Fall Must-haves

Here are my fall must-haves. I have to admit some of these articles are waaaayyy overdue, but better late than never, right? :)

1. Boyfriend Jeans

This is definitely what I was referring to when I said waaaayyyy overdue! I mean come on, it's about time no? I really like slim-ish fitting boyfriend jeans, because you still want to have a nice butt in baggy jeans! (Big picture and bottom picture: Nastygal.com and Dark denim: ASOS.com)

ASOS

2. Statement jewelry

Necklaces, chaines, ear cuffs, you name it. I want it all in different colors, shapes and sizes. A definite must have accessory. (The first four  below are available on ASOS.com, the last two are available on Nastygal.com) 

 

 

3.  Snakeskin errrrything! Here is a great example: The Vince Camuto, Tara Tote. Gorgeous but it  also costs 298$(which I currently don't have sadly). Also, this express snakeskin scarf is so soft and comfy, I love it! 

. 

(Express Patterned Infinity Scarf!)

4. Gold Accents.  I'm obsessed with these bags and shoes(although they're both summer shoes)! Both bags are Zara and both pairs of shoes are Jeffrey Campbell. See what I was saying about the plaque gold detail? gorg.com, they're amazing and unlike any shoes I currently own.  

5. Beanies! They will always and forever be one of my favourite accessories. It's simple, casual and a good way to bring a pop of color into a sombre outfit. This fall I'm especially in love with the American Apparel fluorescent beanies(I own a pink fluo one) and beanies styled with the words: OBEY, DOPE or VOGUE. Love them all. 

6. NIKE Sneakers. Ok, so they're not new at all, but for some reason I'm about to go into this I-wear-a-lot-of-black-and-only-dashes-of-color period, and for this, I need a cool pair of sneaks to properly complete my looks. Honestly, have you been on Nike Id..? It's a drug. You start customizing a basic pair of  running shoes and then 40 MINUTES later, you find yourself ordering a 200$ pair of one-of-a-kind sneakers. It's crazy believe me! Nonetheless, I need them ASAP.  

7. Bomber Jackets. I am so obsessed with these. Wether they have sheer sleeves and a wild print or a solid color and a sheer back, I think they are the epitome of casual-chic atm. (All of the bombers below can be found on Nastygal.com)

                                               

 
 8. Collars. Also kind of overdue and not exactly a new trend, but I finally like the whole aspect of adding a collar style piece of jewelry to a shirt or sweater. I also like how they come in different fabrics and shapes, très cool! (OBSESSED WITH THE SKELETON HANDS AHH!) (The two on the left side are available on ASOS.com the two on the right are available on Nastygal.com )

 


To be continued...

Welcome Back!

Hello Hello! Well, welcome to the new, and in my case, FINAL YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL(thank you jesus), I hope you've all had a great rentrée, as we say in french! Now getting straight into fashion and clothes, I have to say that as much as I enjoy summer, I HATE summer wear. I'm not really into showing that much skin ever, whether it be by wearing shorts or short dresses -it's just not my thing. I'm  definitely more of a fall/winter sort of gal, I love my scarves, my furs, my jackets/sweaters and most importantly, my boots! Therefore this recent unusually long-lasting summer has been sort of a drag, I honestly can't wait for the September breeze to finally kick in. And these beauties are why:

1. Wedges (from a little shop in france!)

Ok, so these are I bought a week ago and to my biggest disappointment/disgust, the saleslady sold me two left feet -.- "are you kidding me?!", was inevitably my response. But seriously though, imagine that. However, I'm going back to the shop to change them this weekend, because it's just not possible, I need to wear these before it gets too cold.    

                                                                                                                                                                                               2. Jeffery Campbell Lita's





















I FINALLY DID IT! I bought the Jeffery Campbell  Litas, in black distressed leather with a black heel. Dying, I love them to bits.  Being that I am roughly 5'0, these are the best because: 1. They make me taller and 2. They're just a finishing touch to a casual outfit, the perfect way to make simple a little edgy without piercing my tongue and getting a buzz cut. Plus, they're just freaking awesome.


3. Long suede-ish boots from Steve Madden 

So I went to the US this summer and really stocked  up on clothes, shoes and  accessories. I haven't  had a pair of long black boots, which are honeslty  kind of essential to any girls closet,   so I 'm very very excited about wearing these this fall! Also, notice the gold detail on the buckle (and on the heel which you can unfortuntely not see), so obsessed with that plaque gold finish I keep seeing  in fashion this fall. J'adore. 

4. Short studded boots- Steve Madden

Also bought during my "US expedition" (more like vacation involving visiting colleges and hearing various family members opinions of where I should go/do with my life) at the Steve Madden store in NYC. Btw, have I ever mentioned how much I love NYC? No? Well I do. A lot. I mean the energy, the amazing, original, eccentric sense of style, the art, the diversity--it's infectious and overwhelming!


