3 Soft Grunge Beauty Looks for a Summer Switch-Up

If you’re like me, getting tired of the same hair color and styles happens pretty often. This summer, I’ve been experimenting with different beauty looks, one of those being soft grunge. Because I’m normally simplistic and girly when it comes to my beauty routines, I created these looks to change things up a bit. My inspiration for these looks come from all over: Tumblr’s soft grunge aesthetic, Ariana Grande’s hair ring look, the peachy makeup trend, and Pinterest ideas for hair chalk. All of this inspiration helped me create three unique and edgy soft grunge beauty looks for those of you who are looking to switch up your look.

Braids and Rings

I recently have been seeing hair rings everywhere but was nervous that this look was too edgy for myself. This Fashionista, however, completely rocks it. By channeling our inner Ari, we decided to go for this look. Hair rings spice up a simple French braid by giving it a trendy vibe. They’re super easy to put in and take out. This hairstyle is perfect for the beach, especially if you’re sick of that messy beach bun look.

Think Pink

Pink may not be the most “grunge,” but definitely fits the soft grunge style I am going for. I have used hair chalk many times and absolutely love it. It’s different, fun, and even easy to do, but the best part is that it’s not permanent. Sometimes it’s hard to commit to a crazy hairstyle, but because hair chalk rinses right out, it makes it easy to own a crazy look, even if it’s just for a day! This pink hair chalk was perfect for my goal of soft grunge beauty. All you have to do is wet the hair, apply chalk with gloves on, let dry, and apply heat (I curled my hair once dried).

Soften Things Up

With these intense hairstyles, I decided to soften things up with peach makeup. Peach eyeshadow is all the rage right now, and now I know why. It’s such a pretty color and looks so natural. It’s also perfect for the summer. To make sure our looks weren’t too edgy, the peach eyeshadow and lip we both have on softens the look up, ultimately creating the perfect soft grunge dimension between the hair and makeup.

How do you switch up your beauty routine? Let us know on social media @CFashionista.

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The Sweetest Spot at the Jersey Shore

The Jersey Shore sometimes gets a bad reputation. Contrary to popular belief, the shore isn’t full of blowouts and fist pumping. There’s tons of food, shopping, and beauty, especially in my favorite little town of Avalon, NJ. Avalon is home to my favorite donut shop, Duck Donuts, the freshest acai bowls, and great ice cream, iced coffee, and views.

Salty and Sweet

Before I begin talking about anything else, let’s just take a look at those beauties. If you’re a donut lover like me, then this place is your heaven. Duck Donuts came to Avalon last year and has been a hit ever since. They make fresh donuts right in front of you, and use different glazes, toppings, and drizzles to make fun flavors. My personal favorite is the infamous Maple Bacon Donut! Believe me, it’s worth it.

When you’ve had enough of those calorie-loaded donuts, Surf Snack Shack has tons of different smoothies and acai bowls for you to chose from. While you’re enjoying your healthy snacks, you can sit inside or outside, enjoy the beach air and beachy vibes, and even take some cute pictures of the vintage car outside like I did!

When Your Sweet Tooth Comes Back

When you’ve had enough of that healthy lifestyle, down the block is Avalon Freeze, a nice old-fashioned joint right in the middle of town that has the best banana splits and soft serve. Another famous Avalon spot is Avalon Coffee. The company has grown to other towns along South Jersey, but obviously, this one’s the original. I couldn’t tell you a morning where I haven’t seen a line coming out of that place, but to be honest, it’s worth the wait. Their chocolate croissants are to die for.

Regardless of all of these sweet treats and munchies, Avalon is a great place in general because, well, it’s beautiful! The beach, the bay, the atmosphere—all of it. Despite your thoughts of the Jersey Shore, I hope I’ve convinced you to love this charming little town as much as I do.

Vacation at the Jersey Shore or want to share vacation spots with us? Tag @CFashionista in your vacation photos.

How to Get the Yeezy Look for Less

How did I learn how to distress old T-shirts to make them trendy? Yeezy taught me. Now I’m going to teach all of you. The trend of distressed T-shirts, sometimes band T-shirts, sometimes oversize T-shirts, is on the rise thanks to the infamous Kanye West and other trendsetters. Unfortunately, this trend comes at a cost, as many of you are aware if you’ve ever searched the internet for Yeezy merchandise. I recently discovered how to recreate the distressed look trend for less, so read below to find out how.

Here’s what you need: an old T-shirt and scissors (and some bleach if you want to go all out distressed). That’s it!

