I can't believe summer is already on its way! I've been waiting for summer to arrive for the longest time. The heat, the sun, the beach, the scenery, and most of all, the crop tops. Seriously. I'm eagerly awaiting the day when it'll be warm enough for me to bare a little stomach skin.

Anyway, for those of you, like me, who are looking forward to wearing crop tops in the warm sun, here are some ways you can wear these beautiful fashion pieces:

Wear them with high-waisted shorts

Crop tops are cool and all, but that doesn't mean I want to bear every inch of my stomach to the world. No way, Jose. Instead, I wear a nice pair of high-waisted shorts and rock 'em.

Wear them with high-waisted skirts

Wearing crop tops with high-waisted skirts are by far my favorite combination of an outfit ever. They're super cute, versatile, and uber fashionable.

Wear them with overalls

Ah, overalls. I'm usually not a fan of these strange fashion statements, but when it comes to crop tops... yes, please! Crop tops and overalls are a match made in heaven.

Wear a cami underneath

With my boxier crop tops, I tend to wear a cami underneath them for a little summer layering. It's super fun, cute, and less revealing. I personally have a black and white striped boxy crop top that I like to wear over my hot pink or black cami.


-Barista Mia-

Image: jess damen Read more »

Skinny Jeans

Every girl needs a pair of skinny jeans in their closet. No girl can be complete without it. They go with literally every single thing! A lifesaver in fashion emergencies, for sure.

Print Jeans

You need to be extremely careful when you're picking out print jeans for you to wear. Make sure they fit you and your style and make sure they don't look like PJs on you. If you've got these tips under control, you'll have a fun pair of jeans to wear whenever you feel like going a little hyper with your style for the day.

Bootcut Jeans

They make your legs look long. End of story.

Color Jeans

I personally have electric blue jeans right now. Once, I had pink. Next, I think I want to go for mint green jeans. I really, really love colored jeans as you can see. They make a boring outfit look absolutely awesome.

High-Waisted Jeans

There. I said it. I know many people would want to burn these type of jeans, but I think there's a way to get them to work. First, make sure your butt fills in the back of your jeans. Second, work 'em.


-Barista Mia-

Image: Maria Morri Read more »

Rule #1: Break all the rules

I don’t care if the stars aren’t wearing it, or if you’re best friend already wore it, or if it’s ‘not right for your body shape’. Wear what makes you happy. The following ‘rules’ are just to help you out if you’re having trouble. <3

Rule 2: Proportions (tops to bottoms)

If your wearing an oversized sweater, pair it with skinny jeans. Or if you’re skirt's flowy, try a fitted tank-top. Basically, try not to have your top and bottom both snug or super loose; have them balance each other out.

Rule 3: Colors

There’s supposed to be a skin tone test (the seasons one) but I never figured mine out. I just suggest compiling a list of what colors suit you, in what shades, and which ones make you look sick, tired, or just blah. Everyone’s going to be different, so what looks amazing on your friend probably won’t on you (unless of course you guys have similar coloring). If you find a color you love but just doesn’t look the best on you, keep it away from your face; wear a scarf in a more flattering color over the top of that sweater, or wear it in bottoms, shoes or accessories.

Rule 4: Fit

If you particularly want to flatter your body shape, here’s an easy way to make sure you do that: focus on what certain types of clothes make different parts of your body appear bigger/smaller. Want less focus on your bust? Wear the clothes that make you look smaller there. If you’re like me and have a kinda tiny bust, you might do the reverse. Just make sure whatever you wear isn’t way too big or small; clothes that are too big look sloppy and aren’t flattering, but clothes that are too small are just as unflattering and can actually be unhealthy (and if you’re sensitive about your weight, tiny clothes can create ‘fat rolls’ in places you don’t actually have them). So just observe your body and wear what makes you happy about how you look and what shapes you create (a full length-mirror can really help make sure you like the entire outfit, that you’re not accidentally showing off more skin than you wanted, etc.).

