Free People x The Hemingway Sisters

Hello! With classes winding down, summer is so close that I can almost feel it. Or is that just the warm weather we've been having the past couple of days? 

While browsing through Free People's May lookbook this morning, my yearning for summer increased tenfold. Free People's most recent campaign featuring the Hemingway sisters (yes, the two model-sisters are related to Ernest Hemingway!) sets the mood for a summer bursting with adventures and good vibes. The images from this look book have me dreaming of excursions through jungles and lounging by magnificent waterfalls. 

For this campaign, Dree and Langley Fox Hemingway wandered through Costa Rica on a spiritual journey. While doing so, Free People styled them in bohemian looks that I'm simply swooning over. 

The summer collection for Free People embodies their free-spirited, adventurous aesthetic with carefree looks. Breezy silhouettes, tribal inspired prints, muted yet distinct colors, rich detailing and layers upon layers preside over the Free People summer collection.

Images courtesy of Free People. 

Bryt: Using Vibrant Colors to Inspire Happiness

Hello! As we delve farther and farther into the spring/summer season, bright colors become more and more prominent. Colorful shades and hues are often associated with these warmer seasons due to the cheerful, playful feeling of colors and the sense of freedom that they evoke. Besides being aesthetically pleasing for spring/summer, vivid colors possess an interesting psychological effect as well. 

Wearing bright colors can actually boost your mood and improve your happiness. We associate vibrant colors with feelings of joy and energy and even just by wearing those colors, we take on the characteristics of those colors themselves. It's an interesting concept to think about and also easy to try out. Wake up in a bad mood? Rainy day? Throw on a piece of bright clothing and see how it affects your mood. 

Natalie Cope and James Foster recently founded Bryt, an online fashion retailer, with that specific aspect of color theory in mind. Cope and Foster wanted to start a line that would revolve solely around bright colors that would improve the happiness and confidence of their customers. Additionally, the line is socially conscious and all merchandise is produced in the UK where the brand is based. Although the brand is centered in the UK, it is taking the world by storm globally and customers in other countries can also purchase their merchandise. They cater to both men and women. 

Cope and Foster have started recently selling colorful, fun socks on Bryt. I'm in love with the youthful, happy collection of socks and all of the fun prints and colors. Their collection makes me just want to scoop up every pair of socks that they currently have for sale. They are perfect for adding just the smallest pop of color and happiness to an outfit. Their socks retail for about $12/pair. However, limited funds have limited Cope and Foster's venture with Bryt.

To expand their business and begin selling merchandise other than socks, Bryt needs your help. Today, Bryt launched a KickStarter campaign in order to raise funds to expand their business. They want to branch out and begin to sell bright underwear, gymwear and everyday wear in addition to their socks. With a positive mission and such fun merchandise, I would love to see Bryt design and produce more than just socks.

Their goal is to raise about $27,000 from their KickStarter fundraiser (and they've already raised $700 in the past couple hours!) If they exceed that goal, Bryt will launch numerous other designs on their site. Bryt supporters who donate to the campaign will receive socks from their new collection (the amount you donate will determine how many pairs of socks you will receive.) Want to read more about Bryt or help them reach their goal? You can check out and donate to their KickStarter campaign HERE. 

What do you guys think of Bryt? Would you rock these quirky socks? 

Good Vibes

Hello! When getting dressed today, I stuck to my recent free-spirited, bohemian aesthetic. Recently, I've been embracing a breezy uniform of a printed dress + heeled sandals + a stack of jewelry. For this look, I slipped on a daisy print dress; the ditsy print, babydoll style and loose fit of this dress make it an easy go-to spring dress. There was a slight chill outside so I threw on a black fringe kimono over the dress. This base of my outfit was relatively simple so I shifted the majority of the attention of my look to my accessories & hair and makeup. 

I emphasized the short length of the dress and highlighted my legs with a pair of platform sandals. I accessorized with a handful of golden, boho necklaces and a stone bracelet. I've been unable to resist jewelry adorned with coin pendants, unique stones and quirky flair recently. There is a very Free People catalog, late 60's nostalgia feel to that kind of jewelry and I'm in love with it. Besides the light pop of color with my turquoise stone necklace and mint-y stone bracelet, I added a swipe of berry color to my lips. Additionally, I decided to try out a hairstyle that I felt complemented my outfit, emphasizing the effortless vibe even further. 

