Bags – CollegeFashionista

4 Tips to Enhance your Casual Style—Fashionisto Edition

Often, guys have the misconception that the only way to look nice and fashionable is if they dress up. However, you can be stylish in anything from joggers to suits. It doesn’t matter what you wear as long as you pay attention to the details. Focusing on small details will go a very long way and sharpen your casual style. Here are four ways to enhance your wardrobe.

1—Cuff your jeans. Rolling up your straight-legged jeans is a simple way to show extra details you miss when they are all the way down. It focuses your attention on a nice pair of shoes matched with fashionable socks. When the jeans are rolled, it allows you to show personal style and let a pop of color show underneath with stylish socks.

2—Men’s bags. The days of thinking it’s only socially acceptable for women to have handbags are over. Any gender needs a bag to carry essentials around in, so guys its time to trade out that old beat-up book bag for a leather satchel bag. Choosing a bag to carry gives you the chance to reflect your own style while looking professional. Remember to select a bag that’s durable and water-resistant!

3—Footwear. The key to any successful outfit is to always put your best foot forward. The “desert boot” is a staple shoe all guys should have in their closet. The boot is interchangeable and can be dressed up or down. Here, the boot is paired with the cuffed jeans to sharpen the casual look while keeping it comfortable. I recommend getting this boot in a versatile neutral color.

4—Watches. Add some arm candy to your daily wardrobe! Let’s be honest, everyone hates that one person who always shows up late to everything. Never be that person and add a watch to your daily outfit. A watch is a small detail that makes a huge impact on your look, and it easily enhances any outfit. If you prefer wearing light colored clothing, I recommend you choose a brown or gold watch. If you prefer dark clothing, go with a black watch.

Paying attention to the small details can make any drab outfit become fab. The four tips listed above will help you enhance any simple outfit while keeping your own style.

How do you embrace casual style? Show us on social media and don’t forget to tag @Cfashionista.

Bagging the Beach Essentials

Growing up on an island, I qualify as a certified beach bum—if that were a position. I have learned from my own firsthand experiences, and people watching at the beach, that there is certainly a right and a wrong way to do a beach day. With the last weeks of summer upon us, it’s not too late to re-evaluate what you wear and what you bring to the beach. Whenever I am at the beach, I see women lugging huge beach bags that makes me imagine they are prepared for the apocalypse, but I have realized there is a happy medium in packing a beach bag. You can ensure that you are not forgetting anything, but don’t need to pack everything.

To pack the perfect beach bag, one first needs a great beach bag. I prefer a beach tote in a neutral color so that it matches all my cover-ups and swimsuits. I have been using this straw bag for years and one of the bonuses is that if you just shake it a bit, it gets all the sand out. If you want to dress it up, you can add a pom-pom key chain or a tie a silk scarf around the handles.

What’s Inside?

I like to use a smaller subset bag to hold all of my sunscreen and beauty supplies. Transparent bags are ideal because you can see exactly what is in it.

When it comes to sunscreen, as I am fair, I have tried and tested almost every sunscreen under the sun. My go-to is Australian Gold because it has bronzer in it, so it gives my skin a nice shine while protecting it. When constantly hopping in and out of the water, it is easier to not wear makeup, but I like to have a little color on my lips and I swear by this lip balm. After I get out of the water, I like to brush out my hair with this comb to eliminate any knots and then put it up with this clip. I try not to tie my hair up with a hair tie when it’s wet because it always seems to pull out so much hair.

Some other things I make sure to have in my bag are whatever sunglasses are the current favorite in my rotation, my Kindle (loaded up with some new books), and a big fluffy towel. I also like to throw a hat in there whenever I have had too much sun.

What are your beach essentials? Let us know on social media and don’t forget to tag @Cfashionista!

Essentials for a Summer Day Trip

As another summer comes to an end, I find myself constantly running out of the house on weekends to fit in fun day trips with family and friends while I can! Whether it’s a day of shopping in the Hamptons or sightseeing in Manhattan, day trips are one of my favorite ways to spend the day while I’m still home from college. No matter what the destination is, I find myself packing the same essentials when I’m out of town for the day.

Sneakers

My first essential item for a summer day trip is a cute pair of casual sneakers. A white pair of sneakers makes every outfit look more fun and casual, and they are the absolute perfect shoes for a long day of walking around in the summer. They are a match made in heaven with nearly any summer outfit you put on and are a great way to dress any outfit down for the day.

