Men: Back to School Essentials Series Recap!

Hey fellas ....we know that we said we would have a Back to School Essential for you this week which would make 5, but we've decided to leave it at the 4. 

For a quick recap:

• The first Back to School Essential were SHOES that you can wear comfortably around campus while still looking stylish. We showed you three different pairs of shoes and how you could dress them casually and then dress them up. The ladies appreciate a well dressed man and a man that takes care of his shoes, so this post will help you out. 

• The second Back to School Essential was TEES. We showed you a look wearing a tee casually, a tee worn dressy, and a graphic tee look. The outfits shown were pretty legit, especially the graphic tee look worn by blog favorite, Chris Brown. We gave you fellas some outfit suggestions in there that are really easy to achieve and are feasible outfit ideas to wear around campus. 

• The third Back to School Essential was JEANS. In this post we introduced the distressed jean worn by Trey Songz , the colored jean worn by Kanye, and a dressy-casual outfit with jeans worn by Pharrell...these men are all blog favorites as well. The outfit suggestions in the post are really ones you can wear around campus and then the dressy-casual look with jeans is one that is really easy to get. 

• The last/fourth Back to School Essential was LAYERS. When we say layers, we're talking about the ones you can layer on top of your clothing. We went over the cardigan (which we will cover more thoroughly in our Fall Essentials series that starts next week), the hoodie, and a regular jacket. We gave you guys some tips and outfit suggestions that should be taken into consideration regarding the hoodie and regular jacket.

Well fellas...we hope that you enjoyed our Back to School Essentials mini-series ....the links to the posts are in the words that are in red and bold. Feel free to leave any comments or questions you may have.

Ladies: Back to School Essentials Series Recap!

Hey ladies ....we know that we said we would have a Back to School Essential for you this week which would make 5, but we've decided to leave it at the 4. 

For a quick recap:

• The first Back to School Essential was FLATS , not your typical pair of flats but something like oxfords, loafers, etc. We showed you 3 pair of flats that you could try that are stylish but are still comfortable enough to wear around campus and some outfit suggestions to go with them. 

• The second Back to School Essential was TEES, we don't mean big t-shirts, but the kind you get from Forever 21 that can be plain or have some type of graphic on them. These are a simple essential that can be thrown on and dressed up and down with ease, especially if you may not have that much time to get ready for class. We gave you some outfit suggestions regarding a casual plain tee look, a dressy plain tee look, and dressing a graphic tee up and down. We featured celebrities like Kim Kardashian and LaLa in this post and we know they are well dressed so check it out to see how they wore their tees. 

• The third Back to School Essential was JEANS. We introduced a different style of jean besides the regular pair of jeans, a printed jean, and a pair of colored jeans. Jeans are an essential to any student because of the effortlessness it takes to dress them up and down and you can still look stylish and be comfortable. The outfit suggestions in the post are great, stylish examples that can be worn around campus comfortably and would look great with a regular pair of jeans as well. Zoe Saldana was featured in this post so you may want to check it out to see how she wore her pair of jeans...you know she is very stylish! 

• The last/fourth Back to School Essential was LAYERS. When we say layers we mean things that you  can layer over your clothing since it gets a little chilly in class. The layers that we covered in this post we're the cardigan (which we cover more thoroughly in our Fall Essentials Series that starts next week), a regular jacket, and a hoodie. It was a simple, brief post but it had a few tips to really take into consideration and a few outfit suggestions. 

Well ladies...we hope that you enjoyed our Back to School Essentials mini-series ....the links to the posts are in the words that are in red and bold. Feel free to leave any comments or questions you may have. 

B.T.S.E. #4 for Men!

Hey fellas..we know you thought that we forgot all about your Back to School Essential #4 but we definitely didn't ...so here it is. Like we did for the ladies...we're going to do a brief post for you over layers...meaning cardigans, hoodies, and regular jackets. Layers are pretty much a back to school essential since classrooms can get cold. With that being said let's get into it..!

