A "Picture" Perfect Holiday

There is nothing that makes me feel bubblier than holiday pictures! Pictures of all things Christmas-y have consumed my Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr for the past few weeks. So, I am spreading the holiday cheer by passing on my collection of adorably merry pictures.

Happy Holidays! 

Tis' the Season

Tis' the season for gift giving! Every year I struggle with finding the right gift for each of my family members and each of my friends. I aim to give gifts that are unique and special and truly indicative of my relationship with that individual, but I have to stay finance- friendly because of the low budget that my teenage salary puts me on.

For the ladies in my life:
O.P.I. is America's (really the world's) best nail polish line. The polish is known universally for it's clever. quirky color names and amazing quality. At any local Ulta, Sephora, or your local department store, O.P.I. is sold for $8.50 a bottle, making it a perfect gift for every girl in your life! I have been buying my friends different shades of O.P.I. every year, as the company produces newly inspired shades every season. This season the best- selling O.P.I. collection is the Skyfall line, inspired by the new James Bond movie. The colors are stunning and very versatile. A bottle of this polish will last approximately three years!

   Another cute and clever thing- that is hot on the market- follows a trend referred to as bracelet- stacking. It is wearing multiple bracelets at one time in an unorganized kind of clump with no necessary pattern or common theme. It may sound kind of unflattering and strange but it allows for a touch of character in every outfit. Currently Forever 21 and H&M sell pre-arranged bracelet sets for anywhere between $4.00 - $7.00.

This mixed set is from Aldo and Etsy combined totalling at $20.00 for all 8 bracelets.

This set is also divided between Claires and Forever 21 totalling at $25.00 for all 7 bracelets.











I am a huge believer in giving a gift that LASTS! If I can find something that is versatile and will go to good use for longer then a few months then I feel I have succeeded in the gift department. However, sometimes I take the easy- out and just go with a gift card. I find that a Target gift card can accomplish anything and everything! So it may just be the perfect gift for the guy in your life. Or, if you have the kind of man who cherishes experience- based gifts, check out Groupon.com. I have also been purchasing an inordinate amount of Starbucks gift cards this holiday season!

Why I Love December

Happy Thanksgiving!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I wanted to share my most favorite things in the fashion world and why I'm so grateful that they exist in my wardrobe or on my vanity for this season!

1.Dresses
2. Red Lipstick
3. Mascara
4. Big, Cute, Comfy Sweaters
5. Perfume
6. OPI Nail Polish
6. Chiffon Skirts
7. Rings (and Blingy Watches :))
8. Sparkles
9. Blush (Specifically Chanel Rouge) 
10. Leggings and Printed Tights
11. Anything Lavender Colored

Funny how this list changes and evolves year by year...

The Trend That Stays...

Fall fashion season is drawing to it's yearly close, and true fashion observers are keen to see which trends will have longevity. Many trends are staying on the spectrum for next season. There is one trend that will definitely be staying in the spotlight for the chilly seasons this year: OVER SIZED SWEATERS!

Now it is easy to misinterpret this trend... By "over sized" I do not mean so disproportional to your body that it makes you look like a fuzzy abominable snowman. It should be "over sized" enough to wear comfortably with leggings or form fitting pants.

Prints adorning these sweaters range anywhere from cute Christmas related sayings- the classic "naughty or nice?"- to tribal prints, sparkles, crochet, and color blocks. However, be careful not to overkill the power of a print.  

Forever 21 seems to be offering the best selection of comfy, cute sweaters for affordable prices. Other prime locations (where I have personally purchased my sweaters) are PacSun, Love Culture, and Urban Outfitters. They also serve as great gifts for all the girls on your shopping list! 

Winter Whimsical

SHS is always an exciting place to be close to Thanksgiving break, but it can be hard to have fun when you're freezing. And, it’s definitely getting colder and colder by the day!

I have been lighting fires every night while I do my homework and warming up with chai tea. The last lingerings of Summer have definetley faded away by now. I have pulled out all of my knits, hats, and scarves and packed away my Summer swimsuits and shorts.

Key to beating the cold weather: lots of layers! My jean jacket is a key piece in many of my layering uniforms, as well as both my tan and black leathers. When it gets really cold, sometimes one of my North Face fleece sweatshirts gets bundled in too. If you can find a great jacket that is versatile you are pretty much set for the season. Boy- cut blazers and vintage band jackets also serve wonderfully as layering pieces in chilly weather. Plus, they are a dime a dozen at any local Forever 21 or H&M. 

Here are some Winter outfits put together on a whim: 

Quick, Cute, DIY Costumes

Have you procrastinated on your Halloween disguise? Every year one of your friends is busy with college applications, or extra curriculars, or work obligations and forgets to prepare their Halloween costume!

I have been a follower and fan of this teenage YouTube tutorialist for years now, and she has the solution for those of you who are setting out to celebrate Halloween incognito, but have some time constraints.

 http://youtu.be/OVPl6HA6M4k

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Halloween SHS

Happy (almost) Halloween aviators!

