Bring in the New Year with a YAY

There comes a time, once a year, where girls all around the world ask each other, "What the (insert choice word here) do I wear for New Years?!" Next usually comes one or more of the following questions... "Skirt? Dress? Heels? No heels? Is there such thing as too much sparkle? HELP?" Gosh, no way! I have the answers to all of these questions! Let's organize this post by venue. There's all types of things you people will be doing tonight so I will do my best to try to cover all of them.

Can I get a basement party for 100? There is no shame in hanging out in one of your besties basements on New Years. Many a wild night has been held in these sub-terrain spaces. However, dressing for these parties can be tricky... "Is anyone going to wear heels? I don't want to wear heels and be the only one wearing heels!" Brain blast... Wear boots.  Boots with heels are casual enough that if no one else is wearing a heel, no one will notice! Flat boots are awesome too though.  Stick with dark jeans and a festive, sparkly top. No sparkly top you say? ZOMG accessorize! Bracelets, necklaces cool big earrings. Do it. (Also applies to: hanging out in someone's non basement living room)

Are you doin' the bar thang? Dark jeans work great here also! Although if you want to dress up more a skirt works, but don't leave the house without... say it with me... tights. Here I say wear heels, who cares what your friends are wearing? Wedges are perfect for long nights like this filled with... champagne. Ha, who am I kidding? I mean sparkling cider. P.S. don't forget sparkles! (Also applies to: loft parties and going to your boyfriend's friends party)

Oh you fancy, huh? Going clubbing ma'am? Dress up! And seriously don't forget to wear at least one item that is sparkly. Sequin dresses, beaded skirts, light up shoes... all great options. I'm serious about the light up shoes. New Years doesn't, and doesn't have to mean tacky. Keep that on your radar while you are piling on the bling. You want to look festive, not flammable or cheap. If you think something could have the potential to look, for lack of a better word, trashy, don't wear it! You can dress for the night in something a little more plain if you dress it up with awesome jewelry! I don't think I have to say it but... heels, duh.  Make sure they're comfortable, you don't want to be that girl walking home barefoot.

I hope everyone promises themselves to floss in 2012 and follows through this year!

(left to right) top:forever 21, jeans:7 for all mankind, boots: madewell
necklace: topshop, silver blouse: nastygal, jeans: 7 for all mankind, booties: dv dolce vita
dress:alice + olivia, heels: piperlime

Let's talk sneakers and jeans, boys... NAY

So I have been getting a lot of flak recently for not acknowledging the dudes out there (you know who you are).  Poor boys not being recognized enough. But seriously, quite the oversight on my end... We all know how much help this gender needs in the fashion department... eh? eh? eh?  Anyway, I thought I'd kick off this bi-gender (I don't mean transgender) blog with a big 'ol NAY.

So... How 'bout those really practical, comfortable, and safe sneakers you have for various activities such as running, hiking, and maybe bocce (if that is more "your speed")... You know which ones I'm talkin' about. Yeah, don't wear them unless you're participating in one of those aforementioned activities. New Balance sneakers with jeans as part of your every day look will never be cool.  Asics are only appropriate on the track, man.

I don't want to confuse any of you readers and say that some sneakers are acceptable to wear with jeans, but I'm going to.  If you have an awesome pair of Dunks or something else that's super cool... Be my guest. Check yourself by asking your sneaks if they would any way assist you in performing some grueling physical activity (keep your mind out of the gutter).  If they answer you with a yes... Leave them at home.

There are so many bo$$ alternatives out there now for dudes to wear! Do it. 

Asics, jeans: Levis, top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right

Culturally Ambiguous Holiday YAY

Annnnnnd I'm back.  I apologize for the hiatus... Finals fried my brainz. I'm returning just in time to tell you what to wear, and what not to wear, to whatever your holiday celebration may be.

For the ladies... Unless you're going to some super dressy function, a pair of nice, dark wash jeans are perfectly acceptable to wear.  On top, do a pretty blouse (keep it flowy... don't forget about the food babies, people). Think about adding a nice pair of riding boots or booties to dress your outfit up. Top it all off with a statement piece of jewelry! If you want to wear a skirt, make sure it's not the same one you wore to the club last night, and make sure you put on tights. NAYS: ugly christmas sweaters, ripped jeans, sweaters as dresses...

For the dudes... You also may wear nice, dark, BOOT CUT, jeans.  But, if you don't have them, stick to khakis. I like a crisp gingham button down on top (if you don't know what that is, stay tuned), or a soft v-neck sweater.  Leave your grody Ts and dirty jeans on your bedroom floor. Boat shoes are a lil' summery to be wearing at the end of December, so instead try a pair of boots. The girls will appreciate your fashion forwardness, I promise.


What a stylish couple my look book makes...

cuff: dannijo via shopbop, blouse: madewell, jeans: jbrand via bloomies,  booties: sam edelman via piperlime,
button down: jcrew, jeans: lucky brand, boots: urban outfitters

Sne-dges... NAY

A recent post by The Man Repeller has brought my attention to a disturbing new trend: sneaker wedges.  I believe she may have it backwards; boys will find these kicks to be totally rad, leaving females the ones repelled. Nonetheless, does anyone agree that this trend is a lil reminiscent of the ever illusive "Timba-heel"? For those of you who don't idolize Beyonce, that is a wombo for a Timberland-heel hybrid (and wombo is, coincidentally, a "word-combo" for "word combination"... keep up people, time is money).

