Author: AliBell

How to Curate the Perfect Vinyl Collection

Over the past few years, vinyl records have been making a huge comeback. Now, even Urban Outfitters sells them alongside various types of record players. If you too want to start a vinyl collection, but don’t know where to start, follow these simple steps to curate the perfect vinyl collection for you.

First thing’s first, what genres of music do you like and when do you find yourself listening to music? If you can narrow your search down to what you like, you will have an easier time sifting through the hundreds of records once you get to the shop. For me, I found that I typically go for the alternative rock and new folk genres. Also, I tend to listen to music when I am relaxing (in which case I listen to more calming music) or when I am getting ready for my day (which then I would listen to albums to help me wake up in the morning).

Once you know what you like to listen to, you can now begin searching for a local record store. By simply searching for “record stores in the area” on the Internet, you can find different stores nearby and spend a day exploring them to see if they have the records you are looking for. And trust me, you’ll want to spend all day looking through those records.

Next, after you’ve acquired the perfect vinyl collection, it is time to find a place to put them. There are many types of shelves, and racks that hold record players, speakers, and vinyl. But, if you don’t want to go that route, storing them in cute, little crates works just as well! Also, they are super easy to find, making it such a simple way to store your new collection.

At last, you can now turn your record player on and experience the new tunes from your collection. Enjoy!

What album is on the top of your vinyl list? Let me know in the comments below!

Simple Summer Beauty Routine

In the summer heat of July, all we want is to feel fresh while we are out and about, enjoying the nice weather. The last thing anyone wants to worry about is makeup running down their face. By keeping your beauty routine simple, I can promise you that your makeup will beat the heat.

First, start with a foundation with SPF. While choosing a foundation, be sure to pick out a brand that doesn’t leave your skin feeling heavy. A lightweight foundation will keep your skin feeling fresh all day long. Also, by picking one with SPF, you get the added benefit of protecting your face from the sun’s harsh rays.

Next, apply bronzer and highlighter. These two go together like beaches and seashells—they’re the perfect pair! Just add a dash of bronzer on the hollows of your cheeks, then apply the highlighter on your cheekbones and you’ll surely look freshly sun-kissed.

Then, on to mascara and lipstick. Everyone has their own favorites so, whichever you like the best will definitely work for this simple routine. Just swipe some mascara on your lashes, and lipstick on your lips and the look is complete.

But wait! This fresh and simple beauty routine isn’t quite done without a hint of perfume. A fresh scent is a perfect way to finish off any beauty look for the summertime. So pick up your favorite perfume, spritz a bit on, and you’re ready to face the day.

What are some of your favorite summer beauty products? Let me know by commenting down below!

Is Gingham the New Floral?

Every year, spring rolls around and we all break out our floral prints. Whether it’s on dresses, tops, or skirts, we all associate the floral print with spring and summer. But this year, things are a bit different. The classic black and white gingham print has made a huge comeback this season. You can find it on tops, dresses, skirts, jackets, and even pants! The black and white checks that make up gingham have been a huge success this spring. So step aside floral, gingham is surely here to stay.

This Fashionista’s look incorporated the trend into her outfit with her off-the-shoulder top, which is another style that has been seen everywhere this spring. She styled the top with a pair of white skinny jeans, black mules, and a white and blue bandana to tie the whole look together. Her white jeans make the print stand out and her bandana helps to give the outfit a pop of color, without being too distracting from the top. This outfit is perfect for a day out on the town with friends or a Sunday brunch with family.

Since this print has been seen on so many different types of garments, it makes for a very versatile trend. You can easily switch up the pieces in this Fashionista’s look to fit your personal style for any occasion. Once the weather starts to warm up, you could swap the jeans out for a pair of shorts or even a cute denim skirt. If the mule trend isn’t quite up your alley, then you could opt for some plain white sneakers, like Adidas or Converse, instead. You could even wear a cute and dainty choker necklace instead of a bandana. Any way you choose to style the gingham print this summer, it is sure to look great!

How are you wearing the gingham print this season? Let me know in the comments below!

