5 Ways to Revamp Your Wardrobe

“Ooh look at me I’m so fashionable, take a picture and put it on instagram. White t-shit and jeans, no one has thought of this before!”
Image via http://taylor-lovespaperfaces.tumblr.com/

We all want to look fashionable, or at the very least, put together. Yet, in this age of beauty gurus and everyday fashionistas, it sometimes feels as though we’re always falling short. These days, anyone who looks decent more than once a week is calling herself a stylist, but she is not doing anything you can’t do in your own closet. Here are few tips on how to become a little more stylish and look better in your clothes without completely changing your wardrobe.

5. Doing the Opposite: Do you like to wear really bright colors? Do you stick to muted tones? Well instead of sticking to the usual, during your next purchase, make a point to pick and item that goes out of your realm of style. Do black or nude instead of hot pink. Go for a nice mint color instead of the usual brown. Pick something different (it doesn’t have to be expensive) and incorporate it into something that you usually wear. This way, you can make a change that does not feel like someone body snatched you and played dress up.

4.  Sizing: This is very important. Have you ever gone into a store and picked out a pair of pants or maybe even a shirt and realized they didn’t have it in your size, so you went up or down a size? Don’t do this. Fit is very important when it comes to looking good in your clothes. Personally, I would rather wait for them to get the item in my size (or search for it elsewhere) than to wear something that does not fit me well. You will feel more comfortable and you will look better. It’s worth it.

3. Thrifting (In Your Closet): So many people talk about thrifting all the time, myself included. However, before I go out hunting down every thrift shop in the city, I start with my own closet. I look through it and say to myself “have I worn this lately?” or “do I really like this?” Soon, I realize I have a lot of clothing that I may see in a completely different, positive light or I may have a pile of hate clothes. The clothes I like, I find a new way to wear. What do I do with the clothes I hate? I start by scavenging. I cut them up, taking bits and pieces of fabric and incorporate them into other pieces. For example, I’ll make printed pockets on shirts and jeans. You don’t event have to be an expert in sewing for this. Give it a try.

2.  Quality Undergarments: THIS MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE! If your bra or panties are the right fit, your outfit will come down like a house of cards. Panty lines, saggy bras, indentations in your clothes. Size yourself or go get sized professionally so that you are sure that you are wearing the appropriate underclothes. Many women do not know their true bra size and it affects the way they look in their clothing. Do it. Go get sized.

1. SHOES: A good shoe can make a dull outfit look fantastic. I think it’s silly to spend exorbitant amounts of money on shirts and pants, but some items you should really invest in. Shoes are one of them (as well as bras, do not skimp on these two). I’m not saying go out and spend like crazy on shoes. But instead of ten pairs of okay shoes, have five really awesome ones. Make your shoes a statement piece, that way, even if you feel like you’re having a bad fashion day, your shoes are pulling it together.

Hope these tips helped!

Beanies and Heels: Five Favorite Websites for Online Shopping

I love beanies!
Images via http://static.becomegorgeous.com/img/arts/2010/Nov/05/3124/beanies.jpg

So I make it no secret that I love to shop. Anyone who says she doesn’t is a liar and that goes for men as well. Everyday I have a debate with myself on whether or not I need another beanie or a bag, and online shopping i is making the process increasingly difficult. The best thing about shopping is that I get to treat different sides of myself. Some days I go for a grungy rocker look and other days I look like I’ve been raiding the Jackie Onassis’ closet. I love that! It’s great to have different looks and put different pieces together to freshen your look. With that said, here is a list of some of my favorite site to shop from (when I’m not thrifting). Enjoy.

1. NastyGal: Great vintage looks and amazing shoes. The prices can range from reasonable to ridiculous, but it has a good mix. I love this site.  http://www.nastygal.com

2. GoJane.com: If you want similar clothes to what you can find at NastyGal, Forever21 or even UrbanOutfitters, this is a great website. I think the most expensive thing I ever saw on here was a $150 dollar leather jacket. Come on. You can’t beat that.  http://www.gojane.com/

3. KarmaLoop.com: This site meshes more with my usual look. It’s a great site for both men and women. You can find some great beanies and other hats on this site. In addition, their bags are to die for. Seriously. Go check them out. Right now. I’ll wait.  http://www.karmaloop.com/

4. Seychellesfootwear.com: If you want a modest heel or something that isn’t stripper heel high like most shoes are these days, Seychelles is perfect. I happen to love t-strap heels, which are usually in abundance on this site. This is the place for an elegant or funky daytime heel. Don’t sleep on it.  http://seychellesfootwear.com/

5. Threadless.com: Great T-shirts!!! I just bought three of them from this site a couple weeks ago. If you haven’t heard of Threadless, the premise behind it is simple. People make t-shirt designs and submit them to Threadless. Those designs are voted upon and the popular ones are printed on to t-shirts and other items such as sweatshirts, phone cases and bags. It’s great for quirky, funky and badass tees. You’ll love it. http://beta.threadless.com/

Harry Styles who?
http://data.whicdn.com/images/7455070/tumblr_lh5bipdv2m1qce76eo1_500_thumb.jpg

Hope you’ll check out these site and if you have any other sites that you really like and want to share with others, leave the links in a comment below. Thanks and happy shopping!