LAYER 1: The Cardigan

Cardigans are a very popular layering item that almost everyone should have in their wardrobe. We'll be covering the cardigan more thoroughly in our Fall Essentials Series that will start next week. For the basic things we can say about it is that they come in many different styles, colors, and prints. Also, they are a layer that can still be fashionable while keeping you warm. 

An outfit idea for this Black, Grey, and Blue Stripe Knit Cardigan is to pair it with this pair of Tan Woven Pants and a Plain Classic Tee in Mustard underneath to give this outfit some color. As far as shoes go you can do something similar to this pair of Urban Outfitters Canvas Plimsoll Sneakers in Black. Simple!

Moving on to LAYER 2.....A Regular Jacket

Now we know you're probably wondering how can we tell you how to wear a regular jacket...but really it's just a suggestion. Most of the time when you throw on jacket it might not go with what you have on because you just grab it and put it on so you're not cold. For a more put together look...we suggest that if you know you might need a jacket try to coordinate it with what you may have on or chose to wear. 

For instance let's say you went with something similar to this pair of Faded Grey Straight Leg Jeans and just wore them with this Black/White Graphic Tee. The outfit is pretty simple especially color wise...so if you find yourself getting chilly...throw on the Navy/Turquoise Colorblock Zip-Up Jacket and it'll add some color. As far as shoes go...you can do the same Urban Outfitters Canvas Plimsoll Sneakers that were suggested above but do the yellow color to add some more color to the outfit. 

LASTLY...LAYER 3....THE HOODIE. 

Okay we know you're probably wondering the same thing... a tip on a hoodie? ...Well it's not a big suggestion...just that you try to look as put together/presentable as possible with a hoodie on. Also...keep in mind the outfit you wear underneath just in case you get hot and want to take the hoodie off. 

For instance if you went with the Cream/Charcoal Striped Knit Pullover that's shown in the picture to the left you can do something like these Tan Woven Pants and a black tee paired under the hoodie. As far as shoes go you can do a pair of Red Chuck Taylor All Stars. It's a presentable outfit with or without the hoodie. 

Well fellas....that was our brief post over layers and a few outfit suggestions with them. Be looking forward to your last Back to School essential post Wednesday and look forward to the Fall Essentials series we will be doing starting next week! 

B.T.S.E. #4 for the ladies!

Quick Recap: For the past 3 weeks we've been doing a mini-series on over Back to School Essentials which were FLATS, TEES, and JEANS. This week we're going to be talking about layers. Layers meaning things you can layer on top of shirts like cardigans, hoodies, and just regular jackets. This is definitely an essential because classrooms can get outrageously cold but you can cover up and stay warm while still looking fashionable. So let's jump into today's post!

THE CARDIGAN..

Cardigans are going to be something we cover/elaborate on in our up-coming fall series but we're going to cover basics. Cardigans are a comfortable layer that come in many styles, prints, and colors. They'll still keep you warm without being a big, bulky, unfashionable layer of clothing.


Look to the left and you'll see this Black Essential Sweater Cardigan from Forever 21 for only $13.50. Since it is black and just a plain color you can pretty much put this over anything.

For example, a casual outfit that you can throw this cardigan over you can do this Black/White Miles Davis Tank, Royal Premium Denim Colored Ankle Jeans, and these Grey Perforated Leatherette Loafers. For accessories you can do a pair of simple studs or a pair of large hoops.


LAYER #2 ...THE JACKET

Okay now layer number 2 is just a regular throw on jacket. Usually when you see someone with one on it's just because they are cold and it doesn't really go with what they have on or is overshadowing the outfit. We're not saying that you need to be matchy...but our advice is to keep the jacket in mind when you decide what you want to wear.

For example this Pink Knit Athletic Jacket shown to the right can be thrown over anything but if you chose your outfit thinking about the possibility that you might throw it over an outfit, it would look better.

