Blogs We Heart: NYC PR Girls

As you may or may not know, I'm pretty set on getting into the fashion/beauty industry. I was referred by a friend to the most amazing blog regarding the PR field in New York City. So pretty much, these bloggers are living MY FUTURE LIFE. At least, I hope my future life. They seem to have the perfect balance of work and play and they embody everything I want to be career wise.

If you have a remote interest in the field of PR, I beyond strongly suggest you check out NYC PR Girls.

Wishing you love, fashion, and career inspiration,

Elise

Tis the Season

It's almost Christmas! In honor of the holiday and the party for such (which is today because finals are over!), I'm posting!

My party is going to be the very cliche but always hilarious ugly sweater party. I'm going to be honest: I'm not super keen on the whole "ugly sweater" concept. I think that there are ways to make these ugly sweaters cute, though, and wanted to share my ideas. So without further ado, here are 3 ways to make that ugly sweater adorkable:



1. When in doubt of what to wear as bottoms, wear leggings. Your sweater is probably oversized as it is, and will more than likely cover your derriere. Jeans are boring, and at least at my party, my roommates and I have a no jeans allowed policy.

2. Be ridiculously sparkly. The middle picture is clearly riddled with TONS of gold sequins and studs. And that is perfectly ok because it's Christmas and the holiday is all about encasing yourself in as much glitter as you can, right? RIGHT.

3. I'm a skirt and tights kind of girl. I think a skirt is always appropriate and this one is just so fun and frilly and flirty and I love it. Clearly.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas (or whatever winter holiday you celebrate)!

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

Elise Makes a Video Post

Just to forewarn you all, I'm an amateur at this whole video deal. Also, I'm a bit awkward, but that'll probably never change. I hope you enjoy this nonetheless :)

Also, a shout out to my friends and readers of Frock It Out from its inception, Emily and Moira...if you're reading/watching this, HAPPY BIRTHMONTH!!!

xoxo, Elise

Rain

A comical across-stick poem regarding how I feel about rain:


R is for the relentless blowing of wind and precipitation in my face and hair


A  is for the agitation I feel when I need to pull on my rain boots


I     is for the indescribable feeling of joy of knowing that I didn't spend loads of money on a Marc
        Jacobs umbrella (I still love you to pieces, MJ!)        


N  is for the neglect to my general appearance when abhorrent weather comes about

Clearly, I am not a fan of weather.

Wishing you love, fashion inspiration, and safety from what's practically a mid-western monsoon,

Elise

Addiction of the Moment: Butter London Nail Polish

I have recently developed an obsession with Butter London's nail polishes. Other than coming in amazing colors and enchanting glitter shades (and I'm not a fan of glitter polish, generally, so this is a pretty big deal), they have this concept called "Three Free." What is this lovely and unique concept, you may ask? To my dismay, it isn't 3 free polishes, however, it means that their polishes are free of three harmful chemicals generally used in the processing of nail products. Butter London polishes come WITHOUT: formaldehyde, toluene, or dibutyl phthalate. The brand embraces the concept of natural nail care and does not forgo an amazing color selection!

My favorite shade is the LIMITED EDITION glitter polish, "The Black Knight."

Photo Credit

It's a bit pricey for a polish, about $14, but it's well worth the investment. Check out Butter London's website for the entire selection!

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

Thanksgiving Outfit

Thanksgiving is undeniably my favorite holiday of the year. It epitomizes fall and is the official way to usher in the Christmas season. I love to be festive (somewhat--not over-the-top holiday sweaters for me!) and cute for the holiday, especially since it's one of the main times I get to come home and see everyone. Even though I plan to eat a ton of food (because, being blessed to be part of a humongous Arab family, we not only have tradish American Thanksgiving food but Arabic food as well) I want to do a dress, preferably in a fall color. Here's what I was thinking:







Love it? Hate it? Let me know!

