Zoom Ready: Date Night

Dating this year has been… a bit of a struggle. Due to covid, it has been hard to go out and meet people, go on dates, and get to know someone. Since quarantine, some people have taken online dating to the next level by having zoom dates since they could not go on in-person dates. How do you get to know someone through zoom? Can a relationship begin in quarantine over the internet? But the real question is… what do you wear on a zoom date?! 

One of the best things about zoom is that you only have to look good form the waist up, so on your zoom date you only need to pick a cute top! This makes picking out an outfit so much easier… because you don’t really have to pick an outfit. However, we would recommend that you stick with basic, solid colors for your top. Anything with a crazy pattern might be distracting, and we want you to be the only captivating thing on this date!

Accessories will be your best friend and biggest compliment! Since no one would be able to see your whole outfit, what’s the best way to show off your features? This is where your jewelry comes in. Earrings can help frame your face, so choosing the type of earring based on your face shape will help you shine on your zoom date! If your face shape is oval, you’re in luck because any earrings will flatter you. If you have a square face shape, round earrings will help soften you. Wearing drop or dangle earrings will help elongate someone with a round face shape. And if you have a heart shaped face, then chandelier or teardrop earrings will help balance your face.  

As for makeup, doing a simple and natural look is the best way to go. You want to look like yourself and with the quality of zoom, wearing full glam might not present the best on camera. This is why a simple look would be a safer option. But if showing your true self is doing full glam, go for it! Just make sure its clean since your face will be on fullscreen and webcam quality isn’t the best.  

One of the best ways to look amazing on zoom and to help you glow, is to know your colors. When you wear the colors that flatter you the most, you glow honey. Your skin brightens, your eyes sparkle, and this is what you need for a zoom date. If you don’t know your ideal colors, a consultation with a personal stylist will help you. 

Check out this link to schedule a consultation with A Creative Cliche: http://www.acreativecliche.com/

(from theconceptwardrobe.com)

A few more tips we can give you are try to sit into front of a window with natural lighting and try to have a solid or clean background. We want you be the only thing that has your date’s attention!

The best advice we can give you is be yourself and don’t be too nervous! There are lots of pros about dating over zoom. It’s safer, not only because of covid, but also because some of these people are strangers. It’s also not as nerve racking since it’s not in-person. Just focus on getting to know the person, and be confident that you look amazing! 

Finding Your Personal Style for 2021

Everyone has their own unique sense fo style, and it does not have to be labeled... but it does help when shopping and putting together an outfit. Finding you own personal style is important in so many ways. It will help you express yourself, it can help you feel comfortable and confident, and it helps present the real you. When meeting new people you want to portray yourself the best way you can, having a defined personal style can help you look put together while still showing who you are. Finding your personal style can help you by creating a cohesive look and showing your true self, it makes shopping and choosing an outfit easier, and it helps allow you to be yourself regardless and through all of the different trends. There so many types and categories of different styles, but we will be focusing on five: boho, preppy, edgy, chic, and glam.

Boho
The bohemian style is very fun and free spirited, it goes with the flow. People with a boho personal style tend to wear loose fitting and flowy clothes. They love mixing patterns and colors. Layering many pieces is also very common. The accessories that someone who has a boho style would love are scarves, beads, bangles, large dangle or hoop earrings, and just any unique jewelry pieces that they can find.

If you are loving the style of a bohemian look, try shopping at a thrift store or Free People. Many people who have a boho style shop at thrift stores to find unique, one of a kind pieces. Free People is also a great place to shop for earthy and flowy clothing

pieces that are perfect for someone with a boho style. An accessory by Believer that someone with a boho fashion sense will fall in love with is definitely the FLOTUS Flower Earrings. They are large, dangly, and bold, the perfect accessory for the bohemian style.