Let's say you had on this pair of Grey Signature Skinny Jeans. You might to go with Neon Yellow Native Graphic Top to add some more color and print to the outfit. Then you can do this pair of Black Braided T-Strap Sandals with a pair of studs or hoops. You can even do a bangle...but make sure it's pretty casual since the outfit is so casual.


LAST LAYER....THE HOODIE!

Okay so the last layer we're going to briefly cover is a hoodie. Hoodies come in all colors, prints, and styles as well. As you can see the hoodie to the left is a crop hoodie.

This is a layer that doesn't require much clothing to be paired with it. You can wear these Denim Classic Rolled Hem Shorts, Green Colored Skinny Jeans,  or step outside the box of regular denim and do these Grey Acid Wash Skinny Jeans.  For a layer under the hoodie you can just do a plain camisole or tee. As far as shoes go, you can do both pair of shoes that were listed in the tip above and of course a pair of studs or hoops. 

Well ladies...we know the post was short and simple but we just wanted to give you a few things to think about as far as layering jackets or hoodies over your clothes while still looking presentable!

B.T.S.E. #3 for the fellas!

Well fellas...we know you've had to wait a couple of days on your post but here it is! Our Back to School Essentials mini-series continues and this week we're coming with item number #3.... JEANS, JEANS, JEANS!! Jeans is something that any student can't go with out because the comfort they give, variety they come in, and the effortlessness it takes to dress them up and down. With that being said...let's get into it!! 

For jeans look number one we went with Trey Songz wearing a pair of "distressed" jeans. He paired a white tee underneath a black jacket and a pair of black sneakers with his jeans. This look is really easy to achieve. A good place to get a distressed jeans right off top is Abercrombie.

To get a casual/campus look with a pair of distressed jeans start with this pair of A&F Classic Straight Leg Jeans from Abercrombie and Fitch and do this White Deep V-Neck Tee from Urban Outfitters. Then layer this Red/Black Checkerboard Shirt on top of the white tee and roll the sleeves up. As far as shoes go, you can do something similar to this pair of Grey Urban Outfitters Canvas Sneakers.

To get a dressy-casual look with this pair of distressed jeans of course do the same jeans and you can do this  Oxford Shirt in White layered underneath this Classic Cardigan in Red. For shoes do something on the dressy side like this pair of Black/Beige U.O. Slim Sole Oxfords.




Moving on to Look 2...Colored Jeans.

Okay moving on to another jean look...Kanye is seen in a pair of colored jeans/pants with a denim button-up layered on top of a white tee. Then he just did a pair of white sneakers to top the outfit off. This look is really easy to achieve and goes to show you guys can wear colored jeans too. After all, Kanye is one of the most fashionable celebrity men out there. 

To get a casual look with a pair of colored jeans start with this pair of Green Social Collision Jeans. Then you can do a white tee like Kanye or you can do a graphic tee/tank like this White Tank with Black Stripes. Then you can do Blue Crate Chambray Shirt for the denim shirt layer or you can do this Levis Denim Jacket. As far as shoes go you can do something like this pair of Black Vans E Street Surf Sneaker. 

For a dressy-casual look with the green colored jeans do the same pair and then you can do a plain black tee layered underneath this Grey/Black Contrast Knit Cardigan. For shoes do something similar to this pair of Grey U.O. Slim Sole Oxfords. 

Lastly...we wanted to show you a look more on the dressy side with a pair of jeans. Pharrell wore a grey blazer with black polka dots on it, a white button-up, and a black bow tie with his jeans. We couldn't see the shoes but we're pretty sure he went with a pair of black dress shoes...oxfords or wingtip shoes of some sort. 

To get this look, start with this Grey Classic Jacket and put this Black Button-Up underneath. For your jeans you can do this pair of dark Levi Denim Jeans and then for a bow tie you can do this Red Cremieux "Natte" Bow Tie. Lastly...shoes... You can do something like this pair of Black/Grey Bed Stu Quarter Oxfords and you're all set!

