Faux Real

Hey hey hey! I hope everyone is have a fabulous weekend so far!

Just a quick clarification, the title of this post is pronounced as “FO real”, not “FOX real”. I can promise you that this sweater is NOT made out of fox fur. In fact, it is completely all fake and artificial.

I’m going to be really honest with y’all for a second … for the longest time I thought “faux” was “fox”, as in the animal 😂 I’ve been pronouncing it that way over a million times until my sister Lauren finally told me that it was pronounced “fo”, and I was like, “Wait, seriously?!” As a fashion merchandising major and fashion blogger, you can imagine how silly I felt. And it’s not even hard to pronounce!

Oh well, you learn something new every day.

Speaking of new, my cousin Emmy got me this super chic faux fur sweater from Zara for Christmas. Y’all, words cannot even express how OBSESSED I am with it. I’ve worn it so much ever since I unwrapped the gift! I’ve been wearing it to work, to classes, to nights on the town with my friends, you name it. I love the extremely soft material and how it’s not real fur, but still super chic. The only thing though is that the inside material is more crisp unlike the outside material, but it’s still very cozy to wear. Plus, I’ve gotten so many compliments on it! People want to feel the texture and how soft it is 😂

You can style basically anything with this sweater and it’ll look super cute. My go-to pairings with it are my black ripped leggings from American Eagle, black high-knee boots by Steve Madden, coin rhinestone necklace from Francesca’s, and spiked gold hoops also from Francesca’s. I think the whole outfit together looks so spunky and glamorous.

Words to live by: life is never perfect … but you’re outfit can be!

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Sweater: Zara

Jeans: American Eagle - similar jeans

Boots: Steve Madden

Necklace: Francesca’s - similar necklace

Earrings: Francesca’s

What do you think about faux fur material? Have you also mistakenly pronounced the term as “fox” instead of “fo”? There’s no one I can be the only one. Comment below and share with me!

Poncho Season: Favorite Ponchos For Winter

Happy Monday! I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season. I can’t believe that it’s almost 2020, this year flew by so fast! I would also say that I’m sad that Christmas is over, but technically it’s not because the Epiphany goes from December 26-January 6 (the days in which the wise men traveled to meet Jesus). So we still have a little bit of Christmas left! And plus, there’s only 360 days till next Christmas, so it’ll be here again before we know it!

Unfortunately, the only downfall at this time of year is that it’s winter and it’s only going to get colder from here. Until spring, I would honestly say that January and February are the two longest and most depressing months, at least here in the Midwest. And in order to survive these two freezing cold months, the best thing that you can do is bundle up as much as possible. Lately, I’ve had a huge obsession with ponchos. Since the beginning of autumn, I’ve been ponchos at least once or twice a week. No joke, I love them so much! And even though winter will be much colder, I’m still going to be wearing them on a frequent basis, whether going to class, work or a fun outing. So if you’re getting prepared for winter and need more warm yet stylish ideas, here are a few of my favorite ponchos in my wardrobe as of right now!

Poncho #1 - The Attached Sleeves

This is one of the first new ponchos that I bought this past fall from Francesca’s (with my discount!). I saw a girl come in one day and try it on for a football tailgate she was going to, and I just loved how flowy, simple and chic it looked. It‘s a cozy and chic fashion piece, and not just for tailgates. I’ve been wearing it so much throughout the fall and winter season and I’m in love with it. I love the cream color (it comes in other colors as well), the texture is so soft, and it comes with sleeves. I’ve been getting so many compliments on it. My mom even asked to borrow it for work sometime!

The only thing is that it doesn’t have a shirt underneath it, despite the attached sleeves. So you’d have to wear a shirt or tank if you don’t want to show off everything when lifting up your arms. But it’s still very classy and goes with everything, from jeans to skirts and boots to sneakers!