This hair-do reminds me of Mary Kate Olsen meets Coachella festival-goers. If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that I don't really get creative when it comes to doing my hair. Whether my hair is short, long or somewhere in between short and long, I tend to stick with just wearing it down in its naturally pretty waves. However, today I ventured out of my comfort zone by throwing my hair half-up in a messy, wavy bun. And I love it! It has a very laid-back, relaxed feeling to it which perfectly suits my hippie-inspired aesthetic. You'll be sure to see much more of this hairstyle in the future. 

I hope that you guys have a great week! 

Daisy print dress: Buffalo Exchange
Black fringe kimono: c/o ShopLately
Stone bracelet: Cob & Pen c/o ShopLately
Necklaces: Assorted (Charlotte Russe, c/o Robert Matthew, c/o ShopLately)
Flatforms: Steve Madden
Berry lipstick: Wet 'N Wild

Paisley Breeze

Hello! There are only two more weeks before I return to Richmond and I've been swamped with work and have been busily running around trying to get everything in place before I leave Philadelphia. At least the weather has been gorgeous these past few days! My friend, Emily, snapped this photo of my outfit in yesterday's breezy weather. 

For my look, I mixed prints with a burgundy paisley dress and a pair of neutral striped heels. I love the way that the paisley print and striped print pop next to each other. The platform heel, neutral colors and striped print of the heels are all reminiscent of the 70's and make these one of my favorite pair of heels. I accessorized with a handful of golden necklaces and berry lipstick for a boho vibe.

Paisley dress: Forever 21

Striped heels: Steve Madden

Berry lipstick: Wet 'N Wild

Necklaces: Assorted (Charlotte Russe, c/o Robert Matthew, c/o Mall of Style, c/o Shop Lately)

Amanda Remillard Images

Hello! Happy Sunday! Earlier this week, my friend, Amanda, shot a few photos of my outfit. Like myself, Amanda is a fashion merchandising major at Philadelphia University. Additionally, Amanda is minoring in photography. This semester she has combined her love of fashion and photography into her internship with College Fashionista. As a College Fashionista Style Guru, she snaps photos of fashionable students on campus and writes blog posts about them for the Philadelphia University page of College Fashionista. Amanda has a great eye for fashion and that combined with her photography skills creates appealing features that I always love to read on College Fashionista. I always enjoy shooting outfit photos with Amanda and had a great time taking these photos this week. Her photographs never fail to impress me. You can check out more photos from our shoot & other photographs that she has taken on her Facebook page, Amanda Remillard Images, or her website.

For my look, I decided to pull this washed out turqouise dress from my wardrobe. I thrifted this vintage gem at Diversity Thrift in Richmond over spring break. The washed out, beachy fish print, faded color, flattering shape and effortless breezy feeling of the dress swept me off my feet when I first spotted this dress. For only $5, this dress was a no-brainer purchase. I love the contrast of the preppy fish print with the edgier faded colors of the dress; kind of like nautical prep meets indie rock. I amped up my look with layers of necklaces, rings, a stone bracelet and a pair of unique green sunglasses. To create the illusion that my legs go on forever,  I slipped on my pair of platform sandals.

Printed dress: Vintage
Flatforms: Steve Madden
Green pendant necklace: Vintage
Circular golden necklace: c/o Robert Matthew
Golden coin necklace: Lily Wang c/o ShopLately
Turquoise stone necklace: Cob & Pen c/o ShopLately
Stone bracelet: Cob & Pen c/o ShopLately
Rings: Assorted
Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage Sunglasses

 

Free Spirit

Hello! Spring finally feels like it's here to stay with sunny skies and warm temperatures. Weather like this makes me just want to flit about in pretty, printed dresses paired with platform heels. And today, I did just that. I slipped on a bohemian dress in a boxy silhouette. To give the dress a bit more shape, I tied a burnt orange cardigan around my waist. Deep cherry red platform heels, a spiked necklace and round sunglasses pulled the look together. 

