Be careful about your winter fashion
This season, several items have caught my eye as both cute and risky. It occured to me that though sequined skirts, knitted shorts, jeggings and blazers might appear to be very simple articles of clothing, without the proper styling, you risk looking tacky, mismatched and out of season.
Jeggings are tremendously stylish when they are worn the right way. But aside from being worn properly, you should know not all jeggings are created equal. If you want a nice pair of jeggings (of any color) don't go to Walmart or Wet Seal. The cheapest pair at Forever 21 won't be the most reliable. The best jeggings are those that look like sturdy, yet flexible, denim, not shiny denim colored leggings.
So far, H&M, Vigoss, Free People and Mossimo (yes, Target's brand) have some pretty good looking and feeling jeggings. That's not to say stores such as American Eagle, Express or Forever don't have great jeggings. But my advice is to try them on, feel them and see if they'll last one good wash. In terms of parings, you can try a few looks. As long as you're wearing a good pair and have on weather appropriate shirts and shoes, you're in line.
Another seasonal addition are blazers of all textures and colors. They are great if you carefully examine them before wearing.
During Thanksgiving Break, I scored in my aunt's garage after finding an old school blue suede blazer. I paired it with some dark washed denim jeggings and boots. Is this the exact formula for all blazers? Heck no! You can wear a nice blue blazer (either made of synthetic or cotton fabric) with khakis, boat shoes and a cute blouse. The great thing about these popular accessories if you will, is that they seem to dress up any type of outfit -- preppy, casual, evening and beyond.
Where the questions lie are in the make of the blazer. Cheaper blazers usually look cheap. Plastic buttons, uneven stitching and cheap wash are just a few signs of a cheap blazer. Another thing to remember is that, in some cases (especially when detail matters,) the more you pay usually indicates a better quality.
Finally, knitted shorts are adorable and one of this season's hottest newcomers. Obviously, this a recylced style from many previous decades but what makes it so special in its new birth is they incorporate newer patterns, cleaner stiching and tons of different materials.
You can expect them to be in just about every store this holiday in almost every earth tone imaginable. Ivory, brown, grey, beige and more. Plus, for a dressier look, some of these shorts come in metalics, sequined and, yes, i've seen some that even look like foil (which if paired with the right top and bottom, could be very sexy). My rules for these cute little winter additions are as follows: wear leggings, stockings, pattern tights or super long socks and make sure they cover both cheeks. The idea is not to look like Daisy Duke.
