Vogue Magazine

     

    

Hello! Hope that you all have been enjoying your Friday! I found out that I was accepted into University of Bridgeport today which is quite exciting. Last night, I also managed to finish all of my college applications so now I just have to wait to hear back from Centenary College and VCU while applying for a ton of scholarships.

In these photos, I posed with the latest issue of Vogue magazine (such a great source of inspiration!) I know that I have said this time and time again but I just adore these jeans! There are infinite styling possibilities. I choose to pair them with a big leopard print coat, heart sunglasses and combat boots for a quirky, vintage inspired look. A black lace top underneath my coat and a few cute rings polished my look off. 

Not only did I love how this outfit turned out, I also loved how comfortable it was! This coat is great for keeping me warm on chilly days. It has been so cold out the past few days that I have even had to scrape off ice/frost from my car windows. Crazy, right? Around this time last year, I was still rocking summer dresses paired with lightweight blouses and tights. It's odd to think how it is so much colder this year in RVA. However, I'm not complaining! I love any type of weather that permits me wearing this gorgeous coat.

How cold is it where you live? Coat weather yet?

Leopard print coat: The Flying Tomato via Threadsence

White heart sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage Sunglasses

Pine green high-rise jeans: BDG via Urban Outfitters

Black combat boots: Target

Black lace top: Vintage

Flower ring: Charlotte Russe

Simple ring: Vintage

Camera ring: ebay

1990's Inspired

Hello! My look today was very much inspired by the 1990's. Grunge fashions captured the attention of  many people living in the early 1990's. Grunge fashion is defined as grimy and tough. Plaid, combat boots (specifically Doc Martens), unkempt hair, dark lipstick and dark colors ruled the decade. Picture John Bender from Breakfast Club and you have a perfect example of fashions from the 1990's. Both sexes rocked the look.

I incorporated many of these elements into this look- an oversized plaid blazer, dark colors, gray lipstick and combat boots. However, I decided to forgo messy hair and instead straightened my hair. Green tights finished off my look to keep it from being too dark.

Velvet dress & plaid blazer: Vintage
Green tights: unknown
Combat boots: Target
Studded belt: Aeropostale
Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage Sunglasses

7 Money Saving Tips

7 Money Saving Tips by toriraddayyahoocom on Polyvore

Hello! As you guys may know when it comes to purchasing clothing, shoes or accessories, I am extremely thrifty. I question any purchase over $10. I know that’s a little bit extreme but why spend more money than you have to? Below are my best clothing-related money saving tips.

1. Shop at thrift/consignment shops. You can’t beat the prices at thrift and consignment shops! Most thrift shops are non-profit and are just trying to make money to donate to a certain charity or cause (which besides the money-saving reason is another reason I love to shop at thrift shops). They get many donations and therefore, must sell their merchandise quickly. Typically, the prices in thrift shops are great with hardly anything costing more than $20. Shop at thrift shops and stock up on cool vintage pieces. You can find great not to mention cheap jewelry and clothing at thrift shops. Consignment shops are similar to thrift shops but they don’t take donations. They buy merchandise from customers and sell the merchandise for more than they paid for it. This results in higher prices at consignment shops than in thrift shops.

2. Shop at discount retail stores like Marshall’s, Ross, T.J. Maxx and Rugged Warehouse. You can often find clothing for more than 50% off retail price. This results in you being able to buy new, high-quality clothing or accessories for a fraction of the retail price. Prices in discount retail stores often start at as low as $5 and go past $100 (for designer goods). I found my faux leather jacket at Marshall’s for only $20!

3. Coupon. Look online for coupons before you make a purchase. Retailmenot.com is a good site for reliable coupons. Also, check your email to see if the store has recently sent you a coupon. I often get discount codes send to my email account.

4. Wait for it to go on sale. If there is a piece that you love but can’t afford, wait for it to go on sale! Chances are pretty good that you will be able to buy it at a discounted price later in the season and not have to rack up any more credit card debt.

5. DIY. This is my favorite way to save money with my wardrobe. I will buy super cheap clothing at yard sales and thrift shops and turn them into something entirely else. I also like to re-create and re-fresh pieces in my wardrobe that I feel are no longer my style. By creating and recreating your clothing, you are essentially able to customize your wardrobe.

