v&a

Yesterday, I had no classes. When this would occur at school in Boston, my day off would consist of lounging around, maybe a little gym action (probably not), and laundry (even less likely).

But here in London, it physically sickens me to spend a whole day at least not exploring the city a little! Its the most amazing place I have ever been, and I'm already trying to finagle a way so I can move back as soon as humanly possible.

But I digress.

Yesterday I took a trip to the Victoria and Albert Museum, we left after about two hours, but I swear to you I could have spent my whole day there! While moseying around the different exhibits, we came across an East Asian history wing. There, I saw necklaces and bangles that could be sold in any store today and sell out instantly.

From that point on, I decided to play a game; how many current fashion trends can I spot in this museum?

The rules are simple; simply go into exhibits with an open mind, rather than a mind that is simply on the time period or location of that exhibit. And that's just what I did!

This is one of the necklaces in the East Asian room, its from the 15th century, but I believe that the collar necklace trend is of the 21st century.

We then moved into the fashion exhibits. It was essentially a worldly view on fashion through the ages, beginning with the late 19th, early 20th century. It was in this exhibit that it was plain to see how fashion is recycled, reused, and is on a continuous loop.

The collar trend continued to appear, this time in lace.

And this would be approximately THE worst picture, but it happens to be the only image I captured to illustrate the blazer that I would most definitely buy today, but happens to be from the 1860's.

Peplum Shmeplum

Peplum is a trend that has extended far past the traditional peplum skirt into dresses, blazers, tops, etc. It is a trend that is somewhat universally flattering, if done correctly.

Obviously the main rule is to never wear both a peplum skirt and top, or you will appear as though you have folds in your middle, which is never appealing.

If you are wearing a peplum skirt, be sure to go minimal and with the least amount of volume as possible, and the opposite applies for wearing peplum shirts or blazers. 

Here are some outfit possibilities that I also made through Polyvore

So enjoy this trend this summer, it is a fun and flirty way to accentuate your curves (or create them if you are so lucky)

Fall Fashion!

It’s that time of year again! The leaves are crunching under newly covered toes and shoulders that were once solely warmed by the sun now lie beneath layers of cotton and wool. It’s getting colder by the day despite the crazy, unpredictable New England weather. This means not only adding some serious Vitamin C to your diet, or switching from beloved iced coffee to regular, but most importantly, dusting off your fall and winter wardrobes!

When it comes to fall fashion, the type of coat and sweater to wear varies greatly depending on the current trends. Thankfully, this season, it seems what is old, is new again! The extreme comfort that comes from a so-called “grandfather sweater” is always a big hit, and cardigans and pea coats are always closet staples that never go out of fashion.  If you are bored with these tired styles, and wish to be on the cutting edge, you are in luck! Such styles such as, the cape (reminiscent of a Mr. Sherlock Holmes), are all over the runways, and have, of course, been adopted by your favorite shopping establishments (Forever 21, Macy’s, etc) for a far more reasonable price.

via Nordstrom.com

 Some basic sweaters are getting a modern update, with the addition of the “peplum”. Which, for those who don’t know, is defined by dictionary.com as, "a short full flounce or an extension of a garment below the waist, covering the hips”. This addition is usually found on skirts, but recently, it has traveled north and found a place on both cardigans and coats.

via glamour.com

If we travel further south, menswear pants are having a serious moment in the fashion world. Although the menswear trend has been slowly evolving over the past few seasons, and with the blazer trend becoming more and more popular, especially among Hollywood royalty, the menswear trend is evolving even further into pants. High-waisted trousers are popping up everywhere, not just on “That 70’s Show” re-runs. Hem lengths and widths are something that, with this season, brings great variation. Some current fascinations include; skinny ankle-length, wide floor-sweeping, and the always-popular, trousers with a boot-cut. Any of these lengths and widths will put you on the fast track to becoming a fall fashion maven.

Monique lhuillier, via trendalertdaily.com

Thanks to websites such as glamour.com, vogue.com, and for runway fashions, style.com, we are able to see progression and newly adapted trends in a more in-depth way. Happy styling!