Mild Midis

Happy Fashion Week my fashionistas! This week I have been avoiding homework like the plague and have been glued to my laptop watching the live stream of fashion week in my not so fashionable dorm room. This week always makes me so homesick for the city. I just cannot wait to call it home someday soon. On the contrary to my homesickness, I am feeling so inspired and I cannot wait for my upcoming post about my Fall 2014 trend report! ITS THE MOST FASHIONABLE TIME OF THE YEAR!

Lately, I have been so into the midi skirt look. They are so old school and I love it! A few weeks ago, I happened to find myself on Urban's website, and found this beauty for only $9! I was SOO excited (it is the little things that mean the most to broke college students) so I immediately bought this and the Bella ring featured in my last blog post. I mean they were practically paying me to shop right?! I can never resist a sale. 

I felt like the back of this dress was the perfect mix up. The little peek-a-boo sloped back added such a romantic, while edgy touch. In spite of my doubts, the horizontal stripes were not overwhelming and I adored the way that I looked in this new treasure. This dress is one that you can dress up or play down. My look was so simple and chic. I put little effort into the accessories and it still looked so put together. 

This style diary consists of:

Urban Outfitters Striped Midi

Asos tribal earrings

Michael Kors Watch

H&M Cateye Sunnies

MAC Date Night Lipstick 

H&M Tribal Headband

American Eagle Silver Sandals 

This outfit made me feel so Retro and I loved it. Wearing this to class makes the endless lectures manageable. Seeing that Hawaii is five hours behind New York, the majority of the shows started around 4 AM and I had the hardest time enduring my morning classes knowing that I was missing my favorite designers shows. NewYork Fashion week is by far the best bi-annual week of the year! And the best part is, after NY Fashion Week, the fashion weeks begin all over the world. Its more of a fashion month(s) and I LOVE IT. 

This watch carries a special place in my heart during this time of year. Two years ago I was in the city and happened to purchase this watch right after meeting Michael Kors. It was such a wonderful experience and I adore remembering it. I cannot wait till it is my turn to have my show during this fabulous week. I cannot wait to inspire others and be the OFFICIAL trend setter. I hope that some college girl is sitting in her dorm room waiting for MY show to come on just as I was doing for Rebecca Minkoff, Kate Spade, Alexander Wang, Erin Fetherson, Tome, and Tadashi Shoji. (Plus, the millions more of my favorite designers) I just cannot wait to design. 

So Fashionistas, take no shame in the lounging this week/month, be updated on the trends and BE INSPIRED. Set your trends, own your style, and by the fabulous fashionista I know that you are!

Till Next Time! 

Xoxo

-The Retro Girl 

The Cold Never Bothered Us

Well, the time finally came for the Retro Girl to head home for the holidays. As I waved my "see ya in 3  weeks" goodbyes, the anticipation to be on the mainland overcame me. Hawaii is wonderful, paradise truly, but just as Dorothy says, there is just no place like home. And this girl was finally ready to be back in Oregon. 

Coming home meant far more than just the cliche reunions and holiday get togethers, it meant it was time to be REINTRODUCED to my winter wardrobe! And to me, that was the perfect Christmas present all in itself. I was so excited to finally break out the pea coats, the scarfs, the boots, and mostly, the leather. I have always been a worshipper of leather. The moment the trend happened a few seasons ago, I jumped on the "leather bandwagon" and let's be honest, I have never really jumped off. 

This outfit was my first look, the moment I got home. I had everything planned out in my head. The way that I plan my outfits usually is, I think of my current mood and try to show my mood without saying one word. That is the purpose of fashion right? My style should be strong enough to enlighten outsiders on who I am as a person and this outfit was the perfect, " I AM HOME AND I LOVE WINTER" look. (as cliche as that is) The enthusiasm for my re-acclaimed wardrobe can be shown through my facial expressions in all the photos. To sum it up, I was just so happy to be home. There is no place quite like it.

This outfit consisted of:

H&M Maroon Leather Collar Tunic

Black Madewell Knit Leggings

Black Forever 21 Leather Jacket

H&M Mustard Infinity Scarf

American Eagle Outfitters  Grey Boots

& One Very Happy Girl

The holidays bring out a side of me that otherwise is hidden. The feeling of Christmas is one like none other. I feel so confident in my winter wardrobe and I sure have missed it. This makes me wonder why I chose to live in paradise when my favorite styles happens to be for fall/winter?! Although I will return to paradise soon enough, I am so happy to finally be breaking in my winter ensembles and to be back in my little Oregon town.

