"Costume → Cute" Challenge

Claudie Pierlot blouse, €135
Marc Jacobs fleece skirt, $995
Bamboo heels, $25
Chanel - Hydrabase Lipstick - No.170 Gipsy Scarlet 3.5g/0.12oz, $38
Lancôme Hypnose Doll Lashes Mascara, $25

Hey everyone, I want ALL of you to do the Costume → Cute Challenge! I created this challenge.
What to do:
1. Pick a Halloween costume (it does not have to be your costume in real life!).
2. Make up an outfit that is inspired by the costume. It can be as literal as you want, but it should be something that is at least somewhat wearable!
3. You can just post pics on your blog, but I prefer using Polyvore to compile it all like I did in my own post above!
4. If you do this challenge (please do it!), put the link to it in the comments section of this post.
5. If you do it by next weekend, November 4th, I will pick a winner and link your post/blog in my next post!

PLEASE do this challenge! It is really fun, and I want to see all of your cool outfits!

The Fashion It List- October 2011

Victoria s Secret cape coat, $158
Rag & Bone skinny pants, $990
Minnetonka shoes, $90
Christian Louboutin high heel boots, $1,295
R J Graziano cuff bangle, $65



1. Capes and Faux Fur- Two trends in one awesome piece! This cape seems so cozy and is practically the epitome of fall!

2. Gold Bracelet- I love this cuff! In my opinion, gold is so much nicer than silver for fall time.

3. Brown Leather Pants- In love! These are so much more wearable than black leather, which can sometimes look too edgy. The cute brown is PERFECT for this season!

4. Fringe- Boots are super cozy and classic, but you can also step it up a notch with fringe on heels. Yes, those are red soles-- Christian Louboutin is loving this trend, too!

Project Runway Finale!

The season finale of Project Runway aired on Lifetime last night! The four designers who made it to the finale showed their Spring 2012 collections at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week on September 9th, 2011. In this post, I am going to show you my two favorite and one least favorite looks from each collection.

I'll start with Viktor Luna, whose collection was inspired by Mexico (where he is from) and New York.


I really like this look.
 He did two outfits that had
mirrored shirts, and I think
they look really cool!



This dress is so pretty! I
really like the color-dipping!



This look was my least favorite in his
collection. I think it looks a bit cheap
and tacky and like he was trying too hard.

Okay, on to the next designer: Kimberly Goldson, whose collection is very urban glam.

This look stood out from her others
because it is so chic and more subdued
than her bright colors used in other looks.
I personally LOVE it!



This is quite different than the look to the left
but I love it all the same. The colorful
print is so pretty, and it is draped so well
that it was practically dancing on the runway!

I didn't mind the look from the back,
but the front of this skirt is just
really forced and unflattering.

Third designer: Anya Ayoung-Chee, who was inspired by the Caribbean and her brother.



I went crazy about this dress; the print is
adorable and it flows beautifully!

I thought that Anya's other dresses all
seemed repetitive and not much more than
average. However, I did really like this
bathing suit that she put in for a twist!

I kind of think that this dress
resembles a paper bag with some trim
on it and a necklace thrown on to look
like more effort.

Then, we have Joshua McKinley, whose style throughout the season was colorful, crazy, and unedited.


I like the simplicity of this dress,
and the color is gorgeous.

I'm not so sure about the shirt,
 but I love the pants and jacket!

Ahhhhhh! The lime green, the print,
the weird untied shorts. . .
I'm not a fan!

Overall, it was a great season and an extraordinary runway show! The order that I liked their final collections: Kimberly first, then Viktor, then Anya, and last Joshua. Kimberly and Viktor's collections both had outfits for a really cool girl out and about in New York or something similar. I was a huge fan of both of their shows. Now, I loved Anya the entire season, rooting for her since the auditions. But, I have to say that her collection seemed a bit too easy for me. Almost all of her looks were flowy, V-neck dresses out of a different print. It just seems like she didn't do as much as the others who had structured pieces, separates, draping, and more design in them. Lastly, Joshua: Not a fan. Too bright, too crazy, too loud. Not for me.
However the judges had different ideas. The winner they chose was, spoiler alert!,

Store Wars: Forever 21 vs. H&M

Welcome to my first Store Wars! In this post, I will be comparing the stores H&M and Forever 21. Please note that these are my own personal opinions about the stores, and I am not trying to persuade you to shop at one store over another.

