Fashionable Over Frumpy

Well it looks like winter will be arriving in CNY a little sooner than all of us had planned. Whether we like it or not, it’s time to pull the sweaters and coats out of the closet and pack up your tank tops and flips flops. That light coat that got you through the chilly nights in late August and September is just not going to cut it from here on out. This doesn’t mean you have to stuff yourself into a puffy, down feather filled parka  just yet, instead take yourself shopping for a new coat that will last you for years to come.

To give you an idea of what you should look, your best bet will probably be a classic pea coat, which is both functional and fashionable. Pea coats come in a range of patterns and colors now days but one of the best coat purchases I have ever made was a hooded, grey, double-breasted pea coat.

Above are three coats that look extremely similar in style and color. The only difference is their prices.  The coat on the top is a Belted Wool Coat by Miu Miu, which can be purchased at MyTheresa.com for a cool $1,827.oo The coat in the middle is a Belted Fleece Coat and can be found at Forever 21 for only $24.80, which you cannot beat when it comes to Winter fashion….I’m just sayin’. The coat on the bottom is a Grey Wool-Cashmere Double Breasted Belted Coat by Marc New York and can be purchases on BlueFly.com for $261.99.

The great thing about a coat like the ones shown above is that they will never go out of style. Pea coats were worn by our mothers, grandmothers and probably great grandmothers and have still manged to stay on Winter trend lists year after year. With that said, ditch your Northface fleece or favorite sweatshirt this Winter and slip into something warm and fashionable like the coats discussed here.

8 ways to wear a white t-shirt

1. not ready to put away your favorite dresses yet? throw one on over a white t-shirt and ta-da! you have an outfit that will work with the changing seasons we are now encountering. pair with leggings or opaque tights.

dress: $22 at forever 21

 

2. not ready to bundle up in a bulky, wool scarf yet? bring out your inner punk and wrap a checkered scarf around your neck to add a little color to your outfit.

scarf: $10 at a stand at warped tour lol

 

3. add a professional flair to a t-shirt in jeans with a button up jacket or blazer. works for casual Fridays at the office or with heels for a night out

blazer: $30 at kohl’s

 

4. if you are short on time and have absolutely nothing to wear, throw on a piece of statement jewelry to add instant style to your white t-shirt.

necklace: $8 at an antique show

 

5. just because winter is around the corner, it doesn’t mean you have to dress in boring shades. let the color live on in the form of brightly colored cardigans!

cardigan: $15 at old navy

 

6. if your not into the checkered scarf look or think it’s totally “out”, try a silk scarf that even your granny would be proud of.

scarf: $6.99 at forever 21

 

7. if you haven’t heard by now, plaid is in. very in. wear open or closed over your t-shirt with some layered necklaces to avoid the “farmer effect”.

shirt: $15 at forever 21

 

8. keep warm this fall with an Amelia Earhart inspired leather bomber jacket. looks great with jeans & uggs for the cool days that are upon us.

jacket: $29 at target

 

want to know other ways to get more wear out of those basic items in your closet? suggest some items for me to review and see what I can come up with! you never know what new ideas you will get… I’m just sayin’

Forever 21 (even though I’m 22)

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Forever 21 is in no way a new discovery among us trend shoppers out there, in fact it’s more of a gathering place. 90% of my Friday afternoons at college were spent at Eastview Mall in Rochester, sorting through the racks of wild colors and crazy prints in search of that perfect outfit (or outfits!) to wear out that weekend. For a college student, this shopping ritual was manageable considering you spent on average $25 per outfit there.

 

Many people have mixed feelings about the shopping haven though. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that these clothes are not made of the best fabrics and that they will probably only last you a season, which confirms why they are given prices that are hard to ignore. Which is exactly why people who shop at Forever 21, love Forever 21. If you are big into trends and making a statement with what you wear, then this is the place for you. The store bases its lines around what is “in” at the moment, which then turns into disposable trends for us shoppers. I’ve definitely been a victim of the Forever 21 effect by buying something that was in one day and not so in the next. But you somehow convince yourself that it was a good buy anyways because you spent a grand $15 on it.

 

It’s a fact that you will walk out of that with at least several items you know you don’t need and probably won’t wear, but that’s the fun of it. I’ve purchased pieces from Forever 21 that to this day, are hanging in my closet with the tags on them. But just the other day, I was looking for something fun and different to wear to work and found a shirt that I had bought about 2 years ago and ::poof:: it was like I had made and instant purchase from my closet the second I ripped off the tag.

 

I made a visit to my local Forever 21 here in Syracuse today and made lots of fun purchases in order to get ready for fall. I got 2 “wintery” dresses, a white oversize button up, black leggings, charcoal and cobalt blue tights, a funky headband that only Blair Waldorf would wear, all for under $80. I had to force myself to leave the store before I even made it to the accessories section. If you know me at all or have had a glimpse of my jewelry collection, you would know why I do NOT need to even glimpse at any rings, necklaces, bangles, or earrings…I’m just sayin’

 

So there’s my rave about Forever 21 and love for the fact that I can feel perfectly alright about buying a bag full of cute clothes for myself without breaking the bank.