   Anticipation is building for "Senior Halloween", and members of the class of 2013 promise that this year will be one to remember! For the rest of SHS, whether you're treating, tricking, doing both, or doing neither on October 31st, make sure that you spend your night in costume. Halloween is a night that is enriched by history and widely celebrated in recognition of the harvest season. Even if the juvenile approach of trick- or- treating is just too childish for your high school standards, still set out to create a "killer" costume.
   Costumes for the adolescent set actually vary more than children's costumes. Now that you are old enough to select your own Halloween attire, you can also be cognisant of it's greater meaning. You're probably thinking, is there truly any sentiment or "greater meaning" behind a Halloween costume?
   The evening of Halloween is your opportunity to embody the celebrity you adore, or pay tribute to your favorite era of the past, or perhaps prepare yourself for the seemingly eminent "zombie apocalypse". Choose a costume that you can add dimensions to by dressing up with a group, or by constructing the costume from scratch. Whatever you choose make it fun and memorable so that you can reminisce about your childhood Halloweens long after you've arrived at adulthood!           

Below I have attatched the link to a lookbook of YouTube tutorial's composed by a high school student experimenting with home-grown Halloween looks for teenage girls.

Also, allow your costume choice to be inspired by YouTube's abundance of DIY tutorials!

 http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQoFEICeWXX1QjV_8SKIjfzqJPvq2JSLD

Rock On, All Week Long!

Welcome to Homecoming Spirit Week 2012, Aviators! This week establishes ultimate fashion freedom for you students. Status quos of the wardrobe- world were “made to be broken” this week! Everyone should plan on participating regardless of how “stylish and streamline” you consider yourself to be on a day- to day basis. This is a non- judgmental event that encourages ultimate diversity and opens the doors to creative students who have been awaiting a chance to show some true colors.

Here is the schedule for this week of fun:

Monday October 8, 2012: College Day

Tuesday October 9, 2012: Lax- Bro Gear and Preppy Day

Wednesday October 10, 2012: Neon Day

Thursday October 11, 2012: Favorite Band T- Shirt Day

Friday October 12, 2012: Class Colors

Freshman: White

Sophomores: Black

Juniors: Gold

Seniors: Green

Fellow Aviators shared with me their ROCKIN’ spirit- wear!

Freshmen, Orian Schlosser, Zoe Schlosser and Camila Cardenas in their spirited sweatshirts!

Dean of Student Life for the class of 2016, John Whapham, sporting Xavier University's official T-shirt! 

Senior Emily Kissela taking a very fashionable approach to college- wear!

Freshman Cherish Harayuma in a Purdue shirt.

Seniors Zoe Bochner, Rachel Handkins, and Molly Balk pose in their adorably spirited college outfits! 

Junior Becca Piechocki shares her Bobcat spirit!

Miss Lindsay Schroeder wears both Miami University and University of Cincinnati gear to proudly share her support of the two unviersities where she earned her degrees! 

Junior, Jamie Ross, shows her swag, lax- bro style  

Senior, Lydia Scott, models her preppy- pretty look

Senior, Paige Berling, in an adorably preppy ensemble

Senior, Zoe Bochner, rockin the preppy argyle sweater!

Junior, Ben Wells, and senior, Grace Keeton, combine their preppy and lax-bro looks 


As the week ensues, there are more outfits to come!

FALL Into Autumn

          As the leaves redress themselves in brilliant golden hues, and the temperature inches downward, we find ourselves changing our wardrobes to welcome the harvest season.  Sometimes it's challenging to feel cute when your chilly, but your Autumn wardrobe doesn't have to leave you looking like an eskimo, so you can save your snowsuit for the dead of the Winter.

Fall clothing happens to be my favorite as it allows you to experiment with layers and deep, warm colors to find outfits that are both flattering and practical. Fall is a prime season to draw inspiration for your fashion from nature. Mother Nature provides the ideal color palette for your closet with the warm tones of the leaves. Colors that emerge both in nature and fashion during Autumn include auburn, sienna, cabernet, chestnut, eggplant, hunter, and pumpkin. All these shades are deep reds, dark purples, warm greens, and burnt oranges. Now fashion artisans, give your palette dimensions by layering your clothing.

A thick pair of leggings are a must- have piece  for fall, and a worthy investment in the long run. This season printed and patterned leggings are making an appearance. Keep your eyes pealed for tribal print and ombré leggings on the market this season. A classic favorite alternative to leggings is dark wash jeans. Alex Lazaar, a fashion- forward Senior, told me "My Fall wardrobe is my favorite! I am especially in love with dark jeans, my brand of choice is Paige, and cute, preppy scarves".

Another necessary layer in the Autumn months is a sturdy, versatile jacket. Leather jackets are a classic, in both tan and black, but this season us girls are taking a page out of the boys book. You'll observe a lot of "male inspired" outerwear ranging from loose fitting military jackets to denim button ups. Freshman, True Skalde says "I want to stay warm during the school day, but still look cute! I live in my tan leather jacket during the Fall seasons!". True showed me some of her favorite Fall outfits from seasons past:

True Skalde in Times Square, New York, Autumn 2011.  

Freshmen True Skalde and Shiloh Eklund out on the town.

Additionally, here are some affordable Autumn pieces arranged into daytime outfits that are appropriate for school and still fashion friendly!



Comfy- cute



Classy- comfy



Autumn- Delight 




Cozy- Stylish



Sweater- Glam

Sophisticated- Feminine