Sweater Weather: Outfits for the New Year

     Happy New Year! I apologize in advance for the awkwardness of this post. I haven't blogged in quite some time...

     With graduate school applications and finishing up my requirements for undergrad, I have been super busy. Because of this I have neglected to contribute to this blog. Although I have a semester left before the summer, I plan on having at least one post a month. I'll try to keep things relevant, but school puts me in a place devoid of most pop culture references, so any suggestions are appreciated!!!

     As we enter the new year, the temperature finally settles into chilly winter weather. Despite living in the Mid-Atlantic,which is quite mild temperature wise, I've put together a few outfits that I think are appropriate in both colder and warmer areas. These outfits are also good for transitioning from class to going out, with a few alterations of course.

Minimal and Monotone

     This is honestly my favorite outfit of the collection. The simple combination of a cropped mock neck and printed trousers is one of my go to everyday outfits. The pants are high waist, therefore only a sliver of skin will show if wanted. Black smoking flats are my everyday shoe and happen to be super comfortable in almost all situations. The chunky grey sweater adds some physical texture to the outfit as well as making the look softer for daytime wear. 

"The Linus"

     Anyone who has watched or is familiar with the comic Peanuts will immediately get this reference. Linus, the blanket carrying piano player, was the inspiration for this outfit. Nothing screams cold winter morning than the feeling of wanting to stay wrapped in your blanket all day. This outfit is second best. The blanket poncho will keep you cozy and warm while appearing acceptable to the general public.

Cozy Chic

     This is the perfect transition outfit. During the day, the boots and red lip make the outfit look casual yet put together. It also works for class as an effortless look. To transition to nighttime, exchange the boots for heels and add a faux fur collar to add some texture to the outfit. The dark lip is perfect for a night socializing with friends.

Casual Friday

     Can you tell I intended this to be part of a fall collection? Anyway, this works for winter if you switch out the shoes and wear a coat and scarf over the sweater if necessary. This outfit would be nice for a casual office environment. I would even wear something like this in the lab (with closed toe shoes of course). The bag allows you to carry books, office supplies, and anything else you may need for a day at work.

Color of the Year

     Apparently, the magical council of color experts decided that marsala, a rustic red-brown tone, would be the color of the year. Pantone's announcement of this decision made it official. Honestly, I think this color is great, mainly because it is like a faded oxblood, which was popular a few seasons ago, and can easily function as a non-traditional neutral. This outfit features a sweater in a related color to marsala and pleather pants, both of which will keep you warm and protected from the cold winds of winter. 

     Ok, so those titles were pretty terrible, I know. I will try to have a mix of outfits as well as makeup swatches so things don't get so boring. My writing will be better, so I apologize once again for the horrid and rushed post! Until next time! 

Back to Campus: Outfit Inspiration for Fall 2014

First things first (I'm the realest...haha, sorry I couldn't help myself), I apologize for not posting since April. Life has been super busy and between class, moving home and back, and work, I didn't have the time or energy to keep up with blogging. I plan on having at least two posts this week if that's any consolation.

Although this is a bit early, especially for those who have just graduated high school, I thought it'd be a good idea to start thinking about outfits perfect for the semester. With all of the mid-summer sales and discounts, now is the perfect time to refresh your closets (and possibly try out a new style). Hopefully, the following outfits will give you some ideas for outfits to look super stylish on campus!

Casual, Comfortable, and Chic

This outfit is perfect for those carefree days. The loose shirt, sandals, and braid brings a bit of summer into the classroom. the addition of fitted jeans makes the outfit a bit more polished and helps maintain the "learning environment" vibes in the classroom. Beauty wise, I like to keep things to a minimum during the year, with only a bit of tinted moisturizer, eyeliner, and a hint of lip color. Benefit's Cha-Cha tint is perfect for this purpose. Despite it being a lip balm, you can use it to add a summer glow to your cheeks, too!

Trendy with an Edge

  

This look is great for those who love playing around with pops of color, or even those who can't wait for Autumn to come around. The heathered cotton skirt gives just enough breathing room for those hot summer afternoons. The breezy shirt will help keep you cool on even the warmest of days, despite its dark color, and the shoes will help elongate your legs without the lack of comfort and support heels can add to an outfit. I love dark lipstick, so I decided to gather inspiration from Lorde. I suggest an all-over neutral face, with slightly exaggerated eyeliner and dark mauve lips (I have MAC's Rebel pictured here. Swatches can be found here).

