Street Style Inspo: The Art of Simple Summer Dressing

Here are a few street style looks pulled from Pinterest that we are loving right now. Be it a simple shirt-and-shorts combo, a pair of slouchy boyfriend jeans, or a breezy dress, these looks are a great go-to for when you need a little inspiration should you ever find yourself staring into the abyss  your closet for 15 minutes while complaining that you have nothing to wear.

Now go try it, and get yourselves street-style-snapped!

xx,

Rach + Liz

It's Summer Somewhere

It's summer somewhere -  mainly San Diego. Despite my disappointment, I don't think I'd really be prepared for fall until the Santa Anna Winds roll through. And since the air remains more or less still, I'm happy to wait for autumnal weather. 

A weekend away before school starts up again is essential. It's cooler in San Diego, and my default makes it seem as if Thanksgiving is closer than it really is. 

I'm also happy to announce that I have found, in all possibility, the most comfortable semi-boots ever manufactured. These Zara numbers have plenty of thick white rubber to pacify even the most enduring night on the town. 

My sweet little Phillip Lim x Target bag completes a careless, industrial look. Little did I know when I snatched it from a hiding place within the racks of polyester sweaters how rare a find it was. Nevertheless, its light enough to be comfortable to carry and large enough to fit all of my essentials. 

This ever-lasting transitional period allows my closet the time it needs to turn over to warmer and thicker garments. Instead of tattered jean shorts and t-shirts, I can now happily wear my black leather Helmut Lang shorts without discomfort. Also, the attractively heinous fupa it allows tells me that I'll have plenty of room to stuff myself when the seasons come around. 

Following this baseball hat trend, this wool cap from JCrew is color blocked and throws a euro-sport-chic vibe on my whole demeanor. Plus, worn with a dark pair of sunnies its very useful for people-watching. I also feel like I'm being pro-active about sun exposure, despite the striped A.L.C. tank I wore. 

In theme with this whole industrial thing, it was only appropriate to shoot on a roof that is directly below the San Diego Airport landing path. 

By Lizzie Furlong

West Coast

In The Dirt

           As my summer in Cali came to a close, I wanted to put together a few western-  inspired looks with some recently acquired pieces before I headed back east. I was immediately drawn to the tiny pleat detailing and billowy shape of the Twenty8Twelve blouse when I saw it. I love it's versatility, and ability to be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. I stuck to a purely black and white color palette, pairing the top with leather paneled pants, wide-brimmed leather hat, and my go-to strappy sandals for a little bit of unexpected juxtaposition. I also paired the same look with some flat Franco Sarto western ankle boots for a more casual version in some of the photographs.

I threw in a few shots of my Blu Moon long-sleeved romper and my new Alexander Wang velcro bootie things that I've also been obsessed with since I bought them. The shoes have yet to fail me, they are so comfortable and go with so many different outfits- definitely one of my favorite purchases of the summer. 

With the final look, hemlines were raised and necklines lowered for a bit of a dressier vibe. I wore my leather mini skirt I found at H&M in New York right before I came home, and my simple silk tank I have literally been living in since I purchased it at J.Crew a few weeks ago. It is such a perfect staple piece, as the silk makes it look nice enough to be worn on its own, and it looks equally good layered under a sweater or blazer. I threw on my calf hair, leopard-print belt, (also from J.Crew), and a handful of rings and snake hand wrap to accessorize the look. 

                       

xx, Rach // East Coast

First Look: Top: Twenty8Twelve by Sienna Miller / Hat: Minnetonka (from Free People) / Belt: J.Crew / Pants: Tory Burch / Shoes: Prabal Gurung for Target // Boots: Franco Sarto

Second Look: Romper: Blu Moon (from Planet Blue) / Sunglasses: Vintage  (from American apparel) / Shoes: Alexander Wang

Third Look: Silk Top: J.Crew / Leather Skirt: H&M / Rings: J.Crew, Vintage Native American rings, and a brooklyn jeweler / Hand Wrap: Alkemie Jewelry (from Wasteland)

Estival Dressing

Estival: (adjective); of or pertaining to summer. Didn't expect a vocabulary lesson today? I say every day is a day to learn more SAT words, even if the test in question is irrelevant. With a newly advancing heat wave here in Southern California, estival dressing is the only way to survive. 

