shorts – A Styled Mind

In Collabs

HOME ALONE (ft. Burrow House)

June 25, 2019 3 Comments

As a blogger who does most of her shooting outdoors, there’s always a chance that unexpected weather conditions can alter the plans and force a last minute location change. Luckily, on this particular weekend, I was well aware that it would be raining so I thought ahead. I had seen a few bloggers use the furniture store, Burrow House, to host events as well as a photoshoot backdrop. Aside from the store being beautifully curated, it’s also an incredibly photogenic space with all of the cozy vibes you could ever imagine! Unlike other home-good retailers I’ve seen, Burrow House does an excellent job at designing their stores to really make the customer feel at home and get a feel for how each piece would live in their own private spaces. Upon walking in, I was instantly drawn to this deep caramel-colored leather couch and knew it would be the perfect center piece for my shoot. Everything felt so natural, as if I was in my own living room which helped compliment the casual outfit I had styled. I was holding onto this plaid jacket for quite some time planning the perfect moment to style it, to the point where I began to get nervous if I had waited too long and it was out of season. After thinking of possible scenarios where I could where this garment, the thought of cool Summer nights on the boardwalk came to mind and I began mentally crafting my ensemble. I found these denim paper-bag waist shorts on sale during a recent shopping trip, and in efforts to keep things simple, paired them with a white button up with eyelet detailing. Because this was such a classic look, I chose to keep the focus on the outerwear and finish it off with minimal heeled sandals featuring a vinyl strap and sage colored earrings to tie everything together. I truly felt right at home and loved how this editorial turned out! Let me know in the comments what a rainy day at home looks like for you; mine would certainly consist of tea, music, and a few good movies. Until next time!

Outfit Details & Links:

Jacket- Eggie

Top- Who What Wear Collection

Shorts- Topshop

Heels- Zara

Earrings- Kendra Scott

In Collabs

ASM X JEFF WAN

June 6, 2019 1 Comment

More often than not, there’s usually one specific piece that becomes the catalyst when creating my outfits. In this specific instance it was this fun vinyl tote from Jeff Wan. I was lucky enough to have been selected for this collaboration and though I was excited for the styling, it took me some time to figure out where to start. Based on the style of bag as well as the bold pineapple stamp, I immediately decided to use the beach as my theme and inspiration. I had already had this one-shoulder asymmetric top in my closet and had been meaning to use it in a blog post since the day I brought it home. During my shopping session, I was initially leaning towards a flowy wide-legged pant, but unfortunately could not find anything that suited my vision. After browsing the sale section, I also picked up cream blazer as an addition to my wardrobe staples; with no intention of using it for this particular look. As I arrived at my final store location of the day, these striped shorts caught my attention without hesitation I knew that they would be perfect! They instantly reminded me of those giant beach umbrellas and before I knew it, my look was coming together right before my eyes. Because my bag had brown accents, I decided to incorporate a pair of suede mules in the same color to add a bit of cohesiveness. To elevate the look, I made a last-minute decision to drape the blazer I had purchased over my shoulders, which really helped to provide dimension and a touch of sophistication to the ensemble overall. For jewelry, in efforts to highlight the gold button detail on my sleeve, I added a matching pair of dangling earrings and was ready to roll! This outfit truly gave me all of the chic vacation feels and I am undoubtedly pleased with how it turned out. Comment below your favorite piece from this look and if you’d like to shop more accessories from Jeff Wan, feel free to use my 15% off coupon code: ASM15. Until next time!

Outfit Details & Links:

