Earring Trends for the Mature Crowd

My apologies, in my efforts to stay caught up with the ever-moving world of trends and styling, I often neglect to focus my blog posts to a varied crowd. This post is in addition to my recent post about the one earring trend. Here is a way to incorporate to current trends in a more mature, professional way.

If you don't want to look this at work, keep reading.

I love this trend, it's big, bold, colorful and feathery (feathers...must. have. more,) Some of us are complete zombies to things like this (yup) but I have failed to realize that this isn't exactly most people's cup of tea.

My advice for the mature and sophisticated crowd: Incorporate mixed metals with some subtle color. There are many different styles of earrings you can choose from, and I selected a few ideas for you below. They have the same trend with a different, less wild style. If these are too modern for your style, stick with a more rustic metal color and pale/rosy pinks and greens.

All images from Google

Cooking: Cucumber Apple Salad

It's a stress relieving salad by how super easy it is, the fresh taste and calmed senses. Enjoy with some iced orange spice tea for the ultimate fall snack.

1 Cucumber
2 Fugi Apples (you can try Granny Smith)
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
Parsley (you can try mint)

Chop cucumber and apples to bite sized pieces, zest the lemon over, juice the lemon over, toss with parsley and eat!!

happy snacking
<3 b 

Styling: One Earring

I've been seeing this trend since last summer, but very few and far between. Sometimes  I question if it is by mistake, and other times I know it's for real. I'm talking about the one earring trend. You know you've seen it; a girl is wearing one, super long earring and then nothing in the other ear. This is a pretty daring move. The first time I saw it I kept starring. The trick is to do it right. 

Make sure you wear an earring in the other ear. Obviously, don't wear two completely different long earrings, one should be a stud, like a pearl. Pearls offset the wild side of the long earring. Also, this trend works better for girls who have double piercings, it is just way more believable. 

here is my take on the trend  (excuse the sleepy eyes, I've been battling the flu)

This is no doubt a trend that most guys and many girls will say "Whyyyyyyyyyyyy??" My response to that- 'Why not?' When they say- "Because it's stupid" I'll say 'Do I really look like I give a damn?' 

Style is individual, nobody has the right to criticize one's style. Learn to accept others as they are and embrace them. 

Always Elegant

There is a lot we can learn from Gwyneth Paltrow: her chill attitude, her love of food and cooking, her love of WINE, her great taste in travel destinations and her way of looking elegant in anything. Sure, she's wearing a designer gown, but tell me who else could pull this off as well as she did?? 

photo from celebuzz.com

Her gown is beautiful. She wears it perfectly, the simple, straight her and the natural makeup.

I LOVE it, props, Gwyn!! 

Styling: Faux Fur Vest

Fur in general was a particular fashion item that many thought would not catch on again. Often seen as a sign of class in the early 1900's, it is now a fashion statement throughout the world. No matter your age, class or sense of style, a faux fur vest is easily incorporated into any outfit. Here's how!

Play off the colors. Work with the colors in the fur but make sure to keep it simple. A fur vest does enough talking, so try to keep it low key. 

Stick with neutrals. If you add bright colors you'll overplay the whole look and appear frumpy. Also keep it simple on the bottom. If you do a skirt, try tights with it in the same color and make sure the skirt is a simple, form fitting silhouette. In regards to jewelry, also keep it very simple and play up the neutrals. Wear either earrings or a necklace, not both. 

Now put on fresh, natural makeup, make some beachy waves in your hair and you're good to go!

Happy Styling!!! 

Styling: Mixed Florals

Believe me, it's possible! You CAN wear two different floral patterns in one outfit, you just need to know how to do it right. Here's the trick.

1. Make sure both patterns are either small or large. One small pattern and one large pattern will be too dramatic and cluttered. 

2. Break it up. Layer with 2 other solids to break up the floral patterns and create a flowing contrast. No one piece of this outfit should stick out. 

3. Keep the shoes low key. Shoes should also be a solid color, again, you want flow. 

Once you've established the outfit, add a simple necklace and you're ready to go!! 

Health: Let's Talk Vitamins!

It's about dang time we talk about vitamins! Many people take them, not everyone needs them. There is skepticism in the health industry that every individual needs to take a daily multivitamin. What I have learned from this is 1. Good multivitamins are generally quite expensive 2. They don't make those awesome gummy vitamins for adults and 3. If I take a multivitamin, I'm getting about three times the amount of specific nutrients than I actually need. So do some research and save some green!

Levels of vitamins and nutrients differ among every individual. Each person does not need to sustain the set level that you see on food labels-- much like how not everyone needs a full 2000 calorie diet. The most important thing you need to do is track what nutrients you get the least of and make up for it. The best way to absorb vitamins is through food, not a pill. Change your diet to include what you are lacking. If this is for some reason impossible, then taking vitamins is your back up plan.

If you DO need to take vitamins, I would suggest figuring out exactly what you are lacking and take only that. Sustaining high levels of other vitamins is useless to your body because you will just pee it out, and in some cases, too much of one nutrient can be harmful. Pay attention to how your body reacts to vitamins and food. Track what you eat and track your energy levels. This is the best way to figure out what your body needs.

I take B-Complex, for energy metabolism (I don't process food very well or get much energy from it) Iron, for proper erythrocyte function (when I'm at home, my parents are weekday vegetarians, at school I only eat chicken and fish- hence little iron) and St. John's Wort (this is an herbal supplement, not a vitamin)

 The latter is literally a happy pill. It was used early in the 1900's as a treatment for depression (which proved effective) but when the FDA was formed, they decided to not extensively research it. Now the label says 'Promotes a Positive Mood'-- and it really does. It is believed to inhibit the reuptake of seratonin, (to biology and psychology savvy people, it acts like an SSRI) therefore increasing the levels of seratonin in the synaptic cleft, allowing more to be absorbed by the postsynaptic neuron. Long story short, it doesn't increase levels of seratonin, it just increases availability and seratonin = emotionally, environmentally conscious and happy. Life is SO much easier when you're in a positive mood, so if you are chronically effected by your own negativity, I recommend this supplement.

Odd Places for Style: College Football Games

The Cougs played on Saturday (WE WON!!) and while at the game I observed something strange; a large number of girls wearing dresses. Ok, so I understand it's really hot outside and those tiny-weeny dresses keep you cool, but it's a football game, not really an event in which you dress to impress. Generally, the Typical Girl of WSU (that will be their name from now on) will dawn perfectly straightened hair, possibly some glitter makeup, a temporary cougar tattoo on their cheek and a cougar t-shirt that they have managed to make as slutty as possible without exposing vital parts, but now they are wearing these miniature dresses made from oversized t-shirts. 

Now, in an attempt to maintain the integrity of my blog's purpose (to offer positive and individualistic styling advice) I give the Typical Girl of WSU props for being really freaking creative with a pair of scissors, and for sacrificing the vitality of their cheek skin by sticking a tattoo on it. However, to stick with the same theme here's my advice: dress as an individual!! And while we're at it- dress properly for the event!! 

Something for the rest of us

As much as I would LOVE to say that no one should care about what others think of them, a huge purpose to having style is to create an impression on people (the most important purpose is to feel good about yourself) College life is so much easier when people don't think you're a hussy, so please girls, dress for the reputation you actually want. 

GO COUGS!!