OOTD: Spring Pastels for Cold Weather

Blush pink perspex booties - white wrap dress - pink lace-up H&M bodysuit - blue Forever 21 peacoat 

As I'm writing this, it's March 26th, and there's still snow on the ground. Granted, it's just a couple little patches in shady parts of the sidewalk, but still. It's been spring for a week and I'm ready for the weather to start reflecting that.

I've been waiting for warmer weather to be able to wear this dress as I don't think it would look good with tights. It's still tights weather, with the exception of the rare 65 F day every couple weeks, but I got fed up of waiting to wear something I've wanted to wear for months. I had to maneuver my wardrobe a little to be warm enough without having to wear tights. I initially felt a little weird about wearing this long-sleeve bodysuit under my dress, but after wearing a dress over jeans, I decided dresses should be worn with anything and everything. Since pastels are the official unofficial hues of spring, I decided to pair this baby blue coat with these blush booties. Plus, these colors were the Pantone colors of the year last year, so I already knew they go well together.

Moral of the story? You can totally wear spring colors even though the weather isn't quite spring-y yet. Just get creative with your layering game.

Fall/Winter 2017 Runway Trends

If I've said it once, I've said it a million times: Runway fashion may be made for the rich, but the inspiration it provides is for everyone. Last year, I wrote about 4 of my favorite FW runway trends; this year, I doubled it and wrote about 8.

Bell Sleeves

Photos via: Fashion and style, Tadashi Shoji, Nanette Lepore, Carven, Andrew GN, Vanessa Jackman, Alexander Wang, and Atlantic-Pacific 

I'm so excited to wear this trend! I've been looking for a bell sleeve top for nearly a year now, and seeing them on the runway means they're about to become more accessible. This trend is everything shoulder pads wanted to be: They add a unique touch to an otherwise simple top by bringing the volume, no matter how big or small.

Belted 

Photos via: Alexander McQueen, Luisa Beccaria, Au Jour Le Jour, Vanessa Jackman, palmer/ /harding, Ohh Couture, Stories and Me, and Chronicles of Her

Does anyone else ever feel like they're drowning in layers? If so, this is a trend you need to try. Show off your figure without having to sacrifice your warmth by simply adding a belt to your outfit.

Grid Print

Photos via: Cara Loren, Rahul Mishra, Robert Rodriguez, Atlantic-Pacific, Paul Smith, Marques ' Almeida, Broke & Fabulous, and Maison Kitsuné

I've seen this print described as grid print, check print, and windowpane print. Whatever it is, it's pretty rad. It's the modern dresser's answer to plaid, but simple enough to be worn with other patterns (the runways made a pretty compelling argument for pairing it with floral).

Feminism

Photos via: Wendy Nichol, Christian Siriano, The Fashion Medley, Creatures of Comfort, Writes Like A Girl, The Blonde Salad, Talbot Runhof, Ashish, and Ashley Williams

The fashion industry has always been strangely straddling the line on liberal issues. On the one hand, celebrities tend to be liberal, and their fashion tends to reflect that. On the other hand, many designers still rely on mistreated workers to manufacture their clothing, a practice which flies in the face of the liberal call for wage and working condition reform. Regardless, seeing the call for activism walk down the runway was thrilling. Many have criticized companies for capitalizing on feminism, or for using the current popularity of feminism to sell things that don't actually contribute to feminist issues under the guise of feminism. So, if you choose to rock this trend, I'd advise that you research where your "feminist" gear is coming from. The shirt that rocked the runway at Christian Siriano, for instance, donated 100% of profits to the ACLU; meanwhile, stores like Forever 21 sell items emblazoned with the word "feminist" with no promise to donate proceeds or reform their horrible labor practices.

Bell Bottoms

Photos via: Frame, Dash of Darling, Maggie Marilyn, The Style of Lucia, House of Holland, Beaufille, FASHIIONCARPET, and Song of Style

Anyone who knows me knows I don't like wearing pants. I only recently started wearing them regularly, and only because they're one of the easiest work-appropriate pieces to wear in the winter. If all pants were this much fun, though, I'd totally wear pants more often.

Floral Embroidered

Photos via: Adam Selman, Broke & Fabulous, Emporio Armani, Nicole Miller, Dolce & Gabbana, Tuula, Vivetta, Kate Spade New York, and Mash Elle

Y'all already know how I feel about embroidery, so I'm not going to reiterate it here. In short, this is the best way to take florals to the next level.

Tie-Neck

Photos via: Grace + Beauty, Temperley London, Carolina Herrera, Lanvin, Zuhair Murad, and Damsel in Dior

We've seen many variations of the tie-neck trend throughout the years, but the thin ribbon variation is my favorite right now. It's like a combination between a necklace and a tie.

Yellow Floral

Photos via: Blumarine, The VivaLuxury, Girl With Curves, The Londoner, Retro Sonja, Merrick's Art, Erika Cavallini, and A Détacher

Another year, another color floral walks the runway. As an avid lover of all things floral, I'm grateful for this trend, as it's an excuse for me to buy another floral sundress.

