Summer Swank & Crackle Nail Polish How-To

Today we have a VERY special post on PPT! Our photograph Allison has graciously written her own version of a summer style piece! The trends she talks about are fierce and ready to be tried out! Take a look, ladies and gents...

Summer Swank

WRITTEN BY: ALLISON ZAUCHA

Well, we are certainly in the thick of it kids.  How about this ride into summer? Guess thats why they call it sin city. All corny and over used jokes aside, it certainly is hot out there folks.  I hope you aren’t staying inside on your computers, phones, ipads and blogs, but soaking up the sun and hittin the pool!

It almost feels easier in the winter to find things to wear, to layer up the cutest clothes and combine a deliciously intriguing outfit ready for the runway.  Strip down to nothing in the summer and run naked you say?  Well maybe at Bonnaroo, but here in Philadelphia we are all trying our best to stay cool and *a la mode*.  Well while you lovely readers are either lounging pool side with Mojitos, or busting your butt in two jobs trying to save money, hopefully you can find some solace here on Pirates Prevailing Taste.


First things first, it would not be the summer if we didn't show a little skin.  While high waisted shorts are the way to go, the perfect piece to match your favorite vintage shorts is with a crop top or corset.  While we scour fashion blogs in search for the latest summer item to wear (which all seem two hundred dollars over budget), Urban Outfitters has fortunately provided us with an affordable top here.  Mixing textures is being seen among those walking the runway as well as the streets this season.  This snake-skin top is perfect for any summer concert or festival.

Whether we can make it to Coachella or Bonnaroo, the festival styles are contagious for the summer time, especially during this 70s and 60s inspired times.

Another trend that I’m sure MANY of you have seen, are already wearing, or have read about is feathers!  Well, they certainly have made their stamp and do not appear to be leaving any time soon.  Feathers have taken the world of fashion by storm and are continuing their way into Fall 2011.  However, before we get ahead of ourselves and lose our summer talking about the fall, check out the latest in feathers.  Keeping feathers looking more natural and earth toned is what to focus on people! 

Not only are feathers the latest hair craze, designers and artists are incorporating the natural tools into other wearable accessories.  Laurel Wells has created a set of fringe and feather necklaces.  

Karl Lagerfeld has his very own Chanel behind the feather obsession starting for this Fall collection.  This amazing top is beaded with primarily feathers and sequins.  

A few months ago, I put in my own feathers, which I conveniently bought on Etsy.com for only $18 and put in myself! 

While we offer all our congrats to Kate Moss on her big day and adore her wedding dress…my eyes seem to constantly wonder to something else in her wedding pictures.  I am truly in love with the flower pieces adorned by the beautiful girls in her wedding party!  Not only are they embracing the care free Bohemian feel of the summer, they are following the trends that have been swaying us back to the 70s era.  While hippie headbands are always a great accessory for fun in the sun, maybe try taking a more natural route.  It is something new and a very bold statement piece.  Whenever I am putting together an outfit, I always try to find something that isn't necessarily seen on every other person that I see walking to class.  Don't be afraid that you don't fit into a category, rock what you want to rock…fashion's not entirely about what you’re wearing, it's about your attitude!

With a little help from our friends at Chictopia, we all can create a fresh free-spirit headpiece.   Get out there and rock it! 

(click here to get this look)

Looking past the light days of summer, every fashionista must think about evenings.  I know that nights in my home city, Philadelphia, as well as Greenville can get a little cold.  Cropped tops and high waisted shorts must retire for the day.  What to wear next? Taking a direction into the fall’s next fashion step, try on these for size…ankle grazers.  Walk with me as we look at how these fresh pants can show off your figure as well as your new pumps.

While we all want to pull off the allure and style of Audrey, Urban Outfitters makes this possible showing us great affordable styles of ankle grazers!

Last month I stumbled upon these black ankle grazers in a local thrift store for a mere 6 dollars!

And finally, one of my most beloved looks for this sweet sweet summer…chiffon.  No this is not your mothers chiffon ladies and gentlemen…we may be taking it old school, but listen a little closer to the stereo, it is pumped up! 

