Turked' Up

Festive end-of-fall decor in our dining room

My brother & me

Getting ready to sit down

Happy Thanksgiving!! 

The day has past where it is socially acceptable and encouraged to eat double your body weight in turkey and then continue eating every type of pie every created.  Sleep in, relax, spend (even more) time with your family, and appreciate the day after the chaos.  (Or don't relax and completely clear your house of fall decorations to make space for holiday ornaments and Christmas accessories, like my family is doing today.... )

Grandmother's hand made center pieces 

Room for 17?

This Thanksgiving was fun due to the six inches of snow outside.  It added an extra touch of holiday spirit and felt like a good way to kick off the season.  My young cousins were extremely fascinated with the blindingly white snow everywhere, however, not old enough to understand that yes, a jacket is now necessary to go outside with.

A plate piled high with homemade whipped cream (usually to go with pie!)

Passed out

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving was filled with love, joy, and gratitude.  Everyone deserves an extra "thank you" even for the little things.  I love Thanksgiving the most (minus insane massacres of Native Americans years ago) because family just comes together and eats.  Every American is linked by this day, regardless of religion or ethnic background.  It's just a day to come together and be thankful for everyone sitting around your table smiling at you.

Cold and Bold

As the first major snowfall of the season has come and gone (third week of November and almost a foot of snow...), I figured it's time for an in-style recount of this winter's trends. Compiled from runways, pages of fashion magazines, and from the media- this winter features a lot of reoccurring trends and some new styles for the bold and eccentric.

Advertisement for women's jeans this season

Baggy Is Better

Some key looks this winter feature boyfriend fit jeans, loose or over sized sweaters (both cardigans and pullovers), and lots of layering to create a baggy look.

My favorite winter style is a simple bottom with a chunky sweater and boots. It's easy to look cute while staying so warm in the winter. Layering long sleeve tops and sweaters and jackets is so easy and can be so cozy.

Accessorizing with scarves, hats, and gloves is another plus to winter styling due to its warmth. I love finding cute and colorful winter accessories because they can instantly make a boring outfit fun. If you're style-impaired, just rely on the accessories. Pick out a normal, basic outfit and let your winter hats, coats, and scarves do the wow-ing for you.

Creating a baggy look should be easy and cozy!

Examples from winter runway shows 

Mary-Kate Olsen street style inspiration

Street Style 2014

Feminine Styling

Even though lately menswear-inspired fashion has been more prominent on runways, this season feminine and girly silhouettes and styling seem to be coming back with force.  Layers of tulle under thick knits or chunky jackets add a utilitarian or practical aspect to otherwise very girly pieces.

These eccentric takes on the feminine trend in recent runway shows may be a bit over the top and impractical, but they are prime examples of the pretty plumage seen everywhere paired with sturdier counterparts.

Tommy Hilfiger fall runway show

Balmain fall runway show

Gareth fall runway show

from Nylon website

Ankle Boots

Obviously boots are, have been, and forever will be the staple of any fall related fashion.  Boots have evolved and been constructed out of any material under the sun since creation of man kind.  This season ankle boots and shorter, strong footwear stomped and stormed the runways.  Street style displays the trend in various pairings from leggings and skinny jeans to enormous dresses.

Are ankle boots the new iconic footwear of the season to come?  Or will it continually change?  Since last year's over the knee boots this footwear has downsized considerably; what will they look like next year?

Ankle boots from "The Brown Girl with Long Hair"

Celebrity ankle boot styling

Pastels

One trend that was completely uncalled for but all mutually agreed upon by major designers is pastels for winter.  PASTELS.  Ditch your dark hues and shades of tan, brown and black for peppy and cool colors in baby blue, petal pink, and yawn yellow (I'm kidding.. sort of).

This trend will continue from winter into spring due its transitional tones, but I'd be surprised to see this trend majorly take off.  Yes, it was everywhere on the runways but in real life?  I'd love to see some bold street style fashionistas take on this daring (?) trend.

PS-- add any bright gems or statement jewels to your bland outfits this season for an instant shine and glimmer!

Something to Think About

I saw these specific covers of Rolling Stone magazine in a post on Tumblr recently. It honestly appalled me how I had never seen this pattern until it was compared right in front of me. How can this blatant display go unnoticed for years?

I thank the girl who noticed the pattern and spelled it out for everyone on the internet. Men are treated as people, icons, while women continue to be treated as objects. You could make the argument that women can say no to being posed such ways or displaying themselves in such fashions, but why does that question have to be posed? 

Why is it normal for men to do nothing in front of the camera and sell as many covers as half naked women staring provocatively at the lens? Why is the standard so different? 

When will it change? 

The point of feminism isn't proving that women are strong. Women ARE strong. Feminism is convincing the rest of the world just how strong women truly are. 

Iconic

Women and fashion compliment each other and challenge each other since the beginning of time. Whether you wear the clothes or the clothes wear you is a struggle, can you even pull that off is the question.

Fashion adventurers and extremists dare to achieve crazy looks and lots of buzz (not all positive). They step outside the lines of practicality and trendiness to don something a bit more eyebrow-raising (perfectly shaped eyebrows, nonetheless). From looks as quiet as wigs or thematic makeup, all the way to garbage bag dresses (cough cough Ke$ha) and basically a wearable-see through diamond dress (Rihanna). The world of fashion changes and is pushed at every moment, but it's some of these show stopping leading ladies and their garments that cause the greater rifts popular in fashion chronology.

