There's a new Marc in town

For those of you with fashion infused in your heart and soul, you may be familiar with Marc Jacobs, an iconic fashion designer who I am in love with due to his amazing purse collection. The classic Q Hillier sound familiar?

But let’s get to the point, shall we?

This past week, I figured that taking a gander through TJ Maxx wouldn’t be a bad idea. I was going in with the mission plan of finding new jeans, possibly J Brand Jeans… However, browsing turned into more browsing and I quickly found myself surrounded by thick winter coats. I was encompassed in pea coat pizzazz, until I noticed one lonely little leather jacket in the middle of all of the pea coat madness. An Andrew Marc leather jacket. So this Marc is in no relation to my purse master Marc Jacobs?

Andrew Marc- who is that?

Now I may be a bit naive due to the fact that I claim to love fashion but had never heard of Andrew Marc. Yet the more I thought about it, the more I began to realize that I’d seen the name in ads. Why hadn’t I picked up on this fashion maven before?
Simple and brilliantly designed, the leather jacket had the ceiling lights at TJ Maxx glowing upon its rebel radiance. It was marked to $99. Now that didn’t seem like a ridiculously high price- at least for a leather jacket! That’s actually a steal! But if you put two and two together- college student + $99 leather jacket. It just didn’t add up. At this point in time, I’m practically penniless, awaiting my retail check.

Needless to say, I can now connect that fabulous leather jacket with the name Andrew Marc. In fact, after some Andrew Marc research, I came to find that there are many other wonderful pieces that his line offers. And to think I had managed to skip over Andrew Marc ads in my Elle magazine in the past.
Now that I am aware of Andrew Marc and his defined “look”- I will surely be looking into his clothing line even more when that next paycheck arrives. So thank you TJ Maxx for helping me find last season’s hidden treasure.
That being said, my gift to you today is to introduce Andrew Marc and his fabulous luxury designs so that you can keep him on your radar.

Because- let’s face it- we’ve been missing out on that other Marc.

This leather jacket is from the 2010 Andrew Marc collection; however it is very similar to the one that I found at TJ Maxx from his collection last year!  You can find this and many more pieces like it at http://www.andrewmarc.com/ !

photo courtesy: Andrewmarc.com

Donate Something... Why Not Your Hair?

I’ve been wanting to do it for years… since my freshman year of high school to be exact. I had heard of the Locks of Love organization that made wigs out of donated hair for cancer patients and individuals with health complications like alopecia. I wanted to donate my hair, but freshman year I had rationalized with myself. Not yet… you’ve still got a few inches to add on for solid length…

So as the years passed, I never really confronted myself with the idea again. Until now.

As I was checking my e-mail on a Wednesday night, I received one of the bulk e-mails that my school sends out. It was a notification e-mail regarding a Locks of Love donation sight and a blood drive. Blood- I can’t do that whole thing. I give my warmest wishes and strongest congrats to those who can donate blood. That is an awesome way to give back. However, I let my trypanophobia get the best of me. Donating hair was something I could do- something I have always wanted to do. So why not now? I sat in my room pondering the idea for a moment. I was very fond of my hair. The length was so great… but I soon came to the conclusion that it would in fact grow back. Besides, if I had lost all of my hair due to a sickness, I can’t even begin to imagine how robbed I would feel of my luscious locks. If I can cut off just a portion of my hair to give to someone else- why not do it?

The big day came and I sat in the stylist’s chair waiting to possibly shed a tear at the big cut. My hair was cast back into a ponytail and slowly snipped off.

Surprise! My eyes didn’t even water. I actually didn’t mind at all. All of this pondering… to cut or not to cut. It was almost silly to think about. There it went- pony and all and I felt great about the choice… Was I scared at first?  Yes.  But after seeing my little pony lying on the counter- it was all worth it. And to top it all off- I absolutely adore my new haircut. It’s short, fun and feminine. So I dare you. Try it sometime if you’ve got the length. You won’t regret it.

I find myself sporting chunkier earrings than before and sleek outfits that make me feel, dare I say, very New Yorker. Dark colors and painted nails never felt so flashy with my new do. In fact, I almost feel as though I’m not hiding behind my hair anymore- I embrace it! That’s not to say that I won’t love having it long again, but my short cut is in no way paralyzing to my fashion sense.

Pictured above is my before and after photo.  The before photo was taken the day before I had my hair cut.  I was a dresser backstage for Phantom of the Opera.  I had one minute and fifteen seconds to dress Carlotta on the far left!  The after photo was taken directly after my hair was snipped the next morning.

Anybody got a little A-Line love?

