Showing posts with label Shoes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shoes. Show all posts

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Welcome, happy morning!



Happy Easter from the Longwood Look!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

The Bobeau Effect

Posted by Jenni

I've recently discovered a new term for the merge of bohemian and downtown: Bobeau (pronounced "bo-bo"). The idea is to take something bohemian in origin and mix it with something urban, like a jewel-tone top with an organic woven detail at the neckline.
For me, this was something of a discovery; I had never been able to pin down a definitive term for my wardrobe, but bobeau hits it right on the spot. My clothes are whimsical, but I wouldn't classify myself as hippie-chic. The difference? The way I pair my clothes puts away the sixties vibe and any notion of 'costume'.
You might wonder how we think of these things at the Look, and the truth is that most of the time, we're just selective about what we purchase. Amy loves military-inspired clothes, so she often looks for something more delicate or feminine to balance them. Balance is a good word to keep in mind.



See how these earrings are bobeau? They're feathered, but they're attached to a rhinestone-studded sphere. When I wear these, I tie my hair back and I don't wear a necklace, but I do wear a funky graphic tee and a long sweater. They're an accent; they're meant to hint at a look, not scream one.



These fab shoes are another example of bobeau with their floral pattern and modern shape. They look awesome with a skirt and tights or skinny jeans, and they're even better if your pedicure chips. Both pieces at Forever 21 stores and forever21.com.

If you have a new style, don't hesitate to let us know right here, right now. Send us pics, too!

XOXO, Jenni

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Capris, or not capris?

Posted by Jenni

This question never bothered me until I read the latest issue of Real Simple magazine; apparently, capris or capri pants are one of the hot items this spring. Real Simple is neck-and-neck with Glamour for my favorite magazine, and about 95% of the time, I agree with their judgment. But now I'm not so sure.

Capris for me have always looked best on women who are naturally petite. I'm 5'7" and curvy to start, but I also have a long torso and disproportionately skinny calves for my frame. Therefore, anything that stops abruptly interrupts the lines of my clothes, and I feel awkward and uncomfortable. So I was pretty reluctant to take Real Simple's advice this time, until they styled their models with the "high and low" aesthetic.


realsimple.com

In the above photo, they've chosen some skinny capris with a T-strap flat (or kitten heel), an embroidered wrap, and a loose white blouse. The contradiction of the shapes creates visual interest, and the mixture of the fancier tops with a short, casual pant is fun.
Everyone at the Look loves the high-low style because it forces us to be creative and shakes up the way we look at our wardrobes. I like to wear loose V-neck tees with skinny jeans, beat up sneakers, and this amazing Betsey Johnson necklace.



If you want to try out the capris trend, Marshalls and TJ Maxx have options in a variety of sizes at fair prices, and my personal shoe pick for these tricky trousers? Wedge sandals. They'll give your legs length and height, they're actually comfortable, and our fashion Tarot cards predict hotness. Bon voyage!

XOXO, Jenni

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Reboot Your Fall Fashion

The Longwood Look: Reboot Your Fall Fashion
Amy Jackson and Jenni Schweitzer

The past few weeks, almost every Longwood lady decided to bust out their boots as the temperature dipped below seventy degrees. It’s refreshing for us to see the shift in footwear away from flimsy flip-flops or scuffed up sneakers, and we thank you. You already know how we feel about notorious UGG boots, so let’s move on. Here are some of our favorites, and how to wear them.
-Everyday boots. These are the staple pieces of your fall shoe wardrobe. Yes, we have separate wardrobes for shoes, and we fully support your shoe habitat. We fondly call our favorite everyday boots ‘Link Boots’, a nickname befitting the hero of the Legend of Zelda saga. These are typically leather, suede, or canvas, and the toe comes to a rounded point. They also usually fold over at the top, which hits mid-calf on the leg. They look best with opaque tights or skinny jeans (which we wear constantly) and they keep us warm in our icy early walks around campus. Equestrian style boots are similar, but they come up a little higher on the leg and they’re usually leather in varying shades of brown or black. They are a little more polished because the material holds its shape and lies closer to the skin, so it suggests a more expensive-looking product; however, if you follow our shopping guidelines, you won’t have a problem finding a great price. The most popular everyday boot we’ve seen we call short slouchy boots. For once, we don’t mean ‘slouchy’ in the sweat pant way. These boots are usually embellished with buckles, patterns, or buttons to add interest to the regular shape of the shoe. We think these go the best with pants (other than the equestrian style) and they are the most simple to pair with casual looks. It’s also quite easy to find a unique pair that fits well with your personal style. For example Jenni has a brown leather pair that has one large buckle on the side, whereas Amy has a grey suede pair with three small straps and buckles. Even though structurally they are very similar, the effect is different. Look for ones that complement pieces that you already have in your winter wardrobe.


