Winter Outfit Basics

Winter is typically a time where you can throw on some sweats and an oversize hoodie and call it good. But, if you feel like dressing up, it is sometimes hard because you cannot usually wear a skirt and tee shirt due to the climate. In this post, I am going to show you how to dress for winter while keeping warm.

For a feminine style, there are a few recommendations from Liliana Vazquez, the author of the previously mentioned book The Cheap Chica's Guide to Style, Vazquez mentions that a statement necklace and a cashmere sweater are a necessity during winter (Vazquez 134). Statement necklaces or earrings can be found for low prices at places such as Forever 21, Charlotte Russ, and Icing. A statement necklace/earring can elevate a look from basic to dinner chic with a simple piece of jewelry. Along with that, a cashmere sweater is a classic winter basic that is stylish while keeping you warm.

 In this picture, I styled my friend Emilee in black jeans, a black top and a statement over sized jean jacket for a winter photo shoot.

For the masculine style, the style can range from super high end to basic street style. Necessities for someone with more of a masculine style include dark blue slacks, a dark red button down collared shirt, and a quality down coat. Investing in a high quality down coat can save you money in the future. Think about it this way: would you rather buy a new $50 coat every year or invest in a $250 coat one winter and use it every winter for the next 10 years? investing in clothing that is essential is the smartest way to be a savvy shopper.

For both style types, I would recommend a black vest along with either a creme, navy or red quarter zip sweater. These two articles of clothing are staples in outfits when you have nothing to wear. They will also keep you warm during outside events or a nice dinner party.

I am wearing a creme cashmere sweater along with a black vest, ripped jeans and black boot heels for a holiday dinner party.

Winter colors typically include burgundy, dark navy blue, black and creme white. throughout the winter time, stores that sell apparel such as Target, Macy's  and Nordstroms advertise these colors, making them iconic colors that are fit to wear during the cold season.

This is an advertisement from Macy's winter collection, showing how the colors of winter can be influenced by marketers 

Overall, winter is a great time to express yourself in a new way and the only way to find your personal style is to experiment with new things and switching up the basics every once and a while.

If there is anything that sparked your interest, comment! What is your favorite winter go-to? When do you typically try new winter outfits?

Source: Vazquez, Lilliana. The Cheap Chica's Guide to Style: Secrets to Shopping Cheap and Looking Chic. Gotham Books, 2013.

Using the most of your suitcase

Traveling can be stressful, especially if you are packing last minute. In this post, I will show you how to pack most effectively and how to bring the essentials.

Here is a display of essentials when packing for a trip

Primarily, determine what the weather will be like during your stay. You don't want to pack shorts and tee shirts for the mountains. For hot climates, pack at least one pair of jeans and leggings, and mostly shorts. for cold places, pack jeans, thermal clothing, long sleeves and jackets.

This would typically be my suitcase for a one day trip to a warm place. In the suitcase, I have Converse, mom jeans, a Tower Records tee shirt, toiletries and a swimsuit.

Second is how to pack these clothes effectively. I am going to use a week long trip to California as an example. California is known for its hot weather and beach feel. But contrary to belief, California can be cold at times. Packing around 4 pairs of shorts and 3 pairs of  jeans or other warm pants because if you go out at night, you do not want to be stuck in the shorts you wore for the 80 degree middle of the day weather. In Liliana Vazquez's book that I have mentioned in previous blog posts, she describes packing essentials in a key part of the book, saying "Pack for one extra day in case of an incident or anything unexpected such as if your flight gets delayed and you must spend an extra night, or you spill on your clothes." (Vazquez 139). To continue on this topic, you must take into account the clothes you are flying in in. that counts as your outfit for day one of a trip.

Packing for a trip will always set the mood for your whole vacation.

Next, no matter how much you would like to bring your entire closet, you cannot fit it all in one suitcase. Pack at least an outfit that would be appropriate for a nice dinner, pajamas for each night, along with your day clothes. Packing only what you need is crucial. Start by laying out what you absolutely need such as pajamas, toiletries, and cosmetic and hair products. Then, pack your pre-chosen outfits. if you cannot fit an outfit for each day in your suitcase, you need to cut somethings out such as outfits that require bulky layering or multi-garment outfits. This should cut down the size of the suitcase immensely.

When preparing for a trip, the way you arrange your clothing is a major factor that goes underestimated. I find that folding then rolling into a tube is the best way, because it is easy to stuff together. However, that is what works best for me. For someone else, they may find that folding on top of each other is best or just stuffing everything in wherever it fits is most effective.

