CROP IT LIKE IT'S HOT

NWFY is underway, LA nights are in the 70s (rather than the 80s), and every grocery store is displaying magazines with massive "fall baking" spreads. This can only mean one thing — Fall fashion is here, and we all have to find some way to make our summer pieces work for this colder season. I recently purchased a pair of cropped released hem wide leg jeans from Madewell (my go-to shop for everything, especially denim). Though just a new addition to my wardrobe, this piece is easily one of my favorites. It combines two HUGE trends from this summer — released hem jeans AND culottes. I'm all about efficiency and multitasking. 

As incredible as these jeans are, one of the first thoughts that popped into my mind when I bought them was: "How on Earth am I going to wear these for Fall??"

Very few people, especially college students, have the financial capability to purchase entirely new wardrobes each season. Most of us have to be resourceful and think about how we can translate what we think of as season-specific trends into outfits that work for seemingly opposite seasons. When someone says "Fall fashion," is the first thing that comes to mind a pair of cropped jeans? Probably not. Fall and Winter denim tends to be of a darker wash, and longer in length. This doesn't mean that we can't utilize styling tricks to make that cropped pair work, though! 

Before we get into the specifics of how I styled this look, let's cover some general guidelines for making Spring/Summer pieces work for Fall/Winter!

• summer dresses — layers and boots. Tuck a turtleneck underneath a strappy floral dress, or throw on a wool blazer. Add your favorite pair of boots! 
• silky slip camis — throw it over a long-sleeve knit dress or oversized sweater. Add a moto jacket and some mules.
• lacy bralettes — underwear as outerwear. Wear that bralette over a ribbed knit tee, with slick cigarette pants and a duster coat. 
• cutoff shorts — add leg coverage with some thigh-high boots. Wear a huge chunky knit cardigan over a vintage tee. 

This list obviously doesn't cover everything, but hopefully it gives you an idea of how to style other warm-weather pieces. The key points are to add layers, and to accessorize. Obviously the look pictured here doesn't scream "Fall," but that's because it's still 85º during the day and I wasn't too stoked on the idea of lugging a wool coat around. To take these released hem babies from Summer to Fall, I switched out my usual casual tee for a slightly dressier deep v-neck top, and changed out of my beat-up Stan Smiths in favor of forest green suede heels. 

A slightly dressier top suggests a more formal look, compared to what we might get from a t-shirt and jeans outfit. And suede is always great for fall, especially when in a darker color. These dark green pointed toe heels are one of my favorite pairs — they're extremely comfortable, the perfect shade of green, and not too tall. With these jeans, there are so many beautiful details around the ankle (or rather, the hem, which falls at the calf). We wouldn't want to muddle that beautiful coloring or delicate fraying by wearing a clunky boot.

While I wait for temperatures to drop enough to the point where it will be bearable to wear some of my new coats and sweaters, I'll stick to looks that are somewhere between Summer and Fall. This denim favorite will stay at the forefront of my wardrobe, because no one should have to pack away their favorite pieces every time a new season rolls around!

Top - similar here | Jeans - Madewell | Shoes - similar here | Sunnies - Celine

SILK SCENES

By the time this post goes live I will have started my first day of the 2016-2017 academic year. At 7:25am. I'll probably be half asleep. 

I was pretty late to the slip dress trend. I might not even have been on the trend at this time if Fame & Partners hadn't stepped in by gifting me with this beautiful button-front slip dress. I spend 99.9% of my days in jeans and a t-shirt. I just really like being comfortable. This underwear-as-outerwear trend is just too great to pass up, so I decided to give my jeans a break for the day and step out in this dressier look instead. 

With button-front and open back details, this silky number is a statement piece. I wanted to make sure that I kept the styling simple and not overly dressy. I opted for cutout boots from Jeffrey Campbell, a choker from Amarilo, and beachy waves. For a more casual look I could have paired the dress with a white sneaker (like my go-to Stan Smith's) and light wash denim jacket. 

As different as this look was from my usual go-to outfit, I have to admit that I felt really great in it. The more reserved front is balanced out by the T-back, and the fabric moves beautifully. My introduction to slip dresses also meant an introduction to Fame & Partners, the incredible Australian-born dress co. that prides itself in its made-to-order, anti-waste business model. Each piece is completely customizable. Want that maxi dress to be a midi? Done. What about thin straps to replace the thick ones that usually come with the dress? Copy that. This site is a dream-come-true. 

