Looks to Ring in the New Year in Style

Let's face it, girls. When it comes to the holidays, sometimes it can be tough to pick out the perfect outfit. (Especially without breaking the bank!) But that's why I'm here to help. If you're looking for a little outfit inspiration for New Year's, then look no further. I've picked out three outfits, each with their own unique style, for whatever plans you have to ring in the New Year. The holiday season calls for lots of metallics, sequins, and all things shiny and sparkly. That's just what these outfits deliver, in varying degrees of course. Plus, each of the items in these outfits is $50 or less. (Sounds good already, right?) So here are my three outfit picks to start your year off right:

1. Outfit #1: Casual Chic

Oxblood Sweater ($27), Boyfriend Jeans ($30), Chelsea Boots ($40), Tote ($33), Hat ($49), Layered Necklace ($35)

If you plan to chill at home with your family or just hang out with a few friends for New Year's, then this is the ideal outfit for you. The whole idea is to look chic and to be comfortable while doing so. (Isn't that our ultimate struggle anyway?) An oversized oxblood sweater paired with some boyfriend jeans is a great match on their own. But add some Chelsea boots (a personal favorite), a cute hat, and some matching accessories, and your cozy evening look is complete. 

2. Outfit #2: Subtle Shimmer

Sequined Top ($25), Leather Pants ($35), Heels ($20), Nail Polish ($15), Clutch ($50)

Let’s say you want to stand out at the party you're going to, without looking like a Christmas tree topper. Well, as the title suggests, this ensemble will add a subtle amount of shimmer without going overboard. I've chosen this amazing sequined top from H&M, which serves as the focal point for this outfit. Then I added some leather pants for an edgy look, along with nude heels to balance all the colors going on. The clutch and nail polish add an extra pop to the look, too. When you're wearing this outfit, you're sure to be the "shining star" of the party. (Pun intended.)

3. Outfit #3: Festive & Fab

Dress ($48), Booties ($45), Clutch ($38), Earrings ($28)

This is another look to try if you're heading out to a party on New Year's. If you're not big on leather pants, then you can never go wrong with a dress. This halter dress is a gorgeous metallic color; perfect for this time of year. I paired it with some peep-toe booties, and a sequined clutch. I also chose statement earrings, which polish off the look. Who says you can't look festive and chic at the same time?

So whether you plan on dressing up for a glamorous party or just for hanging with friends and family for New Year's, I hope these three outfits sparked your creativity. For whatever you plan on doing on New Year's: have fun, be safe, and be sure to look fabulous while doing it. 

-Alyssa 

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

Higher Ground Apparel Spring Drop 2014

Back in January, we here at Designed by DePaul had the honor of interviewing a fellow classmate by the name of Jack Klein regarding a clothing line that he and his friends from back home had brought to DePaul’s campus (check out the article here). Since then, Higher Ground has dropped their newest line of apparel for Spring, and the collection is definitely worth your time. Consisting of a coach jacket, a long sleeve, a t-shirt, a hat and a pair of socks, Higher Ground’s creations continue to impress the DBD staff as well as DePaul at large regarding quality and design (and not to mention affordability, which is seriously nice on a college kid budget).

If you haven’t already, make sure to take a look at what Higher Ground has to offer. On top of supporting a start-up brand, the individuality and urban vibes of HG's products harbor a certain coolness that is undeniable.

Check out the HG Spring 2014 line below:

After you're inevitably on the Higher Ground website (found here), you might as well make sure to follow them on all other forms of social media:

Twitter: @HGroundapparel

Tumblr: Higher Ground Apparel

Facebook: Higher Ground Apparel

Instagram: Highergroundapparel

And if any of you are casually hanging around DePaul this summer, I hear that if you look hard enough there are a few Higher Ground stickers posted around campus, so that's a potentially exciting game of Where's Waldo (but replace the stripe-shirted man with, ya know, a sticker).

-Leah

CFDA Fashion Awards

When I woke up Tuesday morning and checked Twitter (shamefully a part of my morning ritual), I noticed that Rihanna had a lot of explaining to do regarding her Adam Selman gown at the 2014 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York City. If you haven’t seen her attire already, here are a couple shots of the controversial gown:

Though I’m not the biggest fan of the dress, it sure takes some mad confidence to walk around in that getup. Outside of Rihanna, there were still plenty of outfits to take note of. Check out some of the highlights of the red carpet below:

Blake Lively in Michael Kors

Chrissy Teigan in Rachel Roy 

Emmy Rossum in J. Mendel

Sophia Bush in Marchesa

Joan Smalls in Prabal Gurung

Solange Knowles in Calvin Klein

-Kristin

My Take on Selvedge Denim

In my previous article, Men’s Shoes, I implored the significance of creating an outfit starting from shoes then moving up. My favorite type of bottom to wear is jeans.