Rule 5: Getting the look

Basically, stand back from your mirror and make sure your top/bottom or dress/sweater whatever doesn’t crazily clash. Stripes with prints, etc. can be dangerous territory so if you’re new to this, it might be better to play it safe and have only one printed part of your outfit. So if you want to wear that polka dot dress, wear the plain sweater. Or if your pants have stripes, go with the chic, simple top. For accessorizing, pick two or maybe three things; don’t pile on earrings, bracelets, necklaces etc. etc. (unless you’re going for a new and edgy look).

So I hope these tips have helped you out somewhat, and I’ll be posting part 2 shortly, for those of you who are saying ‘yeah, yeah I know this stuff but I want more help’. :)


-Barista Nicole-

Image: Barbro Andersen Read more »

Choosing a prom dress is hard work. It's almost impossible to pick THE dress for the special evening. But, hopefully, with a few tips, the quest to find your prom dress won't seem too daunting. So here are my tips for finding the perfect prom dress for what's supposed to be the best evening of your entire high school career!

1. Begin your search EARLY

Go prom dress shopping at least four to six weeks earlier than the date of your prom night. Any later, then all the good dresses would be taken and that's not cool. Not cool at all. Besides, most formal dresses need some alteration and you need to leave time for that.

2. Plan your budget and start saving

Don't forget to leave extra cash for accessories, shoes, hair, and makeup as well.

3. Google prom dresses and take notes on your favorite styles

That way, you'll have a better idea of what you're looking for and you won't be overwhelmed by all the choices that you have when you finally go shopping.

4. Shop online, thrift, go to specialty shops, go to your favorite store, search everywhere for the perfect dress

Try on a variety of styles and colors to see what looks best on your body. At the same time, though, don't forget the notes that you jotted down in the previous step! Use the notes to narrow down the impossible search a little.

5. Pick your top five

Take pictures of your top five or so dresses. And if you can, take pictures of you IN the dresses. Then...

6. Sleep on it

Whichever dress your gut tells you is the one you should buy is THE ONE. If you don't trust your gut so much, though, you can always ask your friends' for their opinions on the dresses too. And voila. You've found your prom dress!


-Barista Mia-

Image: Emily Burnett Read more »

It's not officially spring yet. I mean, it snowed only yesterday where I'm at. I still need to be careful to wear a thick jacket every time I go out, but the weather is warming up and, well, the confusion of how to dress up every time is starting to arise in everybody's minds. What do you wear when it's cold, but not cold enough? I don't have many solutions, but I do have one AWESOME that could save you from a headache:

Wear a sweater on top of your spring dress or skirt and voila. Pure perfection. Here are some examples to follow:

Who says you can't play with colors in the winter?

Cute and comfy. Perfect for class.

When you pair a nice skirt/dress with a sweater, there's no rule that says you need to look cute. You can look chic too!

PS. Sorry for the late post, guys. I lost track of time... and Internet.


-Barista Mia-

Image: zoë biggs, Barbro Andersen

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If you’re anything like me, you’re at least a little bit obsessed with Frozen right now. An amazing story packed with love, action, humor- plus the amazing animation, scenery and costumes- what’s not to love?

So if you’re crushing on aforementioned costumes- Elsa’s ice-dress is to die for- I have a solution for you. Well yeah, sure, as far as I know there’s no way to have an actual ice-dress, but don’t let that stop you. Here are a few tips and ideas for channeling your favorite Frozen character.

Colors

Each sister has their own color. Anna and Elsa are always in, respectively, warm green and icy blue. Kristoff and Hans have a mix but you can still find pieces in their different colors and combine them to get the right feel.

Style

For the sisters, the more feminine the better. Flowy skirts and dresses, corset-like tops or cute sweaters, hair ribbons- anything girly is great for them. If you’re trying to go for the sexier Elsa, I’d recommend dialing back the sweet a bit and adding in the spicy. If you have a skirt with a knee-slit or a gauzy top, now’s the time. You could even layer a sheer top under a sweetheart top to get the look. For the guys, well, it might be harder to get their looks, but focus on shapes. Hans has broad shoulders and snug pants. Kristoff has bulky layers- you might even add a bit of fringe.

