5 Days Of Pants

After 5 Days Of Dresses, I wasn't quite ready to commit to another 5 days of baring my legs with skirts...and so began 5 Days Of Pants! Since I had been turning to standard blue jeans during my style rut, I wanted to show myself that it's possible to wear jeans and still look fashion-forward.

Day 1

Top, Topshop.  Jeans, Forever 21.  Purse, Ferragamo.  Shoes, Steve Madden.

On Day 1 of 5 Days Of Pants I actually built the outfit around my top!  I bought this fierce, fuzzy sweater from Topshop in the midst of my dress phase and could not wait to wear it.  I thought the slate gray color would pair really nicely with navy (that color combo is huge for fall!), so I dug around in my closet and came up with these blue plaid jeans from Forever 21.  Since my shirt was so cuddly and...big, a structured navy Ferragamo bag gave the outfit some shape.  I added black heels to bring another nuetral into the mix, and topped it off with a 60s-inspired sphere ring.  I loved this outfit!



Day 2

Jeans, H&M.  Top, Forever 21.  Blazer, Vintage.  Shoes, Sam Edelman.  Hat, Nordstrom.

On Day 2 I ran back to my go-to jeans.  The contrast of something casual with something fancy is always fun, so I decided to pair them with a delicate beaded tank top- very 1920s.  Since I was headed to work, I threw a neutral blazer and nude pumps into the mix, but it still felt a little too plain.  Instead of reaching for a statement necklace or a fun piece of jewelry to jazz it up, I grabbed a baseball hat!  Baseball caps are actually super on-trend this season, and this one gave my outfit the pop that it needed.



Day 3

Shirt, Zara.  Pants, Forever 21.  Shoes, Mi Piaci.

I spent Day 3 changing my license plates, getting a smog check, and sitting at the DMV for 3 hours...so needless to say, I was looking to be comfortable.  I reached for a comfy pair of black ankle pants and a black tee shirt.  Since these pieces were soooo basic, I knew I needed to amp things up with my footwear.  I grabbed purple crystal-embellished brogues that I bought on my trip to New Zealand Fashion Week and called it a day. Purple lipstick instead of my usual red gave the whole look a goth-y vibe.  This is probably the only time you will ever see me with my hair up!

Day 4

Pants, 3.1 Phillip Lim.  Top, Nordstrom.  Necklace, Forever 21.

Day 4 was spent filming a segment on red carpet fashion at work, so I wanted to look polished.  I turned to my wide-leg pants from 3.1 Phillip Lim (I last wore them here), and added a black cropped sweater.  To give some warmth to the black and white look, I chose a wide brown belt with bronze detailing.  Since gold is warm tone (and silver is cool), I knew that my chunky gold chain link necklace would be the perfect accessory.  My shoes didn't matter, because you never saw them under my pant legs, but I wore my highest black heels to make my legs look as long as possible!

Day 5

Top, blazer, and belt, H&M.  Jeans, Naked & Famous.  Clutch, MCM.  Shoes, Steve Madden. Necklace, Topshop.

For Day 5 I was back to jeans, but this time I reached for a pair from Naked & Famous.  This brand seriously makes the perfect jeans:  there's very little stretch, so they keep their shape and wear really well!  When I first got them, they were long and boot cut, but after seeing this street style shot I was inspired to chop them into ankle jeans with a pair of kitchen scissors!  I like the result- they look just a little more chic than the originals.  Turtlenecks are back in style (yay!), and I wore mine under a grey and navy (there's that color combo again...) blazer with the arms pushed up.  A big belt buckle and a statement necklace added some pizzazz, and my MCM clutch served as a pop of (neutral) color.

I didn't have as much fun during 5 Days Of Pants as I did with my dresses, but all in all I'm proud that I pushed myself to take denim and comfy pants to another level.  It just goes to show that you can be comfortable and cool with a little styling!

Stay tuned for 5 Days Of Skirts!!

Superstar

Top and pants, Forever 21.  Shoes, Urban Outfitters.  Ring, Marc by Marc Jacobs.  Bangles, H&M.

