Guys, Let's Dress You Up.

Alright, I've gotten requests. Most guys like to dress up, they want to look good, all the time. They also want to impress us girls, so let's let them. So instead of wearing your t-shirts and jeans, switch it up a little.

Where you should shop: H&M, forever21, pac sun, kohls, and jc pennys have super good prices, and no huge logo name brands. If you're willing to spend more, urban outfitters, express, and banana republic are great. Ralph Lauren is always super nice for guys too.

Sweaters: Sweaters are cozy, therefore they make you look cozy. Got it? 

http://www.hm.com/  $29.95

 A classic v-neck is always classy. You can always wear a button down underneath and wear a tie(bow ties too) if it's a solid color.

http://www.forever21.com $34.90

Crew necks are good too. Solid colors or patterns. Wear button downs and ties underneath....and you could even wear a bow tie.

http://www.hm.com/ $39.95

hm.com $39.95

 Pullovers are always great too!

Cardigans: It's awesome when a guy can pull off a cardigan. Be daring, cardigans aren't only for girls. You can wear cardigans with t-shirts or button-down shirts underneath.

hm.com $49.95 

  Stripes!

I love this one with the graphic design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.forever21.com $29.80

jcpennys.com $24.99

 Flannels: I love flannels for guys. You won't look like a lumberjack...(unless you're wearing timberland boots, and wrangler jeans....don't do that). You can wear them buttoned-up or not. If you wear them open it's cool to wear them with solid colored t-shirts, or I just gave a suggestion to one of my best friends, wear your band t-shirts.

forever21.com $27.90

 

http://www.jcpenney.com/ $11.00 and comes in plenty of colors!

 

http://www.jcpenney.com/ $29.99

The Classic Button-Down: The art of wearing the perfect button-down. Casual without a tie, Formal with. Not cheesy at all with a bow tie. 

 You can find button-downs anywhere. It's a basic that will never stop selling. If you're looking for cheap ones you can go to forever21 or jcpennys. Even if your button-down is from walmart though, you can jazz it up.

1.) Tuck your shirt in or out, however you want, tucked in is more classy. Or unbutton it, wear it with t-shirts.

2.)Wear a tie. Alright, so I guess a lot of you still can't tie a tie. I'm always tying my friends' ties for them because I can, and they can't. Oh, and don't be that pathetic dweeb with the clip-on from 4th grade. 

So learn how to tie a tie. 

3.) Wear a bow tie. It's snazzy. These are more acceptable as a clip-on. If you want to be difficult here's how to tie one.

4.) Wear suspenders. 

Jeans: First rule. No girls skinny jeans. Repeat after me: I will not wear girls skinny jeans. Haven't you obviously noticed that the crotch is too high, along with the butt? You can buy jeans anywhere but ae.com(american eagle has durable, lasting jeans. Levis are great also, and they come in multiple styles. 

Pants: Pants are good. Classier than jeans, and in corduroy, khaki, or just dress pants. Don't get strange colors like light purple or any shade of pink. Shades of brown, burgundy, and black are nice.

A few tips:

-don't wear sandals with socks

-mocs and boat shoes are comfy. Boots are nice too.

-no fat tie knots

-no black socks with light pants. Black socks with black pants, please. 

-try on a peacoat. Wear a scarf with it? Just try it, take my word.(Not one of your moms scarves, maybe a nice plaid one).

-cut your hair

-Stay classy, be snazzy. 

What Should I Wear!?: The Big Date Debate

     The first thought on anyone's mind when asked on a date is usually: 'What should I wear???'. It's the major issue when it comes to a date, even if it's not the first date. I received a request for this one, so I'll give some tips and some outfits for all you clueless gals.

-You must look presentable. Let there be some effort put into your outfit(even if your date doesn't).
-You should look slightly dressed up, but not too much.
-Wear something you feel confident in.
 -Also something comfortable.
 -Nothing racy, over-confident...skanky. Yes, you want eyes on you, but your date's eyes; not the creeps or pigs around you.
-Be clean, wear your hair nice, put on some makeup.
 -You can still be yourself. Dress for yourself.

Day:
Weather you're going to a cafe, lunch, walking through a park or city, the movies, ice skating, etc. I'm gonna base this off of fall/winter since that's what's in season right now.
1.) Throw on one of your favorite pairs of jeans. You could also wear a simple skirt.

Jeggings are comfortable and simple. You could wear any jeans you want, just feel good in what you're wearing. This pair found at http://www.forever21.com where any pair of jeans is under $30. 

