The buzzword this season is color. Bright primary colors on nails and toes, neon clothing and even jewel tones for eyeliner. It's going to be huge. My friends still think I'm crazy for looking for the just-right bottle of lemon yellow nail polish, but I swear it's going to look so much better than the ubiquitous black/crimson nails of yester-season.
Don't be afraid if a store looks like a retro 1980s explosion. Whether it is a hot pink raincoat or lime green ballet slippers, they're both very in. Embrace the flashback on simpler times when all you had to worry about was whether your Lisa Frank folder matched your Gap overalls.
If you're attempting to get your wardrobe ready in time for warm weather, I do have a few tips besides bright colors.
Dresses: Shift dresses in ethnic patterns as well as more bohemian, flowing ones are in. If it looks like something you could wear on safari, you should probably buy it.
Long dresses are also somewhat surprisingly in vogue, in casual fabrics like cotton. I'm a little curious whether a floor-length dress for day can in fact be socially acceptable. Also known as the 'maxi dress,' if you're interested they have some cute ones at Old Navy. Sadly not for the small of stature.
Tribal Style: Besides ethnic patterns on dresses, in general, exotic-looking clothing and accessories are in. If the most exotic place you vacationed this year was Monticello, now is your chance to fake it. This goes from bangles and beaded necklaces to dangly earrings. Gladiator sandals are also all over the place this season, from metallic animal prints to neutral colors. Some are astronomically expensive, but by the time you read this I imagine H&M, Forever 21 and every other discount retailer will have copied them for about $1. Try them out.
Beauty: The most fun recent advance in beauty I've experienced is makeup that adapts to your individual skin tone. Foundations have been doing this for a while, but the most exciting thing I've found is the Smashbox O-Glow blush and lip gloss. There's just one shade, which is clear; however, when you put it on your face the blush magically morphs into the color you get when you're naturally flushed, and the lip gloss just looks really good. Available at Sephora.
Going Green: It's getting a little overdone in my opinion, but I suppose you can't really say a brand is too environmentally friendly. Lots of new organic makeup brands are coming up, as are clothing brands. One of the more questionable trends I've found are designer labels doing spin-offs where they use hippy materials like hemp and bamboo and sell them for large amounts of money. Needless to say, I'm a little skeptical; however, there are lots of cute cotton bags you can buy to replace the plastic bags at the grocery store.
Lucky Jewelry: I'm basically obsessed with jewelry that has some sort of symbolic meaning, whether it is a necklace that grants you a wish when it breaks or a charm or crystal that is supposed to give you some special power or other. Horseshoe, genie and wishbone charms are fun, or you could just give a friend a bracelet with a wish attached. Just an idea.
Floral/Peasant: This style is back in a big way. Florals can definitely be overdone so don't do more than one piece at a time, and the print on a peasant-style top might also be a bit "Little House on the Prairie," so just pick one trend and mix it with more staid pieces like denim.
Boy Fashion: Apparently some boys like clothes too. Who knew? A couple things I have noticed this season are dressing up casuals, like wearing a hoodie under a blazer with some trendy athletic shoes, such as Pumas. Another idea is Oxford shirts with contrasting collars and cuffs; though maybe a little too avant-garde for your typical job interview, they're definitely something to check out.
Shoes are also very important. If you could kick someone in the head and kill them, yours are probably too clunky. For day, flip-flops that aren't in ugly colors (no white!), Converses or Asics are always good. If you need nicer shoes, simple styles in black or brown always work as long as they're not big square-toed ones. And don't forget, this is the University, so madras and seersucker are always, always in.
Read More
It’s okay not to be okay
By Mai Hukuoka | 3 days agoWhether talking to a friend, a loved one or a professional, it is so necessary, and human, to need more than you can provide for yourself.
Taking a break at Tangerines Kitchen
By Charley Thomas | 5 days agoWhat the restaurant somewhat lacks in ambiance, it compensates for in tasty dishes and prompt service.
Virginia Policy Lab — a hub for student-led policy action
By Katherine Haden | December 9, 2024Students propose their own projects and collaborate with other members to research their issues of interest, brainstorm solutions and write policy proposals.
