Style Direction: Watercolor Goth

Hello friends!

How are you on this fine spring day? I can literally hear birds chirping outside of my window. Even the grating sound of someone continuously pressing the buzzer in my neighbor's apartment can't annoy me today.

That being said, it is finals right now, and I kind of feel like I'm going to keel over and explode at any minute now. If you are in the middle of finals as you read this, good luck and remember to breathe!

In the spirit of spring time, I've decided to write up a little Style Direction post featuring my Spring and Summer 2012 style that I'm feeling right now.

For lack of a better name, I'm going to temporarily title it

Wicked Watercolor Riot GURL

or maybe Wicked for short. Maybe FROTH- frothy fresh goth.  Watercolor Wicked? There we go.  I like them both.

So anyway, forging on! When it comes to fashion, (and life), I crush on everything.  I can't help but mix a million elements into my personal style. My ADHD addled art student brain sops up everything and mixes it in the blender to spit out a darkly glittering cocktail of INSPIRING FEELINGS.

 The recipe for my Watercolor Wicked style is as follows:

Take the fabrics, jewelry, and silhouettes of the First War era glam, dunk it in the colors of a Kathy Dennis Impressionist Watercolor, and sprinkle in the accessories of a true riot punk.

Use as many OLD THINGS as possible to achieve this look. (And remember, darling, time is elastic, and old is subjective.)

all images are click-through to source

what i'm into for summer: fluffy shorts under fifties dresses, shredded and cropped tees, Peter Pan collars, fresh-to-death colorful sneakers, gypsy jewelry, comic book tee-shirts, spiked accessories, knee socks, black, pastels, flowers in my hair, snapbacks and baseball caps.

What's your style inspiration this summer?

2012 Style Resolutions

Style Resolutions for 2012

-put more effort into styling my hair. my hair is very long and wavy, and i really only brush it a few times a week. i have three general hairstyles: topknot, down, and ponytail with a headscarf. UGH BORING. There are so many fun things to do. I really love Willow Smith's hair in the Whip My Hair music video. SO COOL!

-experiment with makeup more. It is so easy to fall into a trap of waking up late every day, smacking on some concealer and eyeliner, and running out the door in the mornings. However, my friend Jack recently did my makeup for a video shoot, and she did an amazing job! Thanks for re-opening my eyes to how flawless and fun makeup application can be.  :]

-tutorials and swag videos. I have been saying this for a while, but I'm getting really into videos and I AM GOING TO post some videos! Are there any tutorials that you would like to see? Are there any music, fashion, beauty, or whatever else topics you would like to see me talk about?

I'm gonna make this the best year ever!

What I Wore: Birthday Edition

Hello there my sweet bonbons. It's been a while! I'm returning from my little Winter Break writing hiatus and my resolution is to have a more regular updating schedule this year.

My birthday was a few weeks ago (okay, it was in December), so I thought that I'd share some fun pics.

Um, this is one of the only picture of what I was wearing at my party....

♥ black tights

♥ purple and gold polka dotted minidress

♥ Hot Pink Sequined Minnie Mouse ears that almost everyone at the party ended up wearing

♥ no shoes!  because the party never ended up leaving my apartment, hahha!

Check out this beautiful cake that my friends gave me. Thanks so much Mika and Raj, it was delicious! (Also yes that is a magazine tear out of Ellie Goulding)

SO EXCITED about the X-Men glass that was my gift to myself, and coconut cupcake given to me by my bodega dude across the street! what a sweetie.

This is what I wore during the day of my birthday-it was freezing outside!

Those stripey Uniqlo Heat Tech tights are my JAM in the wintertime.

What kinds of things do you love to wear on your birthday?

new glasses! xoxo Betsey Johnson

Hi all! How's it going? I just wanted to share some pictures with you!

I have not so great eyesight, but the upside is that I get to wear cute glasses! I got new ones recently...I ordered them without seeing the color in person first and, wonder of wonders, they happen to match my hair perfectly!

They are Betsey Johnson frames that are "rose" colored on the outside and light pink on the inside. The arms have little hearts on them, and the top of the frames have small round metal studs. SO PERFECT, SO NIKKI DEE. I am obsessed.

Sorry for all the goofy quality Photo Booth pictures lately....I am lazy.

In other news, it suddenly got cold here in New York....whattt it's still summer in my book. Do you love fall? It definitely provides us with a lot more fashion choices! Have a great weekend!

Nikki Dee's DUH Style Tip of the Day

Wearing a long dress or skirt? Is it too long? Is it windy or rainy out? Knot the hem! Knot the hem! SO EASY WHY DIDN'T WE DO THIS PREVIOUSLY?!

Also, it looks pretty cool!

Take this lovely striped maxi that I wore to class today. I'm short, so the dress goes all the way down to the ground. It looks quite pretty but is horribly inconvenient for getting to class through the (dirty) streets of Manhattan. However, once you knot the hem, it is much more manageable and gives off a different look as well.

You don't have to knot it- you can pin it, hold it up with some crazy clip, tie it with bunches of yarn....

 Here are some pictures that I took on Photobooth reallll quick to show you guys.

really awkward picture

knotted hem!

the whole dress

me trying to make photobooth work properly to get my whole outfit on the screen....hahhaha

Yeah! Has anyone tried this?

This has beeen....Nikki Dee's DUH style tip of the day!  :p

Reader Opinion: Belt Bags and Pouches

Hello lovely readers! I have so many things swirling around in my head at the moement. Summer is the perfect opportunity for inspiration and starting new. I am so excited for the semester ahead, and for all of the amazing things that are to come in the future! Woohoo!

