Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Fall Essentials 2014 list

This season's most notable trends


Hello, my wonderful little readers! As a result of multiple requests and fall rolling along beautifully, I see it fit to bring to the surface my list of must-have items for the most popular trends of 2014. Most of these items I own personally, but some I don't. Although I don't currently own some of them, I plan to collect an item from each of the listed trends by the end of fall, cash flow or not. Regardless, I saw them as important to mention, because even though I may not personally own some of the items, someone reading this might own them and not realize/ not be 100% sure how to style them. So without further ado, here is my list for this current fall's most trendy items!





Pants: Printed, Boyfriend, Slouchy, High-Waisted




  Printed:
Printed pants are one of my personal favorite trends from this fall. These pants pair up perfectly with basic solid colored tops, as well as any denim/leather jacket layered over the top. I also like that they reverse the traditional idea of a plain jean with a decorative top, because the decoration on the bottom is more unexpected and inherently trendy.















Boyfriend:
Boyfriend jeans started to become trendy around the end of summer, but now that fall is in full bloom this trend has not only stayed, but also increased in popularity. They are perfect for giving an effortless look, and look best belted with a slouchy T-shirt/button-up tucked in the front overtop and ankle booties on the bottom [in my personal opinion. Another thing I like about them is you could add heels to give the outfit a more effortless and poised look without appearing too over-dressed, and that makes these jeans very functional and unique!










Slouchy:
I do not personally own this item, but I've seen it all over the big fashion websites I draw my inspiration from (DollsKill, Urban Outfitters, Free People). Since I don't own them I haven't had time to actually experiment with them, but I think they look really great how they're styled in this picture. These pants are tough because if you dress them down too much they look like sweats, and dress them up too much and they look out of place. I would probably style them almost identical to this photo; floppy hat, a pair the pants with a basic shirt (something made of cotton or a similar fabric that is light and plain), throw over a statement jacket (which I would recommend would be kept structured, like a typical leather/denim/polyester) to keep the outfit from looking too comfortable and pajama-like, and throw a pair of flats on your feet. If I wanted to go for a more garnished look, I'd add a T-shirt with a design (graphic/stripes/polka dots, etc) and throw on a pair of loafers or ankle booties to dress this outfit up a little more. 



High-Waisted: 
With crop tops being such a hot summer trend, and now the trend continuing into the winter with cropped sweaters, I see high-waisted jeans as an absolute must. Some people don't like them because they think it gives them a "mom ass" (mom ass- the phenomena referring to when high-waisted jeans fit someone improperly, normally to baggy, and it makes their ass look like a 40 year old mom's ass in a pair of loose fitting jeans in the 90's), but I think they're more flattering that people give them credit to be; they're tight like skinny jeans around your legs and butt (and I actually think they make your butt look better), and they cover and flatten your gut like no other pair of pants. These jeans look best when paired with a cropped shirt, but they can really be paired with anything.










Socks: Ankle, Sheer, Over the Knee:



Ankle: 
I really like ankle socks that fold down like this because I think it makes them look so cutesy and dainty, especially with the lace. These socks can be paired with almost anything, but they look best when paired with a skirt, dress, or boyfriend jeans if you're wearing them with pants.





 Sheer: 
I absolutely love this trend, but these socks can be tricky. What I mean by tricky is they can make an outfit slutty really easily, and they can also rip easily since they're similar to stockings. What I would recommend would be to wear them only occasionally (or else they just straight up will rip and get destroyed), and also to dress up your outfit more to balance the attention. These socks get paired with shorts, skirts, and dresses, and they fact that they're so high makes all the attention go to your legs. This can be good because it accentuates them and makes them look longer and sexy, but left as a plain black dress paired with these and whatever kind of shoes makes it a little too sexy. To prevent that you can add some layers (throw a sweater/jacket/flannel) on, accessorize a little.
Over The Knee:
I see Over the Knee socks as being a great alternative to stockings. These socks paired under a dress or skirt give it a very warm, cozy, and casual touch. I think these socks would look best with either a printed dress, or a plain dress with some layers. I also think that a pair of Mary Jane shoes would look so cute with these, so if you have 'em don't even hesitate two combine the two!














