Backpack to School

It seems that I’ve been getting a lot of spam on my posts recently. I haven’t exactly figured out why there is this problem, but I’ll continue looking into it. This blog is meant for me to express my ideas and perhaps give inspiration to others in the process. It’s really disheartening when I get spammed with suspicious links and advertisements for products, so please if you don’t have anything nice to contribute, please take your comments elsewhere.

Now that we’ve taken care of the serious business, let’s get on with the post. It’s that season where everyone’s hyped up about back to school, and while I still have one final (Individual Income Taxation) and an upper division writing paper (Macroeconomics and the Financial Market) left (this is the biggest reason why I’m unable to write more), I’m pretty hyped up as well. The main reason? I like looking through all the messengers, satchels (my personal favorite), totes, and backpacks (they’ve been coming in very nice fabrics and prints lately). And in the next month or so, even more backpack styles will be popping up. I think what most people on my campus don’t realize is that your choice of bag can make a big impression, and I’m under the impression that many people on campus consider going to class as a major hiking trip. UC Irvine consists of fairly many students from well-off families, but I’m not endorsing their $500 designer bags or whatever. I just think North Face backpacks on campus is overkill. Maybe it’s the joy they get from wearing that logo around, but it’s not entirely practical. So here I’ll be talking about some [reasonable] alternatives.

1. Not Your Standard Backpack

I’m glad I see people on campus with backpacks that have prints and asymmetrical cuts; they really stand out. There are four kinds of backpacks that I think would be trendy for the upcoming school year. 1) Floral prints are always nice (also a healthy alternative to Vera Bradley handbags). Why limit them to spring when you can shower everyone with petals all year long. 2) Lace and crochet accents turn a simple backpack into something feminine but not too girly. They add a unique contrast to something that might otherwise be quite plain. 3) Tribal and Ethnic prints may be questionable, but at least the colors and geometric shapes are eye-catching and statement-making. It seems like they’ll be sticking around for a while longer. 4) Canvas bags and buckle straps are becoming more popular recently. They also seem to radiate nature and adventure so why not substitute them for those black North Face backpacks?

Top: Long Time Print Backpack - PacSun / Floral Backpack – The Iconic / Mossimo Turquoise Backpack – Target / Floral Printed Backpack – Urban Oufitters
Second Row: Long Time Lace Backpack – Tilly’s /Lace and Jersey Backpack – Urban Outfitters / Great Outdoors Mini Backpack – Roxy /Crochet Trim Backpack – Tilly’s
Third Row: Zoe Backpack – Alloy /Ecote Around the World Backpack – Urban Outfitters / Mossimo Neon Aztec Backpack – Target / Take it or Leave it Backpack – Zappos
Bottom: Black Poppy Multi Pocket Rucksack – PacSun / Tracker Backpack – Roxy / Olsenboye Canvas Backpack – JCPenney / Ecote Solid Canvas Backpack – Urban Outfitters

Another nice place to find backpacks would be ASOS. They have a wide selection of backpacks with free shipping and lower prices than Urban Outfitters.

2. Organized: Messengers and Satchels

The crossbody cross between a backpack and a tote bag. There’s something about that structured rectangular body that makes someone look organized and prepared. Messengers and satchels are my favorite bags to carry around campus because it keeps all of my things sorted when I’m in a rush to get one side of campus to the other. It’s really to grab something from my bag or put something away without having to take off my backpack or search through the depths. And fortunately, they’re also affordable (I think Walmart has a variety of messenger bags at the moment).

