Don't Mesh With Me

Now that it's Fall, it's time to bust out those leather jackets ladies! I, for one, am obsessed with a great leather jacket and that's why I believe it's one of those items that are worth splurging on. Like a great classic leather purse, these jackets will last you years! I've had this jacket for about 3 years now and you can't even tell that I've used it and abused it to death! I layered this poor thing over my mesh crop top and paired it with these genie-like silk sweatpants for a girls' night out on the town. I finished off the look with a pair of trusty Jeffrey Campbells and some jewelry. 

The best tip for wearing an all-black outfit is to mix it up with textures and/or prints. For this outfit, I decided to mix it up with a lot of different textures including some mesh knit, leather, sueded silk, and suede leather. Remember to keep your outfits interesting by mixing and matching textures...especially if you're going for a monochrome look like this!

Although my style changes often with my mood, my hair typically remains the same for long periods of time. I'm not really crazy about haircuts and change so I don't really take risks in the hair department like I do with my clothes and styling. My amazing friend, Emily, was brave enough to cut my hair while her fiancé force fed me cronuts and maple bacon donuts! I digress but that was my first cronut and damn was it amazing lol. I'm so grateful for both Em and her man because I'm newly obsessed with my hair and the super delicious and heavenly cronut! 

Leather Jacket: Please (LF Stores)

Mesh Crop Top: Evil Twin

Sueded Silk Pants: Maggie Ward from Nordstrom (here)

Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell 'Hough' (here)

Necklace: Vanessa Mooney 'Clearing Things Up'

Bracelets: Jenny Bird and Luv AJ

PREPping For Fall

The key to transitioning from Summer to Fall means layering! Lots and lots of layering! It's no secret that the weather can prove to be temperamental from day to day (especially in SoCal). Sometimes the weather throughout the day can include a cool and potentially foggy morning, a sunny and warm afternoon, and a pretty chilly night. 

One of my favorite go-to looks for chillier weather includes a cute crewneck sweater and a collared blouse under it. You'll definitely see me sporting this preppy look often throughout the next few months! I love how this look is so simple and versatile yet very chic and polished!

I wore my favorite vintage blouse with detailed cutouts in the collar and layered a blue knit crewneck sweater over it. I paired that with some dark blue corduroys and cuffed them at the ankle. Lastly, I finished off my look with some heeled sandals. Because I live in SoCal, I'm able to get away with wearing sandals for maybe another month or so, which I'll take full advantage of! 

Just remember that crewneck sweaters are the equivalent to a t-shirt when the temperature starts to drop! They're versatile and can be dressed either up or down depending on the occasion. See below for some tips and ideas on styling this Fall/Winter staple!

Tips:

1) Preppy. For a preppy look, make sure to layer your crewneck sweater over a collared blouse. Tuck your blouse into a pair of trousers and maybe finish the look with a cute oxford shoe. When wearing a flat shoe, such as the oxford, try cuffing your trousers to show off a little ankle. If it's pretty cold and calls for an additional layer, I suggest throwing on a cute blazer over your crewneck sweater and collared shirt combo. This makes for a really preppy and polished look!

2) Glamorous. You can glam up your crewneck sweater for an evening out by accessorizing strategically. Try pairing your crewneck sweater with a cute mini skirt (with tights underneath to keep you a bit warmer) and some heels. Accessorize with glitzy and glamorous jewelry, such as a sparkly statement necklace.

3) Laid back. Style your crewneck sweater with some jeans or cute shorts and tights. I've layered some cute high-waisted denim cutoff shorts over tights and thrown on a crewneck for a simple and comfy outfit. Maybe pair it with some sneakers like Converse or Keds to complete the comfy laid back look.

No matter how you style your crewneck sweater, remember that you want your sweater to fit properly for the look you're going for. Fitted sweaters work well for preppy and glamorous looks, which chunky and baggy sweaters work really well for the comfy laid back look. Have fun and let me know how you feel about my favorite Fall/Winter staple.

Collared Blouse: Vintage

Crewneck Sweater: Olive & Oak (Bloomingdales)

Corduroy Pants: MinkPink

Sandals: UGG 'Luella' Heeled Sandals (here)

Purse: Chloe

Bracelet: Vintage

 

A detailed shot of the collar and the knit pattern of the crewneck sweater.

Everybody Wants Some

Every person, guys and gals, should have at least one great band tee (of a band they actually listen to) in their closet! It's a must-have staple piece that goes with absolutely everything.