 

Yves Saint Laurent once said, "Fashions fade.  Style is eternal."  To me, true style is present when how you look is the physical embodiment of who you are as a person.  When your style is true to who you are, it will be relevant through seasons and seasons of fashion trends.  You can have impeccable style if you only shop hand-me-downs from Goodwill; you can have style if you're decked out in the latest runway trends.  What matters is that you're wearing pieces that you have a personal connection to!  Keeping this in mind, I've been able to find inspiration in some pretty untraditional style icons.

 

 

Peggy Bundy, untraditional icon.

 

I remember the day a coworker told me my fashion sense reminded her of Peggy Bundy: I didn't know whether to be offended or proud.  After some thought, I decided I was proud to emulate Peggy- because she definitely had a look that was all her own!

 

As the wife on 80-90s television series Married With Children, Peggy Bundy lived a normal life in the suburbs with her husband and kids, but she never dressed the part.  She knew she was more fabulous than her surroundings and never succumbed to boring "mom" fashions.  From one look at Peggy you can tell what kind of person she is:  strong, proud, glamorous, and she certainly doesn't take any shit!  She celebrates every curve on her body unapologetically, which is such a refreshing break from today's stick-thin style icons.   Her particular "fashions" have faded, but her style and message live on.

 

 

Taking a look out of Peggy's book, I decided to show off my hourglass shape with some serious color and print! 

 

To me, this look is all about balance:  I wore a busy print on the bottom, so I wanted to make sure to have a solid color on top.  Since my outfit was pretty skintight, I made sure my cleavage was under wraps.  The mix of bright color and bold pattern is attention-grabbing, so plain black heels grounded the outfit. 

 

 

This balance is what makes the outfit more "Jessica DeFino" (that's me) than "Peggy Bundy." While she never cared for balancing out her wardrobe (everything was tight, low cut, bright, and printed!), this balance is one of the signature marks of my own personal style.   I think my message is pretty similar to hers though: this look says I'm fun, confident, comfortable with myself, and not afraid to be bold!  Plus, wearing yellow with my red lipstick  always makes me feel like Wonder Woman so I had an extra boost of bad-ass attitude :)

 

Fashion Tips from "Superstar":

 

1.  Realize that to others, your style is a visual representation of who you are.  Ask yourself if your look sends out the message you want to send to the world.  Ill-fitting jeans and a worn-out tee say that you don't care enough about yourself to wear clothes that fit properly; a short skirt and belly shirt say that you can't be taken seriously.  Make sure you're saying what you need to say!  And if you're not, you can ask me for help :)

 

2.  I've said it a thousand times: balance is SO important.  If you love to wear short skirts, don't pair them with cleavage-baring tops- or at least throw a fun blazer over the outfit for a sassy way to cover up!  Men can practice their balancing act on nights out by pairing a button-down/tie combo with jeans instead of dress pants- it will keep your look in "business casual" territory without feeling too stuffy!

 

3.  Find your power color(s) and consistently work them into your wardrobe!  Nothing can stand in my way when I'm wearing red or yellow- I just feel 10x more confident- so I wear my power color in the form of red lipstick everyday.  Find little ways to incorportate your colors into your everyday wardrobe: a fun hat, a statement necklace, a pair of bold sneakers.  You'll walk around with a little extra swag in your step, guaranteed!

 

Well Read

Shirt, F21.  Sweater, Ralph Lauren.  Pants, 3.1 Phillip Lim.  Bag, ASOS.  Necklace, vintage.

A few weeks ago I got a request from a reader for a post on how to wear wide leg pants, which may have actually been the highlight of my life as a blogger!  One of my goals as a stylist is to help people feel more comfortable making their own fashion statements, so if you have any questions at all about how to wear a piece of clothing or try out a new trend, please ask!  I'd love to make Hell or High Fashion as interactive as possible.

 

I picked up these white wide leg 3.1 Phillip Lim trousers at Crossroads (a second-hand shop) a few weeks ago and have been dying to wear them ever since.  Skin tight pants have been popular for so long that wearing such a loose, relaxed pair felt really refreshing!  One thing to remember with a long pair of pants: heel height is everything!  You want the bottoms of the pants to just about touch the ground, so heels are usually a must.  Tailor your pants to a length that works for your favorite high-heels.