Well fellas...we hope that we gave you an outfit idea or two that you can actually see yourself wearing. Feel free to leave any questions or comments you may have! 

B.T.S.E. #3 for the ladies!

Hey ladies...we know you've had to wait a few days on your post but here it is! Our Back to School Essentials mini-series continues and this week we're coming with item number #3.... JEANS, JEANS, JEANS!!  Jeans is something that any student can't go with out because the comfort they give, variety they come in, and the effortlessness it takes to dress them up and down. With that being said...let's get into it!! 

Before we start...if you're wondering why Zoe Saldana's picture is so big ...it's for 3 reasons.. 1. She's BADD! 2. Her outfit is so fly effortlessly. 3. We wanted you to see what we see. Lol. (She is a fashion fave of ours!) 

Moving right along... Seen to the left, Zoe has on a green knit pocket tank tucked in a pair of mid-rise, skinny ankle jeans. For shoes she has on a pair of fly...nude studded platform sandals. For accessories she kept it simple and went with a few bracelets, sunglasses, and a tan tote bag (LOVE). Now we'll tell you how to get similar look, one for campus and one to go out somewhere in. 

For your campus outfit..start with this pair of Mid Rise Dirty Denim Skinnies. For your shirt you can do something with print like this Pink/Brick Faded Colorblock Tank that also has a pocket on it like Zoe's. For shoes you can do this pair of Taupe Braided Leatherette Sandals. If you get cold you can throw a cardigan over it! To accessorize the outfit with a bangle like this  Gold Floral Pressed Bracelet and then you can do a pair of studs or gold hoops. You can't forget the bag...like this Beige Pebbled Leatherette Tote Bag to put a few books in! 

Now as far as dressing the jeans up for an event or party you can do simple tank like this Essential Layering Tank in the green/olive color. Then you can throw this Notched Lapel Jacket in the Wine color over the cami. Then for shoes and accessories... you can do this pair of Leopard Platform Pumps from Charlotte Russe to add some print in the outfit and then you can do this Gold/Black High Shine Bangle Set, Gold Chain Tassel Necklace, and a pair of gold studs! 

Moving on to look 2...printed jeans!

In the picture to your right...Danielle Lineker is seen in a white top, leopard print jeans, and a pair of black pumps. She didn't really accessorize the outfit much but we just wanted to show you an example of someone wearing a pair of printed jeans. We'll give you some outfit suggestions to make yours way better than what is shown! 

To get a casual/on campus look start with this pair of Tripp NYC Leopard Jean from Urban Outfitters. For your top you can do this Cream/Black Muddy Waters Crop Tee. For shoes you can do something similar to this pair of Red Burnished Penny Loafers and for accessories you can do a simple black bangle and a pair of stud earrings. 

Now to dress the jeans up you can do Blue Chiffon Batwing Blouse from Forever 21 and you can layer a white cami or bandeau top underneath. As far as shoes go you can do a pair Black Platform Pumps and then to accessorize it you can do the same Gold/Black High Shine Bangle Set listed in the first tip with a pair of large gold hoops. 

Last Jeans look...colored jeans.

Okay for the last look we decided to show you Alicia Keys wearing a pair of colored jeans. Now we know a lot of you out there own a pair but we still wanted to show another option to those who don't and give a couple of outfit ideas. 

Alicia has on a pair of teal skinny jeans with a black and white graphic tee. She layered a black jacket over it and a scarf. Then for shoes she went with a pair of black studded booties. We're going to assume that it was fall time with all the layers which is a perfect thing to show at this time since it is getting a bit chilly outside. 

To get a casual campus look with colored jeans you can start with this pair of Magenta Vibrant Skinny Ankle Jeans paired with Heather Grey/Yellow Distressed Batman Tank. Then you can layer this Oatmeal/Dark Grey Leopard Spots Cardigan over it and for shoes you can do this pair of Perforated Leatherette Loafers in grey or black. To accessorize the outfit just do a pair of silver studs and a simple bangle. 

