The Perfect Sweater

I can't lie, I have been waiting for some winter weather. Tampa was still sitting at almost 90 degree weather during finals week. It was difficult seeing the freshmen at the pool while I still had a ton of things to do for my classes. I did survive so now that I am back home in Texas for the holidays I can wear my favorite type of clothing. This cream knit sweater is one of them! It is extremely comfortable and versatile. I love how the knit material is warm yet breathable and the neutral color goes with anything! I decided to pair the sweater with just some blue jeans and black booties. Would it really be winter with some booties? To make the outfit pop, I added this cool-toned floral scarf. The colors on the scarf stand out against the cream sweater and it gives me some extra warmth. The final touch is the blush quilted purse. The color is light enough where it doesn't take away from the outfit and really adds a chicness to it.

Alma's Approach: Scarves are so much fun to play with! Instead of wrapping it around your neck, try tying the ends into knots and wearing it. It's a unique way to work a scarf and no necklaces are needed!

If you want to get to know more about me and see other bloggers around the world check out CollegeFashionista! This is my last semester writing for them and I want it to be the best!

Sporty Chic

Alright, so I will admit that I am a bit of a shoe addict. By a bit, I mean totally obsessed with all shoes everywhere. Let me put it this way for you. I have bought so many pairs of new shoes this summer that my mom had to get a box in order for them to get back to Tampa. Hey, it's worth it especially because of these new Nike Roshe Runs! How cool is that black and white snake print? I am in love. They are versatile because of the black and white, but have an edge from the pattern. Not to mention, they are the most comfortable pair of sneakers I have ever owned.

I am definitely into the whole mixing sneakers with non-sporty outfits trend that is happening right now. I decided that these shoes were the perfect pair to try it out with. I decided to keep the black and white color scheme going with this chic black box top. The collar and the sleeves have these simple white rims around it that bring everything together. I couldn't find a more perfect match for the shoes.

For my shorts I decided to go with a light wash since I had a lot of dark everywhere else. I love how the black contrasts against the light wash and adds a hip vibe to the outfit. Of course, I had to top off this sporty chic look with my favorite red lipstick!

Alma's Approach: When you have an outfit that is based around 1-2 colors, add a pop of a contrasting color in your accessories, jewelry or make up. It adds more life to the outfit!

Knot That Maxi

Maxi skirts are probably one of the best inventions for women. You get to wear a skirt that shows off your body shape without having to shave your legs! I don't know about you guys, but shaving is such a hassle. Sometimes I just want to take a relaxing shower that doesn't involve me having to get into awkward positions just to have smooth legs. Besides, maxi skirts are super comfortable and perfect for casual days too.

For my outfit today, I kept it simple with this cutout crop top from WetSeal. By the way, I have worn this same top in black in another post here. I love these tops so much because they are so easy to throw on with anything I want, like my black maxi skirt! I love how the maxi skirt instantly adds a touch of boho to the outfit. I wanted to add a little more to the outfit, so I knotted the bottom of my maxi skirt. This made the outfit more chic and kept me cool in this 100 degree Texas weather.

Knotting the maxi skirt is also a great way to show off your shoes! I glammed it up with my nude strappy heels!

Alma's Approach: Rock this outfit for back to school by switching out the heels for some chunky booties! They're perfect for the fall season coming up!

Alma in Wonderland

Day two of exploring Gainesville, and we went to the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens. It was a mile and a half long of gorgeous plant life. There were plants that I had never seen before! It was also very relaxing just to walk around and enjoy the nature around me. Plus, I had some great company!

I wasn't expecting the trails to be as long as they were, or as humid! I was definitely sweating bullets, but I was glad I was wearing boyfriend jeans because there were a lot of bugs that I did not want on me. To go walking around the garden, I wanted to be comfortable. This means no sandals or major accessories to get in the way. I kept it simple and breezy!

I paired my boyfriend jeans with an army green top. I guess I wanted to blend in with all the plants around me. I knotted the bottom of the shirt because it was long and I wanted to give my body some shape. My favorite part of the outfit are the shoes! They look like Vans except the material is made of fake leather, and they have an edgy gold chain over it. I'm a sucker for chains and these are perfect for walking around.

I just purchased them on Thursday from Cotton On for $15! I couldn't find the exact ones I have, but I found a similar pair for $10 here! Now is the perfect time to go shopping because stores are trying to get rid of some of the summer clothes, which means sales!  Besides, summer clothes can still totally work for the fall (just saying).

Alma's Approach: For a chic look for a night out with friends, switch out the boyfriend jeans for a black midi skirt! Not only do you have the best of both worlds with a skirt and sneakers, but you will look fab-edge. You would also be photo ready for any pictures taken along the way!

Cool Florals

Orientation for incoming freshmen is always an exciting time! I was so excited for my sister to go through hers because I made so many great memories at mine. While she was learning everything she needed to know about the University of Florida, my boyfriend and I went exploring. I had never really known that there was so much more to see than just the campus itself. We decided to go to the Florida Museum of Natural History! It had a beautiful butterfly garden and a cool exhibit about the oldest, most complete T-rex named Sue.

Of course, I had to get my tourist on and bring out the boater hat. Seriously, this hat completes any outfit! I love how it adds a finishing touch to any outfit I feel unsure about. It also compliments my top very well due to the cool floral pattern. H&M has a ton of tops with similar patterns, and they are perfect for a chic touch.