pumpsicle.com

-Shake your booties. Booties are the short dressy heeled boots that can be either very professional or very flirtatious. This is determined not only by the boot, but how you wear it. Typically, black or brown booties can fit into both categories. It’s super easy to turn a daytime professional outfit into a thirsty Thursday outfit with these boots in ‘toe’. They have the perfect sexy to successful ratio and the combination makes for a powerful statement. If you want to feel a little fancier on a mundane school day you can pair them with dress slacks (unlike the other casual styles). We like to wear them with tights and a pencil skirt, or if you are brave you can match them with nude stockings and a dress.


fashionmefabulous.com

-Quirky boots are best left to whatever occupation spawned them, like cowboys and Indians. There are situations in which they can be acceptable, but if you start to look legitimately like a hippie, Pocahontas, or a cowherd, you’ve gone too far. This is what people (we) mean when they say outfits are costumey, so make sure those boots are the statement piece of your look. Leave your Birkenstock-esque clogs at home, because you look like you skinned a potato and wore it on your feet. Yes, you can wear them to get the mail or walk the dog. Preferably before the sun comes up.


Buzznet.com
-Where to find these fabulous footsies? We love to shop, but our favorite boot Mecca is Rugged Wearhouse in Lynchburg, VA. They have bangin’ boots for few bucks, and they’re only forty-five minutes away. See you there!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Desperately Seeking Fashion in Farmville

The Longwood Look: Desperately Seeking Fashion in Farmville
Jenni Schweitzer & Amy Jackson

Every Farmville fashionista mourned the loss of the Dressing Room; it was the premiere distributor of clothing with labels that you would be proud to flaunt in our humble college town. (It was even mentioned in a featured article in Glamour about little black dresses.) So what’s a well-dressed girl to do? We have some pretty creative and economical ideas that don’t involve lassoing your girlfriends and hitting the open trail.

-Buy in Belk. Get it? It’s the only department store this side of the Appomattox. They’re well-stocked with an array of interesting pieces, especially flattering tops and mountains of boots. Their collection of accessories polishes the bejeweled gamut of different tastes, from pearl necklaces to python rings. We manage to find a great deal every time we go there – they often have sales up to 80 % off apparel, Pfaltzgraff, and toaster-ovens. Jenni recently scored two scarves for $5 each, both marked down from $40. You may have to search around for pieces that suit your style, because their stock mostly caters to working, professional women and their trend-tastic daughters. That’s not a bad thing at all, it just makes you work harder to avoid those jelly-filled ballet flats.

-Cato is located to the left of Wal-Mart off Main Street. Despite its moderately large size, you may not have noticed it thanks to the giant Wal-Mart. Cato specializes in clothing for the working woman, but mixed into their pantsuits and pencil skirts are some spicy items. Leather jackets, bright heels, and bras that look like they were meant for the Victoria’s Secret runway? Yes please! When these bras are ten dollars a pop, it’s completely justifiable to buy five of them in one visit. To us, anyway.

-Guinea Creek Crafts: don’t know where it is? That’s why we're here. It’s on Main Street across from Charley’s, one salon down from Penelope’s. Among beautiful woodwork and baskets, they have candles, holiday décor, and our favorite, earrings. Their earrings are all different, interesting, and a dollar fifty each. At a price like that, you can buy a pair for everyone who loyally follows your Twitter feed as a thank-you gift. For those of you who can have candles, this is the perfect resource, and if you like to decorate for Halloween, be sure to pick up a ghostly gourd or just browse the Halloween/Christmas room.