6. Shop the clearance rack. Most stores have a clearance or sales rack towards the back of their store with heavily discounted clothing. They try to hide it away towards the back but be sure to always check that rack to see if you can find something that you like!

7. Shop Refinery29. Refinery29 is an online fashion site where you can buy vouchers to online stores. How it works is you buy a voucher for a larger amount of money than you pay. You can buy $120 vouchers for $60, $100 vouchers for $50, etc. You end up saving about half of what you would have spent. I used Refinery29 to purchase my Jeffrey Campbells for less than $100!

Marilyn

 

Hello! This is what I am wearing today. Perfect quirky-cute look for a day spent working at Justice! I paired an adorable terrier print dress with a lovely lace top and faux fur stole. Black tights, boots, heart sunglasses, glamorous red lips and full curls finished off my look. As you can see, I am pulling a "Marilyn Monroe" in the first photo. Anyway, I have to leave for Justice in a few minutes so I hope that you all enjoy today!

Terrier dress: c/o Lulu's
Opaque tights: Urban Outfitters
Lace top: Forever 21
Faux fur stole: Forever 21
Heart sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage Sunglasses
Lipstick: Wet 'N Wild
Combat boots: Target

Maroon, Leopard Print & a Black Maxi Dress

Hello! Happy Saturday! I hope that you all had a good Thanksgiving and a successful Black Friday. I actually did not go out Black Friday shopping this year- sleeping in in a cozy bed was just too tempting! However, I worked for the first time at Justice from 3-10 PM and it was crazy. Short Pump Mall was insanely busy and I had a hard time even finding a parking spot. All throughout the afternoon and evening, Justice was packed. It was a bit of a wild first night but I enjoyed it. 

Anyway, I styled today's outfit around this luxurious black maxi dress. Let me just say that this maxi dress is probably one of my best thrift-shop finds ever. A mere 50 cents was paid for this beauty. In addition to being super inexpensive, the dress is also very good quality and versatile. I can wear it down or I can even tie it up in a knot for a funky, asymmetrical look. Pretty soon I think that I will be testing out an ombre DIY on this dress.

I added a dose of maroon and a pinch of leopard print to make the look mine. Retro cat-eye sunglasses, a simple hat and combat boots completed the look.

Maxi dress: Vintage
Maroon blouse: Vintage Express
Leopard print belt: Vintage Banana Republic
Black hat: Vintage
Combat boots: Target (Currently on sale!)
Cat eye sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage Sunglasses
Black bag: Francesca's

DIY: Rhinestone & Pearl Adorned Ornament

Hello! As we inch closer and closer to the winter holidays, I get more and more excited. There are so many great DIY’s and recipes to try out! Today, I am going to show you how to make your own rhinestone and pearl adorned ornaments. These environmentally friendly ornaments would serve as the perfect gift for a friend or as a lovely way to decorate your Christmas tree. They are relatively easy to make so who knows, you may end up making them for all of your friends!

Supplies: Faux rhinestones and pearls, ribbon, scissors, hot glue gun, hot glue and a used spool with no thread left on it.

Cost: If you use ribbon and a spool that you already have, you would just have to purchase faux rhinestones and pearls (and possibly a hot glue gun/hot glue) which would bring the total cost to between $5-$12. You can also use buttons. I used supplies that I already had at my house- an old spool, rhinestones left over from a previous DIY, pearls from a broken necklace, my mom’s hot glue gun and ribbon left over from a different DIY.

Level of difficulty: Very easy. No sewing involved. You just have to be able to work with a hot glue gun. This DIY should take less than 30 minutes to complete (not counting step 1).

Steps:
1. Gather supplies.
2. Plug in hot glue gun.
3. Decide how you want to arrange the rhinestones and pearls on the spool. They should cover practically the whole spool. They don’t have to cover the bottom. However, you can cover the bottom if you find that more aesthetically pleasing. Either way, your ornament will look great!
4. Cut out a short piece of ribbon (2-4 inches).
5. Glue both ends of the ribbon to the top of the spool. Make sure that it is well secured. You may want to glue some extra ribbon on top of the ribbon that you originally glued down depending on how heavy the rhinestones, pearls and spool you are using are.
6. Start decorating the spool with rhinestones and pearls.
7. Voila! You have a brand new ornament that can either adorn your Christmas tree or be a cute gift for a friend.