Hair

There are several styles for the sisters you could try if you have long enough hair. Two low braids, one over-a-shoulder braid, the swirl-on-the-back-of-the head braid, the coronation crown braid. Are you getting anything here? Braiding is key. ;) For the guys, well…that’s harder to accomplish unless your hair happens to look like theirs. But for Kristoff you might add a little gel to give it a wave if your hair is straight. For Hans you can part it in the middle and smooth it into humps on either side.

Makeup

With both girls, I’d use eyeliner or something to make your eyes look as enormous as possible, like Disney animation does (it’s crazy how big their eyes are, so don’t worry if you feel like you’re ‘failing’ here; it’s just a plus if you can make your eyes look larger). I’d use heavy-ish mascara, but make sure it doesn’t get too clumpy. Both girls have rosy cheeks, so add some blush. For Anna, I’d keep it natural with nude eye shadow and natural lip-gloss. For Elsa, you can go more dramatic with her eye shadow- purple and pink shades of course- and her lip color is more obvious, so stain or lipstick would work here, in a nice medium pink that goes well with your skin tone. Lastly, you can add freckles if you’re feeling extra adventurous; Elsa’s are lighter, Anna’s more prominent. For the guys you could always add some rosy cheeks or freckles, but it’s up to you if you wanna take that route or just go natural.

Combine these elements, a little or a lot, to tone down or shout out your look. It’s up to you whether only you knows you’re secretly sporting Elsa colors, of if you want everyone within five miles to know that you’re Kristoff. Just have fun and enjoy the fandom! And if you do this, I’d love if you tweet pictures- I am an enormous fan of both Frozen and fashion after all. ;)


-Barista Nicole-

Image: Frozen (2013) movie poster. It's awesome. Watch it. Read more »

I love to shop. It's a wonderful sport that (almost) everyone enjoys. Now there are a lot of different types of shopping, but I'm going to talk about a specific type: clothes shopping. My favorite. So what are the joys of shopping for clothes?

Joy #1: Getting ready to go shopping

I rush over to my closet early in the morning of my shopping day and wear something other than the usual sweatshirts I wear. I wear a nice pair of jeans, a nice blouse, and maybe a pair of heels if I'm not afraid of hurting my feet after hours of walking around looking for things to buy. I actually bother to dress up and it makes me feel all good when I'm done.

Joy #2: Hanging out with friends

Going shopping by myself is okay, but nothing ever beats going shopping with a couple of my best friends. I can chat, gossip, and exchange opinions on those boots my friend is thinking of buying. Most things become a hundred times more fun when it's shared and shopping is no exception.

Joy #3: Trying things on and taking funny pictures

Sometimes, even when I am completely sure that I am not going to buy that butt-ugly shirt, I take it into the dressing room to have some fun dressing up in the wackiest outfits with my friends. We dress up weirdly, take the stupidest pictures, and laugh like crazy as we go through the racks again. This is also really fun to do with expensive things that you'll never be able to afford. You can try on that Prada bag, snap a picture, and get chased out ofthe store for not buying anything. Ah. Memories.

Joy #4: Actually buying something

I don't know what it is about whipping out your cash that makes buying things so satisfactory. When I finally buy something after wondering whether I should buy this skirt as opposed to that skirt, I get this warm, fuzzy feeling in my heart as the cash register goes DING.

Joy #5: Wearing the stuff you bought

This is my favorite part of shopping. Suddenly, my closet looks so much fuller than before, making me happy whenever I open my closet every morning to scavenge for something to wear. I don't have to worry about, "I've already worn that a billion times. People will think I only have one top." I can just grab one of my new outfits and strut in them, feeling like a model...

Well, at least until I get tired of those new clothes and have to go shopping again *insert sheepish grin*


-Barista Mia-

Image: Je.T. Read more »

Uniforms, uniforms, don't we hate them. You could say fashion isn't my thing. Well... it's definitely not my thing, but I am as fed up as anyone of wearing the mind numbingly awkward to tie tie and the dreaded school blazer. For that reason I have compiled a list of ways to spruce up your school uniform.

1) Scarves
I absolutely adore the variety of those patterned scarves you can get these days: flowers, skulls, abstract designs. Drape one of these on on a school day to really transform your attire into something unique. If silk scarves aren't your thing you can even wear a good old winter scarf in the dead of winter. I saw a kid in my school walking about in a Gryffindor scarf, something I don't have the courage to do (yes I own a Hogwarts scarf but you have to guess what house).