Let the Holidays Begin! 

Till Next Time!

Xoxo

-The Retro Girl 

Oxford Strolls

To college students around the world this week they speak of as, "finals week" happens to be the most stressful, brain-wrenching, and dreaded week of the ENTIRE semester. Growing up, I always heard my older siblings complain about this week and now that I have had to endure it, I now understand why it is so disliked. In preparation for this life-sucking week, my wonderful roomies and I planned of for a day in the city shopping to soothe our souls and that is where my inspiration came from this past week.

This week's style diary features my beautiful roommate, Allene Leak. As she was getting ready, I saw her outfit laying out on her bed and instantly knew that I wanted to feature her uptown/european style on The Retro Renegade. This look was the perfect ensemble for a breezy day in Honolulu. The outfit was fun and flirty and truly showed her personality. 

This look consisted of: 

H&M Printed Dress, which she bought on her adventures in London.

A Madewell Leather Bag & Belt

American Eagle Outfitters Geometric Sandals

This outfit was such a statement and I feel like it sums up the holiday spirit here in Hawaii. With the hidden red pigment in the design, it brought a touch of festive to her overall look. The holidays here are nothing like in the states but it is still its own kind of holiday spirit. She even has her toes painted to match the red! All in all, this outfit has Allene's name written all over it. 

 As I prepare to head back to the mainland (AKA LAND OF SWEATERS!), I am looking forward to truly dress in the holiday spirit. No more subtle reds and greens while wearing shorts and tankinis, time for the sweaters, boots, and scarfs! Thank you Allene for being a wonderful model & The Retro Renegade is lucky to feature your fun and unique style! 

Stay classy and very warm my precious readers.

Till Next Time!

Xoxo

-The Retro Girl 

Be a Part of The Love Club

Recently I have been having this mad obsession over Lorde. I heard her hit "Royals" months ago and of course  fell in love, but this weekend I happened to purchase her EP The Love Club, as well her new album, Pure Heroine. Let's just say, she is the inspiration to this weeks style diary and I have no regrets about that. 

This week was filled with so much driving! Although I am on a small island, you'd be amazed the miles I happened to travel this week. Whether it was a run-away morning to the fabric store in Pearl City to get the finishing touches for my latest dress creation (I will blog about that soon!!), an emergency trip to Starbucks, the Midnight premier of the Hunger Games (my life is forever change), and the necessary gelato breaks in Honolulu, I had plenty of time to soak in Lorde's new tunes while on the road.

My inspiration for this outfit came from the song "The Love Club" on her first EP. It says, "Be a part of the love club, everything will glow for you. Go get punched for the love club, for the love club" and I felt like this outfit was the perfect combination of "glow" and "punch" or my interpretation being rough and romantic. 

I chose to start my outfit with my Forever 21 Printed Pencil Skirt and add my Fushia Peplum Blouse from American Eagle Outfitters. I first added a Banana Republic Black Sweater but felt it was a little to professional looking for a Sunday Morning look and decided to add an American Eagle Outfitters Denim Jacket to create more of rough appeal. I added Black Wedges from The Loft and an Ann Taylor Navy and Gold statement necklace. I did a simple side bun and wore my square diamond earrings. 

I felt like this was the perfect Sunday outfit, although I did hate all the layers in this hot weather. It the perfect combination of romantics and roughness. The moment I got my black wedges from Loft, I  have found myself wanting to add them to every outfit and this has to be one of my favorite. (Thanks Mom, you always find the best shoes)

Who knew outfit inspiration could come from my latest album obsession?! But that is the funny thing about fashion, it is not just clothes, it is a lifestyle. The way you dress says what kind of person you are, your mood, your outlook on life, and much more. Putting my daily inspirations into my outfits has become second nature to me and I hope all can master this. Most of us do not even realize how every aspect of our lives affects our personal style. This week try and channel your inspirations into your outfits.

Look for inspiration all around and apply it to this weeks outfits. Change things up, be you, and rock that look you've been dying to try. 

Till Next Time!

