Styling 101: Lululemon’s Fall Collection Makes The Gym Fun Again

Lululemon

Let’s be honest: when was the last time that you were excited to go to the gym? Sometimes even a workout enthusiast like myself can get bored with my daily gym routine. Well now, you can kick your boring gym routine to the curb thanks to Lululemon’s new fall collection. It’s no wonder the brand’s new fall styles of leggings, workout tops, sweatshirts, outerwear and accessories are making girls (and guys!) lace up their running shoes.

As an Orange County native as well as a former tennis player for George Washington, I am a fitness freak. I am the girl who lives my athletic wear, so I naturally spend time to find clothes that are socially acceptable to be seen in. I personally, am obsessed with Lululemon because for a girl like me who lives at the gym, the clothes must be comfortable, breathable and not stink afterwards (Sorry if it’s too much information, but I am that girl who sweats a ton during my workouts). Lululemon’s “lulon” and other unique fabrics that they use make even the sweatiest of workouts not appear (and smell) like it. Here are some of my picks from the brand’s fall collection:

Look 1.

Lululemon “Forme Jacket II Textured”, “Vinyasa” Scarf, “Run For Fun” crops, “Cool Racerback” tank

Clothing: All Lululemon, shoes: Nike

 

I love the Forme II textured jacket in particular because it is brushed, meaning that the material is a bit thicker for those cooler fall days walking too and from the gym. The Vinyasa scarf is great as well because it is not only reversible, but it can be worn 10 different ways.

Look 2:

Lululemon vest, headband, “Run: Swiftly Tech Long Sleeve”, “Run: Inspire Crop II”

Clothing: All Lululemon, Shoes: Nike

Run Inspire Crop II

I particularly love the the run inspire crops are awesome as well because they add a fun take on the traditional black legging while keeping you cool during those sweaty workouts.

Look 3:

Lululemon “Cool Racerback”  tank, “Free to Be” sports bra, “Run: Inspire Crop II”

Clothing: All Lululemon, Shoes: Nike

I love the “free to be” sports bra in neon in particular because of the support as well as the fun color and design of the criss-cross straps. I love the “cool racerback” tank because not only does it go with everything, but it is light, tight and totally sweat friendly. The special “lulon” fabric makes it not stink, which is key especially after a session of hot yoga.

Back of the “free to be” sports bra

Cold Weather Cool

For me, cold weather was (and still is) a foreign concept. As a Southern California native, I can say our “cold weather” consisted of temperatures in the low 60-degrees. But anything below 55 degrees, the Southern California public and newscasters alike “freak out” as comedian Jimmy Kimmel puts it.

So naturally, on my first visit to DC, I had no concept of what cold weather really was. I had never been in weather that was below 45 degrees so for me, I figured that my warmest zip-up sweatshirt with a flannel or maybe a scarf would be suitable for temperatures in the mid-40s. I was horribly wrong and was forced to purchase a coat on my visit.

However, now after living in DC for 3 years as a student, I have mastered the art of layering. I can safely say that I am the one who scoffs at those Southern Californians who step off of the Virgin America flight in Dulles, who are outfitted in shorts and yes, occasionally, flip-flops.

But mastering layering while not looking like a homeless person in Grandma’s knitwear is a whole separate matter.

So hear is my guide to winter essentials that will make you enjoy the cold in style of course.

1. Eugenia Kim “Lula” headband, $88 
   

Eugenia Kim “lula” headband, $88

Why it’s necessary: When temperatures start dropping below 50 and those nasty winds begin to pick up, your ears will feel like popsicles. So, throw on this fur headband by Eugenia Kim, and you’ll be staying warm and making a statement.

2. Juicy Couture jewel fingerless mittens, $68

Juicy Couture jewel fingerless mittens, $68

Why it’s necessary: Don’t you hate it when you have that great ¾ length jacket or sweater that just exposes your forearms to the freezing temperatures outside? Problem (fashionably) solved with these new mittens by Juicy Couture.

