Runway Trends for Less : Sporty Chic

The runway was full of amazing trends this year. But let's be honest, how many of us can afford that stuff? I for one, can't. So I thought it would be fun to do an AFFORDABLE lookbook of runway inspired trends.

Varsity Tees are a huge trend for fall. In this look the jersey is the big statement piece, it pairs nicely with a jean like drawstring pant. Added a backpack and gold chunky necklace. Kept it from being too casual by throwing on some scrappy sandals.

This pink Jersey tee, is a bit more girly. So a white high-waisted jean (yaasss after Labor Day!) fit well with this. Still trying to keep the sporty them, these grey sneakers dressed down the look and played off the metallic 62. Kept the accessories feminine with a delicate cuff bracelet and a cross body bag that doubles as a clutch. 

While Varsity Tees and Crop Tops are really cute for the earlier transitioning phase from fall to summer, as the season progresses, a Varsity Sweater is much more practical if you live in a cooler environment.

This sweater is perfect if you love the trend, but want a more versatile sweater. Paired with a nice cranberry  colored skinny and sneaker wedges to play up the sporty theme without going all out. The Cranberry colored compliments the black and white without the loud bright red in the fall. The cranberry clutch is another nice accent piece and the mouse eared beanie just adds a playful touch.

This may be one of the sportiest looks and very popular style with celebrities like Rhianna and Miley Cyrus. This sweater is paired with a mini, the shirt is so long that you may barely see it, but at least you know its there. The red strappy sandals add another nice piece of color. The black bag is an essential. Pair it with a black hat, backwards of course. 

The Drawstring Pant is really just a more dressy version of a sweat pant. I love 'em cos the are so comfy.

This is a more casual or artsy look. These military green pants have a fun crop top tee and a loose jean shirt. A big satchel makes this great for school, and the chunky heeled shoe dresses it up a bit, but still keeps it super comfortable. 

Love this look its a bit 80s, a bit 90s, and very 2014. These pastel pants seem like they should be left in the closet until spring, but there were many bright and even pastel colors on the runway. But to subdue the color a white crop top, wide jacket, and wedge sandal pair great. And I absolutely love the transparent clutch from Collective Habit.

• These are just some examples of different styling methods. So these aren't the only way to style them you can make them more classic, more eccentric, whatever works for you. I tried to make the 6 of them different to show that the trend is pretty versatile. 

Michael's Haul

 I just got so many great deals I wanted to share them before the were over so anyone interested could go out and get some really great deals.

The first really great deal was from K&C Company. September 7-13 all their products are 50% off, both in store and on the Michaels website. Bringing the large Pocket Style to $9.49 and the smaller ones to $6.49! So if you always wanted a smashbook, but didn't want to pay the price, now is a great time to pick one up. Their starter kits are also only $9.49. 

I picked up four smashbooks, because you can never have too many smashbooks! I got the purple one a few weeks before when the pocket style was exclusively on sale. Here are the names of the smashbooks because different smashbooks have different style pages.

1. Pocket Style
2. Wedding Style
3. Eco Style
4. Pretty Style

Here are some samples of pages in each of the smashbooks I purchased. 

While browsing the K&C Company section I found a few more products.

1. K&C Company Rub On Decal. (The employee told me these were brand new, so I picked up the last two.) $1.99 each.
2. Hand made "Travel Style" stickers. (I actually found these at the Dollar Tree) $1.00
3. "Travel Style" and "Whale Set" of stickers by Sticko (Get these at Target if you can, they are the cheapest) $0.99
4. Spray Stencil by Hedi Swapp (I had a coupon and used it toward these.) $2.40.
5. 60 piece alphabet sticker set by K&C Company $1.49.
6. Gold Foil Tape by K&C Company $1.49

 I have opened the next pieces because I am using them for a future project, but they are all brand new.

1. Four set of design cutting scissors by X-Acto. ($4.59 at Walmart! Such a great deal).
2. Three acrylic paints from Craftsmart (if you buy three or more they are 10 cents off. Already pretty cheap at $0.68, so 10 cent deduction is even better.)
3. Two Craftsmart Gold Paint Pens for under $2. (This is a better deal than the SLIGHTLY larger pen with a slanted edge that is more than a dollar extra).
4. An 8 piece set of various brushes, $1.79.

These are Memory Boxes by Recollections. I actually bought 5 of these boxes because Michaels was having a sale of 5 for $10. I believe they are on sale (online only) for the price of $1.99, which is one cent cheaper than what I paid, but you don't have to buy 5 if you don't need them. I believe they are regularly $3.99.

Fall Fashion Trends 2014

Fall fashion on this years runway has introduced fall to some new concepts, like bright colors and fantasy inspiration. But it also had some very classic fall favorites like neutrals and knits. Here are my fall fashion trends. 

*Expect my Affordable Fall Fashion finds post within the next couple of days!

60's Mod

Louis Vuitton 

Gucci

Valentino 

Color

Dior

Fantasy

Ashish 

Dolce & Gabanna 

Knits

Céline

Modern Menswear/ Tailored 

Haider Ackermann

Mary Katrantzou

Costume National

Neutrals

Fendi

No. 21

Poncho/Kimonos/Capes

Saint Laurent

Sporty Chic

Tom Ford 

Proper Fall Fitness Attire

Ahh the seasons are changing and the leafs will be too! You know what else should be changing? Your outdoor fitness attire! To me it doesn't make sense to wear booty shorts and a tube top in 40 degree weather. This would be my transitional attire for summer into fall. Putting this out there now for any new runners who aren't sure what to wear.  *Links on where to pick these items up are included!

(I made this on Polyvore. If you have one, follow me! My username is Merlisha). 