Blazer- Topshop

Top- Zara

Shorts- & Other Stories

Mules- Zara

Bag- Jeff Wan

In the vault

SHEER STORY

May 9, 2019 No Comments

I’ve probably never put an outfit together faster, that I liked as much as this one! I purchased the boots first and had been waiting for the perfect time to style them. While I wasn’t set on a specific direction, I knew that I wanted to style them in a contrasting way (per usual) against more feminine pieces. What initially caught my attention, was the white piping along a seam of the shoe, as well as the bright blue tab that added an unexpected pop of color. To highlight the stark accent detail, I had pretty much come to the realization that a white frilly dress of some kind was exactly what I needed. Turns out, when it was actually time to do my shopping, I was feeling tremendously under the weather; thus, I made the executive decision to pick one store and not leave until I found my entire look. Now, I’m sure this sounds a bit crazy and overwhelming– IT WAS! I had no idea what I was walking into and hadn’t done any previous online research to see if the store I selected even had pieces that fit my vision; turns out, they did not. At this point it was crunch time so after leaving the fitting room line and putting back a cream-colored dress that I wasn’t very fond of to begin with, I began brainstorming a new plan. At that moment I remembered I had seen a sheer white tunic a few weeks prior, so I quickly located it as soon as possible. By this point, I was starting to get excited because although I had to forgo the frock idea, I was still able to pick up a garment that had the dainty feel I was looking for. From this point, things were much easier as I just needed to find pieces to wear underneath this see-through number. After taking a few more laps around the store, I came across a satin bralette and a table full of denim shorts. Initially, I was leaning towards the obvious choice (which was black), however I decided on the grey distressed version as they were softer and didn’t take away from harsh contrast that the patent booties brought to the look. Lastly, I felt like a bag was needed since I didn’t see any jewelry that really fit the theme of my ensemble. Unfortunately, this was also a bit of a challenge because most of the accessories either didn’t have silver hardware to match the metal accent on the heel of my shoes or were just completely inconsistent with the style genre. Finally, I came across a bright yellowish-lime green cross-body that seemed perfect, yet slightly random at the same time. Though very different in color, it appeared to be the same tone as the blue on my boots which complimented them quite nicely. Overall this look, though rushed, turned out to be one of my favorites for the season! I challenge all of you to try and style an entire outfit from just one store of your choosing, without using any of the pre-styled mannequins for reference (just for fun of course). Until next time!

Outfit Details & Links:

Top- Zara

Bralette- Zara

Shorts- Zara

Boots- Calvin Klein

Bag- Zara

In Collabs

SOFT BLOOM (ft. EGGIE)

April 23, 2019 3 Comments

It’s so beautiful and refreshing to see everything begin to bloom and take on new life as we move into the warmer seasons; so, it was only right that I capture some of nature’s beauty and feature the gorgeous cherry blossom trees. This is the second look I styled in collaboration with the Eggie brand, and I honestly think it might have been my favorite! When I initially saw this sustainable top on the website I was drawn to it immediately. At the same time, I was also anxious to receive and find out if I could actually pull it off. To my surprise, it completely exceeded my expectations in terms of quality, fit, and overall details. Because it was white however, I was left with plenty of options in terms of what to pair it with (which is not a bad problem to have, might I add). I had recently saw and purchased a pair of cream, paper bag waist, faux leather shorts; and though I was excited to wear them, a part of me felt like maybe it was too soon. That said, I ended up taking my chances and styling the pieces together despite my hesitation. At this point, being that my color palette was so light, I wanted to find a way to even it out with a bit of contrast. I had also bought a pair of black embossed mules and decided to add them to my ensemble which brought a casual, more “daytime-appropriate” vibe. For accessories, I didn’t want to miss out on an opportunity to showcase my new mini wrist-bag; and it couldn’t have been delivered at a more perfect time! The multi-colored stripes really helped to tie in each garment as well as the shoes, to create one cohesive outfit. Lastly, no Spring/Summer look would be complete without a pair of sunglasses, so I grabbed my black cat-eye frames and the look was complete! The overall combination of feminine and edgy pieces is really one of my favorite juxtapositions, as it truly defines my style perfectly and is the foundation of a lot of my looks. Let me know in the comments your favorite part about Spring and until next time!

Outfit Details & Links:

