Lavender Runway

Anyone else been oogling over the Paris Couture Week shows?

I was particularly struck by the Armani Prive collection of lavender pieces that evoked fairytale balls and perfect spring days with fresh flowers blooming. I love when a whole show revolves around one color because it makes the collection stand out so much more. With the Pantone colors of the year as Serenity and Rose Quartz it seems that pastels are really making a comeback this spring. 

The silky fabrics and flowy layers are so dreamy and etherial. If only I had a red carpet event to attend I would love to wear one of these beautiful dresses! 

xoxo CC

Sporty

Making a total 360 from last week's classic & feminine look...

One word that I would pretty much never use to describe my style is 'sporty.' Yet, once in a while when I want a casual and comfortable outfit sportswear starts to creep it's way into my look. I have always struggled with finding shoes that are comfortable, since I have really sensitive feet, and recently I have been on the hunt for comfy sneakers that I can mix into my usual outfits without compromising my personal style. 

I found this pair of sneakers online and I like that they are both sleek and neutral enough to match with easily, yet far from boring with the neon pink accents and a touch of forest green. I love throwing them on with jeans when I'm going out to do errands since they feel less like running shoes and more like a conscious fashion choice. Today I wanted to dress them up even more with faux leather and edgy style. I chose the leather leggings since they too are a glammed up version of a sporty style. On top a simple tee and cute jacket provide a neutral background to let the printed bag pop. I had to join the furry pom pom trend this winter, I think they are so cute and a fun way to jazz up your bag game. 

This outfit would be so chic with boots, but with the sneakers it's more relaxed and casual while still fitting my style. 

Jacket: Nordstrom (similar 1/2/3). Tee: Michael Stars. Leggings: Lysse. Sneakers: New Balance (on major sale!). Bag: Kate Spade. Fur Pom Pom: similar 1/2/3/4. Bracelet: J. Crew. Necklace: Dogeared. 

xoxo CC

Vintage Chic

What a beautiful, sunny, freezing cold day!! I was freezing my a** off trying to get these photos done in the whipping wind -- but worth it, right? Ah, what we sacrifice for the sake of fashion. Luckily this vintage coat handed down to me from my grandmother is 100% wool and super warm. I keep seeing images from Paris Fashion Week Men's going on now, and so many of the ladies attending are wearing long tweed coats just like this one. 

I paired this coat with a navy blue teeshirt featuring a floral hemline for a touch of print mixing.  Simple black jeans and booties keep the look classic and clean when I'm all buttoned up, while pretty vintage-glam inspired earrings add subtle sparkle. From afar the coat looks like a navy and brown combo, but up close you can really see how pretty the jewel tone greens and blues are. I wanted to pick up on the blue and green in the coat with the navy tee and greenish earrings. This long straight silhouette is back in style these days so I'm embracing the vintage feel for a classic feminine look that adds a little print to my winter outerwear style. 

As I was writing this post the song Thrift Shop kept running through my head with lyrics like,

 "I'mma take your grandpa's style, I'mma take your grandpa's style,
No for real - ask your grandpa - can I have his hand-me-downs?"

"Is that your grandma's coat?"

Yes, child from the Macklemore song, it actually is. 

Coat: Vintage (similar styles 1/2/3/4). Tee: J. Crew. Jeans: J brand. Booties: Jessica Simpson via DSW. Bag: Kate Spade. Earrings: Ruche. Necklace: Kate Spade. Nail tutorial. 

xoxo CC

Manicure Monday

I just tried a new nail art look on my nails, and I'm dying to share it with you all!

 This look is inspired by nail designs spotted on the New York Fashion Week runway with a graffiti/abstract brushstroke print. I created this look using a dark navy base with white and metallic silver detail. I think it came out pretty well considering that this is my first attempt! I based my idea off of this tutorial from Cosmo, but I decided to change the color palette and create the look without actually reading the instructions. So daring of me, right? lol 

For this look I used Formula X in Majestic, OPI in DS Radiance, and Kiss Nail Art Paint in White.

Here's a step-by-step to get the look (if you do feel like reading instructions):

1. After applying a clear basecoat to protect your nails from turning blue (definitely a necessary step when using a dark color!), paint your nails with the navy nail polish and let dry. 

2. Taking the white nail polish, dab most of the polish off of the brush so that the brush is nearly dry.  Using the nearly dry brush create a few swipes across each nail in a few directions. This will create the rough brushstroke look.

3. Repeat step two using the silver nail polish. Let dry.

4. Look over your nails for any spots that need filling in, but be sure to leave some of the navy showing through as well. Touch up any spots that need it and let dry. Clean up around the edges and cuticles with a polish-remover soaked q-tip.

5. Apply a clear topcoat to seal it all in (I recently started using the Deborah Lippman Addicted to Speed and love it -- it dries so fast), and you're done! 

