My picks for Winter 2012 Trends

Winter is upon us. It is practically here in the Midwest apart from the freaky days of sixty degrees, that is. Winter here means feet upon feet of snow and chilling temperatures. It's beautiful until the snow is consistent and turns into the awful slushy brown snow. Personally, my favorite "fashion" seasons are fall and winter. It means chunky sweaters, leggings, beanies, scarves and boots....lot's and lot's of boots. BOOT HEAVEN!

My first pick is graphic sweaters. I love crew neck sweaters and they can be layered and paired rather easily. 

Which one is your favorite? The thing I love about these types of sweaters is that you can pair them with leggings or jeans and top it off with a scarf and you are good to go. Comfortable and cute.

Moving onto my next pick: cardigans. There are many styles, cuts and prints. Some can be considered the classic "grandpa sweater." And some are modern and chic. Either way they are a wonderful staple for your closet.

I chose these few because of the textures and patterns on the sweater. Starting on the top left cranberry studded sweater. I think it would be so cozy! It is ribbed which adds a great texture to the sweater and come on, studs? Classic. 

Moving to the middle...I am personally not a fan of open/wrap cardigans, but I do think the pattern on this just screams winter. It's a wonderful geometric print that would pair well with a simple v-neck, tee, or tank underneath. 

The next one it is a great chunky cream cardigan. It has ribbing once again but I think this one is even easier to pair. Don't you think this one would work well as a layering piece? I sure do! 

The bottom row starts with a cardigan which I think would be totally perfect for a holiday party. New years eve, anyone? It is covered in cream sequins that have a rose gold undertone. Pair a black tank and some skinny jeans with heels and you are set! 

Next, is another perfect holiday sweater. It looks so cozy and comfy. Classic red and blue colors are perfect for winter time.

This wrap cardigan has more an aztec feel with the triangles and other geometric shapes. It would look great with a cranberry/ox blood top or scarf. 

Finally, my favorite. I absolutely adore a sweater with leather elbow patches. I think they are absolutely adorable! It is a classic piece for fall and winter. 

My last two favorites for the winter: infinity scarves and boots. Infinity scarves are one of my absolute favorite winter accessories.  They keep you warm and are so cute! 

Cream, red, classic red and black checkered, and gray. All of these, in my opinion would be perfect colors for the winter season. I think that they could be perfect for wearing over any sweater, like the ones I have pictured above. 

Finally, boots. I think that combat boots could work in the winter depending on the climate where you live. Pairing thick winter socks that can fold over the boots are a great option. However, if you are like me, and you live in the tundra practically and are in risk of falling (my campus is a death trap, I swear) then I suggest fur boots with plenty of traction. I know, what you're thinking....that's not fashionable. However, it can be. I've chosen my picks after reviewing the trends from NYFW this year. 

These styles obviously vary from place to place and you can choose depending on what works for you, as I've stated before. The three combat boots I chose all have thick socks inside. While the others are your typical winter boots. These all can be styled easily, but remember, safety first!

Stay warm and safe this season! 

Let me know your favorite trends this winter in the comments below. 

Maggie xoxo

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Trend alert! Peter Pan Collars

As fall continues and winter comes closer there is one trend that will continue throughout these cold seasons. That is the adorable peter pan collar. Very stylish in several different styles and colors it is an easy trend to pull off and can add the needed "pop" to any outfit. I think the easiest way to transition this trend into the winter is by using either your own peter pan collar on a sweater or purchasing one attached. I think another great way to get this look is to pair a denim top underneath a sweater or let any collar peep out from underneath your sweater. It gives you warmth too!
Some of my favorites from the fall:

DKNY Lace Blouse
Sexy and sleek look

ASOS dress
Cute and chic

BP Sweatshirt
Simple "sailor" comfy look

I think that all of these would be great choices for fall especially if they were layered! Comfy but cute all at once. But what if you want to make your own collar? Well, it all takes some glue, fabric of choice (something that will hold the weight well), thread/tie to connect the backs and some bling (lace, pearls, glitter). I think this is the best DIY there is out there: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeCrjALFOgI

Moving onto the cold that is rapidly approaching.....what about winter? 

My favorite look, which I think anyone can look good in and keep warm in is a chunky sweater paired with a collar 

I wouldn't say there is a "key" to wearing this trend. I think it is meant to be taken as your own. You can really wear it with almost anything. I think it is perfect for those winter days where you want to be comfy yet cute. 

I'm going to be keeping with these types of posts and will hopefully have another trend post up soon as possible.

