Simple & Cute D.I.Y Sweater

As most of you may know I am a sucker for all things target and especially their clearance (as most normal girls are). I have found the most amazing things ever on sale! exhibit A: These purple sweaters! I bought these a while ago (one for me and one for my sister) and have been holding on to them for a while in order to find some materials and inspiration to jazz them up. These Hanes pullover fleece lined sweaters were marked down to an incredible $2.00! Although it is warm in Fl, feeling cozy with a cute sweater (even at home with central AC) is always a must. I decided to go for gold studs to add a little bit of interest to the plain staple pieces. Silver or even Black spikes/studs would have worked as well!

Plain Purple Hanes Fleece Lined Pullover

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I purchased a set of 100 gold rivet studs from eBay. They are available in many different colors and styles (spikes, flat tops, round or even star-shaped!) Try watching multiple listings at once to be able to get the best deal on a value pack. They can also be purchased at any craft/fabric store (I found silver ones at Hobby Lobby) but not for wholesale.

Gold Studs

Gold Studs

I eyeballed the placement of the studs around the collar (feel free to measure if you want a perfect distance between each stud). I like the fact that they are a little bit uneven in the spacing, I feel it gives it a little character. After you have an idea of where each stud should go, individually stick the prongs face down directly into the fabric (avoid seams as those tend to be thick and hard to push through).

It should look like this in the back of your garment.

It should look like this in the back of your garment.

Then grab some tweezers and push each prong down and inward (as to not poke yourself with them when you put the item on). Make sure it’s completely down and smooth so it wont budge with washing.
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Row Completely Finished

Row Completely Finished

I chose to add some on my sleeve as well to make for a more interesting piece.

Final Product!

Final Product!

And their you have it folks! A pain stakenly easy tutorial. I am going to be studding everything and anything I own now (D.I.Y shorts coming soon). Two awesome sweaters for under $10.00…cant beat that!

-ARi

Target Merona Pullover Sweater

Mossimo Lurex Shine Sweater

Hanes Pullover Sweatshirt

Wholesale Pyramid Studs Ebay Listing

Gold Studs Ebay Listing

Pattern Power!

Hey everyone! So this week over in the gran manzana the weather has been awful! Raining and dreary, I guess you Floridians know a little something about that right sis? Anyways I thought what better way to cheer myself up than to do some shopping! On my way home from work I stopped by Forever 21 and snagged some great items. Florals, stripes, camo and paisley prints are all spring/summer trends and will really add a pop to your outfit. I found these in the plus size section which is great for us girls who are curvier. They have a wide range of sizes starting from size 12 to 24. So there is no excuse girls we can all be fabulous no matter what size or shape we are!

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Links are below! Happy shopping everyone!

-Gwen

Rose Print Skinny Jeans

Paisley Print Skinny Jeans

Spiked Camo Denim Shorts

Studded Floral Denim Shorts

Railroad Stripe Denim Shorts

90’s Revival

I absolutely love the comeback of the grunge/hiphop/comfort vibe of the 90’s. This trend can be interpreted in so many different ways! You can take it to completely different sides of the spectrum and rock “lilith fair” florals or get straight up gangster on everyone and wear rap inspired baggy pieces and blingy jewlery. The coming and going of seasonal concerts also adds spark to the trend (coachella, ultra etc) and these looks can bring out the edgier side of anyone. Seen on stars like Cassie this trend is not for the meek as it entails bold statement pieces and larger than life accesories. Combat boots, beanies, track pants, graphic tees, muscle tanks, flower head pieces,jean jackets, overalls, plaid and so much more! The 90’s were all about comfort (take reebox classics with high tube socks for instance), care free attitude and disregard for the “fashion rules”. Please refer to my Urban 90’s rooots post for another personal twist on the look.

Floral Dungaree Dress- Asos $225

Floral Dungaree Dress- Asos $225

Steve Madden Troopa- Blue Combat Boots- LuLus.Com $99

Steve Madden Troopa- Blue Combat Boots- LuLus.Com $99

Reebok Freestyle White High Top Sneakers - Asos $92

Reebok Freestyle White High Top Sneakers – Asos $92

Kid N Play T-Shirt Urban Outfitters $54.00

Kid N Play T-Shirt Urban Outfitters $54.00

Wu Tang Creme- Cuffed Sleeve T-Shirt- Urban Outfitters $34.00

Wu Tang Creme- Cuffed Sleeve T-Shirt- Urban Outfitters $34.00

90’s nostalgia- those days were so much simpler!

