5 Denim Trends Every It Girl Is Trying This Fall

It’s that time of year again. Everyone is shifting gears and so are the seasons, but maybe your style is lacking the same motivation. Take something tried-and-true and put your own spin on it! This season, give your denim looks a facelift. For some inspiration, here are five denim trends It girls are rocking everywhere.

PHOTO: Kelly Rogowski

1—Cropped denim

Cropped denim pants are on trend and in even higher demand with the popularity of ankle boots. Cropped jeans are not just a way to highlight your shoes but also a way to show some skin and stay cool in the transitioning weather. Plus, if you hate cuffing your jeans but you can’t find a pair to fit your height, then cropped denim should fit perfectly.

PHOTO: Kelly Rogowski

2—Belted denim

I’m sure everyone’s seen that iconic Gucci belt on Instagram making a comeback—and for good reason. Even if you don’t want to commit to Gucci (I’d rather pay my tuition), adding a belt to your jeans adds polish and even professionalism to your outfit. Belts also define your waistline and provide a more defined silhouette. Basically, belts are the overlooked structure to any basic jeans and T-shirt combo.

PHOTO: Cassidy Clark

3—Double denim

It’s been debated whether the double denim trend is cool or not, but Style Gurus across the globe have settled that debate with the right styling and mindset. Double denim is transcendent to trends because denim doubles as a neutral. You’d pair a black shirt with black pants, white on white, tan on tan, etc. It’s the same idea, except there’s more freedom with denim because of the different washes, textures, colors, and fades. Unlike other neutrals, you don’t need the exact same color on top and bottom. In fact, pairing different types of denim adds flair and dimension to your outfit.

PHOTO: Valerie Cammack

4—Raw hem denim

Within the last year, people have taken their jean hems and torn, frayed, and feathered them with full force. Whether it’s an act of rebellion or you just really like the texture of raw textiles, it adds variation and an element of distress to your jeans without making any holes.

PHOTO: Cassidy Clark

5—Denim jackets

The vintage and throwback vibes are real, and they’re really here to stay. Throw on a denim jacket to channel your favorite ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s stars. It’s perfect to throw on as a layer with any outfit because of its neutrality.

Would you try any of these denim trends? Let us know on social media and tag @Cfashionista!

Featured photo by Cassidy Clark.

Denim Doesn’t Just Mean Jeans—Here’s How to Expand Your Denim Wardrobe

A few years ago, if you heard the word “denim” your mind may have automatically created the mental image of a pair of long blue jeans. Recently, however, denim has taken on a whole new meaning. From purses to heels and even hats, it seems as though every article of clothing now comes in denim. With fall right around the corner, the denim options will only increase!

A denim skirt is the perfect transition piece for fall. When the weather is still warm, you can pair it with sandals or cute tennis shoes. As it cools off, you can swap in a pair of boots for a dressier look. The jean skirt that I have pictured is a fitted, high-waist black destroyed denim, but there are many options on the market. These include frayed, button-down, or two-tone skirts in a variety of colors. If you are trying to stick to a budget, check stores such as Hollister Co. or Forever 21 for similar options!

Although it is a strong statement, I love to wear denim-on-denim help an outfit stand out. To do so, a jean jacket or denim button-down top would do the trick perfectly. If you want to try out a new trend, look for anything with bell sleeves or ruffles! Stores such as Zara carry unique pieces that will help make any denim outfit more trendy. It is important to find pieces that are different shades of denim—doing so will be the most flattering on your body.

If wearing both a denim top and bottom is too much for you, try incorporating subtle accessories such a denim choker or clutch! This way you can play it safe while still being on trend.

What’s a unique denim piece that you own? Let us see on social media, and remember to tag @CFashionista!

Denim Outfits Inspired by Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake

Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake had one of the most iconic couple looks of the early 2000’s. Now that denim-on-denim is back in style, it’s easy to be inspired by TimberBrit’s double denim ensembles worn at the 2001 American Music Awards. Justin and Britney weren’t the only pop stars to pull off the look. In 2014, Katy Perry joined her then rapper boyfriend, Riff Raff, to wear similar yet even more extra outfits to the VMAs.

If you don’t want to wear denim from head to toe, there are many adaptations you and your partner can use. Create the look as extreme or subdued as each person’s styles reflect. My boyfriend and I created a very subtle look for our Sunday outings.

His Look

Travis decided to stay simple by wearing a gray-blue denim shirt. He dressed the look up by pairing light khakis and dark brown accessories.

Alternative look: Another way to pull off the trend could be to pair a denim shirt with black denim jeans. A light acid wash denim jacket with distressed jeans and a T-shirt would also be stylish.

