While the west coast is chillin, waiting on temperatures to reach the 80's and for some states, upper 100s; the Midwest, and parts of the south are dodging tornadoes and floods. Us Chicagoans are looking at cloudy skies and wishin the rain rain would go away. As I battle the tsunami winds of downtown and hope my roots dont show from excess of moisture in the air, my always fashion-forward thinkin mind is daydreaming about my summer wardrobe and preparing for the tail-end of spring (which apparently means the sole month of May for us this year).
So for those of you along the same hopes and dreams as I, here's my Wish list and Musthaves for Summer/Spring 2011, absorb them, bookmark them, break out daddy's plastic and purchase them. Enjoy =).
The Trends:
1.Sheer - as a borderline Nudist (just kidding) any excuse to wear less fabric is great by me and this trend is taking over everywhere, but it can very easily read trashy so please wear undergarments when embarking on your sheer exploration
2. Colored Lace- even better then just black or white lace. This idea is genius. Its subtle sexy and provocative perfect for anything you wear on a date. Trust me this trend will have him singing 'my girl' by the end of the night ;-)
3. White - probably a result of the neutral trend that's still going strong and wedding season coming up. but either way its acceptable to wear before or after labor day (rules are meant to be broken). So all those who have no other reason to wear an all white dress, here's your chancel.
4. 70's fashion - although the 80's is still slowly but sure dying off, this decade along with the boho chic trend is taking over. Tap into your inner hippie with some fringe, skinny braids, and maxed out hemlines.
5. Orange - possibly hard for some skin tones to pull off, but luckily just like there's a mate for everyone there's a shade for everyone and summer is the most appropriate time to wear it without gettin crazy second looks.
The Accessories:
1. Ray - Bans Sunglasses
While I am a fan and dedicated consumer of the classic aviator glasses, I cant help but want to give these a try, if styled just right, I feel like these can be the perfect accessory for a day out on the town with the girls. (Aldo)
2. Chain Necklace
All of a sudden I'm seeing people everywhere with them. Char on Bad Girls Club was one of the 1st places I saw one. I've been on a mission for one ever since then. This one is from Top Shop which (for my fellow Chicagoans) they're building one downtown on Michigan across from water tower. Due to open this fall
3. Wedges
They make everyones legs look longer. I'm completely obsessed with them. These are from Akira of course, best shoes for reasonable budget (in case u didn't know)
4. Neon Colored Nails
Whether they're long and acrylic, or natural and rounded or bitten to the nub, summertime and crazy colored or designed nails are a must. I'm currently obsessed with this color from Sally's Fingerpaints collection
5. Obnoxious Ring
I was never really a fan of this piece of jewelry but recently one of my besties put me on to the joy of accessorizing your digits, and now I just cant get enough. This one is from LULUS.com (i happen to have a thing for hearts) and this can be dressed up or down
The Clothes (Duh):
1. Corset Top
For those of you like me who are lacking in the decollage area, weep no more corsets, or bustiers whichever you prefer, are our friends. They make you look like you got racks on racks on racks ;-). This denim one is from A'gaci
2. A graphic print romper
I love these, you can find them everywhere, they're so versatile. You can wear them on a date, out shopping, or a nice BBQ. This is on my A'Gaci wish list as well.
3. Crop Top
Yes they're very 90's but hey, I'm a 90's baby! There's something so freeing about the way these shirts are cut thats copes well with sticky Chicago summer. This staple tee can be paired with any thing, its pretty cheap to from Forever 21
4. Print Mini Dress
Perfect for those nights you wanna hit the club with your girls, This is from Eric Daman's dress collection for Charlotte Russe .
5. A cute "grown n sexy" swimsuit
This one is from Torrid. I been had my eye on it and dreaming of me in it every night since i saw it. Its perfect for my cruise ill be going on in June. Don't you think this is very Florida Keys - Esq? lol
Ever since I could remember, the plan of going to college and the general importance of education has been drilled into my head; really to the point where it wasn't ever even a question. I didn't grow up with those lassie - fare parents that gave me an option of taking a year off or just working some 9 to 5 or just plain mooching till I figured out what I wanted to do. Nope. Being breed of a nurse turned attorney mother, and a mailman turned real estate investor father; I was taught you can do whatever you set your mind to as long as you have your degree, but you're going to get a degree. So in a round - about kind of way, I ended up study what I love (fashion) in the city I love (chitown all day) at the prestigious Columbia College Chicago, (which I have come to love) so everything was perfect now, right? Wrong.