-Ari

Spring 2013 Trend Report

So I usually am not one to necesarilly “follow” all the upcoming trends to every season. Its more about taking whats popular and “in” and adapting it to your style and aesthetic. You can use pieces that you already have in your closet (sparing your wallet) and just splurge on particular items that really pop out for the season (ex. a really great pair of on trend pants that can be paired multiple times). Here are some of my favorite trends for Spring 2013.

Checkered/Diamond Print

Seen all over the runways, this trend is classic yet still made modern by combining it with structured fits and bright bold colors.

louisvuitton

Checkered Leggings Forever 21 $8.80

Checkered Leggings
Forever 21 $8.80

You can style this look in bold dress form or in a more subtle version with a checkered top, solid print blazer and jeans.

Leather

Leather is transitioning its way from fall attire well into spring 2013 with newer styles and cuts to choose from. Keep it light weight with different brighter tones (neutral or even red leather works) and take advantage of the warm weather by incorporating the popular cut out look.

Faux Leather Cut out Crop top- Forever 21 $19.80

Faux Leather Cut out Crop top- Forever 21 $19.80

Leather Effect Shorts- Zara $60

Leather Effect Shorts- Zara $60

Florals

It wouldnt be spring without the incorporation of some florals. After all april showers do really bring may flowers! Pair them with neutrals for a flirty casual feel, or mix and match different floral prints for a different spin on the classic.

Scalloped Hem Floral Shorts- Charlotte Russe $24.99

Scalloped Hem Floral Shorts- Charlotte Russe $24.99

Garden Floral Infinity Scarf-Charlotte Russe $9.99

Garden Floral Infinity Scarf-Charlotte Russe $9.99

Black and White

Although its an unsual concept, the stark contrast provides a fresh new visual look for the season. Any shape or cut works as long as the color combo remains intact. Try a color blocked top that already incorporates the trend, or pair your own separate pieces for a cohesive look.

Black & White Georgette Top- Forever 21 $17.80

Black & White Georgette Top- Forever 21 $17.80

White Open Cutaway Blazer- Forever 21 $32.80

White Open Cutaway Blazer- Forever 21 $32.80

So their you have it! Just some of this seasons top trends to try and incorporate when styling yourself for spring. Remember to assess your items and utilize what you already own in order not to break the bank trying these out.

Spring into this seasons trends!

-Ari

Life’s too short, just buy the damn shoes.

Hey guys! So I’ve been on the hunt for the Zara studded suede ankle booties since I set my eyes on them while browsing the internet. I then saw them on one of my favorite bloggers (Dulce Candy) and I had to have them! They add such pop to any outfit because of the very prominent gold studs. So I went on the hunt for them and found them on eBay, yes eBay! I don’t know how everyone feels about shopping on there but I always make sure I choose well rated sellers and I am never afraid to ask a ton of questions. So without further adieu here are the greatly sought out for booties. The boots came in a light tan color and black, I of course chose the tan color because I felt it would look great with summer outfits.
-Gwen
Continue reading

Nixon- “The Dash” Watch …Old Season’s Treasure!

I rarely like to shop at stores like ROSS just due to the sheer amount of unorganization and things to look at. I usually much prefer TJMAXX since Ive found that it has higher quality finds and more fluidity to the store. However, this week I was extremely bored and decided to pop in a ROSS store after not having any luck at Target or Old Navy in my favorite plaza. To my surprise I found this awesome NIXON digital watch on sale for $22.00! I almost nearly knocked over the entire counter with my excitement. Not only will it make a cute summer statement piece (with its casual rubber band) but you also cannot beat the price for a quality authentic watch. You can throw it on with some cute stackable pieces to create fun “arm candy” or leave it alone for a more sporty casual look. According to my research “The Dash” digital watch is from a couple seasons ago (roughly Spring 2011) but nontheless I am ecstatic to add it to my collection.

It is still available online on places like amazon, ebay and shopnbc

"The Dash" Digital Rubber Watch - Nixon, Assorted Colors

“The Dash” Digital Rubber Watch – Nixon, Assorted Colors

Displays Time & Date (not set in photo)

Displays Time & Date
(not set in photo)

Set it and Forget it!

Set it and Forget it!

Assorted Colors on Amazon

Pink version on ShopNBC

Or check out your local neighborhood stores like ROSS. You may be surprised at what you find!

