Made You Up-Inspired Outfit

I really loved the characters in Made You Up.  There was no love triangle (thank you, Francesca Zappia!), the characters were realistic, yet there was depth to each individual.  I could've designed an outfit for any of the book's characters, so I decided to just stick with Alex, the protagonist.  She's smart yet a bit on the outskirts, and I wanted both those traits to be featured in the outfit.  Here's what I created:

• I picked bold red pants because Alex's hair is this bright red.  Not orange or ginger--RED.  Colored pants are fun to add in a wardrobe.
• The T-shirt is a patent shirt.  With Alex and Miles always sharing random historical facts together, it seemed natural for Alex to wear a nerdy shirt like this.
• The black cardigan keeps Alex from being the center of attention and keep her comfy.  I think she would have wanted to wear something baggy--something she could "hide" in.
• I've mentioned before that author Francesca Zappia wore Converse shoes for us, so I just automatically think of Alex as wearing them, too.  A simple black pair.
• I don't think Alex would wear a lot of jewelry, just basics like this watch.

So what do you think?  Would you wear something like this?  Does it fit Alex?

Don't forget to check out my YouTube channel--I posted an October Wrap-Up video today!

Darius & Twig-Inspired Outfit

It's FRIDAY!  So excited about a three-day weekend!

Yesterday I reviewed Darius & Twig by Walter Dean Myers, and while I didn't really enjoy this book, I wanted to design an outfit for Twig.  He's a runner--a good runner--that's trying to figure out his true passions in life.

So I wanted to design a running outfit for Twig.  A basic, tried-and-true outfit that he could throw on whenever he had the chance to go out running.  And here's what I came up with:

 

• Don't you love the running shirt?  Get it, 13.1?  I love puns and cheesy jokes on exercise clothes since you usually need a smile in the midst of a tough workout.
• Basic running shirts that aren't constricting.
• I like the electric blue in the running shoes.
• Running essentials--exercise watch with stopwatch and headphones.  I know cross country runners aren't encouraged to run with headphones, but I definitely don't like running without them.

 Can you see a guy running in this?

And did you check out my August Favorites video yet?  It went live today--these are my favorite videos to watch!

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

The Sound of Letting Go-Inspired Outfit

I love this outfit.  I would wear this outfit today.  It's cute and fun but definitely looks more put together than just jeans and a t-shirt.  And that's just the type of outfit that I like--comfortable, cute, and easy to throw together!

In The Sound of Letting Go, Daisy is a trumpet player and finds an escape when she plays.  An escape from her autistic brother, an escape from her fighting parents, and an escape from her confusion on her own identity.  So as I designed an outfit for her, I wanted to design something trendy for a high school students while expressing her love of music.  And here's what we have:

• The T-shirt is adorable--it's a throw to the movie Amadeus and is probably a favorite of many orchestra fans.  Pairing it with a short black skirt somehow makes a T-shirt even cuter and dresses it up immediately.
• The burgundy cardigan adds some color and gives an extra layer to the outfit.
• These Keds are adorable and keeps the look casual.
• A wrap bracelet and pearl stud earrings are easy accessories that won't be in Daisy's way as she plays the trumpet.

I love the mix of the casual and the dressy.  Definitely an adorable look for school!

Interested in any of these pieces?  Check them out here.

Belzhar-Inspired Look

Happy Friday!  Can I get three cheers on that one?!

Today I'm bringing you a look inspired by the book Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer.  I absolutely loved this book (especially the twist at the end!) and am excited to create a look for it today.

Since the book is set at a camp-like boarding school, I designed an outfit that I could see campers wearing when they want to look nice.  Because of the "magic" of Jam's English journal, she is able to see her deceased boyfriend in dream-like states.  So she's definitely going to want to look her best for him. 

Here's what I designed:

So cute!

