Stop bowing down to Forever 21

    At this point I should be known as that aunt who only comes into town once every few months but still manages to keep in light contact with the latest and greatest of the family. You know, that aunt who shows up announced to the gathering carrying no luggage but only a bottle of unpronounceable liquor and smells like she just walked out of Chanel.

    I am back, for now.

    As Black Friday is creeping in on us, I want to applaud those who have decided that waiting in agonizing lines outside of a chain retailer is a bunch of bs, because it is. I agree that they have deals on wheels but for those who care more about apparel than the new Keurig, I give you two words. Cyber Monday. I cannot wait to sit my bum on my couch in my pajamas adding items to my cart like it is no ones business. In the mind of a twenty-something girl like myself, whenever we think of where to go for cyber Monday it is usually stores such as Lulu's, H&M, and Forever 21. Those three stores are great do not get me wrong, but snap out of it. (Quick rant time) We are in our prime twenties ladies and we should not be shopping for cheap graphic t-shirts that say "Too tired to care" or, one of my all time cheesy favorites, "The bags under my eyes are Chanel". Now is the time to stop bowing down to retailers like Forever 21 (sorry Forever) and start expanding your horizons in terms of fashion. We are young women, not college freshmen.



    I know I may seem harsh but I have learned that if you want to be an adult, you have to dress like one, especially in the fashion industry. So here I am telling you to stop spending all of your money on cheap  fast fashion clothing from retailers and to start looking at other websites for Black Friday. Trust me when I say that $10 deals on clothes are not actually worth it, unless you like socks that have unicorns on them. (End rant time) I have compiled a list of online stores that deserve a blinding spotlight this cyber Monday. Now get ready to sit on that couch and enjoy the madness. You are welcome.
 
**Disclaimer: I do not know about each retailers BF deals nor am I getting anything for promoting their name.**

 

 

 

 

 

     After seeing all of these brands you are probably wondering why I have not shown a few sample pictures of clothing from their website. I have decided that after verbally putting down other retailers and those who are forever 21 lovers, I am not going to steer you in one direction. It is up to you to decide if you are interested in these brands and links are provided on each logo if you are! Until then it will be a mystery about the styles and merchandise that each showcase.

 

 

 

Until next time,

 

 



"Nothing haunts us like the things we don't buy"-unknown.


XOXOXO

My summer with AKIRA

Hey...remember me?

    You know, the girl who always blogs and then dramatically goes MIA for a long period of time and then pops up out of nowhere? Yep that's me! I do it for the drama what can I say, now back to business. This summer I had the privledge to intern with an amazing boutique called AKIRA. In my internship I was a visual merchandiser and I did a bit of personal styling here and there. Those who don't know about AKIRA, here is a little overview. AKIRA is a women's clothing boutique based in Chicago, it opened in 2002 (July 7th, 2002 to be exact) with one location and it has increased to 27. AKIRA has multiple locations in Chicago, Missouri, Wisconsin, Indianapolis, and so on. This contemporary boutique is owned by Eric Huesh, Erikka Wang, Jon Cotay all of which met as students at the University of Illinois as well as Gordon Liao and Sarah Hughes. AKIRA is not like any other cookie cutter boutique with the basic on trend looks, it sells their own line of women's clothing, foot wear, and accessories as well as popular brands like Adidas, Champion, Levi, and so on.


    The store's image represents a confident woman who is not afraid to try different styles and stand out. The woman that walks through a crowd and has everyone's eyes on her. She is an AKIRA girl...not trying to sound cheesy. Any woman can shop at AKIRA no matter what style, age, or demographic. They sell many versatile items for any occasion, and even if you are not shopping for anything in particular I guarantee you will fall in love with an item within seconds. If I could describe AKIRA in one word it would be ambitious, they're styles give off an edge that most retailers do not. If I walk into a Forever 21 I would find something to buy don't get me wrong, but to me their clothes are like the radio, too on trend and cookie cutter. AKIRA has on trend styles but they are always one step ahead of the game. I could blab on about AKIRA for days but now back to my internship.

    I want to make this short and sweet and just give the run down of what I did and my experience because I could easily tell you what I did on the daily. Coming into this internship I had little to no retail background per se, shocking I know since I am a fashion major, so I was nervous. My first week consisted of me learning the basics, learning promos, hanging things correctly, how to navigate each section of clothing, using a cash register, and how to merchandise effectively. I had a few ups and downs at first because there was a lot to learn, but I expected that. Within the next few weeks I was getting more of the hang of things and learned more about visual merchandising and styling. It was interesting getting to learn that it is not always just choosing cute clothes or making things look pretty, there is a science to it almost. My greatest experience at AKIRA was getting to design the mannequins throughout the store floor and being the person who got to decide where I wanted things to go. Being a leader was never one of my strengths, but AKIRA made me feel more confident in my work. I am still finishing up my internship and I look forward to going to work everyday (no AKIRA did not put me up to write this) My co-workers are amazing, they make working amazing and I feel a sense of accomplishment knowing I intern for a great company.

