Fall Into Fashion 2011

When it comes to the word "slacker" it could be my middle name in reference to the limited amount of blogging I did this summer. Yes, I could throw out a long list of excuses, but all I am going to say is... "I'm back and I'm sorry."

I have just recently joined with University Visitors Network (UVN) as one of their college fashion bloggers and I have to say I am really enjoying it. (You should check out their website too by the way.) So to kill two birds with one stone I decided to relate my post for both my personal blog and UVN's. So with that being said lets get this blog post startedddd!

Unfortunately my favorite season is over. RIP Summer 2011, you will be dearly missed.

As one season changes into another so do fashion trends. Hopefully everyone has been working hard this summer and was able to save up some extra cash for their new Fall 2011 wardrobe because this season there are some new and exciting colors, trends and accessories in store.

1. Mustard 

No not the condiment, the color. The hours I spend all summer long perfecting my sun kissed glow disappears completely when the weather starts to get cold. So if I were to wear this mustard color I feel like people would start to think I was sick. However, if you are someone who keeps your tan or cheats and goes to the tanning beds maybe you could give this color a try. Here are some affordable and trendy items.

Lyra Mustard Dress from Etsy

Mustard Yellow Lace Sweater from Etsy

2. Lace

Move over Victoria Secret lingerie apparel. You aren't the only one wearing lace this year. This is one trend you have to be careful with because if you overdo it with the "froufrou," the joke ends up on you. If there is one thing about fashion designer, Jason Wu it would be that he loves him some lace. Take a look at his RTW 2011 Fall collection. 

Images by: NewYorker

 P.S.- Yes that is a mustard colored skirt paired with lace. Two trends in one. Notice how Wu pairs one thing lace with a solid color avoiding too much pattern clash. Another tip to picking out your lace item is to avoid wearing too much of the cream color because then you just look like your grandma's curtain/tablecloth and who wants that? Not me.  But unfortunately us college students can't always afford to buy Wu's eclectic taste in lace, but there are some affordable, trendy solutions.

All items can be found at ModCloth

3. Vintage Chokers 

Dresses from the 60's and 70's have yet to fall out of style this year and with that being said, add a choker necklace and you have the very next trend. And this is no joke when I say the bigger and bulkier the choker, the more of a statement you are going to make. Here's a few I really liked.

Choker necklaces by Etsy

4. Bright Colors

This is one trend I never get tired of seeing from season to season and this Fall color is one thing that is not lacking. Just because it isn't summer anymore doesn't mean you should trade in your reds, yellows and oranges for browns, grays and blacks. Much like lace color should be worn in moderation. Take a look at some of the bold and bright colors incorporated in DKNY's Fall 2011 collection.

DKNY Collection- Photo Credit

Where to buy your bright colored clothes to stand out this Fall 2011?

All items can be found at TopShop

5. Plaids and Polka Dots

Tartan plaid and girly polka dots are two prints that seem to have taken off for Fall/Winter 2011. Take a look at the runway and how designers incorporated both designs in their collections and find out how you can get the look for less. 

From left to right, Rachel Comey, Steven Alan, Suno & Burberry. Photos: Imaxtree

Look for less? Items all available at ModCloth.

Keep it classy,
<3Elizabeth

Sunglasses at night= Tool

Splash Into Summer. Get the Look!

Well summer is officially here and what could be better than sunshine, sand and salt water? Oh I know. It’s the new fashion trends and with every passing season something exciting seems to blossom in the world of fashion. But when it comes to this season’s fashion the spectrum seems to be endless. Here are just a few of the most popular trends. 

Floral Print

         Even before the summer season officially kicked off, floral print seemed to be covering girls on campus from head to toe this past spring; literally. Girls were wearing the floral sunglasses, tops, high-waisted skirts and even their shoes were covered in plant life.  What floral print does for an outfit is add a little bit of a feminine touch. Even the top designers are including floral print in their Spring/Summer 2011 collections. Take a look straight from the runway.
 

Figure 1- D&G

Figure 2- Erdem

Figure 3- Jil Sander

But let’s face it. We are on a college budget. So what we are looking for is the cheap, but fashionable alternative to the newest summer statements.  

Forever21

Figure 4- Floral Escapade Dress Forever21- $12.50

Figure 5- Floral Print Dress Forever21 $11.50

Figure 6- Floral Slub Top from Forever21 -$13.80

American Eagle

Figure 7- AE Floral Pocket Cami $24.50

Figure 8- AE Floral Sweetheart Romper $39.50

Figure 9- AE Lace-Trimmed Floral Cami $24.50

Tribal Print

Not only has floral print been a popular pattern for summer, tribal print has also stepped foot into closets around campus. Want to add a little culture to your wardrobe? This print will do just that. So if you aren’t looking for the girly feminine style that floral print provides maybe try something a little more adventurous and ethnic. Here are some trendy options.

Figure 10- Tribal Cuffed Shorts Forever21 $15.80

Figure 11- Tribal Ikat Print Dress Forever21 $13.50

Bright Colors

And finally we have a trend that is back from the 80s. Can you guess it? If you guessed neon/bright colors you are right. If there is one thing that comes to mind when you think of summer it is bright and sunny so why not dress the part. Many of these bright and vibrant colors were featured on the S/S 2011 fashion runways with oranges and corals being the dominant colors. Just take a look at the color blocking on the S/S 2011 runway. If this doesn’t scream bright and bold I don’t know what does!

Image- http://mxdthingz.com/2011/05/11/hot-fashion-trend-2011-bold-colors-color-blocking-everywhere/

So you want the pulsating and vibrant look for less?

