Going There Series Part 4: Family Reunion

With students out of school and plenty of opportunities for fun and games, summer is the season for family reunions. So what to wear when you'll be seeing extended family you likely haven't seen in awhile? Here's my personal breakdown.



For the Average Family Reunion

Family Reunion by TheClosetFiles featuring American Eagle Outfitters jackets

A casual dress a good pick because it shows that you care about looking nice for your family. I choose to pair it with wedges because they keep the nicer appearance while still being comfortable and grass friendly. If you have any type of simple heirloom jewelry like a charm bracelet or necklace, wear it! Chances are your grandma won't be able to contain her excitement. Just make sure to bring along a jacket or cardigan to cover up with.




For the Active Family Reunion

Casual Family Reunion by TheClosetFiles featuring Old Navy shoes

Lots of families choose to have a very active family reunion. With games like potatoe sack and 3-legged racing, you will want to be sure your outfit is cute and functional. For this type of event I chose cute shorts and a fun graphic tee. Complete the look with some bracelets and flat sandals and you'll be ready to go!

Do you have an upcoming event you're wondering what to wear to? Send me an email at theclostfiles@aol.com. I'd love to help!

Going There Series Part 3: Conferences

With students out of school and an abundance of nice(r) weather, conferences are abundant in the summertime. Whether you're going for work or play, it's important to make a good impression, after all, conferences are a great place to meet professionals of the area you're interested in, so you want to make sure to make a good impression!

Even as a college freshman (soon to be sophomore), I've been to quite a few conferences and a general rule of thumb I've learned to follow is to go by the guidelines of business casual, unless otherwise noted. From packing completely unmatchable separates to being the only person in jeans, there are plenty of packing mistakes to be made. However, with just a little planning, you can be the most put together attendee!

Some Outfit Ideas

Outfit One (for a casual conference)

Outfit Two

Outfit Three

General Tips

1. Plan all of your outfits a few days before leaving, that way you have plenty of time to add or change things
2. Try on each outfit (accessories and all) before leaving. Nothing is worse than arriving at your hotel and learning that you're short an outfit.
3. Bring a blazer and pair of jeans that you don't plan on wearing. That way if the conference turns out to be more casual or more professional than you expected you still have a backup.
4. Layering is important. Even though it's hot and sunny outside, conference rooms are usually air conditioned and chilly.

Trendy Tuesday: Tribal Print

source

source

source

Like nautical, tribal is one of those trends that come back every spring and early summer. It's a fun trend to experiment with because the print can be found in almost any size and color on almost any type of clothing and accessory.

The easiest and perhaps most common way to wear tribal is to throw on a printed dress. Add some simple accessories and throw on a denim jacket if it's cold and you have an instant fashion-forward outfit.

How I Wore it:

What

Dress: Belks? , $20

Camisole: Forever 21, $3

Denim Jacket: Gadzooks, $20

Gladiators: Old Navy, $5

Earrings: Rue 21, $3

Ring: Gift

Just to illustrate the fact that tribal is a reappearing trend, I bought this dress on clearance 3 years ago. Its a string halter with a bandeau style top. To make it work appropriate I layered the dress over a plain white camisole and under a denim jacket. Simple gladiators and drop earrings completed my "trendy tuesday" look.

Other Ways to Wear Tribal:

If you've been following my blog, you know one of my signature looks is a high-waisted skirt with a plain top, belt, necklace and flats. Following that combination, here is my first tribal outfit. The whole look is based around the fun printed skirt. However, since this outfit is pretty loud (graphic skirt, bib necklace and gladiator sandals) this outfit is for someone who isn't afraid to experiment with the trend

Another hot way to wear tribal for the warmer weather is with shorts. Since busy patterns draw the eye toward them, if you're self conscious of your legs and thighs, this style may not be for you.

If you're really wary of tribal print items but still want to give the trend a try, get some fun tribal-inspired bangles. I love the wooden/gold/muticolored combination in the bracelets below, plus it's an easy way to test out the trend.

So, what are you're feelings on tribal print items? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Going There Series Part 1: Getting There

Although not many of us would consider "getting there" to be half the fun, that's no reason to slack on looks, or not to have some fun along the way!

A majority of people throw on simple jeans and a top for a plane ride, and usually dress down to the point of pajamas when spending the day in a car. So what if you're probably never going to see those exact same flight attendants or McDonald's servers again. Do you honestly want the only image of you they'll ever see of you to be in sweats? You never know who you could meet while traveling, so use it as an excuse to dress comfy-cute!

Air Travel

Although comfort is definitely important when it comes to air travel, the biggest thing to consider should be ease. Shoes should be easy to remove quickly for those trips through security. Do yourself (and the people in line behind you!) a favor by packing the lace up booties and buckle clad gladiators in favor of simple flats or slip on sandals. When picking out your actual clothes, keep in mind your rompers and shorts or pants with lots of buttons may not be the best choice i case you need to make a Nascar speed rush to the bathroom in between flights. No matter what you wear, where you're going, or what season it is, ALWAYS pack a comfy cardigan you can pull out and wear on the plane. I've used mine as a makeshift pillow and micro-blanket in addition to simply wearing it.

For my example outfit I stuck with my typical airplane wear: a jersey dress, cardigan, cute flats, and a fun necklace. To be extra trendy (again, you never know who you might run into at an airport) I added black bike shorts with cute lace trim. Even if you’re not crazy about this trend, pick up a shorter pair that won’t peek out from underneath your dress. That way if a gust of wind blows your dress up when walking across the tarmac you won’t have to spend the whole flight wondering if your neighbor caught sight of your cartoon printed undies. Final suggestion: Don't forget to pack some chapstick (softlips is my favorite) and a teeny-tiny bottle of moisturizer.

