Shop Your Closet

I firmly believe that one need not be a millionaire/trend whore in order to possess great style. It's all about wearing things that you feel great in, and more importantly wearing things that you look good in. I am an ardent feminist, which makes my love of fashion difficult; the aesthetics are wonderful, but the industry perpetuates eating disorders and severely distorted body images. Instead of trying to fit into the size 00 jeans, try on the size that compliments your body type. A lower number on the tag inside your jeans does not make you a better person.

That being said, I think the most fashionable thing one can do is update normal looks found in one's closet.
I bought this floral dress on sale to wear to work at Fallingwater. I have to dress modestly at FW, so the dress can be a bit matronly.
I wanted to fierce it up. So I added a leather motorcycle jacket (a must-have for this fall), my roommate's fingerless gloves (she bought them at Hot Topic for small dollars), a studded belt a la Carrie Bradshaw, and a pair of gladiator heels (Dior knock-offs!).


My innocent little sundress instantly turns into a statement! All of the additions were less than $40, which is music to broke college student ears. Mixing genres is always a great experiment for autumn, since layering adds depth to an outfit, as well as warmth. Something as simple as adding a flower brooch to a menswear jacket can achieve this same result.

And if you feel like you can't pull off a strong look, remember the most important rule of fashion (and one that NEVER goes out of style):
CONFIDENCE!

Or at least fake it! :)