the silver lining

It's no surprise to anyone who knows me that I love jewelry. Between the racks dripping in earrings and necklaces adorning my bedroom wall and the two drawers stuffed full of tackle boxes full of jewels (organized by color, obviously) I think it's safe to say that I definitely have an addiction.

Recently, I've been feeling sterling silver pieces with a homemade/quirky feel. I'm allergic to costume jewelry (very sad for my style and wallet) so sterling is the perfect choice because it doesn't irritate my skin, it looks nice AND it doesn't break the bank.

Below are some great pieces - some I found on Pinterest and some I found through mindless wanderings online when I should have been doing homework. All items are available through Etsy, which is you haven't heard of it is a great online shop that promotes handmade items (there's also a great selection of vintage items).

Wire-wrapped Crystal Pendant, $12

Silver Feather Ring, $16

Tiny Paper Airplane Pendant, $50

So if you're in the market for some new silver bling, make sure to scope out Etsy for some great handmade finds! What sterling jewelry are you drooling over this season?

xo, Meaghan

spotlight on jeffrey campbell

BOY, do I love shoes. High heels, boots, flats, gladiators, you name it, I love it. Shoes are the finishing touch of an outfit; they can successfully pull together an entire look OR change the vibe of a particularly one-note style. Of late, one designer in particular has had my attention since I stumbled across his insane platforms and funky heels on NastyGal.com - enter, Jeffrey Campbell.

Jeffrey Campbell shoes are ANYTHING but ordinary. You wear these babies when you want to stand out and be noticed. Their flashy colors, neon accents, and ultra high height makes them essential to fashion as we know it, and a necessity in any fashionista's wardrobe.

Lita Platform Boot in Black and Ivory Crochet, both $162

Perhaps my ultimate obsession of my whole life,

Night Nail Platform, $175 and Shadow Stud Platform, $255

Pauline Platform, $168

Though the price tag on JC's is not exactly a steal, they are an investment you will not be sorry for. JC's have that extra something special, and whether that comes in the form of studs, glitter, velvet or nails, their uniqueness is entirely unparalleled. Why blend in when you were born to stand out? Will you pick up a pair of Jeffrey Campbell heels this spring?

Cheers!

Dy

gold rush

Painting my nails is kind of  definitely an obsession of mine. I die a little inside every time the polish chips, so needless to say, the color is constantly changing. Surprisingly enough, I've found a color that I'm so attached to I think it just might have some staying power,

 GOLD.

Fossil watch, Topshop ring, mom's bangles

At first, I thought the gold might be a little tacky... but I have to say, coupled with a some accessories in the same shade -watch, ring, and a stack of bangles- I'm in love. 

Savvy in Golden Honey

What's your favorite shade this winter?

peace,

Katina

Anna

While Katina has been scouting leopard prints, JMU has been sporting cheetah & leopard madness. From headbands to skirts, cheetah & leopard is making its mark in the style scene. I personally find it classy when used as an accessory- whether shoes or a purse, instead of the focus of the outfit. With a hint of cheetah and/or leopard, it highlights versus overpower your look; this technique adds a flirty flare versus scare! Take a peek and tell me what you think!

Top to Bottom:

Top:Jess wearing Steve Madden

Middle: Dana with BCBG

Bottom: Sydney with a NY original head piece & Scout bag

Recent Obsession

LEOPARD SCARVES

I'm not much for animal prints, but I can't get over how much I want one of these. Scarves are a winter staple, but I've been seeing more and more of these around campus. And it's not just JMU that has jungle fever, celebs everywhere are rocking winter's coolest accessory.

Ashley Olsen in a Kashmere leopard scarf

Pippa Middleton in a Panthera Scarf by Temperly London

Ashley Olsen's leather jacket scarf combo gives off an edgy vibe compared to Pippa's polished look. I definitely need to add one of these to my current scarf collection. My pick? J. Crew's cashmere blend.

What's your obsession this season?

peace,

Katina

Pinterest Bling

First off, long time no post! I'm so excited to get MadApparel ramped back up this semester, and I hope you're all excited too!

