DIY Denim Cutoffs - Sequin Party Shorts

          The final pair of denim shorts I made this summer took the longest to make. I must have spent at least 12 hours sewing each individual strand of sequins on one side...then again on the other side.

          Needless to say, I did not tackle this project all in one day! I spent a few hours a day on my bedroom floor stitching sequins and listening to a Pandora station of The Weeknd, Trey Songz, Drake and Miguel. The perfect music, of course, to listen to while embellishing what I have deemed my Party Shorts. Since sequins aren't a typical, everyday adornment, I designed these for special occasions and nights of dancing. I discovered they look best with a simple tee to offset the sparkle and low heels so as not to look too "club-y."

DIY Denim Cutoffs - Rockstar Style

          The next pair in my series of DIY denim cutoffs was a rockstar style, complete with studs, dye and a little sparkle. For a grungy look, I ripped the bottom edges and dip-dyed the bottom of the shorts. Then, I covered one back pocket with trim and glued star studs to the front with fabric glue. It was a pretty simple design, but time consuming no less.

DIY Denim Cutoffs - Hippie Style

           I've had less time for sewing this summer (as well as blogging) since I've been freelancing, interning and endlessly apartment hunting for the upcoming school year. However, I still managed to make a few pieces before I left home for a month with my older sister in NC. My first projects were actually due in part to my sister, as I found a few pairs of her high school bell-bottoms in a pile of  old clothes. I've wanted to revamp old pairs of jeans into embellished, cutoff shorts for a while, so the hardest part was deciding which of my ideas I would choose.

            For the first pair, I created a hippie-inspired design with trim, embroidered flowers, iron-on appliques and lace. I had a little trouble with some of the iron-ons sticking, so I secured them with fabric glue. Other than that, I was really happy with how they came out!

Apple Picking

         Fall is one of the upsides to living in rural New Hampshire. The leaves are beautiful when I'm driving around, the air smells crisp, my family stokes up the wood stove, and of course, we go apple picking! An annual family tradition, I always look forward to the pretty apple trees and eating apple cider donuts. However, I leave the actual picking to the rest of my family. After 15 plus years, I've found that it's much more fun to walk around and test each variety while my dad and brother are climbing the trees to grab the best apples. This year, I figured the time I spent wandering around would be a great chance to do a photoshoot. The orchard had a beautiful view of the mountains and a cute, little farmhouse sitting on the top of the hill.

hat - T.J.Maxx // scarf - gift // leather jacket -T.J.Maxx

 jeans - Charlotte Russe // ankle boots - Cole Haan

 

 

Photography courtesy of Jeff Ortakales. 

To see more of his talented work, visit his webpage at

 www.jortakalesphotography.com and like his Facebook page. 

Makeup: 

mascara - Diorshow by Dior 

eyeliner - e.l.f. Glitter Eyeshadow in "Night Owl"

lip color - Estee Lauder Lip Pencil in "Apple Cordial"

lip gloss - Victoria's Secret Minty Kiss

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• HYPE on LOOKBOOK.nu

White After Labor Day

          I'm a firm disbeliever in the "no white after Labor Day" rule. While I do think that there are certain clothes, colors, and patterns that just aren't appropriate for cooler months, I don't think any one characteristic should be singled out. Plenty of spring/summer clothes can be transitioned into fall, including white. It all just depends on what you wear with it.

Lace top - TJMaxx

Jeans - PacSun

Pumps - BCBG Max Azria

 

          I wore this white lace top with dark jeans and black pumps to give it a darker edge that is more suitable for fall. Plus, this top has leather details that make it more versatile, as leather is usually worn in fall and winter.

           My t-strap pumps were a new purchase for my birthday. I'm not normally one for pointy toes, but I was very impressed by the way these elongate my legs. I figured they would not only be a great basic to have, but would also be the perfect shoe to dress up casual pieces like jeans or tees.