Summertime Globetrotter

I really love the printed pant trend, so I had to find a way to incorporate a pair in this post. The pants give an earthy/bohemian feel to the outfit, which I further played up with the tasseled kimono jacket.The crop top adds a modern, trendy touch to a somewhat timeless print. I really love gold accents, so I decided to add gold accented sandals and a gold accented faux leather jacket.

Summer Sunsets

For those of us who are in no hurry to get rid of the carefree days of summer, these breezy dresses double as cover ups for late afternoon beach runs after class. The two dresses featured look great with tanned skin and sun-bleached hair, with the added benefit of being classroom appropriate.

I hope you enjoyed this post. If you have any ideas for future posts, put them in the comment box and remember to subscribe!

Happy Summer everyone!

Finally, Spring is Here!

After months of below freezing temperatures and inches of snow and freezing rain, spring is finally here to stay! I don't know about anyone else, but this winter was exceptionally brutal. But thankfully, the sunny 70°F weather is making a strong comeback. I've created a few looks to usher in this season of warmth, hopefully giving you some inspiration for your own early spring outfits.

Transition into Spring

As refreshing early spring tends to be, it brings a minor problem; temperature differences. I wake up around 8:30am for class, with the temperature at 55°F, yet by noon, it will be in the mid 70s. In order to accommodate for such temperature differences, I suggest wearing a scarf and warm footwear with socks. Layering allows temperature control thorough your outfit, which is a must for spring.

Dilettante in Denim

I imagine Jessa from HBO's Girls wearing this outfit, hence the title. This spring twist on the standby leggings-and-denim-shirt winter outfit brings life and excitement to an otherwise played out and fairly common clothing combination. The shirt and pants are light, so they won't keep you too warm, yet will insulate at night. Keeping your makeup light will add to the carefree vibe of the clothing, and adding quirky accessories will incorporate a personal touch.

Dauntless

I recently saw Divergent, and loved the edgy style of the Dauntless. This outfit would be good for the transition from class to a night out with a simple change in footwear. I suggest wearing coated denim instead of leather pants due to the breathable nature of coated denim. To increase versatility and save time, try putting your damp hair in a bun during the day so that when it's time to go out your hair will have waves for days.

Erudite

Yep, I just referenced Divergent again. I apologize. I tend to wear blue when I am giving a presentation, so I thought the title was fitting. Anyway, this outfit works well for spring. The light fabric and white pants are a stark contrast from the drab black and grey worn in the winter. The makeup would be better fit for a night out, yet could easily be toned down for daytime.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Every once and a while there will be a day entirely in the 70s and 80s. This outfit is perfect for the warm weather. The cami and high wasted pants give a modern feel to an otherwise 90s throwback grunge outfit. If you plan on wearing this outfit to class, be careful your butt-holders (shorts) are holding your entire butt (if not wear a long sweater).

Springtime Festival

This outfit would be perfect for one of the many outdoors festivals that take place around this time of year. Not only is the outfit light and quirky, but the cardigan and boots eliminate the temperature issues you may face. The shorts will be the focal point in this sea of  faded neutrals.

Put-together in Plaid

Anyone who knows me is aware of my obsession with plaid shirts, so I am always finding ways to incorporate them into my weekly wardrobe. This outfit is perfect for those who want to subtly accentuate their waist. The slightly over-sized shirt and A-line skirt cinch together at your waist, exaggerating an hourglass figure in a classy yet casual fashion.


I hope this post helped you find inspiration for outfits for the season! I hope to have another post before the end of the semester and before finals, but until then, comment and subscribe!!!

Happy Spring everyone!

Holiday Inspiration: Outfits for Christmas

Although Christmas is only a day away, I've just gotten the feel of the holidays this morning. Since going to college and not being able to do traditional holiday things with the family, I have gotten the Christmas spirit way later than should be acceptable. Instead of watching movies and listening to carols on the radio, I'm in my dorm studying for finals and writing papers, only to get back just in time to get a tree and decorate the house for the holiday.

Ok enough complaining. During the holidays it's like a good three days of party hopping with family. Because of this, I tend to pre-plan my outfits so that I have an easier time getting up and going (which is especially important for post all night party breakfast at 9am on day three). Anyway, I created a few outfits to help with holiday celebrations to take some stress out of the extended family gathering.

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"

My Christmas always begins with opening presents with my immediate family and brunch at my uncle's house. Because of the chill nature of the the beginning of the festivities, I generally like to dress comfortably. This denim shirt with leggings combo will keep you warm and comfortable without the discomfort of overeating mixed with well fir jeans (#firstworldproblems). Added plus, the leggings feature a cute reindeer motif!