    After my internship with AKIRA is over, I am not 100% sure what my next step is but I know more of what I want to do in terms of fashion. Interning at AKIRA I was able to learn more about what path I see myself going in, what my strengths and weaknesses are, and what kind of person I am. I was able to step out of my comfort zone and become more confident in who I am and where I want to go. Thank you to AKIRA and to my managers who have helped me greatly.


    If you have not heard of AKIRA but want to know more, come check out their website (www.shopakira.com) and if you want to come in the store and see for yourself, check out the store locator tab on the website and find the location nearest to you.

    Here are some of my favorite in stock pieces from AKIRA
 

Five More Hours Fringe Mini Dress

The Zone Im In Denim Pant

Farmer's Daughter Ruffle Dress

Aren't You Glad To Meet Me Floral Wedge Sandals

Wait For It Tassel Bag

In My Sights Printed Sequin T Shirt Dress

Levi's Graphic Ex-Boyfriend Tee

Lane To Lane Crop Top

Space Raider Zip Crop Top

My Way Half Checkered Denim Jacket








 
Until next time,




"It started out as a hobby, then over time it became more of a passion, and to this day we breathe and live retail"- Jon Cotay


XOXOXO

Au Revoir Floral...

It's me. I'm back.

      Good morning everyone and happy Monday! I have been MIA (missing in Armani) for a few weeks as I am getting ready to graduate college so I have not been able to post much, my bad. Even though I have not been actively blogging, I still make time to do my research and brainstorm new posts to share with you all. I currently live in Missouri and our weather is bipolar as Amanda Bynes, one day it is warm and sunny and the next it is raining cats and dogs. As of March 22nd, it is now technically spring and you know what that means right? Time to put away your winter wardrobe and do some spring cleaning to make room for new looks. When it comes to spring trends, the first thing we all think of is floral because of all the flowers blooming and the soft color palettes. I am not going to bash floral, but I'm yawning to the thought of them. I understand floral is a major part of spring but there are so many other prints you can wear instead. I did my usual dirty work and while I was online shopping (what's new) I paid attention to prints that I kept seeing. After doing some research I compiled a list of popular prints that must be recognized and kept a look out for. I strongly encourage you to stray away from basic floral and to come to the dark side.

Polka Dots

      

Houndstooth

Stripes

  

Fruit

 

Plants

  

     Spring isn't all about floral, here we have similar designs such as the plant look with palm leaves, cactuses, and so on. I get flowers are a plant but you get the point that I am making. Now that different prints are trending for spring, we can say goodbye (for now) to floral and welcome our newcomers as we have already began to spot them. April showers bring may flowers is officially dead, but hey, who doesn't love a good dead flower? Until next time...

"Style is much more interesting than fashion, really"- Marc Jacobs

xoxoxo



Is fugly the new fashion?

Happy Sunday everyone!

    I am about to have a BF, for those of you who have not seen White Chicks, it is a b**** fit, so hold onto your seatbelts. Lately all I have been seeing celebrities, models, bloggers, and other fashionista's wearing are these so called "ugly sneakers" or "dad sneakers". Yes that is they're actual name, I am not personally calling them ugly. You know, those outdated and awkward shoes your dad would always wear with jeans or tall white socks.  Ugly sneakers are parading their way into the fashion scene and even though they are seen to be ugly, they are more fashionable that your average Adidas superstar. I do not know how I feel about them, I hate them and think they belong in a trash can or at Goodwill, but I kind of want them...There is something about them that make an outfit go from 0 too 100, adding an element of eccentricity with a side of wow. You might be thinking what the hell could I wear these shoes with, well it can be anything. Tennis shoes has made their way into being commonly incorporated with just any outfit, high end or casual. Famous names like Bella Hadid, Kylie Jenner and even Kim Kardashian have been spotted taking this trend out for a spin so you know it's legit. Below you will find exactly what I mean when I say ugly dad sneakers, and just what brands carry them in case you are like me who hate them but secretly want them. Here are my favorites!

 

 

 

Balenciaga

 

 

 

 

Gucci

 

 

Reebok

 

 

 

 

Fila

 

 

 

 

Adidas

 

 

 

 

Nike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     After seeing my favorite ugly dad sneakers, you might be thinking wtf or omg, or both. These chunky, awkward, and one of a kind sneakers have made their way on the top of the fashion food chain, only question is, will they survive?

 



 

 

 

"I loathe narcissism, but I approve of vanity"- Diana Vreeland

 

 

XOXOXO