Shop The FLOTUS Earrings by Believer Here: https://www.shopbeliever.com/products/the-flotus-flower-earring? _pos=1&_psq=fl&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Preppy
Someone with a preppy style is the complete opposite of a boho style. It is much more clean and structured with pops of color. Boat shoes, cable knit sweaters, and polos are very common pieces found in a preppy closet. The color navy is also very popular. If this sounds like you, check out J. Crew, Vineyard Vines, and Lily Pulitzer. There are very popular store that have a preppy fashion style. While these stores are on the more expensive side, people who dress preppy love quality clothing that will last them a long time.

Edgy
Accessories are the definition of creating an edgy look. If you are obsessed with accessories and creating unique looks, you might have an edgy personal style. This style screams confidence and boldness. People with this style tend to have dramatic

and bold hairstyles or makeup. Staples for an edgy closet are black skinny jeans, ripped denim, oversized denim jacket, anything leather, plaid, Doc Martens, and band tees. The accessories are usually unique and bold such as safety pin earrings, chains, chokers, and lots of rings. The Not Playing Safe Safety Pin Earrings by Believer stand out with its uniqueness and quality. Accessories that are studded or that are very detailed are also popular in this style. Stores to shop at if you are loving the edgy style are DollsKill, ASOS, and Urban Outfitters.

Shop The Not Playing Safe Gold Safety Pin Earrings by Believer Here: https://www.shopbeliever.com/products/not-playing-safe-gold-safety-pin-earrings? _pos=1&_psq=safe&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Chic
The chic fashion style always makes me think of New York City, so if you love that fashion you probably will love the chic personal style. This style is all about the neutrals, black, and white. However, this style does love its pops of colors in accessories and shoes. A bright colored bag or a red lip scream chic. Don’t forget about the oversized sunglasses, they pull together a chic look. A chic look tends to modest, but the most chic places to show some skin are your shoulders and ankles. The best places to shop for chic fashion are Bloomingdales, Zara, and Nordstrom.

Glam
If you’re a glam girl, then you probably love jewelry, faux fur, and makeup. The glam personal style is all about drama in your clothing and accessories. Different textures and prints are a must-have for the glam style. A sparkly dress, with a faux fur coat, and sunglasses is a perfect glam outfit for any occasion. Places to shop for a glam style are Ted Baker, Windsor, and Fashion Nova.

There are so many different personal styles that can help you feel confident and look amazing. Defining your personal style will help you express yourself and put together looks that you have been trying to achieve. You do not need to label your style, but it can help you if you want to express yourself better.

Fashion Trends & Covid-19

The impact of Covid-19 feels endless. From quarantine, to our “new normal”, and even to the current fashion trends. Since everyone is staying home and working remote, most people are shopping for cute and comfortable lounge wear. Sweatpants, neutrals, and comfy sets are all the rage right now.

The pandemic has even sped up fashion trends according to Ana Correa. She says that trends that were expected in 2021, the importance of home-life and clothing pieces designed for zoom calls, are trending now. We can already see that this is true since lounge wear is all anyone is wearing and if you have a Zoom call people only dress up what the camera sees.

When working at home, everyones main concern is being comfy. This is the main reason lounge wear is popular right now. People would rather wear sweatpants than slacks to work. However, we still want to look good for our Zoom meetings. Over

sized tee-shirts, ribbed material, joggers, and lounge wear sets are a go-to because they are stylish and extremely comfy.

Neutral lounge wear sets are the best way to go. The outfit is already put together! There are also so many combinations you can do. There are sets that come with shorts, pants, and even cardigans.

With lounge wear becoming increasingly more popular, you can buy them almost any where. Oh Polly, Meshki, and Pretty Little Thing have a great selection of lounge wear ranging in prices and quality.

While Covid has made lounge wear a necessity, celebs and influencers have been popularizing it for a long time. Influencers such as Raven Elyse and Lisa Onuoha have been wearing and recommending lounge wear for months. Raven Elyse even did a dedicated lounge wear haul on her Instagram during quarantine.

