Light Wash Denim

From the clothes I've been wearing for the past year, it's obvious that I have a thing for light wash denim. Almost every pair of jeans I own (except one) is lighter than the average pair of blue jeans, and I didn't really realize this until I noticed that I only own a few denim things that come in a darker shade. Maybe it's that I simply like the color more, or that it's extremely versatile and can be matched with almost anything. No matter what the reason, light wash is definitely coming back in style. We might remember seeing the cringeworthy mom jeans from the '90s that were always in a lighter shade, so this resurgence may not bring excitement to our new wardrobes. However, it definitely should. If we look past that dark time, we would see a more unique way of handling the universal fabric. Instead of going for the average, medium blue tint, designers and manufacturers are finding the edgy way to make denim more interesting -- making clothes out of lighter, almost pale, denim. These washes may be even lighter than the ones we saw in the '90s, so fashion history is basically being made. What I like about this wash is that at times, it may not even look like blue denim because it is so light, but it still gives off the familiar feel we all love from the popular material. With this new style coming out, it may seem impossible to fulfill your fashion needs while also dressing for the weather. This brings me to my next favorite fashion resurgence -- the denim skirt. I did make a post about the denim skirt a few months ago, but that skirt was made of a chambray-like material, not the stiff denim we find in jeans. Recently, it has been okay to bring back the a-line denim skirt that was a hit in the '90s. This news made me get up and go out to American Apparel (the store with the best basics and definitely the best denim) to go find one. I wanted to go with something different from the traditional denim skirt, so I found one with buttons that line up in the front. It came in a light wash and a dark wash, so of course I had to choose the lighter of the two. The light wash of this skirt takes away the potential tackiness that could come with the comeback of denim skirts. Instead of looking like a '90s wannabe (no pun intended), I was able to transform this skirt to look like a modern fashionista. Because the blue is so pale, I paired it with a simple blue striped tank from Anthropologie. (Sidenote: This shirt was on sale four times, so I bought it for only $10. From Anthropologie, one of the most expensive stores I shop at. It used to be $60.) I completed the look with my favorite pair of sandals from Topshop. The unique nature of the skirt made a simple outfit an interesting look that used two up-and-coming trends in one item. This outfit is proof that light wash denim is better and that denim doesn't just belong in pants.

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The Jumpsuit

 

Today's post is going to be pretty similar to the last because they're both about me experimenting with new trends that may not exactly fit with my personal style. However, I learned that doing so would expand my wardrobe and style, which is necessary in every fashion lover's life. Recently, I have been envying the jumpsuit on other people -- models, people on the street, or really anyone I see that can pull one off. Although I've been envying it, I was scared to get one because I was afraid that I couldn't pull one off like the people I saw. It seems like one of those items only a small percentage of people can wear, and those people have to be (very) tall, fierce, and most of all, confident. I then realized that that mentality is completely wrong, and all it takes to pull off the beloved jumpsuit is an inner confidence. I knew that I was on the path to being able to wear one because I'm pretty tall (about 5'7), but I had this insecurity inside me that told me that I would look like I'm trying to imitate the people that can truly pull off this difficult fashion piece. The biggest thing was that with the jumpsuit, it's hard to add accessories to it to make it more familiar to your own personal style. The outfit can consist of the jumpsuit, shoes, and maybe minimal jewelry, except I'm not really a jewelry type of gal. You all know that I love to layer and add more to outfits to make them unique, so pulling off this outfit was extremely difficult. Right before I went out to buy one, I thought to myself, "All outfits and all fashion can be stylish if my mindset deems them to be." Basically, if you think you look good in something, go ahead and buy it and work that outfit. Absolutely all clothes will look good on you if an inner confidence shines through. I hate to sound like some humanistic psychologist, but this thought was the reason why I went to Lou and Grey and bought the item. Once you find that inner confidence, you need to find the style of jumpsuit that works best for you. Just like the romper, jumpsuits come in thousands of different styles, but because the style is already so new and edgy, it's not necessary to find one that has a unique style. For me, I wanted to find a comfortable, almost casual one, that has a specific cut without sleeves. Luckily, I found the perfect one at Lou and Grey made of an extremely soft fabric that can breathe in the heat. Because it's summer, I had to opt for the most comfortable and light one. What I love about this one is that I can wear it in spring, summer, and fall. For a casual summer look (this is when I went out to dinner with a few friends), I paired the jumpsuit with a simple pair of sandals and minimal makeup to keep things casual. If I wanted to dress it up more, I could wear heavier makeup with a bold lip and add heels. This jumpsuit is so versatile, and I'm really glad that I found that inner confidence because I really do believe that it looks great on me and on anyone else that believes that themselves.

