How to Define Your Personal Style

I want to start this post by posing a few questions:

  1. When does personal style become lost within trends?
  2. How many personal styles can you have?
  3. Is it possible to have your ideal style throughout your life?

I’m not really sure where I want this to go, but I drove back to Charleston today and the whole way home I kept thinking about my personal style and how to find it. I first started wondering about incorporating trends in with personal style. While I do think it can be done well, I question how well until it’s no longer your style. Take for instance cat eye sunnies, they’re chic and I stan them hardcore, but are they really anyone’s (besides Hepburn) own style? I’m hoping this is making sense because I’m finding it hard to put my thoughts into words. Another example of trends vs. personal style for me is gingham. I absolutely love anything gingham and I think it is very my style - kind of granpa-y. Would I still love it if gingham wasn’t so damn trendy? I think I would but who knows. 

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I, then, started wondering about all the different styles I’ve assimilated into my wardrobe and the ones I aspire to incorporate. I love the simple, classic Parisian style, but I can’t say I don't love a good street fit from Urban either. The two styles don’t go together and I don’t want to mix them either. I love them both differently in their own way, yet I still want a solid idea of my personal style. I also think about seasonal dressing. I totally tame it way down in the summer. It’s so bloody hot, there’s no way I can wear certain outfits. Pants are even a struggle in the south during the summer. If you saw me in the winter though, expect a look. 

My mind decided to change gears and think about style icons. A perfect example is Anna Wintour. Her style has evolved so much and she is still iconic. Her style evolved, but was always her. I don’t know how to do that. Point blank. My mind is always chasing the next thing or wanting to incorporate something different. Yes, we’re young and Anna has had more time to perfect her craft, but that still won’t stop me from trying to fulfill Wintour style aspirations. 

 
 

I’ll finally wrap this up and say, style is always evolving. I don’t think personal style is so much a thing as simply wearing what you love. When you find pieces that speak to you, you’ll keep them for as long as you can. Eventually, a closet full of clothes and shoes that make your heart sing will become your personal style. Guess I better go through my closet and see which pieces start talking to me. Pun intended. 

PS. Don’t let age or body type stop you from wearing the garments you love. It’s 2018. 

5 Parisian Inspired Summer Essentials

I've recently been so inspired by the "vintage, French" persona, and when I say inspired, I mean obsessed. I'm constantly looking at furniture, magazines, and blogs that all emulate the feeling of Parisian. One of my favorites currently is NYC Bambi and Adenorah. I'm not going anywhere too crazy this summer, so aspirational dressing is fulfilling the longing, if I'm being honest. I've looked high and low everywhere for my favorite french-inspired pieces, and I found my favorite investment and high-street options for you guys. (Women and Men, YAS!) I can also say, the thrift store is an amazing place to find some really cool items for this vibe! There's so many romantic tops, silk, linens, and vintage leather shoes to be found! 

 

Sunday plan 🌸

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Men's Investment Option 

You guys will notice I have a lot of neutral options in the mix! Khaki and natural always look good with any leather and will go with almost any piece in your current wardrobe! A great pair of swimmies with a beach bag is also perfect to carry a bottle of champagne to the French Riviera beach you're dreaming of. Can you feel the sand in your toes?

Women's Invest Option

A beautiful top that can be worn to the beach and out at night is a must for any mademoiselle. The cover up/blouse pairs perfectly with staple heals or a beaded bag. There's a gold coin, of course. 

Men's High-Street Option

There are also many lower end options that are great additions for your wardrobe and can be more useable than some items I listed above! Dad jeans for instance, they will always look amazing with sneakers or sandals and a black belt. Tuck any shirt in and you immediately look cool. 

Women's High-Street Option

Lots of high-street brands are also going for a Parisian chic vibe! They have gorgeous romantic tops in many colors as well as some puffy-sleeve-dress-of-your-dream realness. Don't forget to pick up the perfect beach to drinks bag. 

Some of the above links are affiliate links, However, I am not paid to post any of the above. This does not affect the price of the item for you as a customer, it just means a small percentage of the sale may go to the person who generated the link. Thank you for your support.

The Story of My Saved Folder

I'm taking some major inspo from this article on Man Repeller, today. After reading the post, I started to think about what exactly my saved photos said about me and my thoughts while collecting them to the relatively new feature. Like the article said, after removing yourself from the app, you realize your favorite photos were not taken for or of you, so what's the point? Obviously, we all love good content, but do the saved photos have a connection with one another? Is it the start of building an aesthetic, or even finding your indentity? While this may be a stretch, I don't think it's wrong to believe we are shaped by our surroundings. In today's time, aren't we all surrounded by social media? Boom. I rest my case. Whether this is bad or good, let's explore my little saved folder and uncover some magical meanings of some of my favorite photos I've seen on Instagram. 