Most stores that are selling lounge wear are e-commerce brands. They only sell clothes online. This is another impact by Covid-19, online shopping is basically the

only kind of shopping. People who were previously nervous about shopping online, are now completely comfortable with it due to Covid. All of the lounge wear brands mentioned previously are e-commerce brands.

Another impact covid has had on fashion tendencies is that people are shopping for classic, quality pieces. Fast fashion is out. We want good quality pieces for a capsule wardrobe. We also want pieces that are easy to clean, and sanitize in the washer. No more “dry clean only” clothes. With the spread of covid, we need to be able to wash and disinfect our clothes easily.

Covid-19 has impacted every aspect of our lives, even fashion trends and shopping habits. People are only buying lounge wear now because everyone is staying home. Our “new normal” is not only wearing a mask and social distancing, but also wearing comfy clothes to work instead of the typical slacks.

A Five Year Reflection on A Creative Cliche

So it is absolutely no secret that A Creative Cliche has officially hit its 5 year mark this month. *CUE THE SYMPHONY * And to say it feels amazing is a complete under-statement. In all honesty, it feels like a literal dream! I can remember very vividly when this was all just a concept, scribbled out thoughts on pages of a notebook I carried with me. I spent months researching, observing, conceptualizing and often times stalling (because let’s be honest perfectionism is real) before officially launching 3/8/2015.

In the time leading up to this 5 year mark my mind has been ruminating on how far the brand has come. And so I decided to take a second to share publicly how it all came together and how we arrived HERE, today. The aim is to celebrate how far A Creative Cliche has come but also to encourage those who are in the very early stages of their brand, business or vision.

In the fall of 2014, a few months after graduating from Simmons College and getting married to my best friend, I started to really look at my life. I wouldn’t say that I was un-happy really, I just realized I wasn’t using any of my natural talents or skills in my day to day life. At the time I was working in a hospital doing admin, it was an easy job in a quiet department with very little to complain about. During that time my husband was pursuing ministry and I loved seeing how excited he was coming from class so fired up about what he was doing and learning. I on the other hand would come home completely drained and un-inspired. I think he noticed, because over time he began to push me to pursue what I REALLY wanted. Here was the problem…I wasn’t completely sure. So I spent the next few months fleshing out what I really wanted.

By December of the same year my vision began to clear up. I knew that I needed to use my natural gifts in the creative realm, but that’s it, that’s all I had. And I knew it would be called A Creative Cliche. The name stemmed from the cliche surrounding creatives that we are multi-talented. Usually someone who is a painter also writes poetry, is incredible in interior decoration and can probably play the guitar! I named it that way to give myself space to grow into the name. It allowed me to stay limitless in the realms of the arts and creativity as I figured out my area of focus. My temporary contract at the hospital ended by Christmas so I spend every single day in January- February coming up with a game plan. I looked up how to make a business plan, different career paths and the like until I had written myself to death. One day my husband looked at me and asked “so when are you going to do this thing”. And I realized it was time to stop stalling, I had become so afraid of not beginning perfect that I was now hiding behind “I’m not ready”. BUT I WAS READY! So I decided the only way to make it real is to decide a date, announce it and jump into the pool of uncertainty and I did it!

I didn’t make a dime until December 2015. From there I started paying some of my friends to help, then interns, then employees. But I don’t regret a single step of the process. In the very beginning it was pretty hard to get people interested because at that point I was just talk. It wasn’t until the train was moving that I realized people were willing to help. This concept has played itself out over and over and it’s one of the biggest lessons I think someone could take from this reflection. Start moving your train, your vision, your plan and eventually others will want to hop on board something that has momentum and a direction. So often times this journey will be lonesome, it can even be discouraging, but don’t let that crush your hopes! Start where you are with what you have in your hands!

I’ve written this blog post in collaboration with Femme Luxe Refinery. I want to share how I styled some of the recent pieces I picked up from them. The first look I wore featured a Black Fishnet Mesh Puff Sleeve Top called the Cyrilla. I loved the complete sheer nature of this top and opted to play with textures. I paired this top with a black lace cami, a pair of black gauchos, black lace tights and black suede pumps. The aim was to take the all black look to the next level with texture playing.