Pants:

Summer into fall, the weather fluctuates. A lightweight pant is ideal because it keeps your muscles warm, but it won't overheat you. 

• Nike Leggings

Top:

I am all about layering! It's so easy to take something off than not have anything at all. For example I usually run to where I am going, so I put on a lightweight jacket. It's easy to take this off and wrap it around your waist. And then if the weather changes- let's say it starts to rain- you can throw that jacket right back on. Underneath I wear a basic tee shirt, if it's a little warmer, it would be sleeveless. And a GOOD sports bra (two if you need 'em). 

• Nike Windrunner Jackets
• Nike Crewneck
• Nike Sports Bra

Shoes: 

Shoes specifically made for running.

• Nike Running Shoe

Accessories:

Arm bands. These are great for holding your phone and ID, and obviously because you can listen to your music and be completely hands free! 

• Arm Band 

Watch. Doesn't have to keep track of your mileage or calories burned, but if it does-definitely a plus. I really like having a watch to time myself. You could just use your phone, but if you're using an arm band, it makes it inconvenient. Watches are good for a quick look at time. 

• Nike Running Watch

Hairbands. Strong ones, for obvious reasons. 

• Nike Hair Ties

Water Bottle. I usually don't carry a water bottle around with me because I like running with empty hands, but if you're new to running distance, it would be a smart choice to bring one just in case. 

• Nike Water Bottle

Chapstick. I will carry a Chapstick in my pocket, especially on cold windy days, when my lips seems to get really dry. 

The next accessories would typically be for the gym. 

Gym bag. I wouldn't included this in my outdoor fitness attire, unless you are driving or walking to a destination area (like a track).  It just makes the running. Aspect a little more difficult. 

• Nike Duffle Bag

A towel. For showering.

Soap. To clean yourself. 

Hoped this helped!

DIY High-Waisted Shorts

Although summer is coming to a close in many areas around the country, there is still summer-like weather all over! September also marks the time for county fairs. There's nothing better to wear to the fair on a hot sunny day like a cute pair of denim shorts! I was inspired by this picture I found on Pintrest (btw follow my Pinterest click here ) :

Definitely didn't want to cut up my Levis, so I headed to the local Goodwill to see what I could find.

I found these gems, and I was ready for a good DIY project!

Here are the pants as a whole.

 The classic Levis pocket is what really sold me. Not to mention, they were only $3! For the shirt and the pants I paid $6.94!

Let's Start

  Step One:

Try on the jeans to could compare the fit to the length desired. *Or if you have a pair of shorts with the perfect length, you can totally use those for guidance. Just note if the pants are a different rise, you might want to still try them on to make sure the length and the fit match perfect for your taste. I used chalk because it is easy to wipe off if I made a mistake. 

Step Two 

Next, mark a few inches longer so the bottoms could be rolled up to be glued and/or stitched together. Unless you wish to fray the bottoms, but I would still suggest cutting a little longer than originally planned. Remember, you can always cut the fabric off, but it won't look right if you have to sew it back on. 

Step Three

Cut the pants on the second line. You can use fabric scissors if you have them, but if not regular scissors work perfectly fine! I used regular scissors. 

Step Four

Try on the jeans and make sure they are the perfect length for you. Don't forget to roll them up to see how them at that length. Try different rolling styles that you like. Adjust markings if you plan to make any type of cutting alterations.

Step Five

This step is optional, but I decided I wanted to customize these and put a few rips in the front and on both the pockets. I used the chalk again to mark placement. You can customize yours any way you'd like. Bleaching, adding studs, patterned fabric, dip dying, anything!

Step Six

To fray the jeans I placed a magazine in the jeans (to prevent cutting the other side of the pants). If you don't have a magazine or some thick paper that you don't mind cutting up, you can use the legs of the pants just cut and fold them over a few times. 

I then started to carefully fray the pants, taking my time so I don't create huge holes. If you are worried about this part like I was, then try using the fabric left over from the pants and practice. Don't start on your jeans until you figure out the best method for you. What worked best for me was cutting a line with medium force (the line is noticeable, but not completely cut through). The I went back over it gently with short strokes, a few times until it looked the way I liked.  I can make a tutorial on this later. 

Step Seven

I took two different types of glue to adhere the folds. I started with E-6000 to glue the bulk. 

I used the glue gun to secure the border.

 I find that this glue hold up to washing quite well. But I usually will stitch a few places in the fold for a little extra support. 

Final Result

Super easy styling

Now these turned out great. I'm sure you can tell by looking at the pictures they were a bit big on me. I knew they were big, but at $3, who can pass on that kind of deal?

So I gave them to my sister. She lives in Texas and can enjoy them for a lot longer than I can. If you make an awesome custom piece of clothing, don't forget to sign the tag and give them to a friend!

Daring to begin.

 I've decided to start blogging, it's something I've been wanting to do since I was a freshman in college - sort of like a way to document my experience. But I was so concerned with the way I would be perceived, that it held me back from really doing what I've wanted. I've now reached a place in my life where I am more concerned with my own happiness and loved ones around, than what people may think about me. So this is something I am doing for myself, something I've always wanted to do. I'm putting myself out there. Not knowing the outcome, but daring to begin and seeing where it takes me. I know a lot of people say if they can reach one person, they'd be so happy. But I know how they feel! I really hope that I can find at least one person who truly enjoys my post, make some connections, and gain friendships that will stand the test of time! I am so excited to start blogging, Can't wait to start!

 

So welcome to my life, where I'm not great at any thing, but I'm pretty good at a lot of stuff! 

       (Btw this is my first post and if you're wondering why your seeing it in a certain category, its just because I wanted to mark this as the beginning to everything!)