 

#1.  

I saved this for pure aesthetic reasons. Hell, I hate grapefruit, but this is just a pure vibe. I'm trying to think of where or what I was doing when I clicked the save option on this one. Almost 100% sure I was dreaming of some cafe I haven't been to. I can almost see the killer Parisian outfits.  

Good morning to this cup of espresso only

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1,550 Likes, 33 Comments - nicholas (@cholpak) on Instagram: "Good morning to this cup of espresso only"

#2

This one is straightforward. I need a new haircut. Preferably somewhere between this and Zack Morris from Saved By the Bell. Summer blonde highlights, anyone? I'm for sure wanting to switch it up this Summer and have some fun. Hopefully, it won't be anything too drastic. I'm only trying to turn a few heads. 

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1,578 Likes, 25 Comments - Ollie Cooke (@ollie.cooke) on Instagram

#3

Oh what I'd do for freckles and a smile like this. I had to log this one because the pure joy from this little angel is the only way I'm trying to be this Summer! Maybe I'll get some rosy cheeks in the process.

4,450 Likes, 36 Comments - nadine ijewere (@nadineijewere) on Instagram: "Beautiful @salemmitchell for @allure April skin issue - Stylist - @cocostyle1 Prop stylist -..."

#4

Men with bags? #love It's 2018 and time to get over stigmas around fashion. Can I get an amen? Also, I'm loving the chicness of layering but with no sleeves. Maybe this will be the perfect look. I mean, it looks breezy, no sleeves, and you can shed a layer. 

220 Likes, 9 Comments - Lazué Hai Trieu (@lazue.haitrieu) on Instagram: "Mai Le chụp em dáng mời-anh-xơi 🍑 @maile212 - #vivelaVANITE #fashionblogger"

#5

Straw hats are currently speaking to me. Honestly, they're yelling at me. If you follow my instagram, I'm sure you've noticed.  I'm dying to get my hands on one that's a little nicer than the current one I have. This could possibly be why I pinned (not to be confused with Pinterest actions) the grapefruit and espresso. I might not be the typical French Riviera type, but honey, I can try. 

Living the dream ☀️🖤

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3,461 Likes, 49 Comments - Beatrice Gutu (@beatrice.gutu) on Instagram: "Living the dream ☀️🖤"

#6

Another trend I can't quite get over. Checks. I am still dying to get my hands on a matching suit set. However, no ordinary set. I'm thinking this one from Maison Margiela will do just the trick, or maybe even some classic preppy realness from Thom Browne.

16.8k Likes, 80 Comments - Maison Margiela (@maisonmargiela) on Instagram: "Tartan tailored suit from our Spring-Summer 2018 Men's Pre-Collection is featured with metallic..."

#7

I've also been eyeing any indoor space. I move apartments at the end of July, and I am dying to buy furniture and decor. I'm loving the vibe below so much, I've even started including more natural tones in my wardrobe. I want all black still, but brown and cognac are slowly creeping into my closet and, possibly, my house. 

8,663 Likes, 93 Comments - Christie Tyler (@nycbambi) on Instagram: "Haven't posted the living room in a while because there is not much to update on 🤷🏼‍♀️ I love this..."

#8

O' how days in the sun thrill me. I'm 100% down to recreate a similar photo, maybe even add a bottle of Veuve for the extra panache. Now, I just need to expedite my summer body regime and a speedo. We'll see how this one goes, but don't be on the lookout! 

Luego me quedé dormido al sol 😬

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3,352 Likes, 55 Comments - Alejandro Q. (@alejandro.quesada) on Instagram: "Luego me quedé dormido al sol 😬"

#9

Here is some more decor inspo. I mean come on, why is my current situation not like this? I'll take everything and add a plant or two. I also never thought I'd love this much brown. I'm sure I can't get any of these items, but it's posts like this that keep me on top of my "Wayfair shopping" game. 

Home ✨ @boconceptfrance #sofa

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20.4k Likes, 142 Comments - Adenorah (@adenorah) on Instagram: "Home ✨ @boconceptfrance #sofa"

#10

The final of my saved photos has come. I obviously have many, many, many more, but all I have to say about this one is, Ciao Bello!

🖤

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11.1k Likes, 121 Comments - Mary L Jean (@maryljean) on Instagram: "🖤"

I've come to the conclusion, our saved Instagram photos definitely resemble some aesthetic or lifestyle we are striving for or love the idea of. Mine, in particular, say that I am a fashion lover who wants to go to school for interior design and do all my homework in a Parisian cafe, all while pretending I like grapefruit. What does your saved folder say about you?

