Dresses and Prints

Dresses are my favorite things to wear in the summer. Besides being feminine and festive, they are simple to throw on when in a rush. A dress can easily be transformed and worn many times in different ways with a simple cardigan, belt and/or accessories. This year, dresses can be found with intricate prints, ruffles and unique sleeves. Here are some of my affordable favorites for the summer...

Vestique: $39.50

Vestique: $64.00

LuLu's: $42.00

Forever 21: $19.80

Forever 21: $19.80

Nordstrom's: $44.00

Play Ball

With opening day of MLB season being less than a week away, I couldn't help but check out Victoria's Secret PINK MLB collection. I absolutely love the concept behind this line. I think going to sporting events is a great time, but I don't like the idea of always wearing the same old T-shirt or jersey to each game. There is no reason to sacrifice fashion just because you're in the stands at a rowdy event. Plus, these items are the perfect way to incorporate your team's gear into every day ensembles. 

Victoria's Secret has a variety of T's, sweats, hoodies and hats for each MLB team. Even though I only really like the items for one team, which I won't mention in attempt to remain unbiased, (go sox) I can admit there is some truly cute apparel for each team. Even though some of the prices seem slightly expensive, they are still much more affordable than anything sold at ballparks or sporting goods stores. 

Here are some of my favorites...

 Hats: $24.50

Sweats: $58.50

Long Sleeved Tee: $39.50

V-neck Tee: $26.50

Crew-neck fleece pullover: $52.50

Sheer Fashion

Lately, I have been infatuated with sheer and lace tops that require something to be worn underneath them. I think that layering brightly colored bandeaus and tank tops with a see-through shirt is a great way to add a pop of color and uniqueness to an outfit. By switching up the color and style of a bandeau worn under the shirt, the top can completely transform into a new appearance. 

Here are some inexpensive and fashionable sheer tops.... 

click here to find affordable bandeaus (in a variety of colors) to wear underneath the tops!

1. Lulu's top: $28.00

2. LuLu's patterned top: $31.00

3. Urban Outfitter's black top: $29.00

4. Forever 21 white top: $17.80

Sleep Tight

Sleep is obviously highly valued, especially among college students. But, I am really not a fan of how disheveled and disarrayed most people (including me) look after awaking. Since crusty eyes, unpleasant breathe and knotted hair will probably always be an inevitable result of a good night's rest, a fashionable pair of pajamas may be the best way to offset the morning mess. Here are some affordable options for cute sleep wear... 

Forever 21 Pajama set: $16.80

GAP laced trim sleep romper: $34.50

GAP PJ shorts: $16.50

Forever 21 long PJ pants: $9.50

GAP silky gown: $17.99

Waiting for Summer

Now that my college is on its 5th snow day in the third week of classes, it's safe to say that everyone here is slightly sick of the winter and ready for summer, or at least spring. Since I have so much free time while I'm NOT in class, I started browsing some of my favorite stores' websites for warm-weather clothing in attempts to give me something to look forward to. Putting together summer outfits is so much more carefree than worrying about whether or not you're wearing the right amount of layers or if your shoes can handle the stormy elements. Here are some affordable pieces to keep you hopeful! 

Charlotte Russe crochet fedora: $12.50

Forever 21 dress: $14.90

Charlotte Russe crochet scarf: $12.50

Charlotte Russe floral scarf: $9.50

Charlotte Russe "berry good" skirt: $24.50

LuLu's leopard pumps: $39.00

LuLu's pink "fairytale" top: $40.00

Let Loose

The loose and off-the-shoulder look of the 80's is in full force this year. I'm loving the carefree, sultry vibe of these comfy shirts. Their versatility means that they look great with leggings, jeans, or mini-skirts, so they are perfect for casual day-time outings or dressy nights at the club. The loose fit is sure to flatter all body types, but you can choose the perfect sleeve and length for your personal preference. Here are some affordable off-the-shoulder shirts complements of Victoria's Secret. My advice? Find a style of these shirts that you like and stock up on them in multiple colors. You'll be surprised by how much use you can get out of them!

from left to right...

Cobblestone tunic $24.50

Cream drapery $6.99

Blue tunic $24.50

Grey Tunic $15.00

The Classics

The other day, I went shopping on a quest to spend a little of my holiday money on some back to school clothes. After raiding Forever 21 and H&M, (as usual) I discovered there was a clear theme among everything I purchased that I was completely oblivious to while shopping. Each sweater, bag, skirt, or tank top that I took home was either navy blue, cream, black, or a patterned combination of those colors. Either my sense of style is painfully dull, or a classic, maritime look is currently overwhelming stores. Taking the hopeful stance that it is the latter, here are some great, affordable options to channel the current marine-esque trend. 

Forever 21 striped top $13.80

Forever 21 scarf $11.80

Gap ruffle sleeved top $54 

Express military skirt $49.50

Charlotte Russe bow dress $26.50

Charlotte Russe connected skirt and top $26.50

Forever 21 striped cardigan $22.90

Not so Juicy

Velour sweatsuits have always been a source of confusion for me. I never quite understood why someone would pay 200 dollars for a zip up and sweatpants. Though I love the variety of colors the popular sweatsuits have to offer, I personally prefer plain black sweats. Besides, I'm not one for perfect matching, so velour was never even a point of consideration for me. But between midterms and recent rainy days, comfort is constantly on my mind. I've been in need of some new lazy day/studying pants for a while. I mostly wear yoga pants, but I find that they shrink and wear out easily. Last week, I saw a shelf of velour pants and zip ups in one of my favorite bargain stores, New York and Company. Since I am always on the prowl for new sweats, and they had a black pair, I decided to try them on. They were far cozier than I expected, and they fit perfectly. The best part, of course, was that the sweats only cost 29.95, as opposed to the 118 dollar price tag from other brands. I used a 15% discount that New York and Company provided, and I got my new favorite pair of sweats for just 24.95 (So far, I see no difference between this pair and the far more expensive option.)