So that is all in the "My New Shoes"categories, however I will shortly be posting a post on my current obsessions and fall must haves!

xx, 
M

Hello again!

Hello, hello! Let me just begin this post by saying sorry about my lack of blogging the last couple of months--I've been busy studying for exams, doing my exams, graduating, finishing school and going out with friends before most of us leave for the summer(and some, unfortunately forever)! However, the start of the summer means more free time, thus, more time for blogging!! I intend on blogging at least once a week this summer because I really want this blog to go and I definitely want to keep sharing my thoughts and ideas about current trends and clothes!

The last couple of weeks, I've really been interested in modernizing vintage(or out-of-fashion) clothes and customizing  shorts and jackets. In June, I studded my first pair of shorts! Lately there's been an explosion of 'hipster' clothes and fashion, whether it be on my friends or al over tumblr, and I got really inspired by the all the studded shoes, shorts and jackets I saw.
    


These are some pictures I took while customizing my shorts. I bought these shorts at H&M when they were on sale, with the intention of customizing them. A couple months ago, I found this amazing little boutique in Geneva that sells material, beads, buttons, pins, military patches, studs and any other additional accessorize you can think if, it's simply the most useful shop ever! Anyway, I bought a packet of about 50 studs of three different sizes and orientally planned to use small studs all along the pockets. However when I started studding, I realized the bigger ones stand out better, and if you're planning on wearing studs--the bolder the better! I also wanted to create a shredded effect on the shorts, because I've always loved ripped and shredded jeans/shorts, so I researched the best method to use when ripping your jeans, and after spending half an hour using one half of a broken pair of scissors, i realized using a sharp knife works more effectively! I really love these shorts, their cool, their original(in the sense that none of my friends have the same!!) and most importantly I did it myself! There's nothing more rewarding than wearing a piece of clothing that you successfully customized, designed or sewed!


 These are some pictures I took while customizing my shorts. I bought these shorts at H&M when they were on sale, with the intention of customizing them. A couple months ago, I found this amazing little boutique in Geneva that sells material, beads, buttons, pins, military patches, studs and any other additional accessorize you can think if, it's simply the most useful shop ever! Anyway, I bought a packet of about 50 studs of three different sizes and orientally planned to use small studs all along the pockets. However when I started studding, I realized the bigger ones stand out better, and if you're planning on wearing studs--the bolder the better! I also wanted to create a shredded effect on the shorts, because I've always loved ripped and shredded jeans/shorts, so I researched the best method to use when ripping your jeans, and after spending half an hour using one half of a broken pair of scissors, i realized using a sharp knife works more effectively! I really love these shorts, their cool, their original(in the sense that none of my friends have the same!!) and most importantly I did it myself! There's nothing more rewarding than wearing a piece of clothing that you successfully customized, designed or sewed!

xx,
Maxine


Tips on how to customize your shorts:

• When ripping your shorts, be sure to put a piece of cardboard under the material you ripping.When ripping the front of a pocket, for example, make sure to have a (semi-thick)piece of cardboard  in the pocket, because you don't want to rip the material inside the pocket, just the outside 'wall'!
• Use a sharp knife to rip you material. If you want to have identical or semtrical rips, a knife is the best instrument to use. You have full control on the length, thickness and width of your rips. 
• When studding, use the blade of the knife to fold down the studs spikes. Make sure they're folded down properly because there's nothing worse than sticking your hand in your pocket  and scratching yourself against an unfolded stud spike--trust me, it hurts! 

Summer's coming: Rompers!

Hi girls! First of all I wanted to say a big thank you to all of you,  for giving me so much positive feedback and for being so complementary at the exhibition! I wasn't excepting so many people to read it or enjoy it so thank you sooooo much :) 

Now to the topic of this post: Rompers! I've been looking for cute rompers for ages, but I can never find the perfect one! Either the color is wrong, the cut is terrible or the shorts are too baggy. This year however, I decided to buy a couple of simple rompers and have fun accessorizing them! 

This is a picture of the first romper I bought at H&M. It cost me less than 15 francs and it comes in three different colors(if I remember correctly, one even has flowers on it!). It has three buttons down the front, a black 'braided' elastic waistband around the waist and deep pockets in the shorts. Rompers are usually baggy and relatively shapeless. They don't really highlight your waist, therefore a belt is necessary! Most of you guys have said that you'd like to see more pictures of outfits on this blog, so I've taken a few pictures of me trying on different simple 'looks' with the same romper.