So what do you think? Will you be trying this DIY out this season?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello! Happy turkey day! Or happy corn, mashed potatoes, rolls and cranberry sauce day for all the vegetarians like me out there. I love Thanksgiving because it kicks off the holiday season. It brings holiday cheer, yummy food, gift shopping, Christmas decorations and Christmas music with it.

I went for a Thanksgiving appropriate look today by sticking with a color scheme of cream, orange and brown. The base of my outfit was this fall floral dress. It is absolutely perfect for the season and reflects the falling leaves surrounding me. Layering this dress is delightfully fun so I layered a cream-colored sweater over it that matched the floral print. A burnt orange scarf and tights also accompanied the dress. To keep my feet nice and cozy, I added a pair of cream-colored sweater socks over my tights and tucked them into a casual pair of boots. A spiked ring finished the look off.

How are you all celebrating Thanksgiving? What's your favorite Thanksgiving tradition?

Elbow patch sweater: DIY on a vintage sweater.
Fall floral dress: Shop Wasteland
Burnt orange scarf and sweater tights: Forever 21
Tights: Kohl’s
Spiked ring: c/o Rings and Tings
Lace-up boots: Charlotte Russe

Mary and I

Hello! Today was a half day of school for all students enrolled in a Henrico county public school so I got out early. Just in time for lunch! I drove my sister, one of my best friends, Mary, and myself out to eat. We first went to Rudino's because their pizza is heavenly and then to Dairy Queen because all three of us have a hard time resisting DQ's blizzards and soft serve.

My sister took a few photos of Mary and I outside of Rudino's. We wore matching coats except for the fact that her coat is gray and my coat is green. She styled her coat with a pair of slim, black jeans and Toms. I styled mine with a high-low, star print dress, faux Doc Martens, a faux Chanel bag, skeleton tights and classic sunglasses. 

On Mary:
Gray coat: Delia's
Flats: Toms

On me:
Green coat: Delia's
High-low dress: ShopCalico
Skeleton tights: c/o Oasap
Combat boots: Target
Faux Chanel paper bag: DIY
Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage Sunglasses

8 Ways to Re-Use Worn or Torn Tights

8 Ways to Re-Use Tights by toriraddayyahoocom featuring knee high boot socks

Hello! So as you guys may know, I wear tights a lot. Like at least 3 days a week during the winter. So I have a slight problem- what to do when the tights rip? I don’t like to throw anything away so I try to re-fashion the tights into something else as much as possible. Here are some of my favorite things to do with torn or worn tights.

1. Make Christmas ornaments from brightly colored or patterned ripped tights. DIY tutorial to come on that very soon!

2. Did you tear a hole above the knee on the tights? Don’t be too disappointed- just cut the tights into knee-high socks.

3. Create a DIY turban headband from them. They are perfect for DIY turban headbands because they have just the right amount of stretch to them. Just don’t forget to wash them before you start you DIY:). Would anyone like a tutorial for this?

4. I’m sure that you have probably heard of making dog toys from old, worn out socks. Well, you can do the same thing with your old tights. Your trash becomes your dogs’ treasure.

5. Use them to create scent sachets for your sock drawer.

6. Cut the tights up into long, skinny strips. Then braid them together for a braided headband! I have seen this done to old tee shirts on Pinterest and it would be super easy to do with tights also. Not to mention, I have more worn or torn tights lying around than I do tee shirts.

7. Use them as stuffing for craft projects.

8. Cut them up and use them as gentle hair ties. They don’t cause as much strain on your hair as store bought ones do.

What do you guys think? Will you be trying out any of these ideas?

IFB's Links A La Mode November 15th

Color Stories

Edited By: Taylor Davies
Aubergine. Oceanic blue. Wedding White. For this week’s Links a la Mode round up, I focused on posts that drew inspiration or centered around color. Whether it was styling up a range of colorful pants or looking at the rise of black and white dressing, there were so many creative and cool blog posts centering on color. Take a look, get inspired and taste the rainbow!

