A Vampy New Year

w e a r i n g : H&M sweater, SheInside skirt, H&M boots, Casio watch, Forever 21 necklace, lip tar: OCC (black dahlia) 

This outfit combines two of my favorite fabrics for fall/winter this year: mohair and velvet. Those two fabrics are statement making in and of themselves and don't really require a whole lot of "styling" to go along with them. However, today is an exception. 

Tonight is NYE, as you all are probably aware, the one night of the year where wearing something unusual or upright crazy feels okay. With that said, tonight don't be afraid to step out of your comfort 

zone. Sure, this outfit isn't the craziest of them all, but instead take it as a source of inspiration. Whether you want to ring in the new year with a bold lip, a quirky fabric, or an eccentric silhouette it's all up to you. 

Have a Happy New Year everyone!

Hey, Panama

w e a r i n g : Ruby&Jenna shorts, Forever 21 sweater, Urban Outfitters tights, Asos loafers, Urban Outfitters hat

Only after months of lusting over other's "Panama" style floppy hats, I finally came across one for myself. I am a hat girl, in the most simplest of terms, and this self-proclaimed label makes me feel obligated to buy every hat I see. With that said, I have my fair share of beanies (as you can tell from previous posts), and I knew a new style of hat was necessary. I ran into a floppy hat with metal plate embellishment at Free People, with a $60 price tag might I add. The price tag didn't seem to cut it for me, though I did spend that $60 on socks at Free People, it seemed to be the wise decision in that moment. Lo and behold, only hours after did I find a very similar hat at Urban Outfitters for $40, a justifiable price for me. 

As for the rest of my outfit, I was cozy and comfy in my fleece lined tights which I am ecstatic about and my favorite tartan plaid shorts paired with a sweater. 

Rewind

 

w e a r i n g : American Apparel skirt, Urban Outfitters vest & shirt, H&M boots

Soo.. to say I was excited for the beautiful seventy degree weather today is an understatement. I knew I could not waste such weather by wearing jeans or a chunky sweater, because trust me, I get my fair share of those two. I opted for a simple black skirt with tights underneath paired with a simple striped crop top and a vest (both from UO). Considering this "temperature rewind", this outfit was the perfect amount of coverage for today, not too warm nor cold. Also, I cannot go without mentioning these chelsea boots from H&M that I've yet to show on here, for $30 these boots are the ideal fall/winter go-to. The amount of use I have gotten out of these blows my mind, they are probably the most "beat up" pair of shoes I own, and I say that proudly. 

Holiday Wish-list

Here it is, the holiday wish-list. Personally I see the holiday wish-list as somewhat of a mandatory post/video for bloggers and YouTuber's alike. Wish-list's give a glimpse of what a person is lusting over if, say, money was unlimited. However, I have to say that my wish-list this year is quite realistic.

1. I'm always on the hunt for a new purse. Though a Wang or Saint Laurent is a bit unrealistic right now, I still managed to find some great bags. On the left is a generously roomy shoulder bag with a folder over flap from Asos, ideal for when the inner Mary Poppins comes out in me and I feel the need to stuff my life in a bag. On the right is a small satchel from Zara in my favorite color at the moment, navy, great for when I don't feel like carrying something gigantic.
2. Marc Jacobs Honey perfume, just when my Dot perfume becomes old news for me there is always another one waiting for me to buy it.
3. Lets just say I don't have the best luck when it comes to flat irons. I've had flat irons in silver, blue, heck, even bedazzled but, I haven't had one that I have been impressed with; and that's all that matters, right?
4. Probably at the top of my list is a new lens, I'm hoping for the Nikkor 50 mm 1.8 g (the perfect lens for outfit photos)! Get ready for some amazing photos!
5. When Alexa Chung and Leandra Medine, aka my favorite people on the planet, both write books it is pretty much necessary for them to be in my possession.
6. I have heard great things about Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics and this mini lip tar set is the perfect way to try the brand out.
7. I am a girl who can never have too many watches. A color still missing from my watch collection is black, this one from Casio has a sporty feel but it still has that cool retro vibe all of Casio's watches have.
8. A set studio lights along with a setup would be wonderful for future videos and photos!