Dresses

Figure 12- Hera One Shoulder Forever21 $22.80

Figure 13- H&M Multistriped Dress $14.95

Figure 14- Fierce Blouson Dress Forever21 $27.80

Bottoms

Figure 15- Sparkle and Fade Paperbag Shorts Urban Outfitters $48.00

Figure 16- BDG Cigarette High-Rise Jean Urban Outfitters $58.00

Figure 17- Volcom Frochickie Short $24.99

Figure 18- RVCA Lotti Shorts $48.50

Keep it classy, 

<3 Elizabeth

Fanny packs, sunburn, bright colored t-shirts=TOURIST SEASON

Summer has officially hit and one thing is for sure, the tourists are in full swing. We have all seen them walking down the boardwalk with their cameras attached to their necks taking pictures of literally anything and everything. What exactly is a tourist? Well it is someone who doesn’t necessarily belong here, but is visiting anyways whether it is for the weekend or for the summer season.  How exactly do you spot a tourist? Well that’s easy.

Large families with color coordinated t-shirts. Haven’t you ever been to Disney World where there is an entire family in what I like to call, “a shade of obnoxious” or in other words some bright neon color so they can be easily retrieved if they were to get lost? These shirts don’t just temporarily blind you, but usually on the back they say, “The Jones Family.” Well, here it is relatively the same as Disney except most of the kids are on leashes and families all have on matching “Rehoboth Beach” sweatshirts.

The sun tan lines. Clearly these are vacationers that are so overly excited about finally getting on the beach and soaking up the summer sun that they don’t think they will need sunscreen the first day. That is until the later that night when they realize their skin resembles a lobster and for the rest of their vacation they are coated in sunscreen as white as their tan lines.

Image URL: http://www.tenerife-tattle.com/category/holiday-in-tenerife/tourist/

They feed the seagulls. As if the seagulls aren’t already annoying enough, flying over top of your head or landing close to your towel at the site of anything edible. Tourists don’t seem to realize that when they feed one seagull it becomes a stampede of birds flocking around you. Now for us locals this is one of the last things we want to deal with.

Image URL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/13strong/172199383/

The way they talk. It’s “Lewes” not “Lews.” Clearly if you ever have been approached by a tourist with a deer in a headlight look in their eyes when they are lost or have a question they typically pronounce many of the local spots completely wrong. As if the fanny pack, bright t-shirt, and your sun burn more red than lipstick didn’t give it away you had to speak.

Socks and sandals. You are at the beach where flip-flops are a vital part of the summer wardrobe. But the people that come to the beach wearing their flip-flops with white tube socks make me giggle especially when they actually walk on the beach. Why would anyone want to get sand in their socks?

Image URL: http://greaseormascarafashion.blogspot.com/p/fashion-faux-pas.html

So we salute you sunburned, fanny pack wearing, turtle pace walking tourists.  Because while it is entertaining to park yourself on one of the benches and go “tourist spotting” these are the people that keep our season running and without them many of us would not have summer jobs. 

Karl Lagerfeld takes on the Magnum…Magnum Ice Cream, that is

Karl Lagerfeld takes on the Magnum…Magnum Ice Cream, that is

Spring Has Sprung. Get 'Waisted!'

Yes, boys on campus, the weather is getting nicer which could only mean one thing for you; the girls will be showing off more skin.

Matt Ward, freshmen at Rochester Institute of Technology said, “One clue that the weather is getting warmer is the girls are dressing sexier.”

So what is this seasons ‘sexy but classy’ trend? A trend that seems to have left a permanent residency in the wardrobe dating all the way back to 1950’s fashion icons; Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. The answer seems obvious, as girls today on campus are wearing them everywhere. Yes, you guessed it, the high-waisted skirt. The reason this trend hasn’t surpassed is because it works for so many body types, accentuating or even creating the illusion on slender bodies, of an hourglass figure. If you want to create curves where there are none, there is a simple fix; get waisted!

“I think if the whole outfit is put together right the high-waisted skirt can be really cute,” student at Wor-Wic Community College Chelsea Cox said. “I have definitely done it a few times with plain fitted white t-shirts, making an outfit instantly dressier.”

That is just another one of the benefits to the high-waisted skirt. You can easily take a solid color shirt or tank top and by tucking it into the skirt band, you have created a dressier and sophisticated look. Take Lauren Conrad’s simple plain white tank top tucked in her deep red skirt for example.

One more advantage to the high-waisted skirt is that there are a variety of styles to choose from. Whether it be a pencil fitted skirt, high pleated, or ruffles this trend seems to be universally popular, flattering and oh wait, did you say affordable?  

Cox said surprisingly she found reasonably priced high-waisted skirts that had a variety of trendy patterns at dELiAs. Take a look. Which style are you going to try?

Figure 1 Solid Body Con Skirt Price: $29.50

Figure 2 Garden Floral Skirt-Price: $34.50

Figure 3 Multi-Stripe Body-Con Skirt- Price: $34.50

Images from: delias.com

Another source for trendy and affordable high-waisted skirts for this spring season can be found at Forever21 offering a multitude of bright colored patterns and an array of interesting hemlines.

Figure 1 Vibrant Flowers Pleated Skirt- Price $16.90

Figure 2 Rose Print Skirt- Price $13.80

Figure 3 Floral Chiffon Tier Skirt-Price $13.80

Figure 4 Graffiti Artist Skirt-Price $7.80

Images from: forever21.com

So ladies, if you are looking to branch out your spring wardrobe this season, you better start getting “waisted.”