2) Badges
Even a single small pin will make your uniform different but with the size of blazer lapels, you can go full out crazy with them. Make yours into a shrine for your favourite music artist if you want: whether it's One Direction or Bring Me The Horizon or anything in between—if that's your kind of thing. Otherwise you can wear just a badge or two (I'm a fan of the ones with sarcastic comments).

3) Footwear
Once you get below the knee, the school uniform seems to become a lot more lenient. I personally stick to my black Doc Martins and black tights these days but when I was about thirteen of fourteen I used to wear rainbow striped, over the knee socks to school! Maybe wear some brightly coloured tennis shoes to add some colour to your school day. If your school has a policy about black shoes though, buy the most colourful shoelaces you can get.

4) Jewellery
I know teachers go on about not bringing jewellery into school in case you lose it, but I'm not talking about bringing in a 10 carat necklace! You can usually find some brilliant, colourful bracelets that are as cheap as chips. In fact, some of the bracelets I've seen in stores around the city centre are actually cheaper than a portion of chips from the local chippie! If your teachers are super strict on jewellery, buy a nice looking watch. There are some pretty cool watches out there, and what's more, it will improve your punctuality.

5) Hair
As far as ways to accessorise your school uniform goes, this one's pretty drastic. But if you've been wanting to dye your hair, why not make it something that'll match your school wear as much as your regular clothes? Back when I dyed my hair red, it was almost the exact same colour as my maroon school tie. It wasn't deliberate but I thought it looked good anyway. If hair dye's not your thing, find some hair accessories such as bows—much better than that dull ponytail.

6) School bag
Your school bag is the one bit of compulsory school uniform that will be unique (unless someone else gets the same one of course) so make it something that will show people what kind of person you are: are you practical, what's your favourite colour, what bands do you worship, do you have an obsession with cute animals, do you follow trends or are you a free spirit?

7) Personality
The most important thing is that no matter what you're wearing your wonderful, brilliant, unique personalty shines through. I know I sound all cheesy saying this but it's what's inside that counts. A good personality costs nothing and we all have it, at least most people, but I'm sure you are one of the people who do.


-Barista Ellen-

Image: Peretz Partensky Read more »

 

Winter has finally reached its peak. I absolutely loathe the freezing January, but there's nothing I can do to stop the cold wind from entering my country. There is something we all can do though! That is, make sure we are stocked with all the winter fashion must haves. How can we survive without keeping warm and stylish at the same time?

A knit

It's warm, fashionable... what's not to love about these totally adorable knitted clothes, hm? They come as boxy tops, tight tops, and dresses, too! Wearing a knit along with leggings and loosely braided hair, you could look so chic.

Black boots

I'm actually going out this Saturday to get a pair of my own after, uh, an unfortunate adventure that involved my beloved boots' heals breaking. These shoes literally go with everything.

Leather jacket

I don't know why, but there's something about wearing leather jackets with a nice girly skirt or dress. The two clothing items complement each other really well. Of course, in some places, just a leather jacket won't suffice. Put on a pretty coat over your outfit and voila!

Scarf

Scarves are by far the most versatile item in anybody's closet. They come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and color. They keep your neck and face warm and they make an awesome fashion statement too.

Warm tights

Ah. I don't know what I would do without my favorite pair of winter tights. I can literally wear them with anything (in a stylish way, I might add) and they keep me warm too!

Denim shirt

I've recently gone all gaga over my denim shirt. It looks so good on anybody. I know a lot of people say denim on denim is a bad idea, but a denim shirt with a pair of skinny jeans looks so perfect for some reason.

Coat

Now who could forget the most important winter item of all? We'd all freeze without a coat we can snuggle in.

There you go! My winter wardrobe must haves. What does your list of must haves look like?


-Barista Mia-

Image: Barbro Andersen Read more »

 

If you all dig in through your closets, you'll notice that you aren't wearing some of the clothes that are just lying there, taking up space in your closet. So what should you do with all these clothes? You can't just keep them there until they die! Well, I'm here with a few ideas on what to do with the clothes that you just refuse to wear no matter what.

