Posts tagged Spring
Rock Spring’s Hottest Colors…On Your Nails
Apr 4th
I have a confession to make: I’m obsessed with nail polish. I’m not joking when I say I have at least 50 bottles. I spend more time perusing the nail polish aisle of CVS and Sephora than any normal person should. I don’t know why or how this obsession started, but there’s no stopping it. And, just like clothes, nail polish colors go in and out of style, meaning I’m always looking for the newest hue to paint on my fingers and toes.
When the weather gets nicer, we discard our harsh black winter coats and thick gray sweaters for lighter, sunnier clothes. Nail polishes are no different. If you’re not afraid of a little color, this season is the time to go for it! Pastel nail colors are a great way to transition from winter to spring without worrying about your nails looking too bright. My favorite pastel colors are mint green and lilac, but if wearing nontraditional nail colors isn’t work-appropriate, pale pink is just as lovely. Want your fingers and toes to stand out a little more? Orange is one of this season’s hottest colors, and looks fantastic on the nails. If you’re even more daring, give a neon manicure a try. Neon colors are one of spring’s biggest fashion trends, and automatically add a pop to any outfit (remember my earlier post about all-white monochrome? Imagine that with a hot pink manicure—awesome!).
Not so much into highlighter or Easter egg-colored nails? Spring nail polish trends don’t just stop there. Nude polishes are just as trendy, and add an air of sophistication to any manicure; plus, they make fingers look longer and slimmer (and you don’t have to worry about clashing with your outfit!).
Whether you choose to rock a color or keep it chic and simple in a neutral shade, make sure your nails are just as ready for spring as you are!
~Alyssa, fashioniSTA
(Image credits: http://fashion-ocd.tumblr.com/, obaz.com, flare.com, pinterest.com, sarahpatricia.com.au)
Trend Report: Sheer Genius
Mar 28th
As we start to say goodbye to the snow (seriously, snow, it’s time for you to melt already) and hello to the sunshine, we also will bid adieu to our sweaters and embrace new, lighter clothing trends—in particular, sheer clothing. This spring, sheer is absolutely everywhere, from skirts, to dresses to blouses. Sure, the trend may seem a little daunting and risqué, but when worn correctly, sheer can be classy and cute for any occasion—from a night out to the office.
Wearing sheer in the workplace may first strike you as a little inappropriate, and in some cases, that’s true. For most working women, wearing a sheer blouse with nothing but a bra underneath it is definitely not fit for an office environment. However, that doesn’t mean that we should write it off entirely. There are still many ways to rock spring sheer without getting disapproving side-glances from your coworkers. The biggest tip to wearing a sheer blouse in the office is layering. Try a sheer button down blouse in a pastel color (I love pale pink or baby blue) and then layer an oversized boyfriend blazer on top. The blazer will cover up the more risqué parts, but will still show off the sheer material underneath. Finish the look with a pair of cropped pants and a nude pump. Going out after work? Just take trade the blazer for a leather jacket and you’ll have the perfect outfit for post-work cocktails. Think you’ll get a little too toasty under the blazer? Don a cute nude or cream colored cami underneath your blouse—the cami will allow you to show off your gorgeous sheer blouse without showing too much skin.
Rocking a sheer ensemble for the evening allows for a little more versatility. Without workplace restraints, don’t be afraid to wear a sheer blouse with a flirty lace bra or a fun bandeau underneath! Still a little nervous about sheer, even at night? Don’t just limit yourself to tops—dresses are also a great way to sport the sheer trend. Try a cocktail dress that has a sheer neckline and sleeves—you can show off your arms without revealing too much. If you’re a little more adventurous, bring attention to your legs in a sheer maxi skirt with a short slip underneath. The short slip will add an opaque contrast to the skirt without fully covering your legs completely as most maxi skirts do.
The next time you spot a sheer top in your favorite pastel color, don’t let the thin fabric deter you! You can still rock this hot spring trend for absolutely any occasion.
~Alyssa, fashioniSTA
(Image credits: vanessajackman.blogspot.com, shopdailychic.com, neimanmarcus.com, tinacious.me, asos.com)
3 Essentials for a Sunny Spring Vacation
Mar 20th
Spring Break is one of the most anticipated times of the year: for those of us who are lucky enough to take the time off, we get to escape our busy lives for a few days of rest and relaxation. While some like to travel to snowy ski destinations, I prefer the sun and the beach. The only difficult part? Packing for warm weather when the temperature at home is still hovering around a crisp 32°. But have no fear! After having gone through the difficult packing process myself, I’ve compiled a list of the top 3 beach essentials not to be forgotten when you go on your spring break getaway.