I like to wear my tees with high waisted shorts and a cardigan, tucked into a mini or a maxi skirt, with skinny and/or distressed jeans, with leather pants or leggings, etc! Honestly, the possibilities are endless. T-shirts go with everything, but a nice vintage band tee just adds an extra OOMPH factor!

Last week, I wore my badass Van Halen band tee with these sweet lace flared pants from Somedays Lovin', a plaid flannel to keep me warm after the show, a trusty black hat, and layers of jewelry to a show in LA with some of my friends. I had a blast, was able to stay comfy, and looked very rock and roll chic. Below are some tips on styling a band tee!

Tips:

1) Don't wear a t-shirt of a band you don't actually listen to. You don't want to look like an idiot when someone comments on your band tee and you don't have a clue on what type of music they play.

2) Depending on the weather, layer on a jacket, cardigan, flannel, vest, or an overshirt. This will allow you to style your basic band tee and make it a bit more personal. Tie it around your waist when you're not using your flannel or jacket. That way you won't have to carry it around or make your boyfriend hold it. Plus I think it looks cute and adds an 90s feel to the outfit!

3) Accessorize. Pile on the bracelets, necklaces, and rings. Maybe add a hat or a beanie if you wish. Since a tee is plain and basic, I like to spice things up with some fun accessories!

4) Don't wear your band t-shirt to that band's concert. One of the reasons I personally don't wear a band's t-shirts to that band's show is because I run the risk of having on the same outfit as someone else, which doesn't sit well with me lol. I just like to be a little different from the crowd wherever I go. My reasoning is not the same reasoning as others people's that just claim that it's a "fashion rule" or a "fashion faux pas". If you don't mind having the same outfit on as someone else, go for it! I think that it's a damn t-shirt and if you like the damn band, you should be able to wear the shirt without people judging. You're also supporting the band by spending $$ on a shirt and you're not allowed to wear it to their show? Plus, why can people wear their sports jerseys to that team's game? Huhhh? Why? I don't get this "fashion faux pas"! So I vote that you where what you want! I ain't judging! 

Have fun with these tips and style away! Have a happy Monday and a fantastic week!!!

Band Tee with Cutoff Sleeves: Chaser (here)

Plaid Flannel: Urban Outfitters (similar here)

Super Flared Lace Pants: Somedays Lovin' (here)

Shoes (not pictured): Dolce Vita 'Niven' (here)

Hat: LF Stores

Bracelets: Vanessa Mooney (here)

Necklaces: Vanessa Mooney 'Clearing Things Up' and Vintage

By the way, this bike is super flat because it's super vintage and it's a collectors piece that I acquired. I do not ride this baby so I haven't had time to fix it up yet lol. 

Fluorescent Efflorescence

These Elliatt 'Efflorescent' pants are crazy cool...literally! They're silky smooth and super light weight, which totally helps me get through these last few official days of summer.

Honestly as a Californian, I'm probably going to stretch my summer wardrobe til mid-October lol. This is one of the many perks of living in Southern California! I could probably get away with wearing shorts almost year-round! And I only say 'almost' because anything below 65 degrees Fahrenheit is freezing to me! I'd get so cold that I'd actually wear a snow jacket on a daily basis at work because the air conditioning was too cold for me to handle! Hahaha

Anyway, I paired my pants with a stretchy skintight textured tank top and silver accessories. I paired these pants with this top and added a belt to accentuate my waist...otherwise these pants would swallow me whole. They're cut and draped in a way that widens your hips, so I contrasted that with my tight tank top. 

For additional tips on styling printed pants, check out one of my prior posts: Don't Be Such A Pansy. 

Printed Pants: Elliatt 'Efflorescent' pant (here)

Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell 'Encase' Heeled Sandal (here)

Tank Top: Vintage

 Belt: Vintage

Clutch: Vintage

Necklaces: Vanessa Mooney (here)

Lazy Lacey Days

After a nice week of somewhat decent weather in the valley, it's back to the high 90s and 100s. I was feeling particularly lazy, uninspired, and just plain blahhh this weekend because of this crazy heat. It's really too hot to wear clothes, but we can't all just walk around in public wearing nothing. So instead of something sloppy like sweats and a t-shirt (not that I'd wear sweats in 100 degree weather or anything), I opted for the next best thing...a white A-line lace sundress that really doesn't require any styling time or effort. I paired my dress with some brown lace up ankle boots for comfort and a brown hat to hide my disheveled bed head. I threw on some gold accessories like my favorite vintage horse necklace (that I scored at a flea market for $5) and some gold bracelets.