Give it a rest and come back to it some other time

There was this certain furry jacket that I barely wore last winter, but I left it in my closet. Funnily enough, although I hated the jacket last winter, this winter, I'm absolutely loving it. I wear it extremely often and many people have complimented me on it. So it's a good idea to leave certain clothes in your closet if you feel like you MIGHT give that clothing item a chance.

Google and find out how you can dress yourself with it in an original way

Most of the time, the reason I stop wearing a certain clothing item is that I get tired of wearing it and I feel like so many people have seen me wearing it already and, y'know, it's sorta embarrassing. But if you Google your clothing item, in my case it was a yellow knitted sweater, you can look for outfits that you've never put together before. I honestly never thought of wearing a dress underneath a knit and with a quick Google search, I found that putting my yellow knit over my salmon dress makes for an adorable look.

Donate

If you simply despise your clothing item, just donate it! Or you could even sell it on Facebook or give it out to your friends. It's better to give it to someone else who WILL wear whatever-it-is-you-don't-wear than let it rot at the back of your closet.

I hope these three tips help y'all. Good night!


-Barista Mia-

Image: Ann Sullivan Read more »

White tops are one of the hardest things to dress up in. It looks too plain and simple to be allowed. I personally used my white top as something to wear underneath some of my more revealing tops. A while back, I had this one white shirt that I really had to wear because there was nothing to wear (we've all experienced this), but I couldn't seem to fit it on just jeans like almost every one of my other tops. With only jeans, my outfit looked so plain. So resorting to my best companion ever, the Internet, I searched for the answer to my white top problems. And sure enough, the loyal Internet gave me answers to dress myself up in a white top in a not-so-plain way. Yay! And now, a few years have passed and I will give to you, lovely readers of Le Teen Cafe, the wisdom that the Internet has provided me with: How to wear white tops.

Wear heals

Without heals, your outfit's going to look a little too boring, but you can spice it up with a nice pair of heels. Mind, the more noticeable your heals are, the better. A white top, nicely fitted jeans, and a pair of crazy heals. Perfect.

Decorate your look with a scarf

Do a little something to make your outfit look more fun. The best part about wearing a scarf is that you can get really creative with this stuff. And you don't have to worry about colors clashing 'cause white goes with literally anything.

Wear a jacket

Here, too, you can skip the worry about color clashes. Put on any jacket and tie your hair up in a tight, high ponytail. I don't know, but for me, whenever I go biker-chic like this, my confidence level just boosts up. Maybe it'll be like that for you too. Oh, and heals. Don't forget the heals when you're wearing a jacket and a high ponytail. This just looks so awesome altogether.

Wear colorful pants or a skirt

Again, no color clash worry! Wear a pink skirt, neon blue pants, leorpard prints, I don't know. You can do whatever you want with a white shirt. Seeing as the top half of your body is plain, why not go crazy on the bottom half of your body, eh?

Do something with your hair

You can do the most outrageous stuff with your hair and it'll look alright because your plain top is balancing it all. But if outrageous stuff isn't really your thing, you can always go for a low slung fishtail braid or something. Just keep your hair down low to make up for the white nothingness on your torso area.

Accessorize!!!

Wear rings, necklaces, everything! Go grab your accessories and put them on one by one until you have no more to put on! Okay, I'm exaggerating a little, but you can put on way more accessories with a plain top than with a festive top, so go all out with your precious fake (and not so fake, if you have any) jewelry!

A white top is really simple to dress up because it's just that, a white top. It doesn't clash with anything, it goes with everything, it's perfect. So be a little creative and play around with the things in and out of your closet. You'll be surprised with how many things you can do with that white top you thought you'd never wear.


-Barista Mia

Image: Maria Morri Read more »

Christmas isn't complete until you're all dressed up for the special day! So what kind of stuff should you wear?

Dress up in red and green

Pretty obvious, right? Dress from head to toe (even your nails!) in Christmas colors and people will know right away that you're dressed up specifically for the awesome holiday.