1. Wide-brimmed hat
For both the fair skinned and those who turn that perfect shade of golden brown, a wide-brimmed hat is absolutely necessary for any sunny destination. Not only do hats protect your face from harmful UV-rays (and premature aging—yikes!), they are also effortlessly chic. An image of Grace Kelly tanning on a beach in Monaco in To Catch a Thief instantly comes to mind with this accessory; if that’s not beach fashion inspiration, I don’t know what is.
2. Wedges
If you’re like me, in October, you dutifully put your best summer wedges in the back of your closet and traded them for booties. Well, it’s time to bring them out again! A great pair of wedges is honestly the only heel you need on Spring Break (and this is coming from someone who normally packs four pairs of stilettos for a weekend trip). Wedges are fun, comfortable and versatile and scream warm weather and summer. This is also a great way to try out the latest trends, don’t be afraid to mix a colorblock wedge with a patterned outfit!
3. Neon
I’ve always been a bit iffy about neon—it brings back not so great memories of the orange and hot pink Espirit outfits that my parents would buy for me in the 90s—but this season, it’s making a comeback. Spring Break is the perfect time to experiment with this new color trend (and neon looks great with a tan!). Whether you choose a highlighter green bikini or a hot pink asymmetrical dress, you’ll stand out in the crowd when you rock some neon on Spring Break.
~Alyssa, fashioniSTA
(Image credits: everythingbutwater.com, dvf.com, stylecaster.com, musingsinfemininity.tumblr.com/, lspace.com, harpersbazaar.com)
Trend Obsession: Monochrome Moment, Part 2
Mar 14th
Last week, we focused on monochrome looks in their most classic form: black and white. Dressing in just one color can be daunting, so starting with all-black or all-white ensembles is a great way to experiment with the monochrome trend. But now that we’re a little more comfortable with the look, why should we just limit ourselves to black and white? As we enter into spring, we want our outfits to reflect our sunnier moods—that means color, and lots of it!
Once you’ve mastered black and white, try out a monochrome look in one of spring’s hottest colors; my favorites are emerald, blue-green, or orange, but don’t be afraid to try something new! The most important part of putting together a colorful monochrome look is to wear the color in a variety of tones—make sure your look isn’t matchy-matchy and stay away from choosing all pieces that are too similar in shade.
For a casual day-to-day look, choose one piece of clothing in a bright color and build the rest of your outfit around it. Try pairing a pale blue silk blouse with a pair of electric blue pants and accessorize with a navy blazer or a patterned blue scarf. Choosing a suit in a bright color (as seen above) is an even bolder way to try this trend, just make sure your accessories and other components aren’t the identical shade as the suit. To transition the outfit to evening, add a brightly colored clutch or a vibrant pair of blue pumps to your ensemble. Color-coordinating your accessories to your outfit is an absolute must with this trend.
The key to wearing colorful monochrome is not being afraid to experiment; just because you’re limited to one color doesn’t mean you can’t play around with different shades and patterns! Step into spring in a fun, colorful monochrome look-you’ll be sure to stand out!
~Alyssa, fashioniSTA
(Image credits for collage: www.nyanzi.com, carolinesmode.com, www.asos.com)
Make Your Prom (or Any Special Event) Red Carpet Worthy
Mar 12th
Spring is right around the corner (according to the calendar), which means that prom season is upon every high school fashionista. Instead of blending in with every black dress that hits the dance floor, assert your style stardom by taking a cue from this year’s red carpets. This year’s trends range from pastel hues to gold embellishments, so choose a trend and dive right in!
1. Bejeweled Beauties
Another hot red carpet trend has been unexpected accessory sparkle. From backwards necklaces (hello, Jennifer Lawrence at the Oscars) to embellished brooches styled as hair clips, claim your style star status by styling your jewelry in unconventional ways. You can also kick this trend up a notch by using colored gemstones, or by doing a larger statement piece. Grab a statement necklace – like these – and finish it off with a smaller hair jewel or an oversized cocktail ring.
2. Lighten Up
If you watched any of the Oscars red carpet coverage, then you saw the endless parade of pale-hued gowns that graced the event. Trying out a pale pink, blue or gray dress is very on-trend and it is also a classic color palette that won’t embarrass you later. You also don’t need to be afraid to embrace white, you can easily pull off the trend by going with a sleek silhouette instead of something tulle-enhanced to avoid looking bridal.
3. Go Bold for Gold
Last year was all about the neon, but this year has been focused on embellishments and gold accents. Whether you’re comfortable going for gold like Kate Hudson at the Golden Globes, or you like the whole pseudo-lamé thing like Jennifer Lawrence at the premiere of The Hunger Games, this is definitely a trend for the bold. To try it subtly, go with a large, gold statement necklace, or belt a black gown with a high-shine gold belt. Don’t forget the gold-embellished clutch!
