Spring Fever

This time of year always seems to be a bit of a tease for me. The weather warms up for a few days only to cool off again, leaving me yearning for shorts, sandals, and all things spring. Because of this, I’ve lately been obsessed with scouring magazines and various websites, searching for what will become my spring wardrobe. Here, a peak at my top 5 must-haves for spring:

1) All-Over Prints


Marc Jacobs


2) Stripes


Prada


3) Bold Colors


Marc Jacobs


Lanvin

4) Lace

Erdem

Tracy Reese

5) Florals

Erdem

Erdem

(all photos from www.style.com)

Mission: Tutu

My newest obsession is browsing etsy.com at all hours of the day and night. They have the most unique items, from sexy sundresses to a whole section devoted to “geekery”. When I came across these tutus, I was instantly smitten. Lately I’ve had a bit of an infatuation with tutus. I recently purchased a black tutu-shaped skirt with a white bow waistband at Forever 21, but I still couldn’t get over my desire to have a real tutu (especially since, in all my years of ballet lessons, I’ve never actually owned one.) These ones have everything that I’ve ever imaged in the perfect tutu: bright colors, see-through material, and a short, puffy shape. (Plus, the black wire mannequin in these photos just completes the fairy tale feel.) Even though they’re designed for infants and young children, you can get them custom-made in adult sizes, as well. Mission accomplished!

(all photos from http://www.etsy.com)

Ballerina Beauty

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As a dancer myself, there is probably little that inspires my sense of style more than the poetic beauty of ballet. Little else can compare to the grace with which a professional ballerina soars through the air while performing a grand jeté or the ease with which she does pirouette after pirouette.

This delicate beauty and grace is often reflected in their costumes: long flowing skirts, voluminous tutus, plunging necklines and jeweled leotards.

And of course, I can say with confidence that nothing brings meaning to the phrase “pain is beauty” more than the iconic staple of any ballerina: the pointe shoes.

Needless to say, this season I’m loving delicate ballet flats, light pink, flowing chiffon and anything else that evokes a type of “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”-meets-“The Red Shoes” type of beauty.

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!!!

Confidence: Unveiled

What gives you confidence? Over the years, psychiatrists, parents, and writers of self-help books alike have attempted to answer this question. Somehow, though, following their advice never quite led me to the infamous and unparalleled confidence high. Although I’m sure the answer to this question differs from person to person, for me it’s fashion. I’m not necessarily talking about having all the latest trends or buying the limited edition Fendi bag. Instead, I just mean feeling comfortable and CONFIDENT in what you have on. Going to school in sweat pants and a sweatshirt, I tend to feel like a failure, telling myself I’m far too stupid to ace that tough chemistry exam. But in a perfectly tailored pair of jeans topped with a super-flattering jacket and an enviably wild-but-chic necklace, I walk through the hallways with my head held high. Likewise, I’m much more likely to approach that cutie at a party while dressed in a bouncy miniskirt and tights than a pair of paint-splattered jeans and a hoodie. Get the picture? I guess this, in a nutshell, is why I really love fashion. It’s the feeling I get when I pull on my favorite hot pink dress, the way I can’t stop smiling when I peer at myself in the dressing room mirror wearing pretty much anything from H&M. I can practically feel my confidence level rising. When my clothes are special (not necessarily expensive or even unique, just special) I feel so, too. So, with that, I urge all of you to get out there and go shopping. You never know how much better you might feel about yourself while wearing the dress of your dreams.

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

Vogue Envy

The February 2010 cover of Teen Vogue is definitely the best and most inspiring one that I’ve seen so far. The amazing Jessica Szohr (better known as Vanessa from Gossip Girl) wears an equally amazing blue-printed dress that can’t help but bring to mind the calming colors of the ocean on a beautiful August evening. Artfully constructed, the BCBG Max Azria frock is draped and ruched in just the right places, even including unexpected splashes of red throughout the sea of blue. But what really brings this particular look together is the leather Alexander Wang booties. Featuring zippers AND killer heels, their badass-ness is the perfect foil to the flowy dress and brings the outfit up a notch on Fashionista’s unofficial gauge of awesome-ness. It also got me thinking about the perfect outfit to transition from the harsh chill of winter into the calm warmth of spring. A printed dress looks great paired with an oversized cardigan, large belt, black tights, and thick strappy sandals in the winter. Slowly remove (or replace) layers as the temperature heats up and you may even be able to get away with wearing some kind of rendition of this outfit all year long, a rarity in the fashion world. Throw in the fact that you probably already have many of these pieces in your closet and it’s a dream come true! Needless to say, my new shopping obsession is to find all the right pieces to make this outfit my own.

