High-waisted Jeans and Crop Top

It took me years to find a pair of high-waisted jeans like this that fit well and then to develop the confidence needed to wear them. I've had a weird obsessions with them for years, and it was even on my bucket list to buy and wear a pair of these things. I picked them up at Goodwill for like $2 a few summers ago, and have just now started wearing them. Besides the fact that moving and sitting are difficult (literally NO stretch) I love them. They go perfectly with the 90s inspired fashion kick I've been on lately.  

This crop top was a total steal from Asos. I seriously wish I had, like, ten of them. It's the perfect length to pair with high-waisted bottoms; not too long or too short. And it's the best motivation to stay in shape! I've realized crop tops are the key to keeping high-waisted jeans from looking like "mom jeans."

While buying all of my work-inappropriate clothing last week, I also picked up these aviators from Forever21. I reckoned it's not a bad idea to own a backup pair of sunglasses -- especially when they're only $5!

Can't go anywhere without my Slytherin necklace and some black eyeshadow!

Floral Dress, Combat Boots and DIY Studded Jacket

Floral dress + combat boots. I have coveted this look all spring, but, alas did not own a floral dress and have been rather hesitant about buying one. When you've trained yourself to be drawn to all things black and studded and edgy with patterns of skulls and stripes, suddenly trying to look for something as feminine as floral becomes a foreign task. I also feel ridiculous in anything too girly, so I didn't think I could pull it off. But then, a miracle happened...

The complete look.

I've been on the hunt for a casual summer dress, and figured if I could find a floral one I might as well kill two birds with one stone. I discovered this dress at H&M last week when I tried (and epic failed) to buy a work-appropriate summer wardrobe. Check out this pattern! It's black, floral, AND it has skulls. And the flowy, lightweight material makes it the perfect summer dress! Even better? It was only $10. Score!

Close-up of the dress.

I'm still on my DIY kick, and decide this little cropped denim jacket needed an update. I love all the studded denim vests and jackets that are out right now (obviously, I have a denim obsession since I incorporate it into just about every outfit...), but I figured it was something I could do myself instead of spending the money on a new one. 

Before.

I used the same conical studs from Studsandspikes.com to stud the jacket as I did my boots a few weeks ago. I studded the front of the collar, a line down each shoulder, and around the top of the sleeve. It probably took me less than an hour, and it gave me something to do while I listened to the Harry Potter books on tape! Yes, like cassette tape. Not only am I in denial about growing up, but also that it is the 21st century, apparently...

The finished vest.

The last few items to complete the outfit: fishnet tights, a cuff bracelet, skinny black belt, and my trusty combat boots. I picked up the tights on sale at Hot Topic; I can never bring myself to pay full price for tights because I can rarely wear them more than once or twice without managing to get caught on something. I adore fishnets -- they're another accessory that adds instant edge to any outfit -- and I thought the little details on the back were super cute!

I've worn this skull cuff bracelet in a few other posts, but I've never done a close-up. It is my favorite accessory. I picked it up in Paris a year ago, despite my friend trying to talk me out of it because it was too extreme. Maybe I have this bracelet to blame for finally indulging in my love of edgy fashion. :)

Skull cuff bracelet and black nails.

 

Last minute outfit

So I really wanted to write a blog post today, but also had no excuse to leave the house. I spent the day in my pajamas doing my annual reread of Harry Potter. Luckily, I was saved from my solitude (ok, I was thoroughly enjoying it, but was ready for an excuse to get out) when a friend texted me and asked to meet up. Which meant getting ready in a hurry. And this is what I threw on.

I guess there's been a definite theme to my outfits lately: black on black + denim. Today was no different. I did my summer shopping this past weekend, and have been itching to wear these new shorts from Forever 21  ever since. (My goal was to buy work-appropriate clothes...I bought things like the shorts, a cut off t-shirt, skull headband, and skull dress...fail.) I love the high-waisted trend going on right now. I have a rather long torso proportionately, and the high waistline helps to lengthen my legs and shrink my torso. Plus, what's not to love with those spikes?!

The jacket is also from Forever 21 from a few years back, but I had grown bored with the plain denim. I sewed on these cute shoulder epaulettes from Hobby Lobby for a cheap wardrobe update. I absolutely love weather like today where shorts and a jacket are appropriate! And once again, the studded boots make a reappearance (told you  I'll wear boots all summer, even with shorts!).

My favorite article of clothing to wear when I'm getting dressed in a hurry and need something that's guaranteed to be cute and flattering is a black tee. I got this one at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame last summer. It's simple, but the slim fit and v-neck make it flattering, while the skull design gives it edge. (It's rare I go a day without wearing some sort of skull apparel, and there was no time to accessorize!) And paired with the black shorts and boots, this outfit goes from simple to statement.

What are your go-to items when you want to look cute in a hurry?