4. Matching Colorblocking
If you’re looking to go with a bright color, pair your accessories accordingly. Not only is colorblocking still a huge trend - read: a bright pink dress with a yellow or blue clutch - Another great red carpet look is matching your shoes/bag to your dress, or choosing a close shade and playing off the monochromatic look. To take on this trend with an unexpected silhouette, go with a t-shirt-inspired sleeve – like that on Nina Dobrev at the SAG Awards or Niki Reed at the Golden Globes after-party. This unexpected silhouette is strikingly modern without being too trendy.
5. Softer Shades on Your Face
Stark makeup has had its moment, but it was refreshing to see a more ethereal look on many of the red carpet stars this year. From Amanda Seyfried at the Oscars to Nicole Richie at the Golden Globes, pastel hues were a huge hit with young Hollywood. Plus, while bold makeup shades can make you look older, no one wants to look washed-up at their own prom.
Want to get the inside scoop on this year’s prom must-haves? Join us at our Haddonfield, NJ store on March 16th from 12pm – 6pm for our exclusive prom event! You can bring in your unwanted gowns and consign them, browse our first selection of prom dresses, snack on sweets, enter our giveaway for a $50 gift card, plus watch hair and makeup demos from two stylists with the Verde Salon in Collingswood. See you there!
Photo credit: JustJared.com; PopSugar.com; FashionMagazine.com
Why a Consign & Buy is STA’s Best Promotion
Mar 6th
We all love a good promotion (who doesn’t like getting an extra discount or added perk?), but there are certain ones that really break the mold. For us, it’s the Consign & Buy, easily our favorite STA initiative, and it’s not just because everyone gets a 50/50 split (10% more than usual). Whether you’re a shopper or consignor, this is the promotion that beats them all. Allow us to break it down for you…
1. It makes spring cleaning about 1000 times easier. Have you looked at your closet lately? Yeah, we know, it’s scary (don’t worry, we’re in the same boat). It can be daunting enough to rifle through your wardrobe, nevermind think ahead to making a consignment appointment. With this promotion, you don’t need an appointment! You can just put your items in a bag and drop them off at any STA store on your way to brunch or dinner. (Can you tell we like to eat?)
2. You get extra STA credit that you can use on the items you want, and it’s easier than you think. Unless you go years without cleaning out your closet, you might think that you don’t have enough to maximize your extra STA credit. Most people don’t think to look at their accessories when cleaning out their closets, but bringing in jewelry, sunglasses and other small accessories is a great way to capitalize on the credit.
3. Tons of new product, enough said. A Consign & Buy makes it so easy to consign your items, the amount of new merchandise that goes on display is incredible. Plus if you’ve taken advantage of the consigning part of this promotion, you can shop these new goodies using your extra STA credit!
4. No wondering about your drop-off. With a Consign & Buy, a store associate will immediately evaluate your items, so you know right away what has been accepted and you can take any unaccepted items home with you. You get the best of both worlds with this promotion, you don’t have to make an appointment, but you get all of the benefits of one.
What are you waiting for?! Get yourself to any Second Time Around store from Thursday, March 7th - Sunday, March 10th to get in on the best promotion around!
Trend Obsession: Monochrome Moment, Part 1
Feb 28th
Fashion is all about self-expression, so when black and white monochrome looks became popular, I was a bit hesitant to participate. How can you fully express your fashion sense without the use of color? However, after seeing this trend on nearly every runway, I decided it was worth a shot—and now I’m obsessed!
One of the great things about this trend is that most of us have a bunch of separate black and white pieces in our closets. Because you’re only dressing in black and white, it is actually a fairly easy trend to construct from any wardrobe, as long as you know how. For a subtler look for the office or during the day, play around with contrasting separates in a more unconventional way. Instead of donning the traditional black pants/white top look, try a pair of white pants and pair them with a black cashmere sweater or silk top. Since the look is simplistic in color, you can get away with incorporating more organic detail, whether it’s adding a belt or layering two embellished pieces in the same hue.
If you’re a little more daring, try wearing an ensemble of all white—the color is perfect for transitioning into spring and actually helps to create a slimming silhouette. And with winter white popping up everywhere, you no longer have to wait until Memorial Day to break it out.
If you want to rock monochrome in the evening, play around with black and white patterns; throw on a polka dotted blazer or a pair of striped pants and accessorize with a black and white color blocked bag. If you’re super daring, experiment with—gasp!—mixing different black and white patterns in one outfit. Mixing black and white prints is an easy way to try out the contrasting prints trend, giving you two trends in one!
