Not So BGC's Closet

Hey followers!

Because we've been out of touch for so long, the two of us would like to update you all on what we've been working on. Junior year of college is our hardest year yet; we have our higher level classes, and we are both working part time jobs (Kayci at a local restaurant and Ali at a Richmond catering service). But while we've been away, we haven't forgotten to focus on what's important to us: fashion.

We are working on an upcoming collaboration with a very successful local Richmond designer. We won't leak the details yet though; it's a surprise! We also have been asked by other local blogs and companies to help with designing some simple T-shirt designs. In the mean time we've been trying to brainstorm ways to raise money for our blog so that we can branch out and get our name out there. Here's what we've thought of...

Not So Billionaire Girls Club now has an active account on the Poshmark app, where we are currently selling numerous garments from our own closets. Most of the items are trendy, gently-used items that can be put together in cool, new ways; the Not So BGC specialty!

If anyone is interested in buying these pieces, there are a number of ways we can be contacted. You all can email us at notsobgc@gmail.com, comment on our Poshmark app account (@NotSoBGC), message us on Facebook, or simply comment on this blog post! We can also provide pictures of detail on each piece upon request. All of the items will be shipped out to your home address. The following prices apply (or the best offer) in addition to the appropriate shipping fee. Shipping fees vary depending on the postage price, your location, and the weight of the package.

La Bella Figura

Hey followers!

After a long (but seemingly short) stay in Europe, I am officially back in the US! I stayed in Firenze for a total of 4 weeks, with the occasional weekend trip to Roma.. Venice.. etc. I can honestly say that my 4 weeks of adventure in a foreign country were the four most eye-opening, liberating, and inspiring weeks of my life. Being the fashion student that I am, I was inspired by the surrounding pedestrians of Italy (whether it be a fellow study abroad student or a stylish business person at a trade show) and their unique sense of style. 

The picture above (abbigliamento means clothing) is just a few of the outfits that I was able to capture amidst my adventures around the cities of Italy. It just so happens that each of the pictures were taken in a different city! Here is what I was wearing:

Roma:

I needed something that was lightweight and wouldn't be too hot for walking around the city all day (10 hours to be exact). 

Black deep V-neck dress || Brandy Melville

White Chucks || Journey's 

Knee-Length Socks || Target

Chianti:

As I said before, wine tastings are the perfect place to dress up and look classy! Besides the poorly-lit wine cellars, I had a relatively easy time walking around in my 5 inch platform heels!

Green Sheer Pants || Tobi.com

Cream Tank || Brandy Melville

Maroon Bralette || Urban Outfitters

Platform Sandals || Shoemint.com

Lamb Skin Leather Bag || Firenze Leather Market

Venezia:

When I think Venice, I think of a beautiful, romatic city built on the water. I wanted to wear something comfortable but still pretty and feminine.

White Sheer Striped Dress || Arden B

White Sandals || ALDO

Firenze:

The last outfit is among the many different outfits I wore in my city- Firenze! On this particular day, my Italian fashion class happened to be taking a trip to the Gucci Museum. I wanted to wear something that was fashionable, but still appropriate. (By the way, I was holding in my hand a sandwich from one of the best little shops in Firenze!!)

Polka-Dot Button-Down || H&M

Pink Skinny-leg Pants || H&M

Yellow Scarf || Target

Black Sandals || Calimala 31

Okay, so enough with my boring outfits. Let's get to the fun stuff! Here are six pictures of some of the outfits of pedestrians that were so kind as to let me take their picture. Unfortunately, I was not able to record where their clothing was from... The only thing I know for sure, however, is that the woman on the bottom right corner (whom I stopped at the Pitti Filati Trade Show) happens to be wearing a pair of brand new Valentino heels. How cool! It's so inspiring walking through the streets and being surrounded by some of the best-dressed people I have ever seen. I am going to try and emulate what I have seen over the past month and bring it to you guys! Until then, excuse me while I reminisce over old pictures and cry in a corner...

Il Mio Giorno al Castello di Verrazzano

I had to write about my experience in Chianti, Tuscany while the sense of awe was still fresh in my memory. We arrived at the Castello di Verrazzano early in the afternoon and were given a tour of the amazing castle that had been turned into a winery and farm. The castle was home to many people that had lived there their whole lives; it was their home! We were taken into the wine cellars and given some information about how each wine barrel holds tons and tons of grapes- making thousands of bottles of delicious wine. The winery takes pride in the making of their wine. We were told that wine should not be thought of as just a drink; it is culture and passion as well. .

After the tour we sat down to a divine lunch, featuring 4 different kinds of wine including Chianti Rosso and Chianti Classico. I could have sat down at this meal all day long. For Italians, having a meal is all about the appreciation of the work that goes into every detail. For all of you venturing to Italy in the future- some helpful tips:

-Tasting wine is a process: hold the glass at a 45 degree angle to see the color. Next, twirl your glass on the table (holding it by the stem!) and then smell the aroma of the wine. Take a sip and savor the taste before swallowing.