Top- Eggie

Shorts- Topshop

Mules- Zara

Bag- Rebecca Minkoff

Sunglasses- Mango

In the vault

LEOPARD + LEATHER

August 15, 2018 2 Comments

While Fall is my favorite season when it comes to styling looks, knowing that it is right around the corner already gives me feelings of excitement as well as anxiety. To say the year is flying by would be an understatement, so in efforts to embrace the last bit of Summer we have left and sneak in a few autumnal trends, I created this look! As we move into cooler months, there are a few staples that always seem to take retailers by storm in a major way; two of my favorites being leather and animal prints. Whether worn together or separate, both can bring chic and edgy elements to any look! This look came together in no time as I found the main focal pieces in the same store. What initially drew me to this shirt in particular was the fact that the print wasn’t overly warm-toned. A lot of times when I see leopard/cheetah printed garments, they typically consist of brown shades and sometimes even orange. I liked this shirt because the base color was light enough that it was almost neutral, meaning that I could style it all year round and wear it with basically any type of jewelry regardless of the metal color. This worked to my advantage as I also came across a pair of leather, paper-bag waist shorts with silver hardware on the belt. Of all the leather garments I own, I happened to be missing a pair of shorts so this purchase was an instant no-brainer. Though both pieces had their own intricate and bold details, I needed to find accessories to tie everything together. For shoes, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and finally try a pair of Perspex sandals. I had been purposely avoiding this trend as I felt like most styles I had seen thus far either looked cheap or just simply weren’t flattering on the foot. To my surprise, I was really drawn to these nude heels along with the subtle chicness and elevation they added to this ensemble. I also felt like they kept the Summer essence was striving to maintain with the off-white base and clear vinyl strap. I wore my favorite pair of geometric earrings to coordinate with the studs along the belt and threw on a red lip for an extra pop of color. Let me know what you think of this look in the comments below and if, like me, you can’t wait to see what the next season of fashion brings. Until next time!

Outfit Details & Links:

Top- Topshop

Shorts- Topshop

Heels- Zara

Earrings- & Other Stories

In the vault

HEATWAVE

July 4, 2018 2 Comments

After experiencing a Winter that felt like it would never end and wildly inconsistent temperatures, it appears that half way through the year we have FINALLY received the stable Summer weather we’ve all been looking forward to. At this point, while it can become slightly unbearable at times, I choose to not complain and make the most of it! In my personal experiences, I’ve found that most fashion lovers are generally not very fond of this season when it comes to styling outfits; which is totally understandable being that staying cool and comfortable tend to be top priority when getting dressed. While I do share the same sentiment, I also love a good challenge! Upon finding these printed shorts I initially knew I liked them, however I wasn’t sure how they would look with my skin tone or what I would pair them with. That being said, the paper bag waist and thin linen-like fabric definitely made them a potential staple when it came to shopping for this ensemble. Because the bottom half was fairly muted, I wanted to make sure that I completed the look with pieces that would pop and create a contrast that also highlighted the pattern on the shorts. Recently I’ve noticed a lot of lattice cut out tops and blouses on the market and while I wasn’t sure if they’d actually fit my personal style, I was willing to give this one a try. To my surprise, though these two pieces may seem like an odd pair, somehow they provided the exact juxtaposition I was looking for! Due to the abundance of intricate details in the top alone, I knew I didn’t have to worry about accessorizing very much. I kept it simple with a pair of stud earrings and some white heeled sandals to tie everything together. Personally, I am quite a fan of how this look turned out and am definitely looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone and pairing pieces that may not seemingly fit together at first glance. Let me know in the comments how you would’ve styled these shorts and if you would rock my look. Until next time!

Outfit Details & Links:

Top: Mango

Shorts: Zara

Heels: Topshop

In Collabs

ASM X MACY’S PT. 2

June 12, 2018 1 Comment

For my second Macy’s look, I was given a pair of denim shorts to style as my focal piece. With this came excitement as well as a bit of anxiety being that having such a simple item gave me free reign to literally take the look in any direction; but I was up for the challenge! Before even browsing the website, I knew I wanted to dress-up the look with more formal pieces and a blazer was the first thing that came to mind. It didn’t take long before I found this gorgeous printed piece that just screamed, “Summer chic!” The light blue base and abstract yellow floral design really embodied exactly what I was looking for, and ended up being the perfect contrast against the dark-wash denim. With such a bold piece of outerwear, a simple tank top or t-shirt was the only option that made sense to me for layering with this ensemble. Lucky for me, the night before my shoot, I was able to find a ribbed top that perfectly matched a pair of mules I had also purchased and swapped into this look at the last minute. In efforts to accessorize a bit, I thought it would be cool to compliment the gold hardware on my shoes and throw on a pair of clear aviator frames. Personally, while I didn’t think they were a necessity, I appreciated the quirky twist they added to the outfit overall. I was definitely pleased with how this look turned out and loved the versatility of the pieces I paired together. Let me know in the comments if you would’ve styled the shorts in a similar way or gone a completely different route. Until next time!

