Thursday calls for snow. Snow? Already? Well, Buffalo's weather is a whole big mood swing. The feeling of the winter in the air keeps me thinking of fashionable ways to keep warm. There are plenty of ways to achieve this look, and what it looks like is that Faux Fur is in season. Faux fur is versatile, because the different ways to style it. There is the hunter look which could be styled with the infamous-flannel that hasn't left our wardrobes since the 90's with ripped jeans, black tights with wool tights, topped off with either a fur vest/coat or even the hunter-styled hat. But, not all fur triggers hunters and hunting. Faux Fur is also could be used as a classic look. We can all walk around like it's 1920's again with the cigarette holder in our mouths with ring of red-lipstick and pretend we are that rich. Fur is not cheap- and neither is faux fur is cheap. Now, that it's in style the price value has increased. However, go by this rule:

FASHION IS AN RECYCLED INDUSTRY.

And from that thought, where is our recycled clothes end up? Salvation army. Vintage/thrifting has became the newest fashion trend but think about it: it's genius. Fashion is an industry with beautiful people, beautiful clothes, and artistic minds. Art sold on the walls never make a lot of money but fashion on our bodies sell for 2,000+. Our temptations never meet up with our fashion taste. The internet is the biggest communication port that allows our fashion minds to intertwine with others. We see other blogger's fashion, we look at what was on the runway for fall and we muse about the fashions we can never have. But, the truth is that fashion repeats itself and all the fashions can be found in the local thrift store. I scored myself a faux fur coat for only 10$ (and even though, I do not have any pictures with it..expect it to be showing up sometime soon in this blog). 10$ versus 200+? A BIG price difference. We are students in college making minimum wage. Fashion is too high for our budget thats why Salvation Armies/thrifting is a challenge to most of us. We see shopping as a style of an art, a way to represent ourselves, and make a statement. Topshop is lovely and most seen on Lookbook.nu but the quality versus the price is what we have to think twice about. Most of those looks on Lookbook.nu with Topshop labeled as their brand of choice could be created by the every-day shopping stores such as Target! (I am not trying to put down Topshop- and if I had the money to shop there I would be the happiest child- however, I don't). As a fashion student, I am surrounded by the beautifulest garments made my designers and all I can do is find the look for less. Therefore, even if people believe thrifting is an over-done fashion trend it is the most smartest fashion trend. 

When we think of ugly sweaters the first thing that comes in mind...may be Bill Cosby? Or how about the christmas sweater your grandmother would always wear? When I was a child, I always thought how could someone ever wear such a horrid thing? However,when I started to grow into the world of thrifting I realized there are a lot of gems out there that I would never think twice about. There are some diamonds that just need a few dusting off and adjustments. One of the diamonds that I have learned to enjoy are these ugly sweaters or perhaps, you wouldn't think they are ugly at all. This is going to be my first winter with the ugly sweaters so this will be interesting. But, I have a good feeling about this because the minute I put one on I felt all warm and fuzzy. I need that type of feeling for a Buffalo winter which one day could be 30 degrees and the next will be below 0 and blizzard. Not only are they warm, and fuzzy but they can be put together right! If I could show some examples off of lookbook.nu then I would but however, I believe they are against the copy button. On my "half-assed" google searched, I did find the oh-so-lovely picture of Peaches Geldof who is also, indeed wearing an ugly sweater and is sporting it ever so nicely. The point of an ugly sweater is to be big enough to wrap yourself in the sweater, feel warm, and feel pretty cool about the cool shapes! It could look nice as a dress with some leggings or stockings. But, perhaps, ugly sweaters isn't your sweater of choice. If so, then don't bash the people who enjoy the big, ugly sweaters. But, this jerk does like to speak his voice very loudly:

" I know there’s this whole trend to bring back ironically ugly sweaters, Members Onlyjackets and fashion missteps of the past, except there’s almost no way to wear that crap without looking like a clueless tool. Almost no one except you and your goofy group of friends gets the joke and you end up looking like an out of date fashion victim with only your sense of smug self importance to carry it off. You can always tell yourself that you’re so much better than the rest of us who just don’t get it."- celebitchy.com

And well, if that's your view on the ugly sweaters then at least say it a bit nicer? Who ever wrote rules for fashion anyway? Comfort goes perfectly with fashion and those big, ugly sweaters are going to keep us warm for those cold winter days! And not to mention, our sweaters even got cool designs on them! Therefore, I have broken the idea of that whoever is seen with an ugly sweater is a 'fashion victim tool' and I have started my own collection:

 I say "Party On!" with your ugly sweaters! For it will always bring you warmth and art to your body! Even Marc Jacobs parties on with me:

 

Fall has always been my favorite season. The winter is too cold and the summer is too hot in Buffalo, New York. And yet sometimes it flips around and the winter does not know rather to be cold or hot. The weather is one of the most talks  between us buffalo kids. This year it seems like the Fall has been full of rain and the very few "indian-summer" nice days. Yesterday, it got up to 70 degrees and we planned to go apple picking. I have always been a fan of apple picking- or about anything that has to do with fall festivities. Fall was always a time when the family would get together to go pick out pumpkins, haunted houses, visit farms to purchase their local apple-cider.  It seemed though the older the family has gotten the less and less we would do fall-festivities together. But, I got a chance to go apple picking in Lyndonwood yesterday with the beautiful seventy degrees that we could just not pass up. It took about an hour and a half to get to the little farm in Lyndonwood. I was already exhausted from the morning of  working so the car ride was relaxing versus the extremely stressful morning. Once we got there, we grabbed bags to go apple picking and a part of me wanted to get away from the group. There is something beautiful about being alone in fields of apples. The beauty in the apples really create an exquisite art for me. I am also known to finding art in the weirdest things but it's better than just grabbing the ripest apple and eating it and forgetting about it's existence. There are some things in the world that we forgotten about the beauty. 

However, what to do with all the rest of the apples that are left over? Well, whip up an Apple-Oatmeal Scrub ( If there is any left over from the apple pies, and the homemade apple sauce)!

Apple-Oatmeal Scrub

2 tablespoons rolled oats

1 1/2 teaspoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 medium apple, cored, peeled and finely chopped

Use a fork to mix the oatmeal and cornmeal (to exfoliate) with the honey (to moisturize) in a bowl to create a paste. Combine paste with the apple (which is packed with antioxidants) in a food processor set on pulse until well blended. Spread the mixture on your face and scrub gently in a circular motion to remove dead skin cells. Rinse with warm water, then pat dry and admire your new glow.

"The health fruit apple contains 80 to 90 per cent of water content in it. It is full of beneficial proteins, vitamins and minerals, namely, calcium, sodium, iron, phosphorous, potassium and many trace elements in small quantities as well. Apples also contain Vitamins A, B, C and its peel contains natural antioxidants."  -acnetalks.com

A person can eat up to three apples a day to be able to seeing a nicer, clearer, glowing face. However, not only is an apple good for the beauty but good for the body because of it's high in antioxidants. Not to mention, it's almost Thanksgiving and who really could turn down an delicious apple pie picked from the trees of the local farm?

Inspiration to never forget the passion for photography. 

                                                                   F.B.H

                                                          Fashion. Beauty. Health.