"Baby, It's Cold Outside"

The second day of celebrations includes a family party at my parent's house. I generally go for something comfortable, yet still somewhat put together looking. Because of this, I paired a sweater and jeans with timeless booties and a braid to convey that "I care, but not too much" look.

"Deck the Halls"

For some reason, my mother always uses red and green plaid as her print of choice for Christmas. Although 13 years of private school has made me highly biased against wearing plaid (especially plaid skirts), yet it is what I'm subconsciously drawn to during the holidays. The two outfits are basically the same, yet the right is more "grungy" than the left. Both outfits would be appropriate for both a family get-together or fun with friends.

"I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas"

I laugh when people say, "You can't wear white after Labor Day". Honestly, I think white looks the best in winter. I always found it stunning, regal almost, to see a white outfit in the snow. Because of this, I like to wear white for formal events, especially during the Christmas season. The dress is a crisp white that will go with any style genre, with the red accents from the shoes and lips adding a festive tone. The fur gilet makes the dress season appropriate and adds warmth.

Hopefully this has given you some ideas. Happy Holidays everyone!!!

All That Glitters: Outfits for Formal Holiday Events

Ok, so I haven't been keeping up with my blog as planned. With classes, labs, exams, and papers, I haven't had the time to even think about clothing. Seriously though, I've work leggings and a button down about 60% of the time within the past two months.

Anyway, with it being holiday season, and my love of all things formal and flashy, I wanted to do a post on holiday dresses. I chose to stick to glittery dresses and jewel tones because they look great on anyone with minimal effort, something I would look for in an outfit. Unfortunately, science has turned me into a hermit, and I have no reason what so ever to wear a formal dress

And yes, there are 8 dresses in my closet and 4 pairs of heels.I just like looking at the clothes and pretending I live a supermegaawesome life. Don't judge me.

Now that I think about it, that's pretty lame. You have full right to judge me...

Low Key Get Together

This is dressy, without being too dressy. It could easily go from glass in the morning to a date to a party all with a change of shoes and addition of a sweater or cardigan. I'm really into deep, vampy colors this season and love the way burgundy looks on untanned skin, so I made it the main color in this look. Because the focus on the clothing will be on the skirt (which will also bring attention to how awesome and long your legs will look in the tights and heels), I paired this with a berry lip and nails so that the eyes of the people admiring how amazing you look won't stop moving. 

Classy Winter Event

I envision this outfit at a formal or something a bit classier than your general college holiday party. The colors keep with the holiday theme without being overbearing. I like peplum in this scenario because everyone looks amazing in peplums and if there is food involved, you don't have to worry about looking less than your best later in the night. 

December Night Out

I see this outfit working best in a city area with a more formal nightlife scene, or on a fourth or fifth date, whatever applies to you. The dress by itself is a bit boring, but I think will accentuate your best features. I included the glittery heels to add excitement into the outfit, which is carried into the eye makeup. I'd keep the rest of your face simple and use the lip stain to mimic a winter flush on your lips and cheeks.

"The Beyoncé"

The following dresses will be glittery, with Beyoncé themed titles, which is fine by my standards, but may not be something you favor. Gold, for me, is the ultimate holiday color. It brings together the warmth and festive feel of the season perfectly. This dress is pretty flashy, so I would keep the makeup focused on one thing with no additional glitter or sparkles. The red lip brings additional warmth to the outfit and side bun makes it more relaxed. If you have a cool undertone and look horrible in gold, try something closer to a rose color with deeper reds.

"Freakum Dress"

Yep, this is a freakum dress. Why? You'll turn heads like no one's business in this. The sparkle of the dress isn't so much that it's overwhelming, yet definitely won't allow you to have a low key evening. Pulled back hair and minimal nighttime makeup will keep the focus on the dress and your eyes, which is ideal for a dress like this. 

"Ring the Alarm"

This dress, much like the previous dress, is a head turner. Depending on how bond you want to go, you can play up your eye makeup. Because the dress is black, you can add some color in your eyeliner, or keep a semi neutral eye and bold lip. If you want the most versatility and still turn heads, this dress is for you.


Hopefully I've given you some ideas for an upcoming event or party this holiday season. If you have any questions or comments, the box is below!

I guess I'll finish writing papers and studying for finals... Good Luck and Happy Holidays!

Note: For those wondering, I plan on blogging how I made my Dorothy Halloween costume/how to make a circle skirt and A line skirt after finals!