My Senior Prom Lookbook

High school prom is, let’s face it, a milestone for most teenagers. Finding the dress, the flowers, the date– it’s all got to be planned out. I won’t lie, I’ve been just as excited. Since my school only has senior prom, there’s been a lot of hype and preparation to get ready for the event. Here’s what I wore, as well as some of the other looks my friends wore.

“The dress must follow the body of a woman, not the body following the shape of the dress.” – Hubert de Givenchy

My dress was very simple- so I wanted to dress it up a little with jewelry and accessories.

All of my beautiful friends and their dates

Prom was so much fun- everyone looked gorgeous. What did you wear to your prom? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading & checking out my prom look.

What I Wore in Disney World

Warm weather is my favorite weather to dress for. Luckily for me, last month with a bunch of my friends, I got to leave cold upstate New York and visit Walt Disney World in Florida for my senior class trip.

“Every day is fashion show and the world is a runway” – Coco Chanel

The weather while we were there was perfect- and I made sure to dress accordingly. Here are four of the outfits I wore, and where they are from.

TANK: Forever 21
SKIRT: Forever 21
EARRINGS: (Black & Gold Tassels) Franchesca’s
SHOES: Zumiez (Vans Slip Ons)

HEADBAND: American Eagle
SHIRT: Zara
JEANS: H&M
SHOES: Target

TANK: Forever 21
SHORTS: Free People
EARRINGS: Franchesca’s
WATCH: Fossil
SHOES: Journey’s (Birkenstock Arizona Sandal)

HEADBAND: American Eagle
TANK: Zara
JEANS: H&M
EARRINGS: (Chunky Gold Hoops) American Eagle
SHOES: Zumiez (Vans Slip Ons)

Where are some of your favorite places to shop for warm weather? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for checking out this mini lookbook! Until next time!

How Vans Have Become My Go-To Shoe

I love shoes. It’s a growing problem for both my wallet and closet space. Of course, I adore heels and dressy shoes as much as anyone else, but consistently buying them isn’t exactly practical for everyday life.

“Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.” – Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn was absolutely right. While I could conquer the world in a pair of Manolo Blahniks, I think Vans are a little more comfortable. They’ve become my most recent obsession.

Vans are known as a manufacturer of skateboarding shoes and clothes, based in Santa Ana, California. I’ve come to fall in love with the slip on style, and as of right now I’ve acquired about 7 pairs of them.

They’re super cute, easy to style, and so far in the past few months I’ve owned them, are wildly comfortable.

This pair above has embroidery and detailing on the top of the shoe.

The great thing about Vans is that for the price (about $50), they last a long time. The other thing that I love is the options as far as style and makeup of the shoe- you can even customize them yourself.

This past winter, I bought these black platform slip ons with a faux fur interior. They’re extremely warm and super easy to match to different outfits.

All in all, I’d definitely recommend Vans overall as a shoe. They’re a smart purchase, not to mention extremely durable, weather/season proof, and easy to dress up or down.

They also offer styles other than the slip on, including high tops, lace ups- and many more. They’re worth checking out. You can find them online, at a Vans store nearest to you, and even at stores like Zumiez, JcPenney, Nordstrom, and many more. They’re not hard to find.

Comment down below what your current shoe obsession is. Do you wear Vans? If so, do you like them?

Thanks for reading!

How ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ Wins in Costume Design

Admittedly, I watch a little too much television. Who can blame me? With streaming services like Amazon Prime, Hulu and Netflix, there are simply too many options to not watch.

“Elegance isn’t just about being noticed, it’s about being remembered.” – Giorgio Armani

Lately, one of my favorite shows has been an Amazon Prime original series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Not only is this show spectacularly created and critically acclaimed, but their costume design is absolutely fantastic. I’ve always loved the era of the 50’s-early 60’s, especially the style and music taste.

Since The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is set in mid 1950’s New York City- they had a lot of expectations to live up to as far as costumes. However, I have to say that they’ve absolutely nailed it.

The description Midge, of mother of two, recent divorcee and up and coming comedian is sort of hard to nail down clothing wise. I mean, when you hear that, what do you imagine? However, all of the outfits are bright, chic, and evidently well thought out- down to the accessories.

Here are some of (in my opinion) the best looks from Seasons 1 & 2.

The Red Dress

This dress is probably one of the most popular looks from the show. This red dress, the belted waist and flattering neckline is exquisite.

The Fur Coat

This coat is absolutely to die for. Paired with the hat and jewelry ensemble, the costume designers absolutely nailed the idea of luxury.

The Green Dress

This elegant, simple green dress is also another example of fantastic costume design.

The Pink Suit

I love this look. The suit is very feminine and form fitting. Being paired with the hat, gloves and jewelry really knock this outfit out of the park.

The Little Black Dress

If you haven’t watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, I encourage you to. Not only is it downright hilarious and surprisingly relatable to our current time period, but the design of the entire show is meticulous and extremely detail oriented. It’s available for streaming on Amazon Prime now.

Comment down below which costumes are your favorite- or even let me know if you’ve started the show.

Thank you so much for reading! If you haven’t given my last articles a read, be sure to check them out.

Statement Earrings – The Next Big Thing

Everyone knows that accessories can make or break your look, especially jewelry. Lately, statement earrings have become a staple in creating outfits.

Trust and love are wonderful, but don’t forget the earrings. – Estée Lauder

Here’s why- they can pull your entire look together. Even wearing a plain sweater and jeans can be upgraded with a bright pop of color provided by your earrings.

For one, statement earrings are super fun to wear. For another, they add a lot of detail to your fit.

Here are a few of my personal favorites, and where they can be purchased. (Linked below each photo is the URL if you’d like to purchase any of them.)