Poncho #2 - The Plaid Kimono

Also another splurge from Francesca’s, and I got this pretty item as soon as it came in the shipment boxes! Plaid has been a very big trend in the fashion industry lately, and I’m all for it! I especially love that this one in particular is red and black plaid. It definitely has a strong Christmas vibe, and I wore it quite often over the holiday season. However, it’s still perfect for even after the holidays and throughout the remaining days of winter. It looks great with denim or black jeans, black long-sleeve dresses, black long-sleeve shirts, black high knee boots and black booties! Pretty much anything black 🖤 😂

Poncho #3 - The Reversible Cape

Unlike the other ponchos, this is from BB Dakota, not Francesca’s. Plus, I’ve had this one for a longer time. I actually got it as a part of a FabFitFun seasonal box quite some time ago. I really do love it though, and I still wear it quite often. I love how easy it is to put on like a cape. It’s great if you’re in a rush and need to throw something cute on as quickly as possible! I l also love the grey shades as they look very classy and calming, as well as go with everything. And better yet, it’s reversible! So you can wear it on either side! It’s honestly perfect for anything and anyone. My sister loves it and has borrowed it numerous of times!

Ironic enough, my friend/roomie in the first picture of this post is wearing it as well, along with the floppy hat I’m wearing in the picture below! And she looks fabulous AF in it 🔥

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I’ve been pretty occupied with the holidays, family and taking as much time to rest over winter break, and I have two weeks left till the spring semester starts. I haven’t been blogging as much as I would like to lately, but I promise I have a few fun posts coming up that I’m currently brainstorming and drafting at the moment. So stayed tuned!

Lots of love,

Caroline XOXO

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Blue Hood in Da Neighborhood

To be honest, I’m more proud of the title of this blog post than any other title I’ve written for a post 😂

Tomorrow is a big day, y’all … it’s the first official day of spring! I couldn’t be more excited than I already am! I’ve been in such a good mood lately because of it. There’s finally more sunshine, it’s a little warmer, the sun doesn’t set till 8 pm, there’s tons of of purple crocuses popping out of the ground, and this school semester only has a few weeks left. I should also mention that spring break is next week and I’m traveling to Seattle for the first time with my mom to visit my cousin who’s working there right now! Safe to say, there’s a lot of reasons for me to smile.

Now even though Mother Nature is being super good to us Midwestern folks down here, it ain’t summer yet. The temperature is perfectly mild, but it can still be cold and bitter at times. Even though forty degrees to us feels warm, it’s definitely not a good time to start wearing shorts, tank tops, or flip flops. My outfit being featured in this post is a perfect way to transition from winter to spring. It doesn’t require a lot of layers, but it still helps fight the cold air that remains!

I’m loving this new blue hoodie of mine from Anthropologie. I bought it last month and it was on sale for only $50. I gotta say, I’ve been super lucky with these Anthropologie sales lately! First the red ruffled turtleneck and now this hoodie … that’s a blessing if you ask me! I love everything about it: the soft Terry cloth texture (I’m pretty sure that’s the fabric), the royal blue, and of course, the hood. It was certainly worth the purchase, especially since it was on sale!

You can style almost anything with this hoodie. My go-to fashion pieces to pair with it are my black skinny jeans from American Eagle and black Steve Madden booties. They’re simple, comfortable, and don’t take too much attention away from the sweater. I also have on my big silver hoop earrings (I can’t remember which brand they’re by), which I feel like gives the outfit a touch of chicness. I feel like I give off a sassy attitude with this look, and I love it! I’m a sassy person, so it fits well with my personality! Either that or Little Blue Riding Hood 💙

What do you love most about spring? Mine would have to be the blooming flowers, specifically red tulips 🌷 Comment down below and tell me!

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Red & Black Velvet Embroidery

Happy Monday, y’all! Here’s to another week that hopefully flies by as quick as possible! My spring break this next week, so I for sure want to press fast forward and go to Seattle. I need a freaking break!

This semester has been pretty stressful, I’m not gonna lie. My fashion technology class, to be more specific, has been driving me crazy. There’s literally two projects every week. We are required to use Illustrator and Photoshop, and it’s so damn time consuming! My other classes aren’t that bad, but I still have projects for some of them. I also had two exams two weeks ago that I was overwhelmed by. Thankfully, now that midterms are over and it’s almost spring break, I can breathe a little more. I also have a little more time to finally write more blog posts, like this one that you’re about to read!