Trend of the Week: The "Not-So-Basic" Romper

It's been a week and a half since I've posted, so I'm extremely sorry to all of my regular readers. I really try to post at least once a week (especially in the summer, but more like three times a week during the school year), but these past few days have been pretty hectic, and it took my friend who took a photo of this outfit a week to send it to me. Also, I haven't done a trend of the week since May, so I wanted to get back into that habit.

The romper is one of the hardest items of clothing to pull off, and that’s why most of my wardrobe does not involve them. Other than the time I wore a romper at a music festival, the last time I wore one was in 7th grade, so it’s obvious that many of them can look unfashionable or even childish. And even if they don’t meet those two negative statements, they can give off a basic look (hence my title) that does not make anyone look like a fashionista. However, many designers and retail shops are understanding this sad (but true) statement, so they are bringing edgier styles, patterns, and fabrics to make the once dull romper an extremely simple but fashionable outfit choice. There are thousands of different variations that are now in stores, like strapless, striped, co-ord sets, and even unique materials like denim or leather that are seen on such a simple clothing item. The way to rock this piece is to find the more unique, even edgy, styles to make a bold fashion statement. To match my own personal style, I chose a denim one from Gap, which, by the way, is breaking free from its terrible fashion choices and becoming one of my favorite stores. Recently, I’ve had a fashion crush on everything denim, so of course I had to pick out the denim romper. I’ve wanted to expand my wardrobe into things I usually do not wear (which is the romper), but I was still able to make it familiar to my wardrobe with the denim style. Denim is seen in jeans and sometimes jackets, so making this versatile fabric into a romper is definitely an edgy move for fashion. If the same simple cut romper were made with a universal material like cotton, I probably wouldn’t deem this romper as fashionable as the unique denim one I’m rocking in this outfit. That is the simple way to make rompers fashionable -- find the bolder styles. And of course, I had to layer on top of this outfit despite the 95 degree weather, so I tied a simple teal shirt around my waist to give the outfit more character. I finished the outfit with my metallic Tevas (which, by the way, have weirdly worked with almost every outfit I have worn this summer) due to their comfortable nature but also cool aesthetic. The best part about rompers is that they make choosing outfits an extremely quick process, because you only need at least two (but in my case, three) items to create one. I promise you that rompers are making their way back into the fashion world, but it’s important to choose the right styles to look the best and to work a possibly outdated style. 

Averie's Style

Yesterday, it was Averie's (one of my best friends) birthday (she turned 18!), so to celebrate, a few friends and I went downtown to see live music at SoccerFest, which, by the way, is mainly a soccer based festival, but one of my friends was close to one of the bands that was performing, so we decided to go check it out. Just like my last post, I want to talk about street fashion in the city, but this time, it's going to be about Averie.  

The thing I love about Averie’s look is that she always brings her own personal style to everything she wears. The unique part about it is that everything in the outfit, even the boots, are pieces she found at goodwill or thrift shops. The skirt that she's wearing probably looks like an old "grandma" skirt on a hanger, but the way she styled it with the belt, a simple blouse, and edgy boots makes an outdated skirt a stylish midi that fits her personality. This outfit also works perfectly with the tips that I gave in my last post about how to dress for street style in a city. She took a used trend (the midi skirt), personalized it (the floral pattern and button-up style of the skirt work with her own personal style), and added a unique twist (wearing edgy boots that would usually not be worn with an outfit like this). Her outfit really stands out probably due to the fact that it's all from thrift shops. However, the thrifty nature of it completely works with her own style, which is extremely important in fashion. Instead of dressing to conform to a trend but not being comfortable in a foreign style, wear what you feel the best in and what matches your own personality. Averie's quirky yet edgy personality really does work with this unique outfit, so she mastered both pulling off a fashionable look but also showing off her personality through her outfit, which is what I truly love about fashion.