What's that I hear?

“Excuse me, I can’t hear you. My ring is too loud.”

My favorite line to say at work when joking with my co-workers. I LOVE cocktail rings… so why not chat about them a bit?  Eye catching, flashy, and superbly posh, cocktail rings are a main attraction. They tend to be that one piece of an outfit that everyone notices!

So whether I am out to a movie, out to dinner, or heading to my next class across campus… I make sure to throw a cocktail ring on if my outfit isn’t feeling fabulous enough! Cocktail rings are one of those accessories that make an outfit look tasteful and fun. The best part? A cocktail ring doesn’t necessarily have to match your outfit! It can be a random turquoise shade(as pictured above), or something sleek in tones like brown or black. Either way- they spice things up a bit. AND- it may be time to show some of your flashy old-fashioned self. Cocktail rings became popular in the 1940’s and 1950’s. They were often worn to illegal cocktail parties, hence the name “cocktail ring”.

So grab some polish and slip on a cocktail ring. It’s time to show off those gems without robbing your bank account.  Just remember- one doesn’t have to go to an illegal cocktail party to wear a cocktail ring anymore.

Let your cocktail ring be its own “speakeasy”.

Photo courtesy: C Hendrickson

Bag it with Hobos

    

Hobo bags have not only been a great grab, but a celebrity favorite as well. Time and time again, stars are seen perusing the Hollywood streets with their best friend, hobo, at their side, and by hobo I mean an oversized fully capable purse. Isn’t the idea just sweet? For stars like Emily Blunt and Mary-Kate Olsen, hobos are an essential.

So why are they called hobos? That doesn’t sound very chic. Hobo purses received their name because of their distinct shape seeming similar to the wrap or bindle hung at the end of a hobo’s traveling stick.

I have always been a lover of hobos, but this past week- that love blossomed into a radiant obsession. After running a few errands, I managed to stumble upon a simple hobo at my local Maurices that cost me a humbling $10. Got to love anything for that price? Right? Wrong. I have purchased numerous “finds” time after time- only to realize that I wasted my money, but not this time. This hobo actually serves a purpose. Smoothly textured, and magnetic at the opening, its get-up-and-go persona is more than enough to sooth my sweet tooth for purses. Unfortunately there was only one left; however I was so honored as to snag it myself. I would definitely deem $10 as an appropriate college student steal.

When I had actually approached the counter to purchase my find, I had mentioned to the cashier that my new hobo looked similar to that of a Marc Jacobs, modish, simple, and unpretentious. She just smiled and said “yes”. This thought provoked me to look up designer finds that are similar to mine. Just because I spent $10, doesn’t mean I can’t flaunt my new hobo like it’s $850, right?

Check out some of my designer finds below and visit their links if you want to take a closer look. Last time I checked, hobos weren’t going out of style. Better yet- see if you can find a steal like mine and e-mail me a picture- or tell me about it!

New rule. Always keep a hobo by your side, literally.

Photo courtesy: C Hendrickson

The Designer Finds-

MARC JACOBS

 To the left is the Classic Q Hillier Hobo.  $398

                                   To the right is the Q49 Hillier Hobo.  $428

ALEXANDER WANG

The Darcy Slouchy Textured Leather Hobo.  $850

KOOBA

The Leila Belted Hobo.  $595

Photo courtesy:  marcjacobs.com, shopkooba.com, alexanderwang.com

Winter Must Have: Corduroys

Yes. Cords have made an absolutely haute comeback. While providing you with genuine comfort, they seem to strike that sassy style key that says: I look great and I didn't even try. Yet the simple concept of corduroys is more than meets the eye. They seem to bring vibes of warmth to the fashion world. Yet really wearing “cords” as opposed to jeans is a great way to stay warm this winter due to cords’ woven miracles. They have extra built in fabrics that leave you with a warmer feeling than most regular pants would do.

What makes cords special is the fact that they wash uniquely. Before they are sewed and cut, there is a dye applied to the fabric. After the first wash of cords, the dye inimitably comes out, leaving you with a unique pair that no one else shall ever be able to copy. Vintage styling has never been so easy.

Pictured above are a grey pair of Free People skinny corduroys sold for $68.  They have been a huge asset to my wardrobe for this winter, and I would highly recommend them to all my friends who want to stay cozy.  Not to mention - they go with just about everything! Sweaters, sweatshirts, tunics- you name it- it will match!  And for all of you that don't do a skinny style pant- they have a trouser flair pair available as well.

Chic. Easy. Affordable. Cords will do a favor to us all.

Photo Courtesy: M Mudder