Basic Romper(not accessorized) 

This is the first basic 'look' I decided to wear. I call this the last minute 'I'm-about-to-miss-the-bus' outfit, because it basically involves throwing the basic items together! I've tied a simple braided, brown belt around my waist to create a waistline and to add a different shade of color to the romper. If you plan on wearing a black romper or jumpsuit during the day, remember to always add a touch of color (preferably red or turquoise) to keep it from looking plain and depressing! I added a few colorful bracelets, a red bag  and gold gladiators to brighten it up and keep it summery! It's very simple and last minute, but it works when you're in a rush and want to look casual.

  

The second outfit is more of a dressy look. I paired the romper with a beige military-style jacket, a long black necklace(which distracts from the belt-less waistline) and black sequined heels. Black is considered to be a night color, so if you plan on wearing a black romper at night, additional bright colors aren't really necessary. However, adding a bright clutch would be the perfect accessory if you're going out to a party(for example).  It would keep your outfit fun and keep it from looking too dark. I would recommend pairing it with heels or wedges though, these are the perfect shoes to wear when you're going out!

                                                                   

Tip: Make sure the wedges are one solid color, and not a braided jute espadrilles wedges like this:

Let's be honest...these are ugly. And okay, I didn't exactly picked the nicest one I could find, but you get my point right?  They may look nice with another outfit, but with a black romper like this one, they just look like ugly braided, basket shoes. Avoid them at all cost!

                             

                                         

Here are some ideas of what kind of 'bright' colored purses I would accessorize my romper with(if I were to buy either of these two amazing Tory Burch purses):    

                                

                                                                                       

Clothes I'm Wearing!

Romper: H&M

Gladiators:  Gold Tropéziennes

Heels: (Black-Sequined) Zara

Red Bag: Zara 

Black Bag: Michael Kors

Bien dans sa peau!

This blog is supposed to be about encouraging self-positive image through fashion and style, and I sincerely hope you learn something from my posts. However, there's something else I have to talk about, something much more important than gaining confidence through the clothes you wear.

You see, I can try and give you tips on how to feel more confident through the clothes you wear but the truth is, feeling good about yourself shouldn't only come from your looks, but also from what's inside of you. Soo many things are much more important than looks and knowing a lot of you, I know that none of you are shallow enough to believe that looks are everything! Because looks will eventually change. One day your body will change, you may put on weight or you may loose weight. Or worse than that, what if one day you're in a terrible accident and you end up loosing an arm or worse even, you burn your face off, then what? If you don't value something more concrete and important than your looks then I can't help but think that your whole view on life may be superficial. And that's what I worry about in this blog and in my life. I don't want any of you to think that I'm superficial or shallow because I really love clothes and fashion. Yes, my passion is clothes and fashion, but not just the purchasing of items that fill my closet - what really fascinates me is the artistic aspect of it. The hours of work and creativity designers put into perfecting clothes for their customers and  fashion photography is what really fascinates me. Feeling good about yourself and being confident comes from self-acceptance. It comes from saying only positive things about yourself when you look at yourself in the mirror and not by scrutinizing your every flaw. Once you've accepted the harsh reality that not everyone will like you or find you attractive, the faster you'll move on in your life in a confident and self-assured way. We need to stop trying to change to fit the stereotypical image of beauty our society is leading our generation to believe. Beauty is about knowing in your heart that you are beautiful, and knowing that the people who care for you and love you are the people who's opinion you should value. The truth is, there will always be haters out there, people who will constantly bring you down, but as soon as you start ignoring them, you'll see that what they think doesn't affect you in any way.

I love the french expression 'bien dans ma peau', which basically means feeling good in your own body, because once you feel good in your own body, your size, color, shape, height, look doesn't matter anymore.

The Key to Success: Bras!

I've written a post about one of the clothing items I believe every girl should own (a Denim Jacket!) but I realized I never wrote a post about an essential piece of clothing all girls and women wear! My goal for this project was to create a blog which would potentially encourage girls to have a positive self-image through fashion. I've learned that trying to encourage a large group of girls is very difficult because we all have different insecurities, we are all different shapes and sizes, and we have different likes/dislikes and different styles.  However, I do believe that there are some items that can make all girls feel confident about their bodies, and one of those items is a bra.

Wearing a proper bra  


Wearing the proper bra can boost not only your bust, but your confidence as well! If you feel comfortable in what you are wearing, you are likely to feel comfortable in new situations. Whereas if you're unsure and self-conscious about the way you look, you'll probably feel awkward and self conscious!


I seriously can not emphasize this point enough! It sounds like such an obvious thing, but you'd be surprised by the number of girls who are wearing bras that are to big and even worse, bras that are way, way too small. Wearing a proper sized bra is the key to feeling comfortable in anything you wear. Not only do you feel better because you're not being suffocated in a bra two sizes too small (or swimming in a bra that gaps everywhere) but it also looks better! And this applies to all sizes! There are so many styles and cuts depending on what you're looking for! Don't think that because certain shops don't hold your size you should feel discouraged. This should never be used as an excuse to wear ugly, non-fitting bras!