LINKS À LA MODE: THE IFB WEEKLY ROUND UP: NOVEMBER 15TH

• A Floriculturist – Schoolgirl Style


• Arash Mazinani – Inappropriate Looks Part 3: Lena Dunham & That Outfit


• Avenue M – DIY House & Home


• Being Zhena – Coat Obsessed


• Best of Bklyn: Fun Things To Do With Instagram


• Chocolate Sarcasm – In Their Closet: Madmoiselle S


• City Brewed – NYC’s 5 Best Thrift Shops


• Fashion Moriarty – Recurring Images: The Sea


• Fashion, Trends & More – 5 Ways to Wear Colored Jeans


• IFB – What’s The Right Platform For Your Fashion Blog?


• Informed Style – Fashion in Art at the Metropolitan Museum


• La Dulcie Vita – Aubergine For FW12


• My Fashion Slash Life – How To Make The Most Of Your Fashion Styling Internship


• Not Dressed As Lamb – Create Professional-Looking Product Photos


• Rock My Heels – The Wedding: Wearing a DIY leather dress & ADR for H&M shoes


• Slow Burn Fast Burn – I’ll be in Space


• The Clothes Muse – Tutorial for Wrap Bustier Using a Scarf


• The Girl in the Yellow Dress – A World in my Dreams


• The Fashionistyle – {street flash} Opposites Attract


• WWelcome To My Closet – The Colorful Denim Challenge

SPONSOR:

Shopbop 40% Sale: FreePeople, Tsovet, DKNY, Watches, T-bags, Hatch, Yogawear, Sneakers, Bras & Stockings

If you would like to submit your link for next week’s Links à la Mode, please register first, then post your links HERE where you see “Links a la mode  next week’s date (official)”. The HTML code for this week will be found in the Links a la Mode widget on the right side of the blog, and will be published later today. ~ Jennine

I was featured in Links A La Mode again! How exciting :) Go check out the awesome articles above- you won't regret it. 

Cross my Heart

 Hello! This is what I wore while I was out and about in Williamsburg attending one of William & Mary's football games. It was really chilly out today so a winter coat was a must. I chose to wear this black pea coat. In addition to being super versatile and chic, it is very cozy. It didn't really matter what I wore underneath the coat as I had the coat buttoned up while I was outside all day so I just wore a plain black, velvet dress underneath. I couldn't resist pairing this coat with two of my favorite fashion indulgences- maroon and leopard print. Leopard print is constantly calling my name and I haven't been able to stop swooning over maroon this fall. Heart sunglasses, a simple ring and vintage oxfords finished my look off.

I hope that you all had a good Saturday! Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a SBH holiday dress HERE. 

Dress (underneath the coat), hat & oxfords: Vintage

Pea coat: Sears

Tights: H&M

Leopard Print Bag: Chi Chi's

Ring: Christmas gift from last year

Heart sunglasses: borrowed from my mom

Elegantees

 Hello! I hope that you all had a good week! Mine has been particularly eventful. My blog has grown to close to 500 followers and has been featured in IFB's Links A La Mode. I also found out that I was hired for a job at Justice (yay!) and was accepted into my dream school, Philadelphia University. How exciting!

For the last day of school week, I styled my outfit around these bold leopard print pants. These pants are an instant showstopper no matter how they are styled. To give my look an edgy vibe, I styled them with a faux leather jacket, spiked ear cuff and a studded belt. My Jeffrey Campbell's, classic sunglasses, a vintage hat and my new green top polished off the look.

I recently received this flattering, green top from Elegantees to post about. The color is absolutely spectacular and I can't resist the comfort of the shirt. Elegantees promises that their shirts are as comfortable as tee shirts and that is most definitely true! In addition to selling super stylish tops, Elegantees tries to give back and make a difference. All Elegantees are ethically produced and the profit that Elegantees makes goes to help sex trafficked victims. Now that is a great mission! You can check out Elegantees HERE.