To summarize overall, to lead the most effective packing for one's trip, I would say to only pack what you need, lay out each outfit before packing, and pack for the appropriate weather. Thank you for reading and I would love to hear what you would like to read! How do you best prepare for a vacation? What is the number one problem you face in your style? What would you like to see next?

Source: Vazquez, Lilliana. The Cheap Chica's Guide to Style: Secrets to Shopping Cheap and Looking Chic. Gotham Books, 2013.

Summertime Outfit Basics

Summer time is a core time for Fashion, which means its a prime time to choose your outfits for vacation, outings with friends to summer night dinners. Throughout this blog post, I will be explaining options for summer outfits that are great go-to's.

Me and My friend Olivia are at the State Fair, where I wore a creme crop top with a dark green button up top to layer it, along with some black ripped jeans and Vans skate high shoes. 

First of all: shorts. Shorts are so essential for the summer time, as most know, but it's the type of shorts you chose that can make or break a look. In your wardrobe, you should have at the least, two pairs of shorts. Lilliana Vazquez, the author of The Cheap Chica's Guide to Style, says in her section of necessities that "Modest shorts (for weekends) is needed as a basic" (Vazquez, 104). Whether its mid-thigh or short-shorts, you should keep some at an easily accessible place at all times during the hotter seasons. along with that, a pair of ripped jeans are a nice keeper to bring out if it's a colder summer night and you'll be going out.

Here I am in Pac Sun trying on Shorts with a Def Leopard shirt I wore that day. I chose these shorts because they were a basic pair that I didn't have at the moment.

Next are tops. Just because its summer, doesn't mean you only have to wear tank tops. Vazquez states in her seasonal shopping list that " An open-weave sweater (in cream): I love to layer these under vests, and worn as swimsuit cover-ups in the summer." (Vazquez, 131).  Like she said, you can use this for multiple purposes such as a swimsuit cover-up or a non-bulky top that still keeps you covered. Due to the hot weather, tank-tops and tee's are needed. I find that graphic tees and band tees look best in hotter weather. They're easy to throw with a pair of shorts and skater shoes and go. Also, open back and cut up shirts are nice because they are cooling, but may cause weird tan lines if worn in the sun for long periods of time. Finding your best colors is an important step in the process too. I personally look my best in dark/Forrest green, mustard yellow, creme and crimson, so most of my closet are those colors. I find that in the summer, the hippy vibe clothing becomes more popular, along with Boho chic. Most of these styles can be found at clothing stores such as Urban Outfitters, Forever 21, Pac Sun, and many more stores during their summer collections.

 In this picture, I wore a high-neck shirt along with a white bralette to compliment the white background in the shirt. This shows how layering different elements help make an outfit look bolder.

Recently, rompers have become a popular OOTD (Outfit Of The Day) for younger generations. They're a one piece jumper that is like a dress, but with leg holes. A long sleeved patterned romper is nice to have during the summer because you can wear it to semi-formal events such as a family gathering or a banquet.

Clothes aren't the only thing that you'll be needing this summer, shoes are important too. For summer, basics in the shoe department include a pair of nude sandals, strappy wedges and breathable tennis shoes for a feminine style. For masculine styles, boat shoes, flip flops and dress shoes should be in your closet. "Nude flat sandals: I wear them with everything, so i can never have enough pairs" (Vazquez. 132) says Vazquez in her summer necessities section of her book.

In the summer, there are lots of job opportunities for people at seasonal places such as water parks, ice cream shops, and anywhere with a pool or resort. If you're going to be earning more money, you need somewhere to spend it. During this time of the year, many stores will be starting to sell their fall clothing to start to get a feel for the market. this would be a good time to start looking at fall clothing to get a head start on everything that appeals to you. In her savvy shopper chapter, Vazquez states that you should be saving around 25 to 40 percent of your money on clothing. "Summer sales are in full swing, so scour the racks for anything you can still get a good wear out of - shorts, sundresses,a  flirty romper, or those sandals you've been lusting after will be heavily discounted. The first fall items will be starting to hit the racks, so begin browsing for inspiration and think about what items you have in storage that you'll want to keep around for another year." (Vazquez, 159)

Summer time seems like it's forever away, but it doesn't mean that you can't start looking at what you can find for the upcoming season. Are you excited for summer shopping? What do you tend to see your summer style being? What are your predictions on the 2018 summer trends?

Source: Vazquez, Lilliana. The Cheap Chica's Guide to Style: Secrets to Shopping Cheap and Looking Chic. Gotham, 2013.