A super simple and comfortable skirt in a cute color and pleats is great.(Also forever21.com) You can pair it with some snazzy tights. Which you can find almost anywhere, I found some great pairs at JC Penny's:

 

jcp.com

   2.) Wear a simple shirt(see the theme here is simplicity, just for you) or a sweater.

This kind of a long-sleeved tee can go with jeans or a skirt and it's easy to match. This shirt also comes in black, white, purple, white w/black stripes, and black w/white stripes and it's only $12.95 at http://www.hm.com. You can then add a cute knit scarf. You can probably find one in the midst of your closet of winter coats or this one is from http://shop.pacsun.com/

A raglan shirt or cropped top is good too, comfortable. There are so many different cropped tops, haccis, raglans, and poncho shirts at http://www.charlotterusse.com/. 

Button down shirts like a flannel or even a plain button down are perfect too. If you have a khaki or corduroy skirt the flannel can match. These shirts found at americaneagle.com.

 3.) Shoes! This can be quite the dilemma. Do not wear heels. Definitely not on a casual daytime date!Your feet will hurt and you could end up walking taller amongside your date. Instead go for comfy. 

BOOTS BOOTS BOOTS... sorry it's kind of exciting when you see super cute boots you want. Everyone asks me about my own pair that look like these>>>
Boots are pretty much perfect for a date. They're comfortable and just plain cute. Each of these found at jcpenny.com for under $40. Most of these also come in black too.

You could also wear a pair of flats, casual sneakers, or oxfords.


Night:

hm.com

For fancy dancy dinners or whatever you feel qualifies.No pants. Blah. I feel like if I told you to wear pants, I could see this uncomfortable dorky looking girl in her black work pants sitting down to dinner with a guy who's face says oh dear. So strictly skirts and dresses. Snazzy tights work well with both...obviously. Now you don't need to stress out and be way fancy. I'm not talking like homecoming dresses don't worry. 

Some cute date dresses:

forever21.com

hm.com

forever21.com

forever21.com

forever21.com

hm.com

Some skirts too:

 All of these from forever21.com. Then you can add a pair of heels(don't be daring and try anything above 3 inches, you want to be comfortable not dying) and add a cardigan or a blazer. Remember to be simple and be yourself. And good luck too!

 
 

365 Outfits-Explained Thoroughly

     You definitely know her. She's that girl that must own the largest closet ever. Every day she comes into school wearing different clothes, it looks like she never wears the same thing twice. You pretty much despise and envy her just because she has perfect clothes and the wardrobe that doesn't repeat itself. How does she look so trendy every day?

-Reality Check-

     That's not even style. Repeat that to yourself, you don't want to be that girl. However, there are ways you can be better than that girl, with style and a smaller wardrobe.

Step 1.) Gaze into the vastness of your closet.

Step 2.) Find basic clothing you own-jeans, t-shirts, plain cardigans, flats, plain button-down shirts, etc.

Step 3.) Find key pieces of your wardrobe, meaning- jewelry, prints, skirts, tights(snazzy), scarves, shoes/heels, dresses, blazers, etc.

Step 4.) I'll help you with this one. This is so complicated, we're gonna mix your basic clothes and your key pieces...multiple times. Oh gosh. Let's think...

1. Jeans go with anything-casual or dressy, jeans are an unlimited go-to item for mixing outfits, you can literally wear them with t-shirts, blouses, blazers, heels/flats/sneakers, anything.
2. T-shirts are also a must-have. A white, black, or gray tee can be paired with jeans and flats for a minimalist look, then add a scarf, or wear a skirt, or a blazer, add jewelry.
3. Add a cardigan to almost any outfit, you can wear a printed tank with it for less drab. Wear cardigans with dresses, t-shirts, jeans, everything. It adds warmth. 
4. Button-down shirts are very versatile, they can be worn open, buttoned up a little, button up all the way. Also cuffs rolled down, up, or rolled up over a cardigan. They can be worn with pants, jeans, skirts, under the appropriate strapless dress. They can also be worn with bow ties and ties. It's classy and androgynous(adj. feminine menswear term for 2012).
5. Ballet flats are comfy and in neutral colors they can match many outfits. They look great with skinny or flare jeans, dresses, and skirts. In more flashy styles, flats can give an outfit a little jazz, wear a something simple and add some cute ballet flats.
6. Heels can make any outfit dressier, it's pretty much common sense. 
7. Scarves, are amazing, there are hundreds of different ways to wear them as well(ways to tie a scarf: texeresilk.com and www.scarves.net)
8. Jewelry can make the most simple outfit. You can wear jeans and a plain white t-shirt and layer on some necklaces, wear bracelets and rings, some earrings and you're good to go.
9. Tights. You can take a dress or skirt and make it snazzy, with snazzy tights. Patterned tights, colored tights, or be classy with black/nude/gray. 
10. Blazers can over over a variety of clothing. Wear it with a button-down for that authentic feminine menswear, show class with a tank, you can wear it with plain t-shirts or even band t-shirts, and wear it with sweaters too. 