Forever 21
The Look: Trendy
Pros: Inexpensive; large selection of trends; fun and interesting clothing; youthful; good variety of many styles (girly, edgy, etc.)
Cons: Sometimes poorly made/ bad quality; some clothes look tacky and gaudy; often forced to dig through a LOT of clothing before finding something that is nice
Examples of Clothing:



H&M
The Look: Classy Chic
Pros: Affordable; trends incorporated into classy garments; put-together looking clothes; more professional, but still cute; sells long-lasting basics as well as statement pieces
Cons: More expensive than Forever 21; some items have too mature of a taste for teenagers
Examples of Clothing:

Bottom Line: Forever 21 is great to try out a fleeting trend if you have a little cash burning a hole in your pocket, but H&M is better if you are looking for a wardrobe-changer that will last a while.

Which is your favorite, and which stores do you want me to compare next? Leave a comment!

Weekend Style Challenge!

This post is a challenge that I found through Stylishly Nicole, and it was created by LucyLocket whose post describing it is here. It is called the Midweek Challenge, but I am clearly not doing it during the week, so I called it Weekend Challenge.

So, you basically pick a store and go through each category on their website, picking out your favorite piece from each. I chose American Eagle, so enjoy, and leave a comment/link if you did this challenge too!

American Eagle Outfitters:

Graphic T's:

Bold Graphic T- $19.50

I'm a fan of the tribal print, and I love navy!

Shirts:

Paneled Lace Boho Top- $39.50

So girly and delicate looking!

Sweaters + Cardigans:

Mock Neck Dolman Cardigan- $79.50

This cardi makes me so excited for fall! :)

2. I ♥ Hearts

Top- H&M: $29.95

One Lovely Blog Award!

I was nominated for this award by Ryann of Ryann's Runway, who has an awesome blog that you all should definitely check out and follow! Thanks again, Ryann!  :)

Now for my nominees (drum-roll please!) ...

 Simply Just Lovely and

Chitraa's Fashion Diary!

Both of these blogs are amazing, so go follow them!

For those that don't know, when you are nominated for the One Lovely Blog Award, you make a post that says seven facts about yourself, so here are mine:

1. I am 15 years old, and I have a 17-year old sister, a 13-year old brother, and a 10-year old sister, as well my now 7-year old dog, Lizzy. She is a mix of a Golden Retriever and a Black Lab, and here is a pic:

2. I have been an ice-skater for 10 years, and this is my 7th year on a synchronized skating team, which is kind of similar to a dance team but on ice. Anyway, I can't post a picture of my team for privacy reasons, but just search YouTube for videos of synchronized skating to see what it's like (it's really cool to watch!).

3. I love magazines- a lot! I subscribe to Seventeen, Teen Vogue, Vogue, Lucky, Glamour, Elle, Allure, and People Style Watch (my fave!). When I get older, I want to be a magazine editor.

4. I go to a competitive all-girls private school in Cincinnati, Ohio.

5. As soon as my feet stop growing and I have a salary, I am determined to buy a pair of Louboutins.

6. My favorite quote: "One day, your life will flash before your eyes-- make sure it's worth watching."

And my favorite fashion quote: "A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous." --Coco Chanel

7. I am 5'2", and I have a very small frame. Sometimes it is IMPOSSIBLE to find clothes that fit me, especially formal dresses. My mom sewed me an 8th grade graduation dress because I couldn't find one that fit me. And for my Spring Formal last year, after trying on TONS of dresses, my mom had to hem a dress and take apart the sides to make the bodice smaller so it would fit me!