Lace-up dress and ripped-up tights

I'm once again loving the spring weather so that I can wear more of my little black dresses I love so much. I picked this one up at a thrift shop, and loved the witch-y feel the collar and the lace-up detail in the front...almost like edgy Hogwarts robes or something. At least that's what I like to tell myself. 

This dress is perfect for the cool spring weather because it's a rather thick and not breathable material. Also, tights are a necessity since it's a tad shorter than I would like. But it was too cute to pass up and the stretchy material meant it fit well everywhere besides the length. I shredded the tights myself to wear with this, as plain black, opaque tights made the outfit too boring and one-dimensional. Oh, and I love any excuse to toss on a denim jacket. Why can't we get more than a couple weeks of cool spring weather in the Midwest??

The boots are a cheap Target pair that I studded myself and blogged about a few weeks ago. You can read that post here.

Here's a close-up of the cool collar and lace-up detail at the neck of the dress. And of course, I'm not without my Slytherin necklace!

What do you think? How do you break up a black on black on black outfit to make it fun and interesting? What are your favorite spring articles of clothing?

Everyday Slytherin Outfit

Well, it's finally spring here in the Midwest! (It was snowing this weekend...come on!) Fall and spring fashion is my favorite. I love being able to wear layers, light jackets, and boots, but I hate when it's so cold you have to bury it under thick winter coats. So what better way to celebrate the coming of my favorite season than with my first official outfit post?

Each summer, I find my undying obsession with Harry Potter strengthened. Maybe it's because I was conditioned growing up for the new books/movies to be released in the summer. Even years after the last book/movie release, I still find myself feeling the same way. I just recently began my annual re-reading of the series, and I've found it infiltrating every aspect of my life.

I've literally worn all the Slytherin gear I own this week (usually multiple items at a time...I don't have a problem or anything...), but this was the most subtle take. I called it "Everyday Slytherin" because it felt to me like what an edgy Slytherin might wear in the real world. I've also worn this outfit in one of my more "pirate" fashion moods by switching up my accessories.

Pretty much everything I am wearing I bought at Hot Topic, including the gray jeggings, skull sports bra, Slytherin necklace, and combat boots. The button up shirt/vest, which I bought at a thrift store. 

Also, on a different day this week, I decided to rock my Slytherin tie with a t-shirt and jeans. Because why the hell not? It's alarming how many times I buy something for a Halloween costume and end up wearing it in "real life." The tie can be purchased from the WBShop.

What do you think? How do you dress to your obsessions? 

DIY Day: Studded Asymmetrical Dress and Boots

New seasons always make me want to invest in a new wardrobe. Unfortunately, that isn't always feasible on a college budget. But, thanks to some Pinterest inspiration, a pair of scissors, and some studs, I was able to give a few items in my closet a much needed update yesterday.

I bought the following items a while back (please excuse the stain on my carpet; I drink wayyyy too much coffee and unsurprisingly spill it everywhere). The dress was a $3 thrift store find that fit really well despite being overly conservative with a high neckline and hem that hit mid-shin (I suspect it was supposed to be a maxi dress, but with all the stretch I managed to squeeze the size "petite small" over my six-foot frame). I bought it anyway, figuring that one can never have too many black dresses (er...at last count I had thirteen). And, for $3, I wouldn't be heartbroken if my desire to DIY was a total flop. 

The boots I snagged on sale at Target a couple seasons ago. They were never quite as edgy as I wanted them to be, but I wore them to death anyway. Finally bored with them, I thought they were another perfect DIY candidate.

First, the dress. I found my inspiration at NastyGal, and decided it would be easy to recreate a similar style. I folded the dress in half and cut a diagonal line from the back hem up to mid-way up the front where I wanted the shortest point to be. This created a nice, flowing, asymmetrical hem, and made it  much less conservative. Next, I cut a V to create the matching plunging neckline in the front and back. Last, I studded the neckline both front and back with 1/2" pyramid studs that I got at Studs & Spikes. 

If you're going to do your own studding, I recommend at least purchasing a dart awl for studding, otherwise it is quite difficult to poke through the fabric. I used a pair of pliers to bend the prongs on the spikes, which was fine for the thin fabric of the dress, but much more difficult for the thicker material of the boots. I will update this post with a picture of how the dress looks on when I get a chance to wear it! I was really pleased with the result.

Ta-da! The finished dress

Next the boots. Man, were these a lot of work. Which basically means I watched an ungodly amount of Netflix yesterday during the process. Anyway...

I used the small 1/4" pyramid studs and 1/2" conical studs in an alternating pattern on the toes and tongue, and the 1/2" pyramid studs down the back. After my experience, I would highly advice against using really small studs on such a thick material. The prongs on the 1/4" studs (the 1/2" worked just fine) barely reached through the material, which made it hard to bend the prongs down. But so far at least my feet haven't been stabbed...

Front and back views.

Has anyone else undertaken any DIY wardrobe updates lately? Or have any advice to offer when it comes to adding studs and spikes to garments? I'd love to hear your feedback!