My Secrets on How I Recycle Outfits:
-I have a pair of nude flats that I wear with a lot of different outfits.
-Flare jeans look killer with heels, but they're also great with flats.
-I love blazers. Everyone needs one, I usually wear them with a dress or jeans or shorts and tights.
-I have some dark blue jeggings that are comfy and look good with just about anything.
-I have this white-button down I bought a few weeks ago and I think it's my favorite. It's t-shirt material with 3 buttons, and it's oversize. I can wear it over leggings, with skinny jeans, or a skirt.
-I like to wear a cardigan over a button down shirt. Roll the cuffs of the button down over the cardigan sleeves.
-I wear my pearls with anything. Costume jewelry is usually cheap and are easy to layer.
-Scarves are great. I like putting less effort into my look sometimes, so I can throw on simple clothing and then grab a scarf.
-Sometimes I like to wear my dad's button down shirts or sweaters. They look good with a lot of things-jeans, leggings, tube skirts, etc.
-I put on suspenders to make an outfit fun.
-Same goes for snazzy tights.
-I wear my fake doc marten military boots with a lot of outfits, even with dresses or a fancy skirt.
My closet isn't really huge. I may have different outfits every week, but that's because I like to experiment by mixing different pieces.

Finally, some helpful hints:
*Experiment!
*Don't buy full outfits when shopping, keep in mind what can match with the clothing you already own.
*Don't be in a cycle with your outfits. That's weird. I don't wear the same outfit again for 2 or 3 weeks, sometimes maybe a month-I don't pay that much attention. I actually don't repeat a lot of outfits though because I like to wear different outfits and experiment.Everyone has favorite outfits however.
*Jeans can be worn more than once. They are made to be washed less so they won't fade, they're durable, and you can wear them more. About twice is ideal for me.
*Key pieces are absolutely key to a small wardrobe. I've said this before and it's definitely true.

That was a long post. Geez. Okay next post coming soon.

The Pleather Skirt....

I'm sure you've heard or seen a pleather skirt or maybe it's old news to you. Well this trend is trying to scale its way up the runway for fall and winter. I don't like it. It's not a cute casual look. I actually kind of like it as a more dressed up look, however it just feels tacky to me. The same with pleather pants...Olivia Newton is the only one allowed to pull them off.
<--This is a cute one. By the way it's only $11.50 at charlotterusse.com





This is not.-----> This is tacky. Very tacky. It could also send a bad message towards your personality...
I mean I'm all about dressing for yourself, but frankly wearing specific types of clothing you're obviously dressing for someone else. Believe me, we all know.



My tips for a pleather skirt are quite simple:
1.) If you're going to buy one, find one that makes you look jazzy, like a million bucks. Because you don't want to be tacky.
2.) In order to not look tacky, I'd advise you to stay away from any embellishments on the pleather, meaning-studs, diamonds, sequins, chains, etc.
3.) Black is perfectly classy, gold is too. Unfortunately almost any other color in pleather looks strange.
4.) Make sure the skirt is not too body constricting or short. It's edgy, don't make it even more racy.
5.) Pull them off plain or with a pair of black snazzy tights.

Honestly I don't think I'm buying one. Don't let me sway your decision though.

School Trends in Domination

For the 1 and a 1/2 months we've been in school, trends have already started, of course...some good, some pretty bad.

1. Tube skirts. You absolutely need to be careful when you choose to wear one. It has to be worn the right way, otherwise it looks really trashy. Like when you pull it all the way up to your crotch. Yeah, don't do that please. You also should not own too many, you'll be like that girl that wears them all the time, and that's not having style. Wear them with a classic button down, sweaters, and oversized t-shirts. I wouldn't recommend a crop-top though, because like Tim Gunn says, you can't have sexy on bottom and top. It's too provocative, leave some thought to the imagination.