I wore this outfit to breakfast with one of my best friends this weekend and as we were walking from the car to the restaurant, we passed by this mural and felt inclined to snap a few shots. The catch is that the mural was about 6 or 7 feet off the ground so it require a bit of effort to capture some pictures. I was directed to hop on a table and climb the wall so that's exactly what I did without trying to expose myself to the world lol. Enjoy the pictures of my struggle!

Hat: LF Stores

Dress: Vintage

Boots: Seychelles

Necklace and Bracelets: Vintage and Vanessa Mooney

Ring: Charlene K

Wallet: Prada

"O geesh. I can't believe I'm doing this...especially in a short dress!"

"Phewww...made it successfully."

"Hmmm...maybe the pictures would be better if I stood on the wall..."

 

"O crap! It's really high up here!"

"Ok maybe I'll stick to the ground instead"

Finally enjoying breakfast! Yummm!

Slit-ther

Another "fashion rule" people are scared to mess with is "never mix black and brown". I think this is just silly so I decked myself out in black and brown from Head to Heels in order to prove that it can be done without looking like a hot mess.

I wore this black asymmetrical side-slit maxi skirt with a black and brown striped silk tank top. I accessorized with a brown floppy hat, black strappy heels, and hints of gold jewelry.

After playing around and experimenting with different shades of brown, I found that medium to light browns pair better with black than a darker chocolatey brown. You want to make it evident that you're sporting both black and brown. If your brown is too similar to your black, it'll just appear as if you failed at matching your all-black outfit and you may have possibly gotten dressed in the dark?! Lol. I'm probably being a little too harsh, but I'd just stick to lighter shades of brown to be safe.

Below are some additional simple tips for learning to break free of this silly "fashion rule". 

Tips:

1) The easiest way to try this look is to probably stick to a solid medium to light brown top with a black bottom or vice versa. Or if that's still a foreign concept to you, try a solid black or brown dress and contrast it with a belt in the other color.

2) If you're feeling a bit ballsier, try adding some prints or texture the way I did. Make sure that both your brown and black pieces aren't printed or that could create one huge disaster. I added a brown and black striped tank top rather than a solid brown top and kept my skirt a simple solid black.

3) Make sure to tie in black and brown accessories in similar shades to bring the whole look together, which I did with my brown hat and black heels. I simply tied my outfit together from Head to Heels with my accessories. Just remember that when you look at your outfit in the mirror, you want everything to simply flow together.

4) I personally think that gold goes well with both black and brown, so why not add a little gold bling to this brown and black ensemble?! I kept it pretty tame with the jewelry and embellished my outfit with a gold chain necklace, a gold cluster ring, and a set of black and gold bracelets.

If you already know how to style these colors together like a pro, feel free to leave more tips in the comments for myself and others!

P.S. this post is dedicated to a good friend of mine, Chris, who likes to give me crap for pairing black and brown together! :P

Tank Top: Sam & Lavi Los Angeles

Asymmetrical Skirt: LF Stores

Floppy Hat: Free People (here)

Shoes: Dolce Vita 'Elka' heeled sandals (here)

Necklace: Vintage

Bracelets: Vanessa Mooney (here) and Jenny Bird (here)

Ring: CC Skye (here)

Rule Breaker

Since Labor Day was last week, I should probably pack away the whole white section of my closet...right?! Nuh uh!...I don't think so....I love my whites way too much to only reserve it for Spring and Summer!

Some rules are just meant to be broken like this old school "fashion rule" that you can't wear white after Labor Day. Obviously nobody really follows it anymore because white is a year-round color in this day and age. But I'll pretend like I'm a badass and proclaim myself as a rule breaker with this white maxi dress from Elliatt! Plus, it's really all about bending and breaking the rules of fashion now. Like I always say, "Life is too short to wear boring clothes"! So go experiment and have fun with fashion...while defying all those "fashion rules".

I styled this sheer striped maxi dress with some killer Jeffrey Campbell silver gladiator heels, a braided silver belt, and some silver jewelry. Have a happy Monday, y'all! 

Dress: Elliatt 'Ursula' (here)

Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell 'Encase' Heel (here)

Belt: Vintage

Necklace: Vanessa Mooney (here)