Roaming le Ombre

One trend I've been seeing a lot of this spring is Ombre, faded hair. I'm really digging it. It perfectly highlights your hair as a sort of accessory–makes your outfit come together. I've been seeing some crazy colors fading in the tips of girls' hair, as well as natural-ish lightened, sun-kissed edges. Here's a look at this great style:

This look actually seems to work with all kinds of hair. It's all about accentuating what you've got to work with. I was surprised to find some examples of curly, ombre hair, since most of the hair we see all these crazy trends with tends to be straight, thin, blonde or honey hair. But, I've seen black and red ombre hair, as well as thick, and even short! If your hair is shorter or lighter, I can imagine it would look better if the color fading is more abrupt, whereas if you have dark or long hair, you can afford to fade it more gradually. Below, is a girl with medium colored brown hair, and it is extremely long, allowing her to fade the ombre color slowly. It also looks great with a braid in the front.

Here is a more subtle approach, looking more bohemian because of the lighter, front pieces, and it is also more natural, since there isn't a clear, definite color fade.  

Things are a little different when it comes to bright colors. It's more of a free-for-all, as seen below. Some of these start out one color, and fade to another, lighter, but still bright, color. Some of them start with a natural color and fade the edges, like the classic ombre above, but with a bright shade. Others, are almost dip-dyed, messily, but more noticeably. 

Pink seems to be a big fad in the case of colored ombre. It works very well with blonde hair, and this is where we see this the most. The photo above is one of my favorites because the color fades in so slowly, you get a nice peachy in the middle.

I don't know why, but it seems that colder colors look better with razor-straight hair, maybe because colder colors are more severe, and uncommon as a natural hair color. Curlier hair-types possibly look better with warmer colors. I have curly hair and I've started to slowly ombre my hair, not committing to a crazy color just yet! This is a good way to do it because you have a lot of control over what shades you want. You can always start with hydrogen peroxide dip-dying and then lying in the sun. Then you can keep getting lighter or go bold with a bright hue. Have fun with it! Can't wait to be seeing this all over this summer. 

Spring 2012 Fashion Trends

So, the summer is coming fast. Just 2 weeks ago we were all still wearing our winter coats and now it's almost 80 degrees. So not New England!! It's so beautiful out, but no one has any clue what to wear–we've all been caught off guard! No worries, here's some real trends this spring that'll freshen up your wardrobe for the new weather. 


From looking at Marc Jacobs spring 2012 collection, you can see some definite trends popping up. A big thing this year is the flapper, drop-waist, boxy shape dresses and blazers. Also, he incorporates a lot of cream, as well as mixing in some bright 1960's shades. Also, the hair is done up all high and teased, like Jackie O, but stays funky with a bandana. 

Another designer I looked to this spring was Diane von Furstenburg. Again, here we can see the drop-waist style, as well as the 60's colors, and cream. There are thicker fabrics here, and big prints, which has been a big trend this fall, too. The Jackie O hair is done here, as well.

Calvin Klein can also be seen incorporating these styles, as well. He also does the cream, but in a lighter, loose, and layered way, as most of his spring collection is. This is seen with his light vests, and slip-dresses, which is a great way to be conservative with your clothing. My grandmother recently gave me all of her old slips and I wear them with a belt–they're great for hot days. His hair is more 70's, split directly down the middle and left loose, light, and creamy to match the clothing. He also does very much salmon. Another thing I've been seeing lately that he does, as well as Michael Kors and other designers, is the matching shirt and maxi skirt. I saw someone today wearing such an outfit and it looked great. She had a long, bright, patterned skirt, and she had a peplum top with it that matched. Sounds crazy, but it's actually awesome. This works with shorts, too, which I have been seeing often. It's a short of romper, split down the middle. Rompers, and jumpsuits, as seen above, are still making their way down the runway this season. 

The last designer with the most oomph this spring, I found, was in fact, Michael Kors. I was surprised to see his clothing so out of the box. He mixed the Navajo pattern style with a sort of army chicness, as well as incorporating Roman accents. He plays with a lot of bold patterns, animal prints, and the whole split romper concept I talked about above. The hair is also long and loose and parted in the middle. He mixes patterns, as well, and has a lot of heavy, big pieces. 

So, these are all styles that we'll be seeing a lot of this season: creamy tones, split rompers/maxi skirt suits, Jackie O hair, 70's hair, bold patterns, 60's colors and many more great trends. For once, things that look good are in style! Some other trends I've noticed are peplum skirts and tops, nude heels (always an essential), mullet hems, pastels, and the Navajo print we've all been enjoying from Urban Outfitters and Forever 21. Can't wait to see these styles on the move! 

Mullet Hems

Pastels

Navajo Prints

Nude Heels

Peplum Hems

  

How to Wear "Real" Jackets

So, this winter in Massachusetts has not been that cold...up until a few days ago. It was about 10 degrees, or lower, last night, and today was so freezing and windy. So, fashion is on the back burner, now that warmth is most important, but it doesn't need to be. You can be warm and still stylish. One major issue I have always had, and many other people I've talked to, is how to wear "real" winter coats. Since most of us were not born into hipster families that listen to Lou Reed during dinner and wear only leather bombers, we're mostly stuck with puffy coats. Puffy coats seem hopeless, and not even fur collars dress them up. But there are ways to make your realistic winter coats, stylish, and also to find practical, yet fashionable, winter coats.