Outfit Details & Links:

Blazer- DKNY

Top- Urban Outfitters

Shorts- Levis

Mules- DKNY

In the vault

SUMMER VIBES

September 6, 2016 2 Comments

I think it’s safe to say that this will probably be my last official “summer look” for this year, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited for the seasonal transition. While the summer months are great weather wise, I don’t feel like it is the best time for fashion– Autumn however, is a completely different story. I am beyond ready for a few light layers, booties, and the wide variety of trousers. For now though, I’ll stick to the outfit at hand. This look was fairly simple and quite “effortless” in my opinion. It’s no secret that off the shoulder or “bardot” tops have been huge this season, so when I stumbled upon this particular one I had to grab it! I love how this top incorporates the trend into the classic style button-up shirt as well as emphasizing the elongated sleeves, another trend we are seeing a lot on the runways. Because this top had so many detailed elements, I chose to have it be the focus of my look and keep the rest minimal. I threw on my distressed Levis shorts, a brown suede choker, and go-to sunnies to accessorize. To finish off the look and keep the summer flare, I decided to wear my bright yellow platform sandals. I saw these beauties on sale during one of my shopping trips and while I usually tend to keep my footwear more on the neutral side, the deal was just too good to pass up! Though simple, I really loved how this look turned out and felt that all of the pieces complimented each other quite well. I’m definitely excited to bring a few of my summer pieces into fall and see what new looks I can create by adding my favorite leather jackets! Until next time!

Outfit Details & Links:

Top- Zara

Shorts- Urban Outfitters

Heels- Zara

Choker- Zara

In the vault

FASHION WEEK PT. 1

October 2, 2015 2 Comments

Though it is long overdue, I am finally getting around to my long awaited, two-part fashion week post. While it has sadly come to an end and since moved on to other countries like London, Milan, and Paris, reminiscing over the incredible week during NYFW is something I hardly mind. While stating the obvious, it’s clear that New York fashion week got off to a rainy start, but a little moisture did not stop the energy in and around the city. The excitement that comes with fashion week is undeniable and the beautiful people that grace the city bring tons of inspiration, celebration, and energy.

Outfit Details & Links:

Top- New York & Co.

Dress-Missguided

Shoes- Zara

Bag- Fossil

Glasses- Versace

Whether day or night, I’ve found that fashion week is a time that brings people together socially and creatively. If you have plans to see the shows or just take in the New York atmosphere, I think one of the most important things to do during this week is just get out there! This is one of the best times to meet people with common interests, network, take pictures, and be a part of amazing events that are only available a few times of year. This is a time like no other in the city where opportunity is everywhere, you just have to be in the right places to receive it.

Outfit Details & Links:

Top: Topshop

Bralet: Urban Outfitters

Skort: Zara

Shoes: Zara

Backpack: Topshop

Necklace: Zara

I had the amazing opportunity to attend the Academy of the Arts fashion show on the second day of NYFW and the experience was nothing short of breathtaking. It was amazing to see the creative works of such young visionaries come to life and I was honored to witness it. Through the madness, constant running around, and endless events, I highly recommend everyone to take a slice of what fashion week has to offer. You will not be disappointed!

Outfit Details & Links:

Printed Co-Ord set- Asos

Lace Bralet- Zara

Shoes- Zara

In the vault

CITY CHIC

September 12, 2015 5 Comments

To some, living in a major city can be highly overwhelming. Its extremely fast paced, and if you’re not running for a taxi, the subway, or to your next meeting…you’re probably a tourist. LOL. But all jokes aside, while I do understand how hectic it can be for some, I love every ounce of it. There’s never a dull moment or a shortage of places to go and I personally feel like I learn something new almost every day. To compliment the “on-the-go” theme I had planned for this look, I decided to keep the outfit simple and stick with a flat shoe. By now, we should all know that even my most simplest looks have a little edge and this ensemble was no different! I pulled a very dramatic high/low chiffon blouse from my closet and paired it with some destroyed denim cut-offs that I’ve had for ages! Then, to add a different texture I went with some snake print slip-on flats and a statement necklace to finish off the look. As I’ve said before, you don’t always need the boldest colors or patterns to stand out. In my opinion, it’s the tiny elements and nuances that make for an eye-catching and memorable look. While prancing around the city that never sleeps comfort and style are always at the top of my list. A wise person once told me, “If you’re bored in New York City, maybe you’re just boring.” Until next time guys! 🙂

Outfit Details & Links:

Top- Urban Outfitters

Shorts- Urban Oufitters

Shoes- Zara

Necklace- Urban Oufitters