Charley takes us into the realm of pattern mixing on an epic scale. This pint-sized fashionista loves to play act and set her own standards of beauty and style. For this springtime fresh look we illustrate how colors, patterns, and prints DO NOT have to match to commingle! The floral print dress from Bonnie Jean has personality and a range of hues in Charley’s favorite color, pink! That’s always a good basis for bringing in other prints or colors in the same family. I found this Children’s Place jacket that was just as cool as our model. It featured purple, floral motifs, and leopard all in one fancy package! While this may be over-the-top for some, this is perfect for the whimsical world she occupies! Charley helped us accessorize with a fancy ring, pearl and shell earrings, and a dream catcher necklace. Bringing it all back to earth are the black flats and footless tights that are a mainstay for little girls and moms everywhere! I’m having a ball just looking at her aren’t you?

Charley's Favorite Item: Bonnie Jean polyester, pink floral dress

Jeffrey goes city casual with this well thought out look that any man could wear. Once again layering at its finest. We start with a red polka dot button down shirt from the Gap, and added a black and white hounds tooth check tie from Chaps. This is our base. The shawl collar sweater from Marc Anthony allows just a little peek of the colorful shirt and tie combo. Grey dress slacks from the Gap make this feel a little more dressed up without looking corporate.  The tan suede coat from Claiborne is a classic outerwear piece that can be worn both in the spring to come and well into fall weather too, thereby making it indispensable. The classic Kangol cap and Jeffrey’s own brown leather dress shoes (purchased from Goodwill) add those small fashionable touches that create memorable style. Dressing up a little can be fun AND masculine too!

Jeffrey's Favorite Item: Dress shoes - To Boot NY

On our model George, we really show you that separates are what actually builds classic style. All the pieces you see here are tailored, as in they have definite design lines and are well fitted to our model’s frame. We start with a Dana Buchman blouse in a neutral mustard/beige tone that is easy to pair with other tones. The high-waist textured cotton slacks from Zara Woman were a real great fashion find!  The wider leg is on trend for spring, and the weight of the fabric can transition into fall and winter just as easily. We have illustrated these base pieces with two jackets to give us different looks. The square-shouldered graphic jacket from Canvasbacks gives it a modern and crisp vibe. Conversely the burgundy cardigan jacket with its ruffled shawl collar has a softer feminine feel that takes the entire outfit in another direction entirely. Classic gold jewelry staples, such as the locket and medallion, as well as the earrings add just the right touch of shine and polish for either look. The black leather vintage shoes with gold flower detail on the vamp pull it all together without calling too much attention to themselves, thereby making them an awesome addition to anyone’s wardrobe. George radiates the confident, cool, and most of all, comfortably-fashionable look that we can all strive for in the New Year!

George's Favorite Item: Burgandy Fever jacket 

Go bold or go home! Who says you can’t do bold patterns in menswear? Just witness the revival recently of the colorful casual sweater. Here, our model Devion sports a fantastic retro-hipster knit pullover from designer Beged-Or.  While this crazy pattern isn’t for every guy, finding a fun graphic sweater that suits your personality should be on every man’s fashion resolution list!  We’ve also demonstrated the idea here that white is not just for summer with the H.I.S. denim jeans shown with our awesome sweater. They help to create a color balance and make the sweater stand out even more in a positive fashion-forward way. The only thing a fine gentleman needs with this outfit are a cool pair of shoes like these navy and white lace ups by LaCoste that were already in Devion’s closet. Add in a simple belt and watch and you’ll be good to go. The fashion rule when utilizing a bold piece like this colorful sweater is to keep everything else on the neutral side. He looks bright and bold, and ready to take on the stylish life in the New Year!

Devion's Favorite Item: Red/green Beged-Or sweater

Young men’s style today is all about the layering trend. Our teenage model Robert is a perfect example. We’ve combined all the elements of texture, pattern, and color in one fashionable look! First off we started with putty color corduroy slacks from Land’s End. These pants are casual as well as season-less, and the color can work as a backdrop for just about any other color. It’s a nice change from the more typical blue jeans, or brown, gray, and black slacks. A graphic print t-shirt featuring Marvel comic characters was a great trendy discovery as it creates a nice counterpoint to the textured cardigan sweater from Cignal. Look for items that have some great detail like the epaulet at the shoulder of this sweater. What really makes this look stand up and stand out is the ethnic inspired, multicolor scarf. A scarf like this creates a European feel, and is always a solid fashion statement. Like all young men, Robert has an amazing collection of sneakers, so we used his own piped-in turquoise Nikes to finish off the look.  There is no doubt about it, layering is a fantastic way to make the most of your clothing budget while looking like a million bucks like our model!

