Chicer Than Sneakers

Stylings for the average Jane.

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When in doubt, buy black or white.

The surest way to look mature, professional, chic, and confident is by dressing in neutral tones. Forget that neon pink dress-- neon is the quickest way to look like a twelve-year-old. Go for a more subtle approach, and then add a statement piece at the end if you want to play with a brighter color.



Black matches with every color, as does white. They are the most versatile of hues, and versatility means saving money, saving closet space, and saving yourself stress.



Start with black and/or white, and then add in some brown, navy, or gray if you want more variety.




If you're trying to decide between an article of clothing in an outlandish color or the same piece in a more basic tone, choose the latter. You'll thank yourself later when you're able to style it a hundred different ways. Neutrals go with truly almost everything!



What's your favorite basic to buy in neutral tones? Tell us in the comments!

All photos were found on Pinterest and are not the property of this blog, nor of its author.
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In the summer, it's important to keep your clothing light, easy, and free. When it's hot and sunny, these are some things you need:

Comfy sandals. Pick a pair that is breathable, simple, and easy to slip on and off. No need to complicate your summer with fancy footwear! Just be sure to find sandals with good arch support to keep your feet feeling good through all of your outdoor (and indoor!) adventures. Last year, I bought a pair of Clarks sandals for walking around Europe, and they are still my go-to shoes when it is warm outside.

An easy-to-move-in dress. Nothing keeps you cool in the summer heat like a dress does. Go long or go short, but keep to thinner fabrics, lighter colors, and looser silhouettes for maximum comfort. And make sure you can run and jump in it before buying!

Snazzy sunglasses. Keep the sun out of your eyes, and do it in style! Sunglasses are an easy way to put a personal stamp on an outfit. Round rim, cat eye, aviator...the shape and color of sunglasses can set a girl apart in a crowd. Go unique and fearless with your sunglasses! This season, I bought my sunnies from Ross at a price of five dollars.

Capri jeans. Why stuff your legs into long pants when you don't have to? Easy to match, jean capris can make an outfit with a soft tee shirt, a sweater for chillier June days, a loose blouse, or another top! I generally go for a lighter wash in the brighter months, but any color will do!

What are your summer essentials? Tell us in the comments!




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Do you feel your closet becoming cluttered? Do you find you have more clothing than you wear? A sure-fire way to feel refreshed and unburdened is to clean out your wardrobe!

Earlier this summer, I went through my bureau and closet and donated approximately 50% of their contents to charity organizations like Goodwill and Salvation Army. The majority of what I got rid of was clothing that, although still looking cute and stylish, was not worn very often-- due to the evolution of my personal tastes since I'd bought an article, the texture of an item's fabric, etc. For example, in the past year, I've moved away from brightly colored tops, making my ninth grade wardrobe buys no longer relevant: those pieces were the first to go.

All I can say is, giving things away never felt so good. After I finished gutting my closet and stuffed the pile of discards into a bag, the feeling of space and freedom and confidence was wonderful. Minimalism is definitely the way to go for a healthy frame of mind; I completely understand the draw of "less is more."

Now it's your turn to deep-clean and re-organize your wardrobe. Not sure where to start? Here are a few simple questions to get you started:

1. Hold up the first piece in your closet/dresser drawer. Is it damaged (stained, ripped, etc.)? If the answer is yes, and you don't want to/can't fix it, put it in the trash pile. If not, move to question 2.

2. Does the article still fit your style? Is the color/pattern/shape still something you like to wear? If yes, move on. If no, it should go to the donate/sell pile.

3. Is the material comfortable? Don't waste closet space on clothing you don't enjoy wearing. If you're not going to wear it, don't keep it. It doesn't matter if it was expensive, a gift, or the "it" article of the season. Please yourself. Don't force yourself to wear something that will irritate and distract you from the activities of your day, and don't let clothes sit in the back of your closet that could be worn and loved by someone else. Life is too short to be spent in an outfit you don't love.

4. Does it fit? Yes: move on to number 5. No: donate/sell.

5. Have you worn this in the past year? If no, it's unlikely you'll wear it in the next year.

6. Can you make an outfit with this article? Think of two outfits which could use this piece. If you cannot, place the piece on probation, and donate/sell it after a month or so if it goes unworn during the probationary period.

7. Will you wear this item in the upcoming season? If it's a sundress and winter is approaching, the answer is probably no. If yes: put it into the keep pile and return it to your wardrobe. Congratulations, the piece has passed the test! If not, store it away and get it back out for the proper time of year.