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

Fun Fashion

The best part about fashion to me is that you can really truly have fun with it. While a classic blazer, dark-wash jeans, and round-toe pumps are possibly the epitome of a polished look, there’s just something that excites me about wearing a sweater with a diagonal zipper or oversized lip-shaped earrings made of cubic zirconium. For me, the best places to find pieces like these are at Betsey Johnson (http://www.betseyjohnson.com/) and Juicy Couture (http://www.juicycouture.com/). The sheer artistic talent of both designers often draws me to the sites even when I’m not in the market for a new piece of clothing, jewelry, or any of the other beautiful pieces sold there. Here, I would like to highlight for you a few of my favorite items from each brand in order to get you started on your new look for the New Year.

Betsey Johnson
Floral Print T-Shirt
The bold floral print of this tank is perfect for spring. It would look great with a blazer and leggings.
Washed Solid Brushed Poplin W/ Twill Tape Skirt
This versatile piece will look great with tights and a cropped jacket now, a striped long-sleeved shirt in the spring, and even a loose tank and sandals in the summer.
Charmeuse & Striped Organza Dress
The bold color, fun stripes, and subtle bow make this the ultimate party dress.
Betsey Wink! Crew
The face design on these socks is an unexpected surprise.
Floral Net Single
These pretty patterned tights will elevate any outfit to high-end status.
Mug/Ski Mismatch Earrings
Although these earrings are mismatch, they stay in the same theme, which gives them the perfect amount of quirky-ness. Plus, the cute mug and ski are just right for the season.

Juicy Couture
Earbuds & Case
Why shouldn’t every aspect of your life, right down to listening to your iPod, be perfectly luxurious?
Set of Two Dog Bowls
Now even your dogs can live the luxe life.
Terry Robe
This robe is very high-end and fashion-y; it makes you feel like a princess even while you sleep.
Ring Bling Day Dreamer Tote
The pink fabric of this tote is an eye-catcher, while the soft ribbon adds a demure feel.
Snake Print Silk Dress
Not only is this dress the perfect flowy frock for spring, but I fell in love with this entire outfit at first sight.

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

Drugstore Junkie

OK, admit it, you’ve all done it. You walk into a drugstore to get some contact solution or pick a prescription and find yourself walking down the makeup aisle, admiring all the pretty colors. For some, this is perfectly normal, as it’s really where they buy all their makeup, anyway. However, for others, it’s a shameful event. Embarrassed to be seen buying something as simple as mascara anywhere else than Sephora, these are the people who wouldn’t dare make a makeup purchase at CVS without donning a fake mustache. Personally, I’d place myself somewhere in the middle of these two types. As a young citizen, the money I make is quite minimal, and therefore it certainly pays to shop the sales, even if it is in the aisle right next to the feminine hygiene products. On the other hand, nothing quite beats scoring the perfect, non-sticky lipgloss from Urban Decay. My advice to you? Shop at drugstores as much as possible. No, they won’t have classic red Lancôme lipsticks or the perfect shade of foundation from Chanel, but they will have something just as valuable. At drugstores, you’ll find the lime green eyeliners, fuchsia lip glosses, and hot pink nail polishes that fill the pages of Vogue one month and are deemed “out” by Marie Claire the next. I’m talking about trends, and you’ll find them all for under a mere $10. So if you’re someone who likes to experiment with color, hop in your car right now, head to your local CVS, and stock up! There’s no need to break the bank when you just might find that that blue mascara you’ve been lusting after doesn’t quite work on you after all.

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

Coach-Crazy

Don’t wear one designer head-to-toe. Yes, yes, you’ve heard it all before. Of course, it’s true; to stand out and show off your personality, it’s not ideal to wear a straight-off-the-runway look from any given designer. As easy as this unwritten “rule” sounds, it happens to be much more easily said than done for some people. I could sit here and harp at you all day about the dangers of this epidemic, but the truth is, I am just as guilty as everyone else. As I sit here at my computer and look around, I see an overwhelming amount of Coach products. A patchwork purse with a multicolored scarf sits on the bottom step as a simple black clutch rests just a few steps up. But this is only the beginning. It seems that over the years, Coach has become my one-stop shopping place for all things having to do with purses, clutches, wallets, and key chains. Yes, I’ve wrestled with the idea of buying satchels made by other designers and, as I’m not exactly opposed to doing it, I simply don’t feel the same joy that I do when pulling that red tissue paper out of that crisp white bag to undercover my new leather purse. So how do I deal with this, when, as all good fashionistas do, I constantly try to be anything but ordinary and predictable? Well, I’ve decided to make it my staple, another undeniable element of a truly fashionable woman. While their sleek hairstyles, signature fruity scents, or fierce pumps define some people, I, fashionista, am now recognized by my classic-ly American Coach bags.*

*Please do not get me wrong here. Just because I’ve made Coach bags my signature style does NOT mean that I am planning on wearing them with a Coach hat, scarf, gloves, and sneakers. That would be just WRONG! :)

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

Fur...A Fabulous Thing???