To dress a pair of colored jeans up start with this pair of Mustard Vibrant Skinny Jeans and this Cream Chiffon Blouse. Layer this Basic Knit Tank in orange underneath and then you can do this pair of Purple Platform Pumps. For accessories you can do a large pair of gold hoop earrings and this Black/Cream Geo Stretch Bracelet to add some type of texture/print to the outfit! 

Well ladies this concludes our Back to School Essentials #3 post on jeans. All the outfits we suggested can be  worn with regular skinny jeans or whatever jeans you prefer, we just wanted to show you something besides that. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns feel free to leave them and we'll be happy to answer them!

B.T.S.E. #2 for Men!

Okay fellas...new week...new tip. We're still in our Back to School Essentials mini-series and this week we are bringing you a back to school essential that we know all of you should have...tees. Whether it be a plain v-neck or some sort of a graphic tee, this item is essential to a college student's wardrobe because of the effortlessness if takes to wear one casually or dressed up. So sit back, relax, take a few notes, and go out and get some tees for your wardrobe!

Tee Look 1: The Plain Tee

Okay...if you look to the left, you'll see Chad Ochocinco in casual outfit with a plain tee. He has on a grey v-neck, a pair of blue pants, and a pair of grey sneakers of some sort. This is honestly the easiest look of this post and just in general that one can achieve. 

Start with BDG Deep V-Neck Tee in white. (Trying to show you guys a different color option besides what is shown) Then throw on these Taupe...almost peach Slim Bedford Chino Pants. For shoes you can do something similar to this pair of Vans E Street Surf Sneaker in Indigo, Creative Recreation Kaplan Sneaker in Grey, or do something different and try these printed Trees Southwest Sneakers. 

Moving on to Tee Look #2...the Graphic Tee

Okay... Tee look number 2 comes from none other than blog favorite, Chris Brown. If you haven't noticed by now we feature him a lot. He's very fashionable and almost everything that we've blogged about he's worn it... and Well! C.B. is seen wearing a graphic tee underneath a light denim jean jacket paired with denim jeans. This goes to show you that you can wear jeans and a jean jacket...the right way. Then he finished the look off with a red fitted and green and red sneakers. This look is fairly easy to achieve, but we'll show you a different route you can go as far as denim. 

Start with this White and Black Printed Tee from Urban Outfitters. Then instead of doing a pair of denim jeans, try something similar to these Olive Chino Pants. For your jean jacket you can do this Jean Vintage Denim Jacket. For shoes you can do this pair of Red Vans Authentic Sneaker or even these Red Chambray Sneakers. 

Moving on to the last Tee look...A versatile/Dressy-Casual Tee outfit!

Okay for this last look, we wanted to show you a look that we consider dressy-casual and one that can be worn with a plain tee or a graphic tee. Kanye is seen to left in a white blazer over his white tee, a pair of denim jeans, and a pair of black loafer type shoes with detailing on them. The blazer and shoes contribute towards the dressy side and the white tee and denim jeans contribute towards the causal side. 

To achieve this look start with a blazer similar to this Heather Grey Knit Blazer form 21 Men. Now you can go one of 2 routes...you can do something like this Plain V-Neck in Dark Green or you can do a graphic tee like this Yellow/Black Dennis Hopper Tee. For pants you can do the same pair with either shirt...something dark wash like this pair of Levi 511 Commuter Series Jeans. Now whatever shirt you chose will determine what shoes you do. If you went with the dark green tee then you can do something similar to this pair of Light Grey McKinley Oxfords or step outside the box and do a printed shoe like these Osborn Classic Conte Oxfords :-) . Now if you went with the yellow graphic tee you can go with something similar to this pair of Black Wingtip Shoes. 

Well fellas...that's all for this post. We hope we gave you some outfit ideas you can see yourself in and you learned the versatility of a plain/graphic tee if you didn't already know. Feel free to leave any questions or comments you may have! :-)

B.T.S.E. #2 for Ladies!