• I think high-waisted shorts are so cute for camp settings.  They just have that vintage, "let's go drive around the country in our camper" vibe.  
• I paired the shorts with a floral tank top and cardigan.  Camps usually mean you'll be hot or cold (or both) so that's all covered here.  Again, I picked something that Jam would feel pretty in for her boyfriend.
• Keds are the perfect shoe to go with high-waisted shorts.  And who wouldn't want mint green Keds?!
• A gold monogram necklace (I used "R" here for Jam's deceased boyfriend, Reeve) adds a final feminine touch.

What do you think?  Would you wear this if you were at a camp/school?
 For the details of each piece, click here.

Two more reviews/outfits next week!  See you then!

Landline-Inspired Outfit

Happy Tuesday!

Yesterday I shared a review on Landline by Rainbow Rowell, and today's outfit is inspired by the protagonist Georgie McCool.  Georgie has a really cool job--and may be getting her big break in launching a new TV show--but her marriage may suffer for it.

For much of the book, Georgie is camped out at her mom's house, talking to her husband on a magical landline phone or hiding from her writing partner and their looming deadline.  She's constantly throwing on sweatpants and wrong-sized clothes because her appearance is the least of her concerns right now.  Which leads us to our outfit today--a comfortable outfit that Georgie can just throw on...but STILL look good.

Here's what I designed:

And here's how I came up with it:

• I knew I had to give Georgie sweatpants.  But these sweatpants are fitted around the ankles (which are so popular right now!), so they give off a little more of a put-together look.  The zipper pockets add to this, too.
• The tank top is of course a reference to the CBS show Big Bang Theory.  I'm not sure if Georgie would actually be a fan of this show (people seem to either love it or hate it), but I think she would at least support other TV comedies in her clothes.
• The aqua sweatshirt jacket is the epitome of comfortable and a chance to add a little girly color to the look.
• Vans are so easy to throw on, and these are fun.  The aqua background ties in with the jacket and the floral pattern screams "I'm not too matchy matchy!"  And I don't think Georgie would be so matchy.
• Messy buns are all the rage (thank goodness--I am too rushed in the morning to curl my hair every day!), and Georgie would definitely want her hair out of the way.

So what do you think?  Would you lounge around in this outfit?

If you love this look, check out all the details here.

Tomorrow you'll see two of my outfits and how I styled them with denim!

The Saints-Inspired Outfit

A few weeks ago I reviewed The Saints by Lex Thomas, a crazy, unexpected, even disgusting dystopian book about a group of teens stuck inside a school.  And I loved it!  So today's outfit is completely inspired by one group of students who distinguish themselves by the color blue (I featured another group in this post from the first book in this series, The Loners).

I had a lot of fun designing this outfit--I LOVE the color blue (I have a bright blue velvet sofa in our living room!) and love that I can wear so much of it with jeans.  The blue clique, the Freaks, are artsy and ok with being weird, so I knew I could layer on blue for this look.

Here's the look I designed:

 

Here's what I love about this look--blue is the obvious inspiration for the outfit, but it's not overwhelming.

Let me break it down:

• I LOVE wearing chambray/denim shirts with dark jeans.  Half of my outfits right now do this.  You can add whatever you want on top and it looks like a whole new outfit.  Love.
• I really love this fun striped heart sweater.  Your eye immediately goes to the blue heart, so the gray stripes remind me of a blank canvas that I could totally see the characters in the book drawing on.
• Sky blue shoes and blue stud earrings give that extra blue pop and show off the various degrees of blue that you can have.

I totally love this outfit!  I would rock it as a casual or even a date night look.  Would you wear it?

Want to see all the details of this outfit?  Check it out here!

Panic-Inspired Outfit

Happy Monday, all!  Anyone else as tired as I am with Daylight Savings Time?  Man, this morning wore. me. out.  But after a super fun day with my students (we made paper cranes today to celebrate peace and diversity!) I'm bringing you an outfit inspired by Panic by Lauren Oliver--loved that book!