It seems appropriate so recent to our nations birthday that we make note about the most American clothing line to date, American Apparel.  American Apparel declares everything about their productions 100% American. Well, God Bless America because this brand is a key force pushing chiffon this season.  Heard it hear, chiffon is hot this summer! 

The most appealing feature about this versatile material has to be the light fluidity of this fabric.  The fact that chiffon happens to exude an aura of effortlessness is just an extra bonus.  (Please do your best to pardon the more quality of this photo)

Regardless of this poor photo, I absolutely adore my chiffon blouse.  I wear it for several different occasions…dressed up, sexy, casual.  Just another feature of chiffon that I love this season: all of its versatility.  

I am SO excited to have written a piece for all of you!  I hope your summer’s are going fabulously with beautiful vacations, wonderful tans, and bangin wardrobes!

Best,

A


WOW. I think we can all agree that this girl knows her clothes! How epic was that piece!? I hope it inspired you to pump up your summer wardrobe and try out some of these trends! In other news, how many of ya'll have seen the chic trend of crackle nail polish? Well its been all over the fashion world lately and I am in love with it! So instead of going to the store to buy a bottle of it, I decided to come up with a homemade version! Check it out...

What You Need

1. Nail Polish Remover

2. Qtips or Cotton balls

3. A dark colored nail polish 

4. A lighter toned nail polish that matches with the darker color

5. Nail Polish cover 

6. Piece of a sponge

Steps

1. Paint nails with dark nail polish and then let it dry

2. Grab the sponge and paint the corner of it with the lighter nail polish. Then blot the sponge on top of your painted nails with the lighter color to give it the crackle effect.

3. Let the top coat of lighter nail polish dry, and then cover it with clear nail polish cover. 

4. Dip the top of a Qtip in nail polish remover and look over your nails making sure you get off any excess nail polish thats anywhere it shouldn't be!

ALL DONE! Don't you just LOVE this look? It's SO easy and adorable!

keep on keepin' on fashionistas

<3 Lindy

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FOLLOW ME, FASHIONISTAS! 

please and thank you.

<3 Lindy

Get In Touch With A Clutch

I just want to apologize to anybody and everybody who reads my blog for the excessive amounts of myself that have been featured lately. Sheesh! Why didn't anybody mention to me the overdose of Lindy? It definitely needs to be toned down. So today, instead of posting pictures of myself, I am going to tell you about a FUN, COLORFUL and VIBRANT trend for summer and fall 2011...

CLUTCHES. 

As I realized when typing my piece for CSM I realized how often colorful clutches showed up on the runway! They easily spice up your outfit and even splash on some color! Check out these chic ideas....

Make your wardrobe POP this year with a glamorous clutch! It won't disappoint.

keep on keepin' on fashionistas
<3 Lindy

Baby You're a Firework: July 4th Fashion

As many of you already know, high waisted shorts are ALL THE RAGE this summer! And not only are they adorable for warm weather, but pair them with some tights, a baggy knit sweater and boots and you have the perfect autumn ensemble! 

from: pinterest

The 4th of July has always been one of my FAVORITE holidays! Cookouts, family, friends and fireworks...what could be better than that?? So this year, to celebrate this amazing holiday, I decided to pair my new navy and brown high-waisted shorts that I bought from Forever 21 (one of my favorite stores) with a white tube top and my cowboy boots for a cute AND patriotic outfit! Check it out...

front and back view

gotta love my cowboy boots

Red nails + white shirt + navy pants = patriotic.

I decided to pair my ensemble with a burnt orange lip color. What do ya think?

What did you wear to celebrate this holiday? Hit the contact link and send me a picture of your outfit and  I'll feature you on PPT! Hope everyone had an awesome 4th of July! 

keep on keepin' on fashionistas

<3 Lindy

Misery Makeup

Apparently I like to watch music videos and then try and do my makeup and hair like the people in them. I think its because normally the people who star in them are gorgeous, like Anne Vyalitsyna. She is SO pretty I can hardly stand it. I want to look like her....and date Adam Levine (sigh) that would be the life.

Last night I attempted to do my makeup like hers from this video, except toned down a little bit because

A. I wasn't dressing up as a gorgeous model who is trying to kill someone in a music video 

and 

B. I was only going to my boyfriends church softball game, and that would've looked silly.

So here I am looking ridiculous with my smokey eye makeup and denim button down...ROCK ON!