The second look featured a Stone Long Sleeve Belted Utility Cargo Jacket called Abril that I paired with a pair of leather joggers also from Femme Luxe Refinery. I loved the sporty look thrown a slight curveball by the black stiletto. The third look was a true wildcard! I paired the grey silver strapless corset crop top called Melli with a pair of grey sweatpants and a yellow heel as a pop of color. This is probably one of my edgier looks to date, feeling over the top enough for a photoshoot.

The final look featured a khaki one shoulder puff sleeve crop top called Rihanna. This crop top was just long enough to pair well with a pair of high waisted mom jeans. I loved how the color of the top complimented the crisp white jeans as well as the dainty details in the puffy sleeve.

So You Wanna Be A Mogul?

So firstly, what is a mogul? A mogul is an important or powerful person. And honestly, a lot of our clients are important and powerful people. And not just in the sense of positive thinking or affirmations. We work with many entrepreneurs and executives aka those who mean business or those who own a business. A little background on the types of clients we serve: many are in real estate, medicine, and technology. These are pretty big needs in our world! 

Obviously they weren’t always such bosses but they worked hard and from our own experience and interactions with them, we’ve got a couple starter tips or best practices if you’re looking to start a business. Keep in mind that just because you're starting a business doesn't mean you have to be an expert on everything. As we mentioned we have clients who are business owners but they still need us to assist them in their image. Since A Creative Cliche’s inception, we’ve used style to empower our clients to have the balls to demand what they deserve. Our goal is to ensure that you reach higher levels of confidence, not only in yourself but in your career.

So let’s get into it if you want to be a BOSS. (These will start with B’s too)

Brand 

Brand definition: the image and personality of a product or service that a business provides.

What is it that you want to do? Start working on it and though you may not be that great at it now, over time you will be. Create an identifying unique design, sign, symbol, words, or a combination of these. And stick to it! Better yet, register with your state. Now that you’ve got some money spent, it will likely affect how you work on it.

Bustle 

Bustle definition: to move or act with a great show of energy.

Be passionate about what you do. You don't have to love every aspect of your business (and you probably won't), but you do have to be fired up about it! You're going to devote a lot of time and energy while building it into a successful enterprise, so it's really important that you truly deeply enjoy what you do

Build

build definition: to construct, create, establish or put together.

Build others up. Your greatest marketing tool will be other people so network between industries and across them. For example, through collaborations we’ve become preferred vendors and vice versa. Conduct yourself in a courteous manner, treating everyone as if they are your next client, because they may just lead you to them.

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Ready to start a new chapter in your life but you know your look is holding you back? Need to establish work attire for your growing business and employees? We are your go-to stylists. Whether that means taking business to the next level, finding true love or finally living the life you imagined.

Coming in like a boss: Why so timid?

It’s funny- every year like clock work as soon as December 30 hits all we begin to hear about are New Year’s resolutions and vision boards. In fact, vision boards have become such a craze that everywhere you turn for the first few weeks will be hosting a vision board PARTY. Go figure! Who knew being a visionary could be such a wild time 😂.

But behind it all this is truly my favorite time of year. Why? Because when drafting my vision I become a co-collaborator or co-creator with God. It’s a powerful time, feeling like I have the ability to create and shape my next few months. It’s such a process and moment that I love that I created a style coaching course to help call forth your vision and get in alignment with the vision to see it through.

But recently I came face to face with a thought, a question coming from a small still voice- “then why are you so timid about it”. Immediately I knew what this word was about. I have a frequent habit of trying to look like I’m not working hard (weird- I know!). Here’s the set up: if someone were to come around I’d put my laptop away, walk away from my desk and go find some idle frivolous task. It’s a strange habit that I’m now coming face to face with. But the idea is that I don’t want to show up BIG for myself, I don’t want to appear to be outworking my peers, I simply don’t wanna shine my light bright. As much as many believe I’ve accomplished I’m sure it’s hard to believe that I’ve dimmed my light so much.

