Author: Tess Kornfeld

ACCESSORIES REPORT: Leopard Me Do

Leopard print is very worldly—not only is it seen in the jungle, but on the streets. Despite its penetrating presence, not everybody knows how to rock it. When people wear it, they are aiming to make a statement, but sometimes people go overboard. Since it is one of the boldest prints to wear, you need to be bold but not over the top when rocking the feline print.

This Fashionista boldly wore two different leopard print accessories, and she does not look like Cruella De Vil—it was the perfect amount! She looks effortless and chic.

I am not normally a fan of belts. But when I must wear one, I tend to stick with the standard black and brown colors and medium width. This Fashionista confidently sported trendy yellow pants with not just any belt, but an animal print one and it immediately caught my eye.

Because her pants are such a bright color, the eye is immediately attracted to the brown hues of the leopard print in her belt. In addition to keeping her pants up, her belt brings together the rest of her outfit and makes the transition from her bright pants to her white shirts less abrupt.

The color of the leopard print is an added plus. It is the ideal shade of leopard print; making a statement while not being over the top.

Her belt also created a general brown theme to the rest of her accessories. It makes her cute, also leopard, brown leather sandals blend in with the rest of her ensemble. Additionally, her tortoise shell sunglasses stick with the overall brown accessory theme, while also protecting her eyes from the blazing sun.

Spotted: Leopard print is seen on the streets and the runway. It, along with other animal prints, was seen on Lanvin‘s pre-fall 2013 runway.

ACCESSORIES REPORT: Lace It Up

Everything is a little more relaxed in the summer. A few things of mine that loosen up during the summer months are my sleeping schedule, my daily make-up routine and most-certainly my style. Despite living on the East Coast, I tend to look more West Coast in the months of June, July and August. I trade in my black, chunky knit sweaters and hair dryer for light colors, breezy tops and my hair embraces the good old fashion air dry.

This Fashionista embodies the carefree summer outfit. A cute top and jean shorts is any college girl’s staple outfit when the sun is blazing and you want to look stylish. It is apparent this Fashionista nailed the look.

The white lace detail on her high-waisted shorts caught my attention as it is the only white in her outfit. The tiny detail transforms her denim shorts from plain to unique and girly.

High-waisted jean shorts, along with platform sandals and crop tops, are a part of the recent ’90s reemergence that has overtaken the runways and the streets. The high-waisted trend is flattering on all body types. In this Fashionista’s case, the lace detail on the sides draws attention upward and makes her petite figure appear taller.

Her lace, salmon-colored top paired with the lace-detailed shorts is the perfect amount of lace and does not appear to be over done. Her outfit is the perfect amount of romantic and girly. The wash of the jean is perfect, as well. Blue and orange are complementary colors both of which look exceptional on this Fashionista’s pale skin tone.

Her additional accessories like her brown and orange gold-accented gladiator sandals and her scarf turned headband match the relaxed vibe of her outfit. They give her outfit an airy feel while also achieving a put-together look.

Spotted: Lace was spotted in Valentino’s spring 2011 ready-to-wear collection.

 

ACCESSORIES REPORT: Crazy About Hats

When I think of summer I think of sunshine, sunglasses and tans. However that’s just me being optimistic. Although I hate to admit it, summer is also full of cloudy days and worst of all, sunburns.

At one point or another, we all fall asleep in the sun or forget to reapply sunscreen and we get sunburned. When I start to resemble a tomato, I try not to let my burn ruin my vacation. I throw on a nice over-sized hat and make the beach my sandy runway.

There’s no denying that hats are a summertime go-to accessory. Hats are versatile and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. As a result, they can be a part of any outfit! You can channel your inner diva and wear an wide brimmed hat with a pair of oversized sunglasses or you can wear a baseball hat to add a sporty look.

Everyone loves a good hat, and this Fashionista definitely knows how to confidently rock one; her beige floppy straw hat immediately caught my attention. While donning a stylish hat, she is simultaneously protecting her skin from the sun. Bravo! In addition, its medium size is perfect for this Fashionista’s petite figure. Her hat neither overwhelms nor distracts from the rest of her relaxed, chic outfit.

The color of the hat is an additional plus. The beige complements the vibrant colors of her tribal-patterned maxi dress and turquoise sandals. Black and white is all the rage this summer and spotted all over the runway. By adding a pop of white to the top of her ensemble, this Fashionista fits right in with the trend.

This Fashionista’s hat is without a doubt the center of her outfit. She kept additional accessories to a minimum with her bright turquoise sandals that match perfectly with the other colors in her dress. When it comes to big accessories like hats, it is best to keep things simple just like this Fashionista did.

Spotted: Hats, hats and more hats were seen on the runway in Rachel Zoe‘s spring 2013 ready-to-wear collection!

 

ACCESSORIES REPORT: Hey There, Studs

When I wake up in the morning and see that it is raining, it is always hard for me to want to get out of bed, let alone be stylish. Everyone knows it is always a struggle to look chic, yet comfortable on a rainy day. My go-to is to brighten things up a bit and adding a colorful accessory to my outfit by wearing a bright raincoat or sporting bubble gum pink lipstick. This Fashionista did the opposite by wearing nude, but she nailed the look.