 

My white pants seemed to be giving off a sailor vibe, so I went with nautical stripes up top.  The layerd sweater/collared shirt combo was very menswear, so a sparkly tie necklace finished off the look perfectly! I think a feminine touch is important when attempting to pull off a daring pant, and a dainty, sparkly take on a traditional male accessory seems to say, "I may be wearing pants, but I'm still a lady!"

 

The most exciting part of my outfit though was for sure my new BOOK CLUTCH!   I've seen these amazing purses disguised as books everywhere lately; Kate Spade has a collection of classics and Charlotte Olympia has made some too.  Those retail for $300 and over- totally out of my price range.  So when this little beauty popped up on ASOS.com for $35, I couldn't say no! 

 

I am thrilled with my purchase; I took this book-bag to a bar yesterday and got complimented by the bouncer, the waitors, and friends alike.  One girl even thought I was carrying around my Bible!  Love it.

 

Another way to wear wide-leg pants in to pair them with a crop top!  It's recently become acceptable again to show a little midriff in public, so I say go for it.  A look like this is bursting with confidence, and that's really all you need to pull off and out-there outfit.  If you wear your wide trousers and belly shirt with pride, no one will have a negative thing to say!

 

Here are a few other way to wear a pair of pants like this:

 

- Tuck in a fitted button down and finish off the look with a wide leather belt

- A shell blouse (a shirt with a boxy cut) would lay flush with the width of the pants for a cool 60s vibe

- A tight shirt with a shrunken blazer on top is the perfect business-appropriate pairing

 

Fashion Tips from "Well Read":

 

1.  Don't be afraid to wear something weird!  If you fall in love with a piece of clothing that isn't a regular part of your wardrobe, research different ways to wear it- or just ask me!  Never let fear stop you from indulging in fashion.

 

2.  If you're attempting to wear long, wide trousers, make sure the length of the pant is perfect.  If they are too long you'll look like a little kid playing dress up, and if they are too short you'll look stumpy.  Fit is everything!

 

3. Usually all you need to authentically pull off a look that you're not used to is a smile!  Confidence is ultimately the most important accessory- so if you feel cool in your outfit, everyone else will think you're cool, too!

 

 

 

What else do you guys want to ask?  Let me know and I'll do a personalized post for every question I get!

 

American Girl

I'm a girl who loves to play dress up. I will take any chance that I get to put a little more pizzazz into my outfits, and prime time for this kind of dressing- the winter holidays- is finally here! I'm already dreaming up my seasonally appropriate Thanksgiving outfits and even contemplating how I'll inject the Christmas spirit into my look come December. However, dressing up for the holidays comes with a big challenge: walking the fine line between "holiday cheer" and "walking greeting card". I took this idea for a test run on Election Day!

Jeans, Kill City.  Tank, Principessa.  Shoes, H&M.  Jewelry, Alexis Bittar.

I was so excited to get out and vote on Tuesday!  I mailed in an absentee ballot for the last presidential election, so this was my first time going to a polling place, waiting in line, and marking my ballot in-person.  I wanted the whole world to share in my patriotic excitement, so I put together an all-American outfit to carry me through the day.

The trick to spreading holiday cheer while still looking fashion-forward is picking one "holiday" aspect (color, print, etc) and sticking to it.  For my election day outfit, I shied away from the typical red-white-and-blue theme and focused on a black and grey palate.  Since my outfit had little-to-no color in it, I could mix these AMAZING American Flag printed jeans with a printed tank, no problem!

I think these Kill City jeans are one of the coolest things I own.  You may have seen them already- Wiz Khalifa and Billie Joe Armstrong both have them as well! (Confession: I am wearing men's jeans.)  They bring a grunge vibe to American pride- such a cool combo.

