Cream Of The Crop

Whether tight or loose, casual or dressy, long or short, we can't deny that crop tops are so hot right now. You can wear them so many ways: dress them up or down; matchy-matchy or mis-matched; with skirts or pants or shorts.

I love Lauren Conrad's January 2014 Cosmo cover outfit, because the top and skirt are so mismatched and busy that you actually feel like they do match and are meant to be worn together. This is a much shorter version of a crop top (more of a bustier), but still looks perfect with the skirt. In the editorial inside Lauren wears another cropped look, but this time keeps it much simpler. I love the pop of orange with the studded white skirt.

This trend of crop tops is great because you can wear it to the office or make it more professional by wearing it with a suit. I love the way Zara styled this look on their website. It takes something that can typically be boring like a women's suit, and adds pattern and a twist on the long sleeve top to spice it up. This top is longer than the one Lauren is wearing above, so it's more versatile and appropriate for certain occasions.

I love this matched top and shorts combo. Just the use of colour and pattern make it so perfect for spring. I definitely need to get myself a matching top and bottom set!

If you're looking for something to wear in cooler weather, but still want to follow the cropped trend, you can find a cropped jacket almost anywhere right now. Cropped, boxy jackets were so hot on the spring/summer 2014 runways, and denim jackets never go out of style.

Will you be following the cropped trend this season?

Fall Must-Haves

Fall is one of my favourite seasons, and not just because my birthday is in the fall. I absolutely love fall fashion, and even though I’m still in summer mode when it starts arriving in stores (I’ll admit it is a little depressing), I can’t resist starting to buy some autumn pieces already.

I’ve compiled a list of what I believe are 5 must-haves for autumn. Some of the photos are recent and intended for fall 2013 trends, but these trends can be applied to any given year, as they tend to stay mostly consistent. Some years the trends do change though, or designers will put a new spin on an old style.

1. Cords

You can find corduroys in almost any colour, and I absolutely love them for the cooler months. I bought a pair of mint-coloured cords in the fall of 2012 and they were the perfect summer/fall transition piece because of the light shade mixed with the cozier fabric. They were also great for the following spring because it was still pretty cool out, and the colour was perfect for the spring/Easter pallet.

I personally love these printed ones from H&M. The base colour is black and the pattern is neutral so you could pair these with pretty much anything. Alternatively, you could choose a very simple or black top without the outfit being too plain, since the trousers are patterned.

2. Fur vest

Currently I’m favouring the mid-length darker fur vests for this fall. By darker I’m talking brown or black; off white is best for spring, when you want to lighten up your wardrobe.

This picture from We Heart It styles the vest beautifully. I love the gold accessories; I think it’s the perfect tone for fall. Don’t get me wrong, I still wear silver jewelry most of the time (even in fall), but with this black vest and beige sweater, gold is definitely the way to go.

3. Ankle boots- with or without a heel

I absolutely love a bootie with a heel, but I do understand that some people are unable to walk around all day in heels, myself included. Luckily you can find a boot with almost any size heel, and if you choose the right one, they can double as a day shoe and a night shoe.

Take these Giuseppe Zanotti black leather ankle booties. These will go perfect with any skinny trouser or dress pant for the office, as well as a mini skirt or leather pant for a night out. Also check out the purple suede ones for a more adventurous look.

4. Leather pants

Pairing these with a light-feeling blouse, fur vest, and ankle boots is the perfect go-to outfit. You don’t need to accessorize too much since the pants and vest already lend the outfit their contrasting textures. But if you do decide to add a necklace or bracelet, I’d tone it down with ones that match the blouse or shirt you’re wearing, so the accessories don’t take away too much from the outfit itself. I also love pairing these pants with a knit sweater. With this outfit, alternatively, feel free to accessorize since it’s not as layered as the vest option. I would do a shorter, chunky necklace and chunky bracelets.

Another way to wear this trend is to do to shorts in a leather/pleather and wear thick or knit stockings. I love this sort of look for cooler weather (it also looks nice with tweed or wool shorts). Pair shorts like these high-waisted shorts from Topshop with a sweater like this one from H&M. The fabrics provide the perfect contrast and the colours look great together!

5. Wide brim hat

And when I say wide brim, I mean very wide brim. I don’t know why but I just love these. When you think of a wide brim hat, your mind probably automatically goes to a straw or other beach appropriate hat. But in the right colour and material, it’s the perfect accessory for autumn. I would invest in a wool hat in a maroon, beige, or brown (like this one from Levi's), and these colours can be added to any look to top it off (pun intended).

I just want to add one more must-have that I think deserves honourable mention, since it's timeless and seasonless. Denim. Light or dark. It can be paired with absolutely anything, even more denim (although this look must be executed with extreme caution and precision). So I will end this post with a few photos of beautifully-styled denim for fall. Let me know in the comments what your fall must-haves are!

 Stockholm Streetstyle

 TheBlackCatGirl

 We Heart It

 We Heart It

 H&M