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?

Anticipation

There's nothing like seeing spring merchandise in stores to get you out of your post-holiday, mid-winter funk. Sure winter was nice at the beginning when the snow was first falling and there was Christmas and new year's to look forward to, as well as cozy days in front of the fire during your days off. But now the snow has turned into slush and the holidays have come and gone. 

But it's also too early to start wearing all the lighter fabrics and shorter skirts and dresses, since it's still pretty cold out. But there are ways you can incorporate these looks and pieces into your pre-spring wardrobe without freezing or looking like you shouldn't be wearing that for another few months.

A great tip is to add some bulk and chunkiness to a light-weight item you want to wear. For instance, you can wear a thicker cotton or wool turtleneck under a sleeveless or short-sleeve dress. You can wear a heavy denim or chambray shirt under a cropped tropical wool or linen sweater. Take this floral kimono from H&M (what could be more springy?) But throw on a heavy turtle neck or sweater underneath, like this one from Club Monaco. The leather accents also make the look more wintery.

Shorter skirts and dresses are easy to warm up, by just wearing a thick or knit tight under them. You can also throw on a cardigan or wool blazer on top, and you'll look and feel cozy while still showing off your latest spring find. A spring maxi or midi length skirt is also good because it's long enough that you don't need the tights to make it more weather-appropriate, so you can create that look by doing something warmer on the top. Add an ankle boot to the outfit for an on-trend, stylish look.

You can also wear a spring colour, pattern, or fabric now by pairing it with a fall or winter colour. Try a dress like this one from Zara with a forest green, cable-knit cardigan like this one from Top Shop. The cardigan adds the perfect amount of cozy to the look, and with a cable-knit tight will look perfect for the pre-spring season.

Sweater Weather 2.0

Sweaters are a basic staple; they keep you warm, come in many different fabrics, prints and colours, and you know they'll always be in style for fall/winter. But this season, they have a new and exciting spin to them.

It's almost impossible to walk into a store now and not see some sort of rhinestone, jewel or other embellishment on cold weather's best friend. It's such a great contrast between the chunky, casual material and the dressy, fun accents.

The sweater has come so far that it could even be worn for a night out. And if you pair it perfectly, dare I say, you could even wear one to a holiday party this year? Especially a classic black, fitted sweater, perhaps paired with leather trousers and a statement shoe?

If you want to ease into the trend, you might want to try something like these necklace sweaters from Joe Fresh (left) or ASOS (right). You could either be wearing the embellished sweater trend, or not, and no one will know until they see your back (where the necklace part doesn't reach).

  

You could start off small, like with this sweater from Zara. The rhinestones blend in a bit with the grey, but stand out just enough to give the top a little something.

If you wanted to go a bit further, try something like this bejewelled striped sweater from Tory Burch. The pattern is classic and simple, making the top look stylish and not too crazy, even with all the jewels.

If you wanted to jump right into the trend and are not afraid to stand out, this Top Shop piece is probably more what you're looking for. The colourful sequins allow you to pair the top with just about any colour, and because it's knitted, you could wear it in fall, winter or spring.

Here are just some other great embellished sweaters from ASOS I wanted to share with you!

 ASOS Collection

 ASOS Collection

 ASOS Collection

 Needle & Thread

Plaid and Simple

I know everyone is just dying for another fall fashion post (you can never have too many). Today I want to talk about plaid, since it's a new love for me. People have been wearing plaid for ages, and it changes every season. I used to own some plaid shirts back in high school, when I just wore them casually with a T underneath and some leggings. But since it's everywhere this fall, I've been seeing it almost everyday in malls, on the street, and on blogs.



The thing I love about the current plaid being shown is that it takes a predominantly masculine pattern (it's generally shown in oversized button-ups with very little shape), and has made it sultry and feminine. By tapering plaid trousers or shortening a traditional office skirt, designers and retailers are feminizing plaid. I also believe that if you take a plaid print in a sheer or silky fabric, instead of flannel or cotton, it'll become more sultry. That being said, I still love to cozy up on a cold winter day in a flannel plaid shirt and sweats.






All of the pictures on this post are from Zara (all taken from their website), since I am absolutely in love with their plaid items for this fall, and that store really sticks out to me when I think about plaid (at least recently). I particularly love these plaid suits; you would think that a plaid blazer with matching pants or skirt would be overkill (or at least make you look like an old man), but Zara definitely got it right. The tailored fit combined with the colour lends a sexy look to the outfit.

And what could be sexier and more feminine than a lingerie-inspired dress? (I also loved that they styled it with a black turtle-neck to make the look perfect for fall.) Or shorts? Or perhaps a sheer blouse with a thin cami underneath?

The shape of these trousers is what really pulls me in. Aside from the colour, which I love (an essential for any fall season), I like how these just sit so nicely over the curves and on the leg. The fact that they get a bit slimmer closer to the bottom, and that they're a bit above the ankle just makes me wish they came in a hundred different colours.