Frantic in Fur

Wearing: Urban Outfitters x Unif coat, Forever 21 turtleneck, DIY jeans, Adidas sneakers

For a busy day of post-christmas shopping I made sure my outfit was both casual and warm (New York City buildings do tend to block off a lot of the sun...). That being said, I decided to wear this sherpa-esque, furry moto coat from Urban over a simple white turtleneck. The modesty of the turtleneck definitely manages to balance out the bear-like characteristics of the coat.

Stealing from the Boys

Wearing: Zara sweater, Asos boots, Forever 21 pants

Plaid is one trend that doesn't seem to go away. I have vivid memories of wearing plaid 'bermuda shorts' from Limited Too as a 10 year old. Luckily for me I adore this trend and love evolving with its changes. These pants are a subtler take on plaid and still fall under the 'stealing from the boys trend' that has been prevalent since the dawn of time also. Menswear, for me at least, will never get old. I'll always find a way to incorporate a button down or tailored pants into any outfit.

The Scuba Effect

Wearing: New Balance sneakers, Forever 21 top, Urban Outfitters jeans, Topshop necklace

I fell upon this particular sweatshirt whilst roaming Forever 21's website and once I received it I was shocked by how stiff it was, hence the word "scuba" in the description of the shirt (I just realized this...). Nonetheless, I managed to work with its stiffness by pairing the top with a simple pair of black jeans. The boxiness of the top juxtaposed against the tight pants truly complement each other.

Uniform

Wearing: H&M sweater, Topshop jeans, Forever 21 loafers

Every season I seem to mindlessly adopt my version of a uniform. In other words, every season there is always one pair of pants, one type of top and one pair of shoes that I happen to fall in love and feel the urge to wear day in and day out. This season my "uniform" consists of a cozy turtleneck sweater, mom jeans and these loafers. Not only is this ensemble easy to throw on, but it is also awfully comfortable. 

Winter White / Frayed Denim

Wearing: Nordstrom vest, F21 denim and shoes

Denim has been an essential for me this season thus far, be it distressed or high rise. If these jeans could speak, they would most definitely attest to my obsession because I have worn them outright. Only a year I ago I was refusing to wear jeans on a daily basis and, now, I cannot help but constantly roam sites for the latest denim styles. My favorite aspect of this pair of jeans are the frayed bottoms. Raw hems have become a fixation of mine recently and it has taken a whole lot of will power to keep from snipping off the hems of every pair of jeans I own. I paired them with this comfy, white v-neck and threw over this snow white vest; the contrast between the blue denim and all white top-half seals the outfit in my opinion. 

New Video: Fall Outfits of the Week

Shades of Cool

Wearing: SheInside sweater, Topshop top, American Apparel pants, Adidas sneakers, Asos purse, Quay sunglasses, Zara necklace

In my attempt to steer away from wearing blacks and grays , I have quickly adopted an affection towards blue tones. Be it navy or pastel blue, you best believe that it will wind up in my closet. These pants from American Apparel and powder blue crop top from Topshop are a prime example. Because the weather was verging on bi-polar on this particular New York day, this long-lined sweater was the perfect option to throw over. To top everything off my superstar's were a no-brainer, whenever I am in doubt of what shoes to wear these babies always seem to be a go-to.

Suitable Sweats

Because the urban-sport trend has been going strong for quite some time, it seemed inevitable to fade out sometime soon. But, thanks to two widely acclaimed designers, this trend is clearly not moving anywhere fast. Alexander Plokhov launched a collection for Uniqlo titled "Urban Comfort" this September and as you are probably familiar with-most likely thanks to your Instagram feed-Alexander Wang for H&M will be coming out early November. Plokohv's collection reinvents the concept of loungewear by creating sweatpants with cool cuts and sweatshirts featuring high necks. Socially acceptable sweatshirts? What could be better? While Wang still pays homage to the sport trend through a colorless (color) palette, leggings and shirts plastered with "Wang" on the front and puffer jackets (hey, even a sports bra was thrown into the mix). Congratulations. Your gym attire is now Wang-ified. 

Little Black Tee

Wearing: eShakti shirt, Asos pants, Adidas sneakers, Topshop necklace

It is inevitable that every girl needs a little black dress, right? Well, what about the perfect little black tee? Fortunately, I just discovered mine thanks to an amazing website called eShakti. eShakti offers a shocking variety of choices not only in styles but also in sizing. By having the option to input your measurements you'll be sure to receive a dress or shirt tailored just for you... try out eShakti's items for yourself using the coupon code 'bymichaelachristine' to get 10% off! This shirt has the balance I always seek when getting dressed between the edgy mesh and feminine floral detailing. I paired my little black tee with these grid pants from Asos and my Adidas superstars for a sporty vibe. But, to contrast the sporty-ness I made sure to add on my pearl choker from Topshop. 

Reaching Brooklyn Heights

Wearing: H&M vest, Mossismo dress, F21 button down, Windsor Smith sandals

Brooklyn, in my opinion, is the younger, budding sibling of Manhattan. Between the city's funky graffiti-lined buildings, impressive boutiques and non-crowded streets, Brooklyn seems like a win-win city to be in. On this particular day I visited the Brooklyn Flea and following that, Smorgasburg. I was not too impressed with the flea, although I did have Fairfax Flea to compare it to... On the other hand, to say I was impressed with Smorgasburg is an understatement. What's better than eating a Ramen Noodle burger while gazing over a spectacular view of the Manhattan skyline? I over-dressed for this day, just a teeny bit. It was a scorching hot day so layering was not my wisest decision. I felt like mixing prints today so I paired this knee-length striped dress with a checkered button down in the  same color scheme. To top it all off I added a leather vest. Although I thought Manahttan stole my heart completely, I think Brooklyn has a portion now also. 

Textures

Wearing: Wasteland vest, Zara skirt, Urban Outfitters shirt, purse from Fairfax Flea Market

Even for a scorchingly hot NYC summer day I still did not give up my layering. The key to successful layering for me has always been in the textures of the clothes I put together. Here, I have a ribbed vest, lace skirt, cotton button down, and snakeskin printed bag all placed together. Because of their varying prints and fabrics they all complement each other perfectly, even if every item in this outfit was the same color the look would still work for that reason.

Lace | Rips

Wearing: Topshop jeans, Nirvana tank, Birkenstock sandals

These jeans are very distressed, obviously. They have a huge, gaping hole in the right knee, (built in ventilation anyone??) which makes them ideal for hot summer days. All kidding aside, I can't stop wearing these jeans despite that it is summer and I have been waiting all year long to finally break out summer-appropriate clothing. Because of this I have realized that jeans are definitely going to be an essential for me this upcoming fall/winter season (not that they haven't been for the rest of America the past 140-ish years)...

Back to School Outfit Ideas

Here's a quick little video with back to school outfit inspo for you all!

Malibu Hills

Wearing: Urban Outfitters shirt, Thrifted shorts, Windsor Smith shoes, necklace from Fairfax flea

Even though this outfit can come across as way too simplistic for my liking, I mean there is no layering involved, something about it manages to win me over. Considering I spent a day at Malibu in this outfit, I wanted something that exuded effortlessness and didn't suffocate me in scorching hot weather. I love how the bagginess and mom-esque vibe of the shorts contrast with the dainty feel of the top. To complete the look I added my white Windsor's which tie together perfectly with the similarly white top and the delicate necklace adds a nice little touch.