Check out my outfit on Lookbook:

SwayChic Denim Jacket

 
I've been in need of a cool denim jacket -- the kind you can pair with anything to make it edgier or wear on top of a summer dress when it's chilly at night. It's been long enough that I haven't owned one, so when SwayChic let me choose something from their website to review I picked their Acid Wash Denim Jacket.

It came to me wrapped in turquoise tissue paper, like I was getting a present in the mail! Lately, it's been a little too cold to wear because New England calls for winter coats long after spring break. But I finally took it out today and loved how it looked with my psychedelic dress and new Urban Outfitters sneaker wedges.

The jacket is 100% cotton, made by Thread & Supply, and costs $39.95. So far, it's held up well and is comfortable. Since it is denim, it's a little stiff, restricting movement in the arms, but with a couple washes it will probably break in a bit. I really like how the acid wash is more unique than a typical light-wash denim jacket so it'll jazz up simpler pieces.

SwayChic is like a less-expensive version of Nasty Gal. It has the same edgy hipster style of clothing, carries different brands, and even the models have a similar look. As much as I love Nasty Gal, a denim jacket for under $40 is a little more college student friendly than one for $100. Sway has a lot of great options for trendy part dresses and vintage-inspired clothes.

In other news, I just bought these high-top sneaker wedges at Urban Outfitters and haven't been able to take them off! I've been wearing them all weekend because I'm so happy with them. I've been wanting a pair since the trend first broke out and just happened to come upon these at Urban's college night sale. An extra 30% off and I wasn't going to pass these up...even for a pair of black over-the-knee boots that were only $5!

Just last weekend I had a previous Urban excursion and got these earrings and an awesome dress (which will be in another blog post to come). I've been needing tiny gold studs for my second holes so I liked this duo of black stones and gold skulls. 

Photo credits: Andy Cahill

Disclaimer: The product given to me by SwayChic was free, however it is important to me to write my honest impression of the company and products, without bias.

First Day of My Last Year

          Today I started senior year!! It's both excited and nerve-racking! I want to move on and go to college, but I'm also really scared about finding THE college and getting enough scholarship money. My first semester classes will be nice though...senior math/statistics, English 12-3, French 3, and yearbook. All fairly enjoyable classes that seem pretty chill.

On to some more important things...

AMAZING TRENDS FOR FALL

The runways for this season seem to have been exceptionally innovative and filled with trends we haven't seen for a while. Here are some I definitely have to try before the weather gets warmer...

(William Rast)

Head to Toe Denim

Denim has become the hottest fabric of the year…so how else to make a

statement in it, than to wear it all over? I just bought a denim button-down shirt

at Banana Republic that I am excited to wear with a new pair of jeans.

(Ralph Lauren)

Jewel-Tone Velvet

Velvet has made a come-back! When I was six I had a velvet little black dress...eleven

years later, the same look is on the fall runways. Although, it's gotten a bit of a make-over

since the 90's...at Ralph Lauren it was more elegant on long dresses paired with floral accents.

(ADAM)

Bulky Sweaters with Delicate Dresses

My favorite thing to do when making new outfits is creating contrast and that's what draws my attention to the looks at the ADAM show. Dresses where flowy and elegant, while they were worn with thick sweaters.  

(Blugirl)

Leopard

The best way to wear this crazy print is on one item, and the rest of the outfit kept simple and chic.

I am loving all the shoes and handbags that are coming out of this trend!

(Chanel)

The Tweed Mini-Dress

Thanks to Coco, Chanel is the master when it comes to tweed. This season Lagerfeld incorporated

 it into much more than just jackets. The best of the collection was the tweed mini-dress trimmed with fur.

(D&G)

Fair Isle Knits

There's nothing to get you into a cool-weather mood than festive fair isle sweaters.

Seen at D&G, this print would be fun to wear layered, belted, or with last fall's knee-high boots.

