Blog: Crossroads Style

The Fourth of July is always a great reason to spend time with your loved ones and celebrate your love for good ole ‘Merica. Whether you’re heading to a barbecue or beach bonfire or camping out for fireworks, there’s an outfit for every occasion on Independence Day. Up your July 4th style game with a few outfit ideas from your favorite fashion bloggers. With these six easy outfit ideas, you’ll be looking patriotic in no time:

Select a monochrome outfit (in red, white or blue, obviously) that’s perfect for rocking at a barbecue or picnic.

Here’s an outfit that will take a few more pieces to pull off. Style nautical stripes with white outerwear and blue and red accents.

There’s no better way to make a statement on the 4th of July than with a stars-and-stripes bodycon suit that does all the talking. This ensemble works great for celebrating at the beach, so don’t forget to layer on the sunblock!

If you want a similar casual look for the holiday, try starting with a classic patriotic graphic tee, a pair of jeans and white sneakers. It’s comfy and cute—perfect for a barbecue and fireworks.

Red and white stripes are always a go-to pick for celebrating the 4th of July. Steal a page from The Golden Diamonds’s style playbook and pair a crop top with a striped midi skirt. Finish off this look with a star-patterned bag.

Is this not the cutest striped jumpsuit for celebrating the holiday? The best part is that this outfit doesn’t have to be worn exclusively for the 4th of July.

We are a week away from Valentine’s Day, or as some may know it, “Singles Awareness Day”. Or even just Tuesday! No matter how you view the day—whether you love it, loathe it, or choose to ignore it—take this opportunity to dress up, for a date or for yourself!

We don’t ever need an excuse to dress up, but holidays give us a reason to have just a little extra fun putting together a look for the day. Check out the outfit inspiration I’ve put together below. Don’t worry: no cliché pink and red looks here!

Day Date

Day dates are fun, relaxed, and so much more versatile than night dates. Valentine’s Day falls on a weekday this year, so this look may be for those who don’t work traditional hours or decide to celebrate on the weekend (or for those with more relaxed offices!). Find a flirty dress, throw on your favorite leather jacket, and slip on some flats so you can be prepared for anything.

Night Out

For the most common Valentine’s Day ritual—a night out with your beau—have some fun with your look and dress up a bit more than you usually would for a date night. I love this jumpsuit and choker look for a night out!

Galentine’s Day

Who says you have to be in a relationship to be surrounded by love? Head out on the town with the true loves of your life: your girlfriends! A night out (or in) with your besties should be fun and festive! For this laughter-filled night, take chances and go for your funkiest look!

Casual Night In

Whether with a date, your bestie, or yourself, we all need a night in every once in a while. Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to treat yourself to a little food, wine, and Netflix binging. This is where your comfy and casual clothes shine!

It’s that time of year again: the holidays are upon us, and the next thing we know, 2016 will be gone and we’ll have a clean slate to begin again. Instead of letting the holidays sneak up on you this year, take the time to enjoy the little joys of the season. Whether you’ve been listening to holiday music since Halloween or are slower to get into the festive spirit, check out a few of my favorite holiday activities below for enjoying the season to the fullest this year.

1. Listen to Holiday Music
“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” Buddy the Elf wasn’t wrong! Sing along to some classic holiday songs to spread a little cheer to the people you love. My personal favorite? Mariah Carey’s classic album Merry Christmas.

2. Decorate
Whether you’re into traditional or unconventional holiday décor, decorating will surely put a smile on your face and give you those warm fuzzy feelings inside!

3. Pace Your Shopping
Don’t wait until the very last minute to get all your shopping done. Create a list and take your time shopping, whether online or in-store. Shopping and spending money can be the biggest source of stress during the holidays. You may be surprised at how much more you will enjoy the holidays with a little planning and time management!

4. Do Unto Others
The holidays are ultimately about spreading love, and the best way to do that is to help people who are less fortunate than you. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, participate in a toy drive, and donate what you can, whether that be your time or money.