Also, don't forget to follow us on twitter @FrockItOut

Wishing you love, fashion inspiration, and the BEST Thanksgiving ever,

Elise

Thanksgiving by ess912 featuring lace up wedge booties

Madewell a line dress, $216
Madewell a line dress, $216
Madewell a line dress, $216
TopShop lace up wedge booties, $136
Nine west handbag, $55

Let's Talk About (my lack of) Hair

I recently cut off all of my hair (not really all, more like 9 inches of my hair...but I like being dramatic, it's part of my charm) in order to donate it. Donating my hair has been something I've wanted to do for quite some time and I finally got to the point where it was BOTH long enough and I had enough courage to actually do it. Now that it's actually all gone, a bitter-sweet reality, I've had to adjust to new methods of styling my hair. Below are my top picks for styling my short hair:

1. BOBBY PINS. I lived by them with long hair, and they are of monumental help with my much shorter locks.

2. Curling Wand. My sisters' curling wand has helped me transform my sometimes wild curls into tame, adorable little waves.

Photo Credit

3. Braids. I braid the awkward little pieces out of my face because I can't throw it all up into my obnoxious signature bun anymore. This is to my chagrin, however, everyone else seems to be happy that I can no longer crazily pile up my hair.

All in all, I love my new hair because it's much simpler to style and manage. I still miss my lovely long locks like crazy (oh, my alliterative skills), but knowing that I cut it off for a good cause makes me feel much better.

Do you have any suggestions for styling short hair? If so, lemme know either in a comment, email, or tweet (@FrockItOut)!

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

World's Most Adorable Christmas Gift

I know, I know, it isn't even Thanksgiving yet! I really shouldn't be already talking about Christmas. BUT, I saw a post on College Prep yesterday about the Kate Spade surprise ball. It's so adorable and filled with cute Kate Spade-esque trinkets.

Check out the post on College Prep or the actual item on the Kate Spade website!

Madewell Faves

As you may know, British style icon Alexa Chung has partnered up with Madewell for a collab that is beyond brilliant. Madewell already boasts some amazing pieces, as seen in the first two dresses below (how awesome would that middle dress be with a great jacket for class?!). The dress to the far right is Alexa Chung for Madewell. It's called the "kiss me" dress and it's sweet and flirty and perfect for the upcoming holidays!





What do you think about these dresses? Do they make you want to go out and prep for the holidays?

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

Madewell Faves by ess912 featuring a scoop neck dress

Madewell scoop neck dress, $188
Madewell dress, $158
Madewell dress, $245

Addiction of the Moment: Essie Nail Polish in Limo-Scene

As you can probably tell, I have a very strong addiction to nail polish, and not just any brand of nail polish, but Essie, which is the primary brand in my collection.

This week's mani is in Essie's Limo-Scene. It's a romantic ice-pink color and I can't get enough of it. It would be safe to say that this is my most used nail polish color.

Essie Limo-Scene Photo Credit

This is available at the Essie website and most drugstores.

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

Nice Weather = Outfit Post

So we recently had a burst of lovely weather here in Detroit. With lovely weather comes outfit posts!

I kept it neutral with all grey and black, which, to be honest, are my favorite colors to wear ever.

What do we think of this look?

H&M dress, Nine West boots, belt taken from my sisters' closet (thanks girls!)


Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween, lovelies!

I hope you have a wonderful day full of ridiculous fashion choices!

Olive (from Easy A), Scar, Nerd, Roman Goddess, Biker Chick

XO,

Elise

Addiction of the Moment: Essie Nail Polish in Sandy Beach

So my newest mani is probably my favorite by far. Essie Sandy Beach nail polish is a translucent, shiny shade of nude and it matches my skin color flawlessly.

Photo Credit

The mani on me:

As I mentioned, the color is nude and matches my skin color super well, which is part of the reason I lovelovelove it!

What do you think about this color?

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

P.S. You voted, I listened...I'm keeping the shoes!

