I shot photos for this look early on Sunday morning. I got some strange looks on the street by those passing by, and I'm pretty sure some of them thought I was doing the walk of shame in my outfit from Saturday night. When I do go out to bars on the weekends, I usually like to keep it casual, but every now and then I like to get a little more dressed up, and maybe show a little skin. Below are some tips for dressing a little provocatively, but still keeping it classy.
•add tights Tights are the easiest way to add more coverage to a nighttime look. •wear flats or boots The shoes you wear can easily tone down a look. Opt for a flat shoe or a causal bootie over heels. •pay attention to proportions This dress has good proportions, even though the stomach is cut out, the skirt of the dress flares out and the bodice has good coverage, so I'm not showing too much skin. A rule of thumb I follow is that a dress can be short and loose fitting, or longer and form fitting, but never short and tight. •don't go crazy with hair and makeup Keep your makeup casual. You can't tell because I have sunglasses on in these photos, but my eye make up is just a simple cat eye. Dress: C/O Tobi http://www.tobi.com/product/59333-tobi-desert-rain-dress?color_id=84521 Sunglasses: East Village Vintage Collective www.eastvillagevintagecollective.com Boots: Kling (bought from Hello Holiday) www.helloholiday.com Location: Hoboken, NJ
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Peter Pan collars. Red lipstick. Top knots. Polka dots. All of these things are present in my outfit in this blog post. And although these things are classic, they were also super trendy a few years ago. That Kate Spade inspired, classic yet quirky look (basically how I describe my style) was very popular. I couldn't walk into a store without finding something to buy. Recently though, the market has changed and it hasn't been in favor of my personal style. Lately, I struggle to find clothes I actually want to spend money on. I don't fit into the Zara, assymetrical, minimalist look. I also don't fit into the 70's boho look (although I have found myself gravitating towards late 1960's pieces more and more). And there's no way you will ever find me in athleisure, which it seems like is all anybody wears nowadays.
I've never been one to chase trends or just wear something because everyone else is. But sometimes I look in the mirror and worry I look like I'm stuck in 2012. Last week was fashion week here in NYC and I attended a few events, which made me remember (one of the reasons) why I don't like fashion week is because I never feel cool enough. I definitely don't think you need to wear head to toe designer to attend fashion week, but I just always feel like I don't have that New York City, fashion forward edge so many other girls have. Again, while I don't believe in changing my style for the sake of trends or to fit in, I do think it's a fine balance of incorporating trends and staying true to your personal style. Below are some tips for how to balance. •only wear trends that compliment your style: It can be tempting to jump on a trend, especially when you're seeing it all over the place. Sometimes we don't even realize it and subconsciously gravitate towards things we wouldn't normally after we see it on our friends or bloggers wearing it on social media. By all means, if you truly like something, you should definitely wear it. But usually when I'm shopping I like to pause and think about if this item makes sense with my personal style. Since I try to keep my style more classic, rather than trend driven, I usually buy depending on if I think the item embodies a fleeting trend. If I feel it's something that will only be around for one season, I usually pass on it. •incorporate trends in a subtle way: If you want to try a new trend, find a way to bridge it with your personal style. For instance, as we know, the 70's are very trendy right now, but my style isn't very hippie or boho. Bell sleeves are one 70's inspired trend I do like, so I recently bought two bell sleeve sweaters, one in black and white and another in a chevron print. I feel these colors and patterns are a good way for me to try out this new trend without straying too far from my style. •own it At the end of the day, confidence is the best thing you can wear. You can have the trendiest outfit on, but if you're not comfortable in what you're wearing, it shows. So even though polka dots and Peter Pan collars might not be the coolest items at the moment, I'm going to stay true to my personal style and not be influenced by those around me. Sweater: c/o Tobi http://www.tobi.com/product/57026-tobi-hashtag-winning-sweater?color_id=79880 Shirt: Forever 21; Skirt: American Apparel (thrifted from Housing Works); Pin: The Silver Spider Print Shop https://www.etsy.com/listing/271898940/saddle-shoes-lapel-pin-125-hard-enamel?ga_search_query=saddle+shoes&ref=shop_items_search_2 Sneakers: Vans (bought at Madewell); Back Pack: Century 21 Location: Hoboken, NJ As you may or may not have already noticed, I love prints. I don't think I ever intentionally set out to create outfits that involved print mixing, but it inevitably happened because almost everything I own is printed. I sometimes don't even realize how many prints I am wearing, but there have been times where someone has stopped me on the street to ask how I put together my outfit, and I have to look down to remember what I am even wearing. Although mixing and matching prints is second nature to me, since I have gotten questions about how I pull it off, I decided to analyze my thought process and write a blog post about it. Here are some tips:
Stick To One Color Palette: This is the number one rule when it comes to print mixing. Some of my favorite color combos to mix prints with are black and white (and sometimes adding a pop of color) or red, white and blue, like the outfit I am wearing in this post. Mix Scales: You don't want to wear all large or small scale prints at once, so it's best to mix it up. Mix Structured Prints With Organic Prints: I try to avoid wearing prints that are all linear (such as stripes and plaids together) or all circular (such as polka dots and conversational prints). Instead, I aim to get a good mix of both structured and organic prints. This outfit is a perfect example, as both my top and skirt are more organic shapes with the polka dots and flower motifs, so then I added the plaid sneakers to balance out the look. Pay Attention To Color: I may be hyper aware of this because I am a fashion designer, and analyzing color is part of my job. But, when I am putting outfits together I make sure I am wearing pieces that have the same color tone. For example, there are hundreds of shades of red, some are cooler, with a blue undertone, others are warmer and look more orange. When mixing prints in the same colors, I make sure the tones of each print match. Add a "Neutral" Print: If you're hesitant about print mixing, start by adding a classic leopard print. Since the colors in this kind of print are all neutrals, you won't feel crazy wearing multiple prints at one time. I hope these tips were helpful. Do you have any advice for mixing prints? Shirt: C/O Seaplane Shirts (www.seaplaneshirts.com) Skirt: Francesca's; Sneakers: American Apparel Location: West Village, NYC Bows, polka dots, vintage silhouettes: these are all things that define my personal style. I often describe how I dress as "girly, quirky and retro". I love the 1950's and 60's, but never want my outfits to look like a costume or something straight out of a vintage store. I always aspire to look modern with a vintage touch.
