You're Gonna Hear Me Roar

Leopard print coat, Forever 21 (similar: save, spend, splurge). 

Rolling Stones tee shirt, TJ Maxx (similar)  

J Brand midrise skinny jeans, local warehouse sale (similar)  

Vintage Spike Necklace, C. Wonder. Gold midi rings, Urban Outfitters. TBA Chelsea boots, Modcloth (sold out, similar). Vintage Dooney & Bourke purse.

 Pictures by Alysse.

     There's something about leopard print. Whenever I see the little spots peaking out at me in the racks of stores, I know it's something I'll at least take a glance at. Typically, I prefer subtlety when it comes to the print: ballet flats or a belt are usually how I incorporate the print into my outfits. But after seeing a few Pin-worthy outfits online with leopard coats as well as reading this great essay in Lucky Magazine, the idea of obtaining my own purr-fect jacket just wouldn't leave.

     I didn't have to wait long to make that purchase dream a reality. On a recent girls weekend out, my stepsister, stepmom, and I were on our way back from Atlanta when we decided to make a pit stop in Chattanooga. Normally, Forever 21 isn't exactly the first place on my mind when it comes to shopping, but we were all exhausted and frankly I only wanted to go into one store. I'm glad that Forever 21 was the first store I saw. 

      Not only was the sale section the most extensive I've seen, but everything was an additional fifty percent off. That put the price of this fuzzy, wonderful coat at a mere $13 or so. The minimalist in me was shrieking at my rebellious side that I didn't need something like this, especially considering the number of other jackets I've accumulated over the years. I ESPECIALLY didn't need a jacket that rendered me skeptical of its quality. But I tried it on a few times, double checked with the sales women that it was in fact on even deeper sale, and decided to hell with it- I'd buy the coat.

     You can't really be a shrinking violet in a leopard coat. It's my fashion philosophy that everyone is so worried about their own insecurities that they are too busy to judge you on your outfit. That may be so, but you don't spot a lot of leopards in a crowd. For my first outfit featuring the coat, I decided to go all out. Do I look like a rockstar? Because let me tell you. I felt like one.