I feel like I'm in a bit of a transition right now. If you've been following my blog for a while, you're probably used to seeing me super girly. My style is very feminine and kinda cupcake-like. What does that even mean?? Frilly, fluffy, sweet, potentially with glitter on top. While, I'm still like that (and probably always will be, if we're honest), lately I've been craving a bit more edge to my aesthetic.
The temptation is high to throw out all my clothes and start fresh but you know I have that Mom Guilt. That nagging inside you that says $60 for ONE pair of shoes for me? Are you kidding? Yet the same voice says nothing when you want to buy your children each $25 pairs of matching Christmas pjs that will be worn exactly once. So, how do I transition my wardrobe and look into what I'm craving to be?
I'm no expert but this is what I did. I hope you can take away a little or a lot from it. Also, huge thank you to my friend Mickey for these AMAZING photos! You can see more of Mickey's work on his Instagram or Flickr.
1. Change your hair.
My hair was long and my ends were damaged. I had my hair dresser chop 4-5 inches off. I'm not even sure. I wouldn't let her tell me. While my hair is not short by any means, I do think this takes me into the medium length category. I also stopped dying it. (GASP! What am I going to do without purple hair?) Just for the time being, I'm liking the dark hair with the bleached tips. I don't know where I'll go next but for now, this is perfect.
2. Buy some dark lipstick.
I'm not one of those girls who wears different colored lipstick all the time. Correction: I wasn't one of those girls. I probably have 40 lipsticks that look nearly identical to the color of my actual lips. My lips but better, they call it. Dark is a relative term. For me, right now I'm going with some berry tones and some pinky browns. I'm not bold enough for deep plum or black lipstick. Maybe someday I will be or maybe I won't. But the darker lips definitely change my aesthetic from super sweet to a bit more fall/winter. LOL! We aren't moving mountains, we are inching toward them. Good enough for me. I'm using Lipsense in Sheer Berry (shown in these photos), Raisin, and Glam Doll. You can read my thoughts on Lipsense HERE.
3. Pick a few trends and find affordable ways to put them into your wardrobe.
Don't go too crazy. Just pick 2-3 things you want to try out. My advice, shop at an affordable store for trendy pieces. You do not need to spend $90 on a shirt if you're not sure you'll like a cold shoulder or $200 on destroyed denim that you might only wear once. I decided to pick up a few things from Charlotte Russe because they offer a price point I'm comfortable paying. (I am in no way affiliated with Charlotte Russe. I'd LOVE to be but alas...)
My picks were a Lattice Front Top (clearance for like $6), faux leather moto jacket (waited for a sale, $30) and a fur scarf that was actually in my closet that I've never worn before. I know fur is a huge trend right now but I'm afraid a full vest or jacket will add too much bulk to my body so I went with a scarf. This is how I adapted the trend to not only fit my body type but also my budget. A scarf will typically be more more affordable than a whole coat. You can also wear it under a jacket to make it look like your jacket is lined with fur.
Another tip I have for incorporating your new pieces into your wardrobe is to wear all black. NOW, I'm not an advocate of wearing all black just because it's "slimming" or "flattering." I'm especially not a fan of black because you want to be invisible. However, if you want to wear black because it's CHIC and more edgy then I'm here for that. I'm also fine with using black to try out a new trend because trying a new style shirt might be hard enough without the added pressure of trying a brand new color.
How do you think I did? Do I look like an evil ninja cupcake? I'm mostly ok with that. Do you have tips on how to dip your toes into an edgier, moodier look? I'd love to hear them! Let me a comment or shoot me a message on social media or email.
The temptation is high to throw out all my clothes and start fresh but you know I have that Mom Guilt. That nagging inside you that says $60 for ONE pair of shoes for me? Are you kidding? Yet the same voice says nothing when you want to buy your children each $25 pairs of matching Christmas pjs that will be worn exactly once. So, how do I transition my wardrobe and look into what I'm craving to be?
I'm no expert but this is what I did. I hope you can take away a little or a lot from it. Also, huge thank you to my friend Mickey for these AMAZING photos! You can see more of Mickey's work on his Instagram or Flickr.
1. Change your hair.
My hair was long and my ends were damaged. I had my hair dresser chop 4-5 inches off. I'm not even sure. I wouldn't let her tell me. While my hair is not short by any means, I do think this takes me into the medium length category. I also stopped dying it. (GASP! What am I going to do without purple hair?) Just for the time being, I'm liking the dark hair with the bleached tips. I don't know where I'll go next but for now, this is perfect.
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| Shirt: Charlotte Russe | Skirt: Lularoe Lola |
2. Buy some dark lipstick.
I'm not one of those girls who wears different colored lipstick all the time. Correction: I wasn't one of those girls. I probably have 40 lipsticks that look nearly identical to the color of my actual lips. My lips but better, they call it. Dark is a relative term. For me, right now I'm going with some berry tones and some pinky browns. I'm not bold enough for deep plum or black lipstick. Maybe someday I will be or maybe I won't. But the darker lips definitely change my aesthetic from super sweet to a bit more fall/winter. LOL! We aren't moving mountains, we are inching toward them. Good enough for me. I'm using Lipsense in Sheer Berry (shown in these photos), Raisin, and Glam Doll. You can read my thoughts on Lipsense HERE.
3. Pick a few trends and find affordable ways to put them into your wardrobe.
Don't go too crazy. Just pick 2-3 things you want to try out. My advice, shop at an affordable store for trendy pieces. You do not need to spend $90 on a shirt if you're not sure you'll like a cold shoulder or $200 on destroyed denim that you might only wear once. I decided to pick up a few things from Charlotte Russe because they offer a price point I'm comfortable paying. (I am in no way affiliated with Charlotte Russe. I'd LOVE to be but alas...)
My picks were a Lattice Front Top (clearance for like $6), faux leather moto jacket (waited for a sale, $30) and a fur scarf that was actually in my closet that I've never worn before. I know fur is a huge trend right now but I'm afraid a full vest or jacket will add too much bulk to my body so I went with a scarf. This is how I adapted the trend to not only fit my body type but also my budget. A scarf will typically be more more affordable than a whole coat. You can also wear it under a jacket to make it look like your jacket is lined with fur.
 |
| Shirt and Jacket: Charlotte Russe | Skirt: Lularoe Lola |
 |
| Dress: The Pomegranate Boutique | Scarf: Just Jewelry from a few years ago |
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| Shirt and Jacket: Charlotte Russe | Skirt: Lularoe Lola |
How do you think I did? Do I look like an evil ninja cupcake? I'm mostly ok with that. Do you have tips on how to dip your toes into an edgier, moodier look? I'd love to hear them! Let me a comment or shoot me a message on social media or email.
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I think you look great Ashley! I'm loving your new hairstyle too, it looks wonderful on you!
ReplyDeleteI think you look great. I miss the purple but the bleach tips is neat.
ReplyDeleteYour hair looks great! It's fun to do something different with our style every now and then! <3
ReplyDeleteI think you've done a great job incorporating an edgier look into your wardrobe!
ReplyDeleteThat dress is GORGEOUS on you!! I love it!!
ReplyDelete