Make Sparks Fly on the Fourth

It’s that time of year again folks. The fourth of July is a huge holiday here in the states (sorry if you’re reading this from another country!). Styling for freedom day should be the least of your worries when you have all of the BBQs, parties, fireworks, and other outdoor activities to attend. I know it's a bit late to go shopping for a new outfit now, but I have picked out a few pieces that would be great to try. The one thing I would recommend is keeping your ensemble as simple as can be. These toasty July months call for shorts and tanks, and here are a few pieces that will make you ready for any party you will attend. (Just to warn you, there is a lot of red, white, and blue. I mean, it is the fourth, so you might as well go all-out, right?)

A simple pair of shorts and a tee or tank is an easy breezy look for the fourth. I picked out some USA styles that I think would be fun to show off while out and about all day.

 Shorts: Topshop

Tee: Urban Outfitters

Sandals: Urban Outfitters

Tank (plain): Topshop (SALE!)

Tank (MTV): Forever 21

Shorts: Topshop

Sandals: Urban Outfitters

For a formal affair, a dress or romper is ideal. Try a pair nice sandals and a hat to keep away the rays while you spend the day outside.

Dress: Nasty Gal

Sandals: ASOS

Hat: Forever 21

Also, you can't forget a cute pair of sunnies to finish off your ensemble! These are my current favorites (I do have a pretty big obsession with sunglasses--I can't seem to stop buying them!):

Sunglasses: Topshop

Here are a few outfit ideas to try for the fourth! I do not think I will be doing much to celebrate, except staying home and catching up with my family. We have been working and doing all kinds of crazy things all summer, and I work tonight and have off until next Monday for the holiday. I will try to post again soon, so be sure to look for more posts in the upcoming weeks! Thank you for reading, and I can't wait to speak to all of you again soon.

Maggie D. xx

Satur-DIY Denim

I am sitting in my house with our broken air conditioning, trying to finish this post as quickly as I can before heading out somewhere cooler. I was set on uploading this on Saturday so I could try out a few Satur-DIY posts, but this week has been crazy so I wasn’t able to get around to it until Sunday. I know it’s a cheesy title, but I just had to use it! I have been wanting to try some DIY on this little blog because who doesn’t want to save a few dollars every once in awhile? The photos aren't as high of quality as I would like since I just used my phone, so try not to knock me on that too much! 

I have recently been eyeing these Topshop jeans, and while I am sure they are amazing quality, the price is a little steep for a college student who is slowly but surely racking up debt. I wanted to find a cheaper option, but I didn’t have much luck. Then it hit me—it is just holes in the knees. I can do this myself.

This really is a pretty easy DIY, but I thought I would post some photos so you can see what I did. The jeans I picked out were only $12.80 from Forever 21, and they are high waisted, making them even more similar to the Topshop pair.

I simply tried on the denim, made a little mark where I wanted them cut with tape, removed the jeans, and cut along the line. If it’s not straight and even, don’t worry—they are supposed to be distressed, not perfect! If you would like them a bit more worn, you could use a tweezers to pull at the areas of fabric along the top and bottom of the cut. I did this a bit, but if you would like to make it even more dramatic, you could continue to pull at it to create a bigger hole over your knee. I am thinking everyday wear and tear will make this a bit more of what I'm looking for as well.

I ended up using a scissors, but if you use a blade, you should place something in the pant leg to make sure you don't cut all the way through!

I hope this post gives you a bit of inspiration to try your own DIYs. Would you be interested in seeing me try some more complex DIYs? If so, I could look into some new ideas for you all. Also, would these make for good videos? If you have any ideas for me, I would love to hear them!

Maggie D. xx

Keeping it Short for Summer

Even though summer is flying by, it is never too late to invest in some style staples that can last through every trend and summer to come.

Keep it “Classic” Denim

Making an investment in basic denim is the best thing for any fashionista to do. Having both lighter and darker washes in any wardrobe preps you with this timeless summer classic.

 Top: River Island

Bottom: Topshop

80s Acid Wash

This lighter wash denim seems to be sneaking back in to the summer trends, and these are the perfect wash to wear for any summer festival or concert. Rock your look with a band tee and make an ensemble that’s perfectly “punk rock.” (yes, this is a 5SOS reference)

Find them at Topshop.

Pop of Color

Summer is the season of color, so a bright pair of shorts is a perfect pick. Pick a color, any color—the choice is up to you. You’ll be looking on point no mater what you wear.