Questions? Comment below! What's your favorite collar and sweater pair?

Talk to you soon xoxo

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OOTD: Denim POP

Hello readers,
So, I actually shot a few pictures of my outfit earlier this morning but they somehow ended up missing! So I figured, I'd create a board instead as it is night time now and the lighting would be horrible.
Moving on!
Fall is finally here and today was the perfect temperature. My favorite season is fall--especially those days where it is not too hot but not too cold.

The font came out blurry, however I hope you like my OOTD!
I paired the shirt with a gray tank to balance all of the color and print I was wearing. I didn't wear the necklace as a collar, which is what it was sold as, instead as an original necklace. I only buttoned three of the buttons on the denim shirt then rolled the sleeves up to my elbows to really show off the watch. Paired with black lace TOMS because it was the perfect capri and TOMS weather (the lace is pretty much see-through, meaning that your feet will be cold).
I promise to update you all more frequently! Well, that cannot be a promise, but I'll try!
Hope you all are enjoying these last days of September!
Xoxo,
Maggie

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Fall 2012 Necessities

Fall is just around the corner. And I'm sure many of you are with me when I say that I wish it would come quicker! Fall is my favorite season with the colorful leaves, the smell of bonfires, hot apple cider and last, but most definitely not least....fall fashion! I absolutely love fall fashion. Warm hoodies, big sweaters, infinity scarves, leggings, skinny jeans in several washes, boots and beanies.
Fall 2012 is rapidly approaching, but what is going to be "in style" this year?

From Glamour.com--cozy sweaters in every style.

From the runway to your closet, sweaters of all styles are not only comfy to wear but easy to style. Pair an oversized sweater with leggings and boots and you can match comfort with fashion. Another option--which is on trend this year--is to  pair a collared shirt underneath, letting the collar show.

From teenvogue.com

Next, a piece that has been seen all summer long. The wide, floppy, brim hat. I don't know about you readers, but this is a piece that I think could ultimately end up being a staple piece. I am not one to wear hats but I admire those who do (simply because my head is on the large size!). One of my favorite hats I have seen comes from Forever 21 (pictured below).

$19.80

Personally, I would take off the buckle (I'm guessing it is only glued on) and keep it simple with the dark red color.

After doing some research (by research I mean picking up Marie Clare's Fall Fashion issue) I came across a trend that I absolutely love: leather. Leather seems to come in and out but I'm hoping it'll stay.  My piece for this trend would be a bomber jacket. I picked one up last fall from Nordstrom (on sale!!) before I headed to college & I ended up wearing it almost daily once fall came around. It was vintage looking, comfy and oh so cute.

From Nordstrom.com (Bernardo
Leather Bomber Jacket--$498)

One of the last trends that I think are worth knowing is of course denim. Denim comes in all styles & colors nowadays. According to Refinery 29 these styles are going to be must-haves this fall: fall florals,  tapered and baggy, coated denim, polka dot denim, and side panel jeans.

Different ways to wear florals. Grown up & chic dark florals, pastel florals, vibrant red florals.

Tapered & baggy. Your boyfriends jeans refined.

Coated denim. Wearing leather has never been simpler. With coated denim it gives off a shine & gloss looking like leather but has the comfort of jeans.

Retro polka dots. Simple & chic.

Side panel jeans. They elongate the leg and jazz up your outfit.

Which trend will you be wearing this fall?

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Wait, you wanna do WHAT?

Hello bloggers and readers,
I want to focus this post on my majors in college currently. Because, as many of you well know...majors can be stressful. They ultimately make you decide what you want to do with your life. Which, as a young adult is, once again, stressful & totally terrifying. My freshman year--last year--I declared graphic design and art history. Why?
Graphic design has been something that has always been in the back of my mind since I started to mess with Photoshop. It came easy for me even when I was teaching myself. Then I began to take all of the possible classes at my high school. Which furthered my love for it even more. When I came to college I took a class which really challenged me and I realized that I really did have talent in this area. That I really could do something with it.  I thought then that I wanted to design album covers for bands because I would eat, sleep and breathe music... & I thought that until the beginning of this year.

Our assignment was: Blue. Don't know how this happened but it did.

Class assignment: recreate a cleaning product making it realistic as possible . As if it was photographed.

Something I just found, an abstract piece I did.

