Summer in the City

For the last week or so, I've been interning for a very cool jewelry designer in New York (Robin Rotenier, check him out). The studio is located right in the middle of the diamond district in midtown Manhattan, aka between Times Square and Grand Central. PLUS, across the street is the Conde Nast headquarters. What with the jewelry people and the magazine people, there is always very fashionable crowd out and about while I'm working. As an avid people watcher, I'm constantly paying attention to what everyone is wearing in order to find some inspiration for dressing like a fashion person when the temperatures are climbing above 80 in New York City.

Most of these fashion editors look very thrown-together-at-the-last-minute chic. There's usually a solid amount of walking involved in the job, so I spot a ton of flats and comfortable wedges. Also, of course in New York, all black is often a staple with accents of leopard, denim, or gold. SO! Here is my example of how to dress like a New York fashion editor, without giving your feet blisters, sweating in the summer heat, or over-dressing:

I paired a sporty tank top with a very on-trend perforated skirt, all black of course. Leopard flats for comfort and style with a statement choker necklace and stacking rings. And on top we have a distressed denim jacket for those chillier rainy mornings!

1. Theyskens Theory tank from Net-A-Porter, 2. Kaneo laser cut skirt, 3. Jessica Simpson flats from Lord & Taylor, 4. Necklace from Baublebar.com, 5. Stacking rings from Baublebar.com, 6. Denim jacket from Topshop

Crop Tops and Neon and Rompers Oh My! Coachella is Here!

Though I'm not a huge music festival goer (extensive periods of sun exposure and general lack of funds tend to hold me back), I absolutely love stalking their street style pics to find summer fashion inspiration. Festivals like Coachella tend to bring out all the craziest out fit combinations that celebrities and fashion darlings can come up with making it an awesome place to find ideas for how to stand out once warmer weather finally hits.

This year I noticed lots of print mixing, 90's style sundresses, bright bright colors, rompers, and cut outs (plus the obligatory handful of overalls). While this stuff might not be too practical for your corporate summer job, it's definitely a great way to find something awesome to wear to have a little fun on your days off.

via Refinery 29

Spring Has Sprung (almost)

At long last we've finally seen the sun following what feels like an entire year of a Polar Vortex ridden winter. This week the temperature rose above 50 (so warm!) and my mind immediately flew to the spring trends I've been DYING to wear but have been unable to as a result of the parka permanently attached to my body. While I know this warm front probably won't last as long as I hope, these trends won't be leaving my mind any time soon.

Crop Tops

Though they require very very careful execution, crop tops are still everywhere right now. Paired with a high waisted skirt to show a little sliver of skin, crop tops are both cooling (super handy for those unexpectedly hot spring days) and fashionable.

via Pursuit of Shoes

Layers

When will layers ever not be in? For spring I love layering a light jacket or long sleeves on top of shorts or a skirt. It keeps you warm for the cool spring morning, it's easy to remove later on, and the balance between less skin showing on top and more on bottom always works out well.

via Sincerely Jules

Statement Pants

In the world of fashion everything can be a "statement" something. Right now, It's pants. And I don't hate it. I've got a pair of awesome silk pants from H&M that have been calling my name all week. Once the temperatures are officially on the rise, find yourself some crazy looking pants and rock them all the way through the summer.

Via Anthropologie

Mini-Dresses and Sky High Heels

Yet another trend that never goes out of style, mini-dresses, especially those with a higher neckline, are always awesome. Paired with some chunky, towering heels this look makes your legs go on forever and it's absolutely perfect for the warmer weather.

via PopSugar

The Big Transition

Nothing is harder than sorting out what to wear during those in-between months. Y'know when you can feel the next season coming, and with it a whole slew of fashion trends, but it's not quite here yet? These are the months in which I manically search my wardrobe for something that both looks relatively normal, if not stylish, and manages to carry me through the ever-changing temperatures/precipitations of the day. For the most part, I rely on a carefully thought out layering system to get me through, but on the days when I find the motivation to really dress to impress, here's some of my go-to winter-spring transitional tips.

I'm a huge fan of stripes and florals both as an outfit combination and as transitional pieces in general (each in all shapes, sizes, and colors as well). It's important to keep in mind when mixing patterns, however, that the size of each needs to balance the other, like how the slimmer stripes on this Alice & Olivia tee blend seamlessly with the big, bold florals of the J.Crew skirt. Another awesome way to find the middle ground between overly spring-y florals and all-black winter darks, is to blend the two with a floral print on the cooler side of the color spectrum. I love a dark floral year round, but it works especially well as a transition piece through the months of March, April, and May. As far as shoes go, it's probably best to play it by ear, swapping booties for flats for heels depending on the weather, but who could resist these Zara pumps with this outfit? Not me, clearly. Throw on some geometric Madewell jewels and top it all off with the god of all transition seasons, a classic Gap denim jacket. Warm, durable, and easily removable, this jacket will get you through the morning rain and look just as cool tied around your waist (ooh so 90's) later in the day.

