Monday, March 16, 2015

We Get Inspiration from the Media

A lot of our fashion trends come from movie characters.  Movies inspire fashion in so many ways.



Serena van der Woodsen- Gossip Girl



Blair Waldorf- Gossip Girl



Cher Horowitz- Clueless




Elle Woods- Legally Blonde




Holly Golightly- Breakfast at Tiffany's



Andy Sachs- The Devil Wears Prada



Carrie Bradshaw- Sex and the City








Fashion Trends in College

We all know that there are universal fashion trends that we follow.  Maybe everyone is wearing white jeans.  Or floral kimonos are in style.  My favorite was back in high school when yoga pants became a trend.  First couple week you see people starting to wear them.  Then, all of a sudden, BAM! Yoga pants are everywhere! It was like the entire female student body went out and bought a pair.

There are many trends out there that get started, but have you ever thought of college fashion trends?  Each campus, besides wearing their school logos and spirit wear, develop a campus trend.  I guess being in close quarters with people in your own private community results in the creation of trends.

Let's take a look at some major universities.
These trends are based on how the students dress, so if these school were a store these are the stores that they would be...

Princeton University would be J. Crew.  Here the student like the wear argyle and pearls.  This is an Ivy League school, and it's Princeton...what else should we have expected.


The University of California would be American Apparel.  These people aren't too concerned with fashion because they are living by the beach.  They are more into the colorful shorts and fun tanks.




New York City Art Schools would be Urban Outfitters.  Here you will see students with their scarves, tanks and skinny jeans.  You will also catch them wearing sunglasses, even indoors.


Marquette University would be American Eagle.  People at Marquette are very laid back.  The campus isn't too trendy and dresses more simple in t-shirts and jeans.



Villanova University in Pennsylvania would be The North Face.  Majority of campus is seen in North Face coats and light jackets.  Rain is a huge factor so students always have their bright colored umbrellas and rain boots.  


Have you ever noticed a trend at your school?

I personally feel that the people at my school have such a diverse style that I wouldn't even be able to classify my school as one store.  I feel like that is a good thing because it shows that everyone has their own style and you don't see people dressed the same walking around campus.


Songs to Get You Pumped for Going Out

When I am getting ready to go out I like to turn up the music and listen to songs that pump me up and get me ready for going out.  Whether your sitting in your chair applying your make up or running around the room looking for your clothes, here is a playlist to get you motivated to look your best.

Fancy- Iggy Azalea



Louboutins- Jennifer Lopez





Fashion!- Lady Gaga




Supermodel- Taylor Dayne





Beautiful- Christina Aguilera



Sexy and I Know It- LMFAO





Vogue- Madonna




Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)- Beyonce




Suit & Tie- Justin Timberlake

   



Picture Perfect- Chris Brown




Check out YouTube for more songs and videos.
Also, my personal favorite is Spotify.  Spotify is perfect for listening to playlists that will fit the mood you're in and the type of songs you want to listen to.







Thursday, March 12, 2015

Spring Break Style

It's almost here, the week that has been on our mind and distracting us from our studies.  Yes, I am talking about spring break! Sprangggggg breakkkkkkkkk!


You have probably already been seeing the pictures on Instagram and the videos on snapchat.  People are living it up in PCB, Cancun and other beaches around the country.  If you happen to be one of these lucky people you are going to need to know what to bring with you on your adventure.

Here's a quick packing list for you all...

1.  Swim suits

You cannot go to the beach without a good bikini, or a few.  If your are going to be on a week you can expect to be wearing one everyday.  Victoria's Secret swim collection has  a wide variety of stylish swimsuits to choose from.  They are definitely worth the investment.




2.  Cropped tops

    Nice weather means its time to break out the cropped tops.  March weather can be hit or miss, but       you can pair them with high waisted pants, shorts or skirts.



3.  Crew necks
   At night, especially on the beach it gets colder when the sun goes down.  If your hanging around        outside or sitting by the sand you are going to want to stay warm.



4.  Dresses/Rompers
   
Warm weather means we can finally wear dresses.  We wear dresses for a day at the beach or a night out for dinner.  When I go on vacation I will wear a dress almost everyday.
    











      














Campus Sidewalk or College Runway?

When we think of stereotypical college fashion, we think of sweatshirts, sweatpants and hair in a bun.  This may seem like the best option when you're coming off of 4 hours of sleep and have a bio lab to get to, but we don't have to follow the stereotype.  Let's prove to people that college students don't live in sweatpants.

