Style Profile : On Wednesdays, We Wear Grunge

Seattle is the legendary birthplace of grunge. The rain-kissed streets and cool autumn air inspires fashionistas near and far to bust out those chunky boots and beanies. Nothing cultivates a classic grunge look more than vintage and contrasting pieces. Whether it be a vintage band T-shirt or a funky pattern, grunge clothing can be a great conversation starter and can give your outfit some serious edge that’ll get the whole campus buzzing.

This Seattle-grown fashionista completely oozes grunge. She wears a dress patterned with tiny black flowers for some femininity but contrasts it with a straight-fitting, speckled knit cardigan. She also added some black tights for extra warmth. Her chunky, mustard-yellow beanie mimics the autumn leaves and adds a great pop of color. My favorite part of this look are her chunky black boots.

Chunky boots are a quintessential part of a grunge wardrobe, and this Fashionista is totally rocking them. Nineties grunge fashion is all about being comfy, so this look is perfect for class. The more worn-in your clothes look, the better. So don’t be afraid of scuffs on your boots or rips on your pants. Own it!

Style Profile: Early Morning Class

With the new school year underway, the importance of making good first impressions are at an all-time high. What you wear is your ticket to expressing yourself before your words can define you. So, what do you wear for those early morning classes? On the one hand, you could go for maximum comfort in the form of the classic T-shirt and sweats combo— but the Fashionista/o in you calls for more. This Fashionista makes her stylish (yet still comfy) mark that is sure to make a great lasting impression in class. Her colorfully patterned floral crop top is sure to brighten up the classroom in the morning, while her vintage necklaces and arm candy add just the right amount of bling without coming off as overzealous. Her cotton drawstring trousers give this outfit that chic yet comfy touch. Its billowy cotton structure leaves just enough wiggle room to make you feel like you’re still lounging around in bed, but its tapered cuff at the bottom provides a more form-flattering structure. Basically, it’s like the sweatpants’ stylish older cousin. The best part is that after class you can easily transition into nap mode and just kick off your shoes to take a well-deserved nap. Paired with some classic black flats, this Fashionista showed us that you don’t necessarily have to sacrifice style for comfort. Early morning classes don’t have to be a drag if you make it so! Attitude is everything. Your outfit is simply the kickstarter to starting your day positively and, of course, comfortably.

Style note: Is the chilly autumn weather starting to creep up on you? Just cozy up in class in a knit cardigan! If you foresee a rainy walk back home in your near future, simply chuck on a stylish hooded anorak for a more cold-weather appropriate look.

Straight to the point

I am so ecstatic today because I have finally satisfied my craving for some new shoes! I picked up these pointed flats from Steven by Steve Madden the other day and I am completely in love with them (okay minus the fact that they're a little painful to break in) but that's beside the point! No pun intended. I just love the versatility of the combination of black and white. If you've been reading my past posts, you can tell I've been really feeling this monochrome color scheme! I feel like it's a great transitional style for in between seasons! 

I wanted to showcase these lovelies by keeping the outfit within the black and white color range. I kept it simple with some black cuffed trousers from H&M and my white American Apparel crop tank. I added the belt to add some finesse...and to also help keep my pants up because these are technically not meant to be high waisted but rather loose hip huggers! 

My two cents on these shoes are that, for one, they have a great design. The texture of the material is sort of like a fake snakeskin, but the shoe itself is very sturdy. The only thing is that because it's sturdy the front half and also the back strap digs into my foot for now, but I'm crossing my fingers that they will adjust to the shape of my feet in due time! ....and hopefully that due time means soon....but hey, there is that saying "beauty is pain" right? 

Roadtrippin

Knowing that I'll be driving around in a car and sightseeing all day, my first instinct is to reach for my nearest sweatsuit combo. But what about those quick scenic snapshot stops along the way! In this outfit, I went for comfort so I could lounge back during our long car ride yet still keep it stylish for when I want to take a picture at a stop. I'm wearing my Nike skinny yoga pants pulled up a little so they're more high-waisted (and to make my legs look longer)! These bright blue and highlighter yellow Nike free runs are one of the most comfortable shoes I own so they were the perfect footwear to don on this trip. Once again, my favorite style tool, structure, came into play with my white cropped shirt from Topshop. The rolled up sleeves add a rough and tumble edge to this outfit and takes the classic t-shirt+yoga pants combo to the next level. 

