My Current Obsession: The Bucket Bag

          I've fallen in love with one of this fall's biggest accessories trends -- the bucket bag. I really haven't seen it around much since the 90s versions of my childhood, but now it's been reinvented as a modern carry-all. I spent all my birthday money on clothes, but I'm still determined to get one of these bags in the near future...hopefully before New York Fashion Week! Oh yeah, I'm excited to announce that I will be attending some of the shows at NYFW SS14, thanks to my awesome internship at Papercut Magazine! Anyway, now that I have all my new clothes, I just need a leather bucket bag to top off my fashion week wardrobe! Since my funds have run out, I'm hoping to come across a lucky vintage find during my next thrift venture.

Boden - Leather Pouch Bag - $178

           While the classic black ones are sophisticated, these drawstring bags also come in all sorts of fun colors, patterns, fabrics, and textures to fit anyone's style. There are woven and fringe ones for the bohemian, studded and embellished for the edgy one, sleek and simple for the minimalist, perforated and color block for the sporty one, patterned and ombre for the artist, and bright whites and colors for the socialite.

Classic Black

Chanel - Black Lambskin Drawstring Bucket Bag - $2,600

Marc by Marc Jacobs - Too Hot to Handle Drawstring Pouch - $198

Piero Guidi Linea Bold - Black Canvas Bucket Bag - $485

The Row - Bucket Bag - $3,400

Kate Spade NY - Valentine Pebbled Leather Bucket Shoulder Bag - $378

Gryson - Ryland Bucket Bag - $510

Hermes - Black Leather Drawstring Bucket Bag - $3,360

The Bohemian

Sara Battaglia - Jasmine Fringe pouch - $1,180

Stela 9 - Ganesha Bucket Bag - $105

Joie - Mabel Bucket Bag - $388

The Edgy One

Guess - Seun Drawstring Bag - $118

Alexander Wang - Black Studded Diego Bucket Bag - $850

Free People - McFadin Stone Ryder Bucket Bag - $378

The Minimalist

Baggu - Drawstring Purse - $140

3.1 Phillip Lim - Scout Textured Leather Drawstring Bag - $750

Tory Burch - Robinson Bucket Bag - $495

The Sporty One

Linea Pelle - Perforated Color Block Bucket - $225

Cole Haan - Linley Perf Mini Drawstring Bag - $165.99

Dooney & Bourke - Patent Drawstring - $139.99

 

The Artist

Wendy Nichol - Embroidered Eye of Horus Bullet Bag - $1,225

Free People - Old Trend Atlas Leather Bucket Bag - $298

Free People - Jagger Leather Tote - $428

The Socialite

Vince Camuto - Janet Drawstring Bag - $132.99

Tila March - Romy Bucket Drawstring Bag - $1,095

Louis Vuitton - White Perforated Leather Noé Bag - $2,243

For those of us who can't afford several hundred dollars on a new handbag every season, here are some more affordable options from stores like Nasty Gal, Asos, and Mango. 

Forever 21 Shoulder Bags · PacSun Teen Girls' Clothes · Mango Shoulder Bags

Bikinis Aren't for Tan Lines Anymore

     There's one thing that I try not to do every summer, but it always ends up happening anyway...buying a new Victoria's Secret bathing suit! They're always coming out with new designs and I just can't resist making one of them mine! 

      This year, my bathing suit of choice was actually an older design that has come back for a couple seasons. I've wanted it for a long time now, and it went on sale for a short time, so I couldn't just let it slip away! It's much less coverage than I normally go for...not the kind of suit I would wear on a family vacation! But it was perfect for my trip to LA to see my boyfriend! 

Very Sexy Swimwear - Strappy Bandeau Top $38 & Strappy Brazilian Bottom $38

      I realized this bikini wouldn't be the best for tanning either! With all those straps, I would have some pretty strange tan lines! But then come to think of it, today's most stylish suits aren't much different. The days of plain old triangle bikinis are long gone and designers have gotten much more inventive, meaning lots of cutouts and straps and no more clean tan lines. And I like it! 

Cushnie et Ochs Resort 2014

       I always look for something unique in my latest bathing suit purchase and recently, there have been a lot more brands stepping outside the box. It also takes the focus away from needing to look perfectly bronze and brings more attention to how cool your bathing suit looks. I usually tan a little bit every summer, but I burn more often than I get golden color. So I like showing off an awesome suit more than my skin.

MIKOH swimwear - Xavier One Piece - $194

ASOS - Leaf Print Caged Bikini Top $27.15 & Bikini Pant $23.76

Victoria's Secret - Very Sexy Strappy Twist Bandeau Top $43.50 & Brazilian Bikini Bottom $39

Revolve Clothing - Anna Kosturova Flashback Bikini - $154

For more awesome bathing suits that defy tanning lines check out this shoppable widget below! 