Crossbody Bag

I love having a crossbody bag to keep everything from my phone to sunglasses at my side during a day of adventures. Carrying around a big heavy bag is the last thing I want to do when I’m walking miles around a city all day! A simple vintage black bag like the one I have on goes with nearly everything and is always in style. It also lets me not have to think about what I’m carrying around during a day of fun.

Smartphone

Lastly, a phone is your best friend on any day trip! One of my favorite parts of going away for the day is trying out new restaurants. However, if you don’t frequent anywhere, in particular, it can be difficult to narrow your choices down to one! I love searching for places to eat on Instagram and seeing what the food and atmosphere look like before you even step into the restaurant. It’s a great way to discover places that you otherwise would not have considered. Searching Instagram for locations nearby is also a cool way to find awesome shops and parks that are popular around whatever neighborhood you end up in! And even easier, a quick search on your maps app is a great way to see what is nearby.

What are your summer day trip essentials? Show us on social media! Don’t forget to tag @CFashionista.

Perfect Plans for a New York City Adventure

New York City is filled with fun street art and beautiful views. And let’s not forget the amazing shopping and delicious treats that make the Big Apple perfect for your next weekend adventure. Every corner of Manhattan offers something to do and something to see, so don’t forget to hit all the hot spots on your next trip over to New York City.

Soho is huge on graffiti murals where you can stop for your picture-perfect Instagram shot. Soho is where we found this fun and colorful mural. This Fashionista is rocking a baby blue and white striped dress with simple black sandals. The fun is all in awe multi-colored crossbody bag, which is covered in pom-pom details. This bag turns a simple outfit into a fun and trendy look that fits in well with New York City’s aesthetic. With all the walking that comes with a city adventure, a light flowy dress and some comfy sandals are ideal on a hot summer day.

Once you get that golden Instagram photo, next stop is the treats. The city offers an array of food, with something for everyone. You can get anything from cereal ice cream to pizza in a cone. So make sure you plan ahead of time what treat you’re going try first. This Fashionista took a detour to Juicy Lucy’s juice bar for some vibrant colored smoothies filled with fresh fruits.

A New York City trip isn’t complete until you experience the awesome shopping that is offered. This is hard to resist with a Forever 21, Macy’s, and cool boutique at every corner. For your next trip to NYC don’t forget to hit all the spots and plan ahead to make traveling from spot to spot easy and chic.

What are your favorite New York City spots? Let me know in the comments below!

T-Shirt Dress—The Perfect Summer Staple

It’s summer! For me, that means time to head back to Connecticut after an exciting, yet busy, semester in Manhattan. Without a doubt, the summer season is my favorites in terms of fashion and accessorizing. My favorite staple clothing piece that should be in every Fashionistas’ wardrobe, and in multiple colors, nonetheless, is the T-shirt dress.

This striped T-shirt dress is an absolute must for every Fashionista. It is comfortable, super cute, and can be dressed up or down, depending on the shoes and accessories you choose to pair with it. My dress came from Primark, but any striped T-shirt dress will do to recreate this outfit.

What’s one summer accessory that no Fashionista can live without? A super cute pair of sunglasses! This pair of sunglasses from Céline is my go-to choice throughout the summer. They have a dark lens, perfect for protecting my eyes from bright sun rays, and also are a timeless style.

Have you ever left your house without your handbag? The one time I did, I felt completely naked. That is why a cute handbag is an absolute must, regardless of the season. Since backpacks are extremely on-trend recently, I decided to showcase one of my all-time favorite ones. This bag, from the U.K. brand River Island, was gifted to me by one of my best friends who lives in England.

Time is of the essence, or so they say. When your phone battery died after a long day of Facebook-stalking someone or taking countless selfies for Snapchat, how is a Fashionista going to know what time it is? That’s why this Michael Kors watch is a must. It’s stylish, sparkly, and tells you what the date is, which is a feature I use quite often, might I add. In the digital age, a watch is one accessory that many Fashionistas might not have at the ready in their closets. This Michael Kors watch is water resistant, which I love because sometimes I forget to take it off before getting in the shower, and therefore, don’t have to worry that I ruined a designer watch mid-shampoo.

Whether it be on the street or in the pages of fashion magazines, it seems as if everyone nowadays is wearing a black wrap choker necklaces. Varying from the simple black velvet band to the more intricately designed ones, chokers are literally everywhere.

Last, but never least, we have the shoes. I chose to wear a pair of Sam Edelman sandals that I purchased from DSW. I love Sam Edelman, and literally any shoe he creates. Therefore, I was beyond excited to find these at DSW, and I had to integrate them into this outfit.