You might have been able to already tell from my last few outfit posts (including this one) but recently, I've been feeling very inspired by the hippie fashion and lifestyle of the 1960's and 1970's and the Woodstock Music Festival in 1969. Paisley prints, retro bellbottoms, round sunglasses, platform heels, psychedelic prints and flowers have all been playing a major role in my recent outfit choices. I've also moved more towards breezy, free-flowing silhouettes. In the past few weeks, I've taken on somewhat of a more free-spirited persona in my style, music choices, opinions, etc. I'm embracing "flower child" fashions, listening to The Doors albums on repeat and attempting to pay less and less mind to societal expectations (such as wearing a bra everyday or shaving constantly.) Expect many more modern day hippie looks to come. 

Paisley dress: Forever 21

Platform heels: Jeffrey Campbell

Orange cardigan: Urban Outfitters

Spiked necklace: c/o ShopLately

Round sunglasses: c/o ShopLately

Insou Jewelry Giveaway

Hello! It's been quite a while since I've hosted a giveaway on my blog and I'm happy to bring you guys a giveaway sponsored by Insou Jewelry today.

Insou Jewelry sells their unique, handmade flower jewelry on Etsy. They carry a large assortment of necklaces, bracelets and earrings made from polymer clay. Their garden-inspired pieces are ideal for making a statement this season. Whimsical colors, intricate details, one of a kind pieces... what's not to love?

Today, I've teamed up with Insou Jewelry to provide one lucky winner with a pair of their spring earrings. Winner will receive the delicate pink anemone flowered earrings shown above. The earrings are attached with silver plated hooks and measure 4.5 cm (1.8 in) with the hooks. Similar earrings retail for about $30 in their Etsy shop.

This giveaway is open to all readers. It will run from today until April 28th and the winner will be contacted by May 1st. To enter the giveaway, you must enter through the rafflecopter app below (which ensures a fair giveaway.) You MUST "like" Insou Jewelry on Facebook and follow my blog in order to enter the giveaway. There are also a few additional, optional entries that you can complete is you wish (by doing so, you will have a higher chance of winning).

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Manayunk StrEAT Food Festival

Hello! I hope that you guys enjoyed your weekend. My sister visited me in Philadelphia and luckily, the weather perked up for her trip. We took a trip to Center City on Saturday and today, ventured out to the StrEAT Food Festival in Manayunk. This is the second time that I've been to the StrEAT Food Festival and I absolutely love it! Crowds of well dressed people, cute food trucks, delicious food and vibrant music...who could say no to that?

For my look, I gathered inspiration from recent music festivals and Free People catalogs. My look is very free-spirited and bohemian. I started my look with a hippie-inspired print dress; I love the bold colors & pattern and cut-out shoulders of the dress. I styled a pair of platform sandals reminiscent of the 70s and a bright cobalt, embossed crossbody bag with the look. I decided to pile on the jewelry and started with my necklaces. I mixed a golden coin necklace, turquoise stone necklace, small circular golden necklace and orange statement necklace together. I then layered on a few golden rings and golden stone bracelet. Woodstock inspired round sunglasses pulled the whole look together. 

Printed dress: Daily Look

Flatforms: Steve Madden

Blue bag: Vintage

Golden coin necklace: Lily Wang c/o ShopLately

Stone necklace: Cob & Pen c/o ShopLately

Orange necklace: c/o Mall of Style

Golden circular necklace: c/o Robert Matthew

Stone bracelet: Cob & Pen c/o ShopLately

Round sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage

Golden rings: Assorted 

Smak Parlour: Fashion Truck Innovation

Hello! Have you guys heard of Smak Parlour? I was first introduced to Smak Parlour early in my freshman year here at Philadelphia University. Smak Parlour is a Philadelphia boutique that sells feminine, retro-inspired clothing and accessories for women. And from that short description, Smak Parlour may sound like any other stylish boutique in Philadelphia but I can guarantee it's not. What makes Smak Parlour stand out from other fashion retailers in the area? Their innovation and fashion truck. 

Yes, you read that correctly. Smak Parlour has a fashion truck. Now, the concept is relatively new so I'll explain it to those who have never heard of a fashion truck. Well, you know what a food truck is, right? The concept behind a fashion truck is very similar to the idea behind food trucks. A fashion truck is essentially a retail store packed up into a truck that travels around the surrounding area. Customers who pass by the parked truck and want to shop, can climb aboard and walk through and browse the merchandise on board. 