OOTD: That's So Hannah

Black Steve Madden Chelsea booties - distressed mom jeans - black mesh top high-slit dress - black H&M cropped faux leather moto jacket - brown ribbon choker - gold leaf headband

Evelyn is in staying with me this week for her spring break, and we are seriously tearing up NYC. Yesterday we hit up the Museum of Natural History, where we paid $0.50 each for admission. She's studying biochemistry and I got my Bachelor's of Science in psychology, so there was plenty to thrill us both. I got to see a human brain, a life-size replica of a giant blue whale, and an entire display featuring my birthstone, so I was a happy camper.

This outfit was inspired by Leandra Medine of Man Repeller. She rewrote what it means to be a fashion blogger: She's all about dressing for yourself and really experimenting with fashion as a means of expression of oneself. Since becoming an avid reader of the site, I've committed to buying statement pieces that really scream, "Hannah." This shirt-dress hybrid was one of those purchases. It's such a unique piece that I couldn't quite find something similar to link to (I've provided a couple pieces with similar qualities, but nothing close). My sense of style isn't always one-of-a-kind; my favorite embroidered jeans are literally everywhere right now, but they're still so ME. I'm dedicating myself to dressing for me and me alone to express myself and make myself happy.

OOTD: Rock 'n' Roll

Pink perspex booties - high-waisted fringe jeans - black mock neck crop top - H&M black moto jacket

In case you couldn't tell by the unevenness of the fringe, I made these pants! Well, I sewed the fringe onto the bottom of a $6 pair of pants that I bought in the men's section of Goodwill. In case you haven't noticed, I love sewing black fringe onto clothing to make something basic look more interesting. It's really easy to do: the whole process took me maybe 45 minutes. You can do it with any trim: velvet, lace, pom poms, etc.

Influenster Review: Ole Henriksen Balance // First-Time Face Washer

After having smooth, practically flawless skin for the last couple years, my face has started getting oily and breaking out like crazy. I have several theories as to why this may have happened: 1. I'm aging in reverse and my skin is mimicking that of my teenage self, 2. the pollution in New York is really getting to me, or 3. someone cast a curse on me after I said "I don't need to wash my face" one too many times.
Whatever the cause, I was at a loss for a solution. I haven't cleaned my face routinely since I was in middle school. My grandma bought me a Clinique face wash set and my skin eventually cleared up. Since then, I haven't had to shop for face wash that best suits my face. As a result, when my skin started getting oily again, I had no idea where to start looking for a solution apart from using the one-ply toilet paper in my office as blotting paper.
So, I was lucky when Influenster sent me this Ole Henriksen Balance set for free to try out and review.

The Ole Henriksen Balance set: Find Your Balance Oil Control Cleanser, Balancing Force Oil Control Toner, and Counter Balance Oil Control Hydrator

Some notes:
- The cleanser smells like a literal spa, with notes of both eucalyptus and mint.
- I was worried the hydrator was going make my skin even oilier (especially if I followed the instructions of using it twice a day), but I've been pleasantly surprised by how smooth and clean my skin feels after applying it. I don't know how they made such an oil-less moisturizer (magic, maybe?), but I'm all for it.
- It doesn't take much of each product to complete the routine. I use a pea-size amount of the cleanser and hydrator and it fully covers my face without problem.
- The cleanser takes a bit of scrubbing to foam up, though this doesn't affect how the product works.
- My skin doesn't feel oily until I come home from work (about 22 hours after washing my face).
- I've continued to break out, but I break out less than I did before I started using these products.

I'd recommend the Ole Henriksen Balance set to anyone with combination or oily skin. It's pretty pricey – all three products come to a combined total of $85, and I'd strongly recommend buying them as a set – so I'll be on the look-out for a less expensive product with similar effects.

OOTD: Cold & Windy

Steve Madden black chelsea booties - Obey straight-leg dark wash jeans - White bell sleeve top - H&M grey faux fur coat - Black tattoo choker - H&M grey pom pom beanie

So, it's March; isn't it supposed to be warm by now? Clearly, New York has not gotten the message, because it was 14 F outside this weekend. I may have grown up in that kind of weather, but I haven't ever had to be out in it for long periods of time. Luckily, I have a HUGE collection of coats to keep me warm. I hardly ever wore this faux fur coat when I lived in Seattle– it was just never cold enough. Now, I wear it several times a week. I'm glad I kept it even when I didn't have very much use for it.

DIY Review: Washi Tape Nails

I've literally had "paint nails" on my list of things to do since I moved to New York 2 months ago. Since I've had it on my list for so long, I figured I may as well try out a cool new nail DIY to make this chore worth my while. I decided to try this washi tape nail art tutorial from Hello Little Home.

Materials:
- Washi tape
- Top coat (technically you're also supposed to use a base coat, but I just did my base with my top coat)
- Nail file
- Scissors

Step 1: Paint your nails with a base coat.
Step 2: Trim a piece of washi tape to fit your nail.

Step 3: Apply the washi tape to your nail. Make sure to smooth out any bubbles and the edges– you want the tape to stick completely to your nail so that it doesn't start to come off or get water under it when you wash your hands.

Step 4: Trim and file the tape to fit the tip of your nail.

Step 5: Cover the washi tape with a top coat. The tutorial calls for multiple coats, but I only used one because the nail polish made the colors on the tape bleed a little.

Voila! I love the way this looks and, immediately following the DIY, am already looking forward to using the rest of the washi tape in my collection in future manicures. However, the manicure lasted three days. It was pretty easy, but was too much effort for such a short reward. I wouldn't do this again unless I wanted an extra-special manicure for a short period of time.

DIY rating: C+