Stark Raving Chic

Whew! What a past couple of weeks. Between the snow and deep freeze we've been dealing with here in the 'Burgh (But hey, at least we should have weather in the forties over the weekend!) and me heading back to class at Point Park University, I feel as though I already need some down time. So today, since my first class was cancelled and I had a little extra time, I decided that before heading to the city for my later two classes, I'd grab some comfort food for lunch at my favorite local pub Bridgetown Tap House.

But, before grabbing my Velvet Elvis Burger and a Guinness, since school and the cold weather have also cut into my winter styling (Admittedly, I have been more concerned about being warm these days than carefully layering and styling my outfits), I took a little extra time today to put together a cool but classic winter look, that did not sacrifice any warmth for style.

Winter Greens

For this winter street style look, I chose to pair an over sized, olive green sweater from my sponsor and affiliate Amazon Fashion along with my long loved leather moto pants from my other affiliate and sponsor SheIn! The reason I chose these two pieces for my lunch outing followed by a day filled with classes, is because both of these pieces are perfect for winter due to the fact they are so warm. I also love these two pieces together because they make for a very grunge chic look, which is great for walking around the city between class breaks as well as looking stylish on campus.

The sweater itself I have to say though, is the most impressive in the warmth department. Though this sweater is not very heavy, it is made of a polyester cashmere blend making this piece extra warm, soft, and snugly. Personally, I would say that this sweater (which comes in five colors) is a must have staple piece in anyone's winter wardrobe. Since receiving this piece it has become my go to favorite because it is so versatile. For one, due to it being over sized, you can style this piece in many different ways, such as with tights or leggings and belting it at the waist, or off the shoulder with a strappy sports bra along with some yoga pants and sneakers for an awesome athleisure look. And of course, you can style this sweater for a more grunge chic or glam look like I have in this post! So, that's three winter looks out of one piece, and who doesn't love versatility?

The reason I chose to style this piece for a more glam look this time around though, is because the '90s are making a comeback this year (I may just be a little overly excited) and we will be seeing many styles reminiscent of the grunge fashion scene in the 1990s. So, I decided to get into the trend bright and early by pairing this over sized sweater with these black leather moto pants, some huge sunglasses, and my sky high Daf Booties just to add some extra edge to my look.

The reason these pieces work so well together is because though they are somewhat contrasting in style, they both bring something to the table. The sweater keeps the look casual enough that it dials down the glamorous vibe that the boots have when paired with the moto pants. And by pairing the latter two pieces with this laid back sweater, you have the perfect balance of edgy and casual, which is perfect for the grunge clothing trend this season.

To really pull my impromptu outfit of the day together, I chose to really load it up with some accessories to add to the grunge chic feel. The accessories I chose to pair with this look are my Manhattan sunglasses, House of Harlow 1960's hoop earrings along with two of their statement rings, and lastly my Hermes scarf. The reason I chose these accessories are because I felt they complemented the over all outfit and that the colors all blended very nicely.

Finally, for my makeup, I chose to keep it simple with my City Minis Palette by Maybelline, Dior's "My Rose" blush, and the "Fawn Over Me" Liquid Lip Creme by Marc Jacobs Beauty. The reason I chose these simple shades is because I wanted to keep this look casual, and considering I went more glam with my accessories, I did not want my makeup to be too bold and take away from the outfits cool and laid back vibe.

One Last Look

What are some style trends you are super stoked about this season? And, do you have any favorite versatile winter pieces? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic! Have a super cute versatile piece you just want to show off? I'd love to see it, so feel free to tag me in your Instagram story at @StarkRavingChic. Later, babes!

Xx, Bree

P.S. Psssssst! If you love the jewelry I styled in this post as much as I do, you can try Rocksbox for a whole month 100% FREE when you sign up using my promo code "starkravingchicxoxo". Don't know what Rocksbox is or how it works? You can learn more here!

P.P.S. I am now a proud member of rewardStyle and LIKEtoKNOW.it! Meaning you can shop straight from my Instagram feed when you click here or here. Don't know what LIKEtoKNOW.it is all about? Learn more, here!

Even though the winter season has been upon us for a little over a month now (am I the only one who has had enough of this deep freeze business?), we, unfortunately, still have about 2 more months to go. And though I am sure many of us already have our favorite winter pieces out and ready to go, if you are anything like me and hate to be cold, I am sure there is always some room for a new coat or winter accessories in your closet. So to help everyone keep toasty warm and stylish through the rest of the winter, I decided to share my top style essentials for winter 2018, featuring fabulous looks and accessories from my sponsors StyleWe and SheIn!