Art history was a spur of the moment class. A class to fill a section. It ended up being a head over heels in love class. Finally a class that truly made sense to me! Something that quickly soaked into my brain.  I've always struggled with studying. I'd spend hours and hours studying for a test only to fail it. No matter how hard I would try to pass, it didn't seem to work. I'd get nervous then everything would float out of my head.
Side story here:
Before I began my first year of college I spent a large time of my summer at a study skills center. The woman I was put with helped me learn how to study for the way my brain works. She knew something was off because I would get the first set of questions right but then I'd get every other one wrong on the next section. She sent me to the head of the center where I spent hours upon hours testing. At the end of summer, before I moved into college, I was diagnosed with ADHD & math dyslexia. Funny, right? After twelve years of schooling nobody ever caught that. I was a bright, quiet kid who would get the beginning of the test right but almost the rest of the questions wrong. In the end, I got an IEP that allows me more time and a separate room for testing. Back to the purpose here....
But what now?
With the two majors there's many possibilities. Almost too many that come in and out my head daily. I do still consider somehow going into the music business but I feel as though that isn't exactly logical and my parents would not approve. Then there's the completely artistic route: opening an exhibit or becoming a curator for one or working in an art museum as one of the curators. Then there's my dream right now: working in the fashion business. Designing the magazines, doing layouts or something along those lines. Instead of only eating, sleeping and breathing music I am also doing the same with fashion lately. It's something that passes through my mind multiple times a day. It's everywhere I look.
But when it comes down to it, I know that if I'm not happy, then I'm not in the right degree. I still have time to decide even though to me, it doesn't seem that way.
Did you have multiple dreams when you were in college? Any stories to share? Comment down below, I'd really appreciate it.
Have a great day,
Maggie xoxo

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Color & pattern of the day.

Hello lovely readers,

I am all moved into my new dorm room, meaning that I am officially a Sophomore in college. Scary thought! It seems like only yesterday I was beginning my Freshmen year. I am planning to finally start using my camera to post HD photos of my own onto this blog. Until then, I'll have to suffer through my phone camera and internet creations.

Today's post is inspired by the lovely weather we have been having and the lovely blog that I am absolutely in love as well as obsessed with: designlovefest.com. I hope to continue posts like these with a color and pattern of the day that I tie into my outfit. 

Color: Peachy pink

Pattern: Leopard

Top:Aerie-$39.95 (Peek-a-boo in pink)
Jeans: American Eagle, they are old! Similar pair: American Eagle--$29.99 (Dark wash vintage, high rise)
Watch: I could not find the exact one on the website anymore... similar: Betsey Johnson: $155 (I bought mine from Nordstrom's during a sale. It is the same concept, however, the face is gold with crystals & the band has links and has the leopard/cheetah print in the links).
Scarf: Charlotte Russe--$9.95 (Skull & bow)
Shoes: Target--$12.99 in gold
Bag: Again, I could not find the exact one. I bought it at the beginning of the summer at Tj Maxx. The inside of the bag doesn't even have a name on it/designer.  Similiar bag: Stella Mccartney bag

What are you wearing today?
Lots of love xx

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Trend Alert! Denim Vests.

Hello blog world!

I hope you are all doing well and have had a great week--I believe that's how long it's been since my last post. Onto the point of my post! Denim vests. Not only are they the latest trend lately, but they are extremely versatile. Denim comes in all shapes and sizes. It's been around for ages and will be to come. Denim is iconic. The vest seems to only be ideal for this fashion era. Whether thrown over a simple dress to add the "rocker" vibe or paired with a tank and some skinny jeans they can be worn with many looks. Along with that, the jean vest can be layered for the colder seasons. I have seen them thrown over a hoodie to warm up during the fall and many come with fur for those cold winter months.

Kim Kardashian pictured here with a frayed denim vest paired with a simple white tank and black skinny jeans.

Jessica Alba pairs a floral maxi dress, tan heels, a hip length light wash vest, and an infinity scarf.

These two celebrities have the correct cut for not only their bodies but for the outfit they are wearing. Kim is wearing a cropped vest because of the long length of the tank top. Jessica went with a longer vest and I know what you're thinking, "but she is wearing a long dress, just like Kim's tank..so shouldn't hers be cropped as well?" But no readers! Do you notice that her dress almost appears as tank and skirt? By using a longer vest it flows well with her long skirt, elongating her body. 

Perfect for fall. A denim vest hoodie from svvply  can warm you up and add a grunge vibe to any look.

From the store lyst this vest has fur inside and gives a vintage feel. Perfect for layering during the winter or fall months.

Denim vests have been my favorites during these spring and summer months. I love to throw them over my high low dress from Charolette Russe and my black lace dress from American Eagle. ( I could no longer find the links for these on the stores websites!) 