I paired my top with my high-waisted, light wash shorts from PacSun. The light wash of the shorts contrasts against the dark blue top, and brightens up the whole outfit to keep it stylish for the summer. I kept the shoes comfortable with my black gladiator sandals, and thank goodness I did! I walked for like four hours straight!

Alma's Approach: Patterns are always fun for the summer! Take them into the fall season with cool tones like dark blues, purples, or dark greens.

Off the Shoulder

Oh boy, I think I have found my new obsession. Off-the-shoulder tops are just too adorable, and I can't wait to start collecting more. I found this one at Charlotte Russe on sale for $12, which is a total deal. I also love this top because of the maroon color and the lace detailing. I couldn't pass it up with the boho and '70s trends becoming a big hit this season.

Off-the-shoulder tops are a great way to enter those trends! You can easily pair them with any pair of jeans, and you're ready to go! I decided to pair mine with white pants. They have a transparent, grey tribal print on them, but it doesn't outshine the rest of the outfit.

I kept my hair up in a sleek ponytail to show off the detail in the top and a simple triangle necklace. I love how even with the simplest outfit, this top made me feel all glam for running errands. That's right, I wore this outfit to run errands with my mom. As you can see, I need to find more things to do in my hometown.

Alma's Approach: For a '70s vibe, pair an off-the-shoulder top with some high-waisted flare jeans and wedges. This makes your silhouette look amazing! For a boho vibe, pair it with a maxi skirt and a hat!

Feelin' Blue

This whole summer has been filled with work minus a few fun days off. Luckily for the month of July I have more days off of work! It's not that I don't enjoy hanging out with my summer camp kids, it just gets tiring. I'm also ready to head back to Tampa to start my senior year of college, so work tends to drag on.

To keep myself busy on off days, I'll find things to do. Besides, I love having an excuse to put together an outfit! Today's outfit was for a delicious breakfast at IHOP. You will learn soon enough that breakfast is my life. Waking up with little time to get ready, I decided to wear my harem pants. Now these aren't like the ones from the 80's. They are a more flattering fit and don't have the giant drop in between the legs. Bringing the harem pants back in a more stylish way was the best idea because they feel like pajamas!

The pattern is a mix of blues, white and black. It is a beautiful loud print that needs no help standing out. For this reason, I kept my top simple by keeping it a solid black color. The cutouts at the collar of the top add some edge to the outfit in a subtle way. I also kept the accessories simple with my rose gold Fossil watch and blue stud earrings.

Get my exact outfit by clicking the links!

Alma's Approach: With harem pants, wear a top that is more fitted to your body. This will keep the outfit balanced, whereas wearing a long loose top can swallow your body up.

Lazy Can be Cute

No girl's closet can be complete without a lazy day outfit! Lazy day outfits can still be cute and fashionable with some colorful active wear. That's why it has become such a trend for the summer. This outfit that I put together combines cute and comfy! It works for lounging or exercising if you're up to it.

My family had a long day on Saturday, so we didn't want to do anything too crazy. We decided to take our golden doodle to the lake. There are trails and roads where anyone can enjoy some nature and peaceful scenery. With that I knew I didn't want to wear my favorite dress and strappy heels.

I decided to wear my bright coral leggings with my white racer back top. This top has now become my favorite because it says "A yawn is a silent scream for coffee." It's a very accurate statement about my life. I added some black sneakers, my favorite pair of sunglasses and I was ready to go. I love colorful active wear because it's fun to style with graphic tees and patterned sports bras. The best part is you don't need to match exactly! Mixing and matching colors work for lounging around or hanging out.

Alma's Approach: Brands like Nike and Adidas are cool, but sometimes they can be a little pricey for just lounging around. Try places like Walmart or Charlotte Russe! I bought my bright leggings for $10 and a sports bra for $5!

OOTD: Happy 4th!

Man, oh, man! Did you really celebrate the Fourth of July if you didn't go to a parade or a barbecue?

This year my family spent the holiday in a parade. That's right in a parade! My father is a part of a Jeep club, and they participated in the city's Fourth of July parade. It was so much fun! We got to decorate the jeep and stand up on top of it. By the end of the parade I definitely had my princess wave down.

Obviously I had to wear red, white and blue, but I still wanted to look stylish. I put together my black high-waisted shorts and striped T-shirt dress. Black matches with any color, so I couldn't go wrong with my shorts. Also, I would not want to be wearing jeans in this Texas summer weather. Now, some may be wondering how would you wear a dress with shorts? I have an easy answer. T-shirt dresses.

T-shirt dresses are super versatile and can be worn so many ways. One of those ways is tucking in the dress into a pair of shorts, pants, or even a skirt. It's like buying a new shirt! Once I had my shorts and top figured out, I decided to stick with my white converse. Mine are pretty worn in, but go with everything. I also wanted to be comfortable climbing the jeep, and walking around.

I used my accessories to spice up the outfit, so it wouldn't just look like a T-shirt and shorts. I added a gorgeous, silver bib necklace. These type of necklaces are so in for the summer time, and I predict they are going to be staying around for the fall. They are so fancy and can make any simple outfit go from "Ehh," to "BAM." The same can be said for boater hats! I am absolutely in love with my boater hat. It looks good with everything, and the straw material works perfect for this summer occasion!

Alma's Approach: A statement piece of jewelry is a great way to add glam to a plain outfit, such as a T-shirt and jeans. Add some shoes to match and that's all you'll need!