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.

weekend wear

Ever need a weekend getaway? I think every now and then we all need a little escape and road trips are a great solution! What’s essential for a weekend getaway? A perfect tote. Over the years I’ve become slightly obsessed with bags. Of every size. I have a bag for just about every type of trip, short or long, near or far.

Here are my go-to weekend bags:

Vera Bradley Extra Large Duffel- Perfect for longer trips and carry-ons!

Rugby by Ralph Lauren Canvas and Leather Skull Tote that I double as my school bag.

Tory Burch Hot Pink Canvas Tote that I got on Sale at Cusp!

Old Navy Bright Blue Patent Leather Tote with Gold Hardware.

Vineyard Vines Large Canvas Tote- perfect size for travel!

Great weekend totes are available right here in Harrisonburg. All for under $40!

Target

Merona Brown Satchel -$29.99

Merona Square Print Tote in Yellow- $16.99

Merona Zipper Tote- $29.99

Old Navy

Zippered Nylon Tote in Olive Green- $17

Faux Leather Belted Tote in Navy- $25

Faux Leather Shoulder Bag in Black - $39.94

Try out some of these bags. You will totes love them for weekend getaways!

Style Happy,

Meghan B.

weekend wear

All of my outfits this past weekend could be characterized by one word: tribal. The reason? Sorority recruitment. I spent the entire weekend in my sorority’s house for rush. This year our theme was “Sigma Tri, Join the Tribe.” Needles to say, we went all out for our tribal theme. Beads, feathers, fringe and Ikat print covered our basement all weekend.

Day One.

My sorority’s recruitment chair, Kelsey, and President, Dyana (MadApparel’s very own stylist), in Ikat print bodycon dresses, fringe vests from Free People and strappy black wedges from Lulu’s.

Nora and me wearing our fringed and beaded tank tops with Ikat print letters, white bottoms and long feather earrings from Francesca's.

Day Two.

Brittany, Dyana B. and Kelsey in flowy dresses from Asos, colorful feather earrings and chunky heals from DSW.

Nicole and me wearing our tribal crop tops and high-waisted jean shorts from Urban Outfitters.

Day Three.

Kelsey and Dyana in rompers and braided and beaded head bands from Urban Outfitters and nude wedges from Piperlime.

Tribal prints were very popular this summer. Tribal skirts, dresses, bathing suits and sandals started popping up in stores everywhere. This is one trend that I’m obviously not quite ready to move on from. Free People has a ton of sweaters, dress and accessories to bring the tribal look to the Fall.

Style Happy,

Meghan B.

weekend wear

This weekend was a big one at JMU: the first home game for the Dukes and the opening of the new Bridgeforth Stadium. The team pulled out a 14-9 victory against Central Connecticut State University (CCSU). The game was sold out with over 25,000 fans in attendance. The new stadium looked amazing.

Bridgeforth Stadium wasn’t the only thing that looked great Saturday. Students showed their JMU pride by wearing their best purple and gold. Because of the warm weather, there was a mix of the traditional jerseys and JMU t-shirts and sundresses. Depending on my mood (and the weather), I like to switch it up. Whichever option you choose; don’t forget to wear your purple and gold. At the very least, accessorize! Try beads, a hat or Meaghan’s JMU inspired manicure!

Here were some great game day outfits:

Madeline, Anna, Lauren, Hannah and Shruti

Ashley, Meghan, Kara, Julie, Sara, Katie

What did you wear to the game on Saturday?

Style Happy,

Meghan B.

weekend wear

Hi fashion lovers! It’s that time of the year again… and it feels good to be back at JMU and back in MadApparel action! While the weather is still pretty warm in the ‘burg, weekends are the perfect time for outdoor activities and workouts with friends. This summer, Nike came out with really bright and fun workout gear. I’m especially obsessed with the Tempo Track shorts. They are the perfect length and really comfortable. They’re great for working out, running errands or even just to throw on to go to class. Needless to say, I own the shorts in several colors. This weekend I went for a run with my friends, Chelsea and Nora, and we were all completely decked out in bright Nike apparel.

Here we are before a run. We obviously love obnoxiously bright workout clothes.

Here are some fun Nike Tempo shorts:

Nike also has some great workout tanks that coordinate really well with their shorts.

The workout gear and Tempo shorts can be found at Nike, Dick’s, Zappos and even Nordstrom.

What are your favorite workout styles?

Style Happy,

Meghan B.

weekend wear

Happy Monday!

This coming weekend is the Foxfield Spring Race on April 30th. The race, located in Charlottesville, has been around for over 30 years and has become a favorite of students from UVA, JMU, VT and other nearby universities. Thousands will come out to the Race on Saturday, which will be benefiting The Little Keswick Foundation for Special Education. The best part of the day? Seeing what everyone’s wearing. Attendees, especially college students, go all out for the event in their “Sunday best.” Sundresses, floppy hats, bowties, seersucker and pastels (even for the guys) are everywhere. Vineyard Vines, one of the event’s sponsors, even has its own limited edition Foxfield tie. Thinking about attending, but still need an outfit? You still have time to find one! Check out these cute and affordable race options!