With the holidays in just a few weeks, our youthful model Charley illustrates just how to do “dress up” the right way. You can’t do any better than velvet to stay stylish and warm when the weather takes a temperature dip. It feels luxurious, and the modern synthetic blends of this fabric are machine washable, which is great for kids on the go during this time of year! This red velvet dress with attached cardigan from Jenny Annie was a terrific find at Goodwill. The color is quite seasonal, but not garish. To make the look party ready I chose a beaded headband with a black flower on it that echoed the floral trim on the dress itself, as just one of the glamorous accessories. But, because she’s quite a stylish girl in her own right, Charley had her own ideas on adding other elements to her festive fashion look.  She chose a large sparkly faux diamond ring, and a purple satin purse! Her mom loved that she could use the black flats that were already in Charley’s closet to finish it all off. Sometimes just one spectacular piece like the velvet dress is all you need help make the season as bright as our model!

Hayley our model search winner is a fabulous illustration of the layered boho look for fall. Taking a cue from the runways, we’ve pulled together an ensemble that combines, color, print and texture for a classic yet up-to-date daytime look.  Like we always do in this section we’ve asked our model to provide us with her favorite pair of jeans as a starting point since she loves the fit and wash. I couldn’t agree more! A great pair of jeans sets the stage for the separates we’ve carefully yet casually combined here. A Jones New York paisley print silk blouse is a great counterpoint to the Aerie fuchsia sweater. This sweater has a loopy, loose weave that makes it a terrific layering piece. The colors work well together without exactly matching. The rich brown velvet fitted blazer from Ann Taylor was a fantastic find and brings the color palette down a little bit while allowing the colors to “pop." This jacket adds just the right touch of luxury that we’re going for.  The real fun was bringing in the cool accessories, such as the paisley scarf we’ve used as a headband, the beaded watch, and the gold earrings. The Relic red leather handbag keeps the look crisp and ties in with the green leather heels. By swapping the handbag for a slouchier one, and adding some boots this could become even more casual in an instant. She looks confident, classy, and cozy doesn’t she?

Charley, our grade school age model, shows us that some girls really like to glam it up! Sophisticated tones of black, gray and pink in an amusing pattern on this tunic dress from Haven Girl, was just the beginning for this pint size fashionista.  From that auspicious start we brought out the black velvet jacket from Cherokee, that adds both warmth and a little edge to our very stylish little girl. While we were doing the photo shoot Charley insisted on helping us with accessories, so she slipped on a silver ring, faux turquoise and silver earrings, and a long silver necklace that made her feel less drab and a lot more fab! Utilizing her favorite go-to leggings in black (for girls her age, you just can’t have too many pairs of leggings!) and her own sparkly silver flats, this little dynamo shows us that over the top can sometimes work perfectly! She naturally has a great eye! Goodwill is a wonderful place to allow your kids to explore the world of fashion, with a price tag that any parent can definitely get behind. Charley really rocks this look with ease and confidence!

This month model Devion shows us the perfect way to come across cool during the unpredictable weather we have during the end of summer and beginning of fall. Layered looks are always a great bet for casual occasions as well as weekend explorations. Starting with his own favorite gray pants to work off of we added in a vintage look Couch Potato graphic print t-shirt in a light green to kick up the color a notch. Over that great start, we layered on a short-sleeved button down plaid shirt in a complementary (but not matching to the tee) pattern of blue, brown, black and white to give a nice contrast to the other rather plain pieces.  Always make an outfit more interesting by following my rule of “complementary not matching.” Your eye will tell you if you’ve hit the mark or not!  Keeping it all grounded are these two-tone deck shoes by Faded Glory, which add a stylish fashion forward touch to this fun and playful everyday look.