dressing up denim

The cold, snow and freezing wind has made me much more likely to wear jeans to school lately, but I've been playing with small ways to keep casual outfits interesting. A statement jewelry piece is a easy one, like this bright necklace from Charlotte Russe that I bought for $6. Under a denim color and a gray sweater, it stands out just enough to keep an edge to the ensemble. Just one more way to keep me from shopping!

What are your cheap tricks to spice up a casual outfit?

necklace: Charlotte Russe, sweater and denim shirt: thrifted 

December Thrifting

Another perk of being home: my mom knows all the best thrifting spots. Yesterday we got up early (early for me that is, meaning 8:45), grabbed coffee, and hit up all the tiny thrift stores in Gig Harbor run by adorable old ladies. I've noticed that Goodwill and Value Village have been upping their prices considerably over the last few years, so I love scouting out the small, independent ones--they're cheaper and usually give all of their profits to charities, hospitals, churches, or nonprofits. It's a win-win. Not to mention I got all five of these items for $13.50 altogether!   

Classic Ralph Lauren cable knit sweater, $3.00

high-waisted skinny trousers, $3.50

white grandma cardi, $2.00

leather loafers, $2.50

grandma sidebag, $2.50

I've already worn the Ralph Lauren sweater for homemade pizza, hard cider, & Elf last night, and am scheming the perfect way to style the trousers for a birthday brunch next week. Seriously, how good does a successful thrifting day feel? What are you favorite second-hand purchases so far?

fresh to death

At the risk of over-simplifying things, I feel like it is pretty safe to say that most guys have a pretty basic template of clothing: jeans & a t-shirt, perhaps a sweater or hoodie if it's cold out. Obviously there are other components such as shorts and jackets, but that is the basic male outfit, right? So, if a guy wants to stand out a bit or add some of his own touch to his ensemble, he's got to work a little bit harder at it than us girls may have to, and that is where accessories come in. I talked to several guys I know who put in that extra little creative touch with things like hats, shoes, belts, glasses, etc, to add a little bit of freshness to their style. Here are my findings.
Raleigh:



Raleigh definitely has great style (one of the 23814 reasons that I love him) and he isn't afraid to experiment with different pieces. I could do a whole post about the crazy t-shirts he wears and all of his interesting jackets, etc, but that's for another time. He also has a love for shoes - he has a ton, but I just photographed my three favorite pairs. Raleigh's taken to wearing backward caps lately, making him look a little mischievious, which I love. The necklace was a Christmas present from me last year (from Urban Outfitters) that he wears everyday.

Chris:



I ran into Chris while photographing someone else, but his bag caught my eye: a great alternative to the average backpack.

Ryland:



Ryland has eclectic style, the type to wear short-shorts one day & a tweed blazer the next; or perhaps the two paired together. I thought his watch was really interesting, and though the helmet and longboard might not seem like accessories, I would argue that they are! The longboard, when carried, shows the bottom design which definitely adds some color to his all-over image. And the helmet, well, he insisted that it was an accessory, so that's that.

Branden:



Branden's style isn't in-your-face trendy; it's more subtle, with attention to small details (for example, the cuffed jeans paired with the shoes). I've seen him wear these shoes with argyle socks before, which was a pretty precious touch to his outfit. His beanie + glasses combo also complemented his jeans/button-up combo.

Michael:



Michael almost always has a hat on, even if it's paired with a button-up shirt or cardigan, which I love: it's his signature look. The bracelets are also a subtle touch that add an interesting dimension to an everyday look.

Patrick:



Pat's ensemble was a great example of how an accessory can spice up an otherwise plain outfit: he was wearing the classic white tee & jean template, but his shoes were the something special that took his ensemble to the next level.

Peter:



Peter is definitely one of the most out-there friends I have, fashion-wise. This hat and sweater combination is pretty normal for him: Peter is definitely not one to shy away from mixing all sorts of colors and prints. Usually he's barefoot (as he was when I first took his picture that day) but I was impressed when I saw what shoes he had with him. The sweater is pretty eye-catching on its own, but when the hat and shoes are added to the outfit, it's a whole new ballgame.

Bryce



Bryce has a really nice camera & some sick lenses, and I love the case he carries them in. My camera case, though bejeweled, is a boring black one from Best Buy so I'm jealous of this vintage-looking one that is both stylish and functional. It makes him look distinguished, don't you think?

Elliott



Elliott definitely has some fresh style, and unique as well. His glasses are the classic Ray Bans & his belt a classic leather, but his other accessories are definitely new twists. The gold watch he's so proud of not only tells the time but has a full calculator on it, and his boombox that he usually wears on his shoulder makes sure he gets attention wherever he goes.

Last but not least Ryan, a friend from growing up, sent me a picture of his favorite accessory: the tie. His look says formal but a bit laid-back at the same time, which I think is great!



I had a lot of fun looking for & photographing the different ways guys use accessories to show their personalities through their clothing. Thanks to everyone who let me pry into their closets + invade their personal space to get these photos! Well done, men.

want!

I don't know who makes this or where it's sold, but I do know one thing: I want it. ASAP.

Scarves and things

I admit that I cannot wait to wear spring/summer clothes, but there are few accessories I love more than a huge, comfy scarf.