-Goodwill hunting: you have to search to find buried treasure. It’s located in the shopping center with Buffalo Wild Wings and Rite Aid. Among all the ridiculous 80’s windbreakers there are some real gems. Sometimes a little bit of quirkiness from Goodwill is the perfect thing to pull a boring outfit out of dullsville. For example, Amy recently found a nautical striped blouse complete with shoulder buttons for about three bucks. Jenni found a bright striped blouse with a ruffle, which she dubbed "Circus-chic". On our last journey, we also found books, belts, and got mugs for free with our purchases.



For those of you that haven’t had three to four years of exploring Farmville, we hope this is a helpful guide for your adventures in style.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Gimme

I'm loving these big-girl Mary Janes in all the colors, but mostly the ones pictured below.


If you have $228 burning a hole in your pocket, I wear a size seven and my birthday is September 4th.

Thanks a billion!
<3 Megan

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Officially Chic: Dressing for Impressing

Written by Megan Flynn and Jenni Schweitzer

--
This week, Jenni's friend Ashley asked us to guest-blog for her over at Entry Level Angst, a blog dedicated to the life of the newly employed corporate college graduate. She wanted us to write about workplace fashion, which is kind of perfect, actually, because that was next on our list anyway.

Definitely give her a look! You can read the article below or hop over to her blog to read it and learn a few other things, as well. Enjoy!

<3 M

--

So, you graduated from college and snagged that job in an office. Whether you love it or hate it, what you wear to work is really important. If you were that girl who wore pajamas to class every day, well, whatever. We gave you a hard time and were grateful that we weren’t you, but it didn’t matter in the long run because we weren’t signing your paychecks. It probably shouldn’t, but people judging you suddenly matters when money is involved. No pressure or anything. So what are you going to wear?

Here’s the first problem: you don’t have any money. Okay, you have some money, but please, don’t spend your rent and grocery money on shoes or skirts. Unless you can budget a specific amount of money to invest in your wardrobe and stick with it (not us), don’t worry about spending a fortune all at once to score a closet full of new big girl outfits (us). We’re all about adding to your collection slowly, over a period of time. A new watch now, a new pair of shoes later. Cute necklace, new shirt, you get the idea. Our wardrobes are still growing, one piece at a time.

So, now that we’ve got the first problem figured out, let’s talk about your first course of action: look in your closet. We’ll bet you have plenty of things to wear to work hidden in there somewhere. Let’s talk about our favorite—dresses. Megan has a slew of sundresses that seem frivolous and too girly to be taken seriously in the office, but you can add to it and have a perfect career-girl look in no time. Just remember to do the hemline limbo – not too far above or below your knee. What’s our secret to success? Good accessories. So, say you have a high-waisted flowery skirt, and you have a little black tee both just lying around. You can wear these to work. Tuck your shirt into your skirt, add a necklace and some non-hoochie heels and you’re ready to go. The right jewelry and shoes can pretty much make any outfit work on the job.

Obviously, there are rules that must be applied to the use of heels at work. First of all, can you walk in them without looking like a cavewoman? Great. If you’re about to fall over, stick to flats or some cute metallic or beaded sandals. Jenni prefers pointy-toe flats: the best of both worlds. If you can pull off heels for eight hours, then remember that they don’t need to be crazy high or crazy loud. Colors are oftentimes acceptable, but for the most part you might just want to stick with black, brown, or Megan’s current favorite, nude/tan peep-toes, pumps or t-straps. Make sure you check the dress code policy at your office/retail/Outback Steakhouse.

Now let’s talk about jeans. Obviously, everyone’s job is different, so if you’re working somewhere casual or super-artsy, jeans might be allowed. If they are, stay away from anything with holes in it, and while you’re at it keep away from faded or acid-wash jeans, too. Basically, wear dark jeans to work. Trouser cut jeans are awesome but a nice boot-cut might be just fine.

So, let’s review.

• Don’t spend a ton of money if you don’t have it.
• Add to your wardrobe a few pieces at a time, and while you’re at it always look for sales. New York & Company is your friend.
• Recycle what you already have by adding nice accessories to it—an interesting necklace or a simple black cardigan or fitted jacket can work wonders.
• Your office is not Project Runway — no need for seven inch heels. Especially if you can’t even walk in them. And leave your leopard/tiger/baby seal print at home.
• Be careful with jeans. Make sure you’re allowed to wear them at work. And if you are, stick with dark wash. Dark wash. Dark wash dark wash dark wash.