Well, you’re technically reading it right now. I’m just referring to my outfit, not my rant about college …

I’ve actually had this shirt for a while now. I bought it back in December when it was on sale at Altar’d State. The red and black velvet embroidery on the sleeves immediately caught my eye. I was a little hestitant at first since it was a week before Christmas, and I didn’t want to buy anything for myself ahead of time. However, one of the employees told me it was buy one get one 40% off, which was perfect since it was already on sale! So I got it and a pair of striped wide-legged pants which were also on sale, so I managed to save some money before Christmas and get some cute clothes in exchange ☺️

 I think that this shirt works for any season really. Maybe not summer, it may be too hot to wear then (but chilly summer nights with shorts or a skirt could work!) It’s absolutely one of many favorite shirts, and I’ve been getting so eager to finally post about it. It’s so bold and elegant! 

My gold cross layered necklace is also from Altar’d State. It wasn’t on sale when I got it, but it was still a pretty decent price and it was worth it. It’s literally my favorite necklace and I wear it practically all the time. Although I’m a little cautious because I love it, and I don’t want to ruin it or lose it! I also don’t want it to get tangled up, so I don’t travel with it. #necklaceprobz  

My go-to pants for this shirt are my American Eagle denim skinny jeans and my go-to shoes are my black high knee boots from Steve Madden. Nothing else can match with it better than these, they make the whole outfit look so chic and modest. I love everything about it! 

Are you ready for spring yet? I certainly am, I’ve been ready since December 26th! 😂 Mild temperature, sunshine, and flowers sound great the moment. I just saw the first small purple crocuses of the season bloom in my backyard a few days ago. That’s when I know that springtime is getting closer by the minute. The first official day of spring is only two days from now, we’re almost there!

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Ruffle It Up

Happy Hump Day! Hopefully you’ve already had your cup(s) of coffee and are thriving through your workday, whether that be with your job or classes! I also hope you’re still not thrown off from losing an hour of sleep from a few nights ago, thanks to a little something called Daylight Savings. It threw me off for sure, I’m still a bit tired. But on the bright side, that means we now have longer days with more sunny and clear evening skies! That’s just another sign that spring is getting closer and closer, and I could not be more happy about it. The weather here in Ohio has warmed up a little bit which is nice. However; it still gets pretty chilly every now and then, sometimes even snowy if we’re unlucky. Thankfully, I have a new OOTD that helps transition from winter to spring!

I bought this red turtleneck from Anthropologie last weekend during my trip to Chicago. The crazy thing is … the sweater was on sale for only $40! That’s a great deal since most of Anthropologie’s sweaters cost around $90 dollars or more. I say take the opportunity while you can, and that’s exactly what I did! At first when I saw it, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. But as soon as I tried it on, I fell in love. There’s so many reasons why I love it: it’s red (my favorite color), it’s a turtleneck (duh), it’s cozy (everything I wear has to be cozy), the ruffles add an aesthetic touch (I love anything with an aesthetic touch), etc. etc. I also happened to have on the same gold Francesca’s layered necklace that I’m wearing in these pics while trying on the sweater, and it made it look even more chic! The woman helping me at the store asked if I was Italian because she said it looked like something a fashionable Italian girl would wear. It’s a good thing I’m a quarter of Italian! It was absolutely worth purchasing ❤️

I have a lot of options of pants and shoes in my wardrobe that I can pair with the sweater. Jeans or leggings, boots or flats (when it’s warm outside), you name it! For the blog post, I paired it with my favorite skinny jeans from American Eagle and my black high knee boots from Steve Madden. I thought the boots would especially look really good with it, making it a perfect outfit to wear in the autumn and winter. The jeans work perfectly because they not only match but they’re tight enough to make the boots easily fit. They both add much more chicness to the look!

I’m gonna be honest. Even though I’m really eager for spring to come and for the weather to warm up, I’m gonna be a little bummed when it gets too warm to wear cute cozy sweaters. So until it gets up to seventy degrees, I’m gonna enjoy bundling up in this turtleneck as well as all my other turtlenecks and sweaters as much as I can!

