OOTD: Prepalicious



Cream knit wool cardi (HCo., *NEW*); burgundy plaid tunic (A&F Kids, hand-me-down); navy culottes (A&F, summer 2011); navy sparkle tights (AE, Christmas 2010); silver satin bow headband (Target, fall 2010)




"It Starts With Me" nail polish (Nicole by OPI, bronzy-pink); "Give Me the 1st Dance" nail polish [on index finger] (Nicole by OPI, silver)




Silver jewel-studded braided ring (AE, fall 2010)





Royal blue/pink glasses (summer 2011)


Haven't you heard--nerds are in! Sometimes, you just gotta let your inner geek shine through. Today I did just that with this outfit. Okay, I think it's pretty cute and preppy, but it's kinda school-girl ish, which makes me feel like I'm a "nerdy" straight-A student. But who says straight-A can't be chic? I added in plenty of accessories, from my favorite headband to a wrist full of bangles, and the sparkly tights are always a good addition. The glasses add to the whole "school girl cool" look that I was going for with this outfit. It was so cold today (which I loved, btw) so I paired the tunic and shorts/tights with my brand new sweater I got on Sunday. It's simple but cute, and I've been needing something warm and in this shade for quite some time. It pairs nicely with the whole outfit and makes me feel okay with being a preppy "nerd"!

Do you like the geek chic or school girl cool trend?

OOTD: Shades of Grey [& Red]



Feelin' grey





Grey knit duster cardi (A&F, winter 2011); grey lace-fron tee (HCo., fall 2011); silver sparkly fireball necklace (AE, winter 2009); coral red culotte shorts (A&F, fall 2011); light grey sweater tights (Target, winter 2010)

 What's your favorite neutral? A lot of people will probably say black for its elegance or some kind of brown/tan for its ruggedness but for me, it's grey. Say what? I know grey seems boring, blah and downright depressing to a lot of people, but it's not like you have to go around in an all-grey ensemble. Neutrals are for mixing and matching, after all. So I decided to put my never-before-worn coral culottes (I ordered them probably a month ago but hadn't gotten the opportunity to wear them) to good use and pair them with a few grey items. The shorts themselves are very vibrant in color, and I thought they could easily be toned down with a nice neutral. I think grey goes very well with coral--it lessens the impact without making the shorts seem average. It allows them to stand out, in a tasteful way. I also mixed and matched the shades of grey I used. The lace tee is a very dark charcoal, the sweater is a medium heather grey and the tights are a light almost-blue grey. I also wore my Bearpaw boots, which are about the same shade as the sweater. I know it may seem weird to be wearing all these different hues and with a very bright color, but it works because the outfit is grounded in one neutral tone.



Closeup of lace tee (to show detail)



How do you "punch up" your favorite neutral shade?

OOTD: [Fall] in Love



Orange off-shoulder sweatshirt (HCo., from sister); owl pendant (AE, fall 2011); brown twill shorts (A&F, fall 2011); brown opaque tights (winter 2010)




"Love" two-finger ring (Forever 21, summer 2011)




Emma 10" Sheepskin Boots in chocolate (Bearpaw, Christmas 2009)





"It Starts With Me" nail polish (Nicole by OPI, bronzy-pink); "Give Me the 1st Dance" nail polish (Nicole by OPI, silver)



Fall is finally here, I can feel it in the air and see it in the 10-day weather forecast! Today was the first day in quite awhile that it was below 70 degrees and it felt perfect!

I was able to wear my brown tights for the first time since spring...and also my neglected Bearpaw boots. Once you start wearing those, you know it's fall. I kept my outfit mostly neutral (brown) but added in a pop of color with my slouchy sweatshirt and beloved owl pendant. I love spice shades in autumn, and pairing them with neutrals (especially shades of brown) always looks put together.


What is one thing that always says "fall" to you?

OOTD: [Forest] Green With Envy



Forest green cropped cardi (AE, fall 2006); dark brown lacy cami (A&F Kids, winter 2008); khaki twill shorts (HCo., summer 2011)





Waves created by Revlon Double-BarrelTourmaline Hair Waver





"My Lifesaver" nail polish (Nicole by OPI, mint green); "Fuchsia Shock" crackle overcoat (Sally Hansen, hot pink)





Brown woven bling bracelet (AE, fall 2009)





Life's a blur :)



I love this time of year! The first day of fall was on Friday, but it hasn't quite started to feel chilly yet. There is definitely a different feeling in the air than summer, so mixing sweaters with shorts is the perfect compromise.

The color palette of my outfit is pretty simple and neutral: forest green, dark brown and tan. But forest green isn't your typical neutral--that's why this outfit isn't blah and basic. I've had this sweater since I was a freshman in high school (!) and I still love it. I haven't found anything quite like it since. Forest green is a somewhat unusual fall shade, but it works. I jazzed it up with some blingy accessories and kept the footwear simple by donning my beloved tan moccasins (unpictured).

Once the cold weather hits, I'll be pairing this sweater and cami combo with dark brown twill shorts and brown tights, or a camel corduroy mini skirt and brown tights with boots.

What is your favorite "neutral" fall shade?

Then & Now [Hollister Floral Skirt]



THEN [August 14, 2009]: cropped burgundy cardi (HCo., fall 2008); dark grey lace cami (Pac Sun, summer 2008); burgundy/navy abstract floral skirt (HCo., fall 2009); brown faux leather stilettos (Famous Footwear, summer 2009)





NOW [September 20, 2011]: grey lace-front tee (HCo., fall 2011); owl pendant necklace (AE, fall 2011); burgundy/navy abstract floral skirt (HCo., fall 2009); navy sparkle tights (AE, Christmas 2010)

 Isn't it crazy how things change so much in just 2 years? Looking back, I can't believe that I was a senior in high school only 2 years ago--time really does fly. I feel so much more mature now, having a whole year (and 5 weeks!) of college under my belt.