Her Look

I threw on my favorite pair of distressed jeans to keep the overall look casual and paired it with a black bodysuit and tan trench coat. I pulled my hair back with a denim hair scrunchie. To finish off the look, I wore these adorable pair of denim heels.

Alternative look: To wear even more denim, you could pair the heels with a denim dress. If heels aren’t your thing, you could pair denim sandals and shirt with jean shorts.

What do you think of mix and matching denim shades? Let us know in the comments below.

How I Indulge in Summer Jeans and Ice Cream

The sun is shining, the temperature is rising, and summer is finally here. Our backpacks are put away in the closets and everything becomes more relaxed. Life becomes more simple, and we finally have time to relax and treat ourselves to something. Local ice cream shops are filling up with kids that are out of school, families out enjoying the weather, and couples walking around.

Summer is a perfect time to show your style, whether it’s summer dresses, shorts and T-shirts, or ripped jeans and a tank top. My personal favorite is throwing on a pair of distressed jeans, a tank top, and a pair of Adidas Superstars. Distressed jeans are much airier and comfortable, rather than a pair of regular jeans in the hot heat of summer.

I paired this outfit with some airy jewelry, a big gold watch, and some gold bracelets. Don’t forget to show some personality with your nail color! This is a perfect example of an outfit I would wear on a casual summer day. I am wearing a black-and-white striped tank top on top of a distressed pair of jeans from Pull&Bear. I finished the look by throwing on my Adidas Superstars from Urban Outfitters and added some gold jewelry.

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to head to our local, family-owned ice cream shop downtown. I always like to support our local businesses. All of the ice cream is homemade, and there is a big variety of flavors and options to choose from. Whenever you are doing your favorite summertime activity, a pair of distressed jeans is always light and casual enough for any activity. Add a little flavor to your outfits this summer!

How do you indulge in summer fashion trends? Let me know in the comments below!

How to Dress Carefree Yet Chic to Beat the Summer Heat

For me, what I wear in the summer is a constant fluctuation between two extremes: I’m either a complete bum who wears the same shirt a majority of the week and doesn’t get off the couch or I’m a Fashionista who’s rocking the latest trends and slaying with every strut. This juxtaposition is a result of a seasonal struggle to look good but not wanting to suffocate in the blazing hot weather. So, how do you slay while also slaying the summer heat? I’ll show you.

In the summertime, high-waisted shorts a girl’s best friend. Not only are they flattering on any body type and forgiving on your love handles, they’re a classic and comfortable piece that gives you a peace of mind that you can bend over and not flash your underwear. The pair I’m wearing in this article is my favorite for this season. These embellished high-waisted shorts with beautiful mint and silver beading and a subtle distressing perfectly sum up my style: girly with a hint of edge.

To bring out the few mint beads in the shorts and add to the femininity, I paired the bottoms with a girly lace halter bralette. This comfy and breathable top is perfect for hot summer days because it will ventilate your body well when all the heat sticks your clothing to your body. I have bralettes like this and different styles in about every color of the rainbow, and they’re a go-to and must-have for my summer wardrobe.

To complete off my outfit, I wore my new favorite summer shoes which are these Madden Girl velvet flat sandal similar to Birkenstock sandals. The silver detailing of the shoes complement the silver gems in my shorts. I never understood the hype behind shoes like this until I tried on a pair and felt how comfortable they are. I wear these shoes all over New York City on hot summer days and they keep my feet happy and breezy.

What’s your go-to outfit in the summertime to beat the summer heat but still look fashionable? Show us on social media! Don’t forget to tag @Cfashionista.

These Fall Trends Are Taking on Summer

We all know the transition from fall to spring/summer can be a challenge. The warm weather is coming at us fast. You might be asking yourself questions like, “What am I going to wear?” or “OMG, do I need to go buy a whole new wardrobe?” The answer is no! So let’s transition some fall pieces into some summer pieces.

For instance, colors like burgundy and olive green are popular in the fall. I am sure we all have multiple clothing articles in these shades, so why not bring them into the summer as well? At one point in time, there were fashion rules such as, “We can only wear certain colors in certain seasons,” or the famous “You can’t wear white past Labor Day,” But it’s 2017 people, we can finally wear what we want when we want!

One piece of clothing that is an essential is a pair of black jeans. They go with everything and anything. They are perfect for chilly nights in summer, events like a bonfire or a late night out. Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean there are not colder moments, so be prepared! These moments are the perfect time to pull out those black ripped jeans and pair them with a cute short sleeve or sleeveless shirt.

For those wanting to add some small pops of color throughout your dark colored outfit, there are a few ways to do this such as the color of your nail polish or your accessories. Yellow nail polish really stands out in this outfit (in a good way, of course), as well as some stacked Alex & Ani bracelets, paired with a Pandora bracelet and some rings. If you’re really feeling the whole jewelry vibe and want to go all out, throw in an ankle bracelet or a necklace, too! Lastly, a bright colored pair of sunglasses can really stand out in an outfit like this.

