Posts tagged crop tops

Taking Festival Fashion to Daily Life

Street style photographers assemble for hours outside of Lincoln Center during Fashion Week in the hopes of capturing the chicest outfits and most inspirational ensembles from the high fashion elite. However, with the rise in popularity of music festivals like Coachella, festival fashion has garnered its own notoriety. Those same street style photographers now crowd the barren desert campgrounds of Palm Springs, photographing hip concertgoers rocking the latest trends.

As a bit of a festival veteran (I, too, paraded around Palm Desert last spring for Coachella and have attended San Francisco’s Outside Lands festival a few times), I must warn you that festival fashion isn’t always the most wearable in day-to-day life. The desert heat and packed amphitheatres make crocheted crop-tops and high-wasted cutoffs seem okay—but that doesn’t really fly in day-to-day life. Here are a few tips so you can still rock those fun festival styles without hitting the desert.

1. Go Wild with PrintsFestival goers love their animal prints! Cheetah print tops, pants and jackets—you name it. Try this trend on the daily by switching up your normal blouse with a cheetah print one. Pair it with simple black pants and a leather jacket—you’ll be rocking festival style without being too outrageous. If you want to be a little more daring, choose a pair of animal printed pants or a wild leopard print jacket.

2. Crop It
I’ve never seen more crop tops than when I was at Coachella. While some of the girls paired their cropped tops with hip-hugging shorts or jeans, I don’t have that confidence. If you’re like me and just want to show a little stomach, try a crop top with a high waisted pair of slacks or a maxi-skirt (another festival staple). Finish off the look with a fun structured jacket or blazer.

3. Heavy Metal

The hardest part about rocking festival trends is that they’re not always appropriate for daily wear. However, the chicest festival goers always had one thing in common—awesome statement jewelry—which can be worn no matter the occasion. This trend is super easy to try and you can tweak it to match your own personal style. I like piling on the silver jewelry: numerous rings on my fingers, a solid silver arm party, and a spiky statement necklace. Make the trend your own by layering your own favorite jewelry pieces—the more the merrier!

~Alyssa, fashioniSTA

(Image credits: garancedore.fr, harpersbazaar.com, refinery29.com, obaz.com, dropdeadgorgeousdaily.com, mydaily.co.uk, studdedhearts.com, freepeople.com)

March Madness: Round 1 Winners

Round 1 was a tough first battle, with our Sweet Sixteen Trends competing against each other to be the top spring trend of 2012. From the celebrity endorsements to the accessibility to women everywhere, these trends broke out the big guns to make it out of the gate. Check out how each game turned out:

1. Top Knots vs. Crop Tops
The Knot trumps the Crop when women everywhere realize that only celebrities and people with personal trainers on speed dial can actually wear crop tops.
2. Peplum vs. Marni for H&M
The hottest silhouette goes up against a designer with a cult following now at lower prices (which is still all relative). It was a pretty dead-heat battle until Peplum whipped out its ability to flatter anyone’s midsection. Game over, Marni.
3. Neons vs. Art Deco jewelry
Right out of the gate the Neons powerhouse slams down Art Deco jewelry’s effort. Even with the backing of Rachel Zoe, since no one has the time to search for Art Deco jewelry – and it hasn’t made it to H&M just yet – it proves to be no match for the rising publicity and street cred that Neons has gained.
4. Day clutches vs. Shorts/Menswear
The nighttime-gone-day accessory (Day clutches) goes up against the daytime-gone-night trend (Shorts/Menswear). This is a decent competition, what with celebrity endorsements on both sides. Ultimately, Day Clutches squeak by as a winner as soon as we (as in all womenkind) realized that our legs weren’t quite shorts-ready just yet.
5. Celebrity nail polish lines vs. Jennifer Lawrence
Yes, Celebrity nail polish lines have the backing of The Hunger Games and Nicki Minaj, but adding the over-exposed Kardashians to the mix makes this trend just a little more annoying. And with Jennifer Lawrence’s runway choices for her red carpet premieres and her growing superstardom, the girl on fire reigns supreme.
6. Hi-low hemlines vs. Pleats
A great battle with a deadlock outcome. These truly brilliant competitors form an alliance to create a superpower spring trend – Pleated Hi-Low skirts and dresses. Now they’ve set their sights on knocking out Peplum to form an alliance with Neons.
7. Mint vs. Mixing & Matching
The starring pastel of the spring (Mint) against a trend that stylized breaking major fashion rules (Mixing & Matching) was a tough battle from the start. But the infiltration of downtown divas throughout the world has made Mixing & Matching a new style art, which left Mint in the dust.
8. Fashion Star vs. Graphic prints
Graphic prints hit the runway with legitimate backers, such as Milly and Erdem, and a solid cause to modernize the classic spring floral. However, the star power and accessibility of a television show proved too powerful by helping three retailers sell out (within hours) new items by no-name designers. That’s the definition of winning.

Stay tuned to see who wins the round 2 match-up!

March Madness: Spring Trends

It’s March Madness time again, but why does basketball get to have all the fun? This year we’re turning our attention to spring 2012 trends, and pitting them against each other in our ultimate style challenge. Each week we’ll bring you the rundown from the fashion competition, as we start the games with 16 major spring players. Stay tuned as the competition unfolds, it’s going to get cutthroat.

May the odds be ever in your favor!

Meet the Sweet 16

1. Neons
Likened to a “Career Trend,” it has a hidden superpower to turn into colorblocking at a moment’s notice.

Celebrity Nail Polish Lines
The latest in noteworthy nails is the influx of celebrity-based lines. In its corner is the Kardashians for Nicole by OPI, Nicki Minaj for OPI and the Hunger Games Capitol Couture for China Glaze. If nothing else, at least the Hunger Games knows how to fight.

3. Mixing & matching
You can mix prints, you can mix metals, you can colorblock by mixing solids. A solid competitor with a driving street style force behind it.

4. Crop tops
A former superstar in the ‘90s with a taste for 21st century vengeance.

5. Hi-low hemlines
New to the style game (unless you liken this to a mullet hemline…which we don’t), but it’s taking the street style world by force.

6. NBC’s Fashion Star
In its corner is a singer/designer, a model/designer, a reality star(?)/designer and a real designer. Let’s just say it’s got a lot of designing power behind it.

7. Top knots
A hairdo that has the ability to go messy or sleek, a key attribute when worn by a woman who has to look good with limited time. Which is every woman.

8. Day clutches
Another switch-hitter that has come into the running. With its larger size and diverse details, this opponent has a killer A-game.

9. Marni for H&M
A designer with a cult following. A store with a universal following. The combination will prove very hard to beat.

10. Peplum
This daring competitor has brought women everywhere a way to disguise their midsections and hips. Opponents beware.

11. Graphic prints
A new superpower has risen from basic pastel florals and springtime prints. Has the backing of designers like Altuzarra and Prabal Gurung.

12. Jennifer Lawrence
The one who took on Katniss Everdeen is out to prove she’s a style star as well.

13. Shorts/Menswear
What used to be reserved for casual wear has taken a daring turn into the formal arena. Has a leg-up with special reinforcements like tuxedo details, satin finish and a full-leather armor.

14. Mint
Saturated pastels are big this spring, and mint is definitely their all-star.

15. Pleats
This multi-faceted competitor that can go long or short when needed

16. Art Deco Jewelry
Sharp, angular designs make this competitor almost deadly, and it has additional strength when stacked.

Rank your favorites with our blank bracket below, and let us know what trend you want to reign supreme on our Facebook www.facebook.com/staconsignment.