Car Travel

With multiple friends and/or family members, long car rides are almost always cramped. Depending on your car-mates' preferences, it may also be really cold and/or warm. Dressing to stay comfy and cute in this type of situation is definitely a challenge, but not impossible!

For my sample outfit I choose a sleeveless jersey maxi dress, which will cover you up in the cold air-conditioning, but also allow you to breathe in warmer environments. I also added a scarf for layering (again, totally multipurpose: think pillow, mini-blanket, and even hair tie in dire circumstances) and comfy sandals. Lastly I choose some fun bangles and a pair of sunglasses to complete the look. Don't forget to stock a big bag with items (iPod, cell phone, markers and paper, etc) you'll use to keep yourself occupied during the journey Hey, you know you feel better when you look better ;)

General Traveling Tips:

1. Make sure to stay hydrated, but at the same time make sure you're not just drinking out of boredom- Nothing's worse than having to maneuver you're way to the back of the plane or asking your driver to stop multiple times.
2. If you'll be driving for a long distance, why not pick a few random and fun quick stops along the way. Think "the world's largest rubber band ball" or something along that line. That way you'll have something fun to look forward to, but you won't be set back more than 20 minutes or so. Having a few fun things to look forward to makes a long trip easier to deal with.
3. Get yourself a few little indulgences, that way you have simple things to be excited about. For example- I usually buy a new magazine and some fun pens and stationary a week or so before I plan on leaving, but I don't allow myself to touch them until I'm on the plane or in the car. Even though they're small, they make you look forward to the actual "getting there" part.
4. Finally, pack a wallet size picture of your destination and write down a few of the activities you're most looking forward to. Having a visual reminder of what you're waiting for makes it all seem a little more worth it :)

Going somewhere this summer? Leave me a comment and let me know your summer plans. Travel safe and have fun everyone... Happy Summer!

Finals Week: Effortless Ideas for Looking Good

Taking finals is many students' worst nightmare, and who can blame them? After working hard for all semester, we get to look forward to a week (or more) in which we have crucial exams in every one of our classes. Despite good preparation, it's almost impossible to prevent extreme lack of sleep. Even though most students rely on casual staples like jeans and t-shirts to get through the last week, it's important to give a good final impression to your professors and classmates.

Although many schools have already finished the dreaded finals week, these outfits are a perfect fit for anytime you need to look cute in a hurry.

Outfit One

The most important thing to consider during a stressful time like finals week is comfort. This outfit consists of comfy classics almost every girl has in her closet: trusty jeans, a loose and flowy T-shirt, and a comfy cardigan. All that's needed to pull this outfit together is a necklace and cute sandals. Add a fun headscarf to help cover greasy roots, and you're set to go!

Outfit Two

This outfit is most similar to what I would wear during a time like finals week. As an easy way to look more put together, I usually don't wear a sash that was made to go with the dress, or skirt, or whatever. Instead I like to pair these items with a contrasting belt and some simple accessories. This outfit was based around the scarf, which ties the red, brown, and blue together. Add a watch to keep yourself on track and you have a cute (and easy) outfit.

Style Spotted- Dawn

So often college students get caught up in homework, social activities, work, etc., and their sense of style seems to get pushed under the door. Although I'm not arguing the fact that school definitely should be students' first priority, it only takes a few extra minutes of preparation to look your best, and we all know that when you look good, you feel good!

Dawn is a freshman Management Marketing double major here at Saint Vincent. While she usually rocks jeans and cute cardigans, she's really stepped up her style lately. Both Dawn's featured outfits are actually very simple, but the cute accents and accessories pull them together.

Campus Casual






What she's wearing
Ruffle Shirt: Charlotte Russe
Cardigan: Charlotte Russe
Flats: Charlotte Russe

For a casual day around campus Dawn put together this girly outfit mainly from Charlotte Russe (It's a great store for trendy students on a budget!) The ruffles and lace are toned down enough for classes with her dependable faded blue jeans and simple flats. I also loved how Dawn embraced her naturally wavy hair instead of trying to change it (not that it doesn't look amazing straight too!) Finally, a classic pearl necklace completes her look.

Inspired by Dawn's campus casual

Dawn by TheClosetFiles featuring Forever21 tops

Items in this set:
Forever21.com - Tops - Casual - 2070840618, $15
H&M Shop Online 29,95 puderrosa
Tendance | Jean bootcut bleu | Pimkie France, 25 EUR
ASOS Leather Cut Out flat Shoes, $26
Love Flower Jewelry Set, $4.80

A Splash of Color

What she's wearing
Dress: Charlotte Russe
Blazer: Sears
Scarf: Marshall's
Flats: Target

Dawn put together this look for a Women in Business club dinner lecture (I was there too! See my post here http://theclosetfiles.blogspot.com/2010/02/just-quick-change.html I love how she paired her black and cream outfit with this awesome purple scarf and adorable flats! Dawn says that she loves this dress because she can wear it in the spring and summer with a little cardigan and cute sandals, but then also wear it with tights and a blazer during the colder months.

Inspired by Dawn

Dawn 2 by TheClosetFiles featuring Monsoon accessories

Items in this set:
Miso Lace 3 Button Dress, 30 GBP
Lace-up Back Boyfriend Blazer, $28
Knit Scarf, $15
40 Denier Tight, 6 GBP
Monsoon Accessorize - Printed Heart Stud Earrings, 4 GBP