Catalina Beaded Interlock Earrings – Francesca’s
$24.00

Stacie Raffia Fanned Hoops – Francesca’s
$20.00

Pink and Gold Shell Beaded Earrings – Lulu’s
$15.00

Thanks for reading! Where are some of your favorite places to find earrings? Do you personally follow the statement earring trend? Comment down below.

Until next time!

How I Take My Own Photos

Spring is here- for the most part. If you’re an upstate New Yorker like me, you know that the weather lately has been wildly unpredictable. Regardless of the current weather, cute espadrilles and light fabric are around the corner- and shooting pictures of spring style will be too.

“The joy of dressing is an art.” – John Galliano

Unfortunately, I don’t have a personal photographer who follows me around and knows all of my good angles. Through trial and error (and a lot of unfocused images), I’ve taught myself a few things.

Here are a few tips I use when I shoot my own photos.

I find that I always have way more fun when I just fool around with poses for different images.

Instead of having to plan out poses, I like to just let the camera go off and then later go through the photos and choose my favorites. Everything comes off a little less rigid and forced- instead you look like you’re having a lot of fun.

Another thing that makes a huge difference, and in my personal opinion is a godsend is a little invention known as the self timer.

A lot of my pictures are actually the product of using a self timer on either my camera ( a Nikon D5600 ) or my phone ( iPhone 8plus ).

The self timer allows you to figure out your poses & focus of the photo before it’s even taken- which make everything a little easier.

It’s a lot easier to prop your phone or camera up on something (in this photo’s case, my boyfriend’s phone was propped up on the hood of a car) then to ask passerby to take a quick shot.

All in all, I think the most important thing to remember is have fun. Life is too short to wear boring clothes and to not take pictures of all the great outfits you wear.

Thanks for reading! With spring coming, you’ll be sure to see documentation of my outfits, shopping, and style opinions very soon.

I hope this post provided a little insight on how to take pictures or encourages you to get out and do it. Comment down below some things you do when taking your own photos.

The Reasons Why I Love Aldo Bags

I’ve always had an eye for cute purses. Sure, I love Kate Spade, Vince Camuto and Marc Jacobs as much as the next girl, but as a 17 year old high school student, sometimes dropping hundreds of dollars on a bag isn’t the most economically sound idea.

“Fashion changes. Style endures.” – Coco Chanel

Enter in Aldo: a super affordable accessory company that doesn’t break the bank. Some of the best purchases I’ve made have been have been from Aldo. One of the best things by far that I’ve noticed recently is that they’re extremely good at staying on trend.

The best thing about their products is that they’re high quality for the price- and they look like you spent way more than you actually did.

Of course, the amount you pay usually entails the quality of an item- especially for purses. However, in Aldo’s case, I’ve had only good experiences.

The Roccapalumbax

(The name is a mouthful, I know.)

The Roccapalumbax bag is one of my latest buys. It was $55, and I have nothing but good things to say so far.

For one thing, it’s extremely roomy. For another, it can be a satchel or a crossbody. I usually stick with neutral hues that can go with anything when I buy a bag, but I saw the yellow in the store and it definitely caught my eye.

The gold accents provide impeccable detail and a subtle reminder that the bag is higher quality.

Take this bag, for example, and compare it to the Kate Spade sam medium satchel.

This bag retails for a price of $298 (directly from Kate Spade). Similar look, vast difference in price.

This definitely isn’t to say that I would never shop at more expensive retailers for cute bags and accessories- but for now, Aldo is a perfect happy medium to find great pieces to add to your closet and complete your look.

Hopefully this post will encourage you to step out of your style comfort zone or make you a little more conscious of what you can get out of your budget.

After all, as Rachel Zoe once said, “I see bold accessories as a woman’s armor.”

Thanks for reading! Comment down below some of your favorite places where you find the best deals.

Never Underestimate the Power of Jewelry

Let’s be honest. The key to making an outfit come together is really all about the details. Jewelry especially is the key to creating a dazzling ensemble. Even if your outfit is totally bland, pairing it with a decorative necklace or dangly earrings can really add the sparkle you were looking for. Here are a few tips on how choosing the right jewelry can really make your look stand out.

“Jewelry is like the perfect spice- it always complements what’s already there.” – Diane Von Furstenberg

1. Experiment

I think playing with texture and mixing different tones can provide for an individual look. A lot of my jewelry is silver, but I’m never afraid to throw a few gold pieces into the mix.

For example, I always wear a silver monogrammed ‘B’ necklace, but sometimes I’ll layer it with a dainty gold choker, or longer gold chains below to add a little more individuality and texture. I apply this same idea when I wear rings. The majority of my rings are silver, but sometimes I’ll wear gold bands to add a little variety.

Think about it like this: if it doesn’t work out, you can always take it off. If it does work out, though, you could garner some killer compliments.

2. Simplicity Can Be Key

When wearing an outfit with plenty of color, texture, or printed patterns, it’s better to go simple. Sticking with a pair of uncomplicated hoops, or pearl studs can completely ground your wild ensemble and make it consistent. As Marilyn Monroe once said- “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” She was right! Adding a pair of small, sparkly studs can still give you a little flair, but not TOO much.

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Make a Statement

The right jewelry can make you & your look pop. It’s all about the occasion. Statement earrings, with glitz and glamour are perfect to pair with a simple dress that provides a lack of detail. Big, colorful rings can be paired with a simple sweater & jeans look to add more glamour. Never be afraid to make a statement- sometimes the unexpected pieces are the ones that give you the best look.

Hopefully these quick tips gave you a few ideas on how jewelry can really influence your next outfit. Is there a certain technique that you use when accessorizing with jewelry? Comment down below. Thanks for reading!

The Closet Collective

Author: brookemacica