Ella Moss Two-Piece Swimwear · 6 Shore Road Two-Piece Swimwear · Vitamin A Two-Piece Swimwear

Moving on to Asymmetrical Ruffles

      In the past couple years, hi-low skirts (often nicknamed "mullet" skirts) were all the rage. They dominated the streets, particularly among 18-21 year old college students. But this trend is fading and is quickly being replaced by asymmetrical ruffles. Working in a clothing store helps a lot when it comes to spotting trends. This spring, I worked at Club Monaco and ruffles were a major adornment among all the minimalistic styles. I then began to see them more and more as I looked through S/S 2013 runway pictures.

      What I really like about this trend is how feminine it is, without going overboard. Too many ruffles is never a good thing, but one clean line of ruffles becomes even more flattering when it's tilted at an angle. Asymmetrical ruffles are like the younger sisters of the ultra cool peplums -- they look the best when they're structured, stiff, and come in a thick fabric.

Gucci SS13

     This style can be worn a multitude of ways. Tops with a slanted, ruffle neckline are super chic right now. A pencil skirt with a ruffle right above the knee is a great way to incorporate it into office wear. The key to pulling it off is to have one large ruffle taking center stage. Any more and you will look like a bird! Also, don't wimp out with tiny ruffles. Small ones look dowdy and outdated. Here are some styles to pull inspiration from...

Balenciaga SS13

Givenchy SS13

Chloe SS13

Here are some runway inspired pieces for the real world. To see the products I used, see my Polyvore set here.

The Tie-Dye Manicure

     A couple days ago, I came across an article on Fashionista.com about a new trend in nail art. People have started "tie-dying" their nails (however, the term is used loosely)! The article explained the basic process of obtaining this look and it was too hard for me to resist trying my hand at it! I knew it wasn't going to be as fun without an accomplice, so I turned my experiment into fun sister-time with Anya.

YOU WILL NEED:

• 3-5 colors of nail polish
• clear nail polish (or a base and top coat)
• a bowl of water
• tape or Vaseline
• toothpicks
• plenty of paper towels
• nail polish remover

THE STEPS:

First, prime your nails with a base coat and let dry for at least 3 minutes. Cover the area around your nails with tape (you can also use Vaseline but I found that tape works best when it comes time to peel away excess polish). I recommend also covering most of your finger in case unruly polish sticks there as well. Next, fill the bowl with water (not to the top, but enough to dip your nails in) and begin dripping nail polish in, one drop at a time.

Alternate the colors however you want, making sure they are applied one on top of the other to create a target formation. You'll want at least 10-12 drops before you move on to the next step.

Using a toothpick, carefully swirl around the colors to make the tie-dye effect. Sometimes the toothpick will begin to drag the layers and break them, so take your time with this step.

Next is the fun part! Figure out which section of your design you want on your nails and slowly dip your nails on top of it. As you take them out, push through the water, wrapping the polish around your fingertips. This part can be tricky because if you go too fast or bring your fingers up without going through the water, it can drastically mess up the design and you'll end up with sloppy looking nails.

Once you've mastered the technique mentioned above, you'll be amazed by the results! Now, peel off the tape to reveal clean fingers (this is when using tape is significantly easier than Vaseline, but if you did use Vaseline you can wipe it off and the paint should come off with it). Don't worry if some of your fingers still have polish on them (like in the picture of mine, above). You can wipe it off with nail polish remover later. Apply a top coat over your tie-dyed nails and you're finished!

Latest Obsession: Cutout vs. Inset

     Dresses with asymmetrical cutouts have been getting more and more popular, and as this year's prom is getting nearer, I have been considering this trend as an option for my dress. I love both strategically cut slits and lace paneling. Each style turns a simple dress into a much more intriguing version of itself, while little glimpses of skin add unexpected sexiness. I want something a lot more simple this year that will focus more on the fun of it being my last prom. I want to take more of a risk and go edgier than I have in the past, so I like the way these dresses accomplish that without going overboard.

One Shoulder Lace Inset Black Dress - $15 - 1015store.com; Laced Drape Dress in Mocha - $58 - nastygal.com; Slinky Lace Inset Dress - $26.99 - charlotterusse.com;  Sparkle & Fade Ponte Cutout Beaded Bodycon Dress - $24.99 - urbanoutfitters.com; Balmain Studded Cutout Dress - $1,603.50 - theoutnet.com; Alice & Olivia Tina Seamed Cutout Dress - $297 - shopbop.com.

Purchase your prom dress at Rent the Runway from March 29th-31st and get $10 off with the promo code: PROMREP17A142