Well it's Tuesday again and if you visited the page last week, you would know that we started a new mini-series called "Back to School Essentials" (B.T.S.E.)! Last week we did a post over shoes, flats to be specific, that are still stylish but won't hurt your feet while you're walking across campus. This week we're going to be covering something every person should have or needs to invest in...Tee Shirts! A tee, whether it be graphic or plain can go a long way with a casual outfit and a dressy outfit and is extremely versatile! Forever21 is one of many great places to get a tees from because their prices are so low and they have a variety, which means you can get multiple items. So let's jump on into today's post!

For tee look number 1 we wanted to show you someone wearing a plain tee casually. Kim Kardashian is seen in the picture to left wearing a plain white tee, a pair of army/olive green cargo like pants, and a pair of sandals. She threw a black blazer on top and a brown scarf. This look is really easy to achieve but we know it's kind of hot so we don't suggest you just walk around with a blazer on, maybe just throw one or even a cardigan on top if you get cold in class. 

Now to get a similar look start with this Essential V-Neck Tee in the ivory color OR if you want to do some color try it in the MUSTARD color. For bottoms you can do something similar to this pair of Rustic Skinny Jeans. With the white tee you can do either color...charcoal or mustard and with the mustard tee, keep it simple and go with the charcoal color. Moving right along to shoes...! Now you don't have to necessarily go with sandals...you can go with a pair of flats similar to the ones we suggested last week. This pair of Leopard Print Flats would look great with the white tee and mustard jeans or even the Brown/Rust Contrast Leatherette Shoes. If you went with the mustard tee and charcoal jeans you could do something like this pair of Black Perforated Leatherette Loafers. BUT if you wanted to do sandals...try a brown, tan, grey,or black to go with the white tee and mustard pants and if you did a white tee and charcoal pant stick with a nude color or black. If you went the mustard tee and charcoal pants route you could do a nude or black sandal. 

As far as accessories go...since it is a casual outfit keep it simple and go with a pair of studs and a necklace or PLAIN large hoops and a casual bangle. 

Moving along to look number 2...

For look 2 we wanted to show you a way you can wear a graphic tee besides the usual jeans and sandals. If you look to the right you'll notice LaLa in a rather dressy-casual outfit with her graphic tee. The graphic tee and her grey jeans make the outfit casual but the blazer and black booties she has on makes it dressy. This look is rather easy to achieve as well.

Start with something like this Grey/Black "Bonjour Paris" Tee. Since the tee really doesn't have color in it try to add some by doing something similar to this pair of Colored Stretch Skinny Jeans in Teal or Purple, but if you wanted to just do regular jeans try this pair of Fab Skinny Black Jean. For shoes we suggest something like these cute little Burnished Penny Loafers in grey for the colored jeans and red for the dark denim jeans to walk around campus in. Then for accessories keep it simple again with a pair of studs or plain large hoop earrings. 

To transform this outfit to the dressy-casual look LaLa has on for some type of school event or a dinner/movie date you can do the same tee and whatever pair of bottoms you chose. If you did the colored jeans try something similar to this pair of  Black Faux-Suede Platform Pumps from Charlotte Russe. Now if you did the regular pair of jeans you can do the shoe we just suggested or you can choose to add some color in the outfit by doing this pair of Faux-Suede Platform Pumps in the Green, Mustard, or Purple color. Then for a blazer to put over your tee you have a few different options. Let's start with the choice of the graphic tee pair with the colored jeans...you can do this Plain Black Blazer. Now if you did the plain dark denim jeans with the graphic tee...depending what color shoe you did you can do this Royal Notched Lapel Blazer for the mustard color as well as the green pumps and  this Notched Lapel Blazer in WINE for the purple. If you did the black pumps you can throw on either blazer suggested! As far as accessories...you can do the same accessory choices and add a bangle. 

Lastly...Tee look 3!

