Author: MaryAdvincula

3 Essential Denim Pieces for the Summer

One of the largest trends I’ve noticed recently is the uprising of denim. Thanks to James Dean, denim was a staple piece in every bad boy’s closet, and it soon evolved into the reliable fabric many of us wear today. As fashion trends changed, denim prevailed throughout the years and changed its form, thus opening the doors to its versatility; denim is not only seen as a bad boy’s go-to material, but as a form-fitting, trendy, and even laid-back look. For this month’s feature, this Fashionista styles three different pieces of denim that may be used when dressing up or down!

1—Overalls. These babies have been making a comeback in the last couple of months. They’re popular for their effortless, comfortable style. This Fashionista chose to wear a bold shirt to give the public eye an idea of what a feminist is! To keep it casual and old-school, she wore a pair of Stan Smith Sneakers. Whether they are snug or loose, overalls are a great piece to wear when you need to choose something in a rush.

2—Distressed jeans. It was probably Kim Kardashian who brought back the look of highly-distressed denim into the market. All of a sudden it has become socially acceptable to walk around with large holes in your jeans, and even fashionably cute! This Fashionista keeps it dressed down by pairing her distressed denim with a loose-fitting, pastel, color block shirt. These shirts are comfortable and will definitely help keep you cool during those hot summer days. Slide sandals are also in high demand this summer, causing this particular Fashionista to let her skin breathe through these metallic, open-toe slide sandals. To top off the dressed-down look, she threw on a white cap.

3—Denim skirt, If you’re like me, pants can be a little constricting sometimes, especially when it’s hot out. Denim skirts have recycled themselves through the fashion world and are now coming back into play! Pair them with a cute pair of heels or even with your favorite pair of sneakers. This Fashionista decided to go for the casual look again, sporting a brightly-colored graphic T-shirt to remain unique in a crowd. The denim skirt itself is patterned with silver buttons down the center just to give it extra character. She ties the casual look together with her favorite pair of white Vans.

Whether you dress it up or down by choosing between stilettos and sneakers, denim is a go-to for everybody. It can be used as a top or bottom, causing it to be one of the most versatile pieces in a closet!

How would you style your denim? Show it off on social media, and don’t forget to forget to tag @CFashionista!

WHAT TO WEAR: Cool and Collected for Class

Before this post, I had always wanted to feature an article on a Fashionisto I noticed on campus. Menswear is often difficult to stand out in because of the limited variation made available for men to wear. Most guys I see are able to pass off a decent outfit in jeans and a T-shirt. Regardless, although looking different is difficult to accomplish in the male fashion industry, pulling it off is that much more rewarding!

This month’s feature includes a Fashionisto I noticed on his way to class. It has often occurred to me that many college students rarely put effort into what they are wearing to class. Many of us would rather roll out of bed and show up to lecture in sweats. This is all the more reason why I pay the most attention toward potential fashion-goers on my way to class, which explains how I came across this Fashionisto! What struck my attention was his need to cater to street style, but mix it with the acknowledgement of being in an education setting, where street fashion meets a hint of business casual!

This Fashionisto pairs knee-slit black jeans with a navy and white colored baseball styled T-shirt. Layered on top is a black, water-resistant, Stussy jacket, which seems to be the staple piece of this fit. The outfit is tied together with a black baseball cap, worn backwards, which helps contrast the outfit from business casual to street wear. Additionally, the hat was colored black, similar to the most of the outfit, which helped maintain consistency in the look. The shoes, which indicated the most variation in this outfit, were brogues, carefully detailed along the corners of the shoes. These shoes are often spotted in formal settings, which is why this outfit is a smart example for class when you want to look fashionable, but also, professional enough for class. To finish the outfit off, this Fashionisto is wearing a classic, gold Timex watch, which is yet another staple piece for many street fashion followers!

STYLE GURU STYLE: Stripes and Denim

The weather has been pretty strange where I’m at, so getting dressed for any occasion can be a little tricky. Some days it seems like we’re going to be sent into an early spring, and other days I’m bundled up! For this featured look, I wanted to combine a piece I would normally rock in the summer and layer it up to meet the needs of the recent day to day changes.

