The Itsy Bitsy Spider

The clock is ticking away and in less than three days we'll all (hopefully) be dressing up for Halloween! I have a last minute Halloween week #manicuremonday for you all to use or be inspired by!

You can do the candy corn nails, or the new 'bloody' trend, OR you can come up with something completely original drawn by your own hand. The nail art pen I've used for manis in past posts is great for any kind of design, as opposed to previously made decals that can't be changed. I drew up a classic creepy style for Halloween week: graveyard theme. 

One hand covered in cobwebs, the other reads R.I.P. Personalize this idea yourself, the spookier when the lights turn off the better. 

What better way to match graveyard nails than to pair a cobweb look alike sweater with neutral 'tomb color' tones? Here's my fall weather approved/tombstone inspired/manicure Monday outfit.

This time of year leg warmers are obviously a must.

button up: american eagle (mens)

sweater: guess

jeans: my pretty denim by cache cache

necklace: ralph lauren @ buffalo exchange

leg warmers: wet seal

shoes: candie's @ kohl's

Giant, shapeless sweaters may leave you stumped as to how to wear them. Instead of just layering the same white tank top underneath why not try a patterned button-up or a flannel next time you cozy into the knit holes.

Anything boys can do, girls can do better

Before this post's title starts world war 3 between all the men and women who read this blog I want to clear up that this line is only in reference to fashion (for right now). Any smart man will take a woman shopping with him to pick out clothes so he knows he will look good, and any man able to buy stylish clothes for himself is even smarter, more on a woman's level of intelligence. But separate from stereotypically having good taste in clothes, women have the ability to take a man's wardrobe and wear it themselves better than he can. I often find some of my favorite articles of clothing in the men's department rather than the women's, and that's exactly what I did for this week's thrift find.

A sweater is a sweater for the most part, but it is up to you and how you choose to wear it that determines how good of a sweater it is. If you find a gorgeous vintage Benetton sweater and wear it with plain jeans all the time, that's officially considered a waste. If you find a simple solid color sweater from the Gap or Old Navy and dress it up with shorts, leggings, tights, boots, jewelry, etc. etc. you're giving that simple sweater royalty status. Take this Buffalo Exchange recycled Hugo Boss sweater for example. It's just a basic two-faced green and navy sweater, which on it's own is already more original that a solid colored sweater. But pair it with the right patterns and other colors and instead of being the only focal point of an outfit, it becomes one of many charming aspects of one. 

collar: forever xxi

pants: target

shoes: wanted

pants: jennyfer fr

shoes: steve madden @ marshall's

beanie: michael kors

necklace: forever xxi

earrings: forever xxi

ring: forever xxi

skirt: forever xxi

scarf: collection eighteen @ macy's

boots: italian flea market

bracelet: macy's

See what I mean? It's a beautiful day to hang out your dirty laundry along with your disinclination towards subtle cross-dressing. Ladies, give the men's department a try and gentlemen, who knows, maybe man skirts will come around one day too.

- nali xo