In Panic, teens have to face some pretty major challenges--the terrifying, daring, and unusual.  Most of their challenges are physical, so having an outfit fit for movement is key.  For one of our main characters, Heather, I designed this outfit:

Here's how I chose this look:

• We have the basics for any kind of exercise/working out.  The workout cropped pants, t-shirt, and jacket.  I chose black and gray in case a challenge caused the teen to need to be as "invisible" as possible.
• I love this graphic gray tee.  The finger point gives off the message of "Hey, I'm coming for you and going to win this game!"  And in the game of Panic, the teens need every amount of courage they can muster.
• The pink shoes and watch are again staples for a fitness challenge.  I chose deep pink in case the teen would want to be seen in some way, as a safety precaution.

So what do you think?  I would TOTALLY wear this outfit when working out or doing a physical challenge.  Would you?

Another review coming soon in one of the most disgusting, surprising series I have ever read!

Want to see more of this outfit?  Check out the details here!  

To Be Perfectly Honest-Inspired Outfit

Happy Thursday, everyone!  Wow, it is C-O-L-D here in Indiana!  Like FREEZING cold!

So let's warm things up with an outfit post, shall we?  Back in December I posted a review of Sonya Sones' book To Be Perfectly Honest. It follows Colette, a teen whose mom is a celebrity and who just wants to live her own life.  So in other words, their relationship is a little rocky.

When I decided to design an outfit after Colette, I kept thinking about the two sides to her.  The side that has to smile and be a celebrity's daughter, and the side that hates her mother's decisions.  So a behaved girl with a little rebellious streak.  So with that inspiration, I decided on a floral outfit with a little edge.  And here's what I created:

A little girly, a little edgy.  

Let's discuss!

• The dress is a simple yet cute floral sundress.  To Be Perfectly Honest is set during the summer, so I could definitely see Colette wear this dress when she leaves their hotel home-away-from-home.
• But instead of wearing cute sandals or heels, I think Colette would throw on some Converse, just to make her mother mad.
• Multiple layers of bracelets always seem edgy to me.  They seem to have that "I don't care that I'm wearing too many bracelets--I like them all!" attitude.  So I put bracelets on both arms, one being a layered look.
• Colette isn't Gothic, so I didn't want to be so edgy that I made her wear all black.  So I threw in some deep burgundy nail polish.

What do you think?  Could you see Colette, a rebellious teenager, wearing something like this?

Dress--House of Fraser

Shoes--Pac Sun

Layered Bracelets--One Kings Lane

Hoop Bracelet--Macys

Nail Polish--OPI "Just Beclaws"

Tomorrow I'll be reviewing a historical fiction book--check back to see what I thought!

Takedown-Inspired Outfit

I recently reviewed Takedown by Allison van Diepen--a book that I was so excited to see published since my students (and I) love van Diepen's urban-themed books.  Takedown was excellent, and I have to admit that the brass knuckles on the cover had me feeling pretty tough!  I was excited to design an outfit based off the characters in this book, because I am definitely the OPPOSITE of gangster and this gave me a chance to play around!

So here it is:

Don't mess with me, yo.

So here's the breakdown of the look:

• I knew I wanted a quote t-shirt, and this one had the perfect amount of "urban" without being too much.  It's a little tough, right?
• You gotta have high tops if you're going for a gangster look.  The book mentions shiny shoes, and I thought these added a nice feminine touch with the aqua stripes.
• I paired the high tops with skinny cuffed jeans.  I know, I probably should've added saggy jeans, but this is a girl's look, after all.
• A leather jacket to accent the shoes and add a touch of "tough girl."
• I didn't want to over-accessorize with a giant $ necklace (although the book mentions them!), but I thought a star was something a girl would wear.  A bright spot of bling.

So what do you think?  Does it pull off a "gangster" look?  Would YOU be bold enough to try it?

I can't wait to show you how I've been styling my bedroom--we have the coolest accent wall above our master bedroom.  That post will come this week and then I'll share about some fun posts coming up!  See you back here soon!

Shirt--Monki Katy

Jeans--Frame Denim

Jacket--Diana New

Shoes--Adidas

Necklace--Isabella via Overstock

*I am not associated with any of the companies/products mentioned.  All opinions are my own.

