College Girl with a Stylist Mentality: Sunnies

I worked for Sunglass Hut for a couple months and learned a lot about sunglasses from the best quality polarization to pointing out the different brands of Oakleys. It was a great job and my love for sunglasses just grew. Now many of my friends have a much more extensive collection, but I thought I'd show some of my favorites.

Not to be cliche but one of my favorite brands of sunglasses is Ray Ban. Three of the Ray Bans I own are the black New Wayfarers . They are smaller than the originals and do not slant inward. They are great everyday sunglasses and look great with practically anything. The second pair are the Dylan collection, a remixed version of the clubmasters. These are a little out of my comfort zone but they are very fun. The matte nude color makes me love them even more. Lastly, are the Tech Aviator LITEFORCE in a matte black. They are the lightest sunglasses I have ever worn and literally give the most badass feel, but man do you have to be careful with them.

The second batch of my sunnies are less of the beach wear scene and more of the out on Michigan Ave. The first pair is probably my favorite pair I own which are rounded Gucci sunglasses with a black to green gradient (seen below). They are different and I like to call them my 'bitch glasses'. Right beside them are a pair of cat-eyed Steve Maddens. These sunglasses seen in every inch of Turkey. They are sassy and are a blast from the past.

Now one thing I think every person should have is a pair of cheap sunglasses. Yes, I said cheap. I cannot tell you all how many sunglasses I have bought for just a couple of bucks at Forever 21 and Target. Yeah, they may not be the best quality, but that is exactly it. They are perfect for jet skiing or any high intensity activity. No one wants to loose a $200 pair of sunglasses in the ocean!

I'm currently wanting the Original Aviators with the gold rim and blue gradient lenses, but I'm holding myself back right now. I've been pretty good and haven't bought a pair this year, but who knows if I can stay good and wait.

If you're interested, all sunglasses mentioned are linked above if they are still available.

Also, make sure to stay up-to-date with my personal blog as well found here!

-Amira

Business Casual

So here’s the deal: since the beginning of my time here at DePaul, I have noticed this incredibly prevalent concept of “business casual” that won’t seem to leave me alone. I wish you all could have seen my face when I was told that I needed to dress business casual for the first time. I stood in front of my closet with a look that I can only describe as confusion and borderline defeat. Did business casual mean I couldn’t wear pants? Did I have to wear high heels? What about hemlines? I had too many questions and Google just was not helping me out. I wanted to dress like myself, not Hillary Clinton. 

 With our generation’s movement of self-expression, just how much could I express myself in the workplace (or a workplace-like setting)? On one hand, an individual should be hired for skill. On the other, you are a direct reflection of whatever organization you are representing. To have a feeling of self while simultaneously maintaining a positive image of a given company is a skill that is—in my opinion—wildly undervalued.

 Having that in mind and through a process of trial-and-error, I started making a few general rules for business casual:

1. Don’t wear anything you wouldn't wear while visiting your Grandma

a. Respectable neck and hemlines, layyydies.

2. If you would wear it to a formal dance, don’t wear it to a business casual event

a. I’m serious; I contemplated this for a second.

3. If you aren't comfortable, don’t wear it

a. Just because you have to fit a certain dress code does not mean that you have to completely sacrifice being comfortable in your own clothing

4. (in response to #3) BUT still be mindful of your audience at whatever event you are going to or whomever you are representing.

a. Find a compromise between heels and your dirty Converse. 

5. If you don't know what you should and should not cover, cover it anyway

a. We're talking no sandals, and no tank tops unless stated otherwise. 

6. Don’t focus too much on the “business” side of “business casual” 

a. I personally found the task of business casual to be frightening, but really all that is being asked is to step up your game a little bit. No sweatpants or jeans with holes, but also no pantsuits or ball gowns. 

That being said, there are a lot of stores that offer business casual attire for college students. I mean, technically they are offered to everyone, but I think we all know who the real audience is. Anyway, I’m serious when I say that you can find appropriate (and incredibly cute) business causal at H&M, Forever 21, Zara, and all the stores that you would regularly be found at. Then there are stores like Banana Republic and Gap, which were conceived with a strict focus on business casual. It ultimately depends on how much you want to invest—both monetarily and time-wise. Personally I like having to seek out a good dress on the sale rack at Zara, but that might just be me. 

Anyway, I compiled a few options of business casual below, so take a look: 

-Leah

Krazy For Kimonos

My summer trend obsession definitely has to be kimonos. A kimono is probably one of the most versatile pieces of clothing you can own – and I think that every girl needs to own at least one.

Reasons why I am the kimono’s biggest fan:

1. They flatter ANY body type. Literally. I refuse to believe that they look bad on anyone.

2. They come in a ridiculous amount of colors, patterns, and textures. You can find a basic black kimono to throw a t-shirt and jeans, or find a graphic kimono that is the center of attention within your outfit. The possibilities are endless.

3. For all of you shorter girls, don’t fret! Not all kimonos are floor length. You can find a variety of lengths in all different stores. 

If you’re willing to splurge, check out this black kimono from Pac Sun or this piece from Urban Outfitters. 

If you’re like me and thrive on bargain shopping, check out these looks from Forever 21 or H&M (I own this one!)

If you’re having trouble with finding ways to style your own kimono, check out a few ideas I came up with below!

-Kristin