Latest and umm... greatest (?), Rihanna. Showing up at the CFDA Awards in a completely sheer, sparkly dress. Custom designed by Adam Selman, the dress was literally covered in over 200,000 Swarovski crystals. Rihanna was being honored by the CFDA for their annually appointed Fashion Icon award... clearly she didn't want to let the board down. Wearing matching gloves and thong, Rihanna also paired the dress with a fur stole and head kerchief. Iconic? Definitely. It's up in the air, however, if this is applause inducing or cover-your-eyes-quick! worthy...

The green, plunging Versace dress that changed a nation. Just kidding, but J. Lo's famous dress worn to the 42nd Grammy Awards Ceremony in 2000 designed by Donatella Versace was voted the fifth most iconic dress in fashion history. This theme of being revealing and provacative may result in being iconic, but there are many more iconic women who sported much classier gowns...

...for example, the love of my life forever and ever, the ever classy and fabulous, Audrey Hepburn. One of her most iconic dresses was this white, floral Givenchy dress that she wore to the 1954 Academy Awards Ceremony. The belted gown showed off her narrow waist, while she her natural confidence and dazzling smile won over the eyes and hearts of every viewer. Audrey won Best Actress this year for her performance in Roman Holiday. She will always be iconic and for lack of a better word, perfect.

Another Versace winner. In 1994, Hugh Grant's at-the-time girlfriend, Liz Hurley, accompanied him to one of his movie premiere's sporting this black Versace dress held together by six, large, golden safety pins. Not only was this another huge success for the Versace label, but the dress also launched Liz Hurley to global fame and to the large scale media stage. The iconic dress has been re-worn recently by Lady Gaga, moving the gown from "neo-punk" couture to a darker, grungier daytime dress.

Keira Knightley had already proved herself a phenomenal actress, but at the 78th Academy Awards in 2006, she proved herself to be an iconic fashion plate as well. The one shoulder, plum, taffeta gown was custom designed by Vera Wang and was voted as the sixth most iconic dress in fashion history by The Daily Telegraph, and the most iconic Oscars dress by Cosmopolitan magazine.

Christian Dior creates sexy and complicated looks time and time again, this dress for Kate Moss is no exception... however, it has seen better days. Kate Moss showed up with photographer Mario Testino to the Victoria & Albert Museum for an exhibit honoring Christian Dior and his amazing work in 2007. By the end of the night, shoulder tears and rips down the back caused Moss to hike up the dress and tie it around her waist to prevent anymore damages. The iconic dress is now being donated to Cancer Research UK to raise money. Although the dress is in horrible condition and will probably need the help of a surgeon to fix it, its still an amazing dress worthy to be remembered for times to come. 

Then there are the bizarre... Bjork showed up to the 73rd Academy Awards in 2001 wearing not only a tan, bejeweled body suit, but also a swan wrapped around her neck. Designed by Macedonian Marjan Pejoski and brought to life by the Icelandic singer by mimicking a swan laying an egg at the actual ceremony.... And then scarily enough, Valentino reimagined and recreated a variation of the dress for his 2014 spring couture show recently. Iconic?

OMG Your Epidermis is Showing!

What is too much skin?

Plunging necklines, cropped tops, and booty shorts get a bad rap, yet are still constantly worn about. The allure of just plain old epidermis is confusing and controversial. Do you walk the line of getting slut-shamed by showing your belly button? Do you submit yourself to double-takes by revealing your bra?

 Is there a difference between where you should and should not show excessive skin? Or is the question based on HOW someone shows skin, and what they're wearing?

In high school, girls strut through the halls in belly shirts and skin tight leggings. Although both belly shirts and leggings are fashionably acceptable, is the slut-shaming coming from the pairing of the two? Jealous looks at that one girl who can pull it off and sympathetic nods towards the girl who should really look in a mirror all can arise from the same outfit. So is one stylish and the other shocking? Or regardless, should these outfits stay in the back of our closets (because I know every girl has a belly shirt and skin tight leggings, even if she claims she doesn't)?

In fashion, belly shirt trends are revamped and reused time and time again in many different styles. They're chic as shit, let's be honest. It's a cute way for young girls to show off their tiny waists. I say why not? The actual probability of an adult having a flat stomach and/or washboard abs is pretty slim, and even so, at that age- why are you wearing a belly shirt? Wear it while you can while you're young. I am pro-belly button exposure and shock.

But what about legs?

Is it just the same to show all five miles of your legs on a regular basis? Or is it worse? Understanding what looks good on your body type is the basis of fashion and style, so booty shorts where a good portion of your saggy butt is hanging out, may not be the smartest choice for a day at school with that one old, creepy teacher who calls on you way more than anyone else... But I digress in respect to the girls yelling at their computer screens questioning my sanity. "Like, wtf? My butt is kicking."

Vogue's Elizabeth Gilpin says that pulling off a pair of shorts depends on their silhouette and the shoes you pair it with. For example: high waisted shorts usually look better with higher or clunkier shoes, something to offset the lack of torso you'll be pretending NOT to have. Any voluminous shape- either on your feet or over your shoulders- compliments the tiny bottom your trying to pull off.

I think shorts really depend on how you wear them and where you're wearing them (i.e. don't make me stare at your buttcrack in your desk chair). But again, this is completely up to interpretation and how you wanna do you.

Let me know if you think any skin is too much skin or if you love showing off your epidermis so much you should be put in a nudist colony. Comment below!!

Umm... yeah.