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Baby, It’s Cold AF Outside

Soooooooo, the Polar Vortex just hit Ohio annnnnnnddddd … it sucks. It literally sucks. It’s freezing cold outside! Every time I let Max out he looks around for only a few seconds and then he runs back in as fast as possible. Even dogs can’t handle it! I keep thinking of the “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” song and how I would sing it as “Baby, It’s Cold AF Outside” (hence the title of this post). I would literally mean it, you could easily walk outside and catch hypothermia within a minute. Stay safe and warm, don’t go outdoors!

On the bright side, I had classes canceled both today and yesterday. I also don’t have Friday classes, so this is basically another Thanksgiving break for me! It’s also supposed to get a little warmer this weekend. It ain’t gonna be crazy warm, but 50 degrees sounds a lot nicer than -2 degrees! That’s like spring weather to us Midwest folks 😂

In the meantime, I have the perfect cozy grey turtleneck from Aerie to keep me warm during the Polar Vortex. I actually bought this exact sweater - same size, same color - as a Christmas gift for my cousin Haley. It looked so cute on her, and she told me that it’s one of the coziest sweaters she’s ever worn. I waited till the post-holiday season sale to order it. It was only $23.98 (not counting shipping fees), and the original price was $60. Not a too shabby deal if I do say so myself, and neither is the sweater! 100/10 recommend it, but get it before it sells out!

Another few additions to my cozy indoor outfit are my favorite ripped boyfriend jeans from American Eagle (obviously I would only wear these inside at the moment) and tortoise frames. Let’s face it, you can never go wrong with comfy, baggy jeans and cute retro frames. #HipsterStyle4Life 🤓

How are you staying warm during the Polar Vortex? Comment down below and let’s start a conversation!

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The Banyan Tree Look

Hey, y’all! It’s just about mid-January and the weather outside has actually been pretty mild. I honestly don’t mind it at all. I’m much more of a warmer weather type of person, and the months leading up to March, or even April, are usually pretty brutal with the cold air. And when Christmas is over, I’m ready for spring to come. So the fact that it’s this nice and warm in the winter is a treat!

Ohio is very bipolar though, so I cannot guarantee the weather to be like this for the rest of winter. I’m pretty sure were gonna have at least a few long weeks with snow, ice, negative temperatures, and potholes (insert sad emoji 😢). On a positive note, that would mean cancelled classes and some nice days off!

I have the perfect outfit that works for both chilly and mild temperatures. It’s also great for both fancy and casual occasions. It’s basically perfect for anything!

Banyan Tree is one of my newest obsessions. It’s a local company in the Northeast Ohio area. There are three locations: one in Crocker Park, one in Legacy Village, and one in Tremont. It’s such a cute branch (ha, see what I did there?) with a variety of styles to choose from. It’s trendy, chic, and affordable. What more could you ask for? From Banyan Tree, I have a grey sweater with a criss cross back and burgundy velvet skirt. I received them both as a Christmas gift and they match perfectly. The sweater is nice because it’s light enough to wear for warmer weather but still appropriate for chilly weather (with a coat or jacket). The velvet skirt is a little more fancy, but can still be worn for plenty of fun occasions.

I decided to go with a preppy look by styling the outfit with my Steve Madden black knee high boots, my black Kate Spade satchel aka my “big girl purse”, and black pantyhose. I’m gonna be real honest for one hot second … I do not enjoy wearing pantyhose. I don’t hate them, but I find them uncomfortable, especially around the waist area. The only reason I’ll wear is because they make outfits look cute and they’re kind of an essential item for fancy outfits in the winter. It helps that they look cute with this outfit especially!

By the way, this post is NOT sponsored. I just really love Banyan Tree and I encourage you to check it out if you’re a Cleveland native! Be sure to also follow them on Instagram: @shopbanyantree to keep up with their styles and items.

I hope y’all have a wonderful rest of your week. Happy Hump Day!

Brief Christmas Haul

Hi, y’all! I hope everyone had a very MERRY Christmas and are getting excited about 2019! I’m still sad that my favorite holiday is over. But on the bright side, there's only 362 days left till next Christmas! And I’m already excited about all the amazing things that are going to happen in the new year!

