Baby It's Bold Outside

This past week we had an unprecedented major winter snowstorm and power outage in the middle of October. It's looking like Winter out, and we're all very upset about this....but to make the snowy weather worth while, we pulled out our fur coats, statement jewelry, and bright patterned pieces from our wardrobes that we thought would shed some light on this weather. 

For this look we stayed practical but still stylish for the cold weather. We paired a stable, yet brutal pair of black knee-high boots, with a floral, feminine dress and a leather jacket to give it some edge. Don't pack away your summer dresses just because you don't know how to wear them now–try a look like this! And a pair of classic silver hoops completes the look and adds some sparkle.

This look is good for just about any occasion, a party, work, or a jam-packed weekend. It's sure to keep you looking good, and feeling warm. We paired a silky patterned shirt with black skinny jeans and a fur vest for an effortless outfit. We added a chunky, silver necklace to dress it up, too, but to keep it more casual you can do more modest jelwelry, and a pair of ankle boots.

We then started having a little too much fun with the leopard-print, because my friend is a animal-print fanatic (she has everything from faux snakeskin pants to cheetah-print nail stickers). We started with the main piece of the outfit: a leopard-print faux fur coat, which we then matched with a leopard-print umbrella for any other unexpected weather, and a simple black cocktail dress and black boots. A perfect ensemble for those days you wake up freezing and begging your cat to sit on your feet.

For this outfit, we were thinking nighttime in the city. We started with a simple black and white, fitted H&M dress, with our black leather jacket (leather jackets go with anything), and a chunky silver bracelet to keep things interesting. Or try a big men's watch for a funky twist to the look. Simple, effortless, wearable, but still chic.

We started to get creative with our styles at this point and paired a long black dress with a rusty-red knitted poncho for some edge. This is perfect for a get together at home with a few friends, or for days when you're stuck with getting dressed. Boho meets poise.

The last idea we had for getting through winter, was inspired by 60's icons like Mrs. Peel from The Avengers and Twiggy. We were intrigued by an old pair of red and gold flower-patterned pants, which we found at the back of my friend's closet. We then matched it with a red velvet tunic top, very 60's, and a big gold cuff bracelet. This look is perfect for an occasion (like a dinner party) or just hanging out. I would wear this anywhere and anytime. And it's guaranteed to keep you warm.

So, that's all for our early surprise winter looks! I hope you experiment with your winter wardrobe and don't always resort to the huge sweatshirt and Uggs. Don't be afraid to work the chunky jewelry or faux fur, because done the right way, you can surely pull it off.....But you gotta have the Uggs sometimes.

Chilly Weather Must-haves

Now that summer is coming to an end and it's getting chillier out, it's time to sit down and have an intervention with your closet. Tell it that when it holds things like Gauchos, bedazzled jeans from when you were in 6th grade, Uggs (ughh), matching velour pants and sweatshirts (maroon with sequins including the butt slogan of choice), and of course, the deadly Croc high heels, you are upset and feel bad. Maybe you can help it change it's ways this fall. Here are my top 11 late summer essentials this year.

1. My sunny nail polish collection. This was a staple for me at then end of the summer.

2. My high-waisted, worn out denim shorts. My mom gave me these as levi's jeans from the 70's, which I then cut to be shorts. They're the perfect softness after 35 years of use, and include a 3-button fly instead of a zipper–the old school way.  It's getting chillier and I'm still hanging onto these for dear life, wearing them with different tights and boots. I have maybe 2 pairs of jeans that I wear because it is so difficult to find the right fit, so I'm surrounding myself with shorts and tights at the moment. I don't know how I'd live without these.

3. My black bikini: this is a necessity for everyone (with the exception of men of course). It's good for the beach or a pool; it's a staple in the bathing suit department. 

4. My Aveda curl enhancer cream may just be the best thing that ever happened to my hair. I used to have extremely thick, long, frizzy hair, but then I cut it chin length and was forced to burn the curls out of it almost everyday. Now I'm growing it out and it's about shoulder-length and I'm leaving it curly all the time. I don't straighten it anymore. The Aveda leave-in conditioner/cream makes it smooth, but a little curlier and tones down the frizz. It also makes my dry, growing out split-ends a little more nourished. If it sounds you have my hair problems, I would seriously look into this product. It's a little steep, but you only need about a dime size amount, and it's a great investment.

5. A fitted, stretchy black skirt is such an outfit-saver in so many situations for me this fall. It looks great with a graphic tee, tights and boots, or a nice top tucked in with a belt. You can probably find one for ten bucks, so it doesn't have to be a big decision, but even if it was expensive, I'd still splurge because I wear it so much. It's actually more comfortable for me than jeans, also, and I'd definitely be stuck monday morning without it.