Top: Satchel with Leather Flap – ASOS / Downtown Messenger Bag – Target / Buckled Shoulder Bag – Forever 21
Middle: Floral Print Satchel Bag – George / Vintage Explorer Messenger Bag – Walmart / Blue Floral Print Satchel – Debenhams
Bottom: Cross Zip Satchel – Urban Outfitters / Buckled Canvas Satchel – Forever 21 / Canvas Satchel – ASOS

The bag  that I use is a mix between a satchel and a briefcase, which I bought from Fossil ($150 and out of the price range):

And the one I’m most probably going to buy:

 

Copy Kat Workbag – Tilly’s

 

3. Tote-tally practical

Tote bags may not be able to carry as much as a regular backpack, but they are very practical and definitely multipurpose. A medium or large-sized tote bag is enough to carry your textbooks or laptop around campus. It’s also useful when you have to juggle class and internships; totes will keep you organized for lecture and work. They can also serve as a carry-all when you’re going shopping or need a bag that can fit more things. What’s great is that they’re easy to find at affordable prices and great styles. The downside to this? You might find your items swimming around in the abyss. I suggest you also get a tote organizer.

Top: Acadia Tote Bag – Walmart / Medallion Printed Fabric Tote – Target / Madeline Tote Bag – JCPenney / Mirabella Tote – Mimi Boutique
Middle: Croco Work Tote – Target / Herringbone Work Tote – Target / Shopper Handbag – Mango / Gold Zebra Print Tote Bag – Debenhams
Bottom: Stripe Tote Bag – Oasis / Fold-over Tote - JCPenney / Canvas & Faux Leather Tote – Nordstrom / Santa Cruz Tote – Kohl’s

So what kind of bags do you and your peers carry around campus? If you’re using a regular JanSport backpack, would you be up for choosing an alternative? What do you think about the bags in this post? Would you ever wear them? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!

Pretty in Prints: Stripes (Summer Edition)

A long overdue post about an extremely classy and versatile pattern and one of summer’s most popular trends. I feel like you could wear stripes basically anywhere. To summer school, the beach, a backyard barbecue, a cruise, or a European trip to name a few situations. It’s actually not limited to summer at all and is a trend you can easily pull off throughout the year. Since it’s the middle of summer, though I’ll dedicate this post to summer outfits. 

1. Time to Work Hard

This could be most boring part or highlight of your summer. I wanted to establish a professional look, so the stripes came from a collegiate (at least that’s the feeling I got from it) cardigan and a structured pinstripe blazer. Add in a striped laptop case for a bolder impression.

2. Beach and Boardwalk

When I think of the beach and stripes, I don’t always think Nautical and bold defining stripes. That’s why I put together an outfit reminiscent of sandy shores. Going to beach means showing off your body. Sometimes you’re not necessarily beach ready so soft cream and white stripes don’t accentuate anything you don’t want to (as is the case with wearing stripes). A ruched swimsuit also helps your body look toned. Top it off with a straw sun hat and don’t forget to slap on the sunscreen.

3. Picnic & Barbecue

My dad insists that summer is about barbecues. He’s always talking about how he wants to grill hotdogs and ribs in the backyard, but so far he hasn’t been motivated to do it considering there’s only three people at our household. I’m sure it will happen one of these days if we decide to invite family. Regardless, I chose something relaxing and cool for those fiery grills.

4. Aye Aye, Captain!

It was really hard to do just one outfit for the Nautical theme. It’s so amazingly classy no matter how you wear it (pants, skirt, dress). It was hard to make just one outfit so I’m definitely going to make a full post about it (possibly on Friday). Anyway, the Nautical theme is best played with navy blues, bright reds, and whites/cream. For shoes, espadrilles or boat shoes are definite musts. I love accents such as seashells, anchors, and sailboats.

5. Bonjour, Mademoiselle

If you have the luxury of going on a European trip, I envy you. I really like France and Paris, so here’s an outfit for you, mademoiselle. Or if you’re at home, maybe it’ll help you feel a little closer to Paris.

There are many other ways to wear stripes by accessorizing. A light summer/fashion scarf or boat shoes both work really well.

So which outfit is your favorite? Do you plan on wearing stripes the next time you go out? Let’s discuss!

