Magazine

Four styles Fashion - Beauty - Health - Entertainment

Four dimensionsPhoto - Text - Audio - Video

Four traitsEclectic - Unique - Independent - Modern

For designers.

Staff

Editor-In-ChiefSam Silver

Fashion DirectorKate Bell

Entertainment EditorMikah Wright

Editorial DirectorKarena Steir

Table of Contents

Silhouette 1 Embellish 6

Composed 8 Broke & Original 14

Zeitgeist 16 Condition 24

Merchant 27 Swatch 33 Credits 35

Silhouette by Kate Bell

Statuesque:With your height, you do not need a lot of heel to dress up. Focus more onan interesting shapeor color to add interest instead.

Look for something that gives you two and a half to threeinches to give you an effortless look without overpoweringthe people around you.

Silhouette

Delicate:As a petite woman,

you could weartowering heels, butwhy not play withsomething a little

more unexpected?

Try out a strappypair with a physics-defying heel. Keep

the rest of youroutfit subdued to letyour shoe stand out.

The unique shapewill be overwhelming

with a lot going onin your clothing.

Silhouette

Bodacious:Slouchy, high-heeledboots have longbeen established asa fashion staple. They provide more comfort than pumpsand still look great.

Use them to your advantage by pairing them with skinny jeans and avariety of tops, from simple to complex.

Silhouette

Lanky: Flat boots have

recently taken overas a fashionable,

comfortablealternative to

sneakers.

Stay on trend andground your longlimbs at the same

time with low-heeled boots. Try apair in dark suede

for a cozy, down-to-earth look.

Silhouette

Powerhouse:You do not have tostick to sneakers withyour physique. Forthose occasions that call for variety, trysomething fun.

If you want to venture out of thebox, take the first step with patterned,multicolored booties.Lace-ups referencesneakers while theheel adds height and playfulness.

Embellish by Sam Silver

Sick of hairstyles with too much volume? Stay ontrend by ditching the volumizer and opting for thissleeked-back pony.

1. Smooth hair out with a smoothingbrush. Spray with hairspray to lay

down flyaways. Be careful tosmooth, not tease, in order to

achieve this look. Tie hair backinto a high ponytail.

3. Now, take a section of the hairfrom the ponytail and separate itfrom the rest of the hair. Spraywith hairspray and smooth.

2. Next, spray with hairspray againand re-smooth hair. Make surethe ponytail holder is pulled tight.

Hair by Christina White Embellish

Pair this look with a tailoredoutfit and prepare for summer!

4. Wrap off the sectioned hair around the ponytail, in a counter-clockwise manner. Continue this process until you run out of hair.

5. Bobby pin the wrapped hair underneath the ponytail.Make sure the bobby pin is not visible by hiding it under

the ponytail. Smooth out any remaining flyaways.

ComposedHair & Make-Up by Christina White

Broke by Sam Silver & Kate Bell

1. Start by gathering up your materials. You’ll need a plain 100% cotton shirt, a pot large enough to hold the shirt, and 12 ounces of blueberries.

Need to brighten upyour wardrobe?Try using this fun

and easy blueberrydye to add that

pop of color.

2. Begin by boiling enough water to submerge your t-shirt. Add in half a cup of salt for every 8 cups of water used. When the water boils, add the shirt and leave it for one hour, occasionally stirring.

3. In another pot, boil enough water to submerge

the t-shirt. Squish the blueberries and add them to the water. Let the water boil for about one hour or

until it reaches yourdesired color.

& Original

6. Take the shirt out and rinse withcool water until no dye washes outof the shirt. Finish by drying theshirt on low heat. The dyed sectionswill fade after this step, but it makes the ombre authentic.

If you like this look,try using other naturaldyes like tea or onions,and experiment with other dyeing methods.

4. Next, take the t-shirt out of thesalt water and rinse out. Be sure to

get all of the salt off the shirt toavoid uneven color.

5. Unfold the t-shirt and dip thebottom fourth of the shirt in the pot.Hold in pot for ten minutes, swirling

the shirt around to let the dye reachall parts of the shirt. Then, hold the

bottom half of the shirt in the bottomfor five minutes, finishing with

holding the bottom three-fourths fortwo minutes.

Zeitgeist Designs by Tiffany Johnson

Composed

Condition by Karena Steir

Spring is here! Time to get outside and takeadvantage of the beautiful weather. Being outdoorsgives us so many more exciting options for workouts.This month we will explore a few of those options.

The first, and most obvious, is simply moving your exercise outside. After we have hidden indoors all winter on treadmills and Elliptical machines, spring is the perfect time to start hitting the trails. Whether you are walking, jogging, running or climbing stairs, being outside can be the inspiration your workout needs. Try different paths to see what appeals to you most. Some people love going thru the city before dawn, some people prefer a trail in the forest, and some people prefer to be surrounded by busyness and other people. Spring is a great time to enjoy any one of these options!

The second option that comes with spring is water! The best full body workout you can get is swimming, but that isn’t the only exercise this element has to offer. Spring time offers a lot of recreational options that trick you into working out. A few examples would be canoeing or paddle boating. These may seem like fun, passive events, but they are actually a great opportunity to work out new sets of muscle groups. Be prepared to be sore the next day!

Condition

Not only has the weather given us a great reason toboost our workout, daylight savings has given us anextra hour of daylight each evening to be outside.Take this chance to start working for the body you

want to show off this summer!

A third option to take advantage of is outdoor sports. Once the weatherstarts cooperating, you can find pickup games of basketball at most parks, school grounds or apartment complexes. You can also find outdoor courts to try tennis, volleyball and more. These are great, inexpensive ways to get a workout with friends in an informal way.

