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114° west By Courtney Ferda - www.114-west.com Photos by Brooke Peterson Photography
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Transitioning between seasons is an important part of Montana fashion and style. We spend plenty of time in February and March looking out our window each morning to see if it’s another snow boots day or if just maybe we’re lucky enough to pull out our favorite summer flats. I know I look forward to wearing boots but then by February, I am ready to move into a more spring look. This blog post today is about transitioning outfits, how you can move an outfit from a chilly winter day to a warmer spring afternoon. My name is Courtney Ferda and I started this blog a year ago this month, it has been a crazy adventure but so much fun. The New Year has been a great opportunity for me to reflect on everything that has happened, but also to look ahead to where this adventure may be taking me. I named my blog 114° west after the longitude of my hometown, Whitefish, which is one of my favorite places on earth. Much of my style inspiration comes from the attention-grabbing textures, stunning views, and crazy weather patterns that happen here. I remember a year ago looking at other blogs, girls in LA and New York, wearing denim and native prints; girls in beanie’s with flannel shirts and wondering why someone had not started a blog in Montana. Obviously, daily style has been impacted by the West, and I decided to take a chance and try and show people what Montana Style looks like, showing all the unique and special details that our beautiful state has to offer. I have loved
sharing with you all my favorite looks and style ideas along with some people that I think dress pretty awesome. One of the biggest blessings has been working with local photographers and shops, making new friends and having tons of laughs along the way. This past fall I was chosen as one of H&M’s style ambassadors, helping spread the word about their new online options (a highlight of the past year!). It set me on the right track for the months following, including being invited to write for this awesome magazine. Please welcome my friend Anna to the 406 Magazine family. She is one of the loveliest people I know and the outfits she comes up with always captivate me. You cannot describe Anna’s wardrobe without using words like distinctive, beautiful and colorful. She joined me to set out to show a new way to transition your favorite styles from winter to spring! These outfits are totally different but show how you can take a basic outfit, either a dress or pants and a button up, and change up the accessories just a bit to morph the outfit from a cool winter outfit to a warmer spring option. I chose to use one of my favorite items in my wardrobe, my chambray button up shirt, and pair it with a pair of dark denim jeans (never be afraid of mixing denim with denim, just make sure that the colors of denim are far enough apart!). For those cold days I paired it with an awesome Pendleton jacket I bought at the Village Shop in Whitefish on a huge discount (spring is the time to check out your local shops