-Never dip your bread in olive oil. Every drop is precious, so gently pour it onto the bread.

-There is never only one course, so don’t over indulge on the first- there is more coming!!

Regrettably, this trip was less fashion-focused. However, during our stay in Chianti I did try to take a lot of photos that appreciated both the scenery and my well-dressed fashion classmates. I wore sheer pants from Tobi and my new top from Brandy Melville, along with some platform sandals from Shoemint.com. Note- always dress nicely for wine tastings! It is a classy atmosphere that requires you to dress up. As Tom Ford would say- “Dressing well is a form of good manners.”

Also featured in my pictures is my lovely friend Jaquelyn who is wearing a Chianti Rosso colored hat, a classic LBD from Need Supply, and Jeffrey Campbell heels. You can never go wrong with a floppy hat and a red lip! We had so much fun taking pictures against this beautiful landscape.

More to come soon! Only a week left in this beautiful country!

The Androgyny Effect

Photos by: Twanii Steer

I don't think I would be the only one to argue that a new Lookbook is long overdue. So, my fellow Not So BGC members, here it is. With Ali still gone, I recruited my boyfriend to be my partner in crime for this one. He has recently fell in love with his semi-new Nikon D3200, so it wasn't hard convincing him to take her out for a shoot. He found the location and I dressed for the occasion. 

The spot we chose to shoot has became a tad bit run down and the art isn't as glorious as it once was but that didn't stop us from still getting some dope shots. My outfit meshed perfectly with the setting and complimented the various colors of the art and landscape. I again went for the androgynous, street style which was easy and simple to put together. Ali and I seem to do a lot of this look but I feel that is because it is what we are most comfortable doing and have the most fun putting together. And what can I say, this is the NOT SO Billionaire Girls Club. We encourage all of our followers to purchase cheap staple items, such as my men's button down that was on sale, and then jazz it up with crazy lip colors and bright accessories. Going about styling this way will not only save you money, but makes for great street wear. 

After climbing on trains and overpasses, we were pleased with what we had accomplished and headed back to the car. A quick note to all our female followers out there, venture out of your gender comforting clothing and try a more boyish look. It's ironic how much your inner femininity will begin 

to take over. 

Detroit Red Wings Snapback ||  Mitchell & Ness

Sunnies || Ray-Ban

Gray Patterned Button Down || Cotton On

Basic Denim || H&M

Patterned Socks || Target

Black Chucks || Converse

Bonnaroo Music Festival: Capturing Culture in Unexpected Places

Hello my loves,

It has been quite awhile hasn’t it? I apologize for the lack of posting on my behalf and I will make sure to neglect you guys no longer. My summer schedule has definitely been keeping me on my toes and downtime is very rare lately. I am currently juggling two jobs while interning for Jules Reid here in Virginia Beach so it has been hectic. 

Although I do miss Ali dearly while she is on her travels in the beautiful city of Florence, she is not the only one getting enriched with vast culture. I was lucky enough to have scored a ticket to the Bonnaroo music festival in Tennessee- courtesy of my amazing roommate, Camila. She is also who I previously traveled with to New York a few months ago. We work well together on long ventures. 

Some of you may not know, but I am very invested in music. It is a major part of my life and I use it to accomplish and cope with

anything life throws at me. No, I am not cool enough to play the guitar or blessed with the voice of an angel, but, I would like to think I am still “musically inclined” with the way I use music to express myself. Receiving this ticket was a perfect summer getaway for me because I adore music festivals and I was lucky to be given it for free because I really could not afford it this year since I am saving to study abroad in London.

If any of you have ever been to a music festival, you know how great the atmosphere and people are. Music was not the only thing that Bonnaroovians were using to channel their personalities but, fashion stood by music’s side and the two became a pair that was oh-so overwhelming for me. But don’t get me wrong- this overwhelming feeling was everything I wanted in a vacation and more.

As I scoped out the festival each day, I noticed music enthusiasts dressing in one of two ways: practicality vs. fashion forward. Tennessee can reach temperatures of great heights during the summer season so it only made sense to plan an outfit around the weather and activities occurring that day. I saw many festival goers in light colors, lightweight fabrics such as cotton, closed toed shoes, and large sun hats. These individuals had the right idea when it came to being comfortable and cool on those hot days. Another trend I saw amongst the festival (which I partook in as well) would be galoshes. The forecast called for rain most of the trip and not to mention "The Farm" was quite muddy after thousands of people had been trotting its grounds. Let me tell ya, there are more styles of rain boots than you thought there were!