5. Plan a Gift Exchange
Plan a gift exchange with some of your closest friends. I love White Elephant and Secret Santa gift exchanges during the holidays to put everyone in a joyful mood. Plus, who can say no to a holiday party? Dress it up with a formal dinner, or dress it down with an ugly Christmas sweater or pajama party!

6. Have a Holiday Movie Marathon
I started this tradition with my husband last year, complete with cinnamon rolls in the morning, pajamas all day, and hot chocolate. Cozying up on the couch with a loved one or a best friend while watching all the cheesy holiday movies that you pretend you don’t love is a great way to spend quality time together.

7. Take a Day Trip
I love taking a day or overnight trip up to the mountains to play in the snow during the holiday season. Living in LA, the weather leaves a lot to be desired during the winter months, so I always make sure and take time out to go somewhere close that will cure those sunny winter blues. If you already live where it snows, take the time to go outside and build a snowman, have a snowball fight, or just walk in the snow. I end these trips with a drive around town looking at all the holiday lights. Use this Light Finder to find the best places near you!

Well, it’s that time of year again; it’s the holiday season! I love this time of year, and one reason I love it is all of the holiday parties and festivities. I love an excuse to play dress up!  Dressing up is a blast, but sometimes we need a little help or inspiration, so I looked through my favorite social platform—YouTube—and found some great how-to videos to help get you ready for all the fancy parties ahead.
–

First up is a video from VOGUE that stars one of their favorite models, Karen Elson. She takes us into her bathroom at a posh hotel to show us how she gets ready for a night on the town. Her smudged look is party-perfect!

Next is a video created by me, B. Jones Style. I teach you how to do classic Hollywood waves, which is such a great look for your upcoming holiday party. It’s the easy “cheater” version!

And finally, What Olivia Did shows us five festive party look ideas!

Running behind on Halloween preparations this year? No worries—we all get busy! This year, consider taking a detour from your usual costumes and have a bit of fun with a pop culture-inspired costume. From iconic movie characters to digital sensations, check out my list of last minute pop culture Halloween costumes that anyone can put together in a matter of a couple of hours—without going over budget!
–

Sandy from Grease

A classic, this sexy costume is easy to replicate with clothes already in your closet and a little bit of thrifting know-how.
–

Wednesday Addams, The Addams Family

I bet you’ve pulled this look off on a normal weekday without even trying! A schoolgirl-ish dress with some knee-high socks and a touch of white powder will give you an instant costume.
–

Carrie White, Carrie

Slip dresses happen to be trending, making this costume all the easier. Add a tiara and fake blood and you’ll be instantly recognizable as Carrie!
–

Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City

And now for a completely different Carrie, but one that’s still a classic pop culture icon: a Carrie Bradshaw costume will have you feeling fun and flirty!
–

Phyllis Nefler, Troop Beverly Hills

This was my favorite movie as a child. If you have access to a vintage Girl Scout uniform, you’ll have the best throwback costume at the party!
–

Alex Owens, Flashdance

This will possibly be the most comfortable costume you will ever wear. Throw on an off-the-shoulder sweatshirt, a leotard, and some leg warmers, and you’ll be right at home on the dance floor.
–

Eleven, Stranger Things

One of TV’s most mysterious characters is also one of the simplest costumes to put together for Halloween. Grab a pink dress, a blue track jacket and of course, don’t forget the Eggo waffles!
–

Rosie The Riveter

Representing strong, hardworking women in America, a Rosie the Riveter costume requires just a denim jumpsuit, a bandana, and a fierce attitude!
–

Snapchat Filters

We’ve moved on from emojis to Snapchat filters, and I think they are both more fun and easier to pull off!
–

Instagram Photo

Simply using a square cardboard cutout, paint a caption on the bottom (don’t forget all the likes!), and you’re transformed into a live Instagram photo.