Thursday, May 29, 2014

Up & At 'Em







Boots: Similar from Make Me Chic
Skirt: Similar from Pink Ice
Shirt: Forever 21 similar from American Eagle
Jacket: Similar from Charlotte Russe
Necklace: Similar from H&M
Earrings: Francesca's, similar from World Market

I've come to learn that when I feel poorly, dressing up even a little bit makes me feel a lot better. By putting on some makeup and doing something with my hair and wearing matching jewelry and a cute maxi skirt, I got myself out of bed and put myself in a better mood. It's nice to be able to do something small and harmless that makes me go from zero to hero in less than half an hour. It didn't hurt that this outfit warranted a couple compliments!

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Hot & Cold




Boots: Similar from Country Outfitter
Shorts: Similar from H&M
Shirt: Similar from Forever 21
Sweater: Similar from American Eagle
Earrings: Similar from New Look

The weather in Seattle has been so temperamental lately-- every day I have to reevaluate my use of layers and pant length. At least that keeps things relatively interesting.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Faux Festival-Ware




Romper: H&M
Jacket: H&M
Purse: Similar from Forever 21
Necklace: Waxing Poetic, similar from Love Culture

My school puts on a "music festival" every year where they invite a couple bands to come play for us on our quad. I haven't been to a real music festival in a couple years and I don't foresee myself attending one in the near future, so I took this opportunity to wear something a little unconventional. This "fanny pack" is actually just a small purse that I wore around my waist... I think it might look a little silly but at the same time it was fun to wear something different.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

OOTD: Layers of Lace



Shoes: Similar from H&M
Dress: Similar from Romwe
Bracelet: Similar from Forever 21
Necklace: Similar from H&M

I've struggled to decide what to pair this sheer lace shirt-dress thing with; in the past I've worn it as a shirt with a pair of leggings, but it's now too warm to wear leggings as pants. I actually am wearing a black skirt and a black tank top underneath in this picture, but I think in the future I could very easily wear it with a dress. I love the silhouette the layers and belt make-- it made me feel very pretty.

So All About That: May Wishlist


Confession: as I get closer and closer to summer and as my calligraphy teacher becomes more and more critical, I've found myself online shopping a lot more than I probably should be. I know I've prided myself in the past on my money-saving habits, but I think I've deserved some retail therapy. What am I buying, you ask? Here's 4 items in my online shopping carts!

Earcuff-- I'm buying: Winged Crystal Earcuff from Baublebar. I've already kind of touched on how much I love this style earcuff, but I'm going to reiterate it for you right now. First of all, I love this style jewelry in general; the almond shaped, clear/white stones in a simple arrangement. I'll probably look back on this in 20 years and think it looks ridiculous, but for right now, I'm totally digging this look.



 Vintage-style sandals-- I'm buying: Fisherman Sandal from American Eagle Outfitters. Here's another confession: I've only ever owned 1 pair of sandals that weren't flip flops. When I was dancing, my feet always looked strange in sandals, but now that they've had time to recover from being shoved into pointe shoes all the time, I'm ready to flaunt them!




One-piece floral swimsuit-- I'm buying: Hi-Waisted One-Piece from American Eagle Outfitters. I will never fail to shamelessly promote American Eagle and Aerie simply based on their anti-Photoshop campaign. Plus, their swimsuits are so cute--and seeing them on girls that actually look like me make me want to buy them that much more!



 Lip Stains-- I'm buying: e.l.f. Essential Lip Stain in Crimson Crush and Fuchsia Fusion. I'm so lazy when it comes to makeup, so I've found solace in lipstick this last year. However, lipstick is messy and easily smeared; this lip stain doesn't need to be reapplied nearly as often, and the color stays on my lips, not my coffee cups.



