Farewell August

I can't believe tomorrow is already September. I know this will be a great month; new semester, new beginnings, FALL FASHION and lots of fun activities and celebrations lined up. In memory of August here are some outtakes of the Vogue Italia August 2010 spread. I absolutely loved the faux fur, tousled hair and rocker chic elements in the shoot. Happy September! - XO andrea

TREND: Denim Shirts

One of my very first blog posts was on the denim on denim trend we have been seeing for the past months which can go extremely wrong if you don't know how to pair pieces correctly. However, the classic denim shirt by itself is the perfect transitional piece to have in your closet. It can easily be used in any type of weather, either for layering or alone and looks great on both men and women. The great thing about the denim shirt is that you're not limited to how you wear it. Here are some styling tips to get creative with your shirt:

• As we see in the above pictures, denim shirts work really well with black. Pair it with black trousers, jeans, shorts or a skirt. (complete coincidence btw)
• Roll the sleeves, keep them down, short sleeves, long sleeves, tie a knot, unbuttoned, buttoned, half buttoned, tucked in, not tucked in; oh the possibilites!
• For a night look, wear your denim shirt as a layering piece over a dress, or a skirt and shirt combo

Essie 2010 Fall Collection

Since I'm a huge Essie fan, I decided to share with all of you their brand new Fall 2010 Collection. Essie is my go to nail polish brand; the colors are great and the bottle size is perfect. OPI has some great colors too, but I've always preferred Essie for some reason. The Fall collection has six seasonal colors that are subtle but rich in hue. From left to right: Limited Addiction (a dark red creme), Sew Psyched (a grey-green with a soft shimmer), Merino Cool (a purple grey) and Little Brown Dress (a deep coffee brown creme).

Also in the collection but not pictured is - In Stitches (a rose mauve) and Velvet Voyeur (a dark eggplant creme).

Craving some fall

So I really, really, reaaaaaally want some cooler weather. I'm getting extremely anxious for the cool to kick in so I can bring out my blazers, jackets and cardigans, which I've been so desperate to wear. Something about layers just makes every outfit so much nicer. Here are five looks from Esteban Cortezar's fall collection. The black, grey and white color scheme works so well; chic yet classic. Knee highs, motorcycle jackets and harem sweatpants are definitely on my fall wardrobe check-off list so consider adding them to yours (; Enjoy - XO andrea

DOWNLOAD NOW: Mac Miller

Very few white rappers have gained respect and success in the hip-hop industry. At 18, Malcolm McCormick aka Mac Miller, is breaking all barriers and building an expansive fan base by the minute. The Pittsburgh native started rhyming at 9 and made the hobby his life at 14 when he started recording. The young tattoed rapper, who also plays guitar and piano, sky rocketed up the success ladder when he landed a record deal with Rostrum Records. Fellow Rostrum Record artist, Wiz Khalifa, is actually a former graduate of Taylor Allerdice High, where Mac Miller also attended. He's just a regular kid following his dream, which makes his songs so genuine and laidback. Check his mixtape K.I.D.S out and all his other songs. He's one of my favorites at the moment. - XO andrea

STYLE MUSE: Leighton Meester

The Queen Bee of the Upper-Eastside is just as big of a fashionista as the character she plays on TV. Even off cameras Ms. Leighton Meester always but I mean ALWAYS looks fabulous. Living up to the epic Blair Waldorf is a tough job but Leighton surpasses it by a million in my opinion. Her personal style from day to day is casual yet chic; but when it comes to more formal looks she's a personal favorite. Her edgy get-ups with abstract prints or eye-catching details always land her spots on best dressed lists and magazines. Leighton is little by little becoming a style icon and I absolutely love it! - XOXO gossip girl (;

Worldwide Phenomenon

I always ask myself how graffiti artists manage to tag billboards and highway overpasses so perfectly. That goes to show the amount of skill and creativity they put into their work. I've always been a devote admirer of the art so since I haven't done an art post in a while here's my share of some great graffiti murals I found on the Wooster Collective. Check out that website it has some really cool posts about street art worldwide. - XO andrea

Weekend warriors

In a few hours I'm out of Miami for a short weekend getaway before school starts. Man am I dreading waking up at 6:00 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a full day of class. Since, I won't blog for the next days here's some inspiration photos for all my weekend warriors (thanks to StyleScrapbook). I fell in love with all these shots, even made one of them my background on my phone. Enjoy! - XO andrea

So done with summer

This summer Miami has been rediculously but I mean REDICULOUSLY HOT! It's one thing to have hot summer days but the scorching temperatures, humidity and random thunderstorms are really getting on my nerves. Thank god fall semester at school starts next week and that just brings two words to mind: fall fashion. Oh god, I just get the jitters even thinking about it; I look forward to it every year. There's just something about fall/winter clothes that just doesn't compare to shorts and tanks. Here's Kate Moss in the UK September issue of Vogue wearing leather, fur, animal print and black - all closet staples for this fall season. - XO andrea

TREND: Flare Jeans

Just when we thought the rivalry between the skinny and the flare was over, the 70's inspired trend is back for Fall 2010. I remember a couple of years ago when the flare was in; I had a pair in a dark wash when I was like 17. Trends always come back, it makes me second guess myself when I put old clothes in bags for my mom to give away. Oh well, gives me an excuse to go on the search for the perfect pair! Celebrities have been spotted rocking the trend on the streets in different styles, such as the loose boyfriend fit on Rachel Bilson and Katie Holmes' wide bell bottoms. Follow these tips to wear flares properly:

• If you have a large chest, please avoid high-waisted styles AT ALL costs; it really isn't flattering.
• Tuck in a loose top or wear a fitted leotard or tank.
• Flares look best with some height, so wear a pair of stacked heels or platform wedges to elongate your legs.
• Slide a belt through the loops and accesorize accordingly (:

P.S. Don't forget about your skinnys; they're a staple piece here to stay! -XO andrea

STYLE MUSE: Sienna Miller

The UK has been the homeland of one too many fashion icons and musical influences including today's style muse, Sienna Miller. This british fashionista started off modeling and is frequently compared to the iconic Kate Moss. She then made her way into the industry as an actress with her key role in Factory Girl where she played Edie Sedgwick, the 'It Girl' of the 60s. Sienna's style is usually described as boho but lately she's been switching up her wardrobe for a more cleaned up look. She's been a style muse in the fashion world for the past several years and I'm sure she'll keep her stand. XO - andrea

Forbidden forest

Everyone knows Miranda Kerr as the drop dead gorgeous Victoria's Secret model with the sweet face. However, her latest photoshoot with Sebastian Kim for Numero's August 2010 issue is completely out of her beauty boundaries. Miranda gets dark and edgy, styled in fierce black fall-inspired ensembles. I don't know about you but I'm really digging this side of her. XO andrea