A comfortable and more importantly breathable tshirt is necessary, this particular favorite is from Zara for a thrilling twenty American dollars. Yes, I know, it is black, which is pretty terrible in direct sunlight. But theres something so rebellious about it. Also it masquerades any trace of pit stains, which are really a summer bane. 

The shorts are Rag & Bone in a sticky sweet over saturated salmon. I'm a particular fan of drawstrings, as they ease my inner claustrophobic. 

Jewelry is by Madewell, whom I may add has provided its trend conscious consumer with numerous sets of rings in all styles and sizes. I picked up a few sets over several weekends and have paired them with more miscellaneous rings. My necklace, a birthday gift, is by Jennifer Zeuner. The lariat style was inspired by Aimee Song, my California style spirit animal. 

No estival ensemble is complete without a pair of J.Crew wedges that mimic looking into a noonday sun. My sunglasses are the ever-trusty Prada Cats Eye. 

by Lizzie Furlong - west coast

School Spirit Vision

Being at school is the last thing I want to be doing in August, let alone high school (I think we can all vouch for that.) However, when I received the pair of platform loafers in the mail, I had a vision. Bouncing on football field bleachers and pretending to skip class appealed to me in a whole new way. 

First, I'd like to brag about my triumph in the Zara sales. Online a few weeks ago I saw the same pair of said loafers that blog prodigy Chiara Ferragni wore in a few photos. When I got all my funds together to make the purchase, the shoes were gone. I kept my calm and said my nightly prayers that, along with good health, I would find those shoes again. And then, on a chance browse of the sale shoe selection, I found the same loafers I had been panting for weeks before. And 70% off no less!

The pants, by Vince, are a school staple. When I was actually in high school I probably would have rather filled my mouth with acrylic poster paint than wear khakis. But now, looking back on such naiveté with a cultured and open-minded outlook, I scoff at my prejudice. They're softer than jeans, more versatile, and with a clean pressing look a lot more crisp. The top, a breezy number by Helmut Lang, is soft enough and thin enough to be completely bearable in the summer heat. 

I accessorized with a duo of gold cuffs, a Jennifer Zeuner lariat Rayna necklace, and a few more gold chains. My sunglasses, Ray Ban, are perfectly dark enough so that if I was still in grade 12 I could keep them on during Calculus and comfortably snooze. 

By Lizzie Furlong

West Coast

Ode to Earth Day

Earth Day can really be any day in Southern California. Foliage is everywhere (usually brown or, rather, "golden"), and landscaped gardens full of greenery are not hard to come by. Dressing in a kaleidoscope of color, texture, and pattern only seem natural in this environment. 

A cobalt blue statement necklace (found at the ever attainable and affordable Anthropologie), with a contrasting black and white cotton jumper by J.Crew, maintains my love of smashing together two unlikely counterparts. 

The skirt, well, really isn't a skirt at all. In fact, it is a strapless dress by BCBG Maxazria Collection. Watching last years Spring 2012 show via youtube induced a color-blocking coma that really hasn't abated. I think it's something I'll be wearing until the day I die. One thing is certain: I'm a freak for pleats. And I paired the entire ensemble with the notorious, tumblr-famous color-blocked Zara heels.

Even though I didn't plant a tree or cultivate any organic produce, I'd say rubbing up against roses and being blinded by sunlight was a small act of appreciating Mother Earth. And it wasn't without casualties  - I regrettably sunk my shoe into a chasm of fertilizer. 

Lizzie Furlong - West Coast