OOTD: The Wonder of Color

Photography by Cassidy Hopkins

Here's a (not-so-secret) confession: I'm not big on wearing colors. I used to totally rock bright colors in high school, but as I've gotten older my closet has turned to neutrals and pastels. It doesn't help that I've spent the last 4 years living in Seattle and New York, where wearing all-black is part of the lifestyle. Every now and then, though, I find a colorful piece that I just have to have. This dress is one of those pieces.

I bought this dress when I was going through my comfy body-con dress phase. I was drawn to the style more than the color, and told myself I'd wear this dress when I felt like standing out.

And, for a while, I did. Once I dyed my hair, though, wearing colors got that much harder. If I wanted to stand out, I'd go for a daring lipstick or a uniquely designed piece. After all, if a red dress is too much for me, pairing a red dress with my blue hair is definitely too much.

When Cassidy, Tomi and I decided to go to Coney Island last Saturday, Cassidy (the most experienced New Yorker of the bunch) said we should wear bright colors to match the colorful rides in the background. I found myself staring blankly at my clothing rack. This dress is the only colorful piece I own, and I've been waiting until my blue hair grows out to wear it. "I'll just wear white," I decided.

At the last minute, I threw this dress into my backpack on my way to meet Cassidy and Tomi. It's been years since I wore it in a blog post, and goodness knows I have to make the most out of my wardrobe when it comes to dressing for OOTD posts. I figured I'd throw my hair in a bun so the blue wouldn't clash with the red.

I really surprised myself when I looked in the mirror and liked seeing myself in all this color. Not only did I look great, but I still looked like myself. Usually when I try a trend I'm not naturally drawn towards, I don't feel authentic. One of the most important aspects of my sense of style is being true to myself and portraying myself the way I feel, not just the way others see me as a fashion blogger. I'm glad I tried something new, and I'm glad I truly committed to the look. Plus, these colors ended up matching the ferris island on Coney Island, which is pretty ideal.

Now that I'm back in the land of shades of gray (literally), I'm content to let this red dress hang untouched on my clothing rack. It's nice to know, though, that I can totally pull it off if and when I so choose.

Confessions of a Dye-Job Mermaid (ONYX by Blair Brown)

In my 21 years on Earth, I've only ever dyed my hair a handful of times. I went red-brown in middle school and rocked turquoise tips for a hot second my sophomore year of high school, but other than that, I've gone au natural most of my life. So, the decision to go surreal was a pretty big one. I've been lusting after pastel mermaid hair for years, and when my friend Coley told me her hair stylist was looking for new clients, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to take the plunge.

The stylist, Blair Brown, had just left a salon to make a name for herself on her own terms. As a young, driven woman, I really admire the hard work that Blair has put into owning her own business (Onyx by Blair Brown), developing her brand, and honing her craft. I love supporting local women-owned businesses, and Blair is certainly worth supporting!

As someone who didn't know what the dye experience would be like, I was super lucky to have Blair as my guide through the process. We initially met about a month ago for a consultation. Even though I was set on colorful hair, Blair was careful to make sure I knew what the look would entail. She got to know my hair history (as minimal as it was) so as to get a better understanding of what she'd need to do to help me get my desired look. She warned me about the bleaching process– it would require much more care than anything I'd done before, and I'd need to be prepared for the work I'd need to put into it. She talked me through purple shampoos, conditioning treatments, and touch-ups. I was initially worried that she thought this was a bad idea, but I soon came to realize that she was doing the best thing possible by preparing me for the entire experience.

So, I prepared for the plunge by investing in some coconut oil, purple shampoo, argon oil, deep conditioner, and dry shampoo. It took a while to finally make the appointment with Blair– after all, she was in the process of developing her own business– but when the day finally came, I felt prepared to make such a big change.

The entire process took about six hours. Blair was really thorough, making sure each strand of hair was coated in bleach, then conditioning treatment, then Olaplex, then shampoo, then dye. As lengthy as it was, I'm really grateful for the care Blair took to make sure I'd get the best look possible. My hair feels so much smoother than I thought it was going to, and the color is super thorough throughout my head. If I had to spend six hours with a stranger, I'm lucky it was Blair: we kept the conversation going, which really contributed to the experience.

I am so thrilled with my hair. I can't stop looking at myself, and I'm addicted to the compliments I keep getting. I'm so grateful that my first big hair experience went so well. If you're in the Seattle area and looking for a stylist, I strongly recommend Blair Brown! She has an amazing student discount that makes her especially perfect for students looking for a stylist. Find her on Facebook, Instagram, and see more of her services and work on her website.

Fall 2016 Runway Trends

Runway fashion is undoubtedly for the rich: changing closets seasonally is not only expensive but impractical for most non-celebrities. However, it can still be fun to mimic certain easy-to-find runway trends in everyday life. These trends may already be in your closet, and if not, they're available via fast fashion retailers for less than $50. See some of these retail options at the bottom of the post and be inspired by my trend picks from the FW 2016 runway!

