How to dress your new age!

So now you are out of college, with a closet full of clothes from Hollister and Abercrombie that push your boobs up and out. You are suddenly at a new stage in life and need clothes to match this stage. This is a blog that may help with your decisions when you get up in the morning. As you go shopping, try to pick out clothes that you can wear day to day and at work. This would mean less laundry and less clothes- less money! Also, I do not have the best fashion sense, so do not base your wardrobe 100% on your blog. This is just what I am going for. Here are two fashion on a budget blogs I follow: The Budget Fashionista and The Budget Babe. Also, Shop Style is a great website for style. It has a lot of clothes that are several hundred dollars, but if you adjust your search results you will find some great bargains! 

• Tops: Button up shirts are definitely more grown up. A satin button-up blouse paired with dark wash jeans and black pumps, or a white button-up blouse paired with dark wash skinny jeans and brown boots look great. Also, slight hints of lace are nice. Such as lace on the shoulders. Guys have it a little easier. Day to day guys look fine in a nice t-shirt. But going out at night, once again a button up shirt. The photos below were taken from forever21 (female) and hudson belks (male).

• Bottoms: Dark wash jeans are always great (at least in the past few years). You ladies should have some skinny (for boots) and some flair (for heels). Also, destroyed jeans have been fashionable for awhile now. On men, tighter (not like cowboy tight, but not sagging) slightly destroyed jeans look good. Now, the jeans that I am describing are the jeans that are $100 plus. I bought a pair of big star jeans that start at $90 and only go up for $45 from plato's closet! Go check out here, especially for jeans! The female stirrup jeans (great for boots) are from wet seal. The other two are from buckle. 
  

• Shoes: To me, the most adult shoes for women are heels. There are great heels that aren't very high. I would say at least get black pumps. It takes awhile to get your feet, back and knees used to wearing heels all the time, so don't wear them to the mall your first day. I would actually suggest breaking in new shoes while drunk. I would also suggest brown boots. Beyond this, be careful! Color shoes take practice. Luckily, flats are very in style right now, so wear these as much as possible! But I still like my heels (there is a reason guys like them: they make your butt and boobs stick out the way they make you stand). As far as guys, no more tennis shoes! Never! Always dress shoes. The women's shoes should be simple enough, but I have included a pair of nice mens day to day shoes below from Belks (although I believe this may be a North Carolina based store). 
  

• Make-up: This is only for girls (sorry, you emo boys may be attractive to some girls, but in my opinion, not the sign of a mature 20 something- to each his own though)! Natural. I cannot say this enough, go natural! By this I mean don't wear bright blue and green faded eye shadows unless you want dollars in your g-strings. Use browns and blacks, earthy tones. Use light to medium browns during the day, and light, medium, and dark browns and a little black at night. The smokey look is very in right now. Here is an example of great smokey eyes. Tone it down during the day, but this is great for night. And don't expect for it to look perfect the first time! Try it out on your own, and tweak it until you create a look perfect for you! 
• Nails: This is for girls and guys! Keep your nails trimmed, or at least smooth. Do not bite your nails! Let's get specific: Guys: your nails should be trimmed, below or at the end of your finger. You don't need a manicure, but it is nice to keep a manicure kit hidden away. This goes for your toes, too! Clean your feet! Trim your toenails! Girls: Don't have those crazy long nails! It's not hygienic or professional. Or crazy nail colors! Natural nails or fake keep them just past the tips of your fingers, and keep your colors nice. Reds and pinks, or french tips. Either way, you wear nice clothes, clothes that could get pulls and runs if hang nails get snagged. Always carry a nail file, because you never know what happens! 
• Don't forget! Accessorize! Putting thought into your outfits will show maturity and professionalism. Not only necklaces and earrings, but the appropriate shoes and belts. And even jackets. Just because it's 50 degrees outside doesn't mean you can't wear a nice jacket over it. If one item in your outfit is nice, all the items should be. As you buy outfits plan them out, don't just hope you will find something that goes with it, because you may not! It's better to regret buying something for a season than to buy something and run out of money, and then never even wear it!

Dressing your age is very important. At 23, trying to be an adult also means looking like an adult. If you are anything like me and do not look your age (I am constantly mistaken for a high school student, college at best) it is even more important to dress my age. Not everyone feels like dressing up everyday, I constantly have days where I run out in sperry's and a t-shirt, but the way I see it, you never know who you will see that you want to impress (your boss, an attractive member of the appropriate sex...) so it is important to dress the way you want to be perceived. These are just suggestions based on the fashion I see and I like, but fashion is different everywhere and with everyone. I would suggest not dressing totally for someone else, you should always be comfortable and confident in your clothes!