Wear a reindeer headband

Do you even understand how cute these look? OMG. Go on. Go to the mall, buy a reindeer headband, and try them on! Ooh! They'll look especially adorable with curled hair.

If not, you can put on the classic Santa hat

I'm tired of seeing people wear Santa hats everywhere, which is why I suggested the reindeer headband, BUT if you aren't sick of them like I am... Santa hats are cute too.

Put on Christmas makeup

This is the fun part. I love to put on green eyeshadow and red lipstick! It looks so ooh-la-la and so Christmas-y.

SPARKLES!

I'm a huge fan of sparkles. Sprinkle sparkles, sparkles everywhere! If your clothes already have sparkles on them, that's cool too. Christmas equals a lot of lights and, well, in case of getting electrocuted, sparkles is a GREAT alternative.

And voila! There you have it. An outfit perfect for Christmas.


-Barista Mia-

Image: Eleazar Read more »

Everything comes and goes. Especially in fashion. Fashion fads are the worst things ever to catch up in. It seems one day, a flowy blouse is popular, but the next day, it's suddenly ew-worthy. What the heck happened in 12 hours?! Huh? Okay, I guess that's a little bit of a time exaggeration, but I have two points. I promise. Point #1: Fads don't last very long and it's unbelievably hard to catch up on the next fad unless you're some kind of fashion goddess or fortuneteller. Point #2: Who the heck cares about fads anyway? No more conforming to what your friends consider cool, no more asking Google what is "in" and what is "out". It's time to do stuff on your own. Yay!

Here are three items that I wear very often even though they're considered horrifying by the general public. And guess what? I don't care. I like them and I'm comfortable when I wear them, so leave me the heck alone.

Bootcut Jeans

No, they do NOT make me look like a cowboy. In fact, worn with heels, they look absolutely perfect. These boot-cut jeans make my legs look longer and thinner and ugh. I love them. I wear them almost every time I go outside. It's my "thing".

Collar Necklaces

These were in a while back, but they have been out of style for a little while now. Nobody seems to wear these anymore. But come on! They're cute and they complete a super simple outfit into something more fashionable! What's not to like?

Flatform Boots

Don't hit me! People really seem to hate these, but I think they look cute! They make my 5'3 stature taller without making my feet hurt like crazy after three hours. Sure, they're clunky, but come on! They're adorable.

So what does your unconventional wardrobe look like?


-Barista Mia-

Image: Vincent Boiteau Read more »

Hey girls! If you're anything like me, you have some favorite celebrities that you like to emulate. Maybe it's their awesome hairdo, or their super singing ability. Some things are nearly impossible to impersonate, but something very fun that you can do easily is get their look. The best part about it is that you don't have to have Gucci shades or a Prada purse to get your point across. You simply have to figure out your fave celeb's signature style and get a decent approximation.

One of my favorite celebrities is Taylor Swift. I love how she keeps it classy and always seems to have some sort of retro vibe going on, so those are the distinguishing trademarks I'm going to focus on. Taylor has worn skirts, pants, and dresses so the options are wide open. My favorite look of hers is when she wears a simple, forties-inspired dress, so that would be my starting point. Then I would pair it with some simple shoes, maybe ballet flats, and from there I would make the style my own with some accessories. The point isn't to try to pass for the celebrity, but to have an 'inspired by' style. If you really want to get into the look, you can do hair and makeup as well. For Miss Swift I would definitely apply red lipstick- a signature of hers- and give my hair loose, flowy curls.

You can do this for any celebrity you like; you might be surprised how simple it is to do when you figure out what it is exactly about their style that you love. However, some celebs are harder than others without a lot of altering. But even if your fave celeb is Lady Gaga, you can still accessorize like her!

I hope you have fun figuring out your celeb's look! Fashion can be tricky, so if you have someone's style you like, you can use theirs as a template to help you find your own. They don't even have to be a celebrity; maybe your sister, neighbor or schoolmate is a fashion queen! Just remember in the end that you're a unique person, and to be yourself and have fun.

I hope this helps inspire you fashionistas out there, and I'd love it if you tweet me a pic of you in your new inspired outfits!