With Fall right around the corner, I can't wait to style this dress layered with a turtleneck underneath, or with a chunky knit sweater thrown over the top. I'm going to be wearing this gorgeous piece all-year-round. (Want to add some sweaters to your wardrobe? Check out last week's knitwear wishlist post for some ideas!) 

LAYERED IN GOLD

I think it's safe to say that I'm a little late to the choker trend, but better late than never. I'm pretty sure it's a bad sign that I use "better late than never" to justify my procrastination on a regular basis.

I wasn't even the one who got myself onto the choker bandwagon. I recently visited Joplin Creative's new showroom in Downtown LA and was thrilled when I heard these magic words: "choose four!"

That's right. The lovely people at Joplin gifted me with four pieces of my choice, two of which are featured in this post. You should definitely check out these jewelry brands, both of which produce their pieces right in Los Angeles! I love supporting local brands whenever I can.

The top two chokers are from Amarilo and Haati Chai. The bottom is from my grandmother. Though I don't typically wear necklaces, as they irritate my skin, this layered look is just too pretty to pass up! A few dainty gold chains instantly elevate even a simple look like this lounge shorts and denim top combo.

I also used to be a huge silver/white gold jewelry person, but over time I've fallen in love with yellow gold, which looks especially amazing on sun-tanned (or in my case, sunburned) skin. 

Even after this choker trend dissipates, dainty gold necklaces will never go out of style. It's great to have a selection of around five simple pieces to mix and match, depending on the occasion. Looking to expand, or even start that collection? Make sure to check out Haati Chai or Amarilo to find the exact pieces featured here, or pieces similar to them.

BEACH KNITS

There comes a time when one realizes that her blogspot-based blog called "Pretty Undecided" is well overdue for an upgrade.

So here I am, with a namesake domain, photos taken not with my iPhone, but with cameras wielded by super talented photographers, and a consistent posting schedule. 

I used to think that a career in a creative field was completely out of reach — that finding success doing what I loved would be impossible. At the same time, I've become increasingly aware that this is what I love to do. I love taking photos, finding beauty in everyday things, and creating content to inspire others. I will find success doing what I love.

In my mad dash to get my new site up and running in just two short weeks, I had to enlist the help of many, including my friend Rick, who was a godsend and shot these photos. 

Let me tell you something — the beach in summer in LA is much colder than I would like it to be. Pushing through the goosebumps, we got these (very moody, if I do say so myself) dripping-in-sunlight shots.  

 

 

I think I have an obsession with knits. I just want more chunky knit sweaters, ribbed knit underthings, ribbed knit bodysuits...

Now let's move on from my little outburst about loving knit pieces, and go back to why I revamped my blog/website. Growth is important. Change is a good thing. My previous blog mainly featured flatlay pictures of coffee and croissants, front-on, full-body outfit pictures, and the occasional mood board. I know I have so much more to offer.

There's so much more that I have to show, so many more people I want to meet, so many more brands I want to work with. And all of that starts here. It starts with being sure of myself and showcasing my work. I'm going after what I want. 

(this new site is also about posing differently...)

With all of that being said, here's to new beginnings, moving forward, and going after what you're passionate about. I will be posting inspiring and cool content much more frequently, and would love any feedback you may have!

Sweater - Madewell | Bodysuit - Urban Outfitters | Photography - Rick Bhatia

NICOLE VIENNA

I celebrated Norwegian Independence Day the other day. No, I am not Norwegian. But I have Norwegian neighbors, and they invited us over for waffles. I'm always up for waffles.

And these aren't your average American waffles that are slathered with butter and doused with syrup. Oh, no. I think I need to move to Norway, because they eat waffles on a regular basis - for dessert, for holidays, for breakfast and snacks...And they eat them with toppings including ice cream, sour cream and jam, cinnamon sugar and a signature item - brown cheese.

How fitting is it, then, that I wore this beautiful watch from Scandinavian-influenced brand Nicole Vienna, to the festivities? I've never been much of a jewelry/accessory person. I stick to the pairs of earrings, and nose ring, I wear on a daily basis, and that's pretty much it. This watch changes things.

I love this piece for its beautiful simplicity and versatility. The black marble dial is both minimal and luxurious, while the gold mesh strap adds a little something extra to the simplest of outfits.

Oh, and these flowers? I bought them to take over to the neighbors' house to thank them for inviting us, but I couldn't resist using them as a prop first. Does that make me a horrible person?

Find my watch here.