-Ari

The Higher the Waist-The closer to God?

That isn’t the exact saying, but it should be! About 90% of the bottoms in my closet are high waist (whether they are shorts, skirts or jeans). High waist articles that reach slightly above my belly button (yes, I wear them that high) bring the focus to my waist line and reduce my apple shape while making my legs look miles longer. Instead of focusing on my chest or shoulders your eyes are immediately drawn to the midpoint of my body and it defers attention away from the fact that my hips aren’t as curvy. High waist pants also flatter my gluteus maximus for that ultimate lift also making for longer visual lines that are flattering to the eye.

Adding to the high waist craze, most of my bottoms also have some sort of volume, pleating or other detail to draw attention to that area (scalloped hems, intricate designs, you name it). Trouser styles or a -line skirts also give the illusion of curves where there are none.

Here are some of my favorite ones that Im eyeing at the moment…..

Disco Shorts- Assorted Colors American Apparel

Disco Shorts- Assorted Colors
American Apparel

Riding Pant American Apparel

Riding Pant
American Apparel

Ozzie Gingham Zip Pant Nasty Gal

Ozzie Gingham Zip Pant
Nasty Gal

Love,
Ari

Day to Night Looks

Im sad to say these are the last Vegas trip looks I have. I had so much fun and took a lot of time to put together each individual outfit for each day. I didnt want to over pack (even though I was still 5 pounds over the limit of 40) so I took what I had and improvised by switching up key items and thus creating entirely new looks by just switching one or two pieces. During one of the last days, I wore this casual white and black celine inspired t-shirt purchased on etsy.com. Everyone from fashion bloggers to rihanna is rocking it and I love how you can dress it up or down. I paired it with high waist vintage calvin klein shorts that my sister found at Buffalo Exchange last year on my home visit to NY and these target faux leather ankle boots that resemble jefrrey campbell/Dr.martens ones for less than half the price! Red lips and my Boy London snap back to top me off and I was good to go!

Faux leather with Elastic Insert
Mossimo Kolee Boot- Target
(Assorted Colors)Gold "Boy" Logo Snap Back-Boy London           Gold “Boy” Logo Snap Back-Boy London

Snap Back- Boy London, Asos
Golden Cross Earring- Forever 21

Later on that night I attended a Pin Up show that the hotel I stayed at features. I simply changed my top, removed the hat and slicked my hair back into a ponytail. I have featured this black crop top with faux leather sleeves before on my blog (worn on new years), it was purchased at love culture. The switch up gave me a little extra “edge” for the night. I enjoyed the show thoroughly as it featured so many beautiful ladies in my favorite retro attire! It was everything I expected a Vegas show to be and so much more.

Until next time!

-Ari

Target Faux Leather Boots

Celine T-Shirt

Boy London Snapback

Boy London

Dr. Martens Version

Jeffrey Campbell Boots

Urban 90’s Roots

So being that I was born and raised in New York I have a special place in my heart for all things jordan. I thought I had outgrown that phase once I started my love affair with heels in florida. Needless to say I never felt so comfortable and stylish in “casual” attire. Everyone from my bf to randoms on the streets of Las Vegas were complimenting me on my outfit, even going as far as to start mini arguments between rival cities and sports teams ..white socks anyone? My muscle “chicago bulls” tank top is from forever 21 (similar teams below). I purchased these camo leggings from love culture but they can also be found at forever 21 as well. I have had these Jordan 3’s ever since they were passed down to me from my older sis a million years ago. I gave them some major tlc to remove the yellowing on the soles and rocked them out to the surprise and dismay of my friends and loved ones! They are not perfect and are creased up (for all those sneaker heads out there) but I didn’t care and I love the retro look and feel of the completed look. Goes to show you can be sexy and cute dressed up or down!

Hood Rat Chic Chicago bulls tank-Forever 21 Camo Leggings-Love Culture Jordan 3's - Retro

Hood Rat Chic
Chicago bulls tank-Forever 21
Camo Leggings-Love Culture
Jordan 3’s – Retro

 

Trekking it in my 3's!

Trekking it in my 3’s!

Stay true to yourself and your style…or your many styles ❤
-Ari

Camo Leggings

LA Lakers tank

Minnesota Vikings Tank

New Orleans Saints Tank

Florida Seminole’s Tank

Retro Jordan 3’s

Newer Jordan 3’s