Stockings: 

Actual Garter Belt with Thigh Highs, Garter Belt Illusion Stockings, Back Seam:
There isn't much of a need to write a description next to each picture, and thats because they all should be styled in similar ways: with a basic colored dress, a basic colored skirt with a sweater over top, a long dress-length sweater or T-shirt dress, things of that nature. You need to pair specialty stockings like these with basic solid colored items because too much extra design or layers makes it look like way too much going on. Also, wear sparingly or else they will rip, and once they rip they aren't as cheap to replace as regular stockings.












































Ankle Booties:

These shoes are so hot this fall it's unreal, and they are popular by no mistake. Just look at them... they're absolutely adorable! I love the style of all 3 photos shown below, but my favorite ankle booties are my Jeffrey Campbell Everly cutout booties. The fact that the booties stop at the ankle makes them appear like a more structured/tough version of a boot to me. They also have nice little details, like buckles and studs, that give them added detail and flair without making them compete with the outfit. You can wear these with every article of clothing, and with any color/print/fabric as well. The possibilities with these shoes are virtually endless! Easily one of my favorite trends.

























High-Waisted Lingerie:

High-waisted jeans aren't the only just-below-the-naval trend this fall; high-waisted lingerie is really hitting stores and sites all over the place with great force. I know what some of you are thinking: "There's no way that high-waisted lingerie can be sexy". However, I hope the pictures below help change your cynical mind a little. I think high waisted lingerie is really sexy; it gives off a retro/pin-up kind of style vibe (style vibe: like giving off a "good" or "bad" vibe, but the vibe you give off is linked to a certain style/ ex. these bottoms give off a retro vibe), it sucks your gut in, and it makes you look curvier in the right spots since it comes up right by your waist. This illusion is especially vital for prepubescent looking girls like myself, since my non-curves are almost always virtually nonexistent. I own a set similar to the photo, but in all black, and take my word for it: this is some of the most flattering lingerie out right now.
**disclaimer: these doesn't give you "mom ass" either, just like the jeans don't!















Straps: Strappy Bra, Strappy Shirt, Shirt for the Strappy Bra:


 Strappy bra: 
I have this bra, and I absolutely love it. I think this strappy trend is so cool and clever, and I'm so glad it became more trendy because that means more options. The bra straps form a shape out of your skin, and it allows you to show more skin than a regular bra, even though it doesn't appear that way. It the cutouts and straps also make your boobs look a lot bigger/nicer (or at least that's the case for flat girls like me). This is just such a sexy bra, I hope whoever created it got a bonus or something cool, because they deserve it.
Strappy Shirt:
I said it about the strappy bra and I'll say it again in reference to the strappy shirt: what a clever idea. The straps really add such subtle detail by creating shapes out of your skin, and it also adds detail without adding too much design or flair. This shirt you could really throw over anything since its just a black shirt with black straps, but the straps give that added pizzazz to enhance the overall look and make it more chic.
Shirt for the Strappy Bra:
I haven't been able to find these kinds of shirts in stores, but they must exist because I see them all over everyone else. This photo was from the Urban website, so I'm assuming thats where everyones been getting them.. but I digress. Anyway, I think this shirt is perfect for the bra, because it comes down low enough and opens up enough for the bra to peek though, but it doesn't look the least bit slutty in my opinion. Bras are normally meant for under clothing, only to be seen by whoever is about to be taking it off of you, but with a bra this clever and sexy the whole world deserves to see just how cool it is.










Sweater Coats, Long Cardigans, Long Blazers:

Keep warm in style! I'm a huge fan of each of the three styles, and put over the same outfit they would all give off a very different style vibe. Lets take one outfit to use as an example: black high-waisted jeans, a white T-shirt, and ankle booties. If you throw over a sweater coat, it gives the outfit a comfortable but still structured and put-together feel. Add the long blazer and it gives you a very polished look, like a chic, professional, and well-established woman (only downside is the cost- my bank account and heart both shed a tear). And then theres the long cardigan, which is the most casual of the three, and it works well as an extra layer to throw on (either to keep warm or to layer up in style).
















































Cropped Sweater:

With the crop top being such a popular trend this summer, its no wonder that it would continue into the fall in sweater form. It seems like almost every sweater I come across is cropped this fall. Oddly enough,  this is one of the only trends that I don't actually think I would wear as styled below. In the summer its cool to have your belly out because it's hot so who cares, but in the fall/winter you're gonna be very sorry if you're outside with your belly out in 60/50 degree weather. I personally own a cropped sweater, one that I've actually had for years now, and my favorite way to wear it has always been overtop of a Bodycon dress. Another way I like to wear mine is over high-waisted jeans, that way I can have a more casual look but still be warm.











































Slouchy Button-Up:

This is another item that I don't own yet, but I like it so much that I'm determined to get my hands on one for the fall. These shirts are the perfect mixture of casual and structure, and they look super comfortable. You could wear this shirt tucked in, but I think it looks best as it's styled in the picture: un-tucked and over pants. This shirt would also be great over a pair of leggings, because it would cover your butt (which is something most people that wear leggings forget is important/ leggings aren't pants) and it would let you be really cozy while making you appear that you've put more thought into getting dressed up than you actually did.
























