LaLa Spotlight: Kerry McGauley

LaLaLove — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 15:05:27 +0000

It’s always so refreshing to meet young people with big dreams, especially when their smiles are just as big. That’s why we’re so inspired by our dear friend, Kerry McGauley. This St. Louis native is a midwest girl with a big city mentality, and a flare for fashion. Majoring in Apparel Design and Technology, Kerry has dreams of one day designing her own clothing line and by the looks of what she’s already accomplished (check out her website here), we’re putting our names on the waiting list. Two flower crowns for us please! We sat down with Kerry and learned a little bit more about her dreams and aspirations and hope that her drive will inspire you to also do what you love. Here’s what she had to say!

(Kerry in one of her own designs)

How long have you been designing and making clothing?
I started making clothes with the help of my mom at age 12. My mom had always sewn matching outfits for my sisters and I growing up which sparked my interest in fashion at a young age.

As a designer, what inspires you?
I am constantly being inspired by everything around me, whether it’s a photograph I took while traveling, a unique piece of jewelry, or the colors of leaves during the change of season. I also love wandering the aisles of fabric stores and seeing what hues, textures, or prints will catch my eye.Where do you see yourself in ten years and even beyond?
In 10 years I would love to be working as a designer in New York City. I’d like to design for other fashion design companies or style at a magazine in their fashion department, but my ultimate dream is to have my own clothing line. What has been your favorite fashion experience so far in your life?
This past summer I interned with Alice+Olivia in their design department and worked very closely with their bead-wear designer. I assisted her on a number of projects, but the highlight was creating a hand-beaded overlay that will be sewn onto a gown for their first ever gown collection. As an intern, it was thrilling to be given this responsibility and trusted to make design decisions on my own. What’s your go to outfit?
For everyday, I stick with my favorite dark wash jeans, cuffed at the hem, with a neutral blouse and suede ankle booties. I’ll top it off with my favorite wine colored infinity scarf and a gold cocktail ring.

What three staple items should every woman/fashionista own?
A well-fitted pair of straight, dark wash jeans, a tailored blazer, and (not to sound cliche) a perfect little black dress that flatters your figure. Who’s your style icon?
I’m a huge fan of Olivia Palermo. I love how she experiments with current trends but always looks classy and sophisticated.

Arm party or statement necklace?
I love both, just not at the same time! Arm party when looking to add some color and a statement necklace to jazz up a boring neckline. Favorite blogs or websites?
I’m addicted to street style blogs, primarily the Sartorialist and the Street Chic section on Elle.com. I also love Style.com to get the latest news on the fashion industry and see images from all the shows during Fashion Week.

Best fashion advice you’ve ever been given?
Wear what makes you comfortable and confident.

It’s an Arm Party

Molly — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:43:31 +0000

We never say no to a party. In fact, there’s really nothing we love more than a good party. Birthday parties, holiday parties, Tuesday parties, parties big and small, you name it, we love them all (and apparently we love to rhyme about them too). So it’s no surprise that when the term “arm party” was coined awhile back, we became instant fans.

Most fashionistas are familiar with the phrase “arm party” which simply stands for the purposeful layering of bracelets on one’s arm. It’s no newsflash that arm parties are all that and a bag of chips, we just felt we haven’t clearly expressed our deep feelings for the trend so here it is.

Let it be known and heard all over, here at Purduelala, we can’t get enough of arm parties. And the best thing about arm parties are that no matter who you are, or what your style is, there is an arm party out there just for you. Below are a few that we tried out, but experiment with your own, get creative, and party on!

It’s That Time of Year

Katherine — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:07:20 +0000

There is nothing like three sided mirrors and bright fluorescent lighting while trying on two pieces of fabric smaller than your own underwear to make you curse that Aunty Anne’s pretzel you just ate. (It was pretty tasty though.) Can’t put your finger on exactly what we are talking about? Yes- it’s that time of year. Happy bathing suit season!
No matter how much we love our bodies, there is a universal female truth that there are fewer things as cruel as bathing suit shopping. This season we are thanking the swimwear Gods for the comeback of the classically beautiful one piece, so an unforgiving wardrobe malfunction isn’t our only fashion statement of the summer.
Stores like JCrew, Anthropologie, and Macy’s understand our pain and are offering scores of our favorite retro inspired one pieces that will keep us chic and comfortable all summer long. Trust us, once you try one on you won’t be afraid to do cartwheels down the beach in celebration! (Wow! Girls running down the beach without their bottoms falling off? Now that’s a concept.)

ThreadSence Winter 2012 Look Book Video

Molly — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:08:07 +0000

Now that we’ve come out of our finals induced hibernation period, we’re ready to take in all that the season has to offer. It’s easy to feel the opposite of merry and bright when just coming off of the stress of studying for a World War II History final, but this ThreadSence video did just the trick to fill our hearts with cheer. We’ve been a fan of ThreadSence look book videos for quite some time now, and each season they cease to amaze us with their impeccably styled looks, unique settings, and always complimentary soundtrack. So if you need a dose of holiday happiness, tune in to this.