The last option we will point out this month is manual labor. Although it may not sound appealing, there are many rewarding workouts that come with getting your hands dirty. Pushing a lawn mower, weeding a garden and waxing a car will leave you feeling more exhausted that your craziest day at the gym. The best part is that you end the day with a beautiful yard and shining ride.

Merchant with Sara McConnell

Merchant by Mikah Wright

Sara McConnell’s localboutique offers a one-stopshopping experience for

customers and opportunitiesfor area designers.

In today’s market, it can be argued that quantity has replaced quality and customer service is a thing of the past. It seems as though the objective of companies is to get the most amount of money in the fastest way possible. No longer do store owners strive to create a one-of-a-kind shopping experience for their customers. Sara McConnell, on the other hand, decided to do the opposite.

McConnell, owner of Fusion Boutique, grew up in Des Moines, Iowa. Even as a young girl, she always knew she wanted to open a business. After high school, her desire for new experiences and interactions led her to the International Academy of Design and Technology in Chicago, IL. She received a bachelor’s degree in Merchandising Management with an emphasis in apparel and design. Returning to her roots, McConnell decided to pursue her dream to open a business, and in 2011, she did just that.

On July 14, 2011, McConnell opened Fusion Boutique in Clive, Iowa. She seeks to offer the finest in fashion at an affordable price. Fusion has an array of tops, denim, dresses, outerwear, and accessories for sale. Many different denim lines can be found, including Anoname, Makers, Antique Rivet and Rock Revival. Top and dress lines include that of KLD Signature, NicoLA, Ya Los Angeles, Papillon, Angie, John Fashion and RYU. “Our target market is anywhere between the ages of 18 and 40,” McConnell commented. “But there are styles to fit everyone.”

In addition to these national brands, Fusion features local designers. Keelia Paulsen is in charge of the KHENRI footwear collection. From casual to bridal shoes, Paulsen hand-paints and embellishes to match any style. Shelleena McConnell creates hand-knit items including scarves, mittens and head wraps. These items can be made in any color and length. This month’s featured designer is Julie Luedke, creator of JKLART. Luedke specializes in creating

Merchanthandmade jewelry. All of the local designers’ merchandise can be custom ordered and purchased through Fusion. Clothing and designs from Fusion can also be found at The Funky Zebras store in Ankeny, Iowa.

McConnell’s mission is to create a “one-stop shop” for her customers. Along with clothing, shoes and accessories, Fusion offers professional hair and make-up services done by licensed cosmetologists. These amenities are offered by appointment and are done right inside the store. Women looking for a girl’s night out can schedule parties at the store. In addition to a private shopping experience, free makeovers are provided.

“To me, it’s not about the sale,” McConnell explained. “It’s about the relationship I have with my customers.”

During her grand opening celebration, McConnell held a benefit in support of 100 + Chicks for Charity. 100 + Chicks for Charity is a charity in Des Moines that gives financial gifts to other charities, such as Children’s Cancer Connection. The event was held at Fusion and a representative from Jasper Winery was there passing out beverages. As a result of the night’s festivities, McConnell raised about $100 to give to100 + Chicks for Charity. She hopes to contribute annually to help other organizations in the area.

“Our target market is anywhere between the ages ofeighteen and forty. But there are styles to fit everyone.”

Merchant

A One-On-One With Sara4D: Why did you decide to start a business?SM: I’ve always wanted to start my own business. I want women to be able to find something that’s comfortable to wear, yet different from other stores.

4D: How do you choose what kind of clothes you sell in your store? SM: I look for fun and funky clothes that are unique and different! I like to find clothes that you can wear everyday but are still fun and unique from what other people are wearing.

4D: You mentioned only having a few sizes of each style available in your store. Why is that?SM: When buying pieces for the store, we only get six of a style so there are two of each size. This kind of ordering allows for not only diversity and wider product selection for our customers, but also ensures that not everyone around town is wearing the same piece of clothing!

Merchant

4D: How do you find local designers to feature?SM: When choosing designers to feature, we look for people that are local and offer a unique product or service. We are always on the lookout and have also had people approach us. We welcome either way!

4D: What are some of your future goals for Fusion?SM: I’m hoping to expand my product assortment to offer more options for customers. I would also like to expand to more locations. I would like to be able to hold more events in the store and contribute positively to the community.

4D: Why should I shop at Fusion as opposed to another clothing store?SM: You are not going to beat the exceptional customer service that weoffer. Fusion is a friendly environment andI strive to know my customers on a name-to-name basis. I have developed some great relationships, both personal and professional.

“I look for fun and funky clothes that are unique anddifferent! I like to find clothes that you can wear

everyday but are still fun and unique from what otherpeople are wearing.”

Merchant

Want to explore Sara’s store more?Check her out on Twitter, Facebook, and in

our video interview

Fusion’sFacebook

Fusion’sTwitter

Swatch We selected some colors from this issue to help inspireyou to create your own looks! Use these for clothing,

make-up, or other design projects to kick-start your own creativity.

Swatch

Hair:Shaneel NapierChristina White

Make-Up:Karissa AndrewsChristina White

Fashion Designs:Tiffany Johnson

Photography:Karena Steir

Photo & Layout Editing:Sam SilverKate Bell

Fashion Illustration:Melissa Dillon

Credits

Merchant Clothing:Sara McConnell

Videographer:Nathian Steir

Models:Jane Anne Seagren

Kelsey PedersenMia Pierson

Gianna DeMarcoAmanda McBirnieMarissa Jarnagin

Dawn BroerViktoria CarraKatherina Thai

Gaebrielle Mommsen

Credits

Merchant with Sara McConnell