Usually, as yours truly Fashionista, I’m open to any new trend that may come my way. Big necklaces? Tried it! (Really cute.) Tights under shorts? Tried it! (Made my legs look fat.) I’m sure you’ve heard me say before that no matter how out there a trend is, it may just look amazing on you; so don’t hesitate to try anything in the name of fashion. I may just have to go back on that, however, after seeing the newest “big thing”. Fur!!! Now, I’m not a vegetarian by any means (I can eat steak and burgers with the rest of them) but there’s just something that seems wrong about wearing a dead animal on your body. With the all-natural and animal-rights activist trends that have popped up in the past couple of years (ever since the problem of global warming has become well-known) I just can’t believe that the American people are allowing this to happen. Indeed, enough people must be enjoying this deadly trend for it to be surfacing in every fashion magazine from Vogue to Lucky lately. Now, don’t get me wrong, leopard prints and faux fur stoles do look gorgeous on most every girl out there. Just don’t opt for the real thing! Below I’ve included a list of some wonderful faux options that you can find online:

Nine West Jacket-$199

Wonderful Faux Fur Website

Forever 21 Belted Faux Fur Jacket-$34.80

Mad for Plaid

I’m sure most of you can remember back to the 90s (or maybe it was even in the 80s) when oversize plaid button downs were commonly paired with Dr. Martens and worn as the uniform of the everyday teenager. This era in fashion was known as “grunge”. Just as with virtually every trend, plaid is back hot and heavy this season, but in a whole new way. How, over the course of just 20 years, has this iconic checkered print gone from sloppy to neat and pulled-together? To be completely honest with you, for a long time I was actually a bit frightened of plaid. “It will make me look fat,” and “I hate seeming sloppy,” I reasoned with myself. However, as I began to see more and more of this particular trend popping up everywhere from Teen Vogue to American Eagle to kids at my school, I felt myself being strangely drawn to it. Once I stopped coming up with reasons NOT to like it, I decided to try on my first plaid piece. It was a button-down, nipped-waist, ruffled-neck shirt from American Eagle…and I instantly loved it! Over the years, plaid has made its way from the streets to fashion houses, and can now take on almost any identity, from preppy to even (gasp!) high-fashion. For me, this transformation symbolizes something greater; a “never say never” attitude when it comes to fashion. Just because there’s a look out there that you absolutely hate, don’t just look past it. In a few years it may have evolved into something that looks absolutely stunning on you. Who knows? Soon we all may be wearing harem pants to school.

A Colorful World

Remember the good old days back in preschool when your mom would dress you in the morning? You’d always have on a pretty dress, bow in your hair, Mary Janes, and, of course, tights. Then you grew up a little bit and got to about 5th grade. By that time, everyone wearing tights was just a baby. Jeans were the “cool” thing to wear, but if you absolutely had to wear a dress, you most definitely did not put tights with it. This is how I was, anyway, which was why I was surprised when I began to, well…like the new trend of tights. As a dancer, it’s definitely an understatement to say that I feel comfortable in tights. In fact, I feel quite at home in them. However, it was always a bit of a strange concept to me; wearing them without a leotard and ballet shoes. As it happens, my newfound love for tights in everyday life began when I attended my uncle’s funeral. I’ve been very lucky in my life, and this was only the third funeral I’d ever been to. However, that caused quite a quandary when choosing what to wear. After trying on outfit after outfit in my room for hours, I finally decided upon a black-and-white skirt, basic black tee, black kitten heel pumps, and black Capezio tights. I actually thought I looked quite chic. Keeping my legs covered was new to me, though, and I swore I’d stick to black. None of those crazy colors for me. I truly believed this would work…that is, until I came upon a pair of argyle (yes, argyle) tights in a recent issue of Lucky magazine. Somehow, they managed to be chic and playful at the same time. I am now on a search to find the best argyle, lace, colored, and any other kind of tights I can. Needless to say, I don’t think this is only a love affair. It seems to be for life.

Blogging Experiment

Ok, so...hello, everybody! This is my first time blogging so just bear with me. As an aspiring fashion journalist I thought it would be a fun and productive activity to blog about my favorite thing in the world: fashion! As I have quite a busy scheduele, this will not be an everyday thing. However, I will try to get on at least once a week to update this and inform you of new trends, fashion events, and things that inspire me. My goal is simply to install in you the same passion for style that I have. And, since this blog is all about fashion, I thought it might be helpful to let you know some of my style prefrences.
-Favorite brands=Juicy Couture, Bestey Johnson, Lucky Brand Jeans
-Favorite stores for cheap, everyday style=American Eagle, Forever 21, H&M, Charlotte Russe
-Favorite department stores=Macy's, Target (hey, who doesn't love a good bargain?), Barney's
If anybody has anything they would like to see me write about, just comment! ;)