 

 

Trend Alert: Shells

Hitting y'all with a quick one today, but here's some Summer inspo for you. I’m not sure if you guys have seen shells in any shop yet, but I’m currently obsessed with them. Like head over heels obsessed. I think they look so effortless and add a certain jazz to any outfit, particularly, with the other necklaces layered. The shells give me total Italian beach vibes, making for the perfect summer look. Think of some loose jeans or cut-off jean shorts with a band tee or a plain white tee. The shells are a nice twist to the layered necklace look. If you guys don’t believe me, some huge bloggers are even starting to rock cowrie shells in their accessories. Marc Forne posted a photo with a shell necklace, and We Wore What featured some shell jewelry in her Instagram story. I found one on Etsy that featured clusters of cowrie shells. Mine was actually very reasonably priced, but there are some options that come from the designer market that would be considered investment pieces. Isabel Marant is one designer that came out with a lot of shells in their accessories. If you're not into the higher prices, for sure check out Etsy. Just type in cowrie shell necklaces. I feel like this will be hit or miss for a lot of you, so let me know what you think of these shell accesroies. 

Shop All Your Shell Fantasies

A Lil Inspo For Your Shell-y Looks

 
 

Some of the above links are affiliate links, However, I am not paid to post any of the above. This does not affect the price of the item for you as a customer, it just means a small percentage of the sale may go to the person who generated the link. Thank you for your support.

Acne Studios SS18 Edit

It's that time where we all start itching to shop for something new to eclipse all our winter scaries. Maybe it's a lot of random little things to add to our summer wardrobe or maybe it's an investment piece that is sure to go with everything but still has a little something about it. If you're into the later of those two options, I've went through the Acne Studios website and found the best accessories and men's/women's pieces. 

Accessories 

I've added a lot of sunglasses because let's be real, Raybans are great but everyone and their mom has a pair. It's really fun to save up a little more and get a pair of sunglasses that few people will have. There's some cat-eye options and so many color options on Acne. I'm sure at least one pair will look great on you. Pro-tip: since I'm fair skinned and blonde, black frames are always too heavy on me. They seriously throw everything off. If that's you, try some colored lenses or even clear. The brown, mint, and pink frames below are sure to look way better on me than the black ones. I then added the trucker hat because a cute, wearable hat is essential for everyone. Wether it be to the gym or the beach, why not look extra cool? Finally, there's an Acne bag for those of you dying to add a new bag to your collection. 

Men's Pieces

Light colors is the name of the game for me this Spring/Summer, so I added a lot of options that I think are modern with a bit of a vintage twist. First, we have an amazing pair of leather sandals. I think these will just look better with age, so it's a win win situation. Next, and my most current purchase, is the shoe with the Velcro straps. A bit of nurse aesthetic, no? I also picked some light denim. I love the way light denim makes an outfit look instantly cool and maybe even a bit Parisian if you're willing to take it that far. Then there are some layering peices for when it's a bit chilly at night or if it's a windy beach day. I love the loose knit jumper (I've acquired 3 loose knits already. Someone stop me.) The cornflower blue blazer is also stunning with a striped shirt and light denim. Get the vibe?

Women's Pieces

Acne had a ton of women's items that I absolutely loved. I did throw in some chilly day stuff because the colors on all the layering pieces were incredible and so versatile. The pink sweatshirt is so street style but could instantly be transformed with some gold necklaces, cut-off denim shorts, and heeled mules. Speaking of mules, a pair of red or pink mules can for sure take you through Spring and Summer and possible more? They are the shoes that're made for walking. Perhaps a pop of yellow is what you need. I'm loving the lemon yellow color that's used in a lot of high-street brands. Finally, I picked the cream of the crop when it comes to bottoms, wether you need something fancy or laid-back. There are two skirts that can make any t-shirt look instantly chic. Just tuck it in and bada boom bada bing.

Some of the above links are affiliate links, However, I am not paid to post any of the above. This does not affect the price of the item for you as a customer, it just means a small percentage of the sale may go to the person who generated the link. Thank you for your support.

10 Bathing Suites for Under $50

 
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We’re probably all wondering when exactly summer will come, along with tan skin, holidays, and bright colors. But what about when can we start shopping for full-on summer pieces? Is it okay to start buying linen or sun dresses? More importantly, what about bathing suits? The verdict is yes, you can. Now is a perfect time to start stocking up on some summer staples. It’s also when you’d get the best pieces before they’re picked over. Topshop/Topman both have some great ones that are sure to please any swimsuit notion you’ve conjured up over the current state of weather aspirations. ASOS, Urban Outfitters, and Zara were all doing the same thing for me too. It seems as if the designers are in the same thought process as the rest of us in thinking hypothetically for some spring/summer weather. I’ve listed some of my favorite bathing suits from high-street brands that are under $50 below. 

