Back To School

(image courtesy of: artofmanliness.com)

Back to school and first day of classes status messages fill Facebook newsfeed today. While it’s a bit early for classes to start up already (law school students, I’m looking at you), seeing students gear up for back to school makes me a bit nostalgic. School shopping was comparable to Christmas in my student days. When I was eight, I took great care in choosing the perfect Trapper Keeper (my favorite was purple dolphin print) and Lisa Frank folders, pencils and pens. To this day, I’m unsure why I found myself so keen on school supplies, but find myself longing for a need to buy them. Since I don’t have any reason – and multitudes of unused notebooks piled around my room from high school and college – I give my suggested back to school product list. Read, buy and indulge. Everyone might as well have a few nice notebooks to get through those boring lecture hall presentations.

Moleskine: My new favorite notebook company. Their notebooks look classic with black leather covers and crisp lined paper. With an assortment of address books, sketch pads and even city guides (there’s one for Boston!) even non-students can buy and enjoy.

Jordi Labanda: I found Jordi Labanda notebooks first in Barcelona at a find-it-all department store called El Corte Ingles. almost six years ago. Since then, I happily found his notebooks and pens in every specialty stationary store (and even at the UMass Amherst campus bookstore!). Fun and animated covers scream fashionista with colorful cubed (not lined) paper. Confession: I’ve kept every single one of these notebooks that I’ve filled up, just because they’re too pretty to toss.

Sharpies: Everyone’s favorite marker. Non-economical (I know they bleed through pages of paper), but there’s something about writing in a fine-tip Sharpie that makes even the messiest of handwriting look artsy. I prefer to buy a bulk pack, the tips dry out fast with a lot of use.

-M

Fall Transitions

(image courtesy of boston.com)

Somehow the summer slipped by me. We have entered the final week of summer. Suddenly it’s the season for back-to-school shopping (the only part of being a student that I really and truly miss) and packing away the beloved flip-flops and white jeans. I lament the loss of the last few months. I’m absolutely not ready to say goodbye to summer clothing yet.

The best part of summer clothing is the coinciding casual, laid-back attitude. There’s no need for stuffy button-up collared shirts when the sun is shining and there’s cute sundresses. The predicament while waving goodbye to summer is how to maintain the summer attitude – even in the bitterly cold Boston winters.

My tip? Trade flip flops for comfortable (but still stylish and even work appropriate) moccasins. While heels feel powerful – and taller – feet need a break from a 4 inch arch and Minnetonka moccasins are the answer. Also a good option? Moccasins by Ugg. Just as comfy and warm as Uggs, without the Ugg stigma.

With this, I’m trying to maintain a positive outlook with the impending brisk fall weather. The only thing keeping my fashion excitement afloat is my pile of cashmere in my closet. Sweater season, here I come.

-M

Jeggings, Need I Say More?

(image courtesy of nymag.com)

I love leggings. I love denim. Let me make this very clear. I do not love “jeggings.”

Jeggings, for readers who may not know, are the disaster that are jean leggings. Consider them piled next to Ed Hardy tattoo style tees in the realm of fashion no-no’s and no-never’s. Hardly work appropriate (or life appropriate), I tried to ignore this impending denim trend for as long as possible. Today, however, I’m jarred by the news in The Cut that states, “Legging jeans are moving to replace skinny styles” I’m already mourning. How could the denim industry turn on me so?

-M

Recycle Your Jeans!

(image courtesy of http://www.societystylist.com)

Going green has been an ongoing trend for as long as my mother has told me to recycle my used glass Snapple bottles. While I'm admittedly bad at recycling on an everyday basis, there is finally a recycling event that I can get into.

For the rest of August, participating Barney's New York locations agree to give 20% off a future denim purchase in turn for anyone's unused, too small, never will wear again jeans. Dig through closets, find those bleached jeans from high school or the pair with beading (face it, it won't be back in style anytime soon) and treat yourself to a new pair of Seven for all Mankinds or Citizens for Humanity. With fall right around the corner, is there a better way to treat yourself?

-M

Purple Nails Mark The Spot

(image courtesy of teamsugar.com)

On my last night of staycation, my psuedo-younger sister MK craved purple nail polish. Like any true fashionista, she has an eye for a trend before it starts. While I've gone through the black nail polish and red nail craze, I openly welcome purple.

A few tips for those fellow purple-eyed (or rather, nailed) fashionistas who want to dip into this trend during the impending fall season. Make your polish dark, chip resistant and matte. Pearlized and glossy are no more. Dark and muted, welcome home.

Suggestion shades: Sexy Divide by Essie, Caffeine Fix by OPI for Sephora and Plum by ELF (only a dollar!).

-M

Staycation!

(image courtesy of http://amyswandering.files.wordpress.com)

A staycation, by definition, is a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips from their home to area attractions (thank you Wikipedia!). For the next few days, I will be on a staycation - and as a FYI, this may mean no blogging. Instead of writing, time will be spent with best friend A, at the beach, bargain shopping, eating lobster and re-watching DVD box sets of Laguna Beach and The Hills. It might sound boring to you, but it sounds like heaven to me. Expect posts upon my relaxation.

-M