Pro Tip: Try to avoid keeping things based on nostalgia alone. If you're keeping a t-shirt because it went with you to Paris, remember: YOU went to Paris, too. Don't hold onto useless things for artificial reasons.

I hope you find a closet detox to be as liberating as I did. Share your experiences with us in the comments below!
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In past years, we have seen the rise of the skinny jean...somewhat unfortunately, as skin-tight clothing is not a flattering choice for all body types. Now, however, many have begun to wonder if the heyday of the skinny jean is coming to an end.

More and more frequently, culottes are being seen as a go-to pant, as they are light, comfy, easy, flattering, etc. Great for travel, too-- much more versatile for long, international airplane flights than skinny pants. Top fashionistas, including Gigi Hadid and Victoria Beckham, have recently been seen sporting culottes on both the street and the red carpet; the baggy look is coming back into style.

Culottes have a classy look which skin-tight pants lack. Whether you choose to dress up or dress down your pair of culottes, you are sure to achieve a unique style which will set you apart from everyone else in the room. Here are some ways to wear culottes:

With a sweater.



With a blazer.



With a leather jacket.



With a collared shirt.


With a tee shirt.


With a simple blouse.



With a long cardigan or vest.


With a denim jacket.



As always, the shoes can determine whether an outfit is dressy or casual. Consider finishing your culottes ensemble with white sneakers (see previous post) for an informal outfit or with a pair of heels for a formal one.

Looking to buy a pair of culottes? Try ASOS.

Styling culottes is not a science; how do you wear them? Share your tips with us in the comments below!

All photos were found on Pinterest and are not the property of this blog, nor of its author.
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Want to jump on the bandwagon? White sneakers as a fashion statement are becoming more and more popular overseas and in America, and yet it is not easy to pull off the look without looking like a tourist-- sneakers without careful consideration easily appear lazy. Here are some easy hacks in order to enjoy the trend of comfortable footwear while still looking stylish:

Dress down a fancier outfit.
Use the addition of white sneakers to turn an otherwise formal outfit into a whimsical, casual creation.





Add to a casual skirt-tee shirt combination.
Exude an aura of effortless, put-together style without fussiness when your shoes marry a casual top to a less casual skirt or pant.


Sweater + skinnies + sneakers = autumn or winter chic.
Get an easy comfy-yet-purposeful outfit with your favorite long/chunky sweater, skinny pants or leggings, and your white sneakers...bonus points for keeping all three to the neutral colors of white, grey, brown, khaki, and black with an added pop from a brightly colored scarf!




Pair with a baggy romper.
Complete a simple ensemble of a white shirt and romper [or jumpsuit] with the white sneakers for a tied-together look.




Wear with a casual dress.
Casual dresses can be dressed up with fancy flats, heels, or boots, but just as similarly the opposite: wear your favorite no-stress dress with no-stress sneakers for a cool and collected picture.




Looking to buy your own pair of white sneakers? Check out the ADIDAS Superstar.

That's all for now, fashionistas, but there are countless other great ways to style sneakers. What is your favorite way to wear white sneakers? Tell us your hacks in the comments below!

All photos were found on Pinterest and are not the property of this blog, nor of its author.
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The aim of this blog is to provide style tips in a way which won't break your wallet. Fashion is an expensive field! And yet there are ways to dress well, in good quality items, without having to spend your rent money and live off of ramen.

One of these ways is called...thrift shopping.

Audrey Hepburn once said, "Never throw out anyone." I like to apply this quote to fashion. I am a huge believer in reusing clothes-- changing it into something else, giving it new life! Every article always has some leftover potential.

"But I don't live in a big city, we don't have many thrift stores, etc, etc..." That doesn't have to stop you! I live in a town of 60,000 people, surrounded by a lot of nothing. We have a couple of consignment stores, but my favorite thrift store, the place where I find the majority of my best thrift buys, is actually Salvation Army. Thrift stores don't have to be fancy-- in fact, it's often the sketchier places that offer the most adventure.

Thrift shopping is wonderful because, first of all, you can buy clothes very cheaply. For example, I bought a very gently used (if used at all) London Fog trench coat from Salvation Army for about $7. (As I learned over the summer during my travels through Europe, trench coats are all the rage overseas and look great.) Following my purchase, I looked online at London Fog's website and I found that new trench coats from their company sell at retail for about $200.