-Barista Nicole-

Image: Taylor Swift's Twitter

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The cold season is coming up and now we've got to bulk up on our clothes to keep ourselves warm. The problem: it's stuffy, it makes you look fat, and it's uncomfortable. So is there a good way to layer your clothes to keep warm without looking like a fat penguin?

First of all, wear innerwear to keep your body heat in. A pair of warm tights (or pantyhose. You'll see why in a sec.) and a comfortable tank top would suffice.

Now this part is the important part: you need to wear the right material for winter. Wear wool, flannel, cashmere, or some other type of warm material. Don't try to wear polyester or a thin layer of cotton. You'll just freeze to death. I happen to be a big fan of knitted sweaters. They're warm, stylish, and just oh-so-perfect for the evil winter.

The bottom half of your body is where you can get a little more creative. If you're wearing a dress or a skirt, pull up a pair of winter tights to keep your legs warm. But if you're not in the mood for a dress or a skirt, wear pantyhose. They will trap nice, warm heat in your legs to keep you warm. And on top of your pantyhose, zip up your jeans and your legs are all set to battle the cold. As for your third option, you could just wear a pair of warm tights underneath your top. (Tip: If your tights aren't warm enough, you can always sneak in a pair of pantyhose underneath.)

And on top of everything, of course, wear a beautiful coat or a parka or a jacket or a whatever the heck you want to wear on top so you don't freeze.

So we've covered our body, now what about our feet? This is simple: really warm socks and a cute pair of boots. Simple enough. Even if you don't really like boots (but how could you not?), as long as you have a pair of thick socks on, you'll be fine with whatever shoes you decide to wear.

Finally, accessorize! Wear a cute beanie, a warm scarf, and a pair of the cutest gloves ever. These aren't mandatory and you can be super creative with all this stuff, so if you aren't a big scarf person (like me) or a hat person or a gloves person, you can always skip it. Be mindful, though, that the part of your skin that you expose will most likely freeze to death. Just saying.

Have a warm winter, everybody!


-Barista Mia-

Image: Maria Morri Read more »

Hunger Games fans! Tributes! Citizens! It's nearly upon us! Just two weeks till the premiere of Catching Fire, the second movie in the series, and everyone's getting ready- in Katniss' case this involves having twenty enormous designer dresses made complete with real fire. We have to be content with copying the Capitol looks though- there is such a thing as health and safety, after all. And how funky these are!

•Eyes

I am in love with the Capitol eyes. Big liner. Big shadow. Bright shadow. Wide shadow. Stripy shadow. Beautiful shadow. And as long as you don't twitch (easier said than done, I know), it's easy, too.

• Hair

  

Even more outrageous than some of our own world's people are, the Panem fashion-plates like bight pinks, purples and oranges in puffy bobs. (Game: what fruit does each citizen resemble?) If you don't want to take risk and do this to your hair, you can curl it, sprinkle in a generous amount of glitter, and tie it up with a big fat coloured ribbon- viola!

• Dresses

Simple dresses- you probably already have ones like these in your wardrobe- can be turned into a Capitol outfit when you add the makeup, hair and accessories.

•Handbag makeover

Take 1 plain handbag, apply approx. a doz. sparkly bits of ribbon, beads, etc. Sit back and enjoy the frilly, frizzy result! If you have Effie Trinket in mind while making it, you'll get just the right look.

•Shoes

Funky, chunky heels. 'Nuff said.

•Nails

The Capitol people really love their bright, unusual colours. If you're being really adventurous, try these! I'm going to.

• Dress up as a character

Or why not dress up as Katniss herself? Her District 12/hunting outfit is quite simple to copy- just add your leather jacket and long lace-up boots to a plain shirt and trousers. Instead of putting glitter on your frizzy hair, put it into a lose French plait that moves down toward one side. You could even add a bow and arrows; though be careful not to get chucked out of the cinema for use of dangerous weaponry...

So what wacky looks are you guys planning for Catching Fire? Tell us in the comments below!


-Barista Sabita-

Images:  Courtney Rhodes, Leonid Mamchenkov, K.oa, danielle_blue, Tomasz Stasiuk, Courtney Rhodes, GabboT Read more »