Kimono:

Kimonos are another trend that started being popular in the spring/summer, and they have continued to stick around for the fall. I love how decorative they are, and they are the perfect accessory for any bohemian look. Kimonos look best when added to an outfit made up of basic colors, and that's because they are such a statement piece. Adding a kimono to an outfit that already has heavy designing on it could cause the prints to clash, so its best to keep the kimono as the most decorated item.
side note: Kimonos are a little difficult to fit under a jacket, so I recommend getting the most wear out of them now while a jacket isn't required to go out.






















Shirt Dress:

I love this trend because of how simple it is: get a regular basic shirt, add some length, and there you go! The shirt dress is born. It also has a really nice fit because since the top half is made like a regular shirt it fits really well, and then the bottom is nice, plain, and long enough to cover the goods. There is endless possibilities for how to style this trend because of how basic it is; it can be thrown on over almost anything, put whatever you'd like on top for layering since its plain, etc.























Floppy Hat:

And last but certainly not least, my absolute favorite trend this fall, the floppy hat! I never thought of myself as a hat person; beanies never slouched on my head right, baseball caps look ridiculous on me, and knit hats make me look like a scumbag. However, once I throw on my floppy hat I am absolutely on top of the world. These hats look good on everyone, whether your hair is long or short, your head is big or small, or whether you're dressed up or going with basics. I just can't express my love for this hat enough, I wear it almost everyday. Easily one of my favorite things I've ever bought, and I recommend everyone go out and buy one right now because you will not be disappointed!





Fall Trends 2014

Side note: if there is a trend that I missed that you'd like to see on here/ need help concerning how to style it, just contact me and I'll totally make something happen for you.

Sources: various photos from the following sources:
Urban Outfitters

Xoxo,
Liza Jane

Sunday, September 28, 2014

#OOTD vs. #OOTN

same dress, different style


dress: Forever 21
socks: Urban Outfitters
bow: Urban Outfitters
shoes: Jeffrey Campbell
watch: Fossil
necklace: Michal Negrin
  
dress: Forever 21
jacket: Free People
hat: Urban Outfitters
shoes: Ariat
necklace: vintage find
                                                        Who says you can't wear the same thing twice? The "thing" that is being repeated is my Cooperative Scalloped Bodycon dress in black from Urban Outfitters with stockings, and with very subtle changes it is given a completely different style. 

My #OOTD, or Outfit Of The Day for those who aren't super familiar with the hashtag, is a classy little number I put together for school. It might seem weird dressing this fancy just to walk around from class to class, but I like to tell myself that you never know who you'll see when you're there to keep my confidence from wavering.

 The idea behind putting this look together went as follows: I woke up around 9:50, by which point I should have been showered, made up, and putting the finishing touches of my outfit together before going downstairs and getting breakfast. Since that obviously wasn't happening as planned, and I didn't have time to wash my hair, I threw it up in a bun that miraculously looked incredible (no bumps, no poking out hairs, no bobby pins needed). Since my bun actually worked out I decided to go for the bow, because who knows when the next time the universe will decide to throw me a perfect bun is gonna be. Since my hair had a little extra flair added to it, I thought the outfit should be kept relatively simple. Also related to my hair, I decided that my hair being on point deserved celebration in the form of an especially cute outfit. I grabbed my dress, my stockings, and my beautiful Jeffrey Campbell Everly cut-out ankle booties and got dressed as fast as possible. I didn't want the jewelry to compete with the hair either, so I kept that pretty simple too. The earrings are beaded dream catchers, which I thought would add some nice detail to the all-solid-black outfit. The Michal Negrin necklace shape and length complimented the dress's neckline, and the Fossil watch matched the rose-gold mirrors on the back of my shoes. At around 10:25 my #OOTD was born, and I could not have been happier with how chic it turned out!
side note: I kept the makeup simple, mainly because by the time my outfit had come together it was time to shove a granola bar down my throat and get going. However, I'm glad that I kept it simple in the end, because it added to the overall clean and polished look of the outfit. 