One of the things that makes the activity of thrift shopping so fun is that it is a hunt. You never know what (if anything) you will be able to find; thrifting requires some effort, which only makes the end result more satisfying. Unlike normal retail stores, thrift stores are not organized very much, if at all, depending on the store, and there are so many different kinds of clothes all together in one place-- from denim cat-patterned jackets to wedding dresses. Not only is it fun to find good deals and style treasures, but thrift shopping and being surrounded by so many unusual pieces stimulates creativity and the imagination, and gives (me, at least) inspiration for future outfits and designs.

In thrift stores, every piece has a story. You might not know its history, but I find it to be far more exciting to wear something with a soul, rather than something new off a rack in a mainstream, chain store. Go the route less traveled! And there's another plus: you now look completely original! No one else will be wearing the same clothes as you. Sure you can buy the dress off the rack at Gap or Target, but then so can half your demographic. Odds are no one will find the same vintage leather jacket for $3 as you if you shop thrift. You will always look unique.

What cool discoveries have you made at thrift stores? Share your thrifting stories in the comments below!
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There are a few articles which every girl needs, great pieces for mixing-and-matching and creating a quick and easy outfit:

1. A nice winter coat.
  • An elegant coat makes any outfit look nicer, whether it be a dress or yoga pants. During the winter months, a fancy-looking (although not necessarily fancy-costing) coat is a staple.
  • I wear a Cole Haan single-breasted coat like this one from their signature collection, which I bought online from Macy's at a reduced price. This is my favorite coat I've ever bought and I always feel good wearing it. Sleek and classy, the long, belted silhouette keeps the coat from looking puffy and me from looking abnormally large as I have in many other coats.

2. At least one pair of tall, interesting socks.
  • The key to a successful ensemble is the extra mile: one added touch to tie the outfit together. One great ingredient is a pair of long socks: no need to buy boot socks, any fun pair will do. Wear with boots, high tops, oxfords...any kind of shoe-- with jeans, with leggings, with a skirt...the options are endless. Textured socks, colorful socks, laced edged socks-- all great options. Special socks always add an extra touch of style and the combination possibilities are infinite!
  • My go-to pair of stylish socks to spruce up any outfit are actually recycled: an old pair of Irish dancing "poodle socks" from when I was competitively Irish dancing, about five years ago. I wear them with combat boots, high-top faux-Oxfords, sometimes Vans, and more, and I always receive compliments.

3. Simple black leggings.
  • I don't believe in wearing leggings without a long sweater, long shirt, flannel tied around the waist, or something else to cover-- personally, I don't think leggings alone are flattering for anyone. However, leggings are perfect for cool or cold days under dresses, skirts, long sweaters, etc. Easy to put on, comfortable, and easy to move in. Wear with a long, chunky sweater or oversized jacket, layered with a knit infinity scarf and boots for an effortless and cozy look. Always keep a pair of these handy.
  • Just be sure to monitor whether or not your leggings are wearing thin and replace them when necessary! No one wants to see through your clothes.

4. A big sweater.
  • I love the casual, thrown-together look, and the most important part of this style is the outerwear, what goes on top of the base of the outfit. Oversized sweaters are a key element in achieving an effortless look. Keep it slightly long, so as to keep open the option of leggings (see above). Minimalism: the goal is always to keep options open for outfit combos. Cable-knit pullovers, thick cardigans...there is potential in every style. Pick whichever looks best to you.
  • I prefer my staple sweaters in shades of beige or creme for maximum outfit-making and matching ability, and I pair them with leggings, jeans, dress pants, dresses, skirts...anything goes! A sweater can fit into any situation. Over a collared shirt or tee, with a big scarf or chunky necklace, almost anything can work if you mix it correctly.

5. A basic black dress.
  • Versatile and easy to customize, a "little black dress," although cliche, is truly a great item to own. There is so much you can do with a plain, black dress-- add a denim vest, add a belt, add a sweater, add patterned tights or leggings (although maybe not all of these at once). One dress can easily become ten or more outfits, which is great for travel.
  • I love the mock-turtleneck style, and so my go-to basic dress has a mock high neck, and is free-hanging (waistless like a t-shirt dress) and comfortable. I can add a belt to change the shape, add a colorful jacket, add a sweater and/or scarf, etc. A plain black dress is a clean canvas; it can become anything.
Obviously, this is not a complete list, but simply a few things which I think are absolutely essential for any girl who wants to look stylish. Comment below your fashion essentials!
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About me

Harriet Norcross. BYU. Communications. My style inspiration: street fashion of the great European capitals such as Paris, London, and Rome. I don't leave the house if I don't feel confident in my clothing decisions, and I'm here to help you feel great about your look, too.

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