One thing that hasn't changed quite as much is my wardrobe. In both of the OOTD photos above, I'm wearing a skirt that I love! It's awesome for fall, because it's in muted shades, and layers well over tights. As you can probably guess, it's gotten a lot of wear in the 2 years I've owned it. It may seem a little strange that a very young adult like me would still have a piece I had 2 years ago, but I actually have a few other pieces that I've owned since I was a freshman in high school!

Honestly, my style has changed somewhat. I'm trying to dress more sophisticatedly, while still having fun with my clothes. I think I'm more of a rule-breaker now, and I'm not as afraid to take fashion risks. 2 years ago, I doubt I would have bought a lace tee or an owl pendant, but now I own both and I love 'em. I still like the colorblocking that I did in the picture from 2 years ago, but I'm doing it in new ways and working towards being comfortable with mixing patterns.

Some things change, but others stay them same, and that's just how I like it! Hopefully, I'll be able to hold onto this skirt for another 2 years!


Do you have any pieces in your closet that you've had for awhile?

Fall Must-Haves



Grey knit duster cardi (A&F, winter 2011); burgundy plaid tunic (A&F Kids, hand-me-down); navy culotte shorts (A&F, summer 2011); navy sparkle tights (AE, Christmas 2010)


Duster cardigans. Capelet jackets. Moccasin booties. Tights. Loop scarves. Slouchy skinnies. Tall boots. What do these have in common? They're my fall must-haves!

This past weekend, I rediscovered the joy that is layering. I missed it over the summer, when temps were rarely cooler than 85. But Saturday was a nice relief from the heat, and made me crave fall. Though it felt a little weird at first to be wearing such a thick sweater when it's still technically summer, I love how cute and cozy it looked with my tunic, culottes and tights. And it inspired me to hunt down more duster cardis. I think they look really cute over skirts or shorts with tights.

Accessorizing is key for fall--that's where the scarves, jackets, tights and boots come in! I have a few pairs of tights (the sparkly navy ones above, light grey sweater tights, brown, brown striped leggings and cream pointelle ones) but a girl can always use a few more pairs, right? I love how they look with boots, which is why I'm lusting after a pair of tall, non-Ugg-style boots. They look totally polished but still casual. Scarves make me feel cozy, and they're a great alternative to necklaces. And capelet-type jackets are great for slightly chilly fall days.

 

What's on your fall must-have list?

OOTD: Sparkle & Shine



Royal blue/pink plaid flanner button-down (HCo., fall 2011); navy cami (unpictured, HCo., fall 2008); navy culotte shorts (A&F, summer 2011); navy sparkly tights (AE, Christmas 2010)




Owl pendant (AE, fall 2011)





Sparkly stacked rings (AE, winter 2011)




Silver sparkly sequin ballet flats (AE, winter 2011)



Even on a dreary, cold, rainy day (like it was here today!) I still like to stand out and look cute and cheery. Today's outfit is fairly simple, mostly blue, with pops of color (royal blue and pink) and also a lot of sparkle and shine.

These tights have been my fave since I got them for Christmas last year. They have a nice subtle sparkle to them that makes them stand out but not be obnoxious. They pair very well with my sparkly ballet flats. The only downside is that the shoes aren't the best in the rain--they end up getting very wet in the toe area! Oh, the things we do for fashion ;)

How do you like to sparkle and shine on a cloudy, cool day?

Sock It To Me!

Socks used to be the forgotten accessory. Who really cares that much about socks, anyway? No one will see them (probably), so does it really matter if they're cute (or match, for that matter)?

This season, a lot of my favorite stores are selling socks. Not just any old socks, but cute socks. All kinds of patterns and colors. Knee-high and slouchy, they're perfect for a bold school girl look with a mini skirt and cardi. Or if you're feeling shy, you can let just a little sock peek out from cropped boyfriend jeans. Socks are totally versatile, and are great for cooler days when you want to stay warm but still want to look good.

What is your favorite way to rock socks?

OOTD: Pretty in Pink



Light peach ruffled tank (A&F, summer 2011); dark brown cuffed twill shorts (A&F, summer 2011)





Light pink sweater (A&F, Christmas 2010)



Brown woven bling bracelet (AE, fall 2009)



"Love" 2 finger ring (Forever 21, summer 2011)



Owl pendant (AE, *NEW*)



It's no secret that my favorite color is pink. I can't believe that ten years ago, I used to shun it in favor of "less girly" colors. I remember those tomboy days. Luckily, now I'm embracing my girliness and having a closet full of pink is one of those perks.

Honestly, though, I don't really have that much pink. But I love wearing what I do have often because the color is just so happy and inviting. It also goes great with many colors, especially brown and burgundy.

Today, I decided to wear one of my favorite cardigans with a new Abercrombie tank top and dark brown twill shorts I bought a month or so ago. The sweater is long and lightweight; the perfect length to wear with shorts and great for chillier almost-fall mornings.

I think I'll be relying a lot on layers this fall. I have morning classes (9 am!) and when I leave for them, it's a little cold but by the afternoon it's nice and sunny. This way, I'll always be prepared...not to mention cute!

Are you as obsessed with pink as I am? Do you like layering?