She did not let the rainy and gloomy day get in the way of being stylish. She wears light colors such as nude, tan and pink instead of sticking to the standard black and dark color palette one normally wears when in a down-pour. In addition to lightening up an otherwise dark day, her outfit brings a positive energy and shows there’s hope the sun will soon shine. This Fashionista definitely did not let the rain bring her down, and it is hard not to smile looking at her.

I loved  her studded bag and I think it completed her outfit. It screams, “I am conquering this rainy day!” As a result of wearing all nude and tan, all eyes are on the bright white bag. It is hard to ignore!  During the summer, white accessories are a must and this bag is to die for. Its size makes it versatile too. It can be used on the streets like this Fashionista or it can easily be used as a beach bag.

The gold studs accentuate her other simple accessories like her monogrammed necklace and her gold hoop earrings.

Spotted: White bags were spotted in the Anya Hindmarch’s fall 2013 collection.

ACCESSORIES REPORT: Strap To Perfection

Although it is not officially summer, it definitely feels like it in Scranton. I spotted this Fashionista on a warm day and her outfit reflected the gold rays of the sun.

At first glance, her outfit was  seemingly typical for a twenty-something on a June day. Jeans? Check. Tank top? Check. However, at a closer look, her outfit was a subtle, yet stylish one. This Fashionista could have worn a simple pair of flip flops, but how boring is that? Instead, she chose a pair of trendy tan single-strap Sam Edelman heels.

The single strap heel is all the rage this summer, and the style has been adorned by stars like Alexa Chung and Naomi Watts. This Fashionista’s heel is chunky and gold combining two summer trends into one fabulous pair of heels.

Single-strap heels are versatile and you can wear them all summer long. The heels can add edge to an otherwise girly outfit or they can be dressed up and worn to work. No matter what they are worn with, they are sure to be the center of it all.

It is hard to ignore this Fashionista’s heels. By wearing a light colored BB Dakota top and white jeans from Urban Outfitters, all eyes are focused on her feet.  Her additional accessories like her monogrammed necklace, gold Michael Kors watch and golden locks, complement the chunky gold heel of her shoes.

Spotted: Bright red single strap heels were seen on Gucci‘s spring 2013 runway.

 

ACCESSORIES REPORT: These Sunglasses Are The Cat’s Meow

These past few days, the city of Scranton has not felt like summer; it has been cloudy and gloomy with a lot of rain and no sun in sight—definitely not my definition of summer. However, I caught this Fashionista on a much needed sunny day. You can tell she was happy about the weather just by looking at her outfit, she is practically glowing! The Fashionista took advantage of the warm rays by showing a little leg, and made her outfit complete by rocking a great pair of cat eye sunglasses from Urban Outfitters.

This Fashionista kept things simple yet to the point with a deliberate pop of color in her outfit. She paired a salmon top from Francesca’s with gray polka-dotted chino shorts from J.Crew, which drew attention to the upper-half of her body. This makes her cat eye tortoise shell sunglasses the center of it all and impossible to ignore.

Her salmon colored ring is the perfect addition to highlight the color in her shirt and her vintage bracelets gave her outfit a personal touch.

Cat-eye sunglasses made their debut back in the 1950s with the beehive hair do. Popular actresses such as Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn wore the frames way back when, and needless to say the feline frames are back in vogue and they are bigger than ever this summer.

Spotted:  Statement sunglasses were spotted in Diane von Furstenberg‘s spring 2013 ready-to-wear collection.

STYLE GURU BIO: Tess Kornfeld

No matter where you travel, whether it is Paris, Tokyo, London or New York City, style is a universal language. You can say so much about yourself as a person by what you are wearing without muttering a single word in any language. In every city around the world, your outfit speaks for itself. Fashion speaks every language and that is what I love about it.

My name is Tess Kornfeld and I am a rising junior at Syracuse University majoring in Magazine Journalism with a minor in Art History.

My passion for fashion started when I fell in love with reading magazines in middle school. After a long day, I would unwind in an issue of Teen Vogue or Seventeen before starting my homework. Nothing made me happier than when a new issue arrived in my mailbox. Something about flipping through the glossy pages made me fall in love with the captivating spreads, the make-up and most of all, the clothes. Fashion magazines inspired me to actually have a sense of style instead of wearing the same zip-up and high top converse everyday (yes, it happened.) As I’ve matured and my style has changed, I still find myself hooked on fashion magazines. Fashion is ever-changing—it keeps things fresh and interesting.

As for my style, it changes with the seasons. During the winter, I like to stay comfortable in the cold weather so I wear a lot of black and chunky knit sweaters with leather riding boots. To keep things fun and a little less gloomy, I throw on a colorful knit scarf.  When the weather finally gets warm, I take advantage of it. I tend to have a more laid-back style. I skip the black, wear bright colors and show some leg. Right now, I am in love with the reemergence of ’90s style. Bleached denim cut-off shorts? Yes, please!

My favorite accessory at the moment is a turban headband. And this summer, I look forward to giving you a weekly ACCESSORIES REPORT while I am home in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Get ready Fashionista/os of Scranton, I’m coming for you and I am so excited!