Yay or Nay?: Shoe Purchase Round 2

Hello, Lovelies!

A few months back I did a post about an impending shoe purchase. The wild popularity of that post and the phenom responses I got via email compelled me to bring this style of post back. This time around, it's another pair of wedges. The difference? I already bought this pair. So, I ask you, my darling readers, do I keep these wedge booties or return them?

Image via Google Images.  Mossimo Supply Co. Kloe Bootie, $29.99 Target.

They're olive green, which is different for me, but a great style, and they're suede, which is my absolute fave texture for shoes in the fall. Let me know what you think by responding to the poll in the left pannel of the page! Poll closes at noon tomorrow, so be sure to vote and check back to see what I've decided!

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

Welcome to America, Joe Fresh!

The Joe Fresh line, originally spawned in good old Canada, is innately preppy and hopelessly classic. So pretty much, right up my alley. I heard about this brand first through some superfab Canadians and then in magazines like Elle and Nylon, all singing the praises of brand developer Joe Mimran. You may recognize the name if you know a thing or two about the geniuses behind my favorite store that I can't afford (cause, you know, I'm a broke college student) Club Monaco.

My point? The brand is gracing America (Finally!) with 5 flagship stores in our fashion Mecca that is NYC.  Here are some of my favorite pieces from the line, which I must say, is pretty affordable and will become a rival to my beloved H&M...

I lovelovelove stripes and sweaters. That in combination with a killer price of $19. Be still my heart. 

Super cute, super chic skirt, at a superfab price of $39. 

Things I love more than fantastic shoes? Nothing. At $79 these babies will be mine.

Did I forget to mention there's a beauty line? I did? Silly me! The line includes products for eyes, lips, nails, and face as well as brushes and beauty accessories, all affordably priced.

Get the perfect pout with this juicy pink lip stain, only $6.

So there you have it, the overview of the Joe Fresh line. I can't wait to get my hands on some of these items or for a flagship store to open somewhere here in the mitten!

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

TVFU

So today is the first day of Teen Vogue Fashion U, which I got into but unfortunately will not be able to attend. I was super duper upset to find out I couldn't go, and will forever be bitter that I won't be able to see my beloved Michael Kors as the keynote speaker. They are offering the program, for the first time ever, online, and if I take that route (although it won't be as wonderful as being in the city of my dreams with the fashion elite for a weekend), I'll be sure to post about the experience here!


Still bitter, but nonetheless, wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

Splash Away! 4 Great Rain Boot Selections

So, I've recently lost my fondness for rain boots. It may be that my Coach pair fits awkwardly on my calf and requires leggings or tights in lieu of real pants. Or, it could be that I just hate rain. These boots are practical though, whether you're in college and walking around all the time or in a climate that has pretty sporadic weather. I've made a little grouping of cute rain boots that allow you to wear real pants and face ugly weather in style!

I see girls all over campus sporting Burberry rain boots. With plaid being super popular this fall, there's not doubt you'll see tons of this style during fall.

For the diva, these black and white rain booties by Vivienne Westwood are a chic option.

These Jeffrey Campbell boots are classic, chic, and would go with just about anything!

The classic rain boot company, Hunter, revamps their original boots with glossy and brushed metallic finishes!

Wishing you love, fashion inspiration, and relief from rain,

Elise

Swap THIS for THAT: A Guide for the Beauty Maven on a Budget

Being in college and not having tons of money (or sometimes having money but spending it on things necessary to survive, like endless amounts of coffee) has taught me a thing or two about streamlining products and finding things that work well without breaking the bank. For example I used to spend $40 every 3 weeks on foundation. Ridiculous, I realize. But now I've found some alternatives which I can pick up at places like CVS and Target which are everywhere rather than scoping out a Sephora (or even worse, spending a fortune on products and then spending a fortune to have them shipped to my apartment). Mainly, I want to bring light to drugstore products that are pretty equal in quality to their expensive counterparts.