Men's

I've added some solids to the line-up of men's suits. They're a go-to for me and make for a really casual look that doesn't draw too much attention if you're more skittish when it comes to trunk wear. There's also 3 pairs of striped for any type of nautical situational dressing. Let's take the boat out, anyone? And finally, I threw in some pairs with prints for you guys that love the make a statement. There's also a pair with rivets that is sure to get you in some type of grungey vibe. 

Women's

I will say I'm a bit partial to one piece bathing suits, despite a lot of people still not being on board with them. It doesn't hurt to try them out though? Lot's of coverage means less sunburn so win-win. These all have a fun spin on them wether it be rivets, color, or pattern. I'm personally loving the leopard or the yellow two-piece as some summer staples that will make you look extra cool and tan. 

Some of the above links are affiliate links, However, I am not paid to post any of the above. This does not affect the price of the item for you as a customer, it just means a small percentage of the sale may go to the person who generated the link. Thank you for your support.

a Boy and a Turtleneck

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I'm back to inform you if you didn't already know, warm weather came and teased us then went right back. With another little cold spell here in Charleston, I figured it would be a great time to bring out a one of my newest turtlenecks from A Days March. The color totally gives me Spring vibes, but it keeps me warm in this last little bit of cold weather. 

A great way to get past the last bit of cold weather is wearing the same winter silhouettes but just in spring colors. How ingenious? Take this sweater for instance, it's totally a cold weather piece, but the color makes it perfect to pair with these white archies brogues from Grenson along with these khaki pants I thrifted. On the other hand, I could wear the same turtle neck with black wool pants and a trench or any long coat to make an outfit perfect for winter. I've found so much solace in these types of transitional pieces since they can be cheap but will last you through parts of winter and spring (or more pricey if you're into investing into clothes). I've linked a lot of options that I think would be similar to the concept I'm going for. 

P.S. Looking into the future, (too much in the future, I know), but you can do this with your summer and fall clothes as well. 

P.S.S. The best time to wear a striped sweater is all the time. Hope you get it. 

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Shop the Look

Men's

Women's

I listed a lot with a ton of different color options! Essentially, any of these pieces could be paired with boots and a coat for a winter outfit. They could also be paired with some light denim and sandals and make it spring appropriate! 

Some of the above links are affiliate links, However, I am not paid to post any of the above. This does not affect the price of the item for you as a customer, it just means a small percentage of the sale may go to the person who generated the link. Thank you for your support.

Cool, Calm, Cobain

 
Kurt-Cobain-Style-Photo-Cardigan-Sweater-Unplugged-e1426377153151-800x558.jpg

Today's Inspo

https://www.thefashionisto.com/kurt-cobain-sweater-style/#jp-carousel-396373

 
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First off, HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY! Keep being bad ass women and fighting for all the communities you are a part of! Your work is inspiring to everyone.

I'm here today to bring a more practical look to you guys! Don't get me wrong, I do love a full on look, but sometimes you just want something comfy, warm, and appropriate for errands or class. Leggings, sweat pants, sweatshirts all come to my mind when I think of lazy looks, but there are more options for comfort! My friend, @heyneil, brought to my attention some Kurt Cobain inspiration. His cardigan, light jean, and band tee look is perfect on so many levels. Sure, it might not be the trendiest thing in the world, but it's practical and stylish. We figured out a formula: Cardigan + Band/Graphic Tee + Loose Jeans + Necklaces = Perfection. I'm sure we all have at least one cardigan, one band tee, and one necklace. They're all super trendy pieces, just not pinned together. With that in mind, any combination/color of the previous items should work fine, as each piece is easily a variable. 

I'm channeling his look by incorporating a big oversized cardigan with my Ramones tee from Urban Outfitters, then pulling it together with some simple gold necklaces (a theme in a lot of my posts as of late). To top that off, I'm wearing some high waisted dad fit jeans to ensure all the comfort possible and finishing it off with my Gucci mules! Every aspect of this outfit formula is so easy, and 100% recommend for all those casual days. 

 
 

Cardigan

Men 

Women

Band/Graphic Tee

Men

Women

Necklaces

Some of the above links are affiliate links, However, I am not paid to post any of the above. This does not affect the price of the item for you as a customer, it just means a small percentage of the sale may go to the person who generated the link. Thank you for your support.