring it Tog w/ a Thin Belt

I dressed down this gorgeous ruffle blouse with a camouflage knitted vest. Brought it together with this thin belt.

These colors coordinate because this yellow-orange belt is a warm color, the greens and denim blue are cool colors. The warm tone cheers it up. That's why I chose this belt and also these gold leaf dangling earrings.

I got the vest at a thrift shop, and the forest green ruffle tee from Elegantees.

Do you wear belts over vests. If not, would you?

Love always, Katie

Belting:: Wide Belt Over Peacoat

This week I went on a few romantic dates with my boyfriend. I'd like to share the experience of one of them since we took some photos! He took me walking through Ft. Tyrone Park in New York City around 190th Street in Manhattan. We then entered a "castle" where there was an art museum inside of it with 12th, 13th, 14th century art and the whole building had the same theme with its architecture. We loved it!! If you want to go sometime, it's called the Cloisters. Beautiful experience.

Before we met, I knew we would be doing plenty of walking. It was a nice January day so knew I wouldn't have to bundle up too much. I wore a tunic dress with warm leggings and my comfortable walking boots. A peacoat, absolutely necessary. Knowing I wouldn't take off my coat, I dressed it up my outfit by adding a wide belt. It was comfortable and stylish. Definitely try it sometime!!! I only have a few coats (this mustard tangerine coat is my "trendy" one), so in order to add a nice accent to an outfit we appear to wear so often, a belt is a perfect touch and it bring an element of surprise!! :-)

The Emily Tee Video

Click the YouTube icon to see full screen

Today concludes the blog series on "7 Ways to Accent the Emily Tee," ...wrapping it up with a video. Hope you enjoy it!! 

Keep following me because in a few days I'll start a new series on Belting, showing how they bring an outfit together to make your coats, sweaters, vests, tees and more fashionable! 

I pray that God blesses you today. I recently came across this Bible verse that really encouraged me….

“Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

The "Emily" tee is available at www.elegantees.com Order yours today while supplies last!

The Cropped Sweater

I borrowed this sweater from my sister's closet...and hoping I can convince her to let me keep it! It's so thick, warm, and I love how cropped it is. The yarns are grey with tints of white in them (the technical term for that is "heather"). The button in the middle at the bustline is great because this sweater is cropped so it creates a very flattering silhouette for everyone. Do you have a sweater like this? I paired it with the Emily tee, and all day I was warm and comfortable. Did I mention how feminine I felt too? The draped scarf was so pretty down the middle!

This concludes the series of "7 Ways to Wear the Emily Tee"
I will post the YouTube video shortly!! Enjoy! (:

Love Lacy's Necklace

Lacy is a really cool and confident young woman. I went to high school with her, and we've recently reconnected through Elegantees. I think she is really good at fashion and knows exactly what to add to an outfit to make it spectacular. Here is a perfect example in the photo she sent to me. She is wearing the Emily tee, and with this beautiful pearled string necklace with bronze motifs, it works perfectly with the black tee she's got in. Not only does the necklace drape with the scarf on the tee, but the colors compliment the black. She also chose some pearl earrings to match to the necklace. Wonderful example of how to wear jewelry!!! And, looks elegant (yet comfortable) for everyday life, even in the bathroom, nice background, Lacy! ;-)

Neutrals with a *~Splash~* of Color

Maybe you like this much jewelry, maybe you don't, but I'm sure you love this styling concept. All neutral clothing with a splash of color.

Here I chose turquoise to bring out my blue eyes. Plus, it's very high contrast color against the black Emily tee from Elegantees. Wear just a bracelet, or just a necklace, or a belt even. It's a nice way to dress up a classic outfit. Besides, a little color can make everyone around you inspired and joyful ;-)

Long Necklace

Long necklaces can give you a bohemian and casual vibe (the lavender top), or a dressy and sophisticated look (the black top).

I am a fashion designer, and actually designed this tee ;-) You can see my sketch on the left I made back in August '09. My intention (which was successful) is to make the attached scarf flow so it could be graceful on it's own, but even more lovely with a long necklace.

I've styled the tee 2 different ways here. The black tee I wore with grey slacks, and layered a long black crystal necklace over it (it's so long that I looped it). The lavender tee I wore with ripped jeans and a gold/white 70's looking necklace.

The reason why this works so well is because the necklace flows with the draped scarf of the shirt. The shirt is also a long length, so the entire look works.

Empire Belt

...Continuing on with my series on how to accent a tee (using this Elegantees "Emily" tee as the example)

Empire waists are great because they lengthen your torso and make you look slimmer. Here, I am wearing an elastic belt that clips into place.

If you remember this Elegantees tee, it has a long draped scarf. So, all I did to hide the pointy end of the scarf was tuck it into this wide belt.

So comfortable and I feel great in it!!!

One Brooch Is All You Need!

I once worked with a very elegant young executive who used to wear brooches all the time. She would add them to jackets, coats, blouses. I don't wear them much, I loved the professional look they have so I was inspired me to buy just one about 2 years ago!

I found it's all I really need since the one I bought is the most classic brooch I've ever seen. It's a cluster of pearls (great to match with a pearl necklace or earrings).

I thought this Emily tee from Elegantees was so cute to bunch up the draped scarf and to clip it with a brooch. With a pencil skirt, I feel just as sophisticated as an executive. So brooches are great for more than just interviews, they can even accent a tee.

Chic Scarf to Cover

Wear some neutrals (greys, blacks) and dress it up with an elegant scarf. This is also a way to dress more modesty if you are wearing a tee that exposes a lot of neck. Tee is from Elegantees (Style:: Emily), Scarf is from Milan, Italy (if you go, you can find these everywhere in the flee markets).

A Wearable Garden

I'm wearing this today, and thought to share with you because it reminds me of an exquisite garden. The drape of the forest green fabric in the shirt is so flowy, and the ruffles in the middle are like a cascading waterfall. They look like leaves of an exotic flower. Since I'm wearing gold shoes, I added this white/gold ring. Didn't think any more accessories would be necessary since this top is so interesting alone.

Since I LOVE this outfit so much and want you to be able to wear it too, I am doing a giveaway for it! I will select the winner on Monday, so make sure you are on my mailing list for your chance to win. This top is called RACHELE, and it's from Elegantees. The ring is from Forever 21.