This idea reminded me that often the world isn’t against you. In fact the world is rooting for you- waiting for you to get in your place-to get in alignment. No, in reality you’re the only thing holding you back!

So today I want to challenge you and pose a question:

What is it that you’re so timid about?

Working so closely with people as a personal stylist has taught me we ALL have something!
Is it starting your own business?
Is it the idea of going back to school for your passion?
Is it about being vulnerable and sharing your failures?
Putting yourself back out there?
Going for a promotion you know you deserve?
Is it finally walking into the spotlight, being in front?
Raising your rates?

And what will you do this year to free yourself?

I implore you to look at your fears in the eye this year and start coming in like a boss!
The future you is depending on it.

This blog post is in collaboration with Femme Luxe Refinery. This new collection features puff sleeve tops! If you’re like me when you’re shopping online you always say a little prayer or just cross your fingers that the piece will look as amazing on you as it does on the model and let me just tell you I was blown away by this selection- seriously as I type I am wearing this Black Satin Puff Sleeve Top- Gracelynn. Because it is a crop top and I am not always in the position to go full crop I knew I wanted to pair it with something high waisted. I opted for a black leather accordion style skirt to keep the monochromatic look in tact and threw w wildcard thigh length animal print boot to spice it up! I ended up wearing this look to a client session, luckily I have a profession which allows me a great level of creativity in my looks.

My second piece is another puff sleeve top called Mandee. I’ve always been weary about over accenting my shoulders because I am an inverted triangle body type. But I found that the soft sweetheart like shape softened this top and made it more feasible to wear. I was pleasantly surprised by the fit, and it being a bit longer of a fit than expected! Definitely a keeper, I can’t wait to pair this with a high waisted skirt.

This look features a pair of khaki colored cycling shorts called the Farrah. I paired this look with a white blazer dress to give my look some layered effects. It’s technically winter here in Orlando, so the idea of wearing a light tank with this was simply out of the question. I love the unique color of the shorts a true win.

My last piece which I will be wearing like crazzzyyyyy these next few months the White Open Back V-Neck Bodysuit the Renee. I love the simple lace feature I plan to pair it with all of my suits come spring time for that delicate look. It’s the perfect shade of white and can be paired underneath a statement piece or on it’s own with the open back concept.

Wardrobe Planning for Easier Outfits

Remember back in your younger school days you’d plan your outfit the night before class? Sometimes even for the whole week! Okay, maybe your parents did it for you. But the point is that time was SAVED from having to figure it out the day of. Nowadays the adult thing to do is meal prep but let’s keep that same energy sis and apply that time saving approach to our clothes.

Why should you plan your outfits? Maybe there is a special occasion happening such as Fashion Week or a vacation coming up. It's best to plan out your outfits ahead of time so you can actually enjoy your experience! Laying out your clothes for the week before can be a productivity boost as well. You've already eliminated the "what to wear" task so now you can focus on other things that need to get done.

Up for the challenge? Go over your schedule for the week to see what occasions you have coming up, and also be sure to check the weather. Take a photo of EVERY outfit you like to wear and keep them in a folder on your phone. It’s a great way to figure out which items can be worn in different combinations and what needs to be added. This article lists 8 outfit planning apps to simplify your life. Yes it may be a little bit of a hassle to do it yourself but guess what, we at A Creative Cliché can do it for you too! Get your personalized lookbook with items from your own closet! (Ask us more about this service if you are someone who tends to get stuck in a cycle of wearing the same 2-3 outfits over and over.)

Once you have all your outfits for Monday through Friday planned (including accessories!), put them all together in your closet, in order day-by-day. Each look should go on its own hanger, so you can grab it, put it on and go! If you find that certain pieces never seem to make it into the rotation, it's probably time to donate or sell those items. It becomes a win-win situation at that point. What are you thoughts on outfit pre-planning?

