Oxfords Aren't Just For Old British Men

First off I have to apologize for taking so long to write another post. I am really not sure how the days went by so fast. So anyway! After we did the photo shoot about Maxi dresses I had a few comments about the Oxford shoes that Erin wore with her dress. Several people were wondering how to style Oxford shoes, so this is me finally getting around to writing a post on how to style Oxford shoes!

Oxford shoes come in a ton of different colors, fabrics, and styles. So there are a lot of different ways you can wear them and a lot of different ways you can express your own style with these shoes. The great thing about them is that you can really pick your own style with them. One word of caution: they look best on people with narrow ankles. You don't have to necessarily have thin legs, just thin ankles. If you don't have narrow ankles but still love them I suggest wearing them with dark tights or dark narrow jeans to give the appearance of narrower ankles.

These three different shots of Sienna Miller show the versatility of these shoes. She is wearing the same pair of Oxford flats with three different outfits. Also, I love that red bag as much as she apparently does.  I love Oxfords with Boyfriend cut jeans, just make sure you adjust the length of your jeans based on your leg shape and length. I really like her red, white, and striped outfit. However, that skirt is dangerous. Cute, but dangerous. Either a little less volume or a little more length would be good. Despite my intense hatred for acid wash skinny jeans, I like the relaxed comfortability of the third outfit. Just switch out the acid wash disaster for normal skinny or narrow jeans. 

I love this Winter/Fall look below. In fact, I really want it for Christmas in North Carolina. The volume on top balances out the narrowness of her jeans (and ridiculously skinny legs!) and the narrow Oxfords.  Ok, I have to stop looking at this picture because I'm now starting to covet. One last thing, notice the light brown leather gloves that coordinate with the light brown leather detail in her Oxfords. Well done girl. Well done.

Another great thing about Oxfords is that they also come in heels! Yay! Oxford heels are so cute and classic looking and if you buy good ones they are super comfortable. These are Steve Madden. Also, they are gorgeous. I want them. Heels on your Oxfords dress them up and sometimes you just need that. 

This is an example of how cute Oxford heels can look. If her dress/shirt dealy was a wee bit longer this whole outfit would be fantastic. And once again, I want my bangs back. Anyway, back on topic. I love the dark teal and yellow and the light brown accents. I also want this for North Carolina at Christmas, minus the scarf. I'm not a fan of silk scarfs tied like that. Some people can pull it off, but i'm not one of them. 

So there you go! Oxfords 101. These shoes are definitely not for everyone. If you don't feel like you love them, then don't buy them. If you don't love them you won't wear them. Hopefully this helps you if you just have not been able to figure out how to wear the Oxfords you love. Enjoy!

Summer Does Not Equal Cut-offs That Show Your Booty.

If you haven't noticed, it's hot. Real hot. Unfortunately, hot can also mean trashy clothes. Sometimes it seems that people can't find the happy medium between wearing nothing when it's hot and just giving up and wearing jeans and long sleeve shirts because that's how you feel best. Believe me my dear friends, you can look cute, stay cool, and still not dress like a Jr. High girl. That is of course, unless you are a Jr. High Girl.

This first look is a look I'm really into right now. It's a little bit more of a younger look. I wouldn't recommend this on anyone over 35. Instead of wearing just your typical denim jeans, shorts, or capris and a colored top switch it up! These are blush colored denim capris (most people would need to roll them up or cuff them, this length is not great on most people) and they are great for summer. You already know I love colored pants, so I'm sure you're not surprised that I'm promoting them once again. This outfit is fresh and simple and not your typical denim. I paired the jeans with a really simple white tank top (white or cream, either one is awesome!) and a thin denim shirt to go over that. I really like that this shirt ties up because it helps to give your outfit shape and makes the denim more feminine and less bulky. Make sure if you wear a denim shirt it is thin and soft. Also, make sure you only wear a denim shirt with not blue denim jeans... avoid the Canadian tuxedo at all costs. The accessories for this outfit are also simple. I really like the wrap bracelet because it's not only a bracelet it's a watch! The necklace has a long simple chain with a cool detail at the end. Teal blues go really well with blush colors, they help to brighten up the colors. The bag is just a brown leather hobo bag. An important aspect to a carefree summer is making sure you are prepared for anything in your day. Larger bags that have detail and aren't just glorified duffle bags are key to looking put together but still being prepared!

 

This next outfit is great for really any age. It still involves fresh color, but it's a little more age neutral. I wouldn't put this on a 14 year old, but some version of it would work! Basic denim capris, a peach flowy but belted tank which will help give you a great waist and flow right over that upper/love handle area that we all love so much. Accessories are simple. There is no jewelry in this outfit except for the watch. Summer is all about simplicity, you don't want to go overboard with anything. The watch gives an extra dimension of femininity and color and it's practical too! I love wedges. They are generally way more comfortable than heels but they still give you either the height or slight shove toward a little more dressed up you are looking for. You could also wear flat sandals with this too if you wanted to. The bag is definitely a statement piece! It's woven, which I love, and it brings all the colors together. It's big enough to fit what you need but not too oversized so it doesn't look too young or casual but also not too formal or old.



I hope this inspires you to try something new this summer. You don't need to go to either extreme this summer, just enjoy the chance to wear light, flowy fabrics and color! In my world you can always wear color, but I know some people prefer to keep that to spring and summer. Crazies... Anyway! It's summer! Relax and have fun with your clothes!