Bib overall
barnesandnoble.com

Zara blue purse
zara.com

Monki black handbag
asos.com

Casio B640WB-1AEF Digital Black Stainless Steel Watch
asos.com

Marc Jacobs fragrance
$82 - harrods.com

Andis flat iron
kohls.com

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics beauty product
sephora.com

Cowboystudio Photography/Video Portrait Umbrella Continuous Triple...
amazon.com

A Flurry of Prints

w e a r i n g : H&M striped top, Topshop pants, ASOS shoes, Ruby&Jenna jacket, F21 purse

Mixing prints is one trend that has not seemed to dwindle over the past years for me. My willingness to pair floral and houndstooth or stripes and plaid (as in this case) is still as strong as its ever been, clearly. Today I decided to pair these plaid "treggings" from Topshop with a simple striped tee shirt. As a matter of fact, these pants bring back so many memories such as my first fashion week. Ooh,  how we sacrifice the bitter cold snow for fashion. Whether we sacrifice in below 20 degree weather for our own outfit posts by choice or every F/W fashion week with getting bombarded by photographers outside of Lincoln Center for the anticipated thrill of seeing ourselves on Vogue or New York Times. Speaking of fashion week, can you believe MBFW is so soon, less than two months!

Back to the Basics

w e a r i n g : Guess jacket, H&M sweater, Urban Outfitters pants, ASOS shoes,  F21 beanie

This outfit encompasses every single "basic" item in a girl's wardrobe: a leather jacket, a beanie, a black sweater, a great pair of black boots & a your favorite pair of pants (in my case, cargos). Mix all of them together, and you have a complete outfit; and that is exactly what I did. I started off by knowing that I definitely wanted to wear my Guess leather jacket, it's amazing how this jacket is practically 4 years old, and 4 years later it is still in style. From there, I chose my comfy, go-to cargos from Urban and I knew I needed a sweater underneath to keep warm, this faux mohair sweater from H&M worked perfectly.  

Michaela's Winter Coat Picks

Pull and Bear Flock Coat

Topshop Popper Front Boyfriend Coat

Topshop Slouchy Mohair Boyfriend Coat

Kissell Plaid Coat

Jacquard Coat

Wool Moto Coat

Rebecca Taylor Double Pocket Coat 

 Zara Long Quilted Jacket

Zara Hooded Parka

Ladakh Pieced Faux Fur Jacket

Bonded Faux Fur Jacket

Nasty Gal Night Party Fringe Jacket

I finally got around to doing this post and here it is… oh, how I wish I could own every single one of these coats! I broke up [what I consider] to be staple coats for Fall/Winter 2013 and chose my favorite coats for each category. This season jackets have the magical ability to make or break an outfit (most of the time make an outfit though), and these coats will do just the trick. 

The Boyfriend Coat, which is essentially an updated version of the blazer trend in my opinion, is all around a great option between how loose and comfortable the coats are along with the cool tomboy vibe they give off. 

The Printed Coat, is up there with the boyfriend in terms of how much I adore those styles, since all black seems to be a go-to for many this season, you don't have to worry about looking boring with one of these printed coats. 

Are you tired of wearing that same leather jacket for the past few years? If so, I'd suggest investing in a long-lined moto jacket, this silhouette is not too extreme nor to basic, it's the perfect medium. 

For those of you who cannot handle the cold weather, parkas or a quilted jacket would be your best bet because they are sure to keep you warm with down fabric, a hood and lots of lining! 

And finally, the fur coat, whether it is shearling, faux fur, or tied up yarn, fur instantly amps up an outfit about 10 notches. I promise. 

Proud in Plaid

 

w e a r i n g: Urban Outfitters dress, Forever 21 sweater, Dr. Marten shoes, Topshop hat

Plaid this season has thankfully deferred from the flannel craze. Although I was slightly tired of the flannel, I have to say I miss absent-mindedly throwing on a flannel with just about anything and walking out of the house. Flannels were a go-to for me to say the least. This season plaid is appearing in not very expecting forms, including pants, sweaters, coats, dresses, you name it.

Today I was willing to risk frost-bite because I was just so tired of wearing pants, I get like that.. a lot. Something I am "if-y" about at the moment is thigh highs, I cannot tell if I love them or, well, don't. But due to my aversion to pants today it seemed that thigh highs were my only option. Tell me, how do you feel about thigh highs, or even knee highs for that matter this season? Old news or no?

Photos c / o Sabrina of DreamInspireDesire

It's Jacket Season Anyway

w e a r i n g : Zara sweater, Topshop skirt, Topshop jacket, Asos boots

This Topshop jacket is just really great to say the least, the motorcycle jacket details won me over right away, but once I tried it on I knew it was a must-buy (my terminology), primarily from the longer-than-expected length. I am planning on doing a post solely on jackets because this fall, jackets have become the focal point of all great outfits. All you need is the perfect pair of jeans, simple tee shirt paired with an amazing coat and you're set… I should start taking my own advice by buying countless jackets as opposed to countless boots...