Don’t be afraid to throw in your own personal style traits to any outfit! It’s the little things that pull a whole look together. Cheers to bringing fall traits into summer with us! Here’s to saving money and looking fabulous while doing so, no matter what colors we are rocking.

What fall trends will you be rocking this summer? Show us on social media! Don’t forget to tag @Cfashionista.

Here’s Exactly How To Keep Up Summer’s Biggest Trends (Without Buying a Thing)

As Fashionistas/os, we always want to keep our wardrobes up-to-date with the latest trends. However, as college Fashionistas/os, we may not always have the funds to afford new clothes—especially for styles that may only be in-season for a couple months.

Thank goodness for fashion DIY. With a few scissors snips and creativity, you can transform your own, tired pieces into super trendy, of the moment looks.

Cutout Choker Shirts:

Step 1. You’re only going to need two things: a cute, crew neck T-shirt and a pair of sharp scissors. The scissors don’t have to be fabric scissors, but those will probably work best!

Step 2. Layout your favorite tee on a flat surface, making sure to smooth out any wrinkles.

Step 3. Pick up the shirt and attempt to lay it out by pinching the front and back of the shirt. Align the seams on the sides, along with the shoulder seams. It’s imperative you find the middle of the shirt, so your cutout isn’t crooked!

Step 4. Pick the depth you want for the cutout. If you are unsure of the depth you want, try the shirt on inside-out and make a very light mark near the center of the shirt of how deep you’d want the cutout to be.

Step 5. Cut from the center of the shirt towards the collar in a diagonal line. Make sure the shirt is folded correctly, so that way you are not cutting the back!

Step 6. Once the cut has been made, lay the shirt flat (like in step two), and cut along the collar. Remove the triangular flap to reveal a cool cutout-choker look!

Super Distressed Jeans:

Step 1. You’ll need four things to create this look: a pair of jeans, a shaving razor, tweezers, and a pair of scissors.

Step 2. Take the jeans and pinch them in places where you want the holes. You can either wing your hole placement (I mean, why should ripped jeans be perfect anyways?), or you can try them on and mark the spots you want the holes to be. Pinch the jeans and create two horizontal cuts with the scissors. These cuts should be about the same in length and parallel to each other!

Step 3. Take your tweezers, and using your carefully-practiced-brow-plucking skills, carefully remove each of the vertical strands in the fabric between the two cuts.

After doing this repeatedly, the fabric should start to unravel. You can then use the razor to lightly distress spots onto your jeans, like on the pockets!

These two DIY styles are super simple and very on-trend! You can finally start telling people “no, I didn’t buy my jeans with holes in them!”

After following the steps in this article, show off your look on social media! Don’t forget to tag @cfashionista!

How to Salvage Your Summer While Balancing Summer Classes

As the school year ends and the adventure of summer begins, thoughts of classes, homework, finals, and late night cram sessions will be the last things on your mind. Well, unless you’re that person who is taking summer courses to get ahead and graduate as soon as you can like I am. If not, then this article is still a great read to the start of your summer!

Even though you are taking summer courses, either on campus or off, your summer is still yours. It just depends on how you make of it. For me, this summer I will be living on campus while taking online courses. Now don’t ask me why I made that decision, I don’t know myself. Coming from the cities to living in a small town college campus, you would imagine your summer as not being summer and trust me, I went through the whole denial phase myself. But really it just depends on how I saw my summer and what I was going to make of it. So far, being in a small town for the summer isn’t as bad as I thought. Even if you aren’t in a small town and are living in a more populous location, these tips can still help you turn your summer into a not so stressful one.

1—Take a hike. With summer classes, depending on the type, they can be either super stressful or super chill. Either way, everyone still needs a break now and then, and to do that, I challenge you to explore your backyard. Even if you’re in a location that you are familiar with, there is always something new to see.

2—Try something new. Explore local cafés and cities, it doesn’t have to be far. It can be as simple as grabbing a friend or two and driving to the next city or state over for a weekend road trip.

3—Make a summer bucket list. Making a bucket list is always super helpful, it allows you to focus on what you want to do and gives you a different opportunity each summer.

4—Get a summer job. Living that college lifestyle is not cheap, so spending your summer working while having summer classes isn’t the worst. Having that summer job allows you to gain work experience, make connections and build up that bank account for the school year.

Seriously, having an adventure while focusing on your studies isn’t that hard to do. Having a summer can be done everywhere and in any way, it just depends on how you perceive it and not what others think of it on social media. Your summer is your own and not someone else’s!

