How to Avoid Cliché Coachella Style

If you're confused about the increasing amount of suede, fringe, crochet and knitwear appearing in major retail stores, there's a good explanation for it. It's festival season!

Every spring, music festivals roll out one after another, after another.... Coachella is the most famous music festival of them all as hoards of celebrities, models, and generally COOL people attend year after year. These people claim to go for the music but I know they only go to show off their Coachella-fied designer clothes.

You've seen the types: bohemian chic with a rocker vibe, 70s glam with a modern twist, and edgy punk with feminine glam. These are the style combos I heavily associate with music festivals like Coachella.

I find myself loving certain pieces of these outfits but feeling overwhelmed when they're all combined. It can be a little *too* much, you know?

Here are a few outfits I find to be cliché (RE: overdone) at Coachella and other music festivals...

Doing the most:

photo | Vogue.com

photo | E Online

These outfits have a million different things going on at once. Mixing trends is great but it needs to be done tactfully.

The left photo shows how fringe can go wrong when paired with an intense graphic tee.

Similarly, the right photo mixes an uber-popular suede front button skirt with a printed long cardigan. Verdict: too busy!

Doing it right:

photo | E Online

photo | Splash News

You can't go wrong with black and white. I've said it before and I'll say it again and again!

These two looks stand out because they are getting the festival feeling across while looking fabulously chic.

I love the monochromatic look on the left, accented by a ribbon choker and long chain necklace. The booties are an excellent update to the gladiator sandal.

The look on the right is SOoooOo cute! I'm loving the front button shorts - a nice update to the front button suede skirt from above. The double-buckle belt is trending and fabulous.

Doing it yourself:

Shop these affordable pieces to get your music festival wardrobe fix! 

TASSELED CROSSBODY forever 21

LACE DRESS zara

SPLIT ROMPER missguided

WESTERN ANKLE BOOT missguided

Interview Season: The Power Outfit

The first chance you have to make a good impression is always through your outfit. This is particularly true when it comes to speaking with potential employers. 

Let's pretend you're interviewing someone for a job. They walk into your office wearing tight ripped jeans, a wrinkled shirt and worn out shoes. What does this tell you about this person's attitude? For me, this outfit says this person doesn't think the interview is worth looking their very best. 

Don't be that person. Don't let your friends be that person. To avoid being that person, you must invest in your appearance. You need to buy a classic outfit that will take you the distance so that you will get the job that pays the distance. It's a cyclical process.

I bought a suit from Express when I was a senior in high school because I had a tour of The White House. At the time I didn't know I would be relying on that suit for nearly every job/internship interview or professional event during my college career. You don't have to buy a suit, but you should definitely consider buying a go-to professional outfit to wow everyone around you.

Here are three different outfit choices I recommend for that important occasion:

1. The Power Suit 

This is a classic outfit for virtually all ages. As a matter of fact, I envision myself wearing only Chanel tweed suits when I hit age 70. For now, I'll stick to wearing things like this Express Columnist suit with a flattering fit and swoon-worthy price:

Express Columnist Suit

2. The Do-It-All Dress 

How many times have you reached for a dress in your closet but couldn't wear it because it was either too short or too tight for a professional occasion? It's amazing how long my legs look when I'm trying to be ~appropriate~ UGH. Here is a dress that does it all, for every business occasion:

LOFT Paneled Sheath Dress 

3. Skirt and Top Combo

When all else fails, grab a skirt and go. It is SO important to choose wisely. The wrong skirt could cost you the job. My rule of thumb is this: if you can't decide whether or not your skirt is appropriate, you shouldn't wear it. There should be no second guessing about your outfit because you want to feel 100% confident. Here are some combos to do the trick:

J. Crew Pencil Skirt 

Spring Loving and Sandal Shopping

I love this time of year because the air is filled with a floral perfume so sweet, it can only be produced by nature. I enjoy seeing flowers right before they bloom; these flowers are always my favorite because I can already see their full beauty even though the rest of the world may not yet be able to.

Spring seemed to appear out of nowhere with sunshine and tee shirt weather beckoning me to pack away my winter clothes. Although the weather still differs on a daily basis (thanks Northern Virginia) I am leaning towards warm weather clothes over the chunky knit sweaters I've been living in for months. 

Shoes are typically the last layer to change between winter and spring, simply due to the fact that the weather still likes to play with our emotions by being super cold in the morning and super warm in the afternoon. However, you can get started shopping for sandals and the warm weather will be here to stay before you know it. 

Last summer I discovered Forever 21 sandals. If you've been following my blog since the beginning, you may have seen me slightly trash talk Forever 21 here. I have a new attitude towards the store ever since discovering their sandals. I wore them non-stop last summer in *Milan* (brb, crying). They were the perfect walking shoes and I can't wait to break them out again.

I prefer sandals without a strap around the heel simply because I always get blisters. Always. These shoes are the remedy for my sensitive heels because they simply slide on my feet. 