Campus is a place to show off your style and show that you care about getting ready in the morning.  Everyone has their own style whether its skirts and blazers, floral dresses, loose fitting sweaters, leather jackets or colored pants.

I can tell you that people notice when you come to class dressed up or even just to the library.  I remember my first week of college, a couple people in the bookstore told me that they appreciated the fact that I have been dressing up everyday instead of throwing on some comfy clothes.  People take notice of these things!

There is a lot of energy is seeing a girl in a pair of high-heels.  Trust me its not always because they are comfortable to wear.  We see a lot more people now upping their game and showing off their style.

An outfit can say a lot about your personality and set you apart from others, while also inspiring others and setting trends.








Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Kiss Me I'm Irish

I am actually not Irish so I guess no kisses for me on St. Patrick's day.  But, the phrase "Kiss Me I'm Irish" happens to be a fashion statement on this holiday.  You will see girls wearing these shirts, even guys sometimes.















There are also the shirts for the people like me "the pretenders" that pretend to be Irish for the day.















 The phrase comes from the legend of the Blarney Stone that was set in the wall of the Blarney Castle Tower in Ireland.  Kissing the stone was believed to bring the kisser a gift.  A woman cast a spell on the stone to reward a king who had saved her.  When the king kissed the stone he was given the ability to speak sweetly and convincingly.  It was crazy what people used to do to kiss the stone.  Kissing the Blarney stone brings you good luck so if you can't kiss the stone the next best chance of getting good luck is "kissing an irish person."

Let's just take a minute to think about the number of lips that touched the stone over those 500 years...

It is interesting to see where this fashion trend originated from and to know that it isn't just something that a bunch of girls made up to get kissed.  It still is the main reason most people wear these shirts though.

If you really want to show you St. Patrick's Day spirit and dress in all green, then you should bring your shamrock pride downtown Chicago to the St. Patricks Day parade this Saturday March 14th.
Put together your craziest outfit because in Chicago there are no limits on how far people are willing to go when it comes to St.Patty's Day fashion.

I have made it a tradition since I've been in college to go with all of my friends.  It's not only a great time, but a lot of fun to dress a little crazy!






















Monday, March 9, 2015

Spring is Right Around the Corner

It has finally arrived! This morning I walked out of my room with only a light jacket on.  The sun is out, the snow is melting and the weather is above 40 degrees.  Life is good.

With this enjoyable spring weather come spring apparel.  Say goodbye to puffy winter jackets, gloves, scarves, hats, winter boots...should i keep going?  And say hello to jean jackets, dresses and WHITE.  Yes, I follow the rules of wearing white.  It is a fashion faux pas to wear white after Labor Day and before Memorial Day.  Now there are some exceptions to this rule of course and it can be bent.

Fashion Week occurred recently and all the new styles and trends were revealed for this upcoming spring.  Let's take a look at what we should be looking forward to!  


Trend #1:  Shirtdresses




Is it a shirt or is it a dress? It's both! This new style of a dress has the top of a shirt button down and collared while also being long enough to pass for a dress.  Add a belt around the waist and you've got a perfect outfit that is casual and cute.  





Trend #2:  Yellow



Okay, most people will say that yellow is not the color for them and it is usually not people's first choice for clothing.  But hear me out.  There are all different shades of yellow, you can find one that fits you.  Yellow is a a fun and happy color.  It will make you stand out this spring.




Trend #3:  Black and White

This is nothing new.  Black and white is a trend that will never die.  I personally always gravitate toward black and white clothes.  I will go shopping with strong intentions of buying a purple top or bright colors, but I will leave the store with something black or white.  This spring people are getting creative with these colors.  Make your black and white wardrobe interesting with textures and patterns.  Circles, polka dots and checkered looks are especially popular this year.  



Trend #4:  One-Shoulder Cuts


The new thing this year is showing shoulders.  I've even noticed walking through the mall that so many shirt are one-shoulder or off the shoulders.  These shirts are perfect for vacations or being outside in the warm weather.  And at night they make the perfect top for date night.  





Trend #5:  Obi Belts


For those of you who don't know what an obi belt is, don't feel bad i didn't know either.  It originated in Japan and was part of the Japanese fashion culture.  They would tie them around dresses, kimonos and they were even used in martial arts.  This is the new and one of the most flattering fashion statements of the spring.  They are worn to accentuate your waist and work best for dresses, jumpsuits and trench coats.   



Visit this Spring Couture site to see more of the best looks and styles for this season!