 6. My main face ritual basic is my Kiehl's Frownies pH-Balancing Complexion Wash and the light Kiehl's face moisturizer. These I discovered in my mom's medicine cabinet at home. Even though the name is Frownies, you don't need to have wrinkles to see an improvement. I get acne, but I still need to moisturize parts of my face because if I don't, and leave my face dry, my skin produces more oil, and I break out. So, to keep everything under control, this is a great purchase in the skin department.

7. A great addition to a late summer wardrobe, even though it may seem excessive, is a comfy sundress. I love sundresses and wear them until it snows, adding tights, sweaters, scarves, boots–anything to keep me warm. During the summer I'll live in my favorite sundress. They are light, flowy, and the perfect addition to your wardrobe this fall.

8. A trend that's exploding this season is matte, bright colored lipstick. My friend gave me this lipstick, and I absolutely love it. It's nice and thick and goes on really well, and brightens up all my clothes.

9. Something which I wish I had thought of sooner because it is such a genius style, is patterned knit tights. I live in these tights which I bought at a local store for $10. They are the perfect accessory for fall and would make any sundress work for chillier weather, as well as skirts and shorts you always wish you could keep wearing after October 1.

10. Covergirl lashblastfusion mascara was an incredible buy for me. I don't know what I was doing with my eyes before I tried it out because it lengthens and thickens your lashes to crazy measures. Waterproof was good to buy for me during the summer, even when not swimming because it doesn't smudge. But if you are swimming, it stays settled as long as you don't touch your eyes. The surprising thing here for me was that when I went swimming and wanted to wipe my eyes, I just went underwater and scrubbed my eyes gently and voila: it was completely off, there wasn't any excess black gunk around my eyes making me look like the Joker. Definitely a staple. 

11. For 3 years, I'd wanted a pair of roman sandals, and since they're were popular, I didn't think that'd be hard to achieve. I was wrong. I looked and looked everywhere and the only ones I could find were either crappy and silver, boring, or the buckle was too confusing or didn't even work. I ended up finding the best pair I could ask for in the place I least expected it: American Eagle. They were a cross between Native American, Egyptian, and Roman styles. I'm still wearing them.

I hope this helps you ease into the fall after a summer which I'm sure was fabulous. Happy changing!

30's Going On 70's

This week we were thinking a lot about retro styles (40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, even 80's) and we came to the decision that most of our fashion choices are influenced by more than one time period per outfit. Sometimes I'll wear a pair of 1940's high-waisted shorts with a slouchy floral shirt (for example) from the 80's, and roman sandals. Mixing styles is what style is all about. So, here's some fashion ideas for the season to get you heading way back in a time machine. 








For this outfit we started out with an A-line coat that my grandmother made for my mom during the 60's. We mixed it up by pairing it with a brightly colored 80's strapless romper, complete with a wanna-be-African pattern, which seems to have been a big trend back in the day. We pulled it together with a pair of sheer black tights, and a classic pair of Clark's desert boots (an ultimate favorite of mine). The desert boot was first created in 1949 by Nathan Clark. It was inspired by the shoe officers of the British Eighth Army sported in Egypt during World War II. To finish it off, we did a braided hairdo with a bun, which for some reason reminded us of a 60's flight attendant hair style (but they probably wouldn't've done the braided part). Then we went with the classic cat-eye. You can never go wrong with cat-eyes.

 For this outfit we were inspired by Audrey Hepburn and showed that through a 60's fitted, simple black dress that was given to my mother in the 80's–it's timeless, and again, cat-eyes. We modernized this dress with a braided leather belt and a boho messy braid. We went boho, also, with bright peacock feather earrings. These made it more casual, but still elegant. We stuck with a formal look though, in the shoes, but went with a male approach to that, with some classic oxfords. Oxfords were originally inspired by the shoe, the Oxonian, which was a short boot with side slits. The Oxonian was a huge style at Oxford in 1800, and then it's Scottish/Irish son was born: The Oxford.

For this look, we went with a 60's look, with a boat-neck, 3/4 sleeved sweater, and high-waisted shorts. Galoshes are a must. But the high-waisted shorts are cut-offs, which started mostly at the end of the 60's into the 70's. Again, we mixed this look with another look: the 60's bun with a boho braided twist. The belt worn has a sort of rock-n-roll personality. (It is black with a silver guitar-looking buckle.) This is an example of an outfit I'd wear all the time.    

For this last ensemble, we went full-out. We started with some light-washed denim shorts (high-waisted, of course), and a 50's tied button-down. Then we did a Native American beaded belt for a little pattern, and a pair of red, retro pumps. These shoes we modernized with a pair of taupe socks, which is a really big trend this year. We kept it playful with some bubble-gum pink lipstick, and some costume jewelry. Ask your mother or your grandmother for some of her old, chunky rings like we did here. Let the hair run wild.  

Thanks for reading, and I hope this gives you some new ideas about your style and helps you think outside the box–or decade–next time your frustrated with your wardrobe. I know that most of what I wear is like this (retro), and I get most of my vintage clothes from my mother. So, look around–the next chapter of your fashion story may be right in front of you.