Xoxo

-The Retro Girl 

Nomadic Melodies-Artist on the Rise

Chloe Bray- A college freshman who has an impeccable talent for song writing. I had the privilege of meeting Miss Bray a few summers back and she wowed me with her ability to entertain. Although the girl I witnessed on stage was a naive fifteen year old, Chloe has managed to make her dreams happen with her new EP release, Nomadic Melodies. I have followed Chloe via youtube (@CandO103) and have seen her grow and expand her music. I had the opportunity to interview Chloe and let you all get to a little about this up and coming artist.

Q: Tell me a little about yourself

A: "Im 18 years old and currently a student. My friends make fun of me cause I am listening to music almost 24/7. (mostly indie, alternative, singer songwriter, folk, some chill wave, and classics like Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday) I am very extroverted at times but also can be very introverted. I love going out with friends, playing pranks, and laughing until our stomachs hurt…but I can also sit with a good book and a cup of herbal tea for hours. I would consider myself a good cook but am a terrible baker. I absolutely love meeting new people and making new friends. I am pretty free spirited but also kind of an old soul at the same time."

Q: When did you first start song writing and performing?

A: "I wrote my first song when I was 11 years old. It was by no means a super impressive song, but it was funny because my mom didn't believe that I had written it. She didn't officially believe that I had completely written a song on my own until I wrote my second song and showed her."

Q: What was your inspiration behind your recent EP Nomadic Melodies?

A: "(Don't read this mom and dad), no just kidding. Its actually a funny story. I had gotten in trouble or gotten in some argument with my parents and they had grounded me for the weekend. Thats when I wrote Nomadic Melodies. A lot of my songs have a small bit of truth or story behind them, I just greatly exaggerate events or emotions that happen in the songs to create a story. I took the emotion that I was feeling at that time, enhanced it, and ran with it to create the idea of someone that finds happiness in freedom. My parents always mess around with me like 'See! It was good that we grounded you because you wrote that song!' "

Q: If you could perform a duet with any artist, who would it be and why?

A: "Ah man, this is such a hard question to answer. Probably Matt Corby. He is such an amazing and timeless musician. The combination of his voice, lyrics, and melodies are so impressive to me. I also am a huge Sufjan Stevens fan. It would be so fun to collab with him and see what kind of stuff we could come up with. He is a prime example of someone who stays true to who they are as an artist."

Q: What is your favorite current fall trend?

A: "I love love dark maroon or plum lipsticks. It is such a fun way to make any outfit that much more dynamic."

Q: What advice would you give to young artists looking to succeed in the entertainment industry?
  A: "A lot of people think success means molding yourself to what the buyer wants, or what the label wants. If you truly stick to your style and music, people will listen. I believe that all people appreciate good music, some people just don't know how to find it. Don't think that you have to change to be successful! stay true to who you are as an artist. People will respond positively."

Q: What lead you to the success you are now receiving with your recent EP release?

A: "It is seriously so humbling to see the response that I have had, because I really didn't know what to expect with the release of my first EP. I have to first and foremost contribute a majority of the success to all of my YouTube channel viewers. They are seriously so awesome and have been following since day 1 when I was a little awkward 13 year old. Also, Instagram has been a great way to get the word out that I released it. ( @chloe_bray_ ). I think that people like songs that they can relate to. A lot of my songs have room for interpretation, so people can find a little bit of themselves in each song."

Q: When did your career really start to take off and lead you to the release of this EP? What moment changed everything?

A: "Coming to college, everyone starts figuring out what they want to do for a career and starts working toward that. I had put off actively working on a career in music because I felt that I wouldn't be taken as seriously as a songwriter if I was a young teenager. Also, it has been a process really finding who I am, and what my style is as an artist. It has definitely changed over the years as I have gotten older.  I feel like I have reached that point where I have found my identity as an artist and am ready to pursue it! As I see everyone around me beginning to work towards a career I have really felt that fueling desire to start getting things going with my music and trying to expand my experience as a songwriter."

It has been such a pleasure to know Chloe and I hope you all can check out her new EP release on iTunes, Nomadic Melodies.