In the comments below, tell me what are your must-have fashion pieces for spring and summer?

6 Things All Insanely Stylish People Do

When you know someone stylish, it can be a little bit intimidating. Being stylish and looking good shouldn’t have to be hard. Stylish people have a few things that help them look stylish every day and even save time getting ready in the morning. Here are a few of their tips for you to try!

1—Have a uniform. You should have some basic, cute outfits that you can throw on any day that you need to. For me, it is a loose T-shirt or a simple top and jeans. Depending on the season, I will throw a jacket, cardigan, or blazer on over it. If it is hot, I will wear shorts instead, but only if it is appropriate to do so. The shoes you wear depend on the season, and you should wear what looks good. A fitted or loose T-shirt and jeans are an easy staple to add to your closet!

2—Invest in nice pieces. One of the hardest things to do is resist a sale at H&M, but you should. If you start saving your money and invest it in timeless pieces, it will do wonders for your wardrobe. You should start to spend your money on that nice leather jacket you have had your eyes on which will last years instead of spending it on the trendy, bulky, neon necklace that will last one season.

3—Be yourself. This is one of the most important things you can do! If you don’t feel comfortable in what you are wearing, it shows. Make sure you feel confident in everything you wear when you leave in the morning. That is not to say that you shouldn’t ever take risks, but you should try things that you feel comfortable with.

4—Accessorize. Using accessories is one of the easiest ways to make an outfit look good. If you really want to focus on the accessory and draw attention to it, you should build the outfit around it. If it is a purse, you would want to pick clothing articles that compliment it and don’t overpower it.

5—Plan ahead. One of the easiest ways to look stylish every day is to plan ahead. You can plan your outfit the night before, but be sure to check the weather. If you don’t want to plan your outfit the night before, you can always give yourself extra time in the morning.

6—Shoes. Shoes can make or break an outfit. With the right shoes, you can make an outfit look incredible and pull an outfit together. With the wrong shoes, you could completely ruin an outfit. You should invest in at least one pair of nice shoes and buy shoes that you will get a lot of use out of. For me, it would be boots!

Did you try any of these tips? Let me know in the comments below!

5 Essentials for Traveling

Regardless if you are going on an 8-hour flight, drive, or train ride, it’s intimidating. What are you supposed to do for that long? You could look out the window, but that gets boring after the first 30 minutes. You need to have a purse or backpack filled with things to keep you busy!

I am flying to France and Switzerland later this summer and I have been preparing what I should bring in my purse for weeks now because I get bored easily. For this trip, I am taking my Madewell tote. It will fit under the seat in front of me, but will also be able to carry all my carry-on items.

The first thing in my bag is headphones. Headphones are great because it blocks out the sound of the man snoring next to you or the baby crying two rows behind you. Make a playlist with oldies but goodies, guilty pleasures, and everything in between. If you make a playlist long enough, it should keep you occupied for most of the flight.

The second thing in my bag is books. If the plane does not have an entertainment system, you will thank yourself for packing books. Personally, I love a good mystery so for my flight I am packing The Girl on the Train and Big Little Lies.

The third thing in my bag is a notebook with a pen. You may be thinking, that is awfully childish, but it can keep you entertained for a while. You can journal your expectations for the trip ahead, draw stick people, etc. Pens and paper will take you far.

The fourth thing in my bag is my eye mask. I need complete darkness to be able to sleep well. It takes some time to get used to falling asleep with something on your eyes, but once you are used to it, it is life-saving. Since my flight is overnight and I will be arriving in Paris when it is morning, I will need as much sleep as I can get.

The final thing in my bag is gum and water. These two necessities will help you as you experience pressure changes. Plus, it never hurts to have minty breath and be hydrated.

Now that you’ve read what I bring in my purse, what is in your purse when you travel? Let us know in the comments below!

Travel Purse Packed with the Mere Essentials

For students, the time to travel has always been the summer. With no classes, it is the prime time to take some days off work. Stretch those legs (and wallets) venturing into new cities.

I absolutely love traveling and if I had unlimited funds, I would do it year round. However, that is not the case and I can only travel sparingly. Being a college student, I love to take day trips around my city. As someone that loves to hoard her things, I always struggle with packing my purse with essentials for these short trips. I find that the more time I have between my travels, the more I seem to forget how to pack.

If you’re like me, you probably have a huge bag that you refer to as a “purse,” but it serves all basic functions that a duffel bag might. I love my tote purse from Topshop because it is a solid color that goes with anything and is easily slung over my shoulder.