To the Dreamers Who Want To Be Doers

Ok everyone please raise your hand is someone has ever told you “you make it look easy”? Whether it’s you being a full time student and full time employee or killing it raising four kids under the age of six or breaking the internet with your viral videos. For myself it’s been the creation of A Creative Cliché and my growth as a stylist + creator. From the outside looking in it may seem that my path to creative entrepreneurship has been a breeze- at least that’s what I’ve been told.

The idea for A Creative Cliché was born exactly five years ago. I was a recent college grad working a pretty sweet but temporary gig at a local hospital. I was making decent money and truly had minimal workplace responsibilities but still felt pretty unfulfilled. See even though I received my bachelors in science (Kinesiology) I knew I was a creative at heart. A Creative Cliché was birthed out of my desire to merge a myriad of creative forms of expression into one place.

It took months and months of planning before I ever launched. And that was mostly because of two things 1. fear 2. fear wrapped in the idea of perfectionism because honey, those two often come in pairs. Luckily I had a cheerleader in my corner: my amazing husband who would go on to be my business manager. With a full plan, plenty of passion, a word from the Lord + a cheerleader/supportive husband behind me I dove into this new venture fully. That was March of 2015.

From the day of the official launch and beyond I worked tirelessly every.single.day but I still didn’t make a single penny for nine months. For many this is when they would’ve quit- this is when they would ditch the dream for the next shiny object. So to all of my dreamers reading this -THIS is where I want to challenge you. I come across so many ultra talented creatives, dreamers + entrepreneurs who never get past the idea phase. Unfortunately passion and excitement are just a small fraction of what it takes to make a vision happen. The bigger components are: discipline, grit, proper planning + the determination to stand firm.

Will you stand firm on your vision? When you only profited $400 this month, will you stand firm? When you receive your 10th rejection THIS WEEK, will you stand firm? When the inquiries slow down. When the brands and people you want to notice you DON’T for the fifth year in a row. When it feels like you’re progressing in a pool of molasses, will you stand firm? Sometimes standing firm is something that can feel like a big ole easier said than done situation, I get it, but find your rock. Your rock is what you can hold on to when the vision seems like it’s fading. For me it has absolutely been Godfidence, trust what God has said to me is true (whew!). Even when that’s easier said than done it is what keeps me solid.

So to all of my dreamers who are not yet does, just know we are ALL waiting on you!
(Romans 8:22)

My friends from Femme Luxe were gracious enough to do another collaboration with me and I’m super excited to share some of the killer looks ! This go around I didn’t stick to any theme instead I truly picked the items that I absolutely loved and felt I would get the most use out of. My first pick was this pair of mid wash jeans called the Cora. The cut of the jeans were a bit different than expected but I loved how funky they were. These are definitely a pair of jeans I can grab when I am wanting to spice things up a bit and per usual with femme luxe, tons of room for some stretching. I paired these jeans with my TopShop glitter tube top to give it a glam yet funky look.

My next pick of course was another loungewear set, listen up if you’ve missed my past collaborations with Femme Luxe you have no clue how nuts I am about their loungewear sets. They are the perfect thing for my ladies who want comfort and the ability to still be chic. I use my loungewear sets often on errand days where I still want to look put together. This set is the Khaki Short Sleeve Boxy Loungewear Set called Lacy. I paired this with a pair of rainbow heels but on a typical errand day I’d be wearing some sneakers or mules with this look.

My third pick was the Black Ribbed Belted Loungewear Set called Asia. I loved the look of this loungewear set as I’d say it is one of their most posh loungewear sets it can very easily be dressed up because of the small details including the belted element. I paired this look with simple gold jewelry and a pair of light gold Louboutins.

My last pick was this Black Polka Dot Puff Sleeve Dress called the Karsyn. I’ll be honest I was the most excited about this dress before it even got delivered, mostly because of how classic it is. Even with the puffy sleeves I can see myself wearing this dress for years. The classic print and cut is so chic so I opted to let it shine by pairing with minimal black heels and a black wool wide brim hat.