The eagle printed "Freedom" tank was an impulse buy a few weeks ago.  It reminds me of my dad, the most All-American, patriotic guy I know, and his crazy eagle tattoo.  Shout out to Papa Hector!  The slouchy, cozy fit really makes the tank a fashion-forward piece- had this print been on a plain old tee-shirt, I don't think I would've bought it.  Exaggerated armholes and a loose knitted fabric bring a level of design to the look that you just don't get from a standard tee.

The jeans-and-tank combo was a little inappropriate for my workplace, so I made sure to bring a blazer with me.

Blazer, vintage.

A neutral colored blazer tied in nicely with the muted colors of the tank and added a level of professionalism.  I love this particular blazer because it's a "shrunken fit"- meaning it fits a little bit tighter than your traditional suit jacket.  A shrunken blazer is cool instead of stuffy, and adds sophistication to pretty much anything. 

I finished the look off with gunmetal fringe earrings and stack of Alexis Bittar bangles, and of course my signature swipe of red lipstck.  But the best accessory of the day was my "I Voted" sticker!

Fashion Tips from "American Girl":

1.  When dressing for the holidays, don't go overboard.  One color or print will do the trick!  For example, wearing either red OR green (instead of a combo of both) on Christmas will keep you looking chic.

2.  Look for a neutral blazer with a shrunken fit to throw on top of little tanks and dresses.  Voila!  Office-appropriate apparel that's still fashion-forward.

4.  A slouchy tank is a great alternative to a tee-shirt.  If you're a girl (or guy) who sticks mostly to a jeans-and-tee wardrobe, mix it up a bit with a stylized tank every once in a while.  It's just as easy to wear and 10x cooler!

3.  Shop outside the box.  One of my favorite pieces of clothing in the world came from the men's section!  Don't be afraid to take a gander into menswear stores, or even the kid section.  A little girl's XXL jacket could turn out to be your favorite shrunken blazer!!

Stay tuned for my next post, where I take on a tutu!  Also, follow me on Instagram (@jdefino) for more outfit snippets throughout the week.  

Marooned



Pants, jacket, and bag; F21.  Tank, H&M.  Shoes, Prada.

If you are a regular Hell or High Fashion reader, you may remember that I did a post about these striped pants not too long ago (click here to refresh your memory).  If you're a very devoted reader, you might remember my blog post from over a year ago featuring my 8th grade cheerleading varsity jacket (click here for that very old, very embarrassing post).  I'd say my style has evolved quite a bit since then!   Today, I wanted to feature my updated take on striped pants and varsity jackets.

I've said it once and I'll say it again: I love printed pants!  They have all the ease of a great pair of jeans, but add something special to even the most basic outfit.  I've been struggling with coming up with new ways to wear this particular pair, since I don't own a lot of navy or green clothing to match these jeans and I'm (dare I say it!)  getting a little sick of black.  Enter the most versatile color of the season: maroon! (Fashion tip: referring to maroon as 'oxblood' earns you major high-fashion points.)

I wore this same maroon tank in my last post- I just can't get enough of it!  This color manages to be neutral without being boring, and it somehow seems to match absolutely everything while still adding contrast to any look.  Love it! 

This shrunken varsity jacket is going to be my go-to topper when the LA weather turns chilly.  It doesn't sacrifice fashion for the sake of warmth, which is the mark of a good coat in my book.  My Prada pumps from a few season ago matched perfectly and added a girlish charm to what could've been a pretty androgynous look. 

Lately, I've been all about the accessories so I slipped on my high school class ring to compliment the varsity jacket.  The ribbing on my vintage watch mimicked the stripes on my pants, too- it's the littlest details that make the look!

I want Hell or High Fashion to be a blog that inspires people to cultivate their individual style, so I'm going to start doing a recap at the end of each post of the fashion lessons I'm putting into practice.  I'm excited to try out this new section!  Let me know what you think.

Fashion Tips from "Marooned":

1.  Mix up the way you wear your favorite pieces- an unexpected combo might make for the best outfit!

2.  Maroon (or 'oxblood') acts as a "new neutral".  The color is so deep and rich that it can mix and match with almost anything.  Wear it as an alternative to black!