Top: Forever 21

Bottom: Topshop

Luxe Leather

One of the hottest AND most classy trends to try—leather. Don these bottoms with a dressier top and heels, and look as cool as you feel.

Find these at Topshop.

Woven Wonder

Keep it comfy and cool on your day off with a pair of woven shorts. This breezy style makes it look like you put a lot more effort into your ensemble, even if you didn’t. Nothing wrong with making people think that, is there?

Top: Nasty Gal

Bottom: Forever 21

Keep it Classy

A pair of dressy shorts is always appropriate to have for a special occasion. Try strappy sandals and a posh top to be ready for all of the summer weddings and family get-togethers.

Top: Topshop

Bottom: Modcloth

These are some of the hottest choices for these toasty summer months. What picks are your favorites? What would you like to see for future fashion posts? Let me know in the comments below.

Much love,

Maggie D. xx

Chicago Summer Travels

I just returned from my five day trip to Chicago, and it went by way too fast! I worked on Wednesday/Thursday from 6 p.m. until 4:30 a.m., came home, took a shower and then we were on our way to the windy city. I must say I was quite exhausted, as I started this trip without sleep, but I did attempt to sleep on the nine hour car ride there.

Once we arrived, we stopped by our hotel to freshen up a bit, and then we headed to Navy Pier. We walked from our hotel, and, quite frankly, we did a lot of walking. It’s the easiest way to travel in the city. We spent the night there, and it was absolutely beautiful. I loved seeing the pier and the picture perfect view of the city from atop the ferris wheel. We had to try deep dish pizza that night, and then went back to our hotel for some much needed sleep.

OOTD: Jumper-Urban Outfitters, Crop Top-Forever 21, Converse Shoes, Bag-H&M, Sunglasses-Kohls

We woke up the next morning with a busy day ahead of us. We hit the Shedd Aquarium, the Adler Planetarium, and The Field Museum all in one day. We weren’t too thrilled by the planetarium or the museum, but it was still a must-see for any tourist. We also drove past Soldier Field, and it made me even more excited knowing I’ll be seeing 5SOS & 1D there in only a few months! That evening, I met up with one of my best friends from college and her family at one of the greatest Italian restaurants I have ever eaten at. She lives in a suburb, so we headed back out there after we ate. That night, her and I went out for fro-yo and caught up about what we had missed whilst being apart from college for a few weeks now.

OOTD: Skirt-Forever 21, Top-Forever 21, Sandals-Forever 21, Bag-H&M

The next day, we went shopping and hit up IKEA. If you don’t know, I LOVE IKEA and there are none near me, so that was an amazing visit for me. I met up with my family later that evening and went out to eat with my aunt and uncle who live near Chicago. We went shopping again that evening, and I might have purchased a bit too much. However, it was vacation, so I let myself splurge a bit!

We drove back into the city the next day and went straight to the Willis Tower. It was crazy being 110 floors above the city, but the view was brilliant. The city looks like it went on forever from that high above, and I loved the view. We went out on the sky deck and could look down onto the city from so far up. It wasn’t as scary as it seems, I promise! We took a pit stop at our hotel and then walked to Millennium Park. We didn’t spend much time here, but I got my photo with the infamous Bean. We then walked to the Magnificent Mile, and I got to stop at some incredible shops. We don’t have many Topshop stores here in the states, so I had to stop there. I purchased a wintery-type jacket that was on sale, and I had to purchase it because it reminded me of Matty Healy (If you don’t know The 1975, you must look into them). Here is the link to the jacket from Topshop; I purchased mine in black, but they don’t appear to have it in that color on their site. It’s big, black, and fuzzy. I couldn’t resist. After a full day of shopping, we headed back to the hotel to get our last night of sleep before heading back home.

 OOTD: Top-Jawbreaking, Shorts-Forever 21, Sandals-Forever 21

On Monday morning, we woke up early to finish packing up and do our last little bit of shopping. We headed back to the Magnificent Mile to stop at a few last stores, including the American Girl store. I had to take a stop in there, solely because 10-year-old Maggie would have absolutely loved this shop! We headed out of the city around noon and stopped by a Cheesecake Factory for my mom’s birthday. After that, we headed back home. It was a quick trip, but it was lovely visiting these sights and getting the chance to see my roommate for next year! Do you have any trips planned for the summer? I would love to hear what your plans are.

Much love,
Maggie D. xx