So, let's get started with Swap THIS for THAT

My old foundation:

Not gonna lie, this was an AMAZING  foundation, but the $40 price? Not so much.

Swapped for my new foundation:

For the price of the above foundation, I could get two months worth of these 3 products, which are about $6.99 a piece.

My old bronzer:

I loved this bronzer, but not the price, which hits at around $30.

My new bronzer:

At about $12 and with pigment that isn't too dark and doesn't turn me orange, this baby is  a winner.

My old mascara:

We're talking $24 mascara. Couldn't bring myself to it any more.

My new mascara:

I lovelovelove this mascara and it's  $8 price. 

My old eyeliner:

At about $20-ish, I knew I could get matching quality for a lesser price. 

My new eyeliner:

This is $9 and makes a superfine or a superthick line. Perfect for my daily dose of cat-eye.

My old lip stain:

Spending $15-ish on a product I used only on occasion seemed silly and frivolous.

My new lip stain: 

$6. This is $6. Doesn't get better than that.

As far as blush, I'm still spending beaucoup bucks because I just cannot get myself to part from my lovely NARS shade. For eyeshadow, I've always gone for Maybelline or L'Oreal, because they're a great value and have some pretty awesome color options. 

I hope this proved helpful to you lovelies! 

Wishing you love and fashion (and beauty!) inspiration,

Elise

Elise's Top 10 Fall Must Haves

Hello, Lovelies!

Happy Monday! Today I'm delving into my top 10 must haves for the fall season. Instead of being my usual wordy self, I'm going to let the items do the talking. Enjoy! And, oh yeah, gimme some feedback and let me know which products are getting you through this next half of fall semester!


Head over to Polyvore and check out my stuff (search me: ess912) and find specific product info for this set!

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

Addiction of the Moment

Knowing full well I had a weekend full of homework ahead of me, I decided to romp around stores and put off all of my work until today. What did that bout of procrastination get me? Well, it got me a little bit of stress, a pot full of coffee, and my newest nail polish addiction. A beautiful nude/ cafe au lait color, Essie's Brooch the Subject nail polish is current manicure color and addiction of the moment!

Have a peep at this absolutely phenom color below!

This lovely shade is available at Target, drugstores, or the Essie website!

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

The Most Wonderful Season of the Year: It's Officially Fall

And so it begins...the beginning of the fall season in the mitten. Our temperamental "let's be summer again-- in October!" phase has passed (to both my dismay and excitement) and we're on to bigger, better, and more camel-colored things. So be sure to stick with us for all things fall to come. But first, a few lessons in dressing for weather from Elise's recent sartorial mishaps...

1. Wedges are not meant for days when it is supposed to rain. Even if it isn't scheduled to rain until all of your classes have ended, weather has a mind of its own and is forever out to sabotage your outfit.

2. Blazers are the most amazing fall staple ever. Paired with jeans and a cute tee or even a dress, they keep you warm when its chilly and can be taken off when summer decides to be a tease and rear its head the week before midterms. Also, more structured than sweaters, blazers are able to withstand a bit more, weather-wise at least.

3. Rain boots, although not the greatest look, are essential for the never-failing fall downpours. Most days have been wonderfully sunny and only slightly chilly, but there have been a few stormy days and it would be beyond wise to be prepped with rain boots, even if they don't live up to the chic level of your suede or leather slouchy bits of footwear loveliness.

Stay chic and check back for fall stories to come!

Wishing you love, fashion inspiration, and the wisdom to dress for the weather (even if it compromises your superfab ensemble),

Elise

FashionWeek Reviews Part 2

So I'm not exactly on the same caffeinated buzz that I was on yesterday. That being said, this post probably won't be as ramble-y and likely not as exciting. But, fear not! I'm covering two amazing shows. So let's get down to business.

