Just a Casual Evening

Some of you might be saying, "Casual? What's casual about what he's wearing?"... But what you really might not notice is just how casual I actually am. I agree, the blazer can be interpreted as an attempt to dress up a bit, and it is, but I've also paired the blazer with some casual touches. For example, my skinny jeans are relatively informal for certain occasions, meaning if I were to go to a business casual dinner, these jeans wouldn't cut it. The all-black does seem rather dressy, though; but the all-black look isn't any more formal than a waiter in an upscale (or low-scale) restaurant. It's very simple and easily put together, but that's what I find greatest about this outfit. It looks like it took a lot of work to think up, but really it took almost no effort at all to piece it together. And, if you notice, my boots are the most informal of it all. Beat up, torn, and faded, these boots are a far cry from formal. They're nice, but not dressy to any degree. The funny thing is, when you throw it all together, it looks completely formal to some people (as I've been told) and makes for the easiest casually informal outfit I've ever worn. It's clean cut, edgy, and leaves you looking ready for any (in)formal evening. What do you think about it? What's your taking on dressing down dressy pieces? 

+H&M Tobacco Blazer (Out of season), H&M Button-down Shirt (Available any time), Black RSQ Skinny Jeans, & Vintage +Justin Boots. 

Skulls & Crosses

I recently worked up the courage to reach out to one of my favorite accesorry designers, Tevin Vincent, and asked him if he would be willing to allow me to feature his products on my blog. I had been following for months before I even started blogging and just felt an immediate connection with all of his products when I stumbled across them by chance on Instagram. They're fun, edgy, and have this sort of appeal that catches the attention of most people instantaneously. So, with that said, I sent him and email and to my surprise, he agreed to have me feature his products! We went back and forth for a bit and he asked me to choose some accessories from his site and in turn he would send them to me sample. When I got them, I immediately fell in love! Below are two sample bracelets he sent me. One is a black beaded bracelet with a silver skull; the other a jewel embellished cross with maroon beading. Once I saw them, I knew exactly what I wanted to wear them with. 

I pulled out my statement blazer since I felt that the maroon and black in the beads would complement the royal blue lining and tobacco color altogether. Then, I found some other simple blues and whites in my closet to pair it with. Since summer is starting, I felt my self-made shorts would be a nice fit for the weather; the white button-up was sort of a given since it would keep me coolest. Shortly after that, as I ransacked my room for accessories, I was lucky enough to find my vintage brown leather belt whose color was almost identical to my blazer. How lucky is that?! Shoes are usually the last thing that I choose for any outfit, so once I had the tops and bottoms chosen, the shoes were almost a no-brainer. I went with my Generic Surplus dual-toned oxfords and, as might see at the bottom, wore them without socks. (Sockless is allowed in the summer!) Overall, I love this outfit because it's casual and dapper and has the E-D-G-E that I am always dying to add, and it was all thanks to Tevin. As he would say... Thanks my dude!

To check out more of his merchandise, go to www.tevin-vinent.com. I can promise you that you won't regret it!

 

 

Cotton H&M Blazer (Similar), White H&M Shirt (Similar), Blue Chino Shorts (Similar), Skull Bracelet (Here), Cross Bracelet (Here)

Clean Cut with Some Edge

The one thing that I loved most about my spontaneous trip to Chico state was the weather. With unexpected rain, I was able to get away with wearing darker colors, as well as my favorite tobacco blazer from +H&M. I've always loved more classic, refined styles but I personally like to add a bit of an edge to them. I feel the blazer keeps the look crisp, but wearing all black and bringing it all together with some eclectic boots is what I like most about this outfit. These boots are also another thing that I seemingly love more than anything else in my closet. Having had the luck to find them at a thrift shop, I scooped them up before anyone else could notice them and I essentially ran out of the store throwing my money at the cashier on my way out. The lighting here really allows you to notice just how well the colors complement each other. The cherry color of the boots is great with the pop of color from the blazer. Oh, and did I mention the blazer has a navy lining on the inside? It's fantastic! One thing I'm most looking forward to adding into my wardrobe in the fall is more blazers. But for now, I need to worry about adding a spring / summer statement blazer to my closet. What do you think of this outfit? Any suggestions for future use? Feel free to share! :)