So easy! What do you think of the look? I think next time I would try to do fewer wider brushstrokes for a cleaner look. 

xoxo CC

Charmed: One Necklace, Three Ways

I bought this charm collar necklace when September's NYFW had me thinking of ways to spice up my outfits with unique and interesting pieces. Chokers have been making a big come back, but they will always remind me the 90's and 2000's when I wore them with bell-bottoms and blue eye shaddow (thanks fashion, for bringing back the awkward memories...). I have mostly avoided the choker come-back, but this particular piece stood out to me. The dangling charms and structured gold wire brings a certain elevated edge to the piece that I like. That edgy yet sophisticated feel adds an element of 'cool' to your outfit, and I'll bet you'd never guess where it's from: Banana Republic!

One thing I was unsure about was what types of necklines I could wear this necklace with. It turns out that it works perfectly with a few different styles. I love the way it compliments a high neckline by bringing a bit of sparkle to the neck and resting just along the fabric. This is my favorite way to wear it, with high neck dresses, tanks, and crewneck tees. I like that it blends in with the neckline when they fall at the same spot, but still adds a unique touch.

For a more statement look that definitely evokes a 90's vibe, I paired the collar necklace with a low scoop neck top. Anything that exposes the collarbone, like a scoop or v-neck tee, will show off a choker and draw attention to the neck. For this look, I paired a long tank with slouchy distressed jeans and ankle booties for a tough-girl look offset by soft curls and hot pink lips. 

The third neckline that I discovered works incredibly well with a charmed choker, is the split-neck or button-down style. The shirt itself comes up high on the neck but with an opening at the front it allows the necklace to peek through and add a little sparkle. I like the subtlety of this combination and the way it incorporates the necklace into a dressier, more formal outfit.

Necklace: Banana Republic (also like this and this). Earrings: Gorjana.
High Neck: Top: Zara. (1/2/3) Jeans: H&M. Booties: Jessica Simpson. Lip: BareMinerals "Risk It All." with Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush "So Jelly" gloss.
Scoop Neck: Top: Three Dots (black/white/navy). Jeans: H&M. Lip: BareMinerals "Risk It All."
Split Neck: Top: Old Navy. Jeans: J Brand. OTK Boots: Sam Edelman. Lip: e.l.f "Pink Umbrellas."

xoxo, CC

Stacks of Sweaters...

'Tis the season for stacks of fluffy warm sweaters! And I'm not joking, since there is minimal storage space in my NYC apartment I have stacks of sweaters all over my room--the windowsill, the floor, my step stool (which literally never gets used for anything other than hosting stacks of clothing)... you get the picture. But it's okay, because winter is all about surrounding yourself with warm cozy things, and if I'm not currently wearing a cozy sweater it's nice to see them piled close by waiting to layer on and warm me up. 

Since many of my favorite winter sweaters are in neutral tones I put together a few outfits featuring ways to wear winter neutrals. Layering with knits, little pops of color or sparkle, and mixing textures are some of my favorite ways to keep cozy neutrals anything but boring. Check out some of the ways I've styled these sweaters:

Sweaters from top left: Vintage Havana, Jamison, Francesca's, Paizlee, Wooden Ships, Athropologie.

Get the look:
1. leggings/sweater/wallet/shoes/earrings
2. scarf/sweater/hat/bracelet/socks/necklace/booties/jeans
3. sweater(or this)/sunnies/bracelet/bracelet/socks/jeans/lipstick/booties
4. sunglasses/chambray/sweater/necklace/lip stain

xoxo, CC

Monochromatic Pink

One of the recent projects for my certificate course was to create an editorial-style photoshoot using an iPhone to experiment with different filters and techniques. Starting with some inspiration searching and creating a mood board I came up with the idea of a monochromatic look with a bold and playful vibe. Being both the photographer and model can be super tricky so I decided to shoot the photos in my apartment using my pink couch as the color inspiration. The arch lamp and brick background make this an interesting dynamic space for a photoshoot.

I found some deep pink pieces in my closet to go with the couch and create a monochromatic look. I wanted a playful vibe so I put my hair up in a high bun and added layers of jewelry and a bold pink lipstick. Then I experimented with using different filters in my iPhone camera and trying different poses. While the photo quality is nothing close to usable for an actual editorial, I had fun with the project and learned about the camera settings on my iPhone camera. For this shoot I ended up liking the "Fade" and "Chrome" filters best because of how they played with the colors and saturation.

These are a few of my favorites photos from the project!

Top: Old Navy. Jeans: BDG at Urban Outfitters (similar). Sneakers: Keds. Earrings: Banana Republic. Lip: BareMinerals "Risk It All"

These are a few of the images that inspired my project.
(images from pinterest)

xoxo CC

Looking Back...

Little Orange Shift Dress / Slashed / Pink & Blue at NYFW

Happy January! Can you believe it is another year already?!

Looking back, 2015 was a year full of adventures and challenges, fun and new opportunities, and of course plenty of cute outfits! It wouldn't be a year's end without a round up of some of my favorite blog posts from the year... so I've selected 24 of the best looks from 2015. From simple to bright, casual to glam, each of these outfits represents a side of my personal style. No matter what, I like to challenge my style and try new trends or interesting ideas. I hope by sharing my looks with you I've inspired you to try something new too! 

Looking forward though, let's make 2016 the best year yet! Cheers to another year of style adventures!

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xoxo, CC