On the other end of the spectrum, there were the fashion leaders of Bonnaroo. As I people watched, (something I often do to pass time), I began to notice a common trend among the individuals that were not so worried about the weather or mud but instead took pride in their outfit choice. These fashion gurus were often spotted in intricate kimonos, knee high gladiator sandals, cute jumpers, and unique hats. I have to say, for how hot the weather is, these ladies and gents did not mind adding on the layers. Also, cute pixie cuts on women and bright colored dyes were seen amongst the hair of the fashion forward crowd as well. I found the abundance of lightweight layers and beautiful accessories the most common trend that pushed these leaders to the front of the pack in the Bonnaroo fashion world. 

To wrap this blog post up, I would like to say to all my followers; if you don't currently have the cash to take your travels overseas or even across the country, save for a music festival close to where you reside. It might not be totally what you were thinking of when you told yourself you wanted to experience culture, great food, and new people but, music festivals will definitely grant you all three. Whether you're a fashion junkie or music freak, Bonnaroo was a world of its own and has a place for everyone.

Aih...Cuanto cuesta?!

Ciao belle!
My italian is getting so much better now that I am submersed in the Italian culture and I am so excited. However, apparently Florence is the WORST Italian city to practice your Italian because there are so many Americans and English-speaking Italians! (lots of study abroad kids as well).

I wanted to dedicate a single post to the SHOPPING. I am thrilled to be surrounded by other fashion majors during my stay here because- trust and believe- none of my friends or family members would be able to tolerate our endless hours of shopping!

The pictures above include the following: Gucci sneakers from the Gucci outlet, a Zara jumper in the dressing room of the Firenze Zara, Ruco Sneakers (to DIE for), and a Zara mannequin display. I wanted to show a mix of the clothing that I have been seeing in stores. For example, there are many chain stores like Zara, H&M, and Brandy Melville here in Firenze, but the real shopping is in the European brand stores. As I walk around the streets of Florence, it is hard to refrain from getting distracted by the well-known brands that I am familiar with, but- just like life- style begins at the end of your comfort zone!! Places like Ruco and Cos feature European-based brands that you can't find in the states. That is the beauty of traveling abroad.

The Gucci sneakers, however, are a whole other story. Here in Florence, there is a designer outlet mall titled,"The Mall." I don't want to bore you with the details, but the mall had the shops of designers including Prada, Gucci, Dior, Balenciaga, Ferragamo, YSL, Valentino, Ermano Scervino, and Moschino. The best part was- all of the designs were sold at a discounted price! And, by the way, by discounted I mean taken down from 500 euro to 200... My favorites were Dior and Valentino because of their craftsmanship, but as you all know, in NotSoBGC we take pride in staying away from designer brands. If you can't afford it, why buy it right? So, needless to say, I didn't buy a single thing. But I did learn a whole lot.

As I continue to live and shop in the country of Italy, I will make sure to document my experiences about customer service, originality, merchandising tactics, pricing, and so on. There is nothing like being submersed in the very industry you wish to work in and I intend to make the most of it.

I must get to sleep- I'm off to Cinque Terre at 7am tomorrow morning! Ciao!

Benvenuto a Italia!

Ciao ragazzi!! So here it is, my first blog post from Firenze, just like I promised! It is 11:28pm here (5:28pm your time) and I could not be more exhausted! Now I know why all these Italians are so skinny- they walk everywhere!

So, considering my exhaustion and prolonged jet lag, this blog post will be a brief one. The following are just a few snapshots of my favorite moments within my first 48 hours in Italy. I captured the best drinks: a Spritz (1st picture) and the classic cappuccino (last picture). The other pictures consist of myself and my classmates exploring the city.

Despite our delayed flight and LOST LUGGAGE, we were still lucky enough to make it to the Pitti Uomo trade show on the day we arrived in Florence (pictures 2 and 3)- talk about wardrobe envy! This trade show was probably the most awe-inspiring glimpse into the undercover world of the fashion industry that I had ever experienced. I came dressed in a polyester maxi skirt and lace-embroidered shirt, and I have never felt so under-dressed in my life. People-watching was at its prime here. The most beautifully dressed Italians glided through the trade show venue as if they were royalty- dressed in the most bizarre but brilliant designer clothing. I'm talking girls in dresses with new balance sneakers, men decked out in suits consisting of 3 different patterns, couples matching in cream silk outfits...

The trade show consisted of designers show-casing their lines for the 2016 fall/winter and spring/summer collections. This was their time to show buyers that they had the next best thing, and everyone brought their A game.

The following pictures show what I did today- my second day in Firenze. We had time to explore the city- the Duomo, various markets, and of course our apartments! (Picture 7). 

Every moment I spend here could not be any more valuable to me, so I am soaking up every second of every day. As for tomorrow- I am waking up at 6:30 to visit the central market and go on an early morning run around the city! A presto!