Leopard print pants & hat: Vintage

Ear cuff: Romwe

Heels: Jeffrey Campbell

Faux leather jacket: Marshall's

Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage Sunglasses

"Mary" top: c/o Elegantees

Studded belt: Aeropostale

House of Fraser

As you all probably know, I have a slight obsession with dresses. I would literally wear a dress every single day if I could. And with the holiday season approaching, it is crucial to own at least one or two dresses for holiday parties and all other formal events that roll around during the holiday season. 

A great place to shop for your dresses this holiday season is House of Fraser. House of Fraser is an online department store with a wonderful selection of gorgeous dresses. They carry all kinds of dresses. Shifts, tunics and cocktail dresses, oh my! House of Fraser also carries maxi dresses, body con dresses, knitted dresses, prom dresses, wrap dresses, shirt dresses and even wedding dresses. They literally carry a dress for every single occasion including weddings and prom! 

Besides having an enormous selection of types of dresses to choose from, House of Fraser also carries an incredible amount of designers. Some of my favorites include Yumi, Oasis, Mango and Diesel. They also stock Adrianne Papell, Biba, Cutie, Damsel in a Dress, Ellen Tracy, Glamorous, Hobbs, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, Madam Rage, Pussycat, Tommy Hilfiger and many, many others. 

Prices range from $16 to $791. I know that they last figure may seem daunting but you can’t forget that they sell wedding dresses and wedding dresses are usually immensely expensive. They sell many dresses for under $100.

Alright, so let me break down the top six reasons why to shop at House of Fraser rather than another online department store for dresses this season.

1. Enormous selection. And when I say enormous selection, I mean that there is a selection larger than Mount Everest.

2. Possibly carry some of your favorite designers like Tommy Hilfiger and Diesel.

3. Easy to navigate site that lets you browse dresses by style, brand, color, price, size, rating, collection, drop length or sleeve length. 

4. Super stylish merchandise.

5. House of Fraser delivers internationally.

6. Free shipping on orders over $80.

***House of Fraser provided compensation for this post but I wrote the actual post and all opinions written in this post are mine.

Falling Leaves

Hello! Today I wore a relatively simple, fall look for a day spent at school. I paired my favorite sweater- a creamy, knit one with bright red lips and sunglasses, high-rise jeans and high heels. Although I don't wear these heels as much as my other shoes, I love wearing them. The striped pattern is so much fun and the colors scream "autumn." And they boost me up off the ground by a few inches. What's not to love?

Anyway, I hope that you all are having a great week! I would just like to give a shout-out to each and every one of you lovely followers. My blog has almost reached 500 followers- a feat that I never even dreamed possible. I truly appreciate all my followers and am grateful for your support. Whether you follow me with GFC, tumblr, bloglovin', chictopia, lookbook, pinterest of facebook, thank you!

Knit sweater: Forever 21

Top underneath knit sweater: vintage Calvin Klein

High-rise jeans: Urban Outfitters

Striped heels: Steve Madden

Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage Sunglasses

Red lipstick: Wet 'n Wild

Social Butterfly House Holiday Dress Giveaway

Hello! Today I have a great giveaway for you, a giveaway from Social Butterfly House for their Mesh Sweetheart "Jasmine" dress. This dress would be perfect to wear to all of the upcoming holiday events!

Social Butterfly House is a great online shop that sells tops, dresses, rompers, bottoms and outwear. All of their apparel is super stylish. You can check Social Butterfly House out HERE.

Now, onto the giveaway! One of my lucky readers will win the Mesh Sweetheart "Jasmine" dress from Social Butterfly House. The giveaway is open only to U.S. readers.The giveaway will run from today until November 26th and the winner will be announced on November 30th. To enter the giveaway, you must enter through the rafflecopter app below. You MUST follow my blog with GFC and like Social Butterfly House on facebook to enter. There are also a few additional, optional entries that you can complete if you wish (they will give you a higher chance of winning).

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and enter!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mixing Leopard Print & Polka Dots

 Hello! Today I wore my leopard print coat again- I just can't get enough of it! However, this time I paired it with polka dot heels, ballerina pink tights, a velvet black dress, pearl collar and classic sunglasses. For me leopard print has become a neutral and I love pairing it with other patterns like polka dots. The combination of the two prints added a little bit of a quirky vibe to my look. I love how the femininity of this look contrasts with the urban, gritty background.

