5 Outfit Ideas to Beat the Heat This Music Festival Season

Music festival season has finally hit and we could not be more excited. Music festivals are full of music, dancing, and fun, but of course, you need to look cute while attending. We all know being outside in the sun is hot and tiring, so here are five tips to beat the heat this festival season.

1—Comfortable Shoes. 

Music festivals call for long days on your feet while dancing and walking. The most important part of your outfit is your shoes. I opted for some cute sneakers that, in fact, have holes in them, which allowed my feet to breath while still being comfortable and still stylish.2—Sunglasses.

With the hot sun, sunglasses are a must. Sunglasses can make an outfit; therefore, I chose a trendier pair to add some color.

3—Backpacks.

It is a given that a lot of dancing happens at music festivals. That is why I love carrying a backpack instead of a purse. This backpack is lightweight, which helps with the heat and allows for hands-free dancing.4—Put Your Hair Up.

Music festivals are the perfect place to try trendy hair styles because anything goes. I chose for two low buns to keep my hair out of my face and the heat away from my body while dancing.

5—Small Accessories.

Small, lightweight accessories will complete the perfect music festival outfit. I added a small belt to my look to bring the whole outfit together. This lightweight accessory adds style while not adding any additional heat. I love this double buckle belt, but you could also opt for a necklace, bandana, or some bracelets.

What are your must-haves for music festivals to beat the heat? Share your ideas with us on social media and tag @Cfashionista!

God Bless Ribbon Belts

Summer is upon us which means more outdoorsy activities! Who isn’t looking forward to the classic American summer: pools, BBQs, fireworks and that summer heat! Even though it can get pretty toasty in the Cincinnati area, it does not mean you have to sacrifice style. You can be both comfortable and stylish with the heat waves coming through. One piece you can use that’s stylish and classic is a standard ribbon belt. Ribbon belts would fall under the fashion category of preppy, but a good ribbon belt can make an outfit standout.

The summer is full of classic American holidays like the Fourth of July, in which case the use of flags as a prop was necessary (as you can tell). I’ve included both photos of a male Fashionisto as well as myself modeling ribbon belts. The reason being is because ribbon belts are not for one gender; they’re for all who choose to wear them! As you can see they’re colorful and fun, yet classic. You can wear them with casual looks (as the Fashionisto and myself are demonstrating), or you can wear them in a more business casual look with khakis or other slacks. The Fashionisto is showing a look that’s more suited for a relax business atmosphere, while mine is 100 percent casual.

The Fashionisto chose colors that highlight the belt. A blue button-down, blue jeans, and the brown leather dress shoes accentuates the purple and green in the belt by F. H. Wadsworth. On myself I decided to pair my belt with a classic white button up and mom jean-shorts, as well as brown faux leather sandals. I really wanted to stick with the red, white, and blue theme, seeing as my ribbon belt resembles the American flag. For ladies, it’s easiest to pair your makeup based off the color the belt. For this particular instant I chose red due to the fact that the main accent color was red.

There are so many different ways to make a ribbon belt work! Feel free to tag @CFashionista with your tips on styling a ribbon belt if you have one that you love as well!

The Vintage T-shirt Revival

T-shirts are the most basic yet instrumental part of any Fashionista’s wardrobe, and graphic T-shirts take that one step further. Graphic, vintage-inspired T-shirts are definitely trending this summer. They’re an awesome way to express your own personal style while keeping it casual and cool. Call up your dad and snag some of his band tees from back in the day-or just hit a vintage thrift store-to find the perfect piece. The revival of vintage looks creates a seriously cool vibe that will keep you feeling #rad all summer.

I paired my vintage-inspired T-shirt with some edgy pieces that embody my style to create a simple and cool look. Although my Pink Floyd tee ran the risk of getting berated by people telling me to “name five of their songs,” I think it’s super cool and adds color and flare to the outfit (and yes, I do know some of their songs). `This shirt actually used to be my brother’s, and I love its heathered, worn-in material. No matter what band it is, logos are usually visually pleasing, so wearing them front and center is the perfect way to create a cool vibe. This logo also adds a pop of color to the black accents of the outfit. You can usually find a graphic T-shirt at any store for a low price, and can even DIY it to look as distressed as you please.

The comeback of vintage T-shirts comes at the same time as the comeback of high-waisted denim, so I chose to pair the two together to achieve the ultimate cool girl vibe. The trends in fashion right now are super reminiscent of the ’90s, and make you look completely effortless. Street style is at the forefront of fashion right now, which is a huge change in the industry, and personally I can’t wait to see how the world embraces the revival of past trends as part of that change!

I’d love to see how you rock a vintage-inspired tee this summer! Show us on social media by tagging @cfashionista.

