Camouflage

/ Dress: Joe Fresh via JC Penney / Vest: H&M / Purse: Zara / Heels: Ellen Tracey / Watch : Michael Kors / Necklace: Style Lately c/o /

Well, hey, 85 Dresses. It's been a while, but I am happy to be back. It's been a crazy few weeks and I have some exciting news! We had our Junior fashion show this past week and two designers from each decade (20's through 90's) were chosen to have their garment displayed in the Onondaga Historical Association as a part of their Fashion After Five exhibit and mine is one of the two that won from the 1960's decade. So, if you find yourself in Syracuse, NY, go check it out soon. It'll be there until May or June.

Anyway, this post is full of firsts. First fashion win, first fur vest, first time in camouflage, and first blogging gift. After having searched forever for the perfect faux fur vest, I finally found it and am slightly embarrassed to say that I wore it 5 days in a row last week. This H&M vest fit all of the checkpoints on my list from length to texture, and I am obsessed. The camouflage dress from Joe Fresh is one of those pieces that I saw and knew I had to have (on sale at JC Penney) and immediately put together this outfit in my head when trying it on. It's perfectly fitted but relaxed and although it's full-on camo, is surprisingly wearable. The fabulous necklace is a gift from Style Lately. Recently I've been really into small and delicate necklaces, and when given the choice to choose from their collection of statement jewelry pieces, I decided to get back into my love of chunky necklaces and chose this triangle crystal piece. I love how it's bold and certainly makes a statement, but at the same time goes so effortlessly with everything from buttoned-up blouses to chunky sweaters and everything in between. Thanks, Style Lately!

Hope everyone has a fabulous Monday! xo

The Great Graphite

//Skirt: Forever 21//Tank: Topshop//Boots+Purse: Target//Watch: Michael Kors//Ring: H&M//Necklace: Street Vendor in Austin, TX//

Do you guys have certain things that you seemingly always buy on impulse? After a long dedication to pleated skirts, I thought that my love of them had dwindled and been brought to a close until I ventured into the clearance section at Forever 21 last week. Though this is the section usually filled with missing sequin clubbing skirts, drab faux furs, and assorted miscellaneous trinkets, this pleated graphite metallic skirt caught my eye. While the fabric is somewhat reminiscent of a trash-bag, in both the sound it makes and the texture, the $10 price tag and way it sparkled when it caught the light definitely caught my attention, as well. When I wore this skirt this past weekend, I kept the rest of the components of my outfit in the neutral range with my purse, boots, and minimal but still statement-worthy jewelry. Needless to say, my love of pleats is anything but shaken, and the clearance section at Forever 21 will definitely be more frequently visited.

Gallery Girls

//Dress: Forever 21//Heels: Sam Edelman//Purse: Christian Siriano//Watch: Michael Kors//Ring: H&M//Necklace: From Austin, TX//

When I was in high school I was really interested in pursuing a career in art working in galleries and interacting with artists on a regular basis. While people that are actually a part of the Art world may completely disagree with me, when I put this look together, this specific type of art gallery girl is what I had in mind. When I used to study what these girls would wear that I was so infatuated with, they always had dresses composed of perfect simplicity and easy details that really made them what they were. I am not really fond of hi-low garments, but when it comes to asymmetry, like seen in this dress, I'm all in. The slanted sections of this dress, as well as the dropped sleeve addition on the right really make the piece. Not only did these girls have the best black dresses, but their accessories seemed to be what stole the show. Though their clothes were muted in color, the accessories often made up for it. This Christian Siriano neon chartreuse faux croc bag (similar bag here) is one of my favorites not only for it's shocking color and statement-worthy appearance, but for it's ability to constantly seem to complete outfits by simply adding it to the mix. So while I ended up pursuing a career in the fashion industry instead of in art, I still regularly cite gallery girls and people involved in the art world as a source of inspiration not only in art, but style, as well. 

A to Z: Pants

If you know me, or have been following for a while, you know that pants are not in my regular outfit rotations. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't appreciate a perfect fitting pair of jeans, we all know how hard those are to find, or a polka dotted pair every once in a while, but at the moment, they are a work--or style-- in progress. While I've never really been a fan of the colored denim craze that's been present for a while now, I do have a soft spot for pants in intricate patterns, fabric applications, and textiles.

Obviously I am a sucker for a good pattern mix. Though pairing florals with an almost angular thought-bubble pattern might seem like a long shot for a great pair of prints, these MSGM pants would go just as great with a simple white t-shirt and statement necklace, as they would making a statement themselves. 

Following the theme of working in a similar color palette as I had been trying out the past few months, this style works amazingly by combining these teal taffeta Asos cropped pants with a navy velvet button-down. I've noticed that when it comes to pants, I still like to maintain that put-together and polished factor instead of the idea that throwing on a pair of pants is simple and a go-to. Dressier pants, like the ones above, definitely are a pair that could work just as well with a chambray oxford as they would with a tuxedo jacket and stilettos. 

Our last pant pairing for today is a textile that I actually am fondest of when it is applied to pants and shorts--brocade. Aside from the obvious eye-catching appeal that brocade brings, there is also something about the hand of the fabric and feeling the different threads that makes me appreciate the beauty of the design. Again, with the intricateness of the pattern, design, and often colors, brocade pants work the best with toned down tops and accessories as seen above.

When it comes to pants, which do you prefer?

Paillettes

Zara t-shirt//Forever 21 skirt//Steve Madden shoes// Michael Kors watch

Recently I have been increasingly drawn to standout pieces of clothing. While they can be frustrating to keep up with, there is something about their uniqueness and overall fun quality to wear that makes it all worth wile. When I saw this skirt with it's iridescent paillettes, I was in love with not only the colors that the circles created when the light caught them, but also the way that it sounded and swayed when I moved. With such a statement piece, as this skirt is, I found it best paired with solid tops such as a plain black t-shirt and super high chunky wedges. 

Fluorescent Elements

{Forever 21 sweater,  H&M pants, Target heels,  Necklace from Dillard's}

Lately, I feel that the way that an outfit can work best is with simple and basic pieces but with amazing accessories. By using a bright fuchsia sweater and basic black pants as the base, and adding a neon green statement necklace and leopard print wedges, this otherwise simple outfit is now a lesson in mixing brights with patterns. While the traditional suit style has seemed to be fairly distant from the need to be in our wardrobes for a while now, this is an outfit--or style-- that I feel could work well for a creative office setting or even an interview, as well.

I arrived back in Syracuse last night to finish off the rest of the first semester, so look forward to starting off tomorrow with our regular school line-up starting with tomorrow's "Tuesday Shoesday" post. 

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving break!

Tuesday Shoesday

{here are a few similar styles}

Yes, I know that it is colder and there has been snow in parts of the East Coast in the past few days, but these CROON loafers definitely an amazing shoe for any self-acclaimed "glitter fiend." While some may prefer for their loafers, or any shoe in general, to be in neutral colors to best work with all of their outfits, others may enjoy the opposite idea of a perfect contrast. These loafers would be just that. With their bright salmon-y pink and turquoise tassels and heel tab, as well as the abundance of glitter on the body of the shoe, these are an incredible pair of statement-making shoes that are guaranteed to make any ensemble complete.