The Cheetah Girls movie came out when I was in kindergarten, and it still holds as one of my favorite childhood movies. Over fifteen years later, the little girl inside of me got very excited to see that leopard print was becoming one of the fall season’s hottest trends. Now that I am older and my style is maturing, I am working on building a more classic, chic, and timeless wardrobe…with the exception of a trendy piece or two each season. For summer, I bought the Soludo wrap wedges, after seeing them on Jennifer Aniston in Murder Mystery. Even though I bought them as a seasonal trend, I have since realized that they are going to get a lot of use over the next few spring and summer seasons ahead. Turns out, they aren’t going to just be a trendy piece after all! This fall, I decided that I wanted to add a leopard print skirt to my closet. Usually, I steer clear of animal print clothes. It just usually isn’t my style, for it can quickly turn tacky. However, I have seen a growing number of leopard skirts this season, and it grew on me so quickly. It wasn’t long before I was on the hunt for one myself. I found this one on the H&M website, and I could not love it more! The slit on the side keeps the look easy, despite the long length and strong print. Also, the buttons up the front are just the cutest detail!
While styling such a bold print can be daunting, the key really is keeping everything else about your look simple. I chose to pair my leopard skirt with my favorite black bodysuit. I wore it in white here with my yellow summer midi skirt. This look is perfect for a dinner out because it’s fun, a little edgy, but still very classy. For night, I recommend a leather jacket. This one (similar linked here) from Shopbop is a personal favorite of mine. It was something I treated myself to for my 21st birthday! I get plenty of use out of it, and it has held up very well so far. In keeping with other simple details, a black shoe is a must. I personally love heels, and can’t get enough of them. Black sandal heels really complete the look, but if flats are more your style, then simple strappy sandals are a great option, especially if you’re wearing this as a day look. Although, I would definitely wear this skirt with heels to dinner, I will realistically wear it more often with sandals when I’m running weekend errands and want a look that makes a statement but is still easy to throw on.
In other news this week, I could not be happier that things are picking up pace, but I really have had the roughest year. Is asking for one piece of good news this year too much to ask? I go back and forth on if I’ll share a little bit about it at the end of the calendar year, but for now I am focusing on making sure things don’t completely fall apart. You would think the start of the school year wouldn’t help, but it actually does. I really don’t like it when things slow down. It gives me too much time to think about things that simply just aren’t important. My love of a busy life is one of the reasons I’m such a city girl! The peace and quiet of escaping the city is nice for a little bit, but I can only take so much of it before I crave the hustle and bustle of my life back. While this past summer was definitely a monumental one (and most certainly one of a lot of change), it is really nice to have a little routine back with my classes. Fortunately, classes are not overwhelming yet, so I am taking advantage of the extra time with a full social calendar. I have been grabbing coffee in the morning with new people, trying out new restaurants, and I even saw a midnight 35mm screening of Donnie Darko at the Vista Theatre in Los Feliz. It was my first time seeing the cult classic, and I had a great time! Everyone at the late night showing was fans of the movie, which made for a fun atmosphere. It was “very LA” of us to be there. It was also my first time seeing a movie on film! I loved the authenticity of the imperfections in the film. Overall, it was simply a great experience, even though I nearly fell asleep in the middle of the movie because of how late it was!
While I know I won’t be able to maintain this much fun all of the time, at least my skirt can! I really believe in the saying “When you look good, you feel good,” and the little bit of happiness I get when I wear outfits I absolutely love is exactly the kind of little victory I need in my day, especially during such a difficult year as this one.
xx
Emily
