Earrings {Jojo’s} | Shirt {Brandy Melville} | Cardigan {H&M} | Jeans {Lucky Brand} | OTK Boots {Amazon}
Who else struggles to get ready for a night out?! Let me set the scene: A very messy room, 10 different outfits laid out all over the place, 3 necklaces on the bed, 4.5 pairs of shoes scattered everywhere, your best friend’s leather jacket on the floor…Do you know what I’m talking about? I know that in the winter in the Northeast, the temperature makes it an especially difficult task. Honestly, as a pharmacy student, I don’t go out that often but when I do it’s usually a struggle because I want to look my best & have fun with my outfit.
With the pictures in this post, I’m trying to show you that you should be creative and have fun with your going out wardrobe. You may feel like you have no options but, remember, by adding a cardigan, fun earrings, a different pair of jeans, or even a little knot you can spice up an outfit real fast. Also, remember that you should be wearing what makes you happy & what makes you feel comfortable instead of what you think some guy would like…Just have fun with your going out outfits & be yourself!
Someone suggested that I do this post and I think it’s honestly such a good idea (because the struggle is real). She requested that I focus on good places to purchase outfits that aren’t made with cheap materials (P.S. I LOVE it when you give me suggestions & feedback. Like it makes my week!). For this post, I’m going to try and focus on a good range of quality/prices and share some of my favorite trends for winter. I’ll also add clickable, shoppable widgets below each store/brand if I’m able to. Side Note: I’ll do another post similar to this one at the beginning of summer because trends and options vary A LOT. I’m going to try and keep this post as short as possible but I think there’s a lot of good options so I kind of feel like I have to write a novel to cover this topic appropriately.
First, here are some of my favorite trends/items for going out in the winter: OTK boots, leather leggings, corduroy skirts, black booties, leather skirts, platform booties, bell sleeves, lace, satin camisoles, blazers, over-sized cardigans, silk tops, off the shoulder sweaters, velvet.
Lulus.com: They have wicked cute dresses, rompers, bodysuits, and jackets plus they have a great sale section! Lulus.com also has a section called “Sexy Tops” and I laugh every time I see it (go check it out, so many good going out shirts!). Here a few of my favorite regular price items: Off-the-shoulder bell sleeve bodysuit and Two piece jumpsuit. And here are a few of my favorite sale items: Bow off-the-shoulder crop top and Backless bodysuit.
Revolve: I tend to forget about Revolve/think it’s out of my price range but honestly, they have such a great sale section and with celebrities like Olivia Culpo and Chrissy Teigen wearing it it’s a must!
Urban Outfitters: I always forget that we have an Urban Outfitters in Portland, ME. I’ve definitely been to the Boston store many more times than the Portland one but also enjoy shopping UO online. Although they can be a little too hipster for me sometimes, they have really great unique crop tops, skirts, bodysuits, etc.
ASOS: I feel like ASOS is so underrated. IDK if people just don’t know about it or what but omg they have amazing things at really good prices. I bought an $8 crop top from here last year and I am in love with it. The quality is so good! It’s a ribbed material and usually when I think ribbed I think cheap but this is not the case at all when it comes to ASOS. Also, you’ll probably notice as you scroll through the widget below, but they do an amazing job with jeans & leather!
Nasty Gal: I loovee looking on Nasty Gal. I actually haven’t purchased anything off Nasty Gal yet but I really want to and I’m very curious to find out what their quality is like. If you like fun & unique clothes they have a lot of good options for you.
Nordstrom Rack: This is another one that I feel is underrated. I remember in the past people asking me where I bought something and I’d say Nordstrom Rack and they’d be like what, where even is that?! Honestly, it could just be a Maine thing…However, my mom and I lovvee shopping at Nordstrom Rack (the one in South Portland b/c the one in Boston isn’t that good!!) whether it be for cute shoes, dress, jackets, or men’s wear, they have it all!
Free People: Being a young, hip, and trendy brand, Free People has a lot of great options for going out clothes especially if you’re going for a more casual look. If you don’t have a Free People store near you then you can find them in Nordstroms, Macy’s, or online at Lulus.com or Revolve. I’m obsessed with their infamous bralettes like this one and they have really great bodysuits like this one. Also, in case you didn’t know, Macy’s carries a brand, American Rag, that closely resemble Free People but usually costs a fraction of the price. Side note: Bar III is another good Macy’s brand for going out clothes (thanks Samm!)
Forever 21: Okay so I know a lot of people dis Forever, but honestly, when it comes to going out clothes it’s not that bad. If you’re like me than you don’t really like to rewear outfits anyways so even though Forever doesn’t have the best quality clothes I think it’s good enough for some nights out. Alsoooo I do have a little extra love for Forever after I bought their leather leggings that were 50% off $5 making them only $2.50. They’re awesome leggings! They’re stretchy, they don’t look cheap, and they’re very comfortable!!!
H&M: Again, like Forever, H&M doesn’t always have the best quality but you have to admit they have good things sometimes. I really like the basic options here.
Express: Ugh, I feel bad saying this but, I’m really not a fan of Express for going out clothes for the most part. I think that their clothes are overpriced sometimes and I feel that I get better quality at H&M and Forever for a lower price usually. However, they are good at staying ahead of the trends usually and their jumpsuits/office wear/and dresses are usually good quality.
Tobi: I kind of think Tobi is overrated. Yeah, they have a ton of cute things but the quality is pretty low and again, I feel that sometimes their items are overpriced. I also don’t love the way that their clothes fit and find it hard to get the perfect sizing.
Brandy Melville: I’m a big fan of Brandy Melville, especially because we have one of their very cute stores close by on Newbury Street. I bought a pair of their shorts for around $12 and am love with the fit and quality. The shirt that I’m wearing in this post is actually from Brandy Melville! The catch here is that their items only come in one size (hasn’t been an issue for me)!
Amazon
Victoria Secrets: Don’t forget that some of the Victoria Secrets bodysuits (found under Lingerie) can be worn out. They have some great options right now especially with the semiannual sale still happening!
Boutiques: I always have to remind myself that there’s a lot of good boutiques out there as well. This is a great option if you’re looking to be different and wear something unique. In Boston, we have LIT Boutique (great pieces but more on the expensive side), there’s also Dottie Couture Boutique online (I love following them on Instagram, they’re jumpsuits are everything), and Swirl Boutique.
Aussie Shops: Sometimes I feel like Australia shops are so on point and ahead of the trends. With most of them, you don’t even have to worry about crazy shipping fees. Some of my favorites are Tiger Mist, Bohme, Peppermayo, Hello Molly, Begging Boutique, and Mishkah. If you have any question about the international shipping rates with these boutiques feel free to ask me or look for a shipping and delivery page on their site.
Okay well, now that I shared A TON of my shopping secrets I hope you all found something that you liked or learned something new! I’m sorry that this post is so long but I didn’t really know how to stop myself, I just love putting this stuff together for you. Again, I’ll be doing a similar post in the spring/summer to address the trends then and give you even more options! For now, I suggest maybe bookmarking this post especially if you don’t have time to read through it and shop today!
XOXO ~
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