Shop my favorites from the Forever 21 website below:

Faux Suede Sandals (+colors) $12.90

Crisscross Faux Leather Sandals (+colors) $8.90

Braided Faux Leather Sandals (+colors) $8.90

How Rocksbox Won Me Over

I could write an entire blog post on subscription services I've thought about trying. They are so hot right now and it really seems like it happened overnight. I am not one to sign up to a monthly service (I don't even have Netflix) but I changed my mind when I discovered Rocksbox.

If you're like me, you have pretty high standards for something that comes with a monthly fee. When I received my first Rocksbox, I was blown away by the quality of the box. The jewelry fit my personal style and the packaging made me feel oh so special.

Fast forward six months later and I'm STILL loving Rocksbox. That's right, I've gotten my very own little white box of jewelry delivered to my door for six months. The Rocksbox team has really done a phenomenal job of making sure each subscriber feels the love each month with personalized notes and adorable stationary. Love.

If your jewelry wardrobe is lacking this spring, it's time for you to sign up to Rocksbox. You can get your first month of jewelry FREE when you use my code thefashionspeakxoxo at checkout. What are you waiting for? Go to www.rocksbox.com and sign up!

Refresh Your Cardigan Collection

I love wrapping up in a cardigan on a breezy day that is too warm for a coat but too cold for short sleeves. Cardigans can be one of the most versatile pieces in your wardrobe since they easily transition from season to season when paired with the right outfit.

If you want to take your cardigan game to the next level, you've got to try something different. From chunky knit to sheer fitted - there are endless styles of cardigans. My favorite one of the moment is the long cardigan.

Long cardigans are a favorite among celebrity stylist Monica Rose, who dresses Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner, both of whom wear long cardigans ALL the time. While I don't enjoy keeping up with anyone in the Kardashian crew, I do enjoy keeping up with what is trending in fashion. Long cardigans? Definitely trending.

I found some great long cardigans at Zara and I can't stop wearing them! The price is right and the fit is perfect. Whether you're at the office, on a college campus, lounging at home or going out at night, these long cardigans will elevate your look and take your cardigan game to the next level.

photos, editing | Michael Collins Design 

// shop this look //

necklace: DIY ribbon choker

cardigan: Zara 

Online Shopping With thredUP

It's no secret that I love online shopping (who doesn't?), which stands to reason why I am always browsing for new sites to feed my addiction. My aunt recently introduced me to thredUP and I've been loving it ever since.

This is a website that allows users to consign and shop for top name brands at a fraction of the price. The catch? There isn't one. I've purchased cozy Vince sweaters for under $30. That's unheard of!

There are more benefits to thredUP than just the price. Shipping is free on orders over $70 and returns are FREE within 14 days. What does this mean? You can basically have clothes shipped to your doorstep and try them on to see if you like them. If not, you simply box them up and send them back. No harm, no foul.

It's like being in a dressing room of a name brand store. Except you're at home. Choosing from hundreds of name brands. Swoon.

Today I'm featuring this lovely blue top by LNA that I ordered back in December. It's the perfect texture for days in between winter and spring when the weather can't decide what it wants to do.

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't typically opt for ~blue~ unless it's a super dark navy or a denim. However, when an item is this affordable I'm always willing to branch out and try it. I definitely recommend seeing what the hype is all about and shopping thredUP for yourself.

Let me know if you have any luck!

Trending Now: The Neck Scarf

Ever since my first trip to Paris in 2010 I have had a healthy selection of scarves in my closet at all times. I have tons of different scarves for every season. They are a wardrobe staple and I find myself always shopping for more. It's really fun to find new styles and mix and match different looks with different accessories. The neck scarf has been in the spotlight this season and I simply can't get enough!

One of my favorite places to browse is The Real Real because I know I can always find designer trends at a great price. It's no surprise that I immediately fell in love with the Fendi neck scarf pictured below when I found it on The Real Real. 

Just because the weather is getting colder it doesn't mean you shouldn't embrace smaller scarves. I think of neck scarves in the same way I think about statement necklaces - a year round style must have! Check out my look below and be sure to browse for your very own neck scarf on The Real Real.

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photos/edits Michael Collins Design // makeup Maha Shah

Strappy Flats You'll Love This Fall

Lace em up, ladies! These shoes have graced runways and city streets alike but now it's time they make an appearance in your closet. The looks below are an easy way to update those simple ballet flats you have been wearing.

I like this look for those days when the weather isn't quite sure if it's early September or mid-January, you know? Personally, these shoes are the simplest way for me to dress up my usual chunky-knit sweater + super-skinny jean combo that I practically live in this time of year.

My favorite part about these flats? They're so versatile. These can be dressed up or laid back. Wear them with a distressed boyfriend jean if you're going casual or opt for a black skinny jean for a classy chic look.

Shop my picks below:

ASOS Senso Gia Snake Print 

Zara Pointed Lace-Up Ballerinas 

Arricci Elodie Ghillie Flat

Steve Madden Eleanor Flat

MTNG Originals Flat

Courtesy of Aquazurra Boutique

Forever 21 Faux Suede Strappy Flat