Okay, that being said, I've been really into a really free, natural feeling style vibe lately. I think it started with my roommate's job at Free People and continued on throughout my trip in Mexico.  I always joke around that I'm a punk hippie, which I think is funny because they can be so opposite. Anyway, I've ben really into things like wearing tons of things wrapped around my arms, feather and dream catcher earrings and accessories, and....bags and pouches.

like this pouch necklace! - wow, when searching for a photo of a pouch necklace, I found so many amazing pictures that I think I want to make a few...perhaps I will make a post on pouch necklaces? Would you guys like a tutorial? Or should I just sell some on my Etsy shop? BOTH?

I am going to the Electric Zoo Festival at the beginning of September, and I am searching for an alternative to a purse or backpack. I usually wear either a small backpack or small messenger-type bag to concerts and music festivals. This time, though, I don't feel like being restricted. When I dance, I hate having all of my belongings burdening me. That being said, I am like a Boy Scout when it comes to these things- always prepared- so not having any kind of bag at all isn't really an option.

So I ask you, dear readers:

What is a good, stylish alternative to carrying a purse?

I am open to all ideas! I am your guinea pig!

What do you guys think about belt bags? I am really interested in them lately. I think because they remind me of something a fairy or a Medicine Woman would carry around trinkets and powders in. The leather ones are also quite Medieval Times in an "I collect swords" kind of way. However, do they come across as simply being a souped-up fanny pack? Because I am definitely not a fan of the tourist-at-Disneyland look.

These examples from Etsy and elsewhere on the web seem nice actually!  What do you think?

And, an extra question, if you're still with me:

How do you make really girly or natural outfits feel more tough? My instinct is always to wear boots, or studded shoes. It's all in the shoes, sometime!

What to Wear on a Long Flight

Hello, hello! Ciao, hola, bonjour, what is good?

I'm just gonna get straight to it: I've heard many requests for help about a certain topic. It's vacation time, summer study time, whatever, and many ladies are wondering:

How can I stay stylish while traveling?

How do I stay comfy yet cool on a long flight?

Well, it's actually pretty easy! There's a secret to comfy travel dressing, an it's all about these three things-

1. Comfortable, natural fabrics
2. Basic Shapes
3. Layering

Also, remember this: shoes are key! Especially when you are traveling, shoes can be the most important part of your outfit. They are the base, and if your feet are uncomfortable, you'll be unhappy and it will show! That being said, there are plenty of cute and comfy shoes out there! NO NEED TO BUY CROCS OKAY GUYS?!?! Also, you might want to wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off- TSA regulations require you to take your shoes off while going through security in the USA.

Here are some examples of some stylish, long flight-friendly outfits!

Long Flight? by nikkidee featuring screen printed t shirts

On my recent 6 hour flight to Mexico from New York, I wore basically this outfit. A loose cotton tee with some fun shorts or harem pants, a light scarf large enough to spread out over you on the plane, Toms sneakers, and a cute necklace (it's a paper airplane!) Don't forget that big ol' carry-on bag, and throw a hoodie or cardigan in it. Even if it's hot where you're going, the plane will probably be cold.

Flight Outfit, 2 by nikkidee featuring vintage boots

Here's another outfit idea- a cute midi-length dress with a cardigan. Add some cute bracelets and lace-up boots or flats and you've got an instant cute outfit.

I might add some more later, but I want to see your ideas! What's your favorite outfit to wear on a plane? Share your ideas, pictures, or Polyvore sets in the comments!

“We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of the dream. Wandering by lone sea breakers, and sitting by desolate streams. World losers and world forsakers, for whom the pale moon gleams. Yet we are movers and the shakers of the world forever it seems.”

-arthur william edgar o’shaughnessy

What I Wore

It's been so warm here the past few days... but rumor has it that it's going to snow this weekend!

Here's what I wore yesterday:

xx, Nikkidee! :]

How to Keep Your Look Hot When It Is So Damn Cold!

I love fall weather! It is my favorite season. Putting together outfits for fall is so much fun. There are so many more choices because you can layer, wear tights and boots, and wear amazing colors.

Sometimes when the weather is changing to winter, it just gets incredibly coldcoldcold. Many of my friends here at school are from other parts of the world, and many have never seen snow or experienced cold weather! I understand their plight: it can be difficult to express style when it is so cold, you don't even want to get out of bed!
In the city it also gets real windy, and in the morning I often feel tired, freezing and lazy! I often end up wearing jeans and my brother's sweaters every day. However, it is good to force myself to get up and put in some effort! Say it with me: effort! So let's drink some coffee, blast some tunes and liven up our looks!

So without further ado, here are some tips on how to stay warm while still looking hot. ;]

♥ Layering! This is the number one thing you can do. Basics are the key to layering. Here are some items that are fabulous for layering:
♥ Long sleeve tops and sweaters.
Here's an example:

layers1 by nikkidee featuring 3.1 Phillip Lim jackets

♥ tights and leggings! Wear them on their own, on top of eachother, under pants... you have tons of options.

buncha tights! by nikkidee featuring Henrik Vibskov tights

♥ Outerwear!
♥ investing in some quality outerwear is very important for surviving the cold winter. Here are some important outerwear items for winter:
♥ scarves

 scarvey things by nikkidee featuring Alexander McQueen accessories

♥ gloves. I often find that the hands, face and feet are the first parts of the body to get cold. Since they are the extremeties, it is important to keep these parts of the body warm. Don't worry! There are tons of cute ways to keep your hands warm.

glovey gloves by nikkidee featuring Yves Saint Laurent accessories

  


That's all for now :]
How do you look cute while staying warm in the winter months?
xx
Nikkidee! :]