If you’re like me, you’re also probably quite the over packer. I have a problem eliminating the things I don’t need and I tend to just bring everything with me and regret the heavy load later. At any given time, my purse might contain some food, a change of clothes or two, and an old tube of toothpaste that you never removed after a night out somewhere.

I say it is time to clean out that old purse and replace the unnecessary items with essentials. An essential for me is my small trifold wallet. I love the size and lightweight nature and yet it is able to hold all my credit cards along with some actual paper money.

On my trips, I also enjoy headphones for the car when I am in need of a little uplifting music. I prefer the in-ear headphones because they block outside noise when I need alone time.

When packing your purse for a quick travel, remember that sometimes less is more. Only take what you absolutely need, no if’s, and’s, or but’s about it!

What do you consider your packing essentials? Let us know in the comments below!

3 Ways to Enjoy City Life Without Breaking the Bank

We’ve all been there. Really wanting to buy tickets to your favorite band’s concert or absolutely needing to get that new jacket that you saw online. However, the moment you indulge, something comes up where you need that cash, whether it be going out for a night with your friends, trying out a new restaurant, or the famous weekend brunches. Alas, you can’t enjoy it simply because you don’t want to break your bank.

Being a college student in the city has brought these situations to my doorstep often. Living in an area where the cost of living is high and your wages are low can be really difficult, but this is where creativity comes in handy. Check out these three ways I used to still enjoy life in the city without completely going broke!

1—When it’s free, it’s your friend. As a college student in D.C., it’s absolutely necessary to indulge in the wonderful free sites the city has to offer. All the Smithsonian museums are free, and if that doesn’t do it for you, you can always take a quick stroll around the monuments and enjoy the view. Not only is it a great place to check out the sites, but it’s great to just relax. I love to go and write there or even just enjoy a great book!

2—Grocery shopping is great. While living in a city, it becomes almost all too easy to go out to eat for almost every meal (especially when your dorm has a Whole Foods next door and Chick-fil-a downstairs.) However, if I’ve learned anything from living in a city for so long, it’s that cooking can save you lots of money. So instead of spending $12 dollars on that bowl from sweetgreen, maybe try to use that same money to buy salad ingredients for the week. It’s honestly become one of my favorite past times, strolling the aisles with my favorite tote and feeling like a real adult.

3—Be an explorer. Life can become extremely routine in college, even in a city. You go to the same places, eat the same foods, and see the same faces. I try to break my cycles and do something different every once in while. Whether that be checking out a neighborhood I haven’t been to in D.C., or exploring the inner workings of Georgetown, I love to see what’s out there for me to find. One note for this tip is to always be prepared, and have on great shoes for walking around.

Trying out these three things really helped me. Even though I think they’re great, it’s important to find out what works for you.

What tips do you recommend for saving a buck in the big city? Comment below!

Must-Haves for Your Carry-On: World Traveler Edition

Summer is the time for traveling. I am going to take you along as I pack my must-haves for my study abroad trip to Italy. During this time, your carry-on is going to be your ride-or-die during your adventure. Frequent flyers know that you need to be picky when choosing your carry-on essentials.

First and foremost, you need to pick a fashionable, yet practical tote. When searching for a carry-on tote, you want to make sure it is durable and big enough to fit all your necessities. A good travel tote can range from a leather bag or a nylon tote like a Longchamp. I use my Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM. It’s a great size for fitting the perfect amount of goodies for your flight.

So, what should you put in your tote? Your phone is a major must-have for travel. Along with other necessities like magazines and snacks, have some cash for the country you are visiting. Although most of us just swipe our debit card in the U.S., overseas it can be a hassle. Street vendors and cafes may only accept local cash.

Going to a foreign place is all about the adventure, and you want to capture those memories beyond just the pictures. I packed a little journal from Anthropologie. I plan to write on the airplane about my first time flying abroad without my family. While I am in Italy, I can take note of all my experiences as well.

Travel is unpredictable. You never know what can happen, so you want to pack a backup pair of clothes and some of your go-to makeup products. For the summer, I am opting for a light and easy sundress, just in case something happens to my luggage. This way, you are set for the day until you can get your luggage or go to a store.

Being able to escape with music goes along with traveling and escaping your everyday life to wherever your adventure is leading you. The classic iPhone headphones are a must, but if you really want to cancel out your flight, you can opt for Beats by Dr. Dre. They come in super cute colors! Just make sure you have enough music for your flight duration. Happy travels!

What is your favorite place to travel to? Let me know in the comments below!