#11 - Repurposing A Romper

I love rompers. They're cute, they're charming, and they're comfortable-- it's sort of like a skort, except less tennis-y. I recently bought an olive green one from Old Navy and liked it a lot when I bought it, yet somehow liked it a lot less a month later when I actually tried to wear it. Has that ever happened to you? Apparently likability is inversely proportionate to the amount of time you wait to wear a piece of clothing. There's my nerd coming out. Anyway, although I loved the color and the drapy-ness of the top, I liked the fit a lot less and needed to find a way to repurpose the piece. Exhibit A:

TOP Olive Green Romper, Old Navy | SKIRT Taupe Bodycon Textured Skirt, H&M | EARRINGS Origami Paper Crane Earrings, stand at Comfest | NECKLACE Ohio Charm, Tiger Tree Columbus | SANDALS Studded and Jeweled Sandals, Sam Edelman | BRACELET Tribal Silver Cuff, Target

I'm indifferent towards this romper, but I loved how I was able to repurpose it as a top. It's great when you can find one piece you can wear in multiple ways, getting more bang for your buck. I only wish the lighting was better in this room so you could see the beautiful neutral colors together (olive green romper, taupe skirt) combined with a pop of color from my glasses and earrings. Stylistically, that's something I love to do: take a classic piece and make it pop with an eccentric and unique accessory that makes everyone go, "Where did you get that?!" I hear that all the time with my glasses and got lots of compliments on my earrings and of course, my totally rebellious sandals. It's fantastic!

I also can't sew particularly well and don't own a sewing machine. It's something I'd like to learn some day, but if I may, I'd like to recommend something incredibly inexpensive and useful to have in your style arsenal: the safety pin. They're cheap and can completely change the look of a piece of clothing. This romper is wide open, exposing my entire chest (I guess it's supposed to be a swim suit cover up) and is a bit too blousey/baggy when worn with a skirt. I took a safety pin to the chest to make it less revealing and took another to sweep the top flap further over the side, making it look more fitted. When you don't have time to sew: safety pins!!!

#4 Ancient Meets Modern

Yesterday, my boyfriend and I wandered around the financial district of NYC as well as Battery Park. The diversity of this city is amazing. Though I wasn't too impressed with the area, seeing the sunset over the Statue of Liberty on the waterfront of Battery Park was inspiring and beautiful.

I tried to wear something a bit more comfortable today as I knew we were going to be walking around a lot. Living in the Midwest, you sadly aren't accustomed to walking that much (I drive EVERYWHERE), but I'm enjoying the exercise and the sight-seeing. I tried to attempt "comfortable chic" and I think it worked out pretty well. I'm also happy to say I've figured out how to make my photos bigger-- hope you enjoy them!

TOP Gold "Crop" Top, Forever 21 | SHORTS Black Denim Cut-Off Shorts, Old Navy | EARRINGS Aztec Dangling Earrings, Forever 21 | SHOES Aztec Sneakers, Urban Outfitters | BAG Vietnam-Era Gas Mask Bag, Vintage | GLASSES Green Prescription Glasses, Vintage

I love these Aztec shoes I got from Urban Outfitters. They have lots of different styles, colors, and patterns and they're currently selling them 2 for $30, which is a great deal. They're a little snug so I suggest wearing them out or sizing up before you go on long walks like I did-- my feet were EXHAUSTED by the end of our long trip around the city.

The Native American/Aztec/tribal inspired looks are incredible this summer. I love the patterns on t-shirts, dresses, and sneaks. The jewelry is also so beautiful-- these are some of my favorite earrings I own! Feathers, turquoise, and tribal patterns are so whimsical and I can't wait to find more tribal-inspired items in NYC. I love pairing this trend with more modern style, like this gold top from F21.

I'm a little grumpy about the hanger loops sticking out in the pics-- Forever 21 is notorious for those (as is H&M) and I don't want to get rid of them because they're somewhat functional. Any ideas on how to fix that problem? I've been really impressed with F21's plus line this year. I never am too excited by the website, but I often find the actual stores are filled with some amazing inexpensive finds. I've packed quite a few F21 items on this NYC trip, so you'll definitely see some of their styles on display here. How do you feel about the tribal trend? Are you rocking it this summer?