The dress I am wearing in these photo is by Lady V London, a British brand of retro inspired dresses and skirts. All of their pieces are both designed and manufactured in London, so the fabric quality is amazing, however, the prices are still reasonable, and they ship worldwide! All of their dresses and skirts have a modern fit, while still retaining a classic silhouette. The prints they offer range from traditional, like the polka dot one I am wearing, to more modern options, like a quirky cat or lip print. Incase you're not in the market for a new dress at the moment, I wanted to also share some tips for dressing modern with a vintage twist. Here we go... Hem & Mend: You can easily alter a vintage find to make it look more modern. Some quick fixes include shortening sleeves, removing shoulder pads, or hemming. Even if you can't sew yourself, paying a seamstress to help with these alterations won't break the bank, since luckily vintage can usually be found on the cheap. Mix Prints: Back in the day, everyone dressed very matchy matchy, so mixing prints is an easy way to wear retro silhouettes in a modern way. Wearing prints in different scales, but the same color palette always works best. Hair & Makeup: Of course I also love wearing my hair in retro inspired ways. However, I don't aim for perfectly in place hair that was in fashion in the 1950's and 60's. Whether my hair is up in a top knot, or down in a half bouffant, I purposely like to leave some lumps and bumps or stray hairs to avoid looking too done up. In terms of makeup, I also love both a cat eye and a bold red or pink lip. Although I've seen a lot of girls rock both at the same time, I usually just try to pick one or the other. If you are a fellow vintage lover and have any other tips for keeping your style current, I'd love to hear them! Dress: C/O Lady V London (www.ladyvlondon.com) Hat and gloves: Kate Spade; Tights: H&M; Shoes: Steve Madden Photos: Diane Dulgerian (www.dianedulgerianphoto.com) Location: Sweethaus (Williamsburg, Brooklyn) Ever since I was little, I've had an obsession with all things French. Today as an adult, there are many aspects of the Parisian culture I still love and try to incorporate into my day to day life. One aspect in particular are their beliefs on beauty. The French are firm believers in having a signature fragrance. The rule of thumb according to the ultimate French girl, Coco Chanel, is to spray your perfume anywhere you'd like to be kissed. I usually spritz my perfume once or twice on both my neck and wrists. However, try to avoid making the common faux pas of rubbing your wrists together after you spray them (I’ve definitely been guilty of doing this in the past as well, oops). Letting your perfume air dry instead will allow the fragrance to last all day. To be honest, I'm not a huge beauty or makeup fanatic, but wearing a signature fragrance is definitely something I am an avid believer in. Scent is such a powerful sense. There have been many times I've been walking down even the most crowded street in New York City, and I get a whiff of someone's perfume or cologne and I am instantly reminded of a particular person I know. In my opinion, wearing a signature fragrance is the icing on the cake of a having a signature style. This collaboration with Tabu Rose came at the perfect time. I was running out of the perfume I have been wearing for years, so when Tabu Rose reached out to me, I figured this was a great opportunity to try something new and maybe find a new signature fragrance. The French also believe in an evolution of a signature scent, so you may switch up your perfume every few years as you age and mature and your tastes evolve. However, a big “no” in their book is having seasonal fragrances, meaning wearing a different perfume for spring, summer, fall and winter, which is much more common among American women. Tabu Rose is a florally scent, which are definitely the fragrances I usually gravitate towards. It's sweet, but not too sweet. Also, bonus points for the packaging, because the bottle it comes in is adorable! If you'd like to try Tabu Rose for yourself, it is available at Walgreens and Rite Aid. Perfume: C/O Tabu Rose Top: J.Crew, Skirt: Madewell Photos: Kamil Mizinski Location: Laduree (SoHo, New York City) |
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