Tuesday, May 13, 2014

OOTD: Brick House





Dress: Similar from JC Penney
Belt: Similar from Charlotte Russe
Vest: Similar from Forever 21
Necklace: Similar from Forever 21
Earrings: Similar from H&M

It's so hot in Seattle that I didn't even have to bring a "just in case" jacket with me today! My hair's still curled from prom (I can't wash my hair too often or it all dries up) so I put it into a low pony to showcase the curls. I loved being able to hang out outside and show off just how cute I looked today, but we'll see how I feel about the new summer weather after a couple of days in it.

Monday, May 12, 2014

My Prom Style


My lovely boyfriend took me to his prom this last weekend, giving me the opportunity to attend a Super Senior Prom. As a college student at a high school event, I wanted to look different from anyone else at the dance. This meant choosing some untraditional pieces, including this dress and the bouquet instead of a corsage.


I borrowed this dress from my super fashionable cousin, who wore the dress for her rehearsal dinner when she got married. Though I love an excuse to wear a long dress, I liked that this didn't scream "prom"--the high neck, the thick bodice, and the pleated tulle skirt aren't things you tend to see on a prom dress.


As a ballerina, I've always wanted to channel that side of me at a formal event. This was the perfect opportunity for me to do this, so, in addition to the full tulle skirt, I decided to go with a pair of nude leather ballet flats and this ear cuff that reminded me of The Black Swan. 


I must admit, I was really excited to go to one last prom, even as a college student. I love any excuse to dress up, and dressing up to go on a lovely date with my best friend was really very wonderful!


Photos by Lauren Goldstein -- click here to see her portfolio!

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

OOTD: Springtime Blues





Boots: Similar from New Look
Skirt: Similar styles from Twitch Vintage on Etsy
Chambray: Similar from DailyLook
Necklace: Similar from Forever 21
Purse: Similar from Francesca's

My friend Emily always seems to take pictures of me looking like Alice in Wonderland--she claims it's because I frequently look like Alice, while I believe she simply has a magical power with my crappy digital camera. Either way, this long high-waisted blue skirt makes me feel both classic and wondrous.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

OOTD: Summer's Comin'






Dress: Similar from Forever 21
Necklace: Similar from Forever 21
Bracelet: Similar from Excessory Exchange

I was home for a couple of days and took advantage of my sister's fantastic photography skills to have some nice pictures taken of my current favorite dress. It was really warm in both Seattle and Bend this last week-- a hopeful sign that summer is coming asap! I'm obsessed with this color scheme for late spring even though it contradicts my notorious "all black" obsession. Oh, well; just another excuse for me to go shopping.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Incorporating Culture into Fashion


Over the last hundred years or so, the world has advanced tremendously in terms of knowledge of other cultures. Thanks to airplanes, the internet, and long-distance calls, the rest of the world is now more accessible than it's ever been. This has lead to a "potluck of traditions" in fashion; meaning that we can now pick and choose what clothing from other cultures we'd like to wear, regardless of whether or not we know the culture itself.
While this can (and has) led to quite a debate over whether or not someone can take advantage of one part of a culture while ignoring the rest, I personally love this "potluck". If we can adopt such concepts as political movements and spiritual beliefs from other parts of the world, I see no harm in adopting a type of earring or a new style of dress. Here's a couple examples of some of my favorite traditional attire that's been snatched up by modern pop culture as a fashion trend.

Moccasins
Left: A woman dressed in traditional Wôbanaki clothing from the 1770's, including a pair of summer moccasins. Right: Lindsay Lohan in moccasin boots.


Nath 


Left: A model wears a traditional Indian wedding nose ring, otherwise known as a nath, on the cover of an Asian wedding magazine. Right: Kendall Jenner wears a nath to Coachella.


Bindi
Left: Selena Gomez sports a decorative bindi at the Beats Music Launch. Right: An Indian bride puts the finishing touch on her traditional wedding bindi before her wedding.


Kimono
Left: A young Japanese woman in a contemporary kimono. Right: Alexa Chung models a Westernized version of a kimono.