3.  Accessories make all the difference.  Thinking about little ways to inject your personal style into a basic jeans-and-tee look will take your look to the next fashion level!

I hope this post inspires you to make some unexpected fashion choices!

Also,  it's election day!!  I hope you all got out there and voted.  In the patriotic spirit of the day, here's a snapshot of my red, white, and blue Halloween costume from last week:

Happy Election Day!

School of Rock: Part 2

Pants, H&M.  Sweater, Banana Republic.  Shirt, F21.  Shoes, Zara.  Bag, Street Level.

The pressure to come up with the perfect work-appropriate outfit is high when you work as a stylist.  Getting dressed in the morning before heading to a photo shoot/video shoot/shopping extravaganza is one of the hardest parts of my job!  What I wear needs to make my clients feel like they are safe in my fashion-savvy hands, yet at the same time it can't be too showy or flashy- I am, after all, working behind-the-scenes to ensure that someone else is at the center of all the stylish attention.   Depending on where the photo/video shoot is, I may need to brave the heat/cold/wind/rain/etc, so layers are key.  And lastly, I have to be able to move around quickly in case of fashion emergencies (which occur more frequently than you may think) so heels and dresses are usually out of the question.  What's a girl to do??

Today I assisted on a photo shoot for Coach, and I decided on this pants-shirt-sweater combo.  It's casual, fun, professional, and stylish at the same time; exactly what I want in an outfit!

Printed pants have been my style savior this year!  My first boss in the industry would always laugh at me when I showed up to jobs in skirts and stilettos, and I quickly figured out why.  It's hard to feel in-charge and powerful when a gust of wind blows your skirt up in front of a major rock band, or when your heel gets caught and you fall on your face in front of a crew of Vogue photographers.  Printed pants are functional without being boring, and they bring a rock-n-roll feel to my previously prim-and-proper wardrobe.

I threw on a plain white button-up and black crew neck sweater for an English schoolboy turned rockstar vibe, while a blue spiked purse added a pop of color (and doubled as a weapon)!

Today I was all about the accessories and piled on rings, bracelets, and a necklace to pump up the volume.  Here's a close up of my baubles:

Rings (from L-R): eBay, Alexis Bittar, H&M.  Bracelets (from Top to Bottom): Kirna Zabete for Target, F21 , Skylark).

The "Bad" ring was a $0.99 deal on eBay that I could not pass up- so Lana del Rey!- and the red lips bracelet is a piece that I have been dying to wear ever since I bought it.  I generally don't wear a lot of jewelry all at once, but there's something about dripping in jewels that just makes a girl feel cool.  

I love this look and it ended up being the perfect on-the-job outfit!

The Power of Python

Pants, H&M.  Shoes, Missoni for Target.  Top, Theory.  Belt, Pierre Cardin.

Very rarely will you catch me wearing pants.  For me, nothing beats the ease of a dress- a whole outfit in one piece!- or the femininity of a skirt.  But the second I slipped on these sexy snakeskin pants, I knew my days in dresses were numbered.  These trousers have been on heavy rotation in my wardrobe for the past two weeks, and I've never gotten more compliments on a piece of clothing before- which is saying a lot!!

I've worn these python printed pants to styling gigs, video shoots, and to my retail day job and they've been praised by rockstars, stylists, and housewives alike.  I never want to take them off!!

I decided to pair them with a simple black Theory shirt that wouldn't steal the spotlight.  A red belt from Pierre Cardin served to break up the black-and-brown color palette while highlighting my waist and accentuating my curves.  

To finish off the look, I added my new and highly-coveted Missoni for Target pumps!  When the M4T line launched, I missed out on all the goodies here in LA- every Target in the city was sold out by 8:10AM!  However, my generous Momma in New Jersey was able to find a few amazing pieces left on the racks back east and scooped up these zig-zag printed heels for me.  They paired perfectly with my pants!

I also can't get enough of the detailing on the back pockets- they're topped off with the softest strips of leather!  

I grabbed my snakeskin Lulu Guinness clutch to add to the reptilian retro look.  

It seems python print is powerful enough to change my stance on pants!