Inspirational Mondays: Herbal Essences Part Two

Mondays are boring. It’s the start of a brand new week after you’ve had a weekend of fun. Sometimes I find it difficult to wake up or roll out of bed to get myself ready for the day (week). And then when I’m finally awake, the fact hits me hard like a slap to the face: another five days before the weekend. No, but seriously, most Mondays are pretty boring for me, and I don’t have much to look forward to for the rest of the week. I’m sure I’m not the only person that suffers from this problem so I thought I would devise some mastermind plan (not really) to brighten up the day and the rest of the week. After brainstorming and revisions I ended up with Inspirational Mondays (a series that will forever be labeled with this uninspired title).

Image Credit 

Well, look who we have here. After a year, my wrist has certainly gotten a little better, and I’m just bursting with ideas so I decided I would start blogging again. On another note, I’m happy to see that the ombre effect is popping up in many designs and stores. Back when I made my post (almost a year ago), there weren’t many options, and now it’s everywhere! But let’s get on with the Inspirational Monday, and the Herbal Essences chapter will finally be complete (Part One can be found here). Let’s begin!

6. Hello Hydration

When you think of the word hydration, water comes to mind, right? This bottle reminds me of the seaside. I can almost smell the salty breeze (maybe). What better way to capture the beautiful, flowing waves on the shore than by choosing a soft high-low dress? I paired the dress with dark turquoise and teal shoes and accessories to capture the deep ocean, and added a long green cardigan reminiscent of kelp. Totes are essential to beach days, and a white and cream one is just like those sandy shores.

7. Set Me Up

Okay, so this isn’t exactly shampoo, but it’s an Herbal Essences product (and the only one that represents a deep blue color). The “Set Me Up” line used to be an aqua/blue color just like the Hydration bottle above. I think this new look suits it better, though. I’m not a big fan of hairspray, and I’ve used it just once in my life (much to my dismay). When I think of hairspray, I see structure (and a little bit of stiffness) somewhat like a strict businessperson. So I started this outfit with crisp pants, a blouse, a deep navy blue blazer, and a structured bag. But of course this look might be a little boring. The can of hairspray isn’t just navy and silver; it has bright pops of color. So I thought, when people are the victim of pranks, they are often “set up,” so adding bright pops of colors like the turquoise and lime green might actually be pretty fun.

8. Tousle Me Softly

I’m not a big fan of the high-low blouses and shirts, but the dresses are a different story. There’s just something about those soft ruffles and that little tail that totally captivates me. I personally think the dress fits the definition of tousled. Going along with the words “tousle” and “softly” I came up with a light, innocent concept (hence the soft white cardigan and dainty little oxfords). For accessories, I avoided hardware and opted for a blue teardrop pendant necklace and beaded/braided bracelets as opposed to metal bangles or cuffs. I finished the look with a matching satchel. This outfit seems to have gotten all of the colors down.

9. Totally Twisted

A different shade of purple with fuchsia, magenta, and violet mixed together. I was debating on whether I should make another outfit that was purple-themed, but I realized that the yellow and orange colors were very similar. And of course, “Totally Twisted” sounds mighty fun. I decided to go with a dress that seemed like it was pinched at the stomach and wrap it with an obi belt (an eastern twist with a twist?). Cuff bracelets come in many forms, such as the twisted leather wrap bracelet above. I finished with strappy shoes and a white clutch with a gathered bow. And that iridescent orb? It’s a pretty little ring that incorporates pretty much all of the colors of that bottle.

10. Color Me Happy

When I was thinking about a concept for this bottle, I initially thought about gray hair. And so I thought I would have a monochrome outfit with pops of neon pinkness, but that didn’t really fit with the theme. Somewhere along the way, I decided to stick with pops of color, but in a more refined manner. I guess what I’m trying to portray is someone who is patient with work and errands, but is excited when the time comes for a little bit of fun.

