Thursdays on First

Every Thursday in the city I live there is an epic street fair. It has food vendors, crafts, and concerts along with hundreds of people mingling about. It is the perfect time to show off my emerging tan (even though I wear sunscreen religiously) and my new summer outfits. Last week was a scorcher both day and night; just a reminder from Mother Nature that we are currently in the hottest season of the year. Well Mother Nature cannot dictate my fashion choices. During fun summertime events, such as concerts or street fairs, it is best to take advantage of tube tops, sundresses, shorty shorts, and sandals. Show off that beautiful body that God gave you!

To prevent myself from feeling like a hot dog in the roasting heat I chose a short and sweet strapless sun dress. I knew that while walking around for hours I would not attain those horrid strap tan lines, especially since I was wearing SPF 50. I also paired a stylish fedora with the outfit to protect my scalp and face from the blistering, cloudless sky. In addition, hats keep hair color from fading due to excessive sun exposure. Hats always have a double purpose; trendy fashion accessory and head/hair protector. I went with my "go-to" rose gold Tiffany necklace and a classic Fossil rose gold watch to tie it all together. I always get this feeling of victory when I can supplement an outfit with matching jewelry.

I had the clothing and accessories picked out, now I had to decide upon the right shoes. There were several choices laid out in front of me; wedges, flats, or boat shoes. Each of them worked perfectly, however, each provided a completely different look. I wanted to make sure that I made a statement with my outfit since I would more than likely run into people I knew. Ultimately, I opted for the wedges. Wedges are always an magnificent option for ladies with large calves, such as myself. I love to add a little bit of height to elongate my legs, particularly when I am wearing a shorter dress. Basically I used a simple template (the sundress) and added accessories to make it faultless.

Here are the items that I used in my outfit:
-Sundress: Gilly Hicks, $10 (clearance from previous summer season)
-Fedora: Target, $11.99
-Wedges: Macy's, Style&Co, $33.04 (originally $59, discounted to $41.30 with a 20% off coupon)
-Rose gold Fossil watch: Lord and Taylor, $86.50 with the help of a coupon
-Rose gold necklace: Tiffany, $$$ (present from my amazing boyfriend)
*In a previous post I talked about where to buy "look alike" jewelry for cheap; definitely take advantage of these options!

This time of the year is great to start looking for cute summery dresses. Online shopping is convenient to check out the current deals, but sometimes you need to try on the dress to make sure you are comfortable with the fit and length. With places like Macy's and JcPenny's there are excellent sales and coupons to take advantage of. Make sure to check the clearance and sale racks before anything else; that is usually the only place I shop due to my college budget. You can normally find superb items for cheap. Who does not like to save a little $$$. Girls should not have to sacrifice their fashion wardrobe for other groceries or gas. Ok, maybe shopping for clothes has to be put on hold sometimes because of a college budget, but, it should not be put to back burner forever if it makes you happy. Throughout my next few blog posts I will provide great places and tips to find epic fashion deals (let's just say some are pretty mind blowing). Keep an eye out!

Peace, love, and (fashion) happiness,
Belle
 

Summertime makes for some epic fashion chances

I know, I know, I know. I am so sorry, I have been on an extremely long hiatus from my blogging duties. I will be more on top of this site because I know all you crazy college girls are always looking for some fashion advice on a low budget (trust me, I am one of them as well). Let's just say it is a great time to begin anew. Summertime equals stellar adventures with equally stellar outfits. It is the season to take risks and find your "fashion self."
I have a great outfit to show you guys today! I stepped outside this morning expecting a warm breeze and the feeling of the sunshine on my face. Instead I got stagnant heat and a cloudy sky. Beads of sweat running down your face is never a great thing to accessorize with. My outfit goal today was minimal clothing for the extreme heat and bright colors for the lack of sun without looking like a floozy. There can be a fine line between looking cute for the daytime and looking cute for the bedroom when wearing items such as crop tops, bodycon dresses, or daisy duke shorts. I love each of those pieces of clothing, but they must be worn properly. In your 20's you want to establish a positive fashion reputation, one you can grow with for years. That isn't to say you should not take the occasional risk with your clothing choices and step out of your comfort bubble. If it turns out bad or you feel extremely uncomfortable with your choices, then change. No biggies. Word of advice though; do not attempt these fashion risks before a big event, such as an interview or class presentation. Test them out when you go to the mall with friends or out to a party first; in other words, try new trends during appropriate occasions.
 
Ok, back to my outfit that I chose today. I began with a black crop top from Forever 21,then built my outfit around that piece. I wanted to keep more coverage on the bottom since the top was already pretty exposed. I dug through my skirts and came upon the perfect match. Since the top was solid black I chose a pleated, flower patterned skirt. It would give that "pop" of pattern to counteract the black on top. Not to mention the girly, flowery pattern would downplay the edginess of the crop top. To tie the whole outfit together I decided upon a yellow pumps and a flower necklace. Not everyone loves the idea of heels during the day, so black or purple flats would be a great match as well. It works best to match the color scheme that is already established in the skirt. The draping of the necklace is perfect for the high neckline. You want to chose a necklace that is not too tight around the neck and not one that hanging too low on the chest. The picture helps to depict the length that I am referring to.

Here are the items in my outfit today:
-Crop top: Forever 21, $7.80
-Pleated, flower skirt: Material Girl, Macy's, $10 (it was on the clearance rack this past fall)
-Yellow pumps: Worthington, JcPenny's, $14
-Flower necklace: Charlotte Russe, $6

Such a simple outfit altogether. I am sure most of you ladies have something similar to these four items shoved in your (too small ) closet somewhere. With this outfit I was able to stroll around town without dying of heat exhaustion or become a sweaty mess. In addition, I received a few compliments during my errands; this definitely meant it would be perfect for my blog post today.
I hope that I was able to help at least one girl out there looking to sport her crop top or find a new summer trend to show off to her friends. Take risks, it is summer! Embrace the heat and the cute trends.

Peace, love, and  (fashion) happiness,
Belle