The Banned List

Not up in here

Image via http://www.ps3hax.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Banned.gif

When I was a wee one in high school, we would observe Banned Books Week. If you’re unfamiliar with this, it’s a week during which people share and read various books that have been banned over the years due to content. I would get so excited to read these books because it felt so taboo (clearly I didn’t have much of a life) and then I would read the whole book and realized it was banned because page 137 and the word “witch” on it. What a buzz kill, those books were banned for some bullshit reasons. However, lately I’ve been thinking about my own list of things that should be banned for legitimate reasons. The following is a list of clothes that I wish to never see on people’s backs ever again.

5. Ed Hardy
I feel as though this has been said, but not enough people are listening. Please, please, PLEASE stop wearing Ed Hardy. This is not cute. It simply does not look good. I’m not even sure if those Jersey Shore guys are wearing it anymore, if they are I’m sure it’s for the show’s benefit, and they probably pull the shirts over their heads with remorse. It’s not just guys, women are trying (the operative word being TRYING because there is ZERO success.) to incorporate it into their outfits as well. Ed Hardy rain boots are not an appropriate exception. There is no exception. Just stop.

4. Graphic Tees
Whoa calm down, not all of them, just the ones that don’t make any sense. Time and time again, I’ll be out shopping and someone is either wearing or reaching for one of those tees with tribal art and then a random wolf’s head atop a lone tree. What? What is that? These people aren’t even wearing these shirt’s ironically. These graphic tees have got to go.

3. Fleece Vests
This one was pointed out to me by a very close friend, and I have to whole-heartedly agree. So what happened, your chest was cold, but your arms didn’t get the memo? I’m not following. Then what happens, you wear a long sleeve shirt, so you chest is twice as hot as your arms? Do you buy separate sleeves and then forgo an actual shirt? Are you seeing how the value of a fleece vest is limited. And fleece is different from a bubble vest. If I’m committing to a bubble vest, it’s safe to say that I’m layering for the cold, but fleece is more of a fall/spring item, and reaching a happy medium with it will be difficult. Don’t do it.

2. Pointed boots.
Remember this: round-toe is the way to go. Pointed pumps you may be able to get away with, but boots?? I don’t think so. I have yet to see pointed boot that has looked fashionable since the turn of the century. I was at a bar a couple months back and a girl thought she was rocking a pair of these. She had on a stretchy, black corset top, a red, bodycon skirt and pair of those god-awful boots. It wasn’t Halloween, she just looked bad. Leave those boots alone.

She said “Ooh, I look GOOD.”
Image via http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3453/3765897105_4b97022028.jpg

 

1. Thigh High Boots
This needs little explanation. Stripper shoes.

Animal Print (Pt.2)

Yesterday, I published a post about animal print and how it can go oh so wrong. Here’s a second installment dressing down animal print. The model above is wearing a nude and black zebra print belted sweater. Because the of the animal print, I dressed her down by having her wear solids underneath. She has on a plain, black fitted tee, black skinny jeans, a brown belt and matching brown boots. To make the outfit fun, in the photo on the far left I added a black beanie with muted sequin accents. Incorporating animal print into ones outfit can be done easily when it functions as a statement piece. If she wanted to dress it up she could easily throw on a pair of black/ nude heels. Do you like the outfit? What do you think?

Hat: Thrifted

Sweater: Forever 21

Tee: Forever 21

Jeans: Old Navy (Sweetheart Skinny, Black)

Boots: Mossimo

Model: Amber Davy

Big Girls Love Leopard (and other jungle animals)

Or so they say. I’m calling bullshit on that saying. I’m already prepared to get some riled up feedback on this one, but I have to be honest: leopard/animal print isn’t for everyone. No matter how many times it is said, people will look at those leopard pants on some Forever 21 mannequin and scurry away to the dressing room with high hopes. Two things will happen:

1. She will try on those pants and be sorely disappointed or
2. She will be in complete denial and buy them anyway, only to be mocked later.

Of course there is always the rare, perfect leopard find that will look amazing, but again that is RARE.

I was shopping with a friend of mine a while ago and she wanted something in leopard print really badly. It was her goal when we went out shopping to find a leopard dress or skirt of some sort to wear to a party that night. We reached Forever 21 (of course) and she saw this metallic looking, skin tight leopard jersey dress on a mannequin and knew she had to have it. We got to the dressing room, she tried it on and it was a fail. She knew before even coming out of the room that it was a miss. Don’t get me wrong, she is gorgeous, but leopard print has that clever way of making most people look terrible in it. So here are a few tips:

1. Go for an A-Line or flirty bottom. A skirt or dress that flares out will look more flattering than
something skin tight that hides nothing.

2. Tight top- loose bottom combination. Or vise versa. This goes beyond wearing leopard, I like to apply to nearly everything I wear. If you’re wearing a tight top, go for a looser bottom, if you’re wearing a looser top, go for a tighter bottom. That way you still look fun, sexy and presentable. Keyword: PRESENTABLE.

3. Use leopard print as an accent. Do not go for the leopard bodysuit. Instead, do something like my friend did. We found a pair of leopard flats for her to wear. I paired it with a baby pink loose top and a dark wash jean. She looked amazing. It was simple and she felt comfortable. Perhaps find a leopard clutch, or even a top that has muted leopard. For example, a blouse that has a leopard collar, or the leopard print is in black so that the print does not come off as loud.

Hope these tips helped! Happy Leopard Hunting!

[The picture above shows the metallic dress my friend wanted to buy, she ended up convincing me to get it. It was the first (and last) time that I wore it. Even still, I paired it with a black jacket because the material fit too closely.]