2. Uggs. Ugh. Seriously? Get over them already. Yeah, they're a popular boot, however uggs have other great boot designs that aren't as drab and are way cuter than the classic trash look of Buffalo. Also, you can not wear them yet! Wait until you actually see frost on the ground, because right now you look like your feet are having massive sweat issues. It is also not appropriate to wear them with leggings or sweatpants.

3. Sweaters. Good trend. Cute, comfortable, and simple. Wait until the colder months come to wear the chunky one, but right now thinner sweaters are a perfect, cozy look. Watch color, though because you could end up wearing puke green or pumpkin or squash. Bleh.

Summer

Fall

4. Floral. Alright, here's what you need to know. There's a difference between summer and fall. Yeah, it's complicated for your brain, I know we'll get this all sorted out. Bright florals are for summer and more natural and neutral florals are for fall.
So stop wearing your summer dresses and you cheaply made, sold for an arm and a leg Hollister skirts. They should've been put away at the end of September.




5. Feathers. Very popular. In hair, jewelry, even on t-shirts. I'm not too fond of the hair trend, it's kind of tacky unless the feathers are a natural hair color. I like feather earrings but be careful with color, if you go too bright they look trashy. Dark colors and neutrals are pretty.

6. Tom's shoes. Becoming even more popular, and that's awesome, unless you're the person that had them years before everyone else. It happens, things become mainstream, it's part of every aspect of life. I still don't own a pair because of the price, but I'll most likely invest in them for next summer. I respect though, that they've become a trend, I mean you are helping the kids in third world countries that need shoes.

7. Lace. It's oh so feminine and a very soft look. Be careful. There is trashy looking lace that just doesn't look good. White lace has to be worn with the right things to look right. Lace can be fun to experiment with though because it can be worn in an edgy look.

8. Blazers. Yay, I love blazers, I own 3 and I need more. Every girl needs a classic black blazer in their closet, it's almost essential and can be worn over anything. The latest look I've seen shown out on a Banana Republic billboard is sweaters underneath blazers, it's risky, but I think I'll try it.

I think I'm done here. Make wise fashion decisions.

Let's be humble here...

For the past year I've wanted to pick a best dressed team at my school to write about on my blog. I've been doing a bit of observing and I've come to the conclusion that the best dressed team at frontier is........(insert drumroll here).....the cross country team! No, I didn't pick this team just because I'm a part of the team and I really like cross country. I picked them because each member of the team has their own unique style. Everyone always looks nice, they rarely dress down. You always see them boarding their bus to practice in skirts, dresses, ballet flats, cute cardigans and button-down shirts, heels, boots, converse, and of course all their different colored sunglasses (including the heart shaped ones). They also all love fashion! It's amazing how the team can shine with their winning streak and and how they dress no matter what the occasion. I'm so glad I joined cross country this year.

New posts coming soon on:older women and the dreaded mistake of shopping in wrong stores/juniors section of stores(I can't wait to rant) and winter trends to watch

TOGA DAY?!

This is a request. I like when you give me requests, it makes me know what you want to read, so I'm not spending days waiting for that random inspiration to fly by my face. So let's talk togas. Toga day is thursday at my school, and for the rest of you, maybe you've always wondered how you can make a toga. Or halloween is next month, so let's make last minute togas.
What you'll need to look like a greek god/goddess:
1 bed sheet
Some safety pins
Possibly another human to help you
Yup that's it. When you're done, you can add some Roman bling with fake leaves or ribbon.

So I've done my research and here's what I found:
1.) tieatoga.com sucks. Don't bother looking at the website.
2.)


This is a pretty good tutorial, short, easy and it's pretty.
3.)Also a good toga how-to and there's pictures! http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Toga-out-of-a-Bedsheet

4.)

This guy is kinda weird, but it's a short tutorial and it's easy. This one works for guys too.
5.)
This is also a good one, you don't have to wear a t-shirt underneath like the girl says.
6.)
Also a very good tutorial, maybe the best one, although the old guy is a strange.
7.) If your toga is too long once you make it you can knot it at the bottom, or before you even tie it on yourself fold the sheet less than halfway.
8.) Wear undergarments. This shouldn't even have to be said. Also wear shorts underneath too.

These were the best I found, I'm going to experiment with a sheet as well, if I find a way to make an easy and good looking toga I'll possibly post it here.

Good luck with your togas and here's a really bad and cheesy tutorial(just wait until you hear the music) to make you laugh and wonder if people have a life:

Homecoming...For the guys?!

