Saturday, August 7, 2010

Trend: Upgrade the Sweatpant



Sweatpants? Yeah I know what you're thinking, and no, I'm not discussing yoga fashion today. It turns out designers may have found out just how uncomfortable skinny jeans and high heels may be at times, and for that reason they decided to bring back the sweatpants. I know, the high heels are not gone yet (not that we want them to be), but at least the sweatpants will make our lives a little bit easier.
This fashion trend is definitely a tricky one. Worn with the right accessories the sweatpants look can make you look like the street-style girl of the moment, but if you get too comfortable you might end up looking like you just got out of the gym and tried to look decent enough to run your daily errands.
Because of this, I bring you some of the classiest sweatpants looks around, and from the looks of it, wearing a blazer is the easiest way to make the whole outfit look instantly polished

The Sweatpants + Blazer look:

This look is rather simple to achieve; all you need is: a blazer (preferably black), a white t-shirt and some neutral colored booties. This is without a doubt the easiest way to nail the sweatpants look without looking like you tried too hard.


Friday, August 6, 2010

Shopping: Forever21

This past week I wandered aimlessly through the mall, a look of disappointment painted in my face as I watched the price tags of the new arrivals at Bloomindale's.
Sadly, I won't be able to afford all the beautiful Tibi, Ella Moss, BCBG, Nanette Lepore and Diane Von Furstenberg pieces that I fantasize about until I graduate, get a real job and start making a decent amount of money. But for those of us college students who find ourselves in this situation, the salvation comes in the form of the ubiquitous bright plastic yellow bag that most teenagers and young women carry around the mall on a Sunday afternoon. Forever21 is the answer to our budget-conscious fashion prayers; and I am the answer to your "What do I pick out of this gazillion of clothes that will make me look remotely stylish?" prayers.
So sit down, relax, grab yourself a cup of tea and start reading how to get yourself out of fashion confusion and into "trendy fashion editor lookalike" status.

The Striped Dress


Aqua Cashmere Stripped Button-Back Dress
$188


Fab Striped Dress

Fashion Alert: Madewell

If there is anything you should know about Madewell, is that it not only is J.Crew's sister store, but it is actually full of stylish and effortlessly cool pieces which should bee added to any fashionista's wardrobe as fall season approaches. Madewell is a slightly more affordable, less preppy and more trendy version of J.Crew. Although I wasn't very drawn to the store initially, after subscribing to their email newsletter and receiving their emails I have come to realize that they have really stepped up their styling choices and the clothing that they sell.

Here are some of their best pieces:

The Slouch Sweatpants, $49.50


The Buckled Biker Boot $248
The Borrowed-from-the-boys Shimmer Blazer, $178

Thursday, July 22, 2010

The Art of The Blouse



I have always had a love/hate relationship with blouses. They are so delicate looking, yet so high maintenance (read: dry clean), so alluring yet so expensive (usually); and you have to be careful not to wear your favorite blouse too often or it will be noticeable (or at least more so than if you were wearing your basic tees).

Nevertheless, a blouse can liven up an outfit and give it an undeniable touch of femininity. Blouses can be worn for the office, for a casual weekend outing with the friends, for a fancy dinner with the parents, and they even can save you when you have a dressy event to attend and you're clueless as to what to wear.

Perhaps because it is because of this that Shopbop.com recently started sending its usual newsletter sponsoring "Equipment", a new French brand which is trying to reinvent and bring back the blouse into our wardrobes. Take a cue: blouses aren't for "older women" or "secretaries" anymore.

The blouse is an art, and quite possibly my favorite piece of an outfit. Because of this reason I decided to post some of my favorite blouses out there and show you how a blouse is more than capable of being a versatile, stylish and wearable piece, regardless of the occasion.


Blouses for college:

Go for the more simple ones you can find, preferably sleeveless or with short sleeves. These will look great paired with your casual jeans and some flats, along with your iPod and your books.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Trend: The Statement Necklace



Oh, the old statement necklace! Few things in life will make a women look as glamorous and put together as a great statement necklace, gracing her neckline and drawing attention to her neck and her décolletage .
Although the statement necklace is making a comeback as a trend, I think it should be considered as timeless as the 'LBD'. This is an accessory which can successfully make a simple t-shirt and jeans outfit stand out from the crowd.

Especially now in the heat of summer, statement necklaces prove to be a great alternative which will undoubtedly make you look professional and polished while allowing you to breathe without having to wear suffocating blouses and/or the traditional blazer.

Speaking from a college student's point of view, (one who has just started an internship, mind you), an extravagant and elegant necklace can prevent you from having to buy tons of new shirts or professional tops to wear to work. By having four basic tops and four statement necklaces, you will be able to have a versatile wardrobe by varying the outfit combinations while getting compliments on your original necklace!

The statement necklaces can be found at any price range. Here are some of my favorite options:

Monday, July 19, 2010

Trend: Neon for summer

Trend: Feed me some Oxfords



When models first walked down the runway wearing oxfords, I was not surprised, but I wasn't ecstatic either. To me the oxfords seemed like a very boring and masculine type of shoe that would soon go out of fashion.

Which is why, as I write this, I cannot help but feel slightly confused as I stare at the gorgeous Silver Madden silver oxfords that I bought recently.

For some reason, during the last couple of weeks I went into an oxford frenzy (which is weird enough, considering that the most extravagant shoes I currently own are leopard flats). Nevertheless,the oxfords grew on me, and I felt identified with this type of shoe. The oxford represents the ultimate stylish, preppy, and boyish shoe that a sort of awkward and book-worm type of girl would wear.