October 2017 – Stylish and Starving At Twenty-Something

There are two things that are certain in fashion: there will always be fads that come and go, and there will always be the classics that stay. So I guess I’m saying that change isn’t the only constant, although it is a certainty. Classics include the obvious, such as the LBD, the white button up, and dark wash jeans. But when it comes to classics, we aren’t confined to just silhouettes. Sure, there are the “it” colors and “it” patterns each season, but there are some patterns we can always rely on. Among those? Stripes, florals, and my personal favorite: gingham.

In the realization that I will shortly be entering the business world, I’ve been making the effort to invest in pencil skirts and blazers. Upon finding a pink gingham pencil skirt at J. Crew that I was absolutely in love with, I was concerned that maybe it wasn’t the most practical style (fun fact, I actually don’t own a simple black pencil skirt). However, I was quickly reassured by my mother that she has had a gingham pencil skirt for years that she still wears, and that it was a skirt that could be cute AND classic.

It’s not often that I sit and think through the items hanging in my closet(s), but I realized that I do, in fact, have a healthy obsession with gingham, and that it’s been around for a while. I’ll also admit that during the past couple of months, it has gotten increasingly stronger. In working on this blog post, I was enticed to online shop, which I am so often inclined to do. Scrolling through Anthropologie’s website, I found numerous gingham dresses that I so badly wanted to buy. But then, I stopped myself. Because I already have an adorable gingham dress, and that dress is the star of this post.

This past summer, I spent a week in New York City for my merchandising internship. In making every effort to visit my favorite parts of the city in a short period of time, I spent one evening alone in SoHo and the West Village, my absolute favorite spots. Every time I’m in New York, I always visit the Madewell store in SoHo. Perhaps it’s because it was the first Madewell I ever visited, or perhaps its because they have nearly an entire floor of sale. Regardless, I always make it there. I wasn’t there for anything in particular, although I did walk away with a new jean jacket that is absolutely perfect. But as I was walking downstairs back to the main level, I saw an adorable gingham dress on a mannequin; suddenly, I knew what I would be purchasing.

Dress:

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The pattern isn’t the only thing that I love about this Madewell dress. The fabric is super lightweight, the silhouette is very flattering, I love the drop waist, and the ruffles on the cap sleeves and bottom are adorable. This dress is super versatile, which I love. It can easily be dressed up or dressed down, it all depends on how you style it. It’s also great because it can easily transition between seasons. It’s light enough to wear comfortably in the hot summer months, but it also looks great with a jean jacket thrown over it in the fall. Suffice to say, I am very glad that I made my usual visit to SoHo that week.

Shoes:

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Sometimes, being matchy matchy doesn’t work; sometimes, you can have too much of a good thing. But honestly in this case, I think it works. These sandals are from Anthropologie, and I bought them this summer during the midst of my shoe shopping frenzy. I just thought the gingham was too adorable to pass up, and they can really go with so many different things. The can go with nearly any color because they are black and white, and they are also just super cute and summery. Plus, they were a great price, so I basically had to buy them.

Accessories:

These tassel earrings are from Primp, my favorite boutique in Minnesota. I have collected a couple of different pairs of tassel earrings during the past year, two of which are from Bauble Bar. While they might not be an everyday style, these black ones are lightweight enough and small enough that they can be worn a little more casually than some. The fact that they are black and gold also makes them more versatile, as the other pairs that I own are light pink and mint green.

While I’ll accept the fact that bold patterns are not for everyone, nor are they appropriate for every occasion, it is fun to break out a ~fun and flirty~ print every once in a while. For me, I’m always into bold patterns; I love me a good solid color, but I always will feel the need to dress it up a little bit with something more fun. Gingham is one of those tried and true patterns that will never go out of style, so investing in a piece with a gingham pattern is definitely worth your while. Now, whether or not you turn your gingham into a whole ensemble like I did is totally your call, but as a gingham girl myself, I will always be down!

XOXO, Chloe

Stylish and Starving at Twenty Something

“And summer’s lease hath all too short a date”. Same Shakespeare, same. Like William, I believe that summer flies by too fast. The break from school goes by in the blink of an eye. So too, does the warm weather that allows for carefree fashion. While wearing a dress is almost always easier than bottoms and a top (I mean, it is just one piece of clothing after all), it is especially easy to slip a sundress on and call it a day during the summer. You look like you tried without putting much effort into it at all. And don’t get me started on how much easier it is to go out in the summer (bars + parkas = no bueno). So in an ode to summer, here’s one last summer style that will soon have to be put to rest until next year.