One day much like several others I would incur, I left the house with 50$ and came back with 5$, the majority of which was spent on school supplies; and after 2 years including many days of scenes like this, it finally clicked. I snapped. Why is it that we as college students bust our asses in school, get every kind of loan possible, and sign away our future life savings with promissory notes? Does it really even matter what school we go to as long as we have a legit degree and extensive resume? It seems unthinkable but lets be honest, I'm in school for fashion business, I can very well just drop out and go work for a company and make my way up to the position I'm going to school for. Even a design student with enough constructional knowledge could impress a designer and intern their way to the top like a lot of current designers have(a la Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors), or sell their clothes out of their dorms (a la Alexander Wang). So is the degree and the money we're spending to earn it worth the financial hole were digging for ourselves?
Recently I decided to transfer to a more traditional university. In the fall I will be attending Northern Illinois University. I will still be studying fashion just under a different name. Many people have criticized this choice. But among other numerous reasons to my change of institutions the biggest would be that I have come to the conclusion that it is not worth it to me to spend all this money at a private college in the city of Chicago, when I can go to a cheaper school and get an equivalent education. When I think of the classmates I'm leaving behind at Columbia, I think of how they're going to be paying off those 20k + loans 3 to 6 months after graduation and I'm convinced that their the foolish ones. I mean can I be real? We (seeing as I still currently attend Columbia) go to an ART school. We're 'art' majors. A friend of mine knew of a Columbia student who recently dropped out. At first this idea seemed like suicide to me, but when I inquired why the promising young artist decided this, she said he replied "because I pay 30k a year to paint". Yep, pretty much.
I've seen that same scenario happen numerous times. The friends I had coming into Freshman year, split into half. Transferring to schools like Moorehouse, UIC, and Roosevelt. And not just art students in the south loop circle of School of Art Institute, Columbia, and The Art Institutes alike. Friends from all different schools: Mizzou, U of I, NYU, Howard...we all pay insane amounts of money every year to earn a degree that may or may not, grant us the degree that the baby versions of ourselves (or for some high school versions) always wanted. Not to mention the fact that I am a fashion student, which most consider more of a hobby then a career option, to my complicated complex in the pursuit of education. And what if, as a fashion student, we didn't go to one of the top fashion institutions of this country such as Fashion Institute of Technology, or the infamous Parsons or Pratt Institute or FIDM? Does that limit us to lower positions like 'regional coordinator' or 'unknown designer' behind big brand names? Does that mean are dreams and aspirations are any less within reach? Who really knows?
Not that I'm knocking any of those positions or schools or career paths, to each its own. But that being said, the conclusion I have come up with in this conundrum that I don't know how else to describe but pure 'injustice'; is that the road in which you get to your destination doesn't matter nearly as much as the passion and perseverance that you hold onto every step of the journey. What really matters it what you do with whats dealt, and the willingness to do what it takes to get what you want. Its very possible that one day I might look back and regret transferring to NIU and not staying at Columbia, or not applying to Parsons, or maybe even dropping out of school all together, saving myself from loan sharks and working my way up at say Bloomingdales or Nordstroms. But each person must lay out the path for themselves that they see fit and that makes sense with your life and in your situations. One day I will be a fashion stylist, I will own my own boutique, and I will launch a fashion line. And nothing; not the school or city I'm in, or bad grade I may receive, or retail job I get fired from, is going to stand in the way of that. And that my friends, I feel is the answer to the injustice of our countries education system, and the definition of true aesthetic value: passion, sacrifice, and perseverance. #ThatIsAll
If there is one thing that I learned from high school (aside from random facts ill probably never need to know unless I'm on a game show, like the square root of a hundred and when exactly The Treaty of Versailles was made), is the importance of 'swag'. (I believe we have Soulja Boy to thank for a large part of that). And the biggest element of that being, how to dress. In the halls of most (or maybe just my) high school when girls wanted to come up on top, gain a little popularity they usually underwent the follow transformations: toned up, actually wore makeup, got a new hairstyle and left Discovery for Forever 21. The guys much more simply, invented themselves some good ol' 21st century 'swag'. Got themselves a hair cut, some fresh shoes, dabbed on some cologne and found some improved threads.
There's a famous quote by Marilyn Monroe, that says "if you can get a girl to laugh, you can get her to do anything". The updated version of that should be "if you can get some swag, you can get any girl you want". Lets face it, we women are suckers for guys who dress to a tee and carry confidence in all things they do. Boys who no one would take a second look at freshman year were voted prom king and best dressed senior year. What happened? they visited a barber, discovered the men's section at F21 and American Apparel, and recited to themselves "I'm the shit bitch". And girls were throwing their panties at their feet and FedExs their vajjs via fb mail. So in honor of this wide spread epidemic (that could only take place in the 21st century) I role out the Aesthetic Value Carpet and present to you my "best dressed" picks from Hollywood.
6. B.O.B
He takes geek chic to new heights. His eclectic yet classic nerdy style sets him apart in a world where everyone wants to blend in. Its like he wears some of the same basics as other well dressed male celebs, but its the details that make his style so....Bobby Ray. Its the glasses, the grandpa hat, the rolling up of the sleeves; it takes him from just another guy in a varsity jacket to "ummm can I be on team B.O.B.?". As my friend Katrina would say "his style is so hot". If this is how all the guy in Atlanta dress, i need to book a flight ASAP!
