The Preppy Girl

What does preppy mean to you? Well to me, preppy is the “school girl look” without the sexy connotation to it. I have been loving this preppy style recently because the look can be dressed up or down. So what are some essentials that come with the preppy look? 

1. Colors- Usually preppy colors will be black, blue, gray, and white. These colors are standard and can look very chic when placed together.

2. “Fancy Shorts”- I’m not entirely sure on materials and fabrics but if you go ahead and try to find something that is not a jean material but almost a wool texture, you’re good. They’re great with really fancy tops.

3. Collared Shirts- Anything collared is already very preppy. A collared top that is nice and fitted looks amazing on anyone. With so many types to choose from, I’d wear them all my life if I could. There’s solid colors, patterns, and even ones with studs on the collars! 

4. Messenger Bag- Something like the picture above where a working girl/student can place her books and files in and still look fashionable. 

5. Pleated Skirt- A pleated skirt is just a regular skirt but with indents in the fabric so the skirt kind of resembles a cupcake liner. What?! That’s the only way I can describe it! I love tucking collared shirts underneath these pleated skirts.

6. Glasses- Make a statement and wear some big frame glasses. I got mine from Forever 21, and they are super adorable. I can’t wear big frames even though I have glasses because my vision is SO BAD that the lens would be to heavy (*sighs).

7. Silver Jewelry- I’ve seen a lot of girls rock silver statement jewelry over their collared shirts. SEE I’M TELLING YOU COLLARED SHIRTS ARE SO EASY TO WEAR. Silver just goes really well with these standard colors. 

8. Knee High Socks- Hey you can take really tumblr-ly pictures with them over white sheets. I love them because they keep my legs warmer if I ever want to wear skirts in colder weather. 

9. Plaid- Very simple plaid with dark purples or greens can be great for preppy looks. 

10. Boots- Go for black boots because they go with everything and look very classic! Try the military style boots to go with your outfits. 

-Zoe 

Affordable Fashion

There are all these different stores in the mall, and I go to mmm… about five. So here are my five favorite stores (in no particular order): 

1. Forever 21– I never approached the store as an awkward twelve-year-old because I wasn’t sure what was in there. I assumed the store was only for people in their twenties. The day my friend brought me in there with her was the day I started shopping like crazy. I love the affordable fashion, but let me tell you about the jewelry. I always bought my jewelry from Claire’s and could buy maybe a necklace and one bracelet with around twenty five dollars. In Forever 21, there was jewelry that was as low as 1.80. Let me repeat 1.80! I never went back to Claire’s and got the chance to build a basic jewelry collection from Forever 21.

2. H&M– H&M is probably a “cousin store” of Forever 21. Oddly enough one of my cousin LOVES H&M. I never knew what she was talking about after all, there was nothing good I saw. I was somewhat right, but when I found the Divided collection, I fell in love. That’s what I’m talking about. These were the proper clothes for teens because they were fresh, trendy, and affordable. 

3. Zara– Speaking of cousins again, my older thirty-year-old cousin is obsessed with Zara. I looked at the store, and I feel like that would be the place I would shop at a more mature age. As I took more time to look around, I found some unique and fun affordable pieces! Zara is not typically affordable because some of their stuff can be around 60+ depending on what you’re buying, but the sale section is amazing! Just shop there and you’ll be fine. I even got shirts for five dollars!  

4. Anthropologie– My mom always dragged me here or J. Crew. I think she made a big mistake because now I love both of those stores. From the extravagant window displays to the pretty decor inside the store, I can’t help but love the store itself. The clothes are quite pricey to be honest but that’s where (*drum role please) the SALE SECTION comes in! Tons of affordable fashion in the sale section! Don’t trust me? Take a look for yourself. I think the more expensive items come, the lower they get in the end. 

5. J. Crew– I love the staples I can buy here. Lots of fancy and simple tops for a lot less in the sale section ;). 

I’d like to thank my family for turning me into a shopaholic.

-Zoe 

 

 

Oh Backpacks

Who knew backpacks would be the new handbags?! Usually after middle school, girls ditch their backpacks for totes and later on designer handbags. Now, girls are sporting backpacks even in their twenties. What’s wrong with backpacks anyway? They make my bag seem so much lighter when I wear them on both shoulders (because I occasionally tend to be the backpack off the shoulder type of gal). What do you think of these?