Along with Averie's outfit, here are a few other shots I got of the band that we saw (called Starting Fires):

Atlanta Street Style Tips

 

Yesterday, I was in downtown Atlanta, around the High Museum area, because one of my photographs was on display in a Metro Atlanta High School exhibit in one of the wings of the museum (pretty cool, right!). Yesterday was the date of the reception for all the students that had their artwork on display, so I wanted to use this time to 1) actually put effort into my fashion choices this summer and 2) figure out a few tips for picking out outfits for a day spent downtown. Downtown Atlanta is completely different than the actual town I live in (Milton, an affluent suburban town where 80% of the people my age wear Vineyard Vines), so I had to up my fashion game for this day. Some people have told me that I already dress like a city girl, so this task was not that difficult, but I still had to put more thought into it than usual. The best way to take on the city is to dress in your own personal style, bring a unique twist to this, but also keep a familiar trend in your outfit. In a city, anyone can stop you and ask if they can photograph your outfit for their fashion blog, so a good tip is to always dress your best. (Sidenote: at the High, there were so many to-die-for looks that I wanted to capture and post here but I left my camera at home on accident. I’m still upset about it.) People who are interested in street style love to see used trends that are styled in a completely unique manner, which is why you need to bring both a universal trend plus your own personal twist to street style looks. For the universal trend, I brought out my beloved pleated midi skirt with a metallic tint. The midi skirt has been a trend for a few years now and it’s definitely not about to leave the fashion world, and it’s perfect for a city -- the skirt aspect makes it comfortable and free, but the longer aspect is practical for windy environments. To “personalize” the trend, I wore my favorite pair of Chelsea boots. These boots are also perfect for walking in a city and they just make you look like an urban gal. Practically every person who lives in a city owns them, so I would invest in them if you want to live anywhere with skyscrapers and concrete fields. And finally, to add a unique twist, I wore a rose eyelet sleeveless top that my friend actually let me borrow. (Quick story: the top used to have long sleeves, but my friend didn’t like them so she just cut them off.) The DIY feel of the top definitely makes it unique, and the eyelet pattern contrasts with the edge that comes from the skirt. I then finished the look with my bold red-orange lipstick (NARS Matte Lipstick in Heatwave for future reference) to add color to a dull-colored outfit and to stand out in a city full of fashion. If there had been any fashion photographers/bloggers around, my outfit would be described as “using the familiar midi trend and personalizing it with classy and bold statements”. Luckily, there’s still a possibility to be comfortable and bold, which is what I did in this look. 

"Space" Aesthetic

Summer is really about trying new things with fashion. With such a wild season, there are hardly any specific rules to follow, so it is a time to experiment with color schemes, different trends, or looks that are risky but unique.

With my outfits, I usually don't coordinate every piece of my look, but today, I wanted to try something new. Recently, I've been obsessing over the metallic, slightly mod trend. And with this trend, the idea of space may come to mind (at least it did for me). Yes, I'm talking about the starry aesthetic with the galaxy leggings and all. Except galaxy leggings were never okay, and I wanted to be more subtle with a theme like this one. Instead of literally wearing starry patterns and metallic shoes (I had to leave out my silver Tevas for this one), I chose another pathway. I wore a simple indigo dress that only reminds me of outer space, and I contrasted this by tying a white striped shirt around my waist. To complement the shirt, I wore my favorite shimmery socks from Madewell, and I finally completed the look with my Docs. The simplicity of the Docs was the perfect way to make an overly-matching outfit decent, but I also think that the shoes really work with the theme. Because this is a thing I hardly do, I still attempted to keep my own personal style (i.e. tying the shirt around my waist) in this look. I only went out for a quick lunch in this outfit, but I have discovered that I really like basing outfits off of a theme. It may not be perfect for summer, but as I said before, that's what summer is for -- doing things outside the ordinary.

I decided to do minimal makeup for this look because 1) it was a time saver and 2) the outfit already brought enough to the look, so intense makeup might have taken away from the outfit. However, I still put thought into the theme while doing my routine. To match the dress, I wore purple eyeliner on my waterline to accentuate my eyes as well. And to keep my signature look, I still wore lipstick, but I chose a simple berry color to also match with the outfit. I used to never put much thought into how I did makeup, but now that I have discovered that varied types can work with different outfits, I've been doing it differently almost every day.