Cozy Hats

Though I am sure hats are one of our must have favorite products in order to keep our ears and head warm, this year they are also much more stylish than years past. This season you can be expecting to see embroidered embellishments, fur accents, and lots of color which is great for giving your winter outfit a nice pop.

Items Left to Right: White Beanie With Fur Puff, Black & Grey Fur Hat, Black Beanie With Embroidered Bee, Brown Fur Cap, Classic Beanie.

Fuzzy & Fashionable Coats

It wouldn't be the winter season without snowy and cold weather, which means if you have to be outdoors for any reason, you're definitely going to need a warm coat. Though being warm should be everyone's main priority in this weather, many of us also focus on fashion and styling as well. So, this season's best looking coats have lots of patterns, color blocking, and fur! The other trend you'll be seeing more of is winter are three quarter coats opposed to shorter jackets that were more frequently styled in years past. The reason this is great is because the added length helps keep you warm.

Items Left to Right: Black, Red Print, Fur Hood, Down Coat, Tan Color Block Coat, Yellow Plaid Coat, Color Block Fur Coat, Grey Fleece Coat.

Snuggly Sweaters

Another winter style staple is no other than classic sweaters. Again, to keep warm in the winter is a must, and obviously you can do this through layering warm pieces with your sweaters or cardigans. This year, much like with coats, the sweater trends include pops of color, color blocking, and loads of embroidering.

Items Left to Right: Pink Color Block Cardigan, Light Grey Sweater, White Embroidered Sweater, Tan Patchwork Sweater, White and Tan Cardigan.

Captivating Capes

Here is probably my favorite style trend of winter 2018: Capes. I have always loved capes ever since I was little just because they have such a pretty and sophisticated look to them, so I'm surprised it took this long for this trend to catch on! The trends you'll be seeing in capes will include pretty accents such as buttons and bows, along with fur and fur trim.

Items Left to Right: Black Double Breasted Cape, Long Black Cape with Fur Trim, Maroon Cape with Bow, Short Green Cape, Red Print Cape.

Gorgeous Gloves

Another important accessory that is a must are gloves! Though many of us just wear gloves as a extra precaution to keep us warm, they're also essential to keep your hands from getting chapped and cracked during the cold winter months. Big trends that you will be seeing in gloves this season will be fur trims and accents, along with deep lush colors.

Items Left to Right: Black Fur Cuff Gloves, Grey Puff Ball Mittens, Red Fur Puff Ball Gloves, Grey Fold Back Mittens, Grey Patchwork Gloves.

Wonderfully Warm Winter Dresses

Though I personally avoid wearing dresses at all costs during the winter, sometimes I have events that require me to be a little more dressed up than just jeans and a sweater. So, considering I'm sure most of my readers have a similar dilemma, I decided to include some of my favorite dress trends for winter 2018. The top trends you will be seeing are cowl neck or turtle neck sweater dresses, a lot of plaid, fur accents, bold colors, and velvet.

Items Left to Right: Long Tan Sweater Dress, Rose Calf Length Sweater Dress, Royal Blue Velvet Dress, Grey Dress With Fur Collar, Grey Wool Plaid Dress.

Statement Making Pants

In case you are really opposed to wearing dresses in the cold months, another route to go is to add some dress pants to your wardrobe. And actually, due to the cool styles and trends in pants we will be seeing this winter, there is really no better time to snag some! Much like with dresses, you'll see lots of bold colors and patterns, along with pretty velvet material this season. Another trend is actually wide leg pants, which is quite the switch from the tapered and skinny pants we've been accustom to seeing in past years.

Items Left to Right: Blue Velvet Pants, Tan and Green Plaid Pants, Olive Wool Pants, Velvet Multi Color Print Pants, Yellow Wide Leg Pants.

Bold Boots

Last but not least, one of the most important things to keep warm are our feet, which means in the winter season we definitely need to invest in some warm boots! The top boot trends in 2018 include patterned boots, bold colors, fur accents, along with suede accents.

Items Left to Right: Purple Bow Boots, Black Suede Boots, Black Leather Boots, Brown Checkered Boots, Brown Knee High Boots.

What are some of you favorite style trends this winter season? Let's chat about it in the comments below or you can tweet me at @StarkRavingChic! Later, babes, try and stay warm!

Xx, Bree

P.S. Having trouble finding all the goods you see here and on my Instagram? Fear not! I am a member of rewardStyle and LIKEtoKNOW.it! Meaning you can shop straight from my Instagram feed when you click here or here. Don't know what LIKEtoKNOW.it is all about? Learn more, here!