I find the snedge to fall short of my list of "trends to follow" for exactly the same reason that the "Timba-heel" was not all the rage; sneakers are worn to be comfortable and practical. While there are countless chic designer alternatives to the farty classic, adding a wedge to a sneaker totally defeats the purpose.

NAY...

ash shoes via karmaloop, see by chloe via shopbop

YAY...

gasoline glamour via karmaloop, ash shoes via karmaloop

Which Melon-y Red Shift Dress?

In the middle of my usual Shopbop stalk sesh, I came across a beautiful melon-y red shift dress.  I promptly fell in love with the color, the flattering and modern shape, as well as the ease with which it can be worn.  What stopped me from purchasing said dress you ask? It may have been the fact that I recently purchased an almost identical melon-y red shift dress for my formal this past weekend... Except that my dress has a more interesting neckline and was about eleven times less expensive.  But who knows, right?

Sorry I'm not sorry I don't have a camera crew to take pics of me for my blog... I'm not that cool, yet.

Left: Vince via Shopbop ($395), Right: H&M ($35.99)

Finals... NAY

Finals week: Yay the end is in sight! Nay there are four exams standing in the way of my freedom. Since this week involves ingesting copious amounts of caffeine, very few hours of sleep, and a ridiculous amount of time spent stalking everyone you've ever known on Facebook working really hard at a cubicle in the library, it is understandable that personal appearance falls to the wayside.  However, that does not mean that it is acceptable to show up to the libs looking like an absolute bum.  Did you know it's possible to dress comfortably and not look homeless? I know you're trying to save all the brain cells you can for that statistics exam... don't worry, it's not that hard.

There seems to be some kind of confusion as to what counts as leggings.  Let's be clear, tights (as in stockings, as in see through), do not a pair of leggings make. If you can bend over in the mirror and see your bum through your "pants," please don't wear them to the library.

Rolling out of bed and going to the library is the norm during finals week, especially when you know you will be sitting in the same chair for hours. But, unless you find a way to make a La Perla négligé work in an ensemble, "bedroom chic" is not a thing. From where I am sitting I can see four pairs of plaid pants and three different sets of slippers. Nay. Throw on a pair of sweatpants (this is the only time I will ever say this) and a comfy pair of moccasins or Converse at the very least!


Aim to wear something along the lines of leggings, a cute oversized burnout T, with a sweater (not your six foot tall boyfriend's sweatshirt).  Keep in mind that while you may be in your own world with your exams, you are still in public.  Spare the rest of us.  Who knows, maybe looking nice at the library will make you study more effectively.  Or maybe your teacher will give you the benefit of the doubt on a borderline grade if they remember you as a student who didn't show up looking like a slob. I'm sure there's a study or something to prove it. 


Good luck on exams! Don't forget to wash your hair!

(cute) pj pants: topshop

How To Wear: Waxed Denim

As my lovely friend and I were driving through a not so lovely part of Boston on our way to do some community service yesterday, she told me about these pants she recently purchased.  Now, this friend of mine has fabulous taste, but she admittedly is not the most adventurous with clothes (half of the great things in her closet still have tags on them. Don't worry I already kicked her).  SO... when she told me she bought not one, but TWO pairs of waxed denim jeans, I had to tell her to pump the breaks.  DOG am I on a roll with these puns these days.  The next thing she said was the catalyst to this very post, "COOL! Now I'm trendy.  GREAT!  Now when the HECK am I going to wear them!"

As I began to list all of the potential outfits she could create with these babies, she told me to stop talking and to just come over later to show her what to do.  And exactly that I did...

For daytime - Miss did not believe me when I told her she could absolutely wear her black waxed denim while it is light out.  Boy did I prove her wrong.  Here, we paired the black pants with a plaid chiffon top and a charcoal one-sleeved poncho/cape hybrid and topped the whole outfit off with some bad ass boots.  This works because the plaid totally dresses down the leather-look-a likes, while the pope (poncho cape) keeps the outfit looking sophisticated effortlessly.  The mix of textures (leather, wax, chiffon, cashmere) makes the outfit interesting and COOL.  Paired with leather bracelets and a rockin' watch, this outfit is totally awesome for class... or a lunch date ;).  (Try also: fur vests, army style jackets, suede booties.)

For the noche - Pulling outfits to go out in with these pants was so much fun! While this lady was able to see a bunch of ensembles she could put together for night time, we decided to share this one with you all!  We paired the dark blue waxed pants with a dark grey bootie with a sexay heel, a chiffon patterned top (worn backwards mind you so the velvet stripe would show), and layered gold necklaces.  Since the pants are such a unique texture, I would like to stress the importance of playing with different textures! Mixing chiffon, leather, and velvet is a fun way to highlight the pants! (Try also: sequins, studs, cool cut outs).  Bad ass accents (studs, buckles, frays) match well with these pants because they are in the same "style family."