 My particular jeans are selvedge jeans. They are my first pair of selvedge jeans. What is selvedge/selvage denim you ask? You might have heard of selvedge or salvage denim, but not necessarily its meaning. They are jeans that are made in a specific kind of loom. Shuttle looms have a certain weave that creates a stronger stitching and leaves the denim with finished edge. Due to modern advancements in the mechanical age, and higher demand for more jeans, the creation of the fabric has modernized. Therefore rendering shuttle looms to be useless for the time being, after years, the notice of shuttle loom produced denim to be better quality.

Wearing raw denim, as selvedge jeans are, shouldn't mean being a part of a trend, but rather telling a more personal narrative. Stories are made from the actions we make, and my selvedge jeans will say a lot about me. For example my front pocket will say I have an iPhone, and right off the bat you can naturally assume I am an Apple advocate. The whiskers and honeycombs say that I move a lot, and that is completely true, if I am not on the train systems or not raining I walk.

The timeline image below shows how selvedge denim uniquely designs itself over time.

Each brand has their signature twist; one brand might have a specified weight, type of stitching, and their choice of indigo color. Current jeans are cut at the edge and woven/stitched together (See Figure 1 below).

Figure 1

Selvedge jeans, as previously stated, are made from shuttle looms and have a finished edge which looks like the red, green, or orange stripes (See Figure 2 below).

Figure 2

There is a trick to keep your selvedge in top shape. The key to having a successful pair of raw denim is to not wash it as frequently as other garments. This helps build the lines you are looking for, but at the same time washing them every few months removes the dirt, but keeps the strength after each proper wash. Good denim speaks for itself; this link shows it off perfectly.

-Danish

2014 Billboard Music Awards

The three main things that I gathered from watching snippets of the 2014 Billboard Music Awards this past Sunday night:

1. Kendall Jenner can’t read very well. (Video here)

2. Lorde killed her performance of her new single, “Tennis Courts” while wearing feathers and I loved every second of it. 

3. We seem to live in a world where Katy Perry beats Beyonce for Top Female Artist. (???)

The major trend that I noticed on the red carpet consisted of lots and lots of cutouts, some I didn't like, (Kelly Rowland, I’m looking at you), and some I did like! 

Check out some of the my favorite red carpet stand out looks below:

Lizz Hernandez, Miranda Lambert, Iggy Azalea

Kesha, Shakira, Nicki Minaj

Kendall Jenner, Ricky Martin, Rosci Diaz

Jack Antonoff, Five Seconds of Summer, Pete Wentz

-Kristin

Who Wore it Better? Met Gala 2014

I’m going to be painfully honest for a minute. Before this moment in time, I did not know what the Met Gala was. All I knew was that it was an annual event where A-list celebrities show up to pose on the red carpet and wear awesome clothing. After I did some research (Wikipedia), I discovered that the Met Gala is a fundraiser meant to benefit the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. The star studded event is one of the biggest fundraising opportunities of the year, with nine million dollars raised in 2013. 

Black: Gisele Bundchen vs. Adriana Lima

Model vs. model; who’s going to win?! Although both of these women looked gorgeous in black, Gisele Bundchen’s dress is probably one of my favorites I’ve seen in a long, long time. Is it weird that the first thing I thought of when I saw Adriana’s dress was Star Wars? Probably.

White: Rihanna vs. Victoria Beckham

At first, I thought that Rihanna’s outfit consisted of this white cropped top and the skirt, but I saw a photo of the outfit from behind and realized it was a dress! At first, I hated this look, but now I really like it a lot. However, I have to give this round to Victoria Beckham. I’m obsessed with this dress! Posh looks so Posh! (Sorry, I had to. How could I write an article without adding a pun?) 

Black AND white: Hailee Steinfield vs. Charlize Theron

Both of the actresses looked stunning in two very different black and white gowns, but I have to side with Charlize Theron on this one. The jacket strewed over her shoulders made the look! Hailee’s hair and makeup are on point, but the overall look fell flat because of such a large dress on a very slim girl.

Brights: Emma Stone vs. Allison Williams

Although I LOVE both of these looks, I have to give it to Emma Stone. My personal favorite of the night, Emma looked absolutely breathtaking in this light pink tank paired with the magenta skirt. Her hair, makeup, everything; she was 100% on point! Allison looked lovely as ever, but her dress blended in a bit too much with the carpet to stand out in my eyes. 