3. Tory Burch “Marion” leather gloves, $175

Tory Burch, “Marion” Leather Gloves

Why it’s necessary: With a quilted glove on the inside, your hands will never freeze again!

4. Joceyln Rabbit Fur “Infinity” headscarf, $238. 

Jocelyn fur headscarf, $218

Why it’s necessary: It’s a scarf and a hoodie all in one! If the earmuffs aren’t making the cut, this is a perfect option to keep your head and neck cozy all winter long without looking like a bundle of yarn.

        5. Paula Bianco Chunky Knit Wrap Scarf, $85

Paula Bianco chunky knit scarf, $85

Why it’s necessary: This scarf by Paula Bianco will keep you warm regardless of the winter chill. I especially love the way that it wraps and can be worn short or long.

Stack Attack: JoChoe shows us how she stylishly stacks her bangles

JoChoe

Regardless of the season, my favorite staple is always a statement bangle. It’s gotten to the point where if I don’t have a bangle on my wrist, my wrist feels naked. However, last spring I began to notice cool ways that models, celebs and fashionistas alike began mixing and matching their bracelets and bangles together in order to create a layering effect. I was captivated by the trend, however I never saw any simple ways to layer different gold, silvers, gunmetals and other colored bangles mixed together without making my wrist look tacky.

For my style, I refuse to adopt a trend that will require myself to invest a lot of time, energy (and most importantly money) in order for it to work with the pieces that I already own. So, when it comes to investing in some new arm candy, I want different colors, shapes and sizes that can be sported around regardless of the season.  So when I spotted stylish George Washington University student JoChoe wearing a tasteful array of silver, gold and other colored bangles, my faith in the art of stacking was renewed.

How she stacks:

JoChoe’s Bracelets (from left to right): black and gold Hermes thin enamel bracelet, silver diamond bracelet by Cartier, rose-gold bracelet by Cartier, Blue bracelet iwth gold detail, White Kate Spade thin ace of spades bracelet, and beaded bracelet

Why I’m obsessed: there is no fuss about it. The various colors, lengths, and styles that this fashionista puts together are timeless, versatile and can go with a myriad of styles.

For more inspiration, check out Intermix’s Beyond Best Dressed blog for more stacking secrets.

Styling 101: Why you need ankle booties in your closet

Rag & Bone booties

I must admit, I have always been a huge fan of ankle booties. When I am looking to invest in a shoe, comfort is crucial. Some of my greatest regrets in life involved taking the advice of a Marc Jacobs sales woman on Melrose regarding how insanely comfortable a certain pair of 3 and 1/2 inch ankle booties were last fall. So after being coerced by the saleswoman, I purchased these ankle booties, thinking that I had found a great investment piece for fall.  

 

However, approximately one day after one day of walking around to my classes in my new shoes, I vowed that I would never wear them again. So lesson learned: as much as I love the thought of high-heeled ankle booties,  I will never love the reality of wearing them on my own two feet.

 

Why am I hooked? Ankle booties are an essential for this fall season. Simply pair them with colored denim or boyfriend jean styles and you are good to go. Ankle booties are versatile and can be worn throughout every season, just pair them with distressed denim shorts for Summer or various hues of denim during the winter.

Sweater: Helmut Lang $240, top: Juicy Couture $48, orchid pants: J brand $185, booties: Rag & Bone $550, heart necklace: Jennifer Zelner, key necklace: Kitson

So after seeing ankle booties in full force this fall season, I was convinced to give the ankle bootie another try- this time from Rag and Bone. With the heel of the Durham bootie set at 2 and ½ inches, I was definitely a bit apprehensive at first. But once I slipped them on and I was instantly a believer. These boots are definitely made for walkin’.  