Today's post will feature reviews of two shows/collections. I know yesterday I said that Wes Gordon beat out Marc Jacobs, and with regard to his collection, he did. It appealed to me, personally, much more. However, I had the opportunity to watch the live-stream of the MJ show, and it was sublime. The music, the walking pace that became slightly more rapid toward the end, the colored lights--all genius. So, today I present to you my favorite collection and my favorite show.

Here's the breakdown:

Wes Gordon: With Wes Gordon's collection came a slew of blues and yellows, reds and nudes. The clothes were beautiful and extremely practical. I would wear nearly everything in the collection. Hair and makeup were simple and classic, just as the clothes were. Overall, a phenomenal collection. Take a peep at some pics:

Marc Jacobs: This show included looks that were very dreamy, filled with neutrals and metallics and icy grays. I found the cellophane-like pieces a bit much, but it's Marc Jacobs and he's entitled to do whatever his heart desires. The makeup was very simple, and like Wes Gordon, and many other designers, MJ and Nars went for a thicker, defined eyebrow. I'm absolutely showing that to my mother, who thinks I should thin mine out a bit. But I like them at the thickness they are, which is very much in line with pretty much every designer's concept at NYFW. I cannot stop singing the praises of the presentation itself which was truly and completely spectacular. I just wish I were as enthralled by the clothing in the same way I was entranced by the show. Not to say that everything wasn't cohesive, it absolutely was, I just preferred one part to the other.

Take a sec to click here for the looks from this show!

Have a lovely and fashion-filled day!

Elise

Photos from today's post and yesterday's post courtesy of Google Images. 

Fashion Week Reviews Part 1

I'm going to start this post with an apology for my neglect of the blog since summer ended. I have been so busy with getting back into school mode, settling into my new apartment, and a bunch of other things. BUT, I just had coffee and thought I'd use some of my caffeine induced energy to catch you up on my life and on fashion week and all of the other important fashion related things I haven't been able to blog about because I've been so busy doing homework and studying and wow. That's quite a run-on I have going. Clearly, I'm trying to get this all panned out before the coffee wears off and I'm left in a hazy, sleepy stupor. 

So here we go....

The Monday of fashion week (the 12th) marked my 19th birthday! I'm getting so old. So there's that. Also, I got accepted to TVFU which is held the second to last weekend in October and I'm still not sure if I'll be going. If I do go, though (which I would really love to do), I'll be sure to have tons of updates from my NYC shenanigans posted here. And then I'll put the pics and such on Facebook. Because I'm a Facebook addict.

Okay, enough about me and on to the things that actually matter. Reviews of the shows. 

I've gathered the following from watching the live streams of the shows on Youtube. 

1. Having shows live streamed on Youtube really detracts from my study time and makes a great in-class distraction

2. Purple and orange are the "it" colors for S/S 2012. 

3. As much as I love Michael Kors, his show disappointed me. Also, I'm growing tired of animal print. I just want that trend to be over. 

4. Wes Gordon beat out Marc Jacobs in my book for my fave show of the week. Nobody has beat MJ for me in a while. 

And the three shows I'm going to cover today are...Rodarte, Badgley Mischka, and Michael Kors.

Rodarte: I thought this line was amazing. Purple and green were a large focus as far as color was concerned. The line was  lovely and sweet and contrasted by dark, dramatic eye makeup that made the models' eyes look a bit sunken in and dead. But really, that's my only criticism. Very Van Gogh. Very starry night.

Badgley Mischka:This was a whimsical line overflowing with spring colors and brightness and happy. It makes me want to just fast forward through the winter season. Which lasts wayyyy to long here in the mitten. Makeup and hair were stunning, just as the clothes were. My fave hues from this show: the brushed metallics, aquas, and oranges. 

Last but not least for today...Michael Kors. Okay, so maybe this is the least, and by that I mean my least favorite show of the week. I'm super disappointed because I love Michael Kors with all of my being, but I cannot take any more animal print or safari or jungle type things. I'm all Africa-d out! Some shots from the show, anyhow.

Not a terrible line, but not anything super special either. What are your thoughts on these shows?