Faux Leather

 

Metallic detailing always looks great on faux leather. This type of backpack is good for light travel or  the girl on the go. Personally I love Forever 21 for their affordable bags that are on trend.

Floral 

 

Backpacks like these can be used to maybe carry a few things. One could easily go on a mini road trip and have everything they need in this bag. The backpack is easy to toss around and easy to carry.

Classic

 

Where my hipsters at? I always seem like this is a “hipster bag” or a classic one. It’s fun to see whether people leave their bags plain or decorate them up with studs, buttons, etc.

 

Designer (love Marc by Marc Jacobs backpacks)

 

I’ve seen a lot of girls sport this backpack at my school. I absolutely love the stitching and the quality of this backpack. If you can afford it and don’t mind splurging on a backpack, I recommend this one!

Girly

 

 

 

 

Bows, floral print, and heart stitching is everything a girly girl could ask for! I plan on getting this bag for school no matter what it takes (*evil grin). I actually plan on getting the black version only because I get things dirty fast, but the white backpack is very pretty. I’ve never been a huge fan of Betsey Johnson, but when I saw this, my eyes immediately gravitated toward this bag. (P.S. The one which I linked on Macy’s is cheaper than the one on the Betsey Johnson website!)

Which one is your favorite?

-Zoe

Closet Challenge

Have you ever looked into your closet and thought to yourself, “I have nothing to wear.” Well I have a challenge for me and you if you’re up for it. Ready?

1. Clear it out. Alright so in every girl’s closet, there are a lot of clothes usually stacked up or hung. Take some time and look at what you are never going to wear again. I try to see what I don’t wear every other season (specifically after winter and summer) to make sure I’m not wasting closet space. When shopping be careful of buying an item just because it is on sale. You may end up never even wearing it.

2. Take a count of all the tops in your closet. The reason I say shirts is because people tend to notice tops more than anything else, and tops are the most varied in styles. For me there are 93 (excluding winter wear). Now think of all the different ways to wear x amount of clothing. You bought this shirt for a reason, so wear it. If you find yourself never wearing the shirt, donate it. Depending on how many shirts you own, be creative! Never say you don’t have anything to wear when you have x amount of shirts. There’s other pieces like skirts, fancy shorts, accessories, etc. that can be paired with a shirt to make it look like a whole brand new outfit! I’ve done it many times where I can just take a basic shirt and style it up.

3. Hang your clothing. I got an inexpensive clothing rack from Ikea, and I love it. I can hang all my new clothes on it and bring out old clothes I haven’t worn in forever.

4. Wear color and be bold. By wearing color, you can instantly brighten your mood. A simple colored heel or bright statement necklace can do the trick.

5.  Dare to dress up. My high school has never been one of those dressy high schools (although I wish it was). Girls in my school wear leggings and sweatshirts. Every. Day. Dressing up should be fun because it expresses who you are. Are you daring? Edgy? Preppy? Girly? Whatever it is, don’t be afraid to show it. Dressing up gives you an excuse to wear nicer clothes and think of innovative ideas to recycle outfits. If anyone gives you doubt for your outfit, be confident about it. You wore it because you like it!

6. Save up. I know in my Tips on Saving Money post, I said stop with the spontaneous shopping. Now you may say what is spontaneous shopping? Well to me, it is going into a store and buying everything I like and see in the moment. I say save up for that day. I’m currently saving up for one of those days by collecting change everyday from my parents (it adds up) and saving up ten dollars each week from lunch money. It may not seem like much, but I assure you it is enough to keep you satisfied. I can’t think of anything more exciting than shopping for each season. In fall, there are new trends and in winter, new sweaters. In spring, there are even more trends and color! In summer, it’s just a free-for-all.

Now you can’t say you don’t have anything to wear!

-Zoe

 

So Boho

Personally I have never been a huge fan of the bohemian look. Celebs like Vanessa Hudgens can rock it, but can I? The answer is no. Even if I wouldn’t wear it, I still admire good fashion taste. I tend to ignore the boho section in Forever 21 and the ever so expensive Free People. So my question here is what do you think of bohemian style? Here is some of the things that fit in boho style…

I picked out some of the staples in Free People but also cheaper alternatives in Forever 21.