Monochromatic black and white is absolutely everywhere this season, from the runways to the magazines. The trend is fun, flattering and easy, so don’t be afraid to give it a shot! Stay tuned as we show you how to work with other hues for a monochromatic look!
~Alyssa, fashioniSTA
(Image credits for collage: Style.com, Refinery29.com, Harpersbazaar.com)
Get the Look: Spring 2013
Feb 22nd
The snow is melting (for now) and the flowers are blooming…spring is officially upon us! And in the fashion world this means, pastels, floral prints, bold neons, and skirts sans tights. This spring, with trends coming from every angle - from super masculine to extra feminine - opposites really do attract!
Stripes are always a must come springtime, but this year say goodbye to nautical themed stripes and hello to the big and the bold. Wide, statement-making stripes can be found on everything from leggings to bathing suits. Try subtlety mixing this pattern into your current wardrobe by pairing a striped tee with a boyfriend blazer and cropped pants. Or if you’re the more fashion forward type, fully embrace the look and go for stripes on stripes. Go for the runway-popular black and white look paired with a sharp red lip for an instant ensemble.
To put even more of a masculine edge in your closet, this season is all about the suit gone short. Mixing up your nighttime ensemble has never been easier thanks to suits that incorporate shorts rather than pants. Ease into this trend by donning the shorts by day and adding the matching jacket for a night out.
If you gravitate towards more feminine trends, then spring is your time to shine. With warmer weather approaching, sheer details and cutouts are back. A great way of showing a little skin without being too revealing, try sheer sleeves for daytime and sheer panels for night. To take it to the next level, go with intricate cutouts on a skirt or a dress, a trend that popped up consistently during NYFW.
To embrace the feminine side of spring, in a more unexpected way than florals, try out the ruffle trend that swept the runways. From skirts to necklines, ruffles and origami-like folds are adding new dimension to any outfit this season. If you happen to like non-sparkly embellishments, this is a fresh take on adding a little extra to your ensemble.
Whether you’re all about raiding your boyfriend’s closet or stick strictly to girly shapes, there’s something for everyone this season. Remember, spring is the time to try new trends and embrace what works for your style!
May Flowers: 4 Favorite Bloggers Wearing Florals 4 Different Ways
May 29th
Now that April showers are long gone (we hope!) and May is in full bloom, we are looking to some of our favorite fashion bloggers to see how they are wearing florals this spring. Check out our picks for our favorite springtime inspiration, there’s something for every style!
As the warm weather kicks in each year, floral prints are always on trend. This year, the pretty print popped up all over the place, including a huge trend this spring, the floral pant. Blair Eadie of Atlantic-Pacific shows us how she styled her Topshop pants by boldly mixing them with an animal print blouse, a neutral Céline bag (which of course goes with anything!), and simple black pumps. If you’re feeling daring, try mixing prints like Blair. Opt for a muted, neutral hue since your pants will be making the statement.
Jessica Quirk of What I Wore shows us an effortless look of a floral dress paired simply with a skinny belt and wedges. This is a perfect option for the workplace (just add a cardigan or blazer) or for a daytime weekend event with girlfriends or family. Add a leather jacket or blazer and this look can easily take you from day to night! Julie Sarinana of Sincerely, Jules also shows us a floral dress, but this time, she’s taking it to the max in a long sexy maxi dress with an oh-so-high slit up the side. She pairs the dress with a pair of rugged boots and slouchy bag for a bohemian-chic look. Swap out the boots and bag for a pair of pumps and structured clutch and you’ve got a perfect look for a fancy night out.
Lastly, Aimee Song of Song of Style wears a floral blazer, which in my opinion, goes with almost anything. She styles the blooming blazer with a neutral strapless dress, but pair this pretty topper with anything from shorts and a sequin tank, to jeans and a white tee, to a sexy bodycon dress and you’ll find it to be one of the most versatile pieces in your wardrobe this spring!
All of these fabulous floral looks will take you from spring all the way through summer, and will have you looking pretty, feminine and chic all season long! Let us know your favorite ways to wear florals on Facebook or Twitter!
~Lisa, fashioniSTA
You’re Invited…Newton Centre Grand Opening Party!
May 1st
Join us on Thursday, May 3rd from 5pm - 8pm to celebrate the grand opening of our new store in Newton Centre!
Enjoy an additional 20% off your purchase while you sip champagne and browse our new spring/summer arrivals. This is the perfect opportunity to stock up for the warmer weather and meet your new neighbors, while enjoying refreshments from local sponsors!
Second Time Around
67 Union Street
Newton Centre, MA 02459
617-630-1700
www.secondtimearound.net
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