Till Next Time!
Xoxo

-The Retro Girl 

Fall without the Fall

Fall has always been my favorite time of year. Whether it was the outbreak of my sweaters, change of colors on the trees, or the overdose of hot cocoa- Fall had it all. As I have continued to adjust to my new life in Hawaii, the absence of Fall has actually been an adjustment for me. I have found myself heading to Starbucks (just to get my White Chocolate Pumpkin to feel like it truly is October) and have managed to decorate the dorm room with my witches and ghosts(although I SWORE I would never decorate like my mother!) All week I have tried to incorporate Fall color schemes and trends into my paradise wardrobe and this look happens to be just one of my favorites. 

Although it looks like this if FAR from a Hawaiian outfit, this look actually was the perfect combination for an overcast, cool day in Laie. It felt so refreshing to finally wear a sweater and take my interpretation of a Fall look on a island that somehow survives without this season we all know as "Fall"

This outfit consisted of:

-H&M Button up sleeveless blouse

-Forever 21 Mustard Sweater

-Forever 21 Abstract Snake Skin Pencil Skirt

-H&M Clutch 

-Juicy Couture Statement Watch

-Loft Gold Bracelet

-Loft Black Wedges

This entire outfit is one that a broke little college girl can afford to buy while sticking to her budget. Although everyone loves the Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Prada's of the world, fashion does not just come from the label. Anyone can make a statement in any outfit. Explore fall trends and try them out- Whatever your weather condition-Sun or Snow, let the Fall trends begin! 

Hope you are all having a fantastic Monday!

Xoxo

-The Retro Girl


*sweater creds to the one and only, Allene Marie Leak! 

50 Wandering Gypsy Dreams

Being at college has sincerely made me reflect on all the goals I wish to accomplish during this life. Someone once said, " It is only a dream until you write it down, then it becomes a goal." So, I have taken it upon myself to publicly publish my "50 Wandering Gypsy Dreams" so that they can no longer be just dreams. My love for travel, adventuring personality, and need to see the world has inspired me to thoughtfully consider each item and I am DETERMINED to accomplish

 each and every goal on my list. 

1. Go Skydiving
2. Live in Italy For Over 3 Months
3. Fall in Love and Marry Him in the San Diego Temple
4. Visit Where My Sisters are From ( Hunan Provence, China) 
5. Serve A Mission ( or 2 or 3) for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
6. Live in New York City
7. Have My Own Show at Fashion Week
8. Be a Mommy 
9. Adopt Children From Ethiopia 
10. Travel to Jerusalem 
11. Go To a Drive In Movie
12. Graffiti A Wall With A Powerful Message
13. Be A Well-Known Woman in the Fashion Industry
14. Always Make My Mom and Dad Proud
15. Read the Book of Mormon More Times Than I Could Ever Count
16. Attach A Love Lock in Europe with My Husband
17. Finish My Dad's Genealogy 
18. Learn a New Language
19. Be In Two Places At Once
20. Swim In Every Ocean 
21. Ride a Gondola in Italy 
22. Sleep on the Beach 
23. Swim with Elephants in Thailand 
24. Learn to Surf
25. Make a Bed in the Back of a Truck and Sleep all Night with my Hubby
26. Have Cupcakes from Sprinkles
27. Send Off My Own Glowing Lantern (like on Tangled) 
28. Hold a Free Hugs Sign in Public 
29. Kiss my Husband Under the Eiffel Tower
30. Have Breakfast at Tiffany's 
31. Ride a Camel 
32. See The Stone Hedge
33. Walk the Great Wall of China
34. See the Auroa Borealis ( Northern Lights) 
35. Jump off a Waterfall 
36. Watch the Sunset in Africa 
37. Send a Message in a Bottle 
38. Ride in a Hot Air Ballon 
39. Write A Book
40. Visit Machu Picchu 
41. Kiss Under the Mistletoe
42. See The Nile River and Pyramids in Egypt 
43. Visit the Beaches of Crete and Ride a Mule like on Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
44. Snorkel in Australia 
45. See the Taj Mahal in India 
46. Venture to Where My Family is From in Scotland 
47. Attend a Chanel Fashion Show
48. Be in Times Square on New Years to Watch the Ball Drop 
49. See the Mayan Temples
50. Change Someone's Life 

Now that you've seen my list, make your own. Write it down, and make it happen. We live in a beautiful world, see every ounce of it. 

Xoxo

-The Retro Girl