Okay so lastly tried to find someone dressing their plain tee up all the way. We found this picture of Christina Milian to the left. She chose to do a plain white tee with a coral skirt, and strappy heels. She did a teal beaded necklace to add some color to the outfit. She went with this outfit for some type of red carpet event so obviously this would be a somewhat of a dressy outfit with a plain tee. This look is EXTREMELY easy to achieve and we'll even tell you some ways to do it different/add something to it to make it even better.

Start with this Essential Modal Blend V-Neck Tee in the mustard color or even this Teal/Brown Graphic Southwest Front Tee. For a skirt try this Fitted Knit Skirt in Hunter Green if you did the plain mustard color  tee and if you do the graphic tee you can do this the same fitted knit skirt in the Magenta color. For shoes to go with the mustard tee and hunter green skirt you can do this pair of Purple Platform Pumps, accessorize it with a pair of pearl studs and a bangle, and you can add something to the outfit by doing this Rust...almost brownish Blazer. If you went with the Graphic Tee and the Magenta colored skirt you can do something similar to this pair of Platform Pumps in Nude. Then accessorize this outfit with a pair of pearl studs and a bangle. Either of these outfits can be worn with a pair of flats that we suggested in last week's post also.


Well ladies...we hope that we gave you some helpful insight and cute outfit ideas for you to wear. Feel free to leave any questions or comments you may have on this post! 

Back to School Essentials for Men!

Hey fellas...this week we are kicking off another series, but this will be a 4 week mini-series over Back to School Essentials. After this series we will be getting you ready for Fall with our Fall Essentials Series. Yesterday we did a post for the ladies regarding comfortable/stylish shoes for those on campus walks. You still want to look fly but don't want to do too much and wear uncomfortable shoes. Well, we'll show you a few pair and how to dress them up and down! So let's get started...

Okay fellas...look to the left and you'll notice this pair of Aztec Printed Plimsoll Sneakers from Urban Outfitters. We wanted to show you something different by showing you a printed sneaker. You can wear this pair of shoes casually and on the dressy-casual side event though they are sneakers!

For a casual look wearing these shoes start out with this BDG V-Neck Tee in the Burnt Orange color. Pair these Levi 511 Commuter Series Pants in the khaki color. These 2 key pieces are that's required to achieve a casual look with these shoes. Easy Right?

Moving on to a look that more on the dressy-casual side. We know it's hot outside so you can do this Urban Renewal Solid Tank Top in the Mocha/Brown color and then layer it under this Green Hawkings McGill Classic Cardigan. It's light-weight so you won't get too hot. Now for a fall dressy-casual look try this Light Grey Button Up underneath this Light Blue Urban Renewal Vintage Cardigan. For bottoms, both top looks can be paired with a pair of dark denim jeans like these.

Moving on to shoe #2...

Okay now look to the right and you'll see this pair of Grey Feathers Canvas Stentorian Oxford. These may seem like they'd just contribute to a dressy look but they can be worn casually too with a change of a few pieces. 

To achieve a casual look with these shoes, start with these Dark Indigo Denim Jeans and you can wear something like this Black/White Crew in NYC Tee or even this BDG 3-Color Blocked Stripe V-Neck Tee in either color. 

For a keep these on the dressy-casual side you can do this pair of Levi 511 Commuter Series Pants in Charcoal or even these Hawkings McGill Chino Pants in Black. For the top half of the outfit you can do a plain white tee layered underneath this Red/Black Hawkings McGill Colorblock Cardigan. 

Lastly...shoe number 3!

If you above you'll see a pair of Tan Converse Jack Purcell Leather Boat Shoes. You can wear these boat shoes casually and dressy with ease.

To wear them on the casual side you can do a pair of dark denim jeans like these Levi 511 5-Pocket Skinny Commuter Series Jeans and a graphic tee like this Obey Genuine Article Tee. Really simple...