Mod Cloth

LuLu's

Forever 21

What have you found to wear to the race?

Style Happy,

Meghan B.

weekend wear

Happy  Monday!

This past weekend, JMU hosted Relay for Life, a twelve hour walk a thon to raise money and awareness to help the American Cancer Society create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. On Saturday, 220 teams, with almost 3,000 participants, gathered in Godwin to take part in JMU’s Relay. This year JMU raised $220,817.04, which boosted us  to be ranked the No. 1 university in the nation for fundraising per capita.  Even after Relay for Life ends, it’s still so easy to support the American Cancer Society (ACS) and raise money for cancer research. The Hope Shop offers accessories, jewelry and clothing which all benefit the American Cancer Society. Even designers like Lilly Pulitzer pair up with the ACS help find a cure. Check out the store for great clothes for a cure!

Do you wear any clothes for a cause?

Style Happy,
Meghan B.

weekend wear

Happy Monday!


Springtime means lots of activities! Sometimes having classes and a social life means little to no time for an outfit change. With a quick change of accessories, it is really easy to make a spring daytime outfit into the perfect nighttime getup. Here's the trick. Find a staple dress like this one that can be dressed up or dressed down. Boots and a jean jacket are perfect for class or walking around downtown. When you're ready for nighttime, ditch the boots and jacket for some heels and bold jewelry.

What are your favorite day-to-night looks?


Style Happy,
Meghan B.

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weekend wear

Happy Monday!

This past week was an important and exciting one for college basketball fans! Saturday was the NCAA Final Four games. Butler beat VCU in the first game and UCONN beat Kentucky in the second game. Fans across the country repped their teams by sporting the schools’ gear and colors. For all of you fashionable fans, don’t worry. Many stores now offer cute and fitted tees for women sports enthusiasts. Victoria’s Secret has an exclusive Pink Collegiate Collection, which offers shirts, accessories and sports gear with names, colors and mascots from several universities across the country. It’s easy to stay stylish when watching the games!

Here are some fashionable options for cheering on your favorite team!

Final Four Fashion by meghanbean

Who are you rooting for in tonight’s game? What will you wear to cheer them on?

Style Happy,
Meghan B.

style icon, elizabeth taylor

Wednesday, March 23, 2011, fashion icon Elizabeth Taylor died at the age of 79. She is known for her beauty, style, charitable ventures and many marriages. (She was married 8 times!) Elizabeth Taylor was the definition of old Hollywood glamor. The two-time Oscar winner has been a style icon since the 1950s. She’s known for taking fashion risks on and off screen. She wore turbans, dramatic eye makeup, capes and lots of accessories. Her favorite accessory? Diamonds. In fact, she loved diamonds so much, she had a very popular scent White Diamonds. According to Huffington Post, her collection of enormous diamonds, rare jewels and vintage jewelry is said to be valued at more than $150 million. Her collection will be auctioned by the famous auction house Christie’s. Taylor hoped that her famous jewelry collection would be "scattered around the four corners of the world."

Here's some of my favorite Elizabeth Taylor looks. (And her most memorable)

What's your favorite Elizabeth Taylor look?


Style Happy,
Meghan B.

weekend wear

Happy Monday!

It’s that time of the year again. Time to find a summer job. Weekends are the perfect time to set up interviews. Interviews play a huge part in landing your dream job or internship. Having the perfect outfit can impress prospective employers and set you apart from the crowd.

Here are some of my favorite interview staples:

Blazer- fitted, dark or neutral in color

Blouse- a bright color or some ruffles adds some personality

Pants- tailored, not too tight

Skirt- knee length, covers thighs when seated

Jewelry- conservative and simple watch and earrings

Shoes- black pumps with a moderate heel

Bag- leather briefcase for resume

Keep in mind that interviews are all about first impressions. The best outfit is simple, sophisticated and professional. Do you have any interview ideas or advice on dressing for success?

Style Happy,

Meghan B.

weekend wear

Happy Monday!

I hope everyone had fabulous weekends! My weekend was less than ordinary to say the least. The past 36 hours have involved a formal, a private jet, Nascar and helicopter rides. All of these activities called for various outfits.

My roommates, Katie, Dina, Jenna and I attended a social at Spotswood country club on Saturday evening. The nice weather on Saturday meant we could wear sleeveless semi-formal dresses and strappy heels.

The four of us left the social early to hop on a plane and jet set to Tennessee to attend the FoodCity 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The race is sponsored by Katie’s family and they hooked us up with the plane!

Early Sunday morning we got ready for the big race. The weather was great all day so we wore sundresses and cowboy boots. I wore a sundress from a boutique called Francesca’s, riding boots from Target, satchel from Aldo and sunglasses from Nordstrom.

I was clearly very excited for my first helicopter ride!

Dina and Jenna rocked out with Billy Ray Cyrus. He sported a new hairdo but the same old Billy Ray style: leather jacket, faded jeans, cowboy boots and sunglasses.

The race was unlike anything I had ever been to. There were some characters to say the least. I shared my weekend activities with diehard Nascar fans, country artists, racecar drivers and my roommates. It was definitely an unforgettable weekend.

Have a fashionable week!

Style Happy,
Meghan B.