BEAUTY BAR: Pop of Pink

Spring into the new season with a pretty pink lip shade! A bright pink lip color for spring is sure to add a pop of fun color into any outfit in your wardrobe. No matter what your style is, pink is sure to add that little something extra that you are looking for in your outfit.

This Fashionista’s look paired very nicely with the makeup trend. Her outfit is more on the western grunge side of the spectrum, which means pink isn’t just for the girly girls. She is wearing a frayed denim cold shoulder top with basic black ripped jeans and a pair of black studded booties. She also accessorizes by wearing dainty rings and even a cool bullhead bolero to tie the whole look together. The blue and black hues of the denim create contrast with the bright pink lip shade. Also, the bolero and the dainty turquoise ring add tiny details that help her outfit stand out. Her black booties have studded detailing along the back, which adds even more details.

If western grunge isn’t exactly your style, the pretty pink lip trend can still work for you. If your style is girly, try pairing it with a printed day dress and simple sandals. If you are more of a classic-chic kind of girl, then maybe wear it with a button-down top, high-waisted denim shorts, and espadrilles. Pink is such a versatile color and can go with any style for the spring. This beauty trend can easily work for everyone’s springtime makeup routine.

WHAT TO WEAR: Exploring in Style

This past spring break I took a trip about two and a half hours south of Kent State University to Columbus, Ohio. During my day of exploring the town, I stopped by the Franklin Park Conservatory. Among all of the flowers, I spotted this stylish Fashionista, who I thought had the perfect outfit for a day of exploring the city.

From her green military jacket to her white Converse sneakers, everything about her outfit is perfect for a chilly spring day meandering around the city. The military jacket paired with the black and white striped top adds a pop of color to the look while also keeping her warm. Her crossbody bag is just the right size to fit everything she would need for the day without being too heavy to carry. Also, her classic white Converse complete the look and keep her feet from hurting while walking down the city streets.

This look can be recreated with items in your own closet. You could easily switch out the military jacket for a bomber jacket or even a classic denim jacket. For the T-shirt, to keep it comfortable, you could opt for a band T-shirt or a classic white T-shirt instead, if stripes aren’t your thing. Finally, any pair of white sneakers is perfect for a walk out on the town. For example, you could switch the Converse for Adidas, Vans, or even Keds. When you put those components all together, you’ve got a classic and comfortable outfit that is perfect for a day of exploring!

ALL IN THE DETAILS: Shearling Style

From her sunglasses to her shoes, this Fashionista’s look is all in the details. In winter weather, it is sometimes very easy for us to overlook the details we put into our outfits, since we are trying to not become frozen popsicles while going out into the tundra. It seems merely impossible to try to look cute for class when all you want is to be warm on your way there. However, if you’re like me and love paying attention to detail (yes, even in winter), then I have some tips for you!

Shearling coats, like the one this Fashionista is wearing, are perfect for this time of year. They are fun to style and are sure to keep you warm on your walk to class. These coats usually have fur peeking out along the seams, which adds interesting details to the coat.

To achieve this chic look, pair your coat with a basic mock neck top tucked into a pair of jeans. To add in even more detail, add a statement belt and choose a pair of jeans with frayed detailing along the hem, like this Fashionista has done here.

I love the belt she chose! It has tiny, etched-in patterns along the buckle and the other metal parts, which help it stand out. Also, the jeans she is wearing are perfect for this look. The hem is frayed, adding contrast from the black booties with the white threads sticking out. Even by wearing sunglasses, she has tied the whole look together and added more details to her look. If you look closely, the sides of her glasses are gold, which matches exceptionally well with the color of her shearling coat.

Each aspect of her outfit works together to create a warm, chic, and detail-oriented look. I hope this has given you some inspiration to spice up your winter wardrobe by adding little details however you may choose.

WHAT TO WEAR: Denim Basics

Are you looking for some outfit inspiration for the transition into spring? Look no further; I have a look that you’ll surely want to recreate for the season change. We all feel spring coming, and so badly want to be able to wear our pretty floral dresses, shorts, and T-shirts. Sadly, right now it’s not quite warm enough for that. However, you can still channel spring vibes in your outfit, even in 40 and 50-degree weather.