(photo credits: style.com & elle.com)

August Wishlist

     I easily get sucked into sites like Ebay, Urban Outfitters, and Victoria's Secret for three reasons...1) they always have new things to discover; 2) the possibility of finding something cheap is guaranteed; and 3) there are so many wondrous things that it's impossible to look at just one! I spend so long browsing on those sites, I really don't want to know the total hours I waste every week shopping online. The one thing that saves me...I don't have a job, therefore I have no money...which means whenever I see something I like online, there's no way for me to impulsively buy it! Do I wish I could? Heck ya! But I'm probably saving myself a lot of trouble by not getting into that habit...yet!

      So instead of actually buying the things I lust after, I settle with making a wishlist. That way I can get them out of my head with the intention of getting them someday, while in the back of my mind I know I'll soon forget them and find new things to marvel at!

Eat, Pray, Love-Elizabeth Gilbert

$12.99 on Amazon

There's been so much buzz about the movie, but the general consensus seems to be a let down. To me, it sounds like a really interesting story and I don't understand how a movie with Julia Roberts AND James Franco (wink, wink...I love him in case you didn't know!) could be bad. I've been debating whether to read the book first or rush to the theater. Either way, I still want to read it because it sounds like a novel with more substance than the ones I normally read for fun.

I also thought these perfumes were cute because they're inspired by each country Elizabeth traveled to. 

You Don't Know Jacques-OPI

$8.00 from drugstore.com

I've wanted this color for the longest time and since fall nail color trends don't seem to be straying much from this beautiful "mushroom" color, I still have time to try it!

Guest texturized flats-Enzo Angiolini

$49.99 on Solestruck

I recently got a pair of gorgeous Enzo Angiolini heels from a thrift store and they are my absolute favorite shoes now. They are well crafted, comfortable, and the type of shoes that make you feel like you're taking every step in luxury. I need a nice pair of black flats and these are perfect. "They" (being fashion experts) always say that the items worth splurging on are the basics that will last you forever. I couldn't agree more!  Enzos are classy, versatile, and well-built shoes that I trust to keep me happy for a very long time.

Eppi Casual Kellybag

$82.99 on storets.com

This looks a lot like one of my past school purses, so I must have a thing for short-handled, wide bags with a bit of posh. The simple design goes with anything and the minty color makes it fun and unusual.

Open Stitch Sweater-NY & Co.

$24.95 at New York and Company

Aside from a few bulky sweaters I've been craving, this is the one sweater I need for my cooler-weather wardrobe. It could be worn layered or alone with a good pair of jeans to make any autumn day better!

Sateen Boxer Pajama Set-Victoria's Secret

$25 on victoriassecret.com

I love wearing boxers to bed. They come in so many cute and comfy styles that they are no longer just a staple for men! This pair from VS is unbeatable and comes in three different colors, plus a matching v-neck. You can't go wrong with that!

Zip Short Denim Skirt-Vero Moda

7.49 € on veromoda.com

Most denim skirts are the same mainstream minis or boring knee-lengths, so when I find one that catches my eye I really want it! Denim is currently the coolest fabric for clothing so I think designers are becoming more creative with the ways they can use it. I like a lot of the acid washing and bleaching I've seen lately and this skirt is a perfect example.

Classy-Derek Blasberg

$16.99 on urbanoutfitters.com

Yet another much-talked-about book to read! It's such a clever idea to base a book on and I have a guilty pleasure for do's and don'ts! The illustrations look hilarious!

Lily Camel Haircalf Leather purse-Mulberry

995 € at mulberry.com

It's a bit on the pricey side, but I just love to look at it! Leopard is a hot print this fall and this is a good use for it. Having it on a purse makes it easy to incorporate into an outfit with just an accent of the busy print. An added bonus? You can tuck the straps inside to use as it a clutch for more formal, night looks.

Query suede bootie-Jeffrey Campbell

$97 + free shipping on Ebay

I've acquired a new obsession with Jeffrey Campbell and these shoes in particular. The black booties that I've had for the past two winters have succumb to much wear and tear, so I really want to get a new pair...they are a must-have in my wardrobe! I am in LOVE with these! The ruffles, the twisted "unicorn" heel, the black suede, all make for a very powerful shoe!

 

PS:

Make sure you guess who belongs to these shoes!