                                 

A fashion board I created with some denim vests.

 They can be dressed up or down with some skinny jeans and heels or some gladiators and a floppy hat pictured above. 

Do you think this trend is going to stick around for long? Would you include this as a piece in your wardrobe? Let me know below! Have a wonderful evening!

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Salmon, green bean and lemon risotto.

Hello there blog land!
Today was a laid back day. Full of a morning horseback riding lesson, errands, stuffing wedding invitations--for my sister not me--cooking and a movie night (Fright Night was the movie of choice....I love me some David Tennant).
Bit of information: I do horseback ride--hunter jumper/ English to be exact. I have for the past nine years or so. Also, I have owned my first horse now for what will be the fourth year this winter. I will be sure to post about this at a later date.
Anyways, I thought I would share my mouth-watering dinner I prepared for my mom and I tonight.
It was inspired by a dish I had at Houlihan's with my family the other night. It was possibly one of the best meals I have had in a very long time. It was the seared scallops over risotto and asparagus, drizzled with lemon, olive oil and vinegar topped with crispy spinach. I thought I would go on the lighter side and do my take on this. I know you're thinking, "Risotto is not exactly on the light side!" However,  Houlihan's had the smallest amount of risotto on the plate...remember readers, everything is good in moderation!
I did find a website that had their recipe closest to the dish but I ended up following the recipe on the box of risotto then added in what the blog suggested.

Link to this lovely blog: click

I would advise if you are interested in this recipe to follow hers because of how off track I went. I am also a "grasshopper"--if you will-- about cooking. This summer I just started experimenting and following recipes closely. I have never, ever, ever, been the best at cooking. I used to mess up recipes for icing for crying out loud! 

Waiting for the risotto, onions & green beans to cook!

This entirely took me around 45 minutes to make. It took a very long time, as it usually does, to cook the risotto. I was cooking it on the lowest heat possible because of my history in burning everything. Practice makes perfect!

Salmon and lemons awaiting the oven.

Lemons were drizzled on top of course!

I can honestly say that this dish completed was de-li-cious! It was well worth the wait and I gobbled it up way too quickly! I did portion the risotto so the veggies and the fish outweighed the rice. But if you are not trying to eat as light as I am then dive right in and I encourage you to do so!

Dish plated. Devoured minutes later.

Alright, I am off to finish watching Fright Night! If you have the time please comment below, I'd love to hear from you! Hope you all have a wonderful evening and I will talk to you later.

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OOTD: August 6, 2012

Outfit of the Day!

Tank top: American Eagle Racerback

Skirt: Floral Assemetric Ruffle Skirt

Jean Vest: Urban Outfitters 

Necklace: Charlotte Russe

Sandals: Gordman's

Note: Some of the pieces I have are no longer available. Example, skirt is from a year or so ago from AE. 

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L'Oréal Studio Secrets Desert Sunrise review & tutorial

Hello bloggerino's!

A makeup review is in store for you readers today. The product I'm going to discuss is the L'Oréal Studio Secrets quad in the shade Desert Sunrise. This quad is directed for those blue-eyed beauties. When I originally picked up this quad I was looking for an eyeshadow that was closest to three of the MAC shades I was using. I believe the three I was using were: Miss Piggy Pink, Naked Lunch, and Jest. This quad caught my eye immediately.

L'Oréal Studio Secrets Quad in Shade Desert Sunrise (Cred to lorealparisusa.com)

                                         

It took me awhile to actually try out this product once I bought it. But, once I did I fell in love. It was eye-popping, super pigmented, and gives off a beautiful sparkle finish. The glitter, for those who hate it, is not an overwhelming glitter. It adds a sparkle to your eyes.

As many drugstore quads do nowadays, it provides a guide on the back. The guide instructs you where to place each shade:

1. All over the lid

2. A highlight for the brow bone & inner tear duct

3. In the crease

4. As an eyeliner

Although the guide instructs you I have recently been going my own route. My favorite thing to do is place the eggshell color on 1/2 of the inside of my lower lid. Then, place the peach shade on the outer half. Next, I take shades 1, 3, & 4 in the crease, buffing it in. Blend, blend, blend! Next, I place shade 2 on the brow bone as a highlight. Line your eyes with what eyeliner and color you please. I prefer black on the lids and waterline, but that's just me! Top it off with mascara and you have a popping eye look!

So, overall, I give this product two thumbs up! This is not a dupe for the MAC colors I have listed but I think this quad works better with my skin tone and eye color.

Have any of you used this quad before? Leave your thoughts and comments below!

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