On that note, I bid a fair and dramatic "Adieu" to fashion week. 

Until tomorrow, when I cover more fashion loveliness,

Elise

Happy Fashion Week!

We wish all of our lovely readers a happy fashion week! This week also kicks off Elise's birth-week (she considers it a gift to celebrate her birthday during NYFW). We leave you with a video of an amazing show, which we've surely posted here about a million and one times.

Wishing you love, fashion inspiration, and the most stylish week of the season,

Elise and Jill

What to Wear?: First Day of Classes

So, it's almost time to head back to school. I'm not at all ready to go back to long nights in the library, crazy long papers, etc. The only thing making me long for the year to begin is the back-to-classes outfit. I know, I know, the excitement wore off for many of you in high school. The thing is, I wore a uniform my whole time in school, so getting to wear whatever I want to class is still new for me.

Potential Back to school outfit:



This outfit embodies back to school. It's comfortable, chic, and versatile. The cardi is perfect for chilly classrooms (they always tend to be freezing!) and can be taken off when strolling from class to class. The jewelry is simple but chic, and the burgundy bag adds a subtle punch of color.

Some of you may be seeing those wedges and thinking "There is NO way I would wear those things around campus!" You're thought process is probably in line with most practical human beings, however, I will absolutely be wearing them to class. This particular pair, by Steve Madden, is unbelievably comfortable, and the cutouts add a bit of edge to some of my girlier and frillier outfits. They truly are a stellar pair of shoes.

Thoughts? Criticisms? Is this something you would wear on your first day back to class? Lemme know in the comments box!

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

Yay or Nay?: Karl Lagerfeld for Macy's

As your may know, Karl Lagerfeld is collaborating with Macy's to bring some of his super fab designs to those of us who can't afford his regular lines. College Fashion posted pics from the look book which you can see here.

What do you think? Is this a line you're looking forward to?

How-to: Get Ready for Back to School

Ahhhhh! It's August. My summer has absolutely flown by. So, in honor of this whole end-of-summer dealio, I present to you, our lovely readers How-to: Get Ready for Back to School.

Step numero uno: Take inventory of your closet.

What essentials do you need? Are there things you can repurpose? Are there items you love? Are there items you can do without? Go through this checklist while sifting through your closet to determine what you need to purchase, what you should keep, and what could be donated.


Step 2: Invest in Key Pieces

...and by invest, I mean get the best quality item you can without completely killing your budget. Some ideas:

1. Cardigans. At about 2K, the cardi pictured is a bit out of most college girls' price ranges, but it's precious and I had to include it!
2. Blazers
3. Ballet Flats or Comfy walking shoes of choice
4. School Bag. Crazy colors optional, but preferred.
5. The perfect bottoms, whether it's a pair of jeans, crops, or a skirt.


Step 3: Think Long-term

Be sure to purchase things that will be versatile and can be adjusted for weather changes throughout the year.

Step 4: Stock Up on Essentials

...and here, by essentials, I mean notebooks and pens and a planner and such.

Step 5: Get Ready to Rock It

Hopefully these ideas will help you prepare for the loveliness that is going back to school!

Wishing you love, fashion inspiration, and academic success,

Elise

5 Songs, 1 Band, Endless Fashion Inspiration: Vampire Weekend

This is a part 2 to Sunday's post on The Wombats. I felt like I had to profile at least one more band that influences me fashion-wise. And here it is, Vampire Weekend.

Vampire Weekend is the music inspiration for my preppy side. Where The Wombats bring out the edge in my style, Vampire Weekend brings the classic and quirky. And I just can't get enough quirky. Ever.

