I don't think he meant I was that disabled in the fashion department, and I still hold that comment over him and bitch at him about it. Poor guy :) mwahaha. But I did definitely stick out a bit when I got here. Women here just seriously dress SO unbelievably differently. But I fell in love with the things I was seeing almost instantly. If I had all the money in the world I'd throw away every single thing I own and start from scratch with an all European wardrobe.
I've gotten bits and pieces and am proud to say I'm reinventing myself slowly but surely. I love switching up my style- I find it a challenge. I catch myself taking double-glances at girls that I see on the street wearing something I'm dying over.
I thought I'd share some of the things I'm absolutely loving fashion, hair, and makeup-wise here that I don't think would be too difficult/expensive to pull off on a budget and whilst living in the states.
I think more girls should be taking little risks in their wardrobe. It makes a HUGE difference.
While I list these things off, I shall be listening to 'the xx'. The most legit band ever- based out of London. And you should check them out. So chill and relaxed. Check em out. I dare you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pib8eYDSFEI&ob=av2e (This is my favorite song of theirs right now).
Okay so here goes:
Everyone here is rocking the messy topknot bun. EVERYONE.
This is an example. CUH-YOUTE, eh?!
It makes me want to slice my wrists open for whacking my f**king hair off. (Don't call the ambulance, I'm just melodramatic. But still I'm popping prenatals like they're going out of style and praying to the hair Gods every night.)
But seriously though- this style is SO easy, and what's good about it is that the messier it is, the cooler it seems to look. If you suck at making buns, like I do- then there is hope for you. There are donut roll-type hair accessories that they're selling all over the place here that help. And they come in different colors to match your own hair color.
If you are in the states and can't find one of these you STILL don't have an excuse not to try doing the messy topknot because you can make one out of a SOCK. Do you own socks? I bet your little happy ass does. Unless you live in a nudist colony... or Hawaii.
This video is a great tutorial on the "sock bun"
You might think it looks crazy at first, but trust me: the messier, the trendier.
Bokay. Next up. Denim shorts. They really can be super-short, baggy, tight, high-waisted. Anything really. Here are some pictures of ones that inspired me.
I have this leopard cross Tee from UO. Definitely going to rock this when I get my shorts. (:
Even the most bootylicious of shorts can be rocked out in the winter if you throw some tights underneath. If you've already got some runs in some black hose take a razor to them (not while you're wearing them please) and made them even hole-ier (that isn't a word.) Looks hot.
Another thing I'm seeing a ton of lately are brother creepers. I absolutely love these. I mean... I just love disgusting men that roam the halls of a house full of ladies of the night. They just really get me going.... mmmmmm.
Mwahahaha. Kidding.
Brother creepers are shoes. Never fear, my young ones. I'm pretty sick and twisted... but I am not THAT sick and twisted. Creepers are so unbelievably different and super cute. If you wear or have heard of oxford's, they're somewhat simliar, but with more of a stacked and chunky/detailed sole. Here are a few examples that I dig.
Love. These are more my style.
These kick some surrrrrious ass.
I think these might be my favorites.
Onto the next. This is something I'm seeing absolutely EVERYWHERE. One of my biggest pet peeves used to be when I'd see girls looking like they'd piled on every single freaking item of jewelry they'd ever purchased in their entire life on their bodies on one given night. It seriously irked me. Good news: this is now acceptable. Well, at least somewhat acceptable if you do it in the right way. Bring out your bracelets and bangles, bitches.
LAYERED BRACELET TREND
What I've REALLY loved about seeing this is how they're using watches. I'm not usually a watch-wearer, but seeing how this is done makes me want one. Especially in rose gold like this one above. Absolutely in love with this.
So do it. Personally I think a watch REALLY makes it make a statement. If you don't have one, go get a cheap gold one from Target or Icing, somewhere like that. Or even an old men's watch- one from your grandpa, shit like that. Stack everything on your arm- you can't go wrong- just wear it like you mean it- you can pull anything off that way.
Okay: so now for some randoms. I'll describe why I really love these though.
Love the oxfords. And the collared shirt done up all the way up the neck is really chic right now. Love the fringe back. Put fringe on something, and I fall in love with it. Weird.
LOVE how simple this is. Smaller cross-body bags are really doing it for me right now, too. Love how her legs look ten miles long by wearing the black leggings with the black chelsea boots. Less really is more. I think people in the states wear TOO much. You can look so much more chic and put together wearing something as simple as this outfit.
Crossbody bag again- love it. I'm sure some of our older family members (think gmas/aunts etc.) have some bags like this lying around. A few years ago, I'd not set eyes on a bag like this, but now I'm loving it. Here are the denim shorts again rocked with opaque black tights and some oxfords.
Collar done up all the way. Oxfords w/ socks. Super cute.
Love the layered bracelets, denim shorts high waisted, tights socks and oxfords WITH the high bun and super adorable pop of color with the cross-body red satchel. This basically puts together everything I'm loving about fashion in London right now.
FULL BROWS
A trend I'm seeing here that I wish would catch on more over in the states are absolutely GORGEOUS full eyebrows. It is rare that I see a terrifyingly over-tweezed eyebrow anymore.
I was a culprit of this. And I'm talkin' it was baaaaaaaaaad. Like super-skinny chonga eyebrows. Not good. A while ago I decided to make a change. I am going to share a photo with you that I am ashamed of, but it is to make my POINT and to persuade you to put DOWN YOUR TWEEZERS.
Oh yes, folks. This is me. Can you see my eyebrows? What's that? No, you can't? Well that's because I tweezed them to within an inch of their tiny little eyebrow lives. And I look like a permanently startled earwig. I'm even so depressed about how disgusting these brows look that I'm chugging champagne. Hahahh. No, but really.
This was when I came to London the second time to visit Lawrence last year. I was without tweezers and my eyebrows began to grow back so I figured I'd give it a shot and see if they'd grow. I made a pact to not tweeze them for as long as possible. I also purchased some CASTOR OIL from Alpine Glow in Casper. Sounds crazy, but I read that it helps grow back overtweezed brows if you put it on every night before you go to bed. It worked.
Here's what my brows looked like after a few months.
Huge difference. I do help myself out with a little filling in with a brush and some dark colored eye-shadow. I never use pencil. A small angled brush with light strokes and to not use a heavy hand is the key. I read somewhere that your eyebrows should be "sisters, not twins." I really like that.
Beautiful.
Just don't go this far :). It might work for the runway, but let's leave it to that.
So give the tweezers a rest for a while.
I think it's super easy to try new things with fashion and hair and makeup. You just have to take risks, and be willing to screw up sometimes. I think all of these things would be great to try no matter where you live, but I thought I'd show my lovely friends that are still over in the states a little hit of what I'm seeing and loving here. Give some of it a try. Comment on this post and give me some feedback if you'd like more like it.
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