Now go out and get yourself some waxed jeans so you can put these tricks to use!

Rain... NAY. Boots? YAY.

I figured that while I'm sitting in my apartment avoiding the miserable rain outside, I might as well make myself useful.  Sigh.

Now that global warming has brought us from summer-in-winter, to tsunami-in-winter, a new wave of fashion faux pas have begun to catch my eye. Pun intended. While this may be good news for me, as I have new material to write about... It also means that a concerning number of you are suboptimizing your ensemble potential. (Look Dad, I'm studying for my accounting final while blogging!)

An alarming number of ladies today were not wearing appropriate footwear considering the wet, cold, and did I say wet weather.  I'm talking flip flops, gasp, slippers, what?, and strappy stilettos, excuse me? What ever happened to um, staying dry? If you aren't wearing rainboots because you're worried about being boring, I'm about to rock your world.  Wearing proper footwear these days isn't just about being practical. Check out these spins on the classic wellie for some inspiration... please.

from left to right: sperry via zappos, loeffler randall via bloomies, hunter via shopbop,
hunter via zappos, burberry via saks, juicy couture via bloomies  

Formal... I don't want to see a NAY

Being that I am in fact a college student, and yes, I am in a sorority (because you were all wondering), I figured I would help steer all of you formal-goers in the right direction this season. Shout out to all my high school homies... these guidelines apply to you as well.

First and foremost, American Apparel dresses...NAY.  I don't care how hawt you and your friends think you look, don't do it.  They are not dressy enough (cotton and jersey...nay), not special enough (everyone has them), and not nearly long enough (only your date wants to see your undies).

For winter formals, try long sleeves.  Since your arms are covered, it's cool if your hem line is a lil shorter.   A dress with cool cut outs (cough cough) will also help to "sex up" your look, if you will.  Try playing around with different textured tights! If you wear black tights though, stay away from nude shoes. Also look for dresses in jewel tones... omgz so perfect for winter.

I understand that many of you on college budgets aren't looking to spend a ton of bill$ on a dress you're probably going to wear once, spill on, and is most likely not going to be remembered.  BUT that doesn't mean you need to look cheap.  If you're hitting up a lower end retailer for your dress, stay AWAY from that extremely flammable faux chiffon, lame, or that weird metallic fabric (these are not cool for any formal occasion).  It's worth it to buy something more plain, and dress it up with a statement necklace or awesome shoes.  If you're into something beaded or sequined, make sure the design follows on to the back of the dress. (I could never figure out why a dress would be covered in sequins ONLY on the front, but it happens.  Don't do it.) Also, beads, sequins, and feathers are really "in" right now.  OR try out Rent the Runway... They have TONS of designer dresses for not that much dough... Like borrowing from your best friend but better (sorry bff).  At the end of the weekend, you just send it back in the envelope they give you and you don't even have to worry about dry cleaning!

Have fun.  Be safe.  Look great!

red dress: velvet via shopbop, necklace: topshop, black dress: versace X h&m
ring: dara ettinger via shopbop, blue dress: nanette lepore via renttherunway, wedge: boutique 9 via bloomies

C-C-C-Cut Outs... YAY

Okay, so I know I'm a little late to jump on the cut out bandwagon. Sue me. Better late than never.

I used to resent cut outs because I saw far too many females exploiting the style. (Picture teensy dresses with far too many or too large holes. We're on the same page now, I can tell). With roots traceable all the way to queen bee Regina George (see here), it is safe to say this trend has come a looong way.  Now, I have come around to swiss cheese clothes because I realized that when done tastefully, a perfectly placed hole or two or three can make an otherwise pedestrian item of clothing, special.  Moreover, a cut out here and there can be sexy without being in your face.

Tired of your plain tanks, sweaters, and ts? For your next purchase, find a tank with an interesting back or a sweater with cut outs on the sleeves.  There are plenty of swiss cheese styles out now that are acceptable for every day wear.  These hole-y items will instantly vamp up your entire outfit without being too fussy or over the top!

Try using cut outs to make a more conservative ensemble look more seductive.  A long sleeve dress is perfect for cut outs... Your arms are covered so a few cut outs on the sides or back wont make you look like a hooker.  Also look for long sleeves or button downs with an open back; so hot but not overtly slooty.

It goes without saying (I guess it doesn't actually if I'm saying it) to make sure the holes in whatever you are wearing provide others with a peep of something... nice.  Avoid holes that are located on problem areas.  Arms and upper backs are perfect for showing off!  Also a note worth sharing: for an item of clothing with holes in the back, unless you are wearing a pretty lacy bra... WEAR A BANDEAU. Experiment with different colors and fabrics! No one wants to see your granny bra.

button down: urbanoutfitters, longsleeve: torn by ronny kobo via shopbop, tank: urbanoutfitters
longsleeve: cut25 via shopbop, cami: ASOS, dress: naven via singer22 

Peep my friend and I last night in our cut outs! (Completely accidental... Great minds think alike, right?) Sorry I'm not sorry the pictures look bootleg.