Leopard print coat: The Flying Tomato via Threadsence
Polka dot heels: Steve Madden
Ballerina pink tights: Urban Outfitters
Velvet dress: Vintage
Pearl collar: c/o Oasap
Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage Sunglasses

5 Ways to Wear Colored Denim

5 ways to wear colored denim by toriraddayyahoocom featuring a rabbit fur coat

Hello! This fall, I have been obsessing over colored denim. True, I only have one pair of colored jeans- a high-rise green pair- but I am itching to own more! I am currently swooning over maroon, mustard yellow and of course, my green jeans.

Although, I own an equal amount of colored jeans and regular jeans (one of each) a majority of people own more regular jeans than colored jeans. However, in my opinion, colored jeans are much more versatile than regular jeans. I would wear my green jeans with everything in my wardrobe with the exception of my green shirts and sweaters. I would wear less in my wardrobe with my regular jeans because a lot of my shirts and sweaters would look boring with just plain Jane jeans.

Below, I have provided a guide with five different ways to wear colored jeans.

1. Wear them with a striped top, a masculine watch, a stylish hat and oxfords for the ultimate French look. Bonus points if your hat is a beret! This daytime look will take you anywhere from class to shopping to walking your dog.

2. Pair your colored jeans with a cozy, cream-colored sweater. Throw on some flats in a fun print like leopard print or floral and wrap a scarf around your neck to complete the look. This is the perfect alternative outfit to a sweatshirt, jeans and Uggs. This look will keep you warm and stylish at the same time.

3. You can also wear your jeans with a classic black blazer, simple black shoes (flats, boots and heels would all look great!), a plaid scarf in colors that complement the jeans and an over-sized bag. This sophisticated, collegiate look is perfect for when you have a presentation in one of your classes or for more formal occasions.

4. Another way to wear your colored jeans is by pairing them with leopard print. I love how a bold, fun look is created when pairing leopard print with colored jeans. Add heels for extra oomph!

5. Grab your heart sunglasses; pair them with your colored jeans and a quirky tee. If it’s cold out, throw on a matching cardigan. Talk about cute!

What do you guys think about colored jeans? Do you like them more than regular jeans or do you wish that the colored jean trend would disappear?

Born to Die

Hello! I hope you all enjoyed your Friday! I am just glad that it is the weekend- senior year brings more than just excitement for college, it brings a ton of school work.

As of late, I cannot keep myself from wearing these combat boots again and again and again. I purchased them at Target before school started because I saw them on one of my favorite bloggers. And I am so glad that I did! Not are they the coolest, grunge-y boots that I have ever owned, they are also extremely comfortable and versatile. The price tag at $35 was also quite appealing. You can check out these boots out HERE. Anyway, I paired them with a rebellious, skull tank top, silver spiked ear cuff, gray lipstick and over sized shades for a cool, edgy look. My favorite pair of pants, a denim jacket and my backpack polished the look off.

I always think that it is funny when I wear gray lipstick to school because essentially no one at my school would ever wear gray lipstick and I think that they are often quite shocked to see someone wearing it. My school is very preppy. A typical Godwin outfit consists of designer/ American Eagle/ Delia's jeans paired with a Ralph Lauren button down or polo and Jack Rogers/ Uggs/ Sperrys depending on the weather outside.

Oh, and if you are wondering about the title of this post (which I bet a few of you are), it is the name of one of my favorite songs by Lana Del Rey. I absolutely ADORE Lana Del Rey and her music so the title seemed fitting for this post. Do you guys listen to Lana Del Rey?

Faux leather backpack: Urban Outfitters
High-rise jeans: Urban Outfitters
Combat boots: Target
Skull tank: c/o Punkalife
Denim jacket: Vintage Ralph Lauren Polo
Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage Sunglasses
Lipstick: Wet 'N Wild
Ear Cuff: Romwe

Rose-Tinted Glasses

Hello! Today, I wore a classic, vintage look. I paired a luxurious coat with a maroon hat, over sized glasses, lacy socks and oxfords. Underneath my coat, I am wearing a maroon dress and black blazer. It has been pretty chilly in RVA over the last couple of days so this coat keeps me warm while at the same time still showing off my style. I love the photo effect that I added to this photo because it emphasizes the vintage aspect to the look. Hope that you all are having a good week!