Then to wear these shoes on the dressy casual side you can keep the same pair of dark denim jeans on and you can do a button up like this Red Hawkings McGill Solid Pinpoint Oxford Shirt and this Tan Urban Renewal Vintage Cardigan layered on top. If you haven't noticed a nice cardigan and button up can take an outfit a long way on the dressy-casual side. 

Well guys...we hope we gave you a few outfit ideas that you can see yourself wearing and some shoes you would like to purchase. Stay tuned for next week's post as our B.T.S.E. series continues!

Back to School Essentials!

Hello ladies...this week we're jumping into another series before we start getting you prepared for Fall. This series will be approximately 4 weeks...right in time for our Fall Essentials series. This week will be starting Back to School Essentials starting with flats!! The type of flats we mean are oxfords, loafers, etc. We know you've seen these before ladies...cute little flats that are stylish, that can be dressed up and down. Perfect for those long and even short campus walks if you want to be stylish but don't want to wear heels! We'll show you 3 different pair of flats and list items to dress them up and down! 

Okay, so let's start with this pair of Brown/Rust Contrast Leatherette Shoes from Forever21. They can be dressed up and dressed down with ease. 

If you wanted to wear this pair of flats casually, start with this White Heathered V-Neck Tee and these Dark Indigo Fab Contrast Stitch Skinny Jeans. These two pieces can be worn with a number of different tops and bottoms for a number of different styles. Now we know the outfit seems kind of simple but remember... "great minds can afford simple style." it's all about confidence. But moving right along to accessories.. put on a pair of simple studs with this Gold Antique-Like "In My Heart" Necklace. Then but on a bangle that has some color it in like this "Paint the Rainbow" Bangle Set. 

Okay....to make this pair of flats work on the dressy-casual side, start with a simple tee but this time add some color. Do this Modal Blend V-Neck Tee in MUSTARD and this Navy Pintuck Panel Bodycon Skirt. This is an example of a COLOR-BLOCKING outfit. For accessories do a pair of large gold hoops and DOUBLE UP on these Red/Gold Pyramid Hinge Bracelets. 

Moving right along to another flat!

Okay now look to the right...notice the "Springtime" Floral Oxfords also from Forever21. We wanted to show you an actual oxford flat and a printed one at that. This pair of flats can be really easy to dress down and up as well. 

Starting with a casual look for these printed oxfords...start out with this NAVY Burnout Rose Crop Top and make sure to put a bandeau top..maybe in white.. under it since it is a crop top. A long camisole would  make the layers look a bit sloppy. For bottoms, you can do a pair of regular denim jeans or you can do a colored denim jeans like these Teal Skinny Jeans. To accessorize the outfit, keep it simple with a pair of studs and a long necklace. You can do silver or gold. 

To dress the shoes up...start with something similar to this Cream Wavy Ridge Dress. Throw a blazer over it like this Brown Cuffed Sleeve Blazer. Since the colors are so simple in the outfit, add some color through your accessories. You can do something similar to this Fuchsia/Blue Mixtape Memories Necklace with a pair of large silver studs. Then do a bangle with some green or yellow in it to add some more color to the outfit and you're all set. 

Lastly....flat number 3. 

As you look to the left, you'll notice the Grey Perforated Loafers. Since these are so simple, you'll need to add some color and print to make your outfit stand out. 

For a casual look with the grey loafers, start out with this Royal/Blue Animal Mix Burnout Tee and layer a white camisole under it. Add some more color to the outfit and do this pair of Coral Vibrant Skinny Ankle Jeans. To accessorize this outfit you can just do a simple pair of pearl studs and a bangle like this Yellow Rose Print Bracelet. 

For a dressy look, you can start with this Salmon/Grey Geometric Shapes Romper. You don't have to anything else with this outfit since the romper has both print and color involved. Just do simple accessories like a pair of large gold hoop earrings and a bangle like this Gold Spiked Stretchy Bracelet. 

Well ladies we hope we gave you a few outfit ideas that you can see yourself trying out that will be fashionable while comfortable for those campus walks. :-) Stay tuned for another Back to School Essentials post.