Here we go...my top 5 Vampire Weekend fashion inspiration picks:

1. Oxford Comma, Vampire Weekend

2. Campus, Vampire Weekend

3. Diplomat's Son, Contra

4. Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, Vampire Weekend

5. Cousins, Contra

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

5 Songs, 1 Band, Endless Fashion Inspiration: The Wombats

I honestly believe that musical taste and fashion lie hand in hand. For me, the aesthetic of an artist or musical group tends to rub off on you in the same way the general styles and tastes of people with whom you spend time or cities do. British indie rock band The Wombats definitely influences my fashion choices in the best way possible. Five of their songs are my main source of fashion inspiration, so without further ado, Fashion inspired by The Wombats:

1. Techno Fan, The Wombats Proudly Present: This Modern Glitch

2. School Uniforms, A Guide to Love, Loss, and Desperation

3. Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves), The Wombats Proudly Present: This Modern Glitch

4. Moving to New York, A Guide to Love, Loss, and Desperation

5. Backfire at the Disco, A Guide to Love, Loss, and Desperation

I hope you enjoy the music videos!

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

Fashion for Beginners: Alexander McQueen

In today's installment of fashion for beginners, I will be profiling one of my favorite designers ever, Alexander McQueen.

Brit-born McQueen was the genius behind the Armadillo shoe and the force behind some of Lady Gaga's fashion choices. His designs have spawned several knockoffs, most notably the knockoff created by the Harry Potter costume designer for Fleur Delacour's wedding dress in the Deathly Hallows Part 1. 

His edgy and at times controversial designs are what made him stand out from other designers. He knew how to create a theatrical runway show and always showcased his work in the most amazing way.

McQueen's death during fashion week in February 2010 left the fashion world saddened and distraught. His brilliance will always be remembered, though, in his designs. And the label is in good hands. Sarah Burton has done and is continuing to do a fabulous job as Creative Director for the brand, as evidenced by the fact that she and the McQueen line were chosen to create Kate Middleton's wedding gown.

McQueen's memory and fashion legacy will never be forgotten. He was an innovator, a genius, and an inspiration to many.

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

Workout Faves

It's ridiculously hot outside here in the mitten. Like, 100 degrees hot. And it's muggy too, which means puffy, frizzy, nasty hair!!! Mmmmm so lovely. So, now I'm sure you're wondering "What fashion choices will she make to get through the heat?" Or maybe you aren't. Regardless, I'm going to tell you. Workout clothes. Yes, I'm working out even amid the crazy heat-advisory-ozone-action-day weather. So without further ado, my very fave workout items:


I absolutely love yoga pants for working out. Depending on the weather, I choose either the full length or capri styles, a variation of which is pictured here. I also am super into wearing shorts for when I'm running or braving the new elliptical that now lives in my basement. And I honestly could not survive a workout without my iPod! Music helps me get through the workout and the heat!

Wishing you love, fashion inspiration, and relief from the heat,

Elise

Fashion for Beginners: Michael Kors

Many will argue that the quintessential American designer is none other than Ralph Lauren. To an extent, I would agree, seeing as he's the man behind the polo shirt and such. However, there is one American designer who is dear to my heart and will forever manage to creep his way onto my Amex bill. And he's the one, the only Michael Kors.

I'm not going to outline his life so much in this post, because I want to load it up with pictures of designs of his that I'm smitten with. I will say this though--he's the only reason I ever watched project runway.

Below is a little polyvore set I compiled of some of my fave items from both the Michael Kors collection and the slightly less expensive MICHAEL Michael Kors collection.


As you can see here, many of the items are neutral and classic. They can be used as staples and accessorized to create a glam, demure, or classic look--basically, his pieces are a canvas, and depending on your style, you can add to them to reflect your personal tastes. It is this quality that makes Michael Kors such an amazing designer in my mind. Nothing is over done, nothing is ostentatious. The lines in themselves cater quite well to many people's personal tastes, which is phenomenal.

My favorite item in this set is the watch. I'm a huge fan of men's watches simply because they are large and fabulous. Michael Kors watches provide the same look and level of "wow" as men's watches with simple adjustments, such as the addition of stones and shiny gold plating, to make them a bit more feminine.