Yup. I decided to do this post for you guys. Every homecoming, I see the same attire. Button down shirt and tie. Matching tie if you have a date, it's so cliche. You should stand out, because us girls always do. I mean it takes us forever to get ready, so you can put in a little more effort when it comes to your outfit.

TIPS:

• Do something different with your pants. I do love classic black but navy, khaki, and dark brown are highly acceptable. 
• Don't just wear a tie. Rock a tie, don't do drab colors. Instead wear a patterned tie or a bright colored solid tie. 
• As I'm mentioning a tie....Learn how to tie your tie. I know more than half of you don't know how to tie one. It's pretty bad when I'm the one who ties your tie for your sporting event or even your senior portrait. Now learn...

 

• Also...You could be daring and wear a bow tie! My favorite of course! It's snazzy and classy.
• Pair a matching button down shirt to your tie, in a vibrant color. Or if your tie is pretty jazzy wear a more plain colored shirt like white, pale light blue, gray, black, etc. 
• You can then....Wear some suspenders. I will be incredibly impressed. Other girls will be impressed haha. Suspenders and a tie/or bowtie is definitely classy. It's also not too fancy because you're not wearing a suit or tux. The perfect look is suspenders and a bowtie. A group of guys wore this look at junior ball and it was awesome. 
• When a guy does something risky in his ensemble, he should be confident about receiving compliments. 
• P.S. No white socks with dark colored pants. You will look like that dweeb. 
• P.P.S. No suits. Again you will look like that dweeb, it's only homecoming you shouldn't be too fancy.

How to Speak Like You Know More Than You Don't About Fashion

I hear a lot of people, especially during school, embarrass themselves when they compliment someone without knowing it. Actually, some of you don't even know you do it...Then other people start to use what you said and everyone starts using your words when they're wrong. I'm sorry, whoever you people are. I'm here to help you. I'm also here to help people who don't know what me or someone else is talking about when we comment on your clothes, and just people who want to speak fashion-savvy. I'm probably confusing you so......first lets go through trends. When someone says I like your:

Brogues or Oxfords(either one works). That is what these are called. Not to be confused with laceups or sneakers or boot things. If you're lazy just call them shoes.

sweater

sweatshirt

Sweater. See this is a sweater.



However this is a sweatshirt-->



And this is a cardigan below.

cardigan

These are called boat shoes. However if the brand is the ever-so-popular Sperry's you may call them Sperry's and that is the only time.






These are Tom's shoes, in actuallity these are espadrilles. If they don't say Tom's on them call them espadrilles.

This is a button down shirt or an oxford shirt.






                                 This is a flannel shirt. The pattern is flannel.---------->

This is a wedge.                                                                                             These are heels.  ------->          

<--------These are kitten heels.                           





These are boyfriend jeans. Also anything oversize can be in the 'boyfriend category' boyfriend cardigans, boyfriend oxford shirts, etc.

This is a cropped shirt.                 




                    

These are jeggings, you can tell because they're tighter.



I think I've covered all the clothing pieces i wanted to. So now you need some vocab to accentuate the clothes. Such as:

Snazzy (my personal favorite): adj. stylish, flashy. 

When you see something that catches your eye, it's vibrant and bold. It's definitely snazzy. You can also say jazzy too(another of my favorites)

Feminine: adj. having qualities traditionally ascribed to women, as sensitivity or gentleness.

When something has that soft look to it. Very pretty, flowy, gentle looking, dainty, girly.

Edgy: adj. daringly innovative.

Exactly the definition. Something daring or risky. Has that hard-edged feel. Usually black clothing or clothing with accents and embellishments of gold, silver, metal. Look at the shape, it's literally got an edge to it.

Grunge: noun. a style or fashion derived from a movement in rock music: in fashion characterized by unkempt clothing and in music by aggressive, nihilistic songs.

Very loose clothing that can look like it was thrown on, but look fashionable. Such as maxi skirts, cropped tops, etc. It's not an offensive term.

Savage: adj. fierce, ferocious, or cruel.

My art teacher Mr. Carlson, wants to spread this term around. I'm helping him, I like it. So it can describe animal print clothing, clothing with holes, anything that looks killer like very high heels, or exactly what the definition states; fierce, ferocious.


Now go out and compliment people on what they're wearing. Gain fashion insight, get inspiration, use correct fashion language, and all that jazz.


Definitions taken from dictionary.com .