The overarching theme of spring 2014 has been very youthful, and what is more youthful than being in peak physical condition and getting sporty? Whether you are a Sochi-bound Olympian or a total couch potato, you can at least dress the part of the stylish athlete.

Mesh, jersey numbers, tube socks, sneakers, and more were spotted on the spring runways. Paired with slicked-back hair and a bold lip to keep the look from appearing too after-6th-period-gym, this look is stylish, edgy, and - dare we say - practical! 

J.Crew Casual Jackets · Milly Cocktail Dresses · DKNY Leather Jackets

On Saturday January 25th, twenty Los Angeles museums opened up their doors free of charge. I was absolutely delighted by Los Angeles Museum Day and the huge turnout at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (aka LACMA), and as an art history major, I couldn't help but to take advantage of free admission to an otherwise costly cultural institution.

The fact that the LACMA West was currently hosting "DVF: Journey of a Dress" only further inspired me to make Saturday one of culture and fashion, and my Big (sorority sister) and I ventured to West Hollywood to learn all about the wrap dress.

If you are in the Los Angeles area (or visiting before April 1, when the exhibition ends) I highly recommend stopping by the Diane von Furstenberg retrospective. It's free (!!) and it is very well done.

Filled with the punchy prints and bold colors that Diane is known for, the visitor is lead through a visual timeline of the iconic wrap dress, with a series of images from magazines and pop culture emphasizing the far-reaching power of the working woman staple.

A society girl and one-time princess (yes, you read that right - Furstenberg was married to a German prince once upon a time; when they divorced, she decided to keep the last name) may have been an unlikely candidate for everywoman fashion icon, but if the last forty years have taught us anything, it's that DvF knows how to make a woman look beautiful and powerful.

Her signature quote, "Feel like a woman. Wear a dress!" perfectly resonates with her iconic dress and the motto of the seventies, but the quote is just as relevant in the twenty-first century.

After walking through the timeline hallway, one emerges into an expansive room filled with archival dresses, punctuated by loud geometric patterns and prints that wrap around the floors and walls. The collection of wrap dresses is separated into five categories (black & white, animal print, geometric, nature, and multicolor) and includes both pieces from the past and present.

Another room served as an art gallery, with paintings, drawings, and photographs of Diane or her clothes. The standouts - a series of Warhol screens and a group of portraits shot by Chuck Close. It was all beautiful, though, and it made the point that I so often stress to others - that art and fashion are quite closely interrelated - perfectly evident.

Go see it if you have the chance. You won't be disappointed!

If Chanel and Christian Dior were inspired by the modern now, then other couture houses like Elie Saab and Alexis Mabille were inspired by the glorious past.

There was a decidedly Grecian influence to many of the couture collections, with an emphasis on elegant asymmetrical drapery and the manipulated form.

The models rocked these dresses like the classical statuettes that immortalized the traditional Greco-Roman dress, and the end result is incredibly elegant. The Elie Saab and Versace dresses in particular are sure to be all over red carpets in the coming weeks, and I cannot wait to see them in action!

There's a reason these looks are so classic!

When you hear the word couture, you probably think, "Gowns, exquisite craftsmanship, wealth, art." Couture isn't meant to be worn, really. At least that's what I've come to understand. The clothes are so outrageous and so fanciful that they transcend everyday life and that is indeed their purpose. The only people who could possibly wear these dresses are celebrities who are given these gowns on loan, or possibly a billionaire's wife. Maybe.

So why on earth did Karl Lagerfeld place his futuristic fairy models in tennis shoes of all things?

No doubt the Creative Director of Chanel was inspired by the style on the streets; sneakers are the new ballet flat, apparently (and probably better for your arches) and bloggers and editors alike have taken to pairing their Nikes with their Nina Riccis.

But Lagerfeld took the high-fashion sneaker trend to the next level by constructing shoes of the same fabrics of the dresses for the collection. A snow white twinkling tweed two-piece was matched ever-so-perfectly by a white tweed tennis shoe. I must admit, the concept is pretty genius. You must applaud Karl for taking a pretty popular street wear trend and pushing it to the sartorial limits in his fantastic couture collection.

The accessibility of the collection extended beyond footwear, however. Spritely models took laid-back strides around the Grand Palais in skirts that moved and flowed with them, with hands in functional pockets and shoulders held back, not stiffly but comfortably. Despite what the price tag will inevitably read, I see these clothes and can actually envision myself wearing them - not just to a gala at the Met or the Oscars, but walking around town with (very fashionable) friends.

That's not to say that the collection lacked on all the hand-sewn extravagances that make couture what it is - on the contrary, the handiwork at Chanel is some of the finest I've ever seen. There was an effervescent quality to the garments that were presented today, as if the cloth was created from droplets of water suspended in mid-air, or from millions of tiny diamonds. The clothes were brilliant even by Chanel standards, and it was the type of collection that made me smile as I flipped through looks.

And it wasn't all stuffy ball gowns and impossible designs. These are real clothes made up in fascinatingly intricate detail, but the mere possibility of wearing these clothes is tantalizing. These ensembles are pure fantasy, but an attainable one.

Listening to her eloquent and charming acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress in a Film at Saturday's SAG Awards, I couldn't help but to fall in love with the rising star that is Lupita Nyong'o. 

The breakout star of the critically-acclaimed 12 Years a Slave has wowed us all with her on-screen performance; her flawless fashion choices have landed her on countless best-dressed lists; her stunning beauty has landed her a Miu Miu campaign. She's also a Yale graduate and speaks with the utmost articulacy. 

Basically, if you aren't a fan of Lupita by now, you should be.

With a well-deserved SAG win under her belt now, Nyong'o has the Academy Awards to look forward to, where she's been nominated for Best Supporting Actress. I am already excited to see what fabulous dress she will wear to Hollywood's biggest night.

In February, Nyong'o will star in Non-Stop alongside Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore, and I know we will be seeing her in many more films to come. This girl has true star power.

Nyong'o's style is simple and streamlined - she prefers bold, attention-grabbing colors over busy prints or embