Today we’re highlighting ASOS student insider, Ingrid Van Diest! Ingrid is a Communications and Media Studies major at the University of San Francisco. She loves words and pretty pictures, Justin Timberlake and Stevie Nicks, and everything style and fashion!
She’s provided us with a few style tips, and a style board of her own. Check her out on Instagram to add serious inspo to your feed! @ingridvandiest
Closet Necessities: Classic leather jacket, Stilettos, a white tee, and cat eye sunnies Dream job: Editor in Chief of Vogue Spain. Sneaker of choice? Converse Chuck Taylors. They go with everything. Your guilty pleasure style stalk? Olivia Culpo. Favorite film to watch for style inspiration? Clueless, Cher Horowitz is my idol. Favorite item you’re wearing at the moment? My Dior Cat Eye Sunglasses. I can’t leave the house without them! What is luxury? Anything that makes you feel great and confident. What is fashion? An excuse to play dress-up everyday.
Last night your favorite country stars rocked the red carpet at the 49th Annual Country Music Awards in Nashville. From plunging necklines to sexy cutouts and structured dresses, the female song artists turned up the heat on the red carpet.
The co-host of the show, Carrie Underwood, looked beautiful in a bright orange gown with a train. While the peplum may not have been the most flattering when paired with a train, the plunging V-neckline made this dress a real winner! Not everyone can pull off orange from head to toe, but Underwood, with her beautiful long blonde hair, made this color look fabulously chic.
Photo: Courtesy of Michael Loccisano, Getty Images; Featured on Taste of Country
Hannah Davis’ big, sparkling wedding ring wasn’t the only thing that shined last night. Her cream dress with a revealing neckline and high leg slit was one of the best gowns that night! That soft, pastel color worked devilishly well with her tanned skin and dark hair.
Photo: Courtesy of Michael Loccisano, Getty Images
Miranda Lambert combined sexy and fun with a sophisticated black dress and her playful blonde and pink hair. Even with the funky hairdo, Lambert’s look was definitely chic.
Photo Courtesy: John Shearer/WireImage
The best dress by far was the one worn by Jennifer Nettles. The skirt portion hugged her curves so beautifully from the waist to the knees before gently falling to the floor in a slight flare. The top cutout made the dress sexy and adventurous. If the silhouette wasn’t enough to grab your attention, the soft pastel pink color surely should! Nettles looked like a modern sophisticated princess. We can only hope that designers and product developers take note of this dress, and we see similar styles in store this spring!
Photo: Courtesy of Michael Loccisano, Getty Images; Featured on Taste of Country
Perhaps you’re already starting to think about the dresses you’ll wear this holiday season. Hopefully these lovely styles will be a source of inspiration. Will you dress bright and bold like Underwood, soft and feminine like Davis, classic and chic like Lambert, or ultra-feminine like Nettles? The choice is yours; check out the StyleChat app to shop for all your dresses this season!
You’ve grown up, moved out of your parents’ place, and gotten your independence, but have you really? One of the most common problems young women endure is sharing their living space with one or more people. We all know that living with roommates can be fun on a Friday night when you’re getting ready to celebrate the weekend, but when Monday comes and reality sets in, you’re left learning how to cope with the situation. This is when you find yourself having to compromise in order to be considerate to your roommates. While compromising is good, here’s how you can decorate your living space to your satisfaction without stepping on each other’s toes.
First, have an open conversation about your likes and dislikes. You might be presently surprised to find that you have the same favorite band or favorite color. Take a minute to run through each other’s Pinterest boards to find some similarities in your interests.
If this results in the realization that you have nothing in common, don’t worry just stick to the basics when decorating. Who doesn’t like inspirational phrases or subtle neutral colors? This picture frame from Urban Outfitters is simple, classic, and inspirational, and very unlikely to disturb a roommate like some of those other crazy colorful neon posters you may have wanted to use instead.
Photo Courtesy of Urban Outfitters
When you’re decorating your place with furniture, there’s a fine line between having too much crammed into a small space and not enough. Try buying a piece of furniture that doesn’t take up a lot of space, while still keeping your stuff organized. The Urban Outfitters furniture rack featured here will most definitely please your roommate with your clothes and accessories will be hanging neatly rather than lying dispersed all over the apartment. A delicate furniture piece like this is effective for hanging and not overpowering in terms of size or color.
Photo Courtesy of Urban Outfitters
Just remember, your living space should reflect the tastes of everyone living there. Keep the common rooms simple if you can’t agree on a specific theme then add your own flavor to your individual bedroom.
Check out the StyleChat app to find the perfect home furnishings to decorate your living space!
A recent Forbes article dissects the consequences of fast fashion retailers on the retail market. In a world where everyone strives for better, quicker, newer, cheaper, more efficient, and more innovative, we’re left with the scintillating question: why pay $350.00 for something we can get for $25.00?
Photo Courtesy of Cameron Spencer/Getty Images, Featured on Business Insider
Fast-fashion is generally aimed at teens and young adults because this age range often includes unemployed, starving students who can’t afford expensive clothing. It also encompasses a time when young women want all the latest and greatest trends. While having a closet filled with designer goods may be great, it’s not always realistic! Fast-fashion gives women the opportunity to wear the latest trends without the cost that comes with buying high quality items with designer names attached.
When hunting for a good deal, a person is faced with two options. They can either go to a mid to luxury store and search through a random sale rack, or go to a fast-fashion store where almost every item is in the affordable range. Have you ever gone into a luxury store and fallen in love with an item just before flipping the tag around to see that it costs a thousand dollars? Remember that sinking feeling in your heart when you realized you had to walk out of the store without the item of your dreams? We’ve all been there. Fast-fashion retailers offer the most popular remedy for this crisis.
Walk into Zara and you’ll see the hottest trends and looks from the latest runway shows. The turnover for fast-fashion stores is incredible. My favorite part is walking into the same store two to three weeks later and seeing a whole new collection of merchandise! Having fresh options is key. This is definitely where fast-fashion retailers excel.
What’s your opinion on fast-fashion? Would you rather buy less and buy high quality designer labels, or buy more items more often and sacrifice quality? We’d love to hear about your shopping strategies; share with us in the comments!
If you’re a student, you know what it’s like to dread exam day. Spring is a time when the weather gets warmer and the fashion gets lighter and brighter.
The presence of spring also reminds us of our impending exams. Although it’s often natural to let your fashion choices suffer and take a back seat to your studies, Leah Dagg on hercampus.com gives us some tips on how to dress for an exam so that you can look cute while still staying focused.
First she advises that you pin your hair up. When you’re writing exams, you don’t want to have to worry about your hair falling in your face. Pinning your hair up in a messy bun is a great way to look stylish while still being comfortable for your exam.
Photo courtesy of Teen Diaries. Click to find original posting.
While Leah notes how tempting it is to wear sweatpants to an exam, she also points out that it’s important to feel confident on exam day. Let this confidence show by wearing your favorite cute skinny pants with a comfy tee and a touch of makeup. A little lip-gloss and mascara can go a long way!
Photo courtesy of Her Campus. Click through to original source.
Accessorizing can be an important part of your exam day outfit. Leah advises not wearing clunky bracelets because they can make noise while you’re writing and therefore be a distraction to you and your fellow classmates. Chunky rings may also slow down your writing. So, stick to a necklace or a pair of earrings. After all, if you’re wearing a plain comfy tee, a cute chunky necklace may be the perfect way to add some style to your look!
Another great piece of style advice is to layer your clothing. You want all your focus to be on your exam, and not on whether you’re too hot or cold. Plan for all types of indoor conditions because you never know whether they’ll have the heat or air conditioner on high.
Photo Courtesy of Alamy, Featured by The Guardian. Click through to original source.
Last but not least, don’t forget to wear your lucky charms! I had an oversized navy and white plaid button-down shirt that I wore to almost every one of my exams in university. Call me superstitious, but sometimes it’s best to wear something that will comfort you during this stressful time. Once you’ve gotten your perfect exam look, you’re one step closer to a perfect exam!
Do you remember watching the movie 101 Dalmatians? Do you remember the dog who had no spots? I feel like that’s comparable to those of us who don’t have freckles. However, we do have this freckle pencil.
Courtesy of Topshop, Click to Original Website.
Errand for the day: Pick up my freckles at the store. Did you know you can buy this freckle pencil from Topshop? Not even joking.
I grew up with a bunch of friends who were annoyed that they were speckled in freckles. I never really thought much about freckles; either you had them or you didn’t. My friends who had freckles would always hide them under heavy foundation. They told me how lucky I was that I didn’t have any, but I never understood why they were considered a bad thing.
Now there’s this freckle pencil. I think the saying, “we always want what we can’t have” is true in this situation. If you have freckles, you don’t want them, and if you don’t have freckles, you want them.
Photo Courtesy of Cup of Jo, Featured on Refinery29, Click to Original Website.
For you non-freckled ladies out there, you can now draw on some freckles! I’m not sure how the staying power works with this freckle pencil, but I’d imagine you should set the freckles with a thin layer of some loose powder.
I’m curious to know, have any of you ladies already tried using this freckle pencil? What are your thoughts?
This week’s outfit of the week goes to a fall look featured on the Sparkled & Preppy blog. This fall it’s all about layers and adding a pop of color. This look combines color and basics in a way that’s fun and sophisticated. To get the look, start with a pair of your favorite black leggings. Pair them with a red top and throw a long grey cardigan overtop.
Photo of a classic look courtesy of the Sparkled and Preppy Blog.
Get that classy, sophisticated look by adding a Burberry scarf. The red in the scarf will compliment the red shirt. To finish off the look opt for a camel-colored or light brown oversized handbag and a pair of brown leather boots. Accessorize with a gold watch to match with the gold detailing on your bag and your boots. Put all these elements together and you’ll have a stylish and comfortable fall look!
Have you noticed slits getting higher and higher lately? I thought that phase came and left after Angelina Jolie showed some leg in this little number:
Photo Courtesy of Celebuzz
I guess not. Although I am a fan of these high slits, I’m still a bit unsure about them sometimes. They’re definitely a dramatic, show-stopping factor in a dress or skirt.
I like seeing this look on other people, but I’m not sure I’d wear it myself. Although, I shouldn’t judge it before I actually try it. The dresses or skirts with two slits are super daring, so I think I’d only be comfortable wearing an ensemble with just one high slit.
I’d recommend only wearing high slits for evening wear. It seems way too dramatic for Sunday brunch or a day of running errands. Could you imagine the look on your boss’s face if you showed up at work in a pencil skirt with a super high slit? Yikes! Let’s not imagine it…
How do you feel about high slits?
Here are some of my favorite examples:
Created on the StyleChat app
Follow me on StyleChat @sjwong18, when you click on the look from the StyleWall it will direct you to where I found the items.
The Parisian look has taken the US streets by storm. Walk into any store, you’ll see t-shirts with a “oui,” “merci,” or even an Eiffel tower.
Photo Courtesy of Joie.com
Ballet flats are everywhere in all colors, with ribbons or straps, from pointed to rounded toe. This classic shoe is a staple. Long-flowing scarves are twisted and wrapped, and worn year-round. Americans are trying to capture the Paris street look. Is it a French Revolution?
We Americans are into casual comfort, but we’re envious of the pulled together Parisian style. For some reason, we just can’t figure it out. The typical teen or college student may wear a Juicy Couture track suit or pajama bottoms paired with Uggs.
For the techies and the start-ups, the dress code is often a printed t-shirt and jeans. The extreme side involves clothing that is too revealing or too tight to have any sense of decency. Of course, there are some without any sense of style, who just try to copy what they read in People magazine.
If you’re not working in the financial district or at law firm, you are dressing to be comfortable, shopping for bargains, and not buying with a purpose like the French. C’est le vie!
What is the Parisian look? It is creating a wardrobe from seven basic pieces; t-shirt, fitted jeans or pants, belt, trench coat, ballet flats, high heels, leather boots and a statement handbag.
Photo Courtesy of fashionsy.com
The French will accessorize with one bold or trendy chic piece. Some think of the classic French look as a Beret or striped shirt with rolled up black jeans, but it’s more than that. It’s effortless dressing or “je ne sais quoi.”
A touch of Parisian style came out this past season with a full-length tulle ballet skirt paired with a simple white tee or a cropped top.
Lace and ruffles brought a little bit of romance while floral prints reminded us of springtime in the city of lights. The make-up is always subtle with a splash of color added to the lips and the hair is pulled back into a chignon with a beaded headband. The look is topped off with a leather motorcycle jacket and in rainy weather or not, the trench coat is de rigueur.
The famous French designer, Coco Chanel said, “Before you leave the house look in the mirror and take one thing off.” To get that Parisian street chic look, the trick is to understand how to bring the basic pieces together with the latest “as seen on the runway.”
Less is more. It’s quality not quantity. It’s a French revolution of style.
So what is a Liebster Award? That was our first question. It’s kind of like a chain letter in the blogging world, except better. You nominate bloggers you admire for this award, and they keep passing it on to other bloggers they admire.
We love the idea of this award because it recognizes bloggers who have around 200 followers or fewer. If you’re nominated for a Liebster Award, you answer the questions from whoever it was who nominated you. Then, you nominate a handful of other bloggers, and ask them a set of questions. Sounds like a neat way to connect with people, don’t you think? So let’s begin!
StyleChat Blogger Stephanie Wong answers Emma’s Liebster Nomination questions:
1. IF YOU COULD LIVE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
France! The fashion and food seem too good to be true.
Photo Courtesy of parisperfect.com – where you could rent this rooftop view from the Côte Rôtie.
2. HOW DID YOU THINK OF YOUR BLOG USERNAME/URL?
The StyleChat Blog is based on our app StyleChat. We want to see how our consumers are using and reacting to fashion and style. One of our main goals is figuring out how we can help style mavens expand their wardrobe. So the concept of chatting with customers about style turned into StyleChat.
3. CATS OR DOGS?
Cat videos are so entertaining, but I think dogs are more fun!
4. FAVORITE CLOTHES STORE?
Omg, just one?! H&M.
5. IF YOU COULD HAVE YOUR HAIR ONE COLOR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
Dark chocolate brown for sure. I like it better than my natural dirty ash blonde.
6. WHO’S YOUR STYLE ICON?
Audrey Hepburn.
7. DO YOU LIKE TO FAKE IT? (SUCH-AS FAKE NAILS, HAIR EXTENSIONS AND FALSE EYELASHES)
No way! Let’s go au naturel.
8. WHICH DO YOU PREFER, MAKEUP OR FASHION?
Fashion!
9. WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT?
Nail polish.
10. WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?
Shopping!
11. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BOOK?
“A Vintage Affair” by Isabel Wolff
StyleChat’s Nominees for the Liebster Award:
This was such a hard decision! But in no particular order…
StyleChat Blog 