Like I mentioned earlier, I was first introduced to Smak Parlour my freshman year here at Philadelphia University. One day in October, the truck stopped by campus and I marveled at the idea of mobile fashion. You can check out photos of me posing with the truck HERE. While I didn't get a chance to browse through the clothing and accessories in the truck that day, they did visit again later that year and I was able to shop around. And it is definitely a unique experience! 

I believe that fashion trucks are very innovative and are paving the way for more mobile fashion and expansion. I predict that in a few years, fashion trucks will be more prevalent; only a few years ago, specialized food trucks were uncommon but somewhat of a "food truck revolution" took place and now food trucks are all over the place. Fashion trucks are beginning to pop up more and more frequently. 

Besides offering stylish clothing and accessories for women, Smak Parlour and their fashion truck are helping to lead the revolution of mobile fashion along with various other fashion trucks. One can only imagine the numerous ways that a future prevalence of fashion trucks could affect the fashion industry. Fashion retailers already offer merchandise in brick-and-mortar locations as well as in digital environments; the next big thing is offering mobile fashion. 

Clearly, innovation is an element of importance to Smak Parlour's founders and owners, Abby Kessler & Katie Loftus, and they have recently embarked on another innovative project to add to their shop. Smak Parlour has launched a KickStarter campaign to raise $15,000 for an upcoming "Cut & Sew" collection. The collection features six pieces that use high-performance athletic fabric. The innovation of the collection truly lays in the fabric of the pieces. The fabric is described as "strong, flexible and forgiving. It would be perfection in the best-ever yoga pant but equally remarkable in a beautiful dress. Our fabric is machine washable and dryable, wrinkle-free, shrink-proof, fade-proof, odor-resistant, cross-seasonal, stretches for comfort and smoothes and hides bumps."

Smak Parlour has introduced this new style to their customers in order to offer their customers the best textiles used in their garments as possible. And just look how cute the designs (featured above) are! The playful, retro inspired designs are reminiscent of the 1950s and evoke images of lively American diners. 

Besides the innovation and uniqueness of Smak Parlour, I love the fact that it is local in Philadelphia. Smak Parlour only has one location in Philadelphia and a fashion truck that goes around Philadelphia. They do offer their merchandise online but primarily focus on catering to the females of Philadelphia. For their collection, Smak Parlour collaborated with three local Philadelphia designers and artists. They worked with Philadelphia-based street artist, Joe Boruchow, Smak Parlour employee, Chelsea Goich, and Philadelphia artist and graphic designer, Dave Holley. If their "Cute & Sew" collection is funded, it will be produced in Philadelphia.

To launch this collection, they need to raise $15,000 by May 2, 2015. They have currently raised over $8,250. You can check out their Kickstarter and donate HERE. Wanna see more of what Smak Parlour is about? Stop by their location in the Old City neighborhood at 219 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Or check out their site HERE. 

What do you guys think of Smak Parlour and their fashion truck? Are you excited about their new collection and textile? 

April 2015 College Fashionista Feature

Hello! Happy Friday! This semester certainly seems to be my semester for being featured on College Fashionista; this is my fourth time being highlighted on the site for my campus style just this semester. A couple of weeks ago, Dominique snapped a few photos after our StyleLine meeting. 

Blah, dreary, rainy weather presided over the day and I grabbed my black and white polka dot umbrella and gray rainboots to combat the spring showers. This is the second time that a College Fashionista intern has caught me in this black & white cat print dress (it's one of my favorites if you couldn't already tell) but the dress is styled entirely differently in this feature than the first feature. I love how the cat print of the dress looks with the forest-y green checked flannel button down. You can check out the feature and read more about my look HERE. 

Bri & I

Hello! Yesterday, one of my best friends, Bri, and I took a few outfit photos together. Like myself, Bri is a sophomore fashion merchandising student at Philadelphia University. Her sophisticated, put-together style revolves around a combination of trendy and classic pieces. That classy aesthetic can be seen in our outfit photos above. She grabbed a black cropped sweater and paired it with a purple velvet circle skirt embossed with an interesting textural pattern. The pairing of the high-rise skirt with the cropped sweater emphasizes Bri's waist and adds an extra feminine element to her look. For the chilly weather, she slipped on a pair of opaque black tights and black heeled booties. A few artisan rings and pretty purple nail polish pulled the whole look together. Check Bri out on Instagram to see more of her style.

