SweetxAesthetic

Oh how I love to color block!

It is one of the most fun styles in fashion and really makes your creativity stretch to see what unconventional styles and colors you can combine. 

For the first look a paired a yellow Akira 'Around the World' tulle dress with a cropped yellow Forever 21 cardigan. I actually bought the cardigan over 2 years ago and had yet to wear it until this spectacular tulle dress entered my wardrobe. I really love this color blocking because it uses one color instead of the usual two or three. The blocking comes in my pairing different pieces together to create a cohesive but contrasting look. Then to pair down the dressiness I added Doc Marten like boots to the fit. Dressy/street wear is my token style!

Even though it's cold and bitter outside I still want to wear bright colors - it kind of helps my overall mood. I'm always looking for fun, warm and comfortable items to wear for the season. So when I saw the cutest, warmest dinosaur sweater online I wanted to jump through the screen to grab it. After impatiently waiting for the box - I ripped the package open, grabbed the sweater and started rummaging through my closet. As I threw items here and there I quickly realized that quite a bit of my stuff matched the sweater: all the better for me. One sweater I can make three different outfits with? A win win. So here are my tips on how to use one item to curate three fun winter looks!

Look 1: Style over a summer dress 

Grab a fun bodycon dress to style under the sweater. Add tights to give it a warmer look (and to protect your legs from the cold!) Style tip: Use a waist belt to tuck the bottom of the sweater in. 

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Dino sweater: Other options: Happy Face Sweater, Pink Dino Sweater

 // Dino Dress // button up // bag // platform boots

@april_jay88 Just like a zoo 🦕 🦖 #fashioninspo #nctzoochallenge #fypシ @april_jay88 ♬ ZOO - TAEYONG & JENO & HENDERY & YANGYANG & GISELLE

Purple - well more distinctly Very Peri has taken a hold of 2022 in an amazing way. Pantone has announced that the lavender blue hue is our go-to Color of the Year and I personally couldn't be more excited. Ironically in 2021 I decided to reevaluate my closet and curate a new elevated look for myself. Most of my clothes were casual chic (with some dressy sprinkled in) since I had been a Visual Merchandising Manager for so long. I had to wear stylish but comfy clothes so that I could manage my team, pick up heavy mannequins, climb up sky high ladders to put up window banners and more. So since leaving that field I was in great need of a wardrobe overhaul. 

And that's where purple comes in: it was one color I barely had anything in. I realized I bought so little purple because instead of a varying hue of purple being available it was instead just crayon purple. And to be honest that purple isn't the cutest but when paired right with other colors it can be a vibrant, head-turning look. Along with varying shades of purple I added more green (Greenbriar), yellow (Cornsilk) and blue (Tourmaline.) As well as more heels! Yeah! I then focused on only purchasing items that would elevate items I already have an viola - a whole new wardrobe and style was crafted.

So here are my style tips on how to color block outfits using Very Peri.

Do you like the new color of the year? Let me know in the comments!

For the first look I mixed and matched variations of purple with a trendy bubble coat to showcase effortless everyday style.

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 Bubble coat ($68), Option 2 ($82) // long sleeve button up ($24), River Island twist front top ($64) // TopShop faux leather joggers ($74) // silver boots ($75) Jeffery Campbell pointed boot ($121) // purple bag ($25), Berksha option 2 ($29)

"Gonna take my horse on down to the Seoul Town Road. I'm gonna ride to I can't no mo."

The image of the American west has lasted for decades. Since the 1850's during the California gold rush cowboys and ranchers threw formal-wear out the window for workwear pieces. But not until the 1950's did the style become a trend thanks to Hollywood Western movies.

The style came in many iterations. Elvis loved his denim on denim with many accents and in the 80's we saw Prince in chaps with the butt out!  In the 90's we had a love affair with cowboy boots - just check out Ginuwine's Pony - then the 2010's saw a reemergence of the denim on denim. Finally today stars like Lil Nas X and Mylie Cyrus have brought the style back more colorful than ever. With Kpop being on such a global stage there's no wonder why the industry has taken a strong liking to the style - re-interpreting it to their own Seoul Town Road.

Stray Kids Thunderous, NCT 127 Sticker, Itzy Not Shy, Hyuna's cool everyday style, Monsta X Rush Hour, Kai Mhhh, Mino Tang, SHINee Don't Call Me and Everglow's Pirate are just some of the most recent times we've seen western fashion used in Kpop. 

Unfortunately the path hasn't always been so stylish and narrow. Earlier Kpop videos like Super junior and B1A4 come off very costumey and comical. Now western fashion isn't owned by one ethnic group so wearing it isn't offensive but when teetering into wearing native American clothing is is. For example the Native American headdress worn in Big Bangs Bang Bang Bang comes off as a mockery.  Thankfully newer artists and groups have realized this been more careful opting for reiterations of the west style.

Western fashion can range from boho thrift, festival wear and all the way up to high fashion. NCT 127 used Prada Saint Laurent, Rick Owens and Peter Do: mixing men's and womenswear in the Sticker video.

Millennial and Gen Z Kpop stars are leading the way for luxury western style. So why is the style immensely loved? Let's dive into the main 2 reasons.