5. Chris Brown
He's come a long way from his saggy jeans and graffiti sweatshirts that he rocked when he was 16 to now. And he's also come a ways from his epic downfall with the whole Rihanna debacle. Hes living proof that what defines us is how well we rise after falling. All of a sudden people were forgetting about his domestic violence charges and falling back in love with Chris breezy. Needless to say his fashion sense evolved along with his maturity and career. He looks just simply delicious in his preppy hip hop style. The graphic shirts, the 80's revived jeans, the bow ties, the v-necks. Everything about his swag and his way of dressing makes you wanna forgive, and then immediately following, do him. He's another celeb that has embraced the men in skinny pants trend, and he works it. BTW who else can pull of that Sisqo - Esq hair color? Even as a blond he's still having more fun. And come on when seeing him on any appearance or new video or magazine spread who doesn't wanna take him down?
Being that I am a fashionably conscious individual myself and granted that I have an intense respect and appreciation for beautiful clothes mixed with the fact that I'm not a hater by any means I would like to pay tribute to those who have mastered the complicated balance of hair, makeup, accessories, appropriateness, and clothes. These individuals are in my opinion the top fashionistas with amazing personal style in Hollywood right now.
6. Leighten Meester.
Clearly all that time she spent on Gossip Girl and all those photo shoots shes been on has impacted her personal style. The girl can dress. She doesn't necessarily have one set style but whatever she wears is usually always perfect color, proportion, cut and detailed to fit her. She takes lots of risks (the bang, the tuxedo at an awards show) which I completely appreciate, and which I think every woman should, especially in her early twenties.
5. Lauren Conrad.
Being that I'm an advent fan of hers in general; one thing I did pick up on, beyond her delicious choice in men (albeit not of quality) and her friend drama and her ability to only shed one perfect mascaraed tear (just kidding) is her fashion sense. From watching her on Laguna Beach to watching her on the Hills, I noticed her style has definitely changed and for the better. From flip flops to pretty much exclusively heels, from tank tops to cocktail dresses and rompers she has definitely grown into a very grown up style. She has a degree from one of the top fashion colleges in the nation (FIDM) and her studies of fashion definitely shows.
4. Kim Kardashian
Probably surprised to see her on this list huh? Little known fact before she got famous for leaking a sex tape, before her whole family made E TV sky rocket in views, and before she opened 3 boutiques, she was actually a celebrity stylist. So obviously the girl knowns how to dress. In my previous post when I mentioned watching some TV shows mainly because of the clothes, Keeping Up with the Kardashians & Kim & Kourtney Take NY was some of them. She has this very sexy yet classic style she pretty much stays true too. Clearly black and red and animal print are among her staple items and they work for her. My guess? She probably also has a personal tailor cause the fit is usually impeccably too. All the Kardashians dress cute in my opinion but Kim definitely sticks out.
3. Nicole Richie
I was never really a fan of the boho style before her but she definitely sold me on it. Even though her style seems to always be going through a metamorphosis the basis of it remains modern bohemian with a touch of basics and emphasis on accessories. Any new trend in accessories, fringe, huge glasses, hobo bags, bangles, hug cocktail rings; she embraces with class and sophistication. I guess its fairly easy to be on trend when you're 5'1" and 100 pounds, but what she lacks in dimensions she definitely compensates for in aesthetic value and personal style. I must say I'm not really a fan of her clothing line Winter Kate, but I am a fan of House of Harlow 1960 and her own style, (which much I'm sure is thanks to her personal stylist and friend Rachel Zoe).
2. Kate Hudson.
Another fan of the bohemian chic style. She also understands the beauty in classics and simplicity. Not only is she gorgeous herself but her style is bananas. Definitely not one to be labeled that "frumpy mom" style if i could be the cool hot mom like her when i have kids, that would be enough for me. I also like that her hair pretty much stays the same (wavy and down), and her makeup is usually natural and consistent. But the mix of American classics and 70's revolutionized is the perfect medley of a conscious style star. And clearly I am not the only one who agrees seeing as shes been on People Style Watch cover at least 3 times.
1. And now, for the BADDEST bitch of them all. My most favorite fashionista......Zoe Saldana.
I swear to you this woman can do no wrong. Its like her life model is "See no evil, Speak no evil, Wear no evil". I'm pretty confident in saying shes never been on the worst dressed list. Shes what the retail industry calls a "category killer". Across the board she just kills it, evening wear, couture, even pictures of her just out and about she looks better than most people on a good day. Idk if she uses a stylist or not but either way she's KILLING THE GAME. Sometimes when I see one of her outfits I literally have no words for how perfectly styled she is. Shes definitely #winning. & #thatisall.