1. Gap denim jacket, 2. J.Crew floral skirt, 3. Alice and Olivia cropped striped shirt, 4. Zara heels, 5. Madewell studs, 6. Madewell necklace, 7. Madewell rings

London Fashion Week Street Style

While I'd love to cover every show at NYFW, London, Milan, and Paris instead of writing papers and studying for midterms, it's simply not possible. But! To give you a little taste of the awesomeness that is London Fashion Week, here's a peek at some of the UK's killer street style.

via The New York Times

Winter is Here (and it's trying to kill us)

Considering the fact that Ann Arbor's windchill has dropped back down to -20 degrees today, I spent my morning attempting to craft the warmest outfit possible without sacrificing comfort or style. I ended up in a thick fisherman's sweater from Old Navy, olive green chinos from Gap, and a hand knit scarf. (Currently I'm still pretty warm and only a little uncomfortable) But then there's the question of what to wear tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that. So below is my ideal outfit (meaning if I had the money for some classy Isabel Marant and Rag & Bone) for the duration of this absurd weather.

1. J.Crew Parka, 2. Citizens of Humanity Jeans, 3. J.Crew Marled Sweater, 4. Rag & Bone Moto Boots, 5. Isabel Marant Layered Necklace, 6. Charlotte Simone Fur Scarf Cuff, 7. ASOS Beanie

Miroslava Duma

I've always loved her, but lately I've been really inspired by the style of former Harper's Bazaar Russia editor and current freelancer, Miroslava Duma. She's simply adorable in everything she wears and for someone so tiny she pulls off volumos clothes exquisitely. I also appreciate how playful and versatile her style can be.

Feast your eyes:

The Best of the Best

Follow these blogs if you know what's good for you:

1. The Sartorialist

Street style photographer, Scott Schuman, has an eye for the unique, the interesting, and the well styled.  His work is inspiring and exciting to scroll through and I highly suggest checking it out if you're in the market for a classic street style blog.

2. Ring My Bell

You may recognize Ashley Madekwe from Revenge, but I've been following her blog since well before she became a part of Emily Thorne/Amanda Clarke's complicated and honestly, at this point, confusing story. Not only is her style beyond awesome, but she's adorable, British, and far sweeter than her character of the same name.

3. Design*Sponge

I've developed a slight obsession with interior design in the last two years and when I need to indulge on some beautiful, creative home decor pics this is my go-to (also buy the book, it's fabulous). Design*Sponge has a whole slew of articles, from Before + After stories to DIY tutorials, all centered around the home. The best part? Sneak peeks into interesting people's well styled homes.

4. Cupcakes and Cashmere

The name says it all, Cupcakes and Cashmere is sweet, pretty, and welcoming. Emily Schuman (no relation to The Sartorialist... but how awesome would THAT be?) is a cute California girl who writes posts about DIY's, recipes, outfits of the day, home decor, and everything else you could ever blog about. If you're looking for a dose of girly, happy, fun, look no further.

5. The Man Repeller

Quite possibly my favorite blog of all time, Leandra Medine inspires readers to defy trends, try new things, and truly be themselves when it comes to fashion. To top it off, she's one of the most hilarious writers of a blog I've ever encountered and it's genuinely entertaining to read her opinions about fashion and the world as a whole. Despite the fact that she got married (which I'm still completely in denial about) The Man Repeller definitely has the right attitude about fashion and I totally support her style, writing, and awesomeness.

White Out

It's officially summer for me and with summer comes the rise in maxi skirts, neon, denim cut-offs, and, of course, the LWD (little white dress).

The LWD trend is a relatively recent phenomenon that can go one of two ways; either you run the risk of looking like a ghost and or hippie in a peasant shirt, or you run the risk of looking absolutely fabulous. As someone with incredibly fair skin, I'm talking FAIR here, people, I've been paying very close attention to how best to attempt this trend without blending into the equally pale fabric. I've discovered that the best way to pull this off is to actually not wear a LWD, but rather a LWO (a new acronym I'm trying out, that will definitely not take off, but that stands for Little White Outfit). Instead of a plain white dress, layer a bunch of white pieces together. This allows for a combination of shapes and textures that a typical LWD simply can't have.

Photo from: Because I'm Addicted

Photo from: Tumblr

Photo From: Fashion Toast