Photos via: Dash of Darling, CollegeFashionista, No. 21, Vetements, Barbara Bui, and Brooklyn Blonde.

Red plaid: Channel your inner schoolgirl in this vibrant but easy-to-wear pattern.

Photos via: Anna Sui, McQ Alexander McQueen, A Clothes Horse, Sarah Styles Seattle, Collage Vintage, Prada, and Alice + Olivia.

Red floral: The perfect spring-fall transition trend features a spring pattern and a fall color scheme.

Photos via: Chloé, The Mysterious Girl, Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini, Broke & Fabulous, Hello Fashion, Francesco Scognamiglio, and The Fashion Cuisine.

Ruffles: This traditionally feminine trend is sure to make you stand out.

Photos via: Zoë Jordan, Ports 1961, Sincerely, Jules, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Topshop Unique, Damsel in Dior, and Vera Wang.

Olive green: After the light herb color was seen last fall, this is the perfect next-step.

For further reading on inexpensive runway trends, check out my Her Campus posts on each of the four weeks of Fashion Month.

City Proof 24 HR Waterproof Eyeshadow

These eyeshadow sticks were one of the goodies in a Her Campus Survival Kit that my team got during Fall Quarter. I took a couple to check them out, and they ended up being so inexpensive and awesome that I picked some more up from Target. I use at least one of these every day (if not two or three), so I decided to review them for those who are looking at trying them out.

Like I said, I use these every day. I've never really liked wearing eyeshadow because I could never quite get the hang of it, but these eyeshadow sticks are so easy to use and look so good. They go on smoothly and quickly and evenly. What more could you ask for?

From left to right: #610 Tribeca Taupe; #605 Brooklyn Mocha; #650 East River Romance; #630 Empire State Building; Eye Primer; #620 Murray Hill Champagne; #635 New York At Night; #655 Madison Square Park; #615 5th Ave Gold Rush

I also got a City Proof 24 Hour Eye Primer to use on my eyes to make the eyeshadows pop.

In all honesty, I didn't notice too big a difference when using the primer. Still, the results are worth sharing.

OOTD: Pink Faux Fur

Every now and then, I buy myself an item of clothing that doesn't go well with my otherwise all-black wardrobe. Take, for instance, this pink vest. Sure, I've paired it with black from time to time, but I really prefer to wear it with similarly light colors. That's where these jeans come in. I pair them with everything in my closet that doesn't go well with black.

Pantone 2016 Colors of the Year

In case you missed it, Pantone named two colors of the year for the first time in history. As someone whose favorite colors are blue and pink, I'm thrilled to see these colors take the fashion world by a storm! I've written about Pantone colors in the past, and was excited to compile some fabulous ways I've seen the 2016 colors of the year worn.

{Photos via: Into the Gloss, Mint Arrow, Like the Yogurt, Wendy's Lookbook, and Girl With Curves}

{Photos via: The Fashion Cuisine, Crazy Style Love, All Dressed Up, Make Life Easier, and Kenza Zouiten}

If you can't choose your favorite, why not wear them both?

{Photos via: Brooklyn Blonde, Gal Meets Glam, Hello Fashion, Simple et Chic, and Bisou Natasha}

OOTD: J & J Forever

Two weeks ago, my cousin Jenny married the love of her life. I was so fortunate to be able to join them and celebrate their love with some of my favorite people in the world: my family and Brendan. We dressed ourselves to the nines and spent the evening dancing and eating and generally having a good time. 

I spent months searching for the perfect dress and accessories. After all, it's not every day that your closest cousin gets married! I finally found a dress from ASOS after some non-response on Poshmark. I actually ended up getting a different dress from the website than I'd ordered, but at least it was still red and long, so I wasn't going to let it ruin my weekend!

I was so glad that Brendan got to join us in Arizona for the weekend after my birthday. We got to celebrate my birthday just days after and he got to take part in his first big Goldstein family event.

This was the first time our family had been together since Winter Break last year. I'm so lucky to be able to be able to see them so often.

Photo by April Maura Photography

A Day in Pike Place Market

After having lived in Seattle for more than two years, I've visited Pike Place Market my fair share of times. I used to get really excited about it, but now I'm a little more practical, and spend just enough time there to buy some flowers and try some truffle oil. The last time I went, with my roommates over the summer who weren't from Seattle, we did a little walking around and exploring.

The first Starbucks. The line, of course, was around the corner.

These dried flower bouquets were so pretty that my roommate bought some to take back to school with her.

I'd never actually seen the gum wall before this outing. It was about as disgusting as I had expected it would be. I do not think I will go back.