SUMMER BLACK ON BLACK

Yes, I must be crazy to wear black on black in 100-degree weather, but I refuse to be deterred from wearing my favorite color scheme!

I love this black skater skirt because of the gold plate that’s attached to the waistband, but it’s a look that can be easily recreated with a simple black skirt and a gold-plated belt (like this or this). Similar to this look, I paired a boxy crop top with the high-waisted skirt, but to accentuate the gold plate, I casually tucked in the front hem for effect. And as if the gold bar at the waistline wasn’t enough, I added a smokey grey statement necklace, layered over the Tiffany & Co pendant I always wear. In a sea of black, it’s always refreshing to have pops of color, and in this case, the metallic tones brought out some vitality within an otherwise dark and potentially drab outfit.

A few days ago, I stumbled across some old photos of myself – by old, I mean 2-3 years – and without a doubt, my style has grown quite a bit over the years! We grow older each year, and it’s only fitting that our style and choice of clothing mature along with us. Two years ago, I was still in college, and I dressed the part of a sensible college girl – heels were left in the closet during school days, so flat soles and skinny jeans were an everyday thing. In fact, you could almost say that my style was borderline normcore. But post-college, the label of “student” broke away, and I reveled in the freedom and opportunity to create my own label – a style that was unique to me and not necessarily something a student would wear on a daily basis. In the past, whenever I encountered the difficulty of having to define my sense of style, I’d always stick with an easy line: “I’m a fashion chameleon.” However, now that I’ve walked my own fashion path for a few years, I have discovered that while I love experimenting with different trends and I enjoy the luxury of channeling whatever vibe I want on any particular day, I’m always true to one particular style: Los Angeles comfort (let’s be honest, LA people, with the exception of me, practically live in their flip flops and tanks) with a Manhattan edge mixed with some European elegance. What a label! It doesn’t fall into the typical single-worded style categories one would normally think of – boho, utilitarian, feminine, relaxed, etc. – but that’s because this label is wholly, completely, 100% me. I just can’t believe it took me two post-college years and many outfit changes to finally figure that out.

Top: Tobi
Skirt: Forever 21 (love this style too)
Bag: Kate Spade
Heels: Kurt Geiger
Accessories: Banana Republic necklace, Victoria’s Secret cuffs

Photos by Herman