How to Style a Plaid Shirt

Plaid has been around for a long time. I first started noticing it from the movie Clueless with Cher’s iconic plaid yellow outfit. If you have watched the movie, you know what I’m talking about. Even though some people thought that plaid was going to go out of style, they were wrong because it’s 2017 and it is still very popular. Styling plaid might be a bit tricky because it can be worn as casual or professional, but it just depends on what you pair it with. As I finally finished my last final for the semester, I bumped into a Fashionista with a rad outfit with a hint of plaid.

Her plaid top, ripped jeans, and flats go well with each other. I like how she accessorized with a beautiful belt and watch as well. This Fashionista’s whole outfit reminded me of the ’90s fashion back then. This shows that no matter what, some styles are still going strong. I love how this Fashionista’s outfit was very casual but at the same time it was stylish. The outfit brought back nostalgia.

Now that the weather in the city has become warmer, we can ditch those heavy coats and gloves and trade them in for nice flats and thinner clothes. Something I noticed is that plaid will be a style that will not die; there’s something about it that people love. If you don’t know what to wear one day, just know you can never go wrong with plaid.

How do you wear this plaid style? Show us on social media! Don’t forget to tag @Cfashionista.

FASHION FROM ABROAD: Coachella Style

Being from New Jersey, I never thought that I would ever make it out to the infamous Coachella Valley Music Festival. I also never thought that going to Penn State would introduce me to so many amazing people and opportunities. Weekend one was taken by storm with the fashion, the Ferris wheel, the music, the food, and California. If no one was able to tell by my countless Instagrams, the fashion was my favorite part.

Trying to find the perfect balance between not trying too hard and managing to comply with the weather was somewhat of a struggle but safe to say, we killed the game. Coachella fashion is very unique. It combines all of the latest trends being fringe, mesh, and even metal tops and they are worn by the coolest people and shown at the best of the best parties. The highlight of my week was being posted on the LF SoHo Instagram, but I don’t want to brag.

This outfit is where I brought out my desert and ranch vibes. To start off, my black bandeau is from Urban Outfitters, the neutral vibe really showed throughout the whole weekend with outfits focusing around black tops. Fringe, fringe, and more fringe. I LOVED this fringe skirt, Revolve killed the game this year and helped me have a little fun when dancing, singing, and running around. The trend this year was belts, I bought a big cowboy belt from ASOS to add a little something to the outfit along with my two necklaces. To protect me from the grueling desert heat, I paired the outfit with this black brimmed hat and black booties—and voila!

ALL IN THE DETAILS: About the Mix

Orange beanie, blue jacket with super cool pins, camouflage backpack, and a shoelace as a belt—there’s something that worked about all of these items being mixed together to create this simple yet cool look. May in New York has such indecisive weather that any Fashionista must remain alerted at all time with a jacket, umbrella, or sunscreen to feel prepared for the day, this is why this look has so many incorporated features that made him ready to conquer the day come rain or shine!

When talking about his particular look for the day, the conversation of graduating in just a few weeks, and how his style will soon have to change as he’ll enter the business world really impacts his choices during his free time. This is when he’s able to express himself in multiple ways and really be ambitious with his style choices.

First off, let’s admire his bright neon beanie, which adds the perfect pop to a cloudy day and instantly draws the attention to his look. Next, his sunglasses serve as such a great feature, especially for the ever-changing weather, and they provide the sleek and in charge persona. I loved that his outfit in whole looked easy and simple, but when you looked at each item he chose they were so different yet tied together to create a unique style. The camouflage backpack added a splash of color and pattern along with his checkered black and gray Vans.

This spring has been the time for bomber jackets pins and patches galore, so when this Fashionista said he found his jacket for $6 at a thrift store, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to grab it! He added his own touch my starting a small collection of added pins to the front side of his jacket. His pants may look like one solid color, but up close they are a stripped pattern mixed with blue, gray, and black lines in a cropped cut, all held together with a simple white shoelace because sometimes you just can’t find a particular item in the morning when you’re rushing to class.

Never believe an outfit can’t look simple and well put together, even with so many different details and patterns. Between going to school and his part-time job, hanging out with friends, and the New York weather, this outfit is versatile, fun, and simple, bringing together contrasting patterns, colors, and even a shoelace belt to pull off this look.

STYLE GURU STYLE: Easy and Breezy

To be honest, I only dress in “real clothes” half the time and as the semester gets closer to the end, the number of T-shirts in my dirty laundry pile increases exponentially. I blame college.

My favorite outfits revolve around things I can wear in the fall or winter, but in the springtime, when Texas weather bleeds sunshine one day and is pouring rain and freezing the next, outfits get difficult.

I typically lean toward darker colors because it’s what I like, but in the warmer weather, I try to keep it brighter. Even then, I stick to a lot of neutral, toned down colors and sometimes add something more colorful here and there. I also tend to stick to basic pieces that can be worn in completely different styles.

In this outfit, I’m wearing a basic pair of high-waisted jeans with holes at the knees, and a relaxed, blue plaid shirt tucked in a bit and rolled up at the arms. I love this shirt because it’s so oversize compared to the tight jeans and it looks like denim, but the fabric is cool and wearable in warmer weather.

