Hats and Hatboxes

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Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong decade. I like to think I was better suited for the 1950s, when men wore suits everywhere, women considered it scandalous to show one’s ankles, and no matter where you went there was someone smoking a cigarette.

My latest ‘50s-inspired obsession is the hatbox. I can just imagine some glamorous woman walking down New York City’s 5th Avenue carrying one of these gorgeous packages; almost more gorgous than what it contains.

No one really wears hats anymore, with the exception of a beanie when it’s cold outside or a baseball hat at a sporting event, but these don’t really count in comparison to the highly fashionable toppers that women used to wear on a daily basis.

My personal favorite is the veiled hat: a small hat with a veil that falls in front of the face, covering the eyes. These are mysterious and beautiful and oh-so-ladylike all at the same time.

So all I have to say is: bring back hats!

New Year's Resolutions

It’s now officially 2011 and for many that means coming up with New Year’s resolutions. Don’t get me wrong; resolutions are a great thing, as they’re most often used to better oneself. However, over the years I’ve found the act of making a resolution to be quite clichéd. Inevitably, the majority of people vow to lose weight or get themselves into shape, an undertaking that is usually all but forgotten by the end of January.

So this year I’ve decided to try something a little different. Instead of setting a specific goal for myself, I’ve simply decided to care less about what people think of me.

All too often I find myself falling in love with a beautiful but strange piece while shopping, only to leave the store without it after wondering what others will think. “What would my friends say if I wore this to school?” I’ll ask myself. Or, “Will other people be wearing this type of thing to the party?”

But recently I’ve realized that the only person you can ever really try to please is yourself. In the long run, does it really matter what others think of my outfits? No, because I wear what I wear to please ME.

So, on that note, here’s to a whole new year full of wild, amazing (and sometimes maybe even a little out-there) outfits!

Teen Vogue Fashion U and Twitter

To all my loyal followers and fans: This past weekend I atteneded Teen Vogue Fashion U, where I was able to learn more about becoming a fashion journalist. After that, I decided that one of the first steps in getting the word out would be to create a Twitter. So, you can follow me at @fashionista47. I will be updating everytime I create a new blog post so you'll always be in-the-know!

Back-to-School

Well, it’s that time of year again. That’s right, I’m talking about back-to-school. As much as I dislike school, this is actually one of my favorite seasons because it means I get to go back-to-school shopping. I’m sure nearly everyone has experienced this before: you’ve spent nearly your whole morning wandering around the mall and all you have to show for it is a white tee. You’re frustrated because you had envisioned a whole new, fabulous wardrobe for fall. This drives you into the nearest store, to buy a skirt you don’t even particularly like, just because it’s on sale and it gives you one more bag to carry around, making you feel as if you’re closer to your goal of a new wardrobe. I know I have been a victim of this “gotta-have-it” syndrome many times. However, my New School Year resolution is to only buy items that I love and know I’ll wear, even if this means returning from my annual back-to-school shopping trip with only a few basic wardrobe pieces in hand. There are a few ways I plan to accomplish this and I’d like to share them with you:

1)Don’t be distracted by sales. Sometimes, a $5 top just seems so cheap that you feel like you simply HAVE to buy it. But think of it this way…eventually all these $5 items will add up and you’ll have a closet full of crappy, cheap clothes. Instead, try splurging on something that fits you beautifully, like the perfect pair of dark-washed jeans or a white button-up that fits your body like a glove.

2)Don’t torture yourself by going into stores and trying on things that you can’t afford. That only wastes time and makes you sad when you fall in love with something way out of your price range. Know your budget going in!

3)Be familiar with stores’ exchange policies. Most of the time, if you keep the tags on and save the receipt, you can return something. This comes in handy as you can try on an item of clothing you’re not sure about with other items you already own and bring it back to the store if you end up not liking it.

4)Finally, and most importantly, don’t get discouraged. It’s better to go home with just a few items that you love than a ton of items you don’t like (and, therefore, wasted money on).

Now, armed with these four easy tips, I urge you to go out and finally get that perfect wardrobe that you dream about every year!

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

European Adventure

I recently got home from spending ten days in northern Spain. Surprisingly, much of the European fashion I witnessed was not that much different from trends I’ve been seeing recently in the United States. However, there were a few things I picked up on that I thought my fellow fashionistas might be interested in.

One trend I noticed a lot of was rompers. Worn alone or with a light jacket overtop, this one-piece dominated the streets of up-and-coming world cities such as Madrid and Barcelona. Most of the rompers I noticed were short and decorated in a flowery print, although some contained such over-the-top embellishments as sparkles and sequins.

Another piece I noticed on various fashionable women was the harem pant. With a crotch that hangs down to mid-thigh, knee, or even mid-calf, this style is tricky to pull off. It is best worn with heels or open-toed sandals. I saw many people who were also able to pull it off with boots or flat sneakers, although this is only for the truly fashion-forward.

Although I saw many other new trends during my time in Spain, I’d have to say that my favorite was the gladiator sandals. Although the trend is already fairly prevalent in the United States, Spanish women tend to give it a slightly different spin. Whereas American women usually only wear gladiators that stop at the ankle, in Europe it’s very common for these shoes to be worn up to mid-calf or even almost to one’s knee. I mostly saw them worn with skirts and dresses, although some women paired them with shorts as well.

Of course, the most important accessory needed to pull off any of these trends is…CONFIDENCE!!!

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

Cardigan-Crazed

Anyone living in the Northeastern part of the United States right now knows that the weather is, to say the least, crappy. After almost a week of short sleeves and open-toed shoes, my wardrobe didn’t want to accept the fact that it really is still winter. It quickly came around, however, after I wore a cute, flutter-sleeved blouse to church and nearly froze to death. I realized that this is the exact weather that cardigans were invented for. I can wear my favorite new spring finds while still being able to feel my arms. :) See? Sometimes you can be fashionable and practical…just don’t get used to it.

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

Versace Lovin'

Every year around this time, I start to look forward to spring fashions. Sometimes it’s triggered by seeing a “Spring Awakening” spread in a magazine and other times it’s triggered by spotting the first pairs of shorts on the racks at Macy’s. Either way, all I know is that, at a time when there’s almost three feet of snow on the ground outside my house, all I want to do is throw on a sun dress and open-toed wedges and drink a cappuccino outside my local café. This year, my annual love affair with spring started when I saw the brightly-colored, geometric-printed, short-hemmed, and fresh-faced looks of Versace’s read-to-wear Spring 2010 collection. The wild prints stand out like no other and daringly short hemlines are balanced out by long sleeves that also, incidentally, will keep me warm on those chilly spring evenings. Everything about the collection is absolutely perfect. So I just want to say, bravo Versace, for creating the perfect spring looks for me to lust after and officially stepping into my Top 10 list of favorite designers.

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!