Show us how you’re spending this summer! Don’t forget to tag @Cfashionista

An Easy Guide for On-the-Go Summer Style

There are endless reasons to love the summer! Finals are over and the warmer weather brings pool days, beach trips, barbecues, and late nights. But if you’re anything like me, your break doesn’t just consist of munching on pita chips and binge-watching Scandal all summer long (unfortunately). Between long shifts at work, lunch dates, Target runs, gym time, and movie nights with my girls, sometimes picking out a bomb outfit is the last thing I want to worry about. Here’s a few guidelines I’ve come up with to help create super cute summer-ready looks, easy to thrown on and wear just about anywhere.

1—Opt for a simple color palette. Sticking to a simple color palette makes it so much easier to get dressed in a hurry, in addition to making a look more aesthetically pleasing. I try to use a three-color rule for the key parts of my outfits to avoid overloading the look. The base of this outfit is white, black, and blue. Using neutral shades helps keep a look cohesive without being completely monochromatic.

2—Take it easy in a bralette. One thing that’s dope about warm weather is getting the opportunity to show off the unbelievably comfortable bralettes I’ve been stocking up on. The endless range of colors and styles they’re available in has left me obsessed. A simple bralette pairs gorgeously with an oversize T-shirt to create a laid-back vibe.

3—Hello denim. Versatile denim pieces, like the classic ripped jean, are ideal for my summer outfits because of their comfortable, yet flattering fit. I am a total sucker for anything distressed and chose to slash this pair myself. The faded wash and not-so-perfectly cuffed hem keep the look fresh and cool for summer while making them easy to dress up or down.

4—Grab those go-to sandals. A fashion forward pair of sandals is an essential to every Fashionista’s closet. This fun baby blue style makes an outfit look much more put together than a typical flip flop and is super comfortable to walk around in all day long. I’m a fan of how lightweight they are and don’t look bulky on my feet. The chunky heel also gives me a bit of a height boost and helps elongate my legs.

5—Sunnies are essential. Adding a pair of sunglasses can be the perfect way to instantly jazz up any outfit. The change of season is an excuse to cop a new pair. Don’t be afraid to play with bold frames or colors, like cat-eye shapes or mirrored lenses. They’re also super helpful when I feel like skipping out on eye makeup.

6—Try a bright pop. Using a pop of color can make any look summertime fine. Since I stuck to a simple color palette for this look, adding a bright lipstick took things up a notch. I’m a big fan of fiery coral and pink shades this season.

What’s your go-to summer look? Let me know in the comments below!

Off-the-Shoulder: From Cute and Comfy to Bad and Boujee

Off-the-shoulder shirts are one of the biggest and one of the chicest trends this summer. This shirt style has personally been my favorite go-to piece for every occasion, whether it be a party uptown or a chill day at the park. There’s just something about the way the sun hits my exposed shoulders that makes a girl feel invincible! What I love the most about this trend is the fact that it’s so versatile. Living in Dallas, where the day life is casual, and the nightlife is popping, I can appreciate a good off-the-shoulder shirt that can be dressed up or down.

Cute and comfy

The shirt that I styled this look around was a khaki green off-the-shoulder top. For the “cute and comfy” look, I chose to accessorize the shirt with a bright yellow bandana. Yellow has (surprisingly) become one of my favorite colors to wear this summer, plus the bright pop of color really put some personality in this outfit.
Here’s a quick tip: If a neck scarf isn’t your thing, you could also turn it into a headband, or tie the bandana onto the straps of your purse to bring your outfit to life. I’m also wearing my favorite sunnies from Quay Australia in the color “olive.”

I decided to pair the top with some Super Rip Hayden Jeans from Topshop. Let me just say that boyfriend jeans Are. So. Important. In fact, I strongly suggest that everyone should own a pair: These jeans are designed to have a more loose and relaxed fit so that you can feel comfortable and look cute at the same time. The pair that I’m wearing in the photos are cropped at the ankle which I love, because it made this outfit look casual.

To finish off the “cute and comfy” look, I chose satin bow slides from Zara. Choosing which pair of shoes to wear for the day is honestly one of the hardest decisions for a girl to make. Slides are simply the easiest shoes to wear, and these silk ones are crazy comfortable. Both the color and the material looks very chic, and I think it complemented my outfit well. What do you think?

Bad and boujee

To switch up the look, all you’d need to do is change the accessories! For the look below, I styled the same top, demonstrating its versatility. This time I’m going for the “bad and boujee” look. Instead of the bandana, I threw on a silver statement necklace and some hoop earrings. Jewelry is everything.

I switched out my baggy boyfriend jeans for some black skinny jeans which I cuffed and paired with my favorite nude heels. The power of accessorizing is the secret to this transformation, and it makes all the difference.

How do you style the off-the-shoulder trend? Keep slaying and show us on social media! Don’t forget to tag @CFashionista!