I rolled my jeans a bit and put on navy blue booties because I don’t think I know how to not wear booties anymore since I can wear fuzzy socks with them. For accessories, I broke up my monochromatic outfit by putting on some really rad, pink reflective sunglasses and a pink striped belt from F.H. Wadsworth. The belt breaks up all the blue very nicely and makes it look like I tried harder.

Something else I like experimenting with in my outfits is mixed patterns. I wouldn’t go as far as mixing a cheetah print with a zebra print, but, hey, to each his own. I find it’s easier when one piece is smaller or more subtle. The striped belt is such a basic pattern and so much smaller than the shirt that it actually flows nicely with the plaid.

In the spring, easy and breezy is my way to go when I wear an outfit that I didn’t wake up in. Mix some patterns, put on your best shades, and go conquer the world.

STYLE ADVICE: Small But Powerful

Do you ever feel like your day-to-day outfits are too basic or plain? This is my struggle because I get too lazy early in the morning and would rather sleep in than take the time to get ready. An easy solution to you lazy Fashionistas is to accessorize, because a few bracelets, rings, necklaces, or a cute pair of shoes can spice up your outfit instantly!

For this look, I had this Fashionista dress comfortably with ripped, high-waisted jeans and a white crop top tank. To style up this look, I suggested she wear some jewelry, a belt, and comfy pumps. She chose to wear the many Alex and Ani bracelets she owns; these bracelets have a distinct look and adds a bit of flair to any outfit. Rings and a necklace, like she is wearing, are also a nice touch to any outfit. The black belt she is wearing adds a unique feel because of the silver buckle it has. The finishing touch: a pair of comfy pumps will always make a statement as you walk down the street.

My obsession with this outfit/outfits similar to this is that they are so simple, but with a little bit of accessorizing can transform the entire look; as it did for this one. You can style up any look with the least amount of effort just by adding little details. Accessorizing, in my opinion, is essential to every outfit. You can take a look that is so simple, and completely glam it up by adding a few finishing touches. So if you want to look stylish, but don’t have much time to get ready, just add some jewelry, a belt or some nice shoes to keep your fit looking fresh and unique!

ALL IN THE DETAILS: Brown Leather is Key

It is safe to say that accessories and accents can either make or break an outfit. Putting together the perfect ensemble is truly an art form. The key is in adding the right accessories to fit your own personal style and to fit the look of your outfit. Unfortunately, it is easy to overdo it. Having too much going on can be overwhelming and might result in the opposite effect. You’ve got to have an eye for what additions will pull your outfit together and emphasize the right aspects. This Fashionista, fortunately, has got the eye for the art form of accessorizing! Her leather details bring the whole outfit together perfectly. She has mastered this fashion skill and as a result, looks simply amazing.

Let’s first focus on her two outfit bases: the top and bottom. I love off-the-shoulder anything, so the top immediately sparks my interest. The floral pattern in addition to being off-the-shoulder makes this top irresistible and perfect for the beginning of warmer seasons. The jeans are a perfect match. The large rips and cut-off length make the jeans stand out compared to a plain pair. Now let’s move on to the fun part: the details. This Fashionista has chosen a theme of brown leather. She pulls the whole outfit together using a simple choker, a brown leather belt with gold accents, a pair of open toe heels, and a brown leather satchel that also has gold accents. All of her additions work perfectly and transform this look from a plain, summer outfit to a stylish showstopper.

STYLE GURU STYLE: Hello Summer

This has been one crazy, amazing, and life-changing semester and I have been able to take CollegeFashionista along with me! My freshman year is coming to an end, and unfortunately so is my work at CollegeFashionista (at least for now). So, to commemorate an end of my year, I wore a summer outfit since that time is near.

In the pictures above, I am wearing a Cotton Candy LA top, one of my favorite brands for dainty, silky tops. I have been obsessed with silk satin tops. They can be dressed up or down and have definitely become one of my go-to’s when I go out. Cotton Candy LA is a wholesale retailer, but their clothing is in many boutiques across the county and online, such as Bloomingdales. Long story short, 10/10 would recommend.

Along with the top I am also wearing a distressed denim skirt, a piece that is a staple in my summer wardrobe. Like my top, it can easily be dressed up or down as well and are neutral enough to wear with most any top. Whether it’s distressed, colored, or embroidered, denim skirts have been on-trend and will continue to be this summer.

I also am wearing my trustee Western-styled belt, which is a necessity in my wardrobe. And finally, block heel sandals to finish the look. Whether I am going out or just trying to dress nicer, I always like to wear some sort of heel, considering I am only 5 feet 3 inches tall. These sandals not only comfortable and cute, but personally, there is no better combination.

This semester at CollegeFashionista has been amazing and filled with fashion. I encourage everyone to follow their heart in the malls or boutiques they shop at and follow your true style, because that is an essential of a true Fashionista. Until next time, thank you to all my readers for making this semester #RAD!