And I guess best friends must think alike because when I saw Bri yesterday, I noted that our outfits were very similar although we did not plan that out.  I also styled a cropped sweater with a circle skirt, black tights and black booties. However, I went for a slightly lighter look than Bri did by slipping on a teal sweater and fresh, white skirt. I'm doing my best to embrace color this spring as hard as I find that to be. I accessorized with a handful of bohemian necklaces, dainty stone bracelet and several golden rings. Berry lipstick completed my look.

For these photos, I also posed with my new laptop case courtesy of The Case Studio. Recently, The Case Studio sent me a code for one of their laptop cases to review on my blog and I was ecstatic. I've recently had some laptop issues and was in dire need of a laptop case. The Case Studio is an online retailer that allows you to create custom cases for your phone, tablet or laptop. They have an extensive range of patterns, colors and artwork to choose from for your case. Additionally, they offer the option for you to upload your own photo for your case. 

For my case, I selected a zippered bag for my 15 inch Macbook Pro. Although it was a tough choice, I ended up selecting the "Light Up Our Life" case from the Carolynne Fromme collection. I chose to customize my case and added a white dotted circle and my last name, "Radday," to the case. The case retails for $49.95.

And let me just say, I am in love with the case! This is probably one of my favorite products that I have ever received to feature on my blog. The case is everything I could ask for in a laptop case: protective of my laptop, very good quality and very stylish. The print of this case is absolutely swoon-worthy; it has a very artistic, whimsical feeling. And I love that I was able to customize the case.

If you are in need of a new case whether it be for your laptop, phone or tablet, I would definitely recommend checking out The Case Studio! 

On me:

Teal sweater: Forever 21
Stone necklace: Cob & Pen c/o ShopLately
Golden coin necklace: Lily Wang c/o ShopLately
Small golden necklace: c/o Robert Matthew
Stone bracelet: Cob & Pen c/o ShopLately
Small golden rings: c/o ShopLately
Tusk ring: Unknown
Golden ring: Vintage
White circle skirt: c/o ShopLately
Black tights: Urban Outfitters
Black booties: Daily Look
Laptop case: c/o The Case Studio
Lipstick: Wet 'N Wild

On Bri:

Black sweater: Forever 21
Purple skirt: Forever 21
Black tights: Forever 21
Black heels: Kelsi Dagger
Rings: Artisan

Weddingshe

Hello! Today, I want to introduce you guys to Weddingshe. Weddingshe is an online retailer that specializes in women's formal wear. They carry a large supply of formal dresses from wedding dresses to cocktail dresses to sexy evening dresses to homecoming dresses and so on and so on. They also sell formal accessories and shoes. 

Although I don't have any special events lined up, it's always enjoyable to casually browse through sophisticated party dresses while dreaming of the events that you could wear them to. Above are four of my favorite dresses from Weddingshe; read why they are my favorites below:

1. Luxurious Empire Sheath Sleeveless Sweetheart Evening /Prom Dress $305. Are you looking to turn heads at your next formal event you attend? Then this is the dress for you! The flattering silhouette, sparkle and bold golden color of this dress definitely make it a showstopper. 

2. Cute A-Line Bateau Neckline Lace Pearls Sequins Short Homecoming Dress $187. Such a fun, fresh formal dress for this spring/summer season!

3. Shining Sheath Beading Lace Back Floor-Length Evening Dress $205. The nude paneling, sophistication and golden shine of this dress have me falling head over heels in love with it. 

4. Stunning Bateau Neckline Beading Flowers A-Line Floor-Length Evening Dress $149. Who could resist the deep green color and feminine style of this dress? 

If you are searching for the perfect dress for a special occasion, I would recommend checking out Weddingshe. With their enormous selection of dresses and easy to navigate site (you can search for dresses based off color, style, fabric, etc.), Weddingshe (http://www.weddingshe.com/list/Evening-Dresses-14354/) should be your first stop for all formal dresses.