Pale Pink: Taylor Swift vs. Blake Lively

It takes SO MUCH for me to not pick Taylor Swift’s style out of everyone (love you, girl) but my woman crush every day, Blake Lively, NAILED this look. She looked like a glamorous 1960’s movie star! Not to mention she has one of the most gorgeous men in Hollywood as her husband. Sorry T-Swift, you’re still my girl and I loved your dress, but the inner Gossip Girl fan in me picks Serena Van Der Woodsen. 

Ball gown: Liu Wen vs. Arizona Muse

There were a ridiculous amount of ball gowns present on the red carpet, but these two were probably my favorites. I then realized that Arizona’s gown reminded me of Jennifer Lawrence’s  2013 Golden Globes dress. (Is it just me?) I pick Liu Wen’s dress for the win; this shade of blue is one of my favorite colors.

-Kristin

Thoughts on the MTV Movie Awards Red Carpet

RIHANNA: 

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Here we have bad girl RiRi wearing the finest robe made of 1,000 thread count sheets from her California King bed. The leg exposure is a bit aggressive for my liking and she looks rather uncomfortable herself. But her soft, light makeup and luscious wavy hair partially redeem. 

SHAILENE WOODLEY AND ANSEL ELGORT: 

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Shailene and Ansel looking fly as ever, and let me tell you, there were no faults in these stars. Her leather field drab green ensemble gave a new twist to the overdone crop top and high-waisted skirt look that we girls can’t get enough of. Ansel is doing things right with his all black and textured suit. I don’t hate the buckles on those super pointed grown up man shoes; in fact, I kind of love them.

JESSICA ALBA: 

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As for Jessica, does she think she’s Ariana Grande? I mean, I do enjoy this outfit, it’s just little young for her. But the pastel lime green compliments her complexion. And her hair has never looked softer, in the best of ways.

PIA MIA: 

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I’m sorry but this is hideous. Did her mom finally let her go to Libby Lu’s after 18 years of being deprived of all their satin and glitter? The cork wedged heels also are not helping her case. She looks like she didn’t know what direction to go for 2Chains’ new music video.

NICKI MINAJ: 

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I think this is the most basic we've ever seen this trill queen, and she should try it more often. The all black, body hugging, and cut out filled dress along with her tamed natural hair, suits Nicki well. The simple gold jewelry is just enough bling to complete her outfit.

ZAC EFRON: 

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This man can do no wrong. His style was simple, but effective. Also, shout out to Rita Ora for ripping his shirt open.

LUPITA NYONG’O:  

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Lupita looking pretty freaking artsy. I’m getting a lot of tribal vibes from this get up, which is cool, I’m not mad. There’s just a few things that could make this outfit better. If I was her, I would have ended the hem line at the edge of the black design, getting rid of the extra pleats at the bottom. Also the tights are a no. Otherwise, everything else looks great.

BELLA THORNE:

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Great color. Terrible dress. It is painfully awkward and I think that deep down she knows it too—look at her face. I like the bangle game on her left arm though.

DYLAN O’BRIEN:

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Dylan O’Brien hello. Something is a tad off for me here; I can’t figure it out. I’m going to let it slide anyway because his personality and face are beautiful.

ELLIE GOULDING: 

 

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She looks like a proud bride awaiting her groom for her third marriage. The cut of everything was great, like I understand where she was going. It just should not have been white; it totally washes her out. Literally any color would have worked, Ellie. (except yellow, she should never wear yellow).

-Bethani

Model Street Style: Behati Prinsloo

Looking just as amazing in her laidback street clothes as the designer frocks she wears on the runway. This leggy beauty can be spotted strolling the streets of trendy LA or New York's East Village, wearing what can only be described as boho, rocker grunge. The Namibian Victoria’s Secret model is usually sporting distressed leather and worn in boots with her ever present ray bans. Prinsloo who says she loves Rodarte and Alexander Wang has perfected the “I don’t care about how I look, yet still I always look amazing” thing.

As if her effortless style wasn’t enough to make you worship her, Miss. Prinsloo can glam it up too. The black form fitting Emilio Pucci dress with the sexy sheer side panels at the 2014 amfAR Gala, anyone?

 If you want to dress like the soon to be Mrs. Levine, you’re in luck because she collaborated on a line with Los Angeles based denim company, THVM, that is set to drop next week. For all the girls out there who love leather and vintage concert tee’s, Behati Prinsloo is your new style icon.

Now that you’re obsessed with Behati Prinsloo, here’s how to get Behati’s look.

- Jackie