Starting off with the summer piece, I wore a black and white, vertically striped romper which I layered on top of a sheer black bodysuit. Personally, I love this romper so I didn’t want to take too much attention away from it and how it shows off the shoulders, which is why I paired it with a sheer top. Sheer black tops are effortlessly simple and sexy, and I felt I could still show my shoulders without being caught in the wrong season! On top of these pieces, I threw on a plain denim jacket. I felt that a distressed jacket or a denim jacket with patches would have taken attention away from the boldness of the romper, which is why I decided to stick with a plain one. Also, denim jackets are definitely a staple piece everyone needs, so I highly recommend that!

To accessorize, I just wore a simple silver chain necklace and picked up my favorite pair of sunnies, which are just black, round frames. For the bottom of my fit, I usually love to pair heels with rompers because they just accentuate people’s legs and it is always a great feeling to look like you have dazzling long legs! However, because it is still a little chilly outside, I chose a close-toed pair of platform booties with a block high heel. These shoes kind of remind me of military-styled boots because of the texture on the underside, which serves its purpose as traction while walking. Therefore, I could run errands in these shoes and I wouldn’t have any issues. Lastly, I just threw on a pair of plain white socks that were longer in length than usual just to peak out of my booties. These socks simply throw the look together because it helps the outfit look a bit softer and it maintains the flow of monochrome.

WHAT TO WEAR: Bold in the Winter

Have you ever walked around campus and noticed that once it becomes cold and dreary, people start dressing the same exact way? The sidewalks are filled with people bundled up in black and gray, so it’s definitely more difficult to be a trendsetter during the colder seasons; which is why this Fashionista caught my attention.

This featured Fashionista wanted to bring some color to this chilling season to make a bold statement. She color-blocks with a neon orange fur hooded coat, which is both bold and trendy since the detail of faux fur is in style this season. In order to remain even warmer, she layers a brightly colored yellow windbreaker atop a graphic T-shirt, patterned in popsicles (which of course I thought was pretty contradictory considering it’s cold outside). The outfit is matched with a red toned beanie, to tackle the warm color palette she’s aiming for, and a pair of cat eye sunglasses that gleam with a subtle mosaic pattern. To finish off the warm (yet, cold) look, she carries along a Prada purse in the shade of a pumpkin.

I loved this look because it was fun even amidst a gloomy season. It’s definitely comfortable and adventurous to wear on the way to class because it couples the idea of staying warm and fashionable, without being boring. Personally, I always have to plan my outfits in the winter more accordingly because layering can be a little tough, especially when walking through campus outdoors. It isn’t always easy to show off a look when you’re hiding under three or four layers, solely to keep warm!

STYLE GURU BIO: Mary Advincula

Hey fashion family! My name is Mary and I am so ecstatic to start this journey as a Style Guru. I’m a third year student at Rutgers University, but this is definitely a first in my journey toward following my own dreams. When I first came to college, I was juggling classes I was barely interested in just to appease the wishes of my parents. However, since the beginning of my junior year, I came to realize that my interests lied somewhere else; I constantly found myself in my happy place whenever I was writing, editing photos or videos, or just planning out outfits I could potentially wear later on.

I decided to take the concepts that ruled my happy place and run with them—hence, why I’m more than glad to have become a Style Guru. Fashion, when thoroughly expressed, gives people a confidence boost, depicts their moods and even their values. One of my favorite things when shopping is spotting a piece and having that light bulb moment in my head knowing that this is what everyone needs in their closet; not because it’s what everyone is wearing, but because it’s what many people have not dared to try themselves.

My style is pretty versatile depending on my mood and even the weather; for the most part, I’m often caught in fits that show love for street style or those that admire girly chic vibes. I love the idea that fashion is a way to express myself because it allows me to be more creative with what I want to wear, rather than throw on a pair of leggings and a simple hoodie and call it a day. I’m usually ready to mix and match different textures to make up for the limited color palette I give myself; not by any boundaries, just by taste. Additionally, I’m a huge fan of DIY, possibilities are endless with a pair of scissors and a hot glue gun!

With that being said, my featured look for my first Style Guru Bio mixes a bit of street style with a hint of girly. I combined a pair of my Adidas Tubular Shadows with some simple black jeans, adding a black crop top to keep the flow of black pieces. To make the black crop top stand out even more, I chose to wear a nude turtleneck underneath, for two reasons: one, it makes people look twice because they think I’m trying to freeze in the winter and two, nude and turtlenecks are definitely staple pieces to have in everyone’s closet right about now. To add a girly touch, I threw on a velvet pink bomber—oversized bombers are all the rage right now, so with the velvet texture, it definitely makes it a piece to remember. Completing the look, I accessorized with a simple pair of sunnies and a rhinestone choker.