Denim Daze

So, I know I haven't blogged in about two weeks but that's because I've been going through a long process of finding a new place to live. Then I got a little lazy and put it off for a while, but that won't happen again. Coincidentally enough, my outfit below is reflective of a lazy, relaxed, unmotivated mood and a desire to sit around and do absolutely NOTHING. It's a very simple combination of a CK basic tee, black denim jeans, rugged boots, and a light-washed denim jacket. Overall it's a very comfortable look and suits well for summer weather in the bay (where I was at the time). The denim jacket can be worn during the cool overcast portions of the day while the light cotton of the tee shirt helps keep the heat away when the sun beats down on you. But enough about what I think about the outfit, what do you all think of it?

Denim Jacket (Forever 21 Men), White T-Shirt (Calvin Klein), Black Denim Jeans (RSQ), Rider Boots (Justins)

A Modern Day Peter Pan

Something that my friends have always given me grief for is how similar I look to the classic Disney character Peter Pan. I've never found any offense in it and actually find myself making light of it quite often. So, going with that, I decided to embrace my inner Disney and tried to embody the character with a more modern, edgier twist. How did I do this? Well I started off with the green pants I was fortunate enough to find when I was bargain shopping last summer. They were very cheap, only costing me around $13 total. Although the green pants are should generally be reserved for the fall months, I stepped out of the general rules of fashion for the sake of attempting this look. Next, I switched out the lighter green tunic you would normally find the actual Peter Pan wearing for a distressed tank top I made myself about a week ago. The tank top was a basic shirt I found rummaging through my closet and found to be too simple for my taste. What I love most about the top is that it looks almost careless and a sort of 'I don't care' attitude courses through me when I put it on. Lastly, since I don't have a pair brown boots accessible today, I threw on the +Justin Boots I can't seem to take off. The Justins add that last little touch of edge that I enjoy finishing off my outfits with. Overall, I love the look and find that it would work for a lazy day out in the city (at least for me). I'd love to know what you think about it. Feel free to share!

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. 

Royal Blue & Black, Too

This morning I woke up and realized I had been wearing essentially the same thing for the past three days, just in different colors. So, I felt the need to actually put something on that hasn't circulated my wardrobe about a dozen times. As you'll notice, I'm wearing the same watch as I did in my previous post, Powder Blue & Polka Dots, but that's because I feel like a classic black strapped watch goes well with anything. What you might notice is different though is my striped vest which used to be a long-sleeve shirt. It's probably one of the best (and only) things that I have crafted well. It was simple to make and didn't take more than 10 - 15 minutes. Anyway, I love the vest as a statement piece, similar to polka dots or floral prints, and I always pair the striped top with a solid colored undershirt. It's the easiest way to keep attention drawn toward the vest and nowhere else. As for the jeans, you can never go wrong with black denim. Oh! And don't forget the shoes. I can't express enough importance about shoes (and no, it's not just because I have a shoe fetish). The pair of shoes are what make or break your outfit when someone scans you from head to toe, the last thing they see is your shoes. Today I went with my scarcely worn pair of patent leather Chelsea boots. They're amazing! When I put them on, I automatically feel like a different person. But buyer beware, if worn the wrong way, you definitely can make yourself look like the Wicked Witch. Enough about me, I want to know what you think! What would you keep / change about this outfit? :)

Royal Blue +American Apparel Basic Tee (Here), Black RSQ Skinny Jeans (Similar), +ASOS Patent Leather Chelsea Boots (Similar) 

Powder Blue & Polka Dots

Today, as every other today, I felt very playful and wanted to wear something that reflected that. However, as some of you may have noticed, I've also been obsessed with waisting my shirts. So, how do you incorporate playfulness and grunge? Polka dots! A few months back I was lucky enough to find this polka dot button-up on sale at Old Navy. If was probably one of the greatest finds since it was the last one in my size and that's always a great feeling. I've waisted it before, pairing it with a black tee shirt with DIY ripped sleeves, but I didn't want to be any more of a repeat offender than I already am. Luckily last night as I was sifting through boxes of clothes and slowly unpacking them onto hangers in my closet, I stumbled across this unworn powder blue American Apparel tee shirt and I fell in love! Before I even tried it on, I knew I could wear it with my polka-ed shirt and my usual black jeans and rider boots. I do have to admit, it's one of my favorite outfits in quite some time. One simple color change in my shirt changed how I feel about this outfit altogether. I loved it before, but now I love it even more! But enough about how I feel about it, how do you feel about it? Do you like it? Hate it? I'm curious! Remember, you all help my style grow - I can't do it on my own. 

Can We Go Thrift Shopping?

Sometimes your best friend isn't the department store. More often than not, when I go shopping with something in mind, I go to a store like American Apparel, H&M, or some other popular place to look for styles which I recently discovered are trending. BUT! There's one problem with all of these places: they're going to charge you higher amounts for clothes that are in season and in style. So, what's your alternative? Well, instead of paying the high prices at the mall, sometimes I find that going to your local thrift shops is the best alternative. Now, some people might not like the idea of wearing previously worn clothes, but if they're in great condition (some still with tags on them) and are nearly identical to what you almost bought at Store X, then why not buy it at the consignment or thrift stores around you?
On your right is an example of a shirt that I found at a thrift store, Goodwill to be exact. It still had all of its tags on it and was unworn, so I purchased it, cut it up a bit, and made it my own. As a matter of fact, the boots that I am wearing - I found those at a vintage shop, too! Sometimes you can find pure gold when you're really trying. Now, you won't always have luck, but it's always worth a shot. So, today I'm going to ask you to try something different and go out and try to find something that resembles one of the trends I've told you about these past weeks. Think about the trending colors of blues, pinks, and orange; or maybe the ethnic styles, such as aztec, tribal, Native American; or how about the yesterday's topic of the "Urban Safari" uprising with it's olive green, khakis, and clay-like colors? Give it a shot! You never know what you'll find. And while I ask you all to try it, I'm going to test me luck here in San Francisco and see what I find. I'll be sure to let you guys know if I have any luck. Until then, thanks for reading!

Let's go on a SAFARI!

Now, you've heard of big cities being called "Urban Jungles" but how about throwing an "Urban Safari" into the mix? That's right. Safari-like styles are beginning to make an appearance this Spring/Summer '13. However, don't think that safari styles mean you have to wear bold animal prints or crazy African-like patterns - it means just the opposite. This trend is aimed more toward men who aren't comfortable wearing those bold prints and flashy patterns. Having more of an earthy feel to it, this "urban safari" uprising is more focused on use of olive greens, khaki, or ochre (light yellow/brown/red) for it's clothing; natural fabrics, such as cotton or silk are also found heavily incorporated as well. Now I think that the earthy feel is what I enjoy most about this style. It kind of has a subtlety that is needed every now and then. Sure it's nice to stand out and maybe bring attention to what you're wearing, but sometimes it's best to stay under the radar and simply enjoy wearing an outfit for yourself and not for others.
Now, here's my attempt at this trend. In the photo you can see me wearing a khaki sleeveless coat with multi-pocket detail and a belted front. Some people are a little turned off by this style, but I personally loved it. Instead of the belt that the coat came with, I decided to kind of make it my own and use a vintage Christian Dior tie that I had lying around my room. I paired the coat with some navy blue chino shorts and a navy blue v-neck that I got from American Apparel. Overall it was a pretty simple look to throw together, and I wouldn't mind wearing a similar style again at some point. Now, if you're interested in trying it out or reading more about it, HERE is an article from Fashionbeans which contains the full story, plus some additional outfit inspirations. Thanks for dropping by!

Denim Delight!

What was Mario's favorite fabric? ... Denim, denim, denim!

One thing that I never really expected was for all denim outfits to come back. Making its appearance on the runway this season from the likes of Valentino and Versace was a little unexpected to be honest, but I took the chance to go along with it. I mean, who knows better than these high end designers, right? So, with that I decided to try out an (almost) all denim outft myself. Using some simple things that I had in my closet like a denim jacket and jeans with matching wash, I was able to scrape together this number (right). Now, I personally think that this is the only outfit that I can pull off in all denim, but that doesn't mean I can't piece together different ones wearing this denim jacket that I got from Forever 21. It's such a light wash that it can go with just about any shade, color, or pattern (like polka dots!). It's nice to be able to have those options, too! Now, a lot of guys don't have jean jackets, so if you're one of them that doesn't mean you can't take part in this spring and summer trend. Mess around with what you already have! Try different outfits with the denim jeans you already own, and if you're feeling super adventurous, look into buying a denim shirt or backpack like the ones pictured above. Your only style limitation is yourself, so if you feel like trying something new, then why not? Also, if you're like me, you can't always afford to go out and buy trending items right away but if you have that urge, don't be afraid to thrift! Check your local thrift or consignment stores for lightly worn clothes similar to what you're looking for! It's well worth the hunt if you find just the right thing you're looking for. So again, denim is the word for this season! Try it out and see how it works for you :)

Tribal Trends Part Deux!

Following this week's previous post about ethnically inspired clothing for Spring & Summer, today's post focuses on more Native American & tribal styles. What I love most about Native American-inspired clothing is the patterning and how bold all of the colors look together. One online store that I know I can go to for many tribal styles is +ASOS which seems to always carry these types of clothing. 
However, what I was surprised to find is that +Dr. Martens has their Pendleton boots which are tailored specifically to match this Native American theme. I'd LOVE to have a pair for myself, but at over $100 for a pair, it just isn't practical on a college budget. But! That doesn't mean I can't find different clothing and accessories with similar style elsewhere. As mentioned, ASOS has tribal

clothes and accessories, like the bracelets pictured above, so if you're interested I would check them out. The button-down shirt in the collage is nice, but again, I'm on a college budget so I went ahead and improvised. I happened to have a plain brown +American Apparel t-shirt and I that I cut into a tribal-like design myself. I did this by slicing the sleeves and cutting out a triangle pattern around the collar (the shirt cost about $7 and took 20 minutes to cut). I think it looks great and I would definitely love to try it again in a different color! The Justin boots add a little flare with the kilties and give it a sort of edge that I'm always looking to have. What do you guys think? I'd love to know!

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! :)

Take Me Back... Please?

Late post! Well, as things are starting to wind down during finals week, I can't help but think about that little taste of summer I got when I was at +Coachella . Here you can see me relaxed and soaking up the sun in one of my favorite festival outfits from the fun-filled weekend. I paired my favorite corduroy shorts with a self-made tribal top using a plain t-shirt from +American Apparel. I loved the color combination of the chocolate brown and bright turquoise. I paired the shorts and shirt with my +Steve Madden troopa boots and folder them over for a more "I just threw these on" look. And lastly, no Coachella outfit would ever be complete without a fedora and equally trendy clubmaster sunglasses. I wish I could go back now! One more final to go before my summer dreams become a reality! Thanks for following :)

I'm Feeling Chunky

Today's outfit is again, a little more relaxed. I decided to finally wear a chunky Bill Cosby-esque sweater that I bought at the local thrift store a few months ago. Even though it's a little heavier for the season, the weather today called for more warmth. I paired the sweater with some basic charcoal denim jeans that I bought a few years ago (old but I love them) and my cherry red Justin roper boots. I'm a little itchy since the sweater is made of wool, but I think it's worth pushing through. :)

Red, White, and Blue

Today I felt a little more playful and wore denim on denim. My entire outfit consisted of my denim jacket purchased at +Forever 21, paired with an almost salt & pepper-like hooded sweater from +H&M, as well as my favorite bright red denim jeans and brown +Steve Madden Troopa boots. It's one of my more laid-back outfits as opposed to the proper Oxford look I go for at times, but I love being able to dress up (or down) certain articles of clothing. Can't wait to rock this denim jacket for an edgier grunge look soon. Lately my style has been taking a turn for a bit of a retro 90's baby look and I love it. The denim jacket in this picture is the first step toward the style I have been trying to adopt. Now, I'm not looking to permanently alter my style, but add a different element to it so that I can remain playful in many different ways. Something fun that you might be interested in knowing about me is that I only like to wear colored denim jeans. Red, white, and blue are my go-tos. What do you think about my outfit? Pros? Cons? Don't be afraid to share!

Summer Throwback!

 

I'm constantly posting pictures of outfit collages, but never any pictures of my own outfits. So, today I'm sharing one of my favorite Spring/Summer styles. Although it's a little dated, I can't help but love the pop of color from these turquoise corduroy shorts that I was lucky enough to find at Target. I bought them in every color they had in my size (not sorry) and knew they would go well with just about anything. I wanted to make sure the color popped, so I paired the shorts with a simple cotton button-down from H&M and my pair of Original Penguin Chukka Boots. I found that the brown hues went really well together and felt really good wearing the outfit out. And even though the weather here in Stockton isn't nice enough for me to get away with wearing this, I will definitely be bringing out a similar style in just a few weeks (fingers crossed!), you should all do the same. Also, be sure to check out some of two of my favorite go-to websites, ASOS and Topman, to find similar styles. Thanks for following! :)

Mix & Match

Before you say anything, I know, I know, this look is completely a winter or fall look. The warm colors, the thick coat, the earthy tones... They all scream cold weather. However! One thing that you might not consider is how easily you can change that up. Replace the navy anorak with a navy t-shirt or v-neck and you have a completely different look. The desert boots are a personal favorite as well (I have four pair) and you can easily find many different colors and styles on the +ASOS site. I'm not sure how I feel about the all-brown rucksack pictured above, but I am ALL OVER the navy canvas rucksack with the lighter brown accent on the pockets, close, and base of the bag. How would you change up this look to make it spring & summer appropriate?