~*~

And there you have it. Ten outfits inspired by the colorful shampoo (and hairspray) bottles from Herbal Essences. That wraps up this chapter of the Inspirational Mondays. I hope you were inspired and your Monday (or whatever day you are reading this) is a little brighter than before. Please look forward to the next installment of Inspirational Mondays.

The Ombré Effect

Lately I’ve been developing a strange attraction of the ombré effect, and not the kind where you have your dark hair transition to blonde. There’s just something so mysterious and beautiful about the gradient of colors and the subtle transition of colors that can’t be achieved with simple layering and colorblocking. What can be more elegant than the cascading colors on a long, flowing gown? Okay, well I can think of many things, but it’s up there! And the nail effect is just amazing. Showing off five nail polishes at once? Pure. Awesome. Anyway, it seems that I’ve become too absorbed in my colorful thoughts to remember what the point of this was (other than to talk about how great this effect is). Somewhere along the way my carefully constructed idea had been washed over by images of pretty colors. What I think I wanted to share were some ombré accessories and nail polish gradients, because, around here, I’ve seen a lot of ombré shirts, but not much else.

1. The Scarf

A scarf is usually a simple but effect way to make a statement. That’s why it is a good choice for an ombré accessory that effortlessly adds color and class to a simple outfit.

2. The Shoes

I personally think ombré shoes are a great idea, and I just don’t see enough of it. If they are worn correctly, I think they could really flatter your legs or outfit. Imagine a color transition that leads the eyes up to your legs. Or the other way around: it could draw the attention down your legs and to your toes so that your whole outfit is noticed.

3. The Nails

This is my favorite way to express the ombré effect: by painting each fingernail (on a hand) a different color. It’s a good way to take advantage of the fact that there are many similar shades of nail polish. With so many gradients to try, the number combinations are endless. You could even do a gradient on each individual nail if you wanted to. I used one brand for each set for consistency, but go ahead and branch off. Mix and match different brands of nail polish. It’s more fun that way.

Inspirational Mondays: Herbal Essences Part One

Mondays are boring. It’s the start of a brand new week after you’ve had a weekend of fun. Sometimes I find it difficult to wake up or roll out of bed to get myself ready for the day (week). And then when I’m finally awake, the fact hits me hard like a slap to the face: another five days before the weekend. No, but seriously, most Mondays are pretty boring for me, and I don’t have much to look forward to for the rest of the week. I’m sure I’m not the only person that suffers from this problem so I thought I would devise some mastermind plan (not really) to brighten up the day and the rest of the week. After brainstorming and revisions I ended up with Inspirational Mondays (a series that will forever be labeled with this uninspired title).

The concept of this series is to find inspiration somewhere in the world and translate it into five different outfits for each day of the week. It’s something that I thought would be fun to do as I wanted to draw inspiration from things around me to prove that there’s beauty where we least expect it. This week, my inspiration comes from the Herbal Essences collection of hair products:

Image Credit

Yesterday I went to Target to pick up some more shampoo and conditioner because I was running low. Since my hair is not problematic, I am able to try different shampoos without worrying that I need to use a certain shampoo treatment to target a specific part of my hair. So I am drawn to the Herbal Essences section to the captivating color-coded bottles. After staring at the display of bottles, I found myself especially attracted to the labels and colorful marbleized shampoos in their bottles. Considering I was planning on publishing a post about the Color Wheel, Herbal Essences seemed like the perfect candidate for my first Inspirational Mondays entry. So without further ado, I present to you Inspirational Mondays: Herbal Essences Part One.

Disclaimer: Unlike my other outfit posts (which consist of pieces found under $50), this is for inspiration purposes only (unless you can really afford these things). This is for your entertainment and I, in no way, am endorsing the purchase of expensive clothing for the sake of retail therapy on a boring Monday. Also, this is only the first half of the spectrum.