I took this photo at the beautiful and breathtaking (not to mention HUGE) Lake Crescent which is located on the Olympic Peninsula. Did I mention I also got to go to Forks, WA and La Push?? Shoutout to all you Twilight fans! #noshame I remember obsessing over the books in middle school! 

It was definitely reminiscent and a truly awesome experience to visit the places which the book's settings are based upon. 

If any of you are thinking about touring the Olympic National Forest, I would definitely recommend you check these amazing sights out for yourself if you love exploring nature and adorable small towns! Just make sure you come prepared with lots of yummy roadtrip snacks and a tank full of gas! 

♡ Katrina

Farewell summer

photo credit: Aaron Yeung
editing: yours truly

As the cool fall breeze starts to seep its way into the summer air, all the shorts and crop tops begin to get tucked away to gather dust in our closet. To savor these last bits of summer left, I put together this outfit to celebrate summer fashion and all the fun, memorable times we all had this summer! This uber-bright multicolor crop top brings fun and color to this outfit as a nod to all the bright colors of summer. My white asymmetrical skort from Choies provides the perfect blank canvas to undertone the brightness of the crop top. Simple pieces with unique structures and cuts are a staple in my wardrobe! Pointed shoes are also another favorite of mine (as seen with my worn-daily Chloé dupe boots #noshame). They just look so chic and give any outfit a twinge of sophistication and elegance! I've actually been wearing lots of monochromatic outfits lately, but I realized that I should enjoy this season while I can (seeing as how the weather here will soon take a sharp turn downward) and wear more summery colors and styles of clothing!

So, friends, savor the end of summer and wear the heck out of those clothes you can only rock now during this time of the year! 

♡ Katrina

Road trip to VanCity

                               

I call this one: "the first clothes I grabbed out of my travel bag"

Kidding! Well, kind of. I woke up early in the morning to drive to Vancouver and ended up getting a little sidetracked along the way with the Tulalip Premium Outlet mall and let me just say--complete bliss! Unfortunately I was with my parents and we were supposed to meet up with some relatives in Canada so I resisted the urge to drop mad money and we continued on our way after only spending a short while there. I actually started out wearing my (all-time favorite) acid wash Brandy Melville muscle tee which I totally abuse and wear multiple times a week. Hey, I can't help it that it's so versatile! Monochromatic clothing has definitely been the style I've been feeling lately. It's just so easy and simple yet classy and chic! But back to the point, I started out with the shirt and my Nike yoga skinny pants because I started the day so early and I just knew I'd be cramped in a car for a long time. Once we were crossed over into Canada, I grabbed out this asymmetrical, steam-clean white Zara skirt (which, believe it or not, my uber-fashionable mama got me) and swapped the Free Runs I was wearing for my (also-abused and worn daily) Chloé dupe booties. I also kept some of my favorite jewelry pieces in my purse so I slapped on a chunky braided silver bracelet and the Tiffany's necklace my boyfriend got me. This is why I love black and white outfit combos! Plain black and white pieces provide enough of a contrast that you don't need fancy accessories and elaborate pieces to look put-together. This is definitely a go-to style for an on-the-go lifestyle! 

Florals mean business

Who said you can't mix florals and business pieces in an outfit? I paired my new long bandage skirt from H&M with this black acid wash muscle tee from Brandy Melville. The business formal of the long black skirt gets a fresh, modern, and sexy upgrade with the mesh stripes revealing some slight leg action. I toned down the formal structure of the skirt even more with the loose, relaxed fit of the Brandy muscle tee. Next, I brought on the floral. For a refreshing splash of color, I added my thrifted floral kimono. The chiffon material was just the perfect coverage for this sunny yet breezy day in Seattle. The flowiness of the kimono topped off this look with just the right amount of a lack of structure. 

I actually created this look for my new internship with CollegeFashionista. We were instructed to take a picture for our Style Guru bio, and I wanted to appear a little more professional yet on my own style terms (since this would be the picture displayed next to my name everywhere on the site). I just love playing around with opposing structures to create multi-toned outfits so this was the perfect outfit to represent my own style and who I am for this new community I'll be giving style advice to.