Now onto the #OOTN, my outfit of the night. My plans for the night were to meet up with my best friend Sabrina and go up to Drexel (where she goes to college) to party. This was also the first time I was meeting her friends, and I definitely wanted to make a good impression. What better way to make a great impression than with great style? 
This look came together one piece at a time. I decided my #OOTD looked too polished and poised to be meeting Sabrina's friends, 1. because it looked too put together (even though it ironically wasn't) and 2. I didn't want that to make them think I was trying to impress them (which I obviously totally was, but they're not supposed to be able to tell). It was adorable don't get me wrong, but I wanted my outfit to embody a different, more relaxed and effortless style. I did want to keep the dress though. So I took out the bow, washed my hair, and let it air-dry before throwing my new floppy hat on. I also figured it was going to be cold outside, and I'm absolutely the type to get cold very easily, so I needed a jacket. My Free People military-esque jacket was the winning jacket, and let me tell you this jacket is no stranger to being the chosen one. I got this jacket a couple years ago, and I fell in love with how it felt like a cardigan yet looked like a jacket. You know how everyone has that one item that is their go to item, like a nice pair of pants or a cool moto jacket? This is my item. Anyway, after adding some color to my outfit I decided on the cowboy boots. These boots are actually a really dark brown with a spot of light brown, so wearing them with an all black outfit just doesn't look right. However, the earthy green color of the jacket with it's brown buttons allowed the boots to blend in wonderfully. The necklace is made up of a bunch of dark, square-shaped, glass beads, and they served the same purpose as my earrings did in my #OOTD, which was to add a tiny bit of detail to an outfit of solid colors. The necklace was the only jewelry I used (earrings wouldn't be visible under the hat, and a watch wouldn't be visible under the jacket sleeve), and I kept the makeup simple again to go with the effortless look I was going for. 
side note: This outfit was a hit, and I was getting asked left and right if I model for free people (which inflated my ego by about 100000% since that would be an absolute dream). One of the reasons this outfit worked so well was because of how balanced it was. The black hat went with the black dress, and the Free people jacket went with the cowboy boots. Had the jacket or the shoes been black instead, the outfit would not have been as aesthetically pleasing.

Overall, both outfits turned out beautifully. I gave a little black dress a poised and polished feel by day, and an effortless and bohemian feel by night. Being able to restyle an article of clothing not only means you'll get more wear out of it, but also you can give the illusion that you have more clothes than you actually do. In addition, it helps you give off the impression that you never wear the same thing twice, because it turns into multiple different outfits. If I were to wear my #OOTD outfit twice in one week, I would be outfit repeating (outfit repeating- wearing the same outfit more than once in a short period of time, thus making you appear like you couldn't think up a good outfit so you just repeated a used one). However, by tweaking little things about it, like changing my hair accessories and adding a jacket, most people don't even realize its the same dress. 
                    

                                                   Xoxo,
                                                                  Liza Jane




My very first blog post!

Anna Szczekutowicz Photography
Anna Szczekutowicz Photography
Morgan Sloan Photography

 Meet the Blogger

        Morgan Sloan Photography
         Morgan Sloan Photography


"Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak" - Rachel Zoe

My name is Liza Jane Kahn, and I am the brain behind my blog Kinky Bones. I am an aspiring model from Voorhees, New Jersey, and I currently go to school at Camden County College in Blackwood, New Jersey for Psychology. I take great interest in fashion, and my favorite way to express my love for it is through my personal style. I always get complimented on my fashion sense, and I'd like to have my blog be the eyes through which people can see how I create it. 

I like to consider my style as a mix of edgy and classy with a hint of bohemian. I get a lot of my inspirations from different websites (Dollskill, Nastygal, Urban Outfitters, Free People, etc.), and I also incorporate observed street style into my own. My biggest fashion role model is my sister Angeline, and I always go to her for opinions on how my creations have turned out. 

I spend most of my time in a little cafe called CoffeeWorks near my house, and the rest of the free time I have I like to spend in Philly. I like to shop in little boutiques and thrift stores in Philly for unique finds, but I also shop in more popular stores like Urban Outfitters, Marshalls, and Forever 21. I have my fair share of expensive statement pieces, but I'd like to show that you don't have to drop obscene amounts of money to have killer style. 

In this blog I will be sharing my style tips, tricks, and must-haves, as well as the occasional personal posts to share little pieces of my life. I wanna show people that you can tweak an outfit in the most subtle way, and by doing so you can completely change the feel of it. This blog will feature outfits all put together by me, and they will show the difference between putting together a cute outfit for the day and creating a knockout for the books. I'm constantly on the pursuit of bettering myself, and I'd like you to take the ride with me!

                                                                Xoxo,
                                                                                 Liza Jane