Coat, oxfords & hat: Vintage
Socks: Urban Outfitters
Glasses: Ray Ban c/o Eyes on Style

GlassesUSA.com

Hello! Ever since I was in middle school, I have had an eyeglasses prescription and have needed to wear prescription glasses or contact lenses. I wore glasses during 6th grade and ditched them immediately following 6th grade for contacts because in my 6th grade world, glasses were ugly and a hindrance to looking "cool".

Recently, I have reached the conclusion that glasses are not "ugly" nor are they a hindrance. They can actually be very fashionable. Famous (not to mention uber-stylish) bloggers like Keiko Lynn and Kimberly from eat.sleep.wear. can be seen rocking some very chic frames.

And there are so many styles of glasses out there to choose from that it would be impossible to not be able to find a pair of glasses that you like and that suit you. There are cat eye, square glasses, nerdy and elegant glasses. Glasses can add as much style to an outfit as any other accessory can and have the potential to put the perfect finishing touch on any look. My glasses add the perfect, quirky-cute accent to every look that I pair them with.

One of the best sites out there to buy a pair of eyeglasses is GlassesUSA.com. Why shop GlassesUSA.com?

1. You can "try on" your glasses before you buy them with GlassesUSA.com's virtual mirror.
2. By buying online eyeglasses at GlassesUSA.com, you can save up to 70% off the retail value of the glasses- talk about a superb deal!
3. GlassesUSA.com offers all the glasses you could dream of. Besides carrying a plenitude of different frames, they carry prescription glasses, RX sunglasses, multi-focals, bi-focals and even reading glasses.
4. They offer professional and friendly customer service.

Screenshot of GlassesUSA.com' "Try-It" virtual mirror. You can find the "Try-It" mirror HERE.

GlassesUSA.com also has a few discounts for you! 

-Take 15% off your entire order amount & free shipping with code FS15 

-Take 10% off any order of prescription glasses with code Blog10

***GlassesUSA.com provided compensation for this post but I wrote the actual post and all opinions written in this post are mine.

DIY: Faux Chanel Paper Bag

Hello, everyone! This is what I wore last Sunday. I went for a cool look by planning my outfit around these combat boots, faux leather jacket and DIY faux Chanel paper bag. Bright red, heart sunglasses, high rise jeans and a black cami completed this look. Look towards the end of the post for the DIY for this faux Chanel paper bag.

High-rise jeans: Urban Outfitters
Combat boots: Target
Faux leather jacket: Marshall's
Cami: Kohl's
Heart sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage Sunglasses
Faux Chanel bag: DIY

Alright, on to the DIY! I drew my inspiration for this bag from THIS blog post that I discovered while browsing Pinterest Saturday morning. I immediately fell in love and knew that I had to make one. I grabbed some supplies and started on my DIY mission to create this wonderful, faux Chanel bag. If you can't afford a Chanel bag (which I cannot even come close to affording), this bag is a fun obviously fake alternative. So what do you guys think? Will you be trying this DIY out?

Level of difficulty: Easy

Supplies: Paper bag (I used one from the grocery store), sharpie, pencil & eraser, ruler, scissors, hole punch and a chain strap for the bag

Cost: This DIY should be very inexpensive. Chances are that you have most of the supplies at home (the bag, sharpie, pencil & eraser, ruler, scissors & hole punch). You may have to buy a chain for the bag. However, I just used a chain from one of my bags. So this DIY cost me nothing!

Steps:
1. Gather supplies

2. Cut the handles off of the paper bag.

3.Turn your bag inside out so that you can't see any writing on the outside. If you have an already plain bag, ignore this step.

4. Lightly outline the two interlocking C's in pencil on the bag. Erase and re-draw until they meet your satisfaction.

5. Go over and color in your outline with sharpie.

6. Grab your ruler and lightly draw diagonal lines going across the bag from both directions.

7. Trace over those lines in sharpie.

8. Punch a hole in each side of the bag.

9. Thread your chain through those holes.

10. Voila! Instant faux Chanel.