Falling for Flannels

There's nothing better than a brisk, fall day in New England. Not just because of the weather and the beautiful foliage, but also because of the great clothes that accompany all of the fun fall activities like apple picking and...well, that's really all I can think of for fun fall activities...
But, anyway, one of my favorite shirts to wear in the cool, early autumn days is a cozy flannel. Whether it's a classic red, button up flannel, a black and white long flannel paired with a belt, or a funky, brightly colored flannel, there's nothing better to keep you warm and looking great in September and October. In fact, my roommate has been waiting for the cold to come just so that she can break out her favorite flannels. It's no surprise to me, since flannels go great with jeans, leggings, or tights and a pair of boots, if you're feeling extra confident.
Even though I could rave on and on about the comfort and nostalgia of wearing a cute flannel on a chilly day, I can certainly say the best part is that they are affordable.

This classic Forever 21 flannel is a steal at 12.50

This Forever 21 flannel is 19.80 and also comes in blue and green.

This American Eagle plaid boyfriend shirt also comes in purple.

It's slightly more expensive than Forever 21's flannels at 39.50, but the thicker fabric makes the quality a little better and will keep you extra warm.

American Eagle, 39.50. Also comes in green and red.

Work it Out

The gym is an obvious hot spot for many college girls. And if any of those girls are at all like me, they try to enter the gym looking at least halfway decent in hopes that it somewhat compensates for the sweaty, disgusting mess they exit as. While I am completely aware that the gym isn't a fashion show, I envy girls who have sleek, perfectly matched workout attire. It makes them look like they can kick some butt, even if, in reality, they can only lift 5 pounds. I especially like brightly colored running sneakers and t-shirts, paired with black sports bras and shorts. Naturally, the problem is that workout clothes are expensive. I cannot figure out why dry fit bras and shorts that are about 2 inches long and wide cost 40 dollars, but that's just the way it is. The aerie F.I.T line has all of the workout necessities (shorts, bras, sneakers, tanks, tee shirts, sweats, zip ups, etc) for much cheaper than other workout brands.

Note: Sept 3rd to 6th AE online is 20% off plus free shipping.

This aerie F.I.T tank, comes in grey and pink also, and is only 19.50

aerie running shorts are only 19.95. They come in different colors too.

This aerie bra is 17.15, plus currently 30% off if you get it online. They have many other styles and colors too.

This cute workout aerie tee is only 19.50. They also have other similar tees.

These pictures are the rightful property of www.ae.com.

Tied together

Tie die is a trend that mysteriously re-entered our lives via the shelves of every store this season. What used to be acceptable attire only if you were a 10 year old boy or a teenage girl at the gym, has evolved into the print on dresses, yoga pants, and tops. And I'm not complaining. I've always had tie dye tee shirts stuffed away in my drawers, never to actually be worn. I had ones that were bought for me as souvenirs at theme parks and day camps, or ones that I sloppily made as an activity with my sister.  I never really wore the shirts as anything except for pajamas because it simply was not fashionable. Now that tie dye is back, I'm stocking up on the design in different colors, patterns, and styles. I'm acutely aware that the tie dye phase will soon pass and it will revert back to clothing only to be broken out for lazy days and little kids, but until then, here are some of my favorites...

I got this tie die peasant top at American Eagle for only 19 dollars. It looks great with jeans, shorts, or tucked into a high waisted skirt.

As shown in the previous post, I got these yoga pants with a tie die fold from Victoria's Secret for only 16.99.

This subtly tie-died dress is from American Eagle, and is on sale for 19.95.

This tie die skirt is from American Apparel. It's 36 dollars, which is pricier than I would normally pay for a skirt, but it's dark coloring makes it appropriate for wearing out in the winter (because, let's face it, girls still wear skirts, even when it's cold enough to make a snowman shiver.) I am more apt to splurge on a piece that can be worn year round.

Don't Sweat it

Sweatpants and zip ups are a wardrobe staple, especially if you're in college and have to roll out of bed for your 8 am. Of course, those sweats should be cute to minimize the extent to which we look like hot messes strolling into class. So, it's too bad that one pair of sweatpants usually cost at least 50 dollars...until now. H&M has made cute sweats affordable. Right now, they have cropped sweatpants in all different colors for $15 and matching zip ups for $19. That means you can get 3 pairs of sweatpants from H&M for what you would normally pay for one pair. The zip ups also come in striped patterns. Ok, so they may not say love on them, but they are great for mixing and matching. Splurge on a brand name hoodie and then getting matching solid color sweatpants from H&M, and you have yourself a perfect, casual outfit, for less.

Wait, those aren't really jeans?!

Whoever thought to create the combination of jeans and leggings should be getting some kind of award. I've heard a lot of haters talking about jeggings, but I think they're great. Straight leg jeans are the hottest trend, which creates problems for girls with hips, thighs, and butts. The jegging is a solution to that problem because for some reason they are much more flattering than jeans, no matter what shape and size a girl may be. I'm guessing the designer is a big "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" fan. The best part is that it's basically impossible to tell that they are not actual jeans, so you can get the same look and be way more comfortable (i.e. you can actually move in them.) They're perfect for tucking into boots in the winter, or for wearing with strappy heels in the summer. Just like normal jeans, they're sold in all different washes and colors. Jeggings can be found at most stores this summer, from American Eagle, to Gap, to New York and Company. They are sold for the same price as jeans. Finally a trend that is no more expensive than a basic essential.