First off, here is a great website that shows you how to make sure you bra is well fitted:Bravissimo: Perfect fit!

Here is another website with good tips on knowing whether you're wearing a good bra or not: http://johneen-manning.suite101.com/how-to-wear-a-bra-a40493

Everyone loves Victoria Secret, but sometimes their bras are a little over-the-top! But don't worry,  their PINK has a really cute collection of fun, colorful bras: http://www.victoriassecret.com/pink/bras   

Simply yours has an amazing selection of bras ranging from an A to a JJ(I didn't even know that existed!) : http://www.simplyyours.co.uk/shop/home

All you curvy girls out there will love this website! I know how hard it can be to find a bra that fits properly but still looks cute! This website has super girly bras and tons of different sizes: http://www.curvykate.com/

For you girls with petite bust, this website is perfect! Like girls with big busts, I know it can be quite hard to find cute bras in your size. This website sells bras from a size 32 AAA to a 36C .http://www.lulalu.com/

Down below are a couple of signs that indicate that you are wearing the wrong bra size:

1. Back of the bra rides up 
2. Centre lifts away from the breastbone
3. Sagging breasts
4. Straps dig into shoulders
5. Band pinches in at sides
6. Discomfort
7. Breast spillage (when breasts push up, over cups)
8. Uni-boob (when breasts are squished in so tight that two appear as one -- bad sports bras are common culprits)   


(source:Homemakers.com)

Summer's coming: Swimsuits 1

Swimsuit shopping gets harder and harder as the years go by.  The process of finding the 'perfect' swimsuit seems to be never-ending - there's always something wrong!  The other day I asked a bunch of my friends what kind of posts they'd like to see on this blog, and a few of them said they wouldn't mind reading a piece about swimsuits so here it goes! :)

First of all let me highlight the most annoying things about swimsuit hunting. I say hunting because personally, finding the 'perfect' bikini has become an impossible mission in Geneva. Yes, I am aware that plenty of shops sell bikinis but do you really want to go to the pool and see 30 girls wearing the same bikini as you? No, just..no.  How many of you are sick of having to shop at H&M to find a swimsuit because it's one of the few shops who has a range of sizes, huh? That's the main problem when it comes to swimsuits - SIZES!

Down below are some of the swimsuits from H&M's 2012 summer bikini collection. The sizes range from 34-44. Problem number one, how on earth are you supposed to find a swimsuit that fits your bust perfectly if it's numbered that way? Yes, they range from a size 34 to 44, but 34 what? A, B, C, D, how can we know what to pick?! What happened to the cup and back size?! This is one of the main reasons girls tend to wear bra's and bikini's that don't fit them properly, they don't even know which size to pick!
1.2.3.
4. 5.6.7.8.9.
...really? This is the 2012 collection?! Frankly I'm a little disappointed with this collection for two reasons. The first being that most of these designs are hideous and secondly, what happened to making bikinis everyone can wear?  See, when it comes to bikinis, it isn't only about the size, it's also about the cut. How is a girl with big boobs supposed to wear  bikini number 1 or 6? It won't cover anything! And what about girls who want to wear full piece swimsuits? Are these really the only styles H&M have?

1.2.

Here are some tips when it comes to swimsuit shopping:

1.  Buy them online! Most people don't like shopping online but let me tell you one good and only reason you should: BIGGER RANGE OF EVERYTHING! If you look at the options local, accessible shops like H&M have, they're pretty limited in sizes, styles and cuts. I know people are usually skeptical when it comes to ordering online, but I always order my swimsuits that way and  trust me, as long as you know what bra size you are, there's nothing to worry about! 

2.Try them on at home! Between the florescent lights, the small changing rooms and the unflattering mirror angles, you won't feel comfortable about your choice and you will feel depressed if you go home empty handed. I know it's a pain to buy something without trying it on but trust me, trying it on in the safety of your own home is a much better option. You'll get a clear look of how the suit looks and you can test it out to see if it holds everything in place to avoid a swimsuit malfunction! Also if you're generally self-conscious when it comes to wearing swimsuits, trying them on in a comfortable environment (i.e., your room) is a much better option! Warning: I feel the need to remind you that sometimes you can't return swimsuits due to sanitary reasons - so be sure to check before you leave the store. It sounds obvious but you'd be surprised... 

3. Try on as many as possible! if you're shopping in a store, try on a whole range of swimsuits. If you don't like the color but love the cut, try it on in every available color, it will definitely make a difference!

4. Shop with your mom or someone whose opinion you trust completely! No need to explain this, you should always go shopping with someone who will tell you the truth and whose opinion you trust.

5. AVOID THE VICTORIA SECRET WEBSITE (if you're already feeling self-conscious ). You will feel depressed because let's face it, most of us will never, ever look like that and why go through the pain? Avoid it at all costs.

(different styles continued on next post!)