For my first post back, I thought I'd share some current accomplishments of the Pinterest variety. You know, the case with Pinterest is that you pin about a million things and rarely (if ever) actually make anything you find ... WRONG. My friend Chelsea and I recently made two bracelets that we found on Pinterest - both of which came out great. They were super cheap and easy to make, and I've already gotten tons of compliments on them!

Directions for the blue bracelet here.

Directions for the red bracelet here.

(Hint: Search "DIY bracelets" on Pinterest.)

Both bracelets took well under 15 minutes to make, and costed less than $5 a piece. All supplies are available at either Michael's or Walmart, and come in packages with enough to make more than one bracelet. So why just pin it when you can actually make it? Do you have any great DIYs you've done?

Happy crafting,

Meaghan

cheap-and-chic

 Tribal is here to stay! 

The trend that was everywhere this summer is transitioning into fall and winter with the addition of some warmer knits. These chunky pancho-like cardigans are a great way to incorporate a fun pattern into your wardrobe while still staying warm as you trek across campus. 

Here are some of my favorites:

Southwestern-Pattern Wrap Cardigan from Old Navy 

Sabra Sweater from Billabong

Love Letter Sweater from Billabong

I couldn't resist the trend and decided to try it out for myself with this colorful Roxy cardigan I found at PacSun (in the Valley Mall) for just under $45! 

How will you go tribal this season?

 peace,

     Katina

trendspotter

Tre Chic by Fronz

Oh girls, so I find my guilty pleasure in fantastic, dramatic sequened tights! Classy and so sassy, JMU has been stepping into style with this chic fashion. I, myself, even own these goddess-isc tights with a strip of hot pink jetting through the black design. They are great with skirts and dresses BUT careful- they can turn classy (small, sequened and consistent pair of tights with a solid colored skirt and business attire flats, heels or boots) to trashy (high skirt, chunky shoes, gapping fishnet holes) quickly! Buen provecho, A

Top to Bottom:
Trinity: TJ Maxx
Radhika: Charming Charlie
Meredith: Forever 21

weekend wear

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. I know what you’re thinking. And I know it’s not Christmas, but it is HALLOWEEN. Here at JMU that means dressing up all Halloweekend. Two, three or even four costumes are necessary. Whether or not you love the holiday as much as I do, dressing up is always fun. (It can be way easier and more fun than trying to find a real outfit.) Regardless, It’s a great weekend for people watching. This weekend did not disappoint. I saw everything from trolls to super heroes to mail order brides.

My group of girlfriends always likes to dress in group themes. Two years ago we were Noah’s Ark and dressed in animal pairs.

Some of the animals from the Ark!

Last year we were all characters from children’s books. (I was Cindy Lou Who from the Grinch!)

Little Red Riding Hood, Madeline, Hungry Caterpillars, Eloise and a Grouchy Ladybug.

This year we decided to be a Candy Shop and we all dressed as different types of candy. It didn’t come out as well as we had hoped, but we still had fun! (I picked Nerds as my candy and dressed as a literal Nerd.)

Peach Ring, Candy Buttons, Bubble Yum, Nerds, Candy Canes and Cotton Candy.

On another night this Halloweekend, my roommate and I decided to dress up as Kate and Pippa Middleton. We both have brown hair and are obsessed with the Royal Family so we figured we should go for it. My friend happened to have a long sleeve white lacey dress, which actually resembled Kate’s. It was perfect! I threw on a tiara and made a blue sapphire ring out of a hair tie and a large jeweled button. (If only it were the real deal!)

Getting into our sister roles!

My other two roommates dressed as tornadoes. They wore all black and attached little figures of cows and fences to grey fabric. They looked great!

All of the roommates before our Halloween party!

My favorite costumes are the ones that don’t necessarily come from the Halloween store. I think they’re a little more creative and fun.

What did you dress up as this Halloween?

Style Happy,

Meghan B.

cheap-and-chic

Lipstick.

The one cosmetic product I’ve never really given a chance. For some reason, I always identify it with being 4 years old and playing in my mom’s makeup drawer. Last weekend, I decided to suspend my ban and try on this season’s hottest shade: red.

Wet n' Wild in 520E (creative name.. I know)

I never thought I’d say it, but with the right outfit (a loose black and white striped tank and black skinny jeans) I can see myself swiping on some lipstick every now and then.

What’s your favorite shade for fall?

peace,

Katina