The first coat style that comes to mind, and that works for men and women, is the classic trench, or not so classic trench. If you have any old trench coat from one of your parents, or you can find one, this is a great winter coat idea because it'll keep you cozy and, when dressed up well, it can be very fashionable. If paired with a collared shirt, straight jeans, and high heels, it can look elegant yet simple. Or, for a more formal approach, you can pair it with a short, fitted dress. For guys, you can pair it with a crisp top and dark jeans with nice leather shoes or oxfords.

Another coat style which all of us struggle with, is the puffy coat, or overly large and long, overall big coat. It is not hopeless. Just don't revert to this (You and your dog can look much better than this):

First of all, I love Emma Stone. But I'm not just saying this because I love her. She knows how to work the long puffy coat, even in powder blue. The way she pairs it with knee socks, plain but high boots, and a mini skirt makes the perfect statement and works with the coat. When in doubt, go with a short skirt and boots, (and knee socks if so desired) but keep it all toned down since there's a lot going on with the coat.

Plain old big coats are a good choice too, because when worn with a big scarf (like above) and skinny tailored pants, it can give a badass chic effect. This army green color is the perfect accent, too.

Also, if you can find a somewhat unique puffy coat, like the one above, that can make it easier to work with. But remember, not too much with the puffy/big coats, at least in the way of fitting because if you have a huge coat, flare pants, boots, a big hat...ahhhhhhhh. Don't do it. Your friends won't be able to find you under all that fabric.

Another smart fashion choice to make in the way of winter jackets is the leather bomber. Classic! It looks great with pretty much anything, depending on the cut and style, and I'm especially digging it this winter. Above, Kate Moss wears a leather bomber with metal/pin accents. When you have something so rough looking, at least for girls, it's a great contrast to wear a flowy dress like this, with it. 

Another great coat type is your simple, old-fashioned tailored jacket...or not so simple...This is a great choice for winter because, since it's not usually too over the top, and tends to be fitted, it can be layered with sweaters, scarves, gloves and any other winter accessory. This blazer works for men, too.

This ensemble really plays up the plaid jacket because the trousers are cuffed, the shoes are just right, and the bow-tie is just enough to make the outfit come together. Girls, don't be afraid to try something like this, too. 

The velvet collar on this coat is the perfect accent to make the jacket stand out.

Try pairing the jacket with opaque tights, like above, and a short skirt and boots. Messenger bag and mutton-chops man optional.

This outfit works so well because since the jacket has big shoulders and a sharp collar, the pink pattern really softens it. The lacy top and the long necklace and braid work really well, too.

This is a looser version of the tailored coat, and it's definitely a statement piece, considering the cut and the pattern. If you're brave, try pairing something like this with a short patterned, but 2 or less colored, skirt, as seen above, and plain, classy shoes. Or, try pairing it with plain black, but leather pants, as seen below (with the other statement coat). A chambray shirt is almost always a good idea, especially when the jacket doesn't have much of a collar (below), and the shirt is buttoned up.

Now, the ultimate winter coat option is the fur coat. This is what I think of when I think of warm, yet certainly stylish coats that speak for themselves and don't need much accessorizing, at all. Yesterday I came home and my mom was wearing this quite out there, huge fur coat with a tiered bottom and a grey and brown pattern. She says it's "real faux chinchilla!" But she did a great job of pairing it with a simple outfit, because it was so much to handle. And my mother is small, so she had to be careful not to drown it it. She paired it with simple black boots with a small heel, and black leggings and a grey dress. If you can get your hands on one of these, you won't be sorry, and you'll receive many hugs throughout the day.

Even though there's a lot going on here, (above) it somehow works because the colors are simple and go together well, and there's only one pattern: the tights, which make this outfit much more modern.

Classic!

Another more casual winter coat option is the Carhartt. It's retro, working man feel is the ultimate badass chick statement, and for men, it's the perfect suble retro piece for your wardrobe. And, it's pretty damn warm.

I found this jacket on the internet and instantly fell in love. It's got a Carhartt cut, but the pattern and colors, and the way it's been worn is the perfect piece to set you apart from all the other Carhartt wearers, and it'll dress up any shirts.

Another, older coat style is the swing coat. It'll keep you warm and looking carefree, breezy, but well put together.

This swing coat reminds me somewhat of the peacoat, which makes it more modern, but it still has old-fashioned aspects, like the length and color, which make it a great coat.

If you're feeling brave, try a patterned coat like Anna Wintour's, above. She goes all out with the boots, jewelry, and the fur cuffs.

She and her daughter are both feeling the fur collars, which when worn like so, are simple and elegant. Below are two coats that are combine the swing and the fur coat. Timeless!

The three coats below are a mix of the swing coat as well as the classic trench. This combination makes them somewhat mod, and the colors, too. Try pairing something like this with softer accents like a white lacy dress, or a miniskirt/dress and tights. Boots work well with this, also.

The last coat option I can think of is a slouchy, but tailored jacket, which can be dressed up with scarves and dresses and flat shoes. This jacket applies to men, as well.

This outfit, above, is really well put together but still casual and comfy.

This tweed boyfriend coat worn with a girly dress is the perfect mix of masculine and feminine. When it's cold, pair it with tights, a dress, and boots, or skinny pants and a feminine top.

This last option of the slouchy yet tailored coat, is the army version. Just like the Kate Moss rough jacket + soft fluffy dress, this army cut is best with a girly skirt or dress. But it'd look just as good with a pair of tight skinny jeans and boots. So, that's all for winter warmth. I hope this helps when trying to figure out what to wear this winter!