 

 

Now, if you’re unlike me and are a fan of some higher heels or no heels at all for your ankle booties, here are some of my favorites for the fall season.  Vera Wang had some great embellished booties that had a stiletto heel while Sam Edelman had a simple pair of lace up combat ankle booties. Alexander Wang’s futuristic ankle bootie is also a must have- for style and comfort with eye catching metal accents ranging from nickel to rose gold.

 

NYFW Thoughts

Marc Jacob’s evening show drew NYFW to a close Thursday night. From September 5-12, designers, models, celebrities and the like came together to celebrate the beautiful collaborations assembled by some of fashion’s most veteran and up-and-commers. Throughout the week, designers showcased their spring 2014 ready-to-wear collections among an audience of the world’s most famous and fashionable people.

For those of us, including myself, who were not cool enough to be a member of the exclusive audience, sites like style.com and vogue.com  streamed live  coverage of the event, allowing the less exclusive, like me to partake in the viewing of the shows.

So in case you missed out or didn’t have the time to tune in, here’s a quick recap of some of my favorite trends that graced the runway:

1. Crop tops

Proenza Schouler, NYFW, Ready-to-wear Spring 2014

Proenza Schouler and Milly’s take on crop tops is one of my favorites. I saw a lot of mid-drift, some more tastefully displayed than others, but both designers displays takes the cake.

Proenza Schouler’s was appealing on many levels but to me, his show most successfully showed how mid-drift can be sexy and sophisticated. Rather than just showing skin for the sake of it, the talented designer duo of Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough, instead used beautifully constructed embroidered skits and cotton crepe pants to do so.

Milly’s take differed greatly from Schouler’s but this does not steal the talented designer’s spotlight. Milly used sporty track suits with various patterns and cut-outs that were then paired with neon crop tops and other eye-catching accessories. The pieces that the designer composed were not only  sporty, and chic, but they are very easy to wear, without the fuss.

Milly, NYFW, Spring 2014 ready-to-wear

2. Lots of leather

Rebecca Taylor, NYFW, Spring ready-to-wear 2014

Lots and lots of leather or all shades graced the runways in New York. My favorite takes of the trend were Rebecca Taylor’s pastel versions and MM6 Maison Margiela’s traditionally edgy take. What I found appealing about Rebecca Taylor’s version was that the light pastels toned down the traditionally edgy look.

While MM6 Maison Margiela’s  take may have been the more standard look that leather has been portrayed, his take was anything but traditional. Leather cutouts paired with round totes and other accessories made the trend more sophisticated and 3-dimentional.

MM6 Maison Martin Margiela, NYFW, Spring 2014 ready-to-wear

3. Sheer and sophisticated

A trend that has graced the runways in both the fall and spring of 2013 as well as prior seasons, transparent materials of all shapes made a major presence at NYFW. However, this time, it was taken to a whole new level.

My favorite designers takes on the trend were Vera Wang and Alexander Wang. Both designers took the seasoned trend to a whole new dimension, using sophisticated patterns and shapes that captivated audiences.

Vera Wang, NYFW, Spring 2014 ready-to-wear

Alexander Wang, NYFW, Spring 2014 ready-to-wear

 

 

My Play on Plaid

We all remember when Blair Waldorf stole the spotlight on the CW’s Gossip Girl with her sophisticated school girl style. Her plaid skirts, blazers and infamous standout headbands were something to aspire to on and off the show.

Now, plaid has taken the runways again by storm. Major fashion houses from the likes of Dior and Lanvin brought back prep inspired pieces back during New York Fashion Week in February.

While I may not be able to pull off Blair’s iconic headbands, I have become a huge fan of plaid and found myself able to wear it with ease. Here’s my take on prep-inspired style, no headbands necessary.

Skirt: Alice and Olivia, Top: Juicy Couture, Leather Jacket: 7 for All Mankind, Booties: Rag & Bone, Necklace: House of Harlow, Rings: vintage

Simply played down: tone down the preppy look with a leather jacket and boots for class or for a night out or simply add a blazer and flats or kitten heels for the office.