What do you think of Michael Kors and his collections? Just right? Too simple? I would lovelovelove to know!

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

Woo Random Holiday!

There are some pretty quirky/random holidays out there. For example National Potato Chip Day. What's with that? But there's a fashion-type holiday, which takes place today, and fits really nicely between fashion weeks. What is this holiday? It's "Embrace your inner Geek-ness" Day! Where it's not only cute, but perfectly acceptable to be in suspenders and glasses, with your nose buried in a book/fashion mag and zero makeup. I super love this holiday and hope you take the time to embrace your own inner geek-ness and fulfill any nerdy habits you have! I know I will.

Me in the library, being nerdy and reading the old and dusty books that people don't use because of the interweb :)

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

How-to: Rock Jeans and a T-shirt

I know some people who really admire fashion and love trends and such, yet really love wearing jeans and t's and don't really feel comfortable straying from those items. I mean, jeans and t-shirts are super comfy, and better that it's jeans than leggings, I suppose.

In today's How-to, I'll illustrate a few ways to take your comfy basics and amp them up a bit. Here we go...

This is a dressier jeans/tee look. Here, I paired a classic pair of dark wash skinnies with a simple white t-shirt and dressed it up a bit with a tan jacket. You can add accessories as you please, but I think a nice, sturdy bag works quite nicely as an accessory. I threw in a pair of pink flats for a pop of color, but they can easily be substituted with boots for fall/winter, or even heels or wedges.


Here, I went for a trendier look, using a cropped tee and boyfriend jeans. It looks comfy and relaxed without forgoing style. It's a perfect compromise. Feather earrings make a statement and add texture and visual interest while the simple bag rounds out the outfit without going over the top. I love a good wedge with jeans, as well as flats, so I put a few options here. Keds are always classic and adorable while sandals make this look a tad more summer-y.

I've done an outfit similar to this before. It was kinda quirky, but a lot cute. I had a sequined pair of suspenders and I kept things neutral with a camel colored cross-body bag and sandals. One of my friends also put together a similar outfit, but with converse, and I thought that those were an appropriate choice to round out this look. I rarely ever wear screen tees but I bought this one after an episode of Glee and lovelovelove it with denim shorts.

I hope this post was helpful and gave you some new ideas on how to spruce up simple jeans and t-shirts!

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

California Love

I'm off to this lovely place called Orange County for a few days. There, I will be attending the Melkite National Convention, where I will get to dress up a bunch and hopefully take some lovely pics. I don't think I'll get any more posts in for the duration of the trip--I'm actually panning this one out on my phone in the airport--but I'll get back on it the moment my jet lag wares off. Promise.

Anyhow, I'm very excited for this trip and I'm just as excited to bring some of my mid-west meets east coast flair out west.

Stay lovely!

Elise

Crop It Out

I love dresses and skirts, as evidenced by many of the items I post/talk about. Oh, yeah, and the blog's name kind of gives that away too. However, this summer has been all about crops for me. As you can tell from the post title, which, ya know, is pun-ny. Anyhow, I love cropped tops, cropped jeans, cropped pants. They are all too perfect! My faves by far, though, are cropped pants. I have a navy pair, the olive pair pictured below, and a black pair. They pair brilliantly with sandals, flats, wedges, and heels and in my opinion, just look wonderful and make any outfit appear as a polished one.

Below is a pair I have, as I mentioned, with two skinny belts that would be wonderful replacements for the one that comes with it.









I have a cute little pic of a pair of crops I dressed up, with none other than the shoes from the update post!

Here's a look:

Please excuse the hair and lack of makeup. Sometimes I decide to act like a child and play dress up in my own closet, not expecting much to come from it; when it does, as evidenced here, I snap a photo or four.

Hope you like the cropped trend as much as I do! Let me know how you wear/accessorize your crops!

Wishing you love and fashion inspiration,

Elise

Crops and Belts by ess912 featuring wide belts