I’ve been a bit absent the past few days for the holidays. I enjoyed some special quality time celebrating with my relatives, from both my mom and my dad’s side. It was a nice way to take a step back from social media and to enjoy the spirit of Christmas. I also got some super cute new outfits and items that I’m for sure going to blog about. With that being said, I’m going to start off with my wubby pullover from Nordstrom, my black suede high knee boots from Steve Madden, and my fabulous black satchel by Kate Spade!

I’ve been wanting a wubby pullover for a long time now. They’re super trendy, super cozy, and super chic. A lot of college girls have been wearing them and putting them on trend boards and Pinterest. Me being a college girl myself, that made me want to own one myself!

I’m obsessed with it. I’ve hardly stopped wearing it since! It’s so comfy and is perfect to wear for practically any occasion. There’s also so many different fashion pieces you can style it with: jeans, leggings, boots, tennis shoes, scarves, baseball caps, beanies, etc. It’s literally the best freaking pullover ever!

I’ve also been wanting high knee boots for a long time. These are the exact pair that I dreamed of as well, in black and suede. I was considering purchasing a pair for myself at the beginning of fall, but I decided to wait and ask for it as a Christmas gift. And Santa made my wish come true, and now I can wear them whenever I want! They, like the pullover, are also very trendy at the moment and look perfect with almost any outfit.

Now the satchel, on the other hand, was a big surprise. I didn’t ask for a new bag nor was I expecting one. So when I unwrapped it on Christmas Day, you can imagine how surprised I was. I’m in love with it and I haven’t stopped using it since. I consider it as my first big girl purse!

What did y’all get from Santa Claus on Christmas? Any cute new outfits or products you want to tell me about? Comment down below and get a conversation started!

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Just Fab(ulous)

Hey, y’all! We’re finally one short day away from the weekend. I hope everyone’s week has been just fab so far! Speaking of “just fab”, I’m currently collaborating with Just Fab for their end of the year boot season campaign! When they reached out to me about the partnership, I was so PUMPED! … See what I did there?

I absolutely love Just Fab. They have the cutest selection of shoes to choose from, especially boots. I was overwhelmed they asked me to pick two pairs of shoes to choose for the sponsorship. There are too many stylish shoes to choose from, even picking two was really hard! But I took my time and picked the two cutest pairs that fit my style: the silver velvet Rosanna booties (which I’m wearing in the pictures in this post) and the black Perenna heeled sandals (which you can expect to see in a future post coming soon!)

I am absolutely in love with these velvet silver booties, and I’ve gotten so many compliments on them already. They’re sexy, they’re fun, they’re chic, and they make me feel like a rockstar. I feel as if these are the modernized shoes that Cinderella would wear to a party!

Now that I’ve given you all the info about these shoes, I’ll tell you about the rest of this outfit. I ordered my teddy bear coat is from Amazon, and it was only $30 ($45 if you pay for the early shipping fee). I LOVE this coat. It’s so cozy and cuddly, I feel like I’m being hugged by a literal giant teddy bear whenever I wear it! It’s also super chic and goes with almost every outfit. It’s perfect for winter and slowly transitioning into spring shortly after. I highly recommend it. It’s a huge fashion trend right now!

I also have on my favorite red turtleneck tank top from Francesca’s, my black ripped jeggings from American Eagle, and my gold layered necklace from Altar’d State. All simple to help put focus on the shoes, but still super chic and glam!

Be sure you guess check out Just Fab and all the collections of styles they have to offer! Their boot season is a hit and you don’t want to miss out on it. You should definitely consider joining their VIP program to receive amazing perks, including 75% off your first purchase!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing weekend! Also just a friendly little reminder, in case you haven’t realized … Christmas is in 5 DAYS!!! Woo-hoo! Don’t mind the inner elf within me, but be sure to spread the joy of the season in the next few days! Maybe if you write Santa a last minute letter, you’ll find a new pair of shoes underneath your tree! Perhaps specifically Just Fab shoes … you’ll just have to wait and see!

Those last two lines may or may not be intentionally rhymed for the sake of Christmas … but who cares? Keep spreading the love and magic of the season throughout the air! See, I just did it again. Someone stop me, I could keep doing this all day long!

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Shoes: JustFab

Coat: Amazon

Top: Francesca’s - similar top

Pants: American Eagle - similar pants

Necklace: Altar’d State - similar necklace