Calling All Purdue Princesses

Molly — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:28:56 +0000

Almost every girl has dreamed of being a princess at one point in her life. Admit it, no matter how old you get, every time the Princess Diaries is on TV or someone mentions the royal wedding, visions of you sporting a tiara and a cotton candy-colored ball gown jump into your head. You know we’re right. Well get ready to jump up and down like a giddy little first grader because we have an amazing opportunity for you to become that princess you’ve always dreamed of being.

It may only be November, but Indiana is already gearing up for the greatest spectacle in racing, The Indy 500. Ah, we can already hear the revving engines and smell the gasoline, can’t you? Aside from the race itself, one of the greatest traditions of The Indy 500 is it’s 500 Festival Princess Program. The Princesses serve as ambassadors for the Indy 500 and throughout the spring leading up to the race they participate in outreach programs, they serve the local community, and they do so much more. Not only is becoming a 500 Princess quite an honor, it is a blast and an opportunity of a lifetime. And we’d like to add that we know a couple of past princesses and they’re kind of the bomb.com to say the least.

If you’d like to join the company of these amazing young women and finally fulfill your dreams of becoming a real life princess, come to the Program Call-out on Wednesday December 5th at 6 pm in EE 170. Also click here to join the Facebook event and invite all your other princess loving friends along as well.

So this year, consider trading in your jorts and cut-off tee for a tiara and a sash. Step aside Kate Middleton, there are some new princesses coming to town.

Design Love: Petite & Co

Molly — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:50:03 +0000

We’ve always believed that change is a good thing. Nothing quite brightens our day like feng shui-ing our bedrooms or trying out a new shade of lipstick. Although many people may fear and avoid it, we’re always open to a little change in our lives and our newest transformation has come in the form of jewelry. While we normally covet chunky statement necklaces (which we often layer like here) and arm parties (see here), dainty and delicate jewelry, like from Petite & Co’s Etsy shop, has been grabbing our attention lately. From the creator’s use of simple geometric shapes, to carefully chosen accent colors and surprising elements such as spikes, we love everything about Petite & Co’s design aesthetic. And not to mention the price points start at about $10 a bracelet. It’s true then, less is more.

Simple Lemon Cream Sauce

Molly — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 14:16:31 +0000

There’s just something about food that’s made from scratch. We all know that a bag of Chips Ahoy doesn’t stand a chance against your mom’s gooey, homemade chocolate chip cookies and that Eggos don’t a hold a candle to freshly made Belgian waffles. The same holds true for pasta sauce. This recipe for a light lemon cream sauce is our secret weapon when it comes to cooking, and it couldn’t be easier to make! But don’t tell everyone because we’ll loose some street cred. So take your penne from Chef Boyardie to Top Chef just by starting from scratch.

DIY: Cold Shoulder Studded Sweatshirt

Molly — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 16:59:21 +0000

You don’t need to check weather.com to know that it’s officially cold outside and that the pre-winter chill has set in. With the cold though comes some of our favorite things like red cups at Starbucks, giant scarves (see here), and holidays dedicated to eating. When the cold comes around though, we tend to loose the ability to fashion together an outfit that’s not completely black or only made up of warm stretchy materials. As much as we try and resist it, sometimes we just can’t deny the temptation to throw on a sweatshirt and call it a day. Inspired by the studded sweater below though, we created the perfect DIY to step up our game a little on those sweatshirt kind of days to take our look from gym class to high class. See how you can make a studded sweatshirt too!

LaLa Playlist: Lana Del Rey

Molly — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 20:21:41 +0000

Christmas came early this year friends, in the form of music. Leave it to Lana Del Rey to lift us out of our music rut by bringing us nine melodic and haunting songs on her latest album, Paradise. Maybe it’s due to the giant girl crush we have her, but Miss Del Rey has outdone herself this time. Her raw and captivating music is a breath of fresh air in a world of catchy pop singles laced with nasally vocals and computer-generatered melodies. Not to mention the music video for her single, “Ride” is a work of art and poetry combined. We just can’t get enough of Lana. Take a listen and you’ll understand why.

Design Love: A Peace Treaty

Molly — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 15:42:11 +0000

If you’ve ever watched The Devil Wears Prada or viewed Anna Wintour’s ice cold demeanor in The September Issue, you know that fashion isn’t always all daisies and rainbows. The world of fashion can be a scary one, and is often times deemed superficial. In the past few years though, the fashion industry has taken a turn for the good as so many more designers are focusing on giving back and making a difference in the world.

A Peace Treaty is an accessories line that proves that fashion and philanthropy go hand in hand. Founded in 2008 by friends Farah Malik and Dana Arbib, A Peace Treaty strives to create ethically-produced jewelry and scarves for the high fashion market place, but do so through artisans living in third world countries suffering from socio-political strife. The artisans are allowed the chance to sharpen their craft while receiving a fair wage that allows them the ability to provide for their family. Not only are all A Peace Treaty products helping provide work for someone in need, their designs are of the highest quality and taste level. We know what’ll be on our Christmas lists this year!

{all images from apeacetreaty.com}