Author: Leslie Smith

TREND: Go Safari

Safari and jungle inspired fashion is a hot, hot trend right now. Pull out all of your animal prints, sages, greens, khakis, browns, and golds ladies because this is a fabulous look. Wooden and straw details are a great way to amp it up. Just take a look at this Fashionista I spotted on George Washington’s campus. She’s fully rocking the safari look. Parts of the outfit she got for great deals. The shoes are from Charlotte Russe and the top is from Forever 21. Notice her awesome wooden necklace, also from Forever 21. Check out her super stylish straw hat. That little number is from J Crew. The combination of her beige linen blouse and beige heels with the army green shorts makes for a great look in this ensemble. The military green is certainly a must-have this season.

Hint: Shopbop has a fantastic collection of safarian and tribal inspired clothing and accessories. Also Nordstroms has a collection of military green clothing. Definitely check these spots out for ideas with your safari inspired attire!

TREND: Nautical Style

A fashionable way to show some spirit this summer season is to take a nautical approach to you attire. Reds, whites, blues, golds, and khakis are great colors to complete this look. Today's Fashionista I spotted in Foggy Bottom certainly does this in her super cute blue and white sear sucker dress by Rugby. She uses a bright pink bag by Long Champ and completes the outfit with some great sunglasses. Try a new approach to the classic aviator by going for a more square cop style shade like seen on this Fashionista. RayBan makes a great pair while Steve Madden makes a similar pair for a pinched budget. Then all you need to do is throw in some gold accessories and a pair of wedge heels and you’re good to go. Celebrate the month of July in style. 

Hint: Elle gives some fabulous nautical suggestions if you’re ready for a splurge this summer. Shopbop and American Apparel also have collections of red, white, and blue clothing and accessories while giving your budget a bit more flexibility.

TREND: Max it Out!

Dresses are a summer time staple item and make a great style choice for both day and night fashion. They are cute while also comfortable in the summer heat. A great way to easily crank up the volume on this trend is to rock the dress in a longer length. Thus, the maxi dress.

This Fashionista wears her maxi dress in a neutral floral print, incorporating several great summer trends into a single item of her outfit. She brings some color to this trendy neutral ensemble with some dark, strappy, and wrappy accessories. The cool black wrap bracelet she is wearing is by Chan Luu, but you can look here for some other options in wrap bracelets. Her black snake skin print gladiator sandals are by Sam Edelman. These animal print sandals are very much in style this season! Just check with Vogue for more suggestions on this trend!  Also style points go to this Fashionista for her use a reusable shopping bag.  Very green and very chic!

Hint: Shopbop and Net-a-Porter both have nice selections of maxi dresses to choose from. For some cheaper alternatives on the maxi dresses check out the ones sold at Topshop and ASOS. So, dress to impress this summer and take it to the max!

TREND: Concert Style

I just returned from Bonnaroo and saw all sorts of fashion faux pas and successes there. Aside from a hefty serving of dreadlocks, body paint, and plenty of other super intense hippie styles, I also saw a good handful of truly fashionable concert goers. These styles usually included things such as straw hats, mirrored sunglasses, rompers, tiny sundresses, crop tops, cut off shorts, and lots of styles of a haute hippie nature. The summer is a time filled with concerts and music festivals and many of us have more flexible schedules right now to attend these events. Having the right outfit for these concerts is important!

Check out this fashionable student I ran into on the side walk in Foggy Bottom one afternoon. Her outfit is great for summer days, but is especially well suited for concerts and music festivals. It is both stylish and comfortable, both aspects incredibly important parts of one’s outfit for such events. This Fashionista rocks cut off denim shorts with a loose fitting asymmetrical hem tank top. A sassy studded headband dons her head and while her peace sign dangle earrings add a little more edge to her outfit. On her feet are some strappy brown Sam Edelman sandals. These sandals are great because they are comfortable and versatile while remaining super stylish! Keep it comfortable and keep it fresh this summer for your concerts and festivals!

TREND: Keep a Cool Shoulder

This summer I’ve found myself more inclined to play around with sizes and maybe buy some clothes a size or two larger than usual just so I can wear them slouchy and off the shoulder. Playing around with my old clothes, I was surprised to see how many of my dresses and tops work well in the off the shoulder style. Factoring this style into how I wear new and old clothing has brought a whole new level of versatility to my wardrobe!

Now take a look at this Fashionista I spotted on the sidewalk in Duppont Circle. She’s rockin’ an off the shoulder top in a gray-nude color. She picked this little number up at DC’s trendy consignment shop Secondi but you can also check here for other off the shoulder styles! This top is great not only because of its trendy color and off the shoulder cut but also because it is super comfy, a quality which becomes increasingly important on hot summer days.  To balance her outfit this Fashionista pairs her slouchy top with some super skinny leggings. She looks cool with her crossbody bag and dark sandals. For accessories on her wrist she’s styling a Chan Luu wrap bracelet. Excellent!

Oh and check out her Fashionisto friend with the metallic D&G Dolce and Gabbana kicks. His graphic tee (also by D&G) looks vibrant and stylish while staying comfy enough to handle the summer heat.

TREND: Intern in Color

It’s summertime now and that means a period focused on internships for the many college students remaining in DC.  As many of us put our time and energy into these jobs and internships (often on The Hill or relating to politics in some way), we face the important challenge of staying stylish while also keeping work attire appropriate and professional.  Color can be a great way to energize your professional wardrobe.  When injecting bright colors into your internship attire, wear these loud pieces in traditional cuts and styles to balance them out for work appropriateness.

These fashionable interns add style to their intern attire with splash of fun colors in her skirts and cardigans.  Notice that they keep their sweaters  and clothes in traditional cuts so the outfit stays work friendly.  J.Crew is a great starting place to find colorful cardigans and jewelry to add a little pizazz to your work wardrobe.  A colorful cardigan or necklace paired with a high wasted dress or skirt makes style in the work place easy!

Guys can also add some splashes of color to their internship attire. Just keep outfits traditional in regards to the style and cut of oxfords and trousers, but add a little style by wearing pants or ties in bright colors. Brown belts will help bring balance to all of the color. Look here to see additional pointers from GQ to help guys keep it fashionable in the workplace.

Style Guru Bio: Leslie Smith

I love fashion! My my personal attitude is that you should only buy and wear what you are truly obsessed with and love.  Once I consciously adopted this approach to my own fashion, my daily style and overall wardrobe became noticeably more fabulous! I’m a big fan of printed shorts and long sleeve blouses. I’m known for almost always tucking in my shirt and wearing fun belts. I love brands such as Marc Jacobs and shopping at Neiman Marcus and ShopBop.com. You’ll find me shopping most often though shopping at J.Crew and French Connection. Although my style varies quite a bit on a day-to-day basis, I would generally describe my personal style as pretty classic but with lots of trendy twists thrown in the mix. Fashion is important and different for each and every one of us, so I try to appreciate it fully and have lots of fun with my own personal style!