The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life-Inspired Outfit

Ouch!  I was supposed to post a week ago...oops.  But I have a great excuse--inventory!  Yep, it's the end of the school year which means library inventory, or as I like to call it, the two weeks when I have no life.  Because we literally scan every single book in the library to make sure everything is good to go for summer.

But I AM back today with an outfit inspired by the book The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life by Tara Altebrando.  I reviewed this book last week and am excited to share the outfit today.  Since the book revolves around a scavenger hunt, today's outfit is the perfect look for a full-day scavenger hunt.  Something comfortable with a kick-butt message.  So here it is:

Isn't it so fun?!  I could totally see my friend Cherie wear this on a regular basis (which if you don't know her, check her out!).  Let's break it down:

• A Wonder Woman t-shirt...love!  It's fun but strong, just what you need for a scavenger hunt.
• Distressed cuffed jeans.  These are comfortable and easy-moving.  Plus I love the look of cuffed jeans with tennis shoes.
• These tennis shoes are awesome!  Who wouldn't want bright teal shoes?!
• A yellow watch (gotta have a watch in a scavenger hunt!) and red stud earrings (no dangles to get in your way) round out the outfit with fun.

What do you think?  Would you wear this outfit?

T-shirt--Under Armour
Jeans--Annie Bing
Shoes--Nike Roshe Run
Watch--Marc by Marc Jacobs
Earrings--Kate Spade

 Such a fun outfit!

I'll be back tomorrow with a new book review (with a very tough cover!)--see you then!

The Killing Woods-Inspired Look

Happy Friday, readers and fashionistas!  

Yesterday I reviewed the book The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher, a mystery involving a girl whose PTSD-suffering father is accused of murdering her classmate.  Creepy, right?

Well, in the book, Ashlee (the victim) often played a game called "The Game" with her boyfriend Damon and his friends.  The Game basically involved hiding in the woods while looking for the others; then you fight with them until you get their dog collar off their neck.  The person with the most dog collars at the end of the night wins.  Totally not a game I would want to play as a girl, but to each his own, right?

Since Ashlee is the only girl that played the game, she chose a pink, girly dog collar.  So today's outfit is based off her...it's an outfit that I could see a girl wearing while running through the woods at night, with an added splash of color.  And here it is:

Athletic but girly, right?

Let's break it down:

• The shorts are the splash of color that I wanted.  Even though Ashlee would probably only want to wear dark colors in the woods (to prevent the other guys from finding her), she did choose a pink dog collar so I chose pink for the shorts.  She seemed spunky enough, too, that I could see her wearing these shorts just to prove that she could be tough competition in any outfit.  I love the tuxedo stripe along the edges of the shorts!
• The rest of the outfit was kept dark but girly--a simple black V-neck t-shirt.  Shirts like these are so comfortable.
• Cute black running shoes.  Gotta be comfortable to run in the woods, right?
• Ashlee and the guys had watches or cell phones to keep track of their time in The Game, and this one is chic and black.
• I thought I'd be clever and throw in a dog tag necklace...close enough to a dog collar, right?  It's tough jewelry with a feminine touch.  I just couldn't resist.

So what do you think?  Could you see Ashlee running through the woods in this outfit?  

Check back soon for more great posts on YA books!  Have a great weekend!

Shorts--Merona from Target
T-shirt--House of Fraser
Shoes--Nike Free 5.0
Watch--Debenhams.com
Necklace--Forever 21

*I am not associated with any of the companies or products mentioned.

Level Up-Inspired Outfit

I'm a nerd--I proudly admit it (along with admitting that I'm a complete nerdfighter!) so today's look was really fun to design.  Based off the book Level Up (which I reviewed yesterday), it combines the casualness and sometimes dorkiness of being a video gamer.  And here it is:

Doesn't this look so comfortable?  And yet it's got that fashion edge, too!

So here's the breakdown:

• The Gameboy t-shirt (which is SO CUTE!) takes the level of seriousness in this outfit down a few notches.  It's fun and fancy free!
• I added a lighter-colored cardigan because I think all outfits should have layers.
• Comfortable boot-cut jeans--a common wardrobe item and great for those who just aren't comfortable with skinny jeans.
• Pink converse shoes.  Converse shoes are both nerdy and cool, and the pink refers back to the colors in the t-shirt.