If you want this look, here's what you do....

What You Need

1. Black pencil eyeliner

2. Black liquid eyeliner

3. Black or dark gray eyeshadow

4. Champagne glitter eyeshadow

5. Your favorite mascara 

Steps

1. Line the top of your lids with black pencil liner. Make sure its extra thick and wing the sides.

2. Go over the black liner with a dark black/gray shadow with an angle brush to make sure it looks rubbed in and to give it a smokier look.

3. Line your tear-line with black pencil liner, thicker on the outside corner of your eye and skinny towards the inside of your eye.

4. Grab your fluffy brush and dark gray shadow and fill in the outside corners of your eyes. Then top gray shadow with champagne glitter eye shadow over entire eyelid.

5. Go over bottom and top eye liner with black liquid liner to make the lines look clean and smooth.

6. Top with your favorite mascara.

ALL DONE! How simple is that? Make sure you try out this smokey eye whenever your ready for a night on the town, cus remember...misery loves company.

keep on keepin' on fashionistas

<3 Lindy

Fireflies and French Braids

As humid July nights roll in, so do lightning bugs and big hair! After a delicious dinner out to get mexican food, my family and I spent a relaxing night on the back porch reading magazines, catching fireflies in mason jars, and playing with our dog Rocky. Nights with the family normally require a casual outfit and a quick and easy hairstyle! The other day when I checked out the new Gavin DeGraw music video for Not Over You, I fell in LOVE with the main actresses messy french braid ponytail! Heres the video so you can see where I gained my inspiration....
(make sure you pause the music at the bottom of the page before watching)

Tags: Gavin DeGraw, Not Over You, Music Videos

And here is my version of it...

Its very easy and quick! All you have to do is make sure you hair is either wavy or curly after you take a shower, and then once it dries you pull your hair back into a regular french braid (making it as messy or as poofy as you like it) and then instead of finishing it all the way down just fasten it with a rubber band and pull it tight so that the ponytail is big and curly...and there ya go! Simple as THAT.

All my casual ensemble consisted of was some blue semi-smokey eye makeup, a bandeau bra, a baggy off-white tank top (knotted at the bottom) my short sleeve loose coral cardigan, some cuffed jean shorts and my brown motorcycle boots. Just another easy way to put together a cute and casual outfit for a relaxing night out to eat, or back porch sittin!

keep on keepin' on fashionistas

<3 Lindy

Big Hair Woes and New Clothes

As many of you probably know, or have realized after reading my blog...I have huge hair. It's just HUGE. That's pretty much the #1 adjective I use to describe it. So I decided to take a before and after picture of my gigantic hair (pre-straightening) to prove to ya'll just how big it is! (WARNING: Big hair picture may scare young children.) Just kidding...but really.

BEFORE 

(As you can see, even I was in shock)

AFTER

(Thank THE LORD for creating straighteners. I wouldn't be who I am today without them)

 In other news...yesterday, after 4 HOURS of shopping in Forever 21 with Laura, I left with a full shopping bag and a big smile! I mean, who doesn't love new clothes? Lately sheer and silky tunic blouses have been all the rage in the fashion world! Bloggers such as Rumi Neely from fashiontoast ...

Andy Torres from Style Scrapbook

And even celebrities like Heidi Klum have been sporting this new trend!

You can also click this link and see where my beautiful friend Leslie talked about this trend on A Blonde Ambition earlier in the week! So while I was perusing the racks at one of the most hectic, but affordable and cute, stores in the WORLD I made sure to keep my eye out for a tunic...and I found one! So my gorgeous twin and myself decided to take a PPT photo-shoot while we were getting ready for a night out with friends and boyfriends! Check it out, folks...

Me and the boyfriend!

Laura and her friend Caroline!

So if you are searching for a new top that can easily transition from Summer to Fall, then try a sheer tunic or blouse! Pair it in the summer with some cut-offs and wedges, or in the fall with some skinny jeans and boots, and you're ready to roll! Stay tuned for more Summer Style here on PPT...and keep your eye out for a Twitter account coming soon!

keep on keepin on fashionistas

<3 Lindy