Step 1: Pick out the perfect shirt to use.

It all starts with the shirt. Do you want to keep it simple? Do you want do make it edgy? Depending on the look you’re going for, it all starts with the T-shirt. The ones I made were three slightly different shirts. Two were old band shirts (Lynard Skynard and Red Hot Chili Peppers) I found around my house and are relatively popular in most stores. The other is a classic bleached tie dye T-shirt I bought at a local vinyl shop. Whatever look you’re looking for, pick a shirt that reflects that.

Step 2: Plan out your design and go for it.

For these shirts, I kept it relatively simple. All of the shirts have little rips and holes throughout, which is super easy to do. For the Red Hot Chili Peppers shirt, I started with a big hole by the collar and a big hole on the bottom seam. For the Lynard Skynard shirt, I decided to make it a V-neck cut out. For this, draw out the V-neck with a marker, but not the collar. Cut on the lines you drew and around the collar to keep it intact for a trendy look. For the Tie Dye shirt, I kept it simple and cut two bigger holes. For the band T-shirts, I cut little holes with the scissors throughout, then dragged the scissors across the shirt for a more dramatic look. After cutting the holes, make sure to pull on them a little with your fingers to make them look more distressed. To be honest, I basically just went for it for each of these shirts, and I really enjoyed how they turned out. This DIY is pretty simple, and if you mess up by cutting a big hole, it might end up looking pretty cool.

Step 3: Add some extra vintage-ness.

If you want to add some extra effects to make the shirt look super distressed, just grab some bleach. For the Lynard Skynard shirt, I thought this would be perfect. All you have to do is put on gloves, find an open spot you don’t mind getting dirty, and put bleach in a water bottle with a hole in the cap. Lay the T-shirt out and pour the bleach (carefully) where you want it. Let it dry, rinse with cold water, and wash. Then you’ll have a bleached out and super rad T-shirt.

Step 4: Rock on!

There you have it. Pick a look you’re going for, and go for it. If you mess up, roll with it. Depending on the look you’re going for, style it with similar or simple pieces. You can dress up these T-shirts or even dress them down, but regardless, rock it!

How do you rock the distressed trend? If you have similar looks, or even try to create your own T-shirt, show us on social media and don’t forget to tag @Cfashionista!

STYLE GURU STYLE: Black and Yellow

Spring means finally being able to get stylish without lugging around that heavy winter coat with you. Spring is also an excuse to break out some fun and colorful shades while matching them with a trendy outfit.

This retro look was highly inspired by both the ’90s and ’70s. In honor of the ’90s, I sported the recently popularized trend of layering a tank top over a T-shirt. This trend has endured well into 2017, so I decided to pair a loose black tank top with a classic Beatles T-shirt to add a ’70s retro vibe. Further adding to this theme is the light high-waisted jeans, ripped at the knees and paired with a black belt. What I think adds to the vintage feel the most are the yellow lens aviators. Although super popular in the ’70s, tinted sunglasses are making a comeback and are my favorite look for the upcoming spring and summer seasons. The look brings back a vintage vibe that’s both fun and easy to style, especially in the summer.

Other than these cool and loud shades completing my retro look, I decided to wear a classic and simple pair of black booties and completed the look by accessorizing with gold minimalist jewelry. My favorite jewelry pieces for this look are the Pura Vida and Mantraband bracelets as well as the fun and simple ring set. All together, this look is one of my favorites. The retro vibe that’s pulled together from different eras presents a look that’s trendy, casual, and definitely fun to wear!

WHAT TO WEAR: Lace It Up

If your college area is experiencing weird weather like mine, listen up! Wondering what to wear to class when it’s oddly warm outside in February? Use this Fashionista for inspiration. Ditch those bubble and fur jackets and grab a light and fuzzy cardigan. This Fashionista rocks a simple yet put-together look that’s perfect for class, even in this crazy weather.

This outfit consists of a simple high-waisted jean and crop top look that makes anyone look fashionable. Since it’s not summer yet, the Fashionista adds the light and colorful knit cardigan. The details of this outfit are really what make it pop. The wrap choker adds some detail to the simple top, and the simple black booties give it a dressier look. I also love the simple details she added through her other jewelry: two simple bracelets and a matching ring. Regardless of these details, my favorite part of this outfit by far is the lace detail on the high-waisted jeans. The lace-up jeans complete the outfit by giving the outfit so much more detail, which makes it different and super trendy.