Such a simple, comfortable outfit that I think gamers would be proud to wear!  What do you think?

T-shirt--David and Goliath
Cardigan--Target (less than $25)
Jeans--Old Navy
Shoes--Converse
 
*I am not associated with any companies or products mentioned.

Tomorrow I'm back with another review--see you then!

When the Spy Needs to Stay in Shape...

Hi, friends!

Well, the snow has returned to Indiana...sigh.  I'm sending my best thoughts to the groundhog that he doesn't see his shadow in a few weeks.  We're ready for spring!!!!

But onward we go!  In my last post I reviewed Scorpia Rising by Anthony Horowitz, the 9th book in the oh-so-loved Alex Rider series.  This series is so exciting--full of suspense, thrills, and even anxiety--and I cannot recommend it enough (especially to your reluctant guy readers!).  I've designed a spy-like outfit before, so today I decided to focus more on a "get fit" look.  After all, Alex Rider has to be in good shape if he has any chance of getting away from the crazy villains in this series.  So here's today's look:

A cute look for staying fit...or for going on a mission!

• I love the pairing of the long, tight-fitting shirt with the slim workout pants.  Allows for easy movement while giving maximum effort (baggy shirts won't be getting in the way here).  I think a hot pink color is a perfect spy workout color--it's bold, in your face, and confident.
• Aren't these shoes AWESOME?!  I love the bold neon yellow color with the pink detailing.
• Sunglasses, of course, are just a necessity for a spy.  These are pretty stylish with the animal print.
• The hot pink watch is perfect for workouts and keeps the outfit girly.  Love.

So what do you think?  Would you work out in an outfit like this?

I'll be back Thursday with another book review--keep reading and stay fashionable!

Long-sleeve zip-up shirt--Under Armour

Pants--Under Armour

Running Shoes--Under Armour

Sunglasses--Under Armour

Watch--Soleus (Amazon)

*I am not associated with any of the companies or products mentioned.

Welcome to Abnegation!

Ahhh, Abnegation--the selfless.  This is the faction that I would strive to choose.  It's a tough one--they are completely selfless, choosing to forgo any semblance of pride or selfishness in order to serve others.  This is the faction that our protagonist, Tris, was born into, and she is pretty honest in describing her difficulties in fitting within the lifestyle.

As would be expected, the Abnegation residents wear gray.  This color keeps them unnoticeable in a way and definitely out of the spotlight.  So that is the color inspiration for today's look.  I chose to make this outfit an athletic look, because the Abnegation focus on working and helping rather than sitting around.  And I kept this look relatively inexpensive, since the Abnegation wouldn't spend much on their looks.  Here's the result:

Here's the breakdown:

• Of course I wanted gray as the most prominent color, so I chose a gray active long-sleeved shirt to go over a plain white tee.  These are comfortable, flexible choices that are just not in-your-face pieces.
• I wanted to add some color, though (this is, of course, an inspiration look rather than a direct representation!), so I added sky blue shorts.  the Abnegation faction always seems peaceful and calm (until the end of Divergent, but that isn't entirely their fault), and that's what light blue means to me.  And these are comfortable shorts that aren't revealing too much of a girl's body!
• These are cute tennis shoes that match the color scheme perfectly!  And Nikes are pretty universal, so I could see all members of the faction wearing the same shoe.
• Abnegation residents wouldn't wear jewelry (that shows too much pride), so I chose a simple athletic watch since it is a tool as much as a piece of jewelry.

So what do you think?  Did I pull it off?  Tomorrow is the final fashion day--I'll conquer the Dauntless look!  See you then!

Gray active shirt--Old Navy--$25
Merona T-shirt--Target--$7
Daniele Alessandrini shorts--$152
Nike Flex Experience tennis shoes--$60
Timex Ironman Triathlon sports watch--$55 (JC Penney)

*I am not associated with any companies or products mentioned.