Outfits for Inspiration (in the order of the rainbow):

1. Long Term Relationship

What better way to represent this nourishing shampoo than to use a flowing ball gown? I like to think of it this way: the shampoo protects your long, flowing hair from breakage and split ends. You don’t want someone stepping on your train and ripping your dress. Okay, so that didn’t make a lot of sense. Don’t deny me the pleasure of looking at a gorgeous red gown.

2. None of Your Frizzness

I wanted to make an outfit that was clean so I thought I would go with a dress that didn’t involve fluffy petticoats and a mass of tulle. Fortunately this ruled out the usage of tutus.

3. Hydralicious (Featherweight)

Here I wanted to capture the light spirit of the Featherweight shampoo. The swirls are absolutely captivating, and when you are using the shampoo, the swirls move and the shampoo’s appearance changes. I wanted an outfit that was flowing and not constricted, but using a dress or skirt was too simple (not to mention predictable since I had used dresses in the other two outfits).

4. Body Envy

I wanted to create an outfit that was very streamline because I wanted to emphasize the contours of the body. It was an “embrace your curves” kind of thing. I thought the circle design above the words Herbal Essences was interesting so I added the ring.

5. Drama Clean

It seems that the color spectrum got cut of at green. I guess this adds a little variety to this collection. It seems the people at Herbal Essences really all of the colors except green and primary blue. They seem to have many variations of reds, oranges, yellows, sky-blue, and red-violets. But I digress. Drama Clean. The thing has the word CLEAN in its name had to make something clean…I’m not sure if it’s too dark compared to the shampoo, but I liked it…Kinda reminds me of high-class teen drama.

That’s it for now. You can look forward to the other outfits featuring the rest of the Herbal Essences collection next Monday. Finally, I’ll leave some questions for discussion: So how was your Monday? What do you think about this new series? Also, what inspires you?

How to Add Color to Your Life: The Color Wheel

Sorry for the delay in the post. I’ve been having trouble posting my images because wordpress was undergoing maintenance.

Recently I’ve noticed I’ve been mentioning the word complementary quite often in describing outfits both inside and outside of my blog. So I have another confession to make: I have been found guilty of wearing just shades of black and gray (without any color for accent) almost every day of the week. Talk about being depressing and bleached. A monochromatic look with black and gray may be nice for some days, but definitely not nice for every. single. day. Yet this problem persisted because I was afraid of adding color; I was afraid that I wouldn’t match Don’t worry, I have a point with this. In a way I am thankful that my clothing choices were so achromatic. Perhaps my ability to absorb color and incorporate it into my life can be attributed to my formerly unsaturated appearance. It all started when I studied about the Color Wheel:

Image Credit

The color wheel is formed by first starting with your primary colors, then forming your secondary colors by mixing the adjacent primary colors, and finally forming the tertiary colors by mixing the secondary colors with the primary colors. This is where to go to make sure you’re matching or to put together a coordinating outfit with clothes you wouldn’t think about mixing. Color can be used many ways. I’ll start with the basics and branch out to incorporate more colors of the wheel.

Outfits for Inspiration (click to view item information):

1. Color Accents

The easiest way to add color when your style has been a series of monochromatic clothing is to add a pop of color to one or two things like a shirt or a purse. It’s also nice for those occasions when you want to add color but you’re somewhere doing something that requires a more conservative look.

2. Primary Colors

Outfit 1: Monochrome

Outfit 2: Primary Colors

The easiest way to wear primary colors is to go for a monochromatic look (I think blue is the easiest among the three colors). Just because wearing all gray is a little boring doesn’t mean wearing all of one color has to be as well. Go streamline and cool with blues, bold with reds, and bright and quirky with yellows. Or put them all together for an even more daring look.

3. Complementary Colors

This is one of those times when “opposites attract” attract really demonstrates itself. Complementary colors are really easy to find: simply pick any color on the color wheel, trace your finger directly across the wheel to the opposite side.  Complementary colors provide a pleasing contrast, not a color clash. I chose to do an outfit based on purple and gold because together they are very elegant and royal-like.

