STYLE GURU STYLE: Naut Your Mother's Nautical

Although we have been #blessed with a hand full of warm days here in the Midwest, my trusty iPhone tells me there are still plenty of sub-freezing days coming our way. Seeing as this is the ever so unfortunate case, in order to stay sane I am dreaming of warmer days, sunny rays and, of course, browsing through spring and summer trends.

My perusing lead me to MaxMara’s spring/summer 2016 ready-to-wear collection. This collection gives a modern take on classic nautical staples; stripes are reinvented with a bold graphic twist. In addition, the juxtaposition of structured and flowy pieces plays off of the typical trouser jean and boat-neck T-shirt combo of sailor inspired ware. Finally, the incorporation of bold primary colors in an unexpected way (i.e. via eye shadow) cemented the theme of a fresh take on maritime fashion.

This collection totally inspired me. However, some modifications were very necessary in order to make it wearable in temperatures below 40 degrees. To start my outfit, I chose a pair of dark wash flare jeans. Said pants were bought on clearance at Abercrombie & Fitch four plus years ago, but let me tell you they are comfy AF and I am now a huge advocate of bringing back the flare jean. Not only is denim warm, but the style/cut mimics that of trouser pants which were a prominent part of MaxMara’s runway collection. I then threw on my black booties to elongate my legs. On top I added a gray oversized sweater that perfectly contrasts the structure of my jeans. For added warmth, and as a nod to the use of neutrals in the runway show, I added a cream scarf. Instead of sticking to the characteristic stripes for my pattern, I chose a bag with a large floral print. Finally, I put on my maroon glasses because no amount of YouTube tutorials would allow me to pull of red eyeshadow as seen of the models.

Looking at spring/summer collections always gets me excited for warmer months, but making them wearable now makes the dreadful cold a little more tolerable, if not much more fashionable. This look not only brings together old and new, but also warm weather (trends) to colder temperatures.

Get My Look: 1. Flare jeans. 2. Oversized Sweater. 3. Floral Bag.

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