A lot of bohemian style is rocked at festivals like Cochella. So let’s talk clothing first. There is a lot of light, airy fabric clothing like this one or this one. Often times lace is usually placed on the end of the fabric. Try these dresses (Free People/Forever 21). I love the Free People one and it is similar to the one in the picture below. The one from Forever 21 is a blush color and is a crocheted maxi dress.

 

Maxi dresses or skirts (like this one) are very common for the boho feel. Long skirts can be paired with a flowy top or a bandeu/bralette/crop top. Try this crop top that has some detailing at the ends of the top. Halter tops are common as well.

Typically the skirts have a lot of this pattern.

Accessories include flat sandals or matte boots, flower crowns (closest I could find), and round sunglasses. Like I said before, this is not my style. What about you?

-Zoe

Shop the Bohemian collection at Forever 21 or Free People.  

 

The Parisian Girl

With every city comes a different style. I’m the type of girl who admires the fashion of individuals in a city. How would I describe the style in Paris? Well I see the makeup is fairly neutral, and the fashion is girly but casual. I admire the subtle prints and the light fabrics.

Here are some looks that I enjoyed:

A silk scarf adds an extra element of sophistication. I love how she paired the lace dress, printed silk scarf, quilted clutch, and tinted sunglasses together. The different items separately would be plain, but they work together.

This is an outfit I would wear myself. The chiffon, rosy top looks younger with a textured skirt. A light brown bag or even a pastel bag works with this look.

Find a similar bag here or a white bag here.

These cool clock bags are very unique. They are vintage yet stylish. The black on black creates a statement on the woman on the left. On the woman on the right, the floral print is not overbearing. With the simple top, the floral stands out, but the print seems to be more of a printed art than a floral actually.

Find something similar of an effect here for a shorter version.

Another thing I see a lot is sweaters with a tight skirt to keep the figure. The cutouts on the side provided a nice touch to the sweater.

This outfit inspired this one I created. I would wear this fine sweater with a cute saying with a body con mini skirt.

The yellow mustard pants and chiffon loose shirt paired with the red clutch purse. The silver touches make the look classier. The sunglasses can be worn to avoid putting on eye makeup, and a person can easily just throw on a lip color.

The patterned, sheer crop top is paired with a skirt full of pink and orange print. The sunglasses are the accessories, and the white bag works with the whole outfit. The simple nude sandals fully complete the look.

These nude baby heels would look great with this outfit too.

I love how the high wedges with the graphic sweater and boyfriend jeans can be made casual. The brown clutch is simple enough to go along with the outfit.

Which outfit was your favorite? Let me know down below.

Xoxo,

Zoe

Disclaimer: None of the photos I post are mine unless I say so 🙂

July Fashion List

Every month I make it a goal to get ten things that I don’t have in my closet. Sometimes “spontaneous shopping” as I like to call it can take way too long. I find that if I know what I want I can go and get it. Some of the things on my list are general but others are more specific. Each month I allow myself to spend no more than $100 making it both a challenge and also a strategy. $100 is a lot to some but little to others. For me, it’s the right amount to buy everything I need. All a person needs is the right stores and the right deals. Here are the ten things I would love to get by the end of this month.

1. Patterned skirt (something like this that I don’t have in my closet)

 

2. Casual floral dress (so I can wear it to school and it looks comfy)

 

3. Simple rings (that are stackable -I love these sets from Forever 21-)

 

 

4. “PJ” shorts (I love the lace trim on these)

5. Denim shorts (because you can never have enough)

6. Sports bra (I need some motivation to start working out)

7. Sunglasses (I only have one pair and I dislike them greatly.. these light pastel ones are great because they go with everything)

 

8. Summer tank (The added hood to the tank makes the tank even more unique)

9. Nerd glasses (I always wanted a pair of “nerd glasses”. I actually have really bad vision so I’m not allowed to wear these types of glasses with a bigger frame because the lens would be super thick and weigh the glasses down.)

10. Top *this is more spontaneous since this is so general

 

And that’s it! What would you get with $100? Let me know down below 🙂 xoxo

-Zoe