***Disclaimer: Weddingshe provided monetary compensation for this post but I wrote the actual post and all opinions written in this post are mine.

Cocktail Hour

Hello! The weather today was absolutely gorgeous and I decided to take the nice weather as an excuse to pull this martini print dress out of my wardrobe. I purchased this vintage beauty a few weeks ago at a thrift shop in the Outer Banks for only a few dollars. When I spotted this dress hanging up in the thrift shop, I knew that I had to have it. I mean, how could I resist the playful martini print and classic, flattering shape? 

Just by wearing this dress and imagining sipping on a martini, I can already feel my worries and stress slipping away. This dress conjures up images of fruity drinks (made obvious by the pink & green martini print), cocktail hours and carefree summer nights out by the beach. Oh summer, where are you?

I kept kept my accessories to a minimum today, just slipping on a fun pair of white sunglasses. I accentuated my long legs with a pair of sky-high, black platform heels.

Hope that you guys are enjoying this weather as much as I am!

Martini print dress: Vintage

Platform heels: Jeffrey Campbells

Sunglasses: Buffalo Exchange Philadelphia

Boho Bellbottoms

Hello! Happy Saturday! This photo was taken earlier this week. I decided to pull my boho bellbottoms back out of my wardrobe for a free-spirited "almost feels like spring" look. I styled a flattering black peplum top with the pants and pulled on a black fringe kimono over the top. I took advantage of the semi-warm weather and pulled out a pair of studded black sandals. To add more bohemian appeal to the look, I styled two statement coin necklaces in silver and gold together; I love the layered effect and free-spirited aesthetic of the layered necklaces. Berry lipstick pulled the look together. 

Floral bellbottoms: Forever 21

Black peplum top: Forever 21

Black fringe kimono: c/o ShopLately

Black studded sandals: Jeffrey Campbells via Buffalo Exchange

Silver coin necklace: Lily Wang c/o ShopLately

Golden coin necklace: Lily Wang c/o ShopLately

Berry lipstick: Wet 'N Wild

Dark Cherry Red Jeffrey Campbells

Hello! I couldn't be any happier about today's sunny skies and warm temperatures. Now, if only the weather could stay like this forever...

For this look, I slipped on a black asymmetrical dress. This dress has been my go-to dress for the past couple of weeks; the sophistication and asymmetrical cut have captured my heart. I layered a black fringe kimono over the dress. I accessorized with a golden statement necklace and circular golden necklace. 

I decided to make a statement by slipping on my pair of dark cherry red, platform Jeffrey Campbells with the otherwise colorless outfit. I love the bold chunky heel and deep color of these Jeffrey Campbells and am pleased that the weather was nice enough that I could finally break them out this season. 

Black dress: c/o SuperBrand

Platform heels: Jeffrey Campbell

Fringe kimono: c/o ShopLately

Golden coin necklace: Lily Wang c/o ShopLately

Circular golden necklace: c/o Robert Matthew

ShoesPie

Hello! Are you searching for a new pair of cute wedge heels this spring? Then you're definitely going to want to check out ShoesPie's collection of wedges. ShoesPie is an online retailer that sells stylish heels, boots, sandals and flats for women. ShoesPie also offers footwear for men.

Today, I wanted to showcase their large array of latest wedge heels for this spring/summer season. Below are my top picks chosen from their selection of wedge heels on sale: http://www.shoespie.com/C/Wedge-Heels-101411/

1. Graceful Killer Wedge Heels $70. I'm swooning over the modern, wooden detailing of the heel of this wedge. The fresh, modern appeal as well as the creative, artistic aesthetic of these wedges make them the perfect shoes for this season.

2. Euro-American Ankle Strap Wedge Heels $40. Boost your look up a few inches with this pair of bold wedge heels. Who could resist that?

3. Fashionable Solid Color Wedge Heels $56. The neutral color, high heel and classic style of these wedges are irresistable. These are the ideal shoes to accompany your favorite dress this season.

4. New Spring Sweet Denim Lace-Up Wedge Heels $43. The navy stripes of this pair of wedges combined with the lace-up tie give these wedges the best nautical, summer vibe.

***Disclaimer: ShoesPie provided monetary compensation for this post but I wrote the actual post and all opinions written in this post are mine.