Mostly, you want to be comfortable and presentable. Let your boss know that you thought about what you put on before you came to work. If you do that, they’ll know that you care about your job and representing them well. That raise will be yours in no time.

You’re welcome.

Monday, June 21, 2010

So, we want these.



Any questions?

Shoes: Unicorn Princess Heels in Black, at ModCloth.com
Image: ModCloth.com

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Clothes Indeed for Friends in Need

Written by Megan Flynn and Jenni Schweitzer

We think there’s a pretty good chance that anyone who actually reads our columns knows that we love, love, love clothes, and that we think you should love them, too. However, we realize that your resources may be better spent on other things, so why not make them go farther when you decide to use them? Help other people while you shop by doing a bit of research or following our philanthropic guidelines.

If your thing is:

--Two for one: TOMS shoes sends a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair that you purchase for yourself. With your purchase of the comfortable and fashionable sneaks, you’ll be making sure that one less child in a developing country has to go barefoot, which prevents them from soil-transmitted diseases, cuts, sores, and sometimes you’ll even allow them to go back to school since shoes are usually required as part of their uniforms. You can finally buy that pair of shoes you don’t really need and give a pair to someone who does. No more frivolous shopping for you! toms.com

--HIV/AIDS Research: There are many ways to show your support, like a simple red ribbon, but perhaps the most popular clothing brand dedicated to raising awareness is The Gap’s Product RED. Product RED is a line of tees printed with empowering statements which end in ‘red’, like “inspired” or “cultured”. These comfy graphic tees are made of African cotton and 50 percent of the profits go to drug research.



--Have too many t-shirts? MAC is running a campaign with two of their new lipsticks, the “Viva Glam Gaga Lipstick” and the “Viva Glam Cyndi Lipstick.” Some of the proceeds from purchases of the pink and red lipstick shades, go to the MAC AIDS Fund to support men, women and children who are affected by AIDS and HIV globally. Check out http://www.macaidsfund.org/ for more information.






--Recycling: You knew this was coming. There are countless recycling projects across the country, and fortunately, you can contribute and benefit with minimal effort and cost. Coca-Cola Drink 2 Wear shirts, made from recycled Coke bottles, are available at Wal-mart. Freecycle.com is a website dedicated to recycling gently used goods by allowing individuals to post them and others to pick them up. Additionally, several outfitters offer handbags made of recyclables. It’s even easier to go local in Farmville. Madeline’s House is a thrift store across from Wilck’s Lake and the proceeds go to a shelter for abused women and children.

December isn’t the only time to think of good will toward men and women. These are easy ways to make it part of your spending sprees.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

High Heels in School

Posted by Megan

I walked home from class today behind a beautiful, tall girl in the coolest looking boots ever. They came up just below her knees and had an intimidating tall and skinny heel. It was the sort of thing that I liked because I knew that I could never pull it off myself. Then we got in the elevator together and she rode it to the second floor. I smiled.

I have a lot of heels. Just looking into my closet now, I see ten pairs. I’ll probably only wear one or two of them this year, but I love them so much that I can’t leave them in my closet back home while I’m here at school. When I’m at home in Roanoke, I wear heels everywhere. I had an internship this summer and was in heaven with pencil skirts and dresses and trousers and a reason to wear heels every day. I’m 5’4”. My boyfriend stands at six feet, seven inches. I need all the help I can get.

But, for some reason, I’ve always had an issue wearing heels to class. Then again, it took me the better part of my freshman year of college to realize that I was allowed to wear flip flops to class. I still can’t wear a tank top to class. Having a uniform for 12 years in Catholic school really got to me, I guess. I like having some guidelines.

So, anyway, here are the rules I came up with for wearing high heels to school:
• Pair heels with jeans and simple tops, like a plain T-Shirt or a button-up.
• Don’t be afraid to wear colorful shoes. Ever. Just keep the rest of your outfit pretty neutral.
• If you ever wore the shoes to prom, don’t wear them to class. Actually, don’t wear anything you wore to prom to class.
• You can definitely wear heels with a dress or skirt, just make sure it’s not too short or you might end up looking a little contemptible.

If you already wear heels to class, good for you. You’re braver than I am. If you don’t yet, stick with me—I believe that we can do this together.