Festival Season

Ceramics It Up Dress, Modcloth (no longer available). Shrunken denim vest, American Eagle (similar here). The Essex Messenger in bittersweet, Madewell. Secondhand Ecote boots. Light as a Feather necklace, c/o Katie Dean Jewelry. Cardinal necklace, handmade locally. Floral crown, DIY. 

     The closest thing to a music festival that I've ever been to is Vollapolooza, a concert put on by UT Knoxville annually for their students. The acts used to be pretty great: it is, after all, where I got a chance to rock out to Flogging Molly for only ten dollars. However, nowadays, I never seem to have the time or willingness to find a good festival to go to. I've got several in mind for over the summer, but until then I will simply pretend and dress as if I am going to hang out and listen to music for a week.

     I wanted to mix in a bit of country charm with my festival themed outfit. I thought that the denim vest and the bird themed necklaces were a perfect touch. While the dress is certainly a stand out beauty on its own (and made in the USA!) as it is reminiscent of blue and white ceramic dishes, I enjoyed creating a layered look around it. Boots and a good satchel are a must for me when I'm on my feet or walking around, so that combination is also perfectly suited for a day of concerts. Typically, professional cameras aren't allowed, but I've found it is fun to bring along my 35mm camera, which I'm posing with in these pictures. I actually snapped a few film shots from this day which you can see here.

     I might be stuck on campus at the moment, but that doesn't prevent me from taking fashion cues from the festivals that are launching soon.

Classiques Modernes

Jean jacket, gift from my mother. Striped crop top, American Apparel. BDG Twig High-Rise Jean, Urban Outfitters. Paris neighborhoods scarf, Madewell (found in store). Francine flat, Plenty by Tracy Reese (via Amazon). Vintage Dooney & Bourke bag and Calvin Klein belt. Glasses c/o Firmoo. Marchesa earrings, Stella & Dot. 

    A striped shirt, black jeans, and black flats: this is a truly classic combination. It's something that says chic in every language. The look has a particularly French vibe because of the timeless quality. Luckily, these classics have been updated in a fabulous way so that I no longer feel like a trite reproduction of the effortless basics. 

     American Apparel, love them or hate them, provides a great place to purchase high quality, American made items for prices that usually don't make me cringe. I love all their variations of basics and this tee is no exception. Paired with my new favorite jeans, these high waisted lovelies from Urban Outfitters, I felt classic and modern all at once. 

     I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is the type of outfit that I can wear, in some form, every day. While I have a collection of dresses that is somewhat shamefully large, I seriously appreciate some great denim. It's a pattern in my wardrobe that has taken me some time to notice; however, I love jeans more than most other items of clothing I own. The casual leg wear has a bad reputation in some parts of the fashion community for seeming just a little too easy. But when I'm wearing an outfit that incorporates a great pair of jeans (or a denim vest, jacket...the list goes on), I always feel like I'm representing myself best. 

     What is your opinion on updated classics? Do you wear jeans often or no? I'd love to hear what you think!

A Fool for You

All Saints vest, tucked via Bib + Tuck. Asymmetrical hem dress, Forever 21. The Essex Messenger in bittersweet, Madewell. Light as a Feather necklace, c/o Katie Dean Jewelry. Lace up heeled booties, Modcloth (sold out, similar here). Red square frame glasses, c/o Firmoo. Black wrap watch, La Mer Wanderlust Collection. Lipstick, Aveda Nourish-Mint lip color in Cana.

     While shopping on a budget is as fulfilling as it is challenging, there are some things that are worth the extra cost.  Most of the pieces in this outfit were either sponsored, free (Bib + Tuck is a wonderful, magical place), or budget friendly. I bought the dress at Forever 21 because I wanted to experiment with a high-low hem. Fast fashion chains just happen to be the place to go if you want to try a trend, but don't want to commit a lot of cash to it. The shoes, although a staple in my wardrobe, were bought at Modcloth's big post Christmas sale for a fraction of the original cost. However, there are the obvious exceptions to this cost friendly theme: my Madewell bag and my lipstick.

     Being in college and taking those first steps on our own usually requires a close watch over what we are spending and exactly what we buy. Instead of going on a traditional spring break trip, I chose to use those funds for a little bit of wardrobe reconstruction. My beloved satchel was included in part of that budget, but I don't even consider it too much to pay for a purse. A lesson I've learned time and time again is that the more you have to think about buying something (maybe because it is more expensive than you'd normally like or maybe just because you're obsessed), the longer you'll be happy with it. I'd rather have this one handbag or my one tube of perfect lipstick than several less than perfect attempts at what I want.

     All rambles aside, what I'm trying to say is that I truly love every item in this outfit. The beautiful, dainty necklace given to me by Katie Dean is seriously the perfect addition to my jewelry collection. I wear a necklace almost every day. This one is the perfect charm to wear with scoop or v necklines as it is simple yet unique. 

     I think a great goal if you are spring cleaning your wardrobe is to focus on pieces that literally make your heart flutter. To an outsider of the fashion community or someone who hasn't had your experiences with clothing, it may seem silly to attach so much significance to a single item of apparel. But believe me, you won't regret buying or wearing the things that make you giddy.