This Fashionista’s outfit is perfect for the season change. She has paired some basic pieces together to create a minimalist and chic look that will be warm enough to wear in these cooler temperatures, yet still feels fresh for spring. I love the trend of overalls and denim on denim for the springtime. If you want to recreate the look and don’t own a pair like this, overall dresses, and shorts paired with tights would make a great alternative. Here, she paired hers with a basic turtleneck sweater and boots. The sweater and boots will help to stay keep her warm while still giving off that spring feeling.

Once it gets a little warmer, you could start to pair your denim with other basics in your closet. You could switch out the turtleneck for a floral, off-the-shoulder top if you are going for a girly look. Or, if your style is a little more edgy, you could go for a band T-shirt. Also, instead of wearing winter boots, maybe opt for some white sneakers (like Converse or Adidas) or sandals.

STYLE ADVICE: All Bundled Up

Walking to class in the winter calls for loads of warm layers and a big heavy coat. But don’t you worry, you won’t have to look like Ralphy’s little brother from A Christmas Story… “I can’t put my arms down!” I have some advice on how to stay perfectly warm and still look like the Fashionista that you are during this winter season.

My first tip is to wear layers, they’re easy to take off once you get into your class and then to throw right back on when you’re headed back outside. For example, you could wear a long sleeve shirt under a sweater like this Fashionista is wearing above. If you wear a warm sweater and it gets windy, a lot of times the wind goes right through the holes, so wearing a long sleeve shirt underneath would help to block the wind.

Tip number two is to pick a coat that shapes your body well, rather than a looser, straight coat, there is a lot of fabric in winter coats and you don’t want to be swimming in it. You can see above that her coat comes in slightly at her waist giving her some shape, even if she chose to button her coat up she would still look proportionate.

My third tip is to keep the bottom simple. By wearing slimming pants it gives your outfit more dimension and balance, instead of wearing joggers or flared jeans and having a lot of fabric all over. Here, she paired together skinny jeans and some over-the-knee boots to create a chic and slimming effect.

I love this look for the winter. The jeans are a nice contrast to the black coat and boots, and the camel colored turtleneck adds a pop of color while keeping the total look effortlessly chic and warm. By adding the beanie, first, it keeps her head warm, and secondly, it is a great accessory. The color of her sweater really makes the pompom stand out and it helps to tie the whole look together.

I hope this has given you some cold weather outfit inspiration. Stay warm out there.

STYLE GURU BIO: Ali Bell

Hey there Fashionistas! You probably haven’t seen me much around here yet, as this is my first semester being a Style Guru. So, let me introduce myself. My name is Ali Bell, and I am a freshman fashion design student at Kent State University. Some things that I love are fashion (obviously!), photography, yoga, music, and coffee. While I am not in class I usually venture my way to downtown Kent to one of the local coffee shops where I sit sipping a white lavender mocha and scrolling through Pinterest, which has to be the most used social media platform—I’m on there constantly! If I wasn’t a fashion design major, I would major in photography. I have always enjoyed taking pictures and looking at fashion photography in magazines, like Vogue. My favorite part of being a Style Guru is definitely going to be taking pictures for my posts.

I am super excited to be a Style Guru and share with you all of the trends I’m seeing on my campus. Kent State has a very large fashion program, which means there’s outfit inspiration around every corner, no matter what your style is. One of my favorite things about fashion is that everyone can make it their own and style clothes in their own unique way. The world would be pretty boring if we all dressed the same.

My style is constantly changing, it seems to be different every season. However, right now I would best describe it as slightly classic and Parisian, with some retro vibes and a quirky edge. One of my favorite trends is wearing denim on denim, I adore everything from Madewell, and I would die to have Suki Waterhouse’s closet. A go-to winter outfit of mine would be a nice pair of classic skinny jeans, a mock neck long sleeve shirt, a denim jacket, some pointed toe loafers, and then finishing it off by tying a bandana around my neck (another of my favorite trends). It is super cold around here during this time of the year so layers are always your friend if you want to keep warm.

I can’t wait to write more articles as a guru, and to read the other Style Guru’s posts as well! Here’s to having a rad spring semester with CollegeFashionista.