4. Analogous Colors

Analogous colors are about colors of similar hues. Pick a color then choose another that’s either immediately on the left or immediately on the right and you have just found your analogous colors. Since I hadn’t done anything with the color green yet (I’m so sorry if you like green!), I made an outfit using green and blue-green colors.

5. The Rainbow

A colorful outfit isn’t just limited to two or three colors, various shades of a color, or colorblocking (more on this one later). What about a colorful mix of many or most of the colors on the wheel? What about the entire color spectrum?! Okay, I’ll admit that can be much, but it worked in the 70′s right? But you don’t have to go that far to capture the rainbow.

So now that you have an idea of how to mix and match colors, I’ll leave you with a few other combinations to consider:

1) Pair a primary color with one of its secondary colors.
2) Wear a combination of two of the secondary colors.
3) Pick a tertiary color and pair it with any other tertiary color on the wheel.
4) Create an outfit from the tertiary colors to the left and right of a secondary color (i.e. blue-green and yellow-green)

So do you prefer to wear black, white, and gray or add colors? What colors do you like to mix and match? Are there any combinations you would suggest? Let’s hear it.

Friday Favorites: Statement Rings

 

I am a big fan of statement jewelry, which is exactly why I can’t write about statement jewelry.  I wouldn’t be able to effectively write about it in one post. It wouldn’t seem fair to just skim over the topic, and, as I want content, I don’t want to shove too much down everybody’s throats. That also doesn’t seem very fair. That’s why I decided to start with my favorite type of statement jewelry: rings (I’m on a mission to collect my 7 favorite rings in the colors of the rainbow). They’re lovely little (or big) pieces of jewelry that really capture attention because it shows up where people don’t expect others to have much (or anything for that matter) let alone expect something bold or unique.

But no matter how attention-grabbing your ring is, it’s just another piece of accessory meant to add the finishing touch to your outfit (or be the basis of your outfit, for all we know). It’s not meant to go alone, and how sad would it be to catch a glimpse of a splendid ring, prompting our eyes to glance over the owner only to be met with something that isn’t very complementary. I’m not saying that you need to have some fancy, dressed-up outfit to be wearing a statement ring, because that’s not what statement jewelry is about. It’s not just about rich ladies sitting around with rings on their gloved hands drinking tea (what?). Anyway, statement rings come in many forms and don’t have to cost you a fortune to look great. So I decided I would create some outfits that were inspired by statement rings of different kinds.

Outfits for Inspiration (click on images for Polyvore):

1. The Cocktail/Semi Precious Ring

Okay, so I couldn’t resist using a dress for this outfit. A ring with a giant jewel/crystal/glass on top? That just screams fancy, right?  But you know what? It can be switched up easily. Opt for a smart blouse or shirt and wear a blazer or cardigan that matches the color of the ring. Wear a skirt that is a lighter shade of the ring or black, or, for an even more conservative look, substitute with black or gray trousers.

2. The Metal Ring

I love rings that are purely metal, no gems, no embellishment, just metals in their pure glory. They can be fancy and intricate filigree or solid, simple, and equally attractive. Since I already a post with a fancy outfit, I took a different approach to these metal rings: independent and edgy. (You can substitute rings anyway as long as you feel that it completes your outfit.)

3. The Animal Ring

Animal rings are cute and a great way to bring your animal instincts favorite animals with you. They’re fun, cultural, and a unique alternative to other types of rings. I see a lot of banded rings, cocktail rings, and other styles, but I would like to see more people around with animal rings.

4. Floral Ring

These flower rings, which can be metal, resin, or gems, are pretty and add a feminine touch.

I’ll leave you with a collection of my favorite statement rings from each category for thought:

Some final questions for you lovely readers: 1) Do you wear rings? 2) Do you like to keep it simple with bands and small embellishments or go all out with something statement-making?