This look is perfect for class in this weather. It is cute, comfortable, casual while dressy, and, most importantly, trendy. Although this look is perfect for a day full of classes, it could also be incorporated into a night look, which makes it very versatile and fun. After class on a Friday, maybe swap out the cardigan for a sick leather or bomber jacket and pair the outfit with a higher heel, and you’ll be set for a night on the town.

STYLE ADVICE: Three Stripes

With harsh weather and upon us, it’s difficult to stay stylish and warm this season. Fortunately, this Fashionista is serving some serious looks and inspiration in her simple yet put together outfit for a normal school day this winter. Whenever I see this Fashionista on campus, she truly pairs staple pieces together nicely, exemplified in this look.

This outfit is a perfect example of a trendy and casual outfit for the cold weather that can be worn for class, a coffee run, or even a trip to the mall. Distressed jeans are a great staple piece to make an outfit casual and trendy. My favorite part of the outfit is the olive Adidas crewneck that says “Three Stripes” on the front and back. Not only is it neutral and casual, but it also adds trendiness by adding athleisure vibes—a very popular trend right now highly influenced by the rise of Adidas fashion. I am a huge fan of Adidas and think any clothing piece from Adidas adds to the athleisure look that, recently, many attempt to achieve. This Fashionista finished the look off by adding some unique touches: a sick maroon bomber jacket with a pop of color in the lining and some simple dog tag necklaces, a possible up-and-coming trend for 2017.

By following in this Fashionista’s footsteps, accomplishing a casual and trendy outfit for any occasion this winter can be easy! Focus on a few simple staple pieces, specifically a fun outerwear piece, a staple distressed pair of jeans, and an athleisure-type sweatshirt or T-shirt that finishes off the look. If you focus on these pieces, they are so versatile that you can sport them just about anywhere!

ALL IN THE DETAILS: Faux Fur Fever

Winter means cold weather, and cold weather means some cute faux fur pieces! While exploring and shopping in the small town of Media, Pennsylvania, over my winter break, I spotted this adorable and simple outfit. Because the weather where I live is totally unpredictable, this day was so beautiful and warm even though winter just began. Even in warmer weather, this Fashionista incorporated winter vibes, through the popular trend of faux fur, into her outfit. She put together this look by adding a lot of thought into the details, and it shows!

The basis of this outfit consists of a simple black V-neck and black jeans. Some elements were added to dress up the look, specifically the fur vest, jewelry and a classy leather backpack. My favorite part of this look was the taupe fur vest. Fur definitely dresses up a look most of the time. But, when paired with the casual distressed black jeans and a classic V-neck like this Fashionista did, it creates a casual yet put together style. The cute leather watch the Fashionista is wearing also dresses up the look but is also toned down by the simplicity of her jeans and top.

Other than incorporating the growing trend of faux fur and the classy watch to tie together this street style outfit, this Fashionista added more details through some more accessories: a simple and classy leather backpack from Nordstrom, a simple black tie choker, and a cute patterned pair of combats. All of these accessories and details combined with a cozy piece of fur pull the look together by giving it a classy, trendy, and put together vibe.

STYLE GURU BIO: Jamie Marinelli

What’s up, Fashionistas! My name is Jamie, and I am a sophomore communications major at Villanova University. I am so thrilled to be starting my 2017 spring internship with CollegeFashionista! This opportunity gives me a chance to express myself through some of my favorite things—fashion, photography, beauty, and writing!

Because I go to school in the Main Line area near the city of Philadelphia, there are definitely loads of influences of different types of styles. Even though some believe in sticking to one type of fashion, I believe combinations of different styles and trends truly create personal style that are unique to everyone. I am a strong believer in the statement “If you like it, then wear it.” It is something I follow and encourage other too as well. If you have a gut feeling about a look, going for it is almost always worth it. Being bold and expressing yourself is what fashion is all about!

This is exactly what I did in this look; I included a mix of styles and trends, ultimately wearing the outfit because I like it. I based my look around one of my favorite shirts right now: a simple, pink velour shirt from Forever 21. Since this cute top is definitely pretty girly and preppy, I decided to shake up the look by adding in some grunge trends. I did this by wearing ripped jeans with stockings under (a look I’m a huge fan of) and adding a classic, reversible bomber jacket, also from Forever 21. I finished off this look by adding some black booties and jewelry that looks amazing with almost every outfit: simple and dainty gold chokers. The ones I wore for this look are by Stargaze Jewelry and Urban Outfitters.

I am beyond excited to begin my CollegeFashionista journey and continue to share some of my favorite looks with all of you this spring. Feel free to connect with me on social media to be updated about my latest posts. Until next time, Fashionistas!