Magazines

In college you are often deprived of a shopping budget... if you even have a shopping budget. The day our magazines arrived became one of my favorite days of the month. Our mailbox was one September issue away from falling off the house. One day my roommates and I were discussing how much we loved Vogue, and the least fashionable roommate (obviously), said she didn’t like Vogue because it was all "pictures." I think my jaw hit the floor. I was bamboozled. I think I even got mad.

If you are currently a college student, let me just say that it gets better. I found that after paying for my own clothing, I truly discovered my style. We all know our mothers or fathers have, at one point or another, forced us to get certain things because they were picking up the check. When you have your own money, you are better able to distinguish your likes and dislikes. One of the ways I like to shop is by looking in magazines. I take what I see and interpret the trends to fit my style.

Thankfully, most colleges and universities have meal plans. So, we didn’t have to give up food to buy the latest issue like Carrie Bradshaw. My favorite magazines are Elle, Lucky, Glamour, and Vogue. And on a day like today, a magazine is the perfect thing to cozy up to.

What magazines do you look to for inspiration? Do you flip through for the "pictures," or do you read the articles?

Style Icons: Who Are Yours?

When I was little I refused to wear anything other than leggings, because they were the most comfortable. These days, you won't catch me without a pair of jeans on.

I always wonder how my sense of style came to be. I've been fascinated by fashion my whole life. This led me to ask the following questions. What shapes our style? Is it the old nature/nurture debate? Is it our role models, or is it an innate sense within us that is reinforced later in our lives by different stimuli? Yes, I just said stimuli.

I have always liked clean lines, ruffles, bows, silk, and the color pink. My mother took me shopping with her when I was young, but is that why I love fashion? I didn't exactly have any style icons to look up to as a child, but today's media has changed that. We are able to see who wears what, when they wore it, and where they wore it to. Love it or hate it, celebrities tend to be the majority of our style icons.

I love Rachel Bilson. I love her clothes, her hair & makeup, and in college, someone even said I looked like her. I stand by the fact that they were sober. Olivia Palermo may have been the bad guy on "The City," but she is beautiful and when I look at her I think of perfection. She has impeccable taste. Eva Mendes is a no-brainer, with her tousled waves and fitted frocks.

In Sex and the City terms, I'm a handful of Carrie, a cup of Charlotte, and a pinch of both Samantha and Miranda. Modern day Miranda, that is.

Twitter follower @JuicyKate said, "I love Sienna Miller's fashion. She reuses everyday pieces in a way no other star does. She isn't afraid to wear things twice." Another twitter follower, @allyinwondrland, said her style icons included "Catherine Deneuve, Dita Von Teese, The Olsens, Daphne Guinness, Victoria Beckham, Jackie O, and Kate Moss on a good day."

Who are your style icons?

How to Wear a Brooch

If you follow us on Twitter, you have probably seen me tweet about my vintage finds once or twice. At one time, I thought only the older crowd could wear them. However, after finding so many unique brooches or receiving them as gifts, I am in love.

While there’s nothing like a piece of trendy jewelry, sometimes I like to go vintage. Brooches are a great way to put your foot in the vintage door. There are several ways to wear a brooch without looking like you escaped from the assisted living facility.

• Pin it on the lapel of a blazer. In Taylor Armstrong of Real Housewives' words, “You’ll feel Hollywood glammy.”
• Fasten it to a fabric headband. There's nothing like a little sparkle on a plain old headband.
  
• Pin it on a dress as an accent piece. If you are wearing a one shoulder dress, pin it on the shoulder with fabric. If your dress has ruching on the hip, pin it in the seam of the dress.
• Take it to a jeweler and make it into a ring. If you’ve never had anything custom made for you, you’d be amazed at what a jeweler can create.

Keep in mind that vintage finds can be expensive; but they can also be extremely cheap. You can almost always bargain with the shop owner. Vintage jewelry has character and each piece is unique. Below are three of my best vintage brooch finds.

This brooch is from a vintage shop in Wheeling, Illinois.

From Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This is the type of brooch that would make a fun cocktail ring.

My first brooch from Dayton, Ohio.

Share your best vintage find with us below in the comment section.

New Year's Resolutions: Stay In The Positive

Through this very blog, we have received some great feedback from our customers, friends, and fans. Thanks to you, Basic Boutique will be going through some changes in the coming months. We don't really believe in New Year's resolutions, because they somehow always involve "being healthier" or cutting out a bad behavior from our lives. So, we are pledging to stay in the positive and instead, set goals.

Set goals that are reasonable. For example, the other day, someone we follow tweeted, "I shopped my closet for a year. Can you?" Personally, I know that's not something I can do successfully. 3-4 months, maybe. 1 year? Absolutely not. Depriving yourself of something will not only make you want it more, but it will also make you feel guilty for something that you should not feel guilty about. Moderation is key!

Be more creative. If you have certain items in your closet that you never wear, find a way to wear them. If you can't figure out a way to make the items work, let them go. There's no sense in keeping something if you aren't going to wear it.

Wear your hair differently, paint your nails a color you wouldn't normally wear, or change up your makeup routine. It's easy to get caught up in doing things the same way everyday, but sometimes making simple changes can do wonders.

Keep your clothing, jewelry, and shoes organized. It will help when you are choosing an outfit, regardless of the occasion. There's nothing worse than not being able to find something when you need it.

Our last blog post was about wardrobe staples. If you have a good foundation to work with, you will be able to mix and match almost any item.

What is one positive goal you're going to set for yourself in 2011? Leave us a comment below!

The Investment Pieces

Investing in the stock market? No. Investing in my wardrobe? Yes, please! I love to wear the occasional sparkle or neon t-shirt, but for the most part, I like my classics. Everyone's classics are different, but there are a few pieces I think every lady should own.

A crisp white shirt is a wardrobe staple for many reasons. A white shirt brings elegance and sophistication to any outfit. It can be worn casually, with a pair of jeans, or with a ball gown skirt. Whether you prefer silk, cotton, or stretch; make sure it fits.

Everyone has a "nice" pair of jeans. If you don't, your wardrobe is seriously lacking. My love affair with jeans began long ago when I was in high school. Though I do prefer certain brands to others, just make sure your jeans fit well. Tailoring can do wonders. Since I am just under 5'3", I have to tailor every single pair of jeans. If you do tailor them, ask that they put the original hem back on. You won't be able to tell they were ever near a sewing machine. Also, avoid the "worn/distressed" look. All together.

The little black dress is important because it can be worn many times and in many circumstances. Make sure it is a classic fit, so that it can mesh well with different sweaters, jewelry, shoes, etc. My little black dress has a cut out in the back, but it can be covered up with a sweater, shawl, belt, etc. It's okay to get something a little different, but keep in mind all the potential ways you could wear it, BEFORE you buy.

I love neutrals. But I love color more. Shoes are something that can change the whole tone of an outfit. I went to a wedding this past summer and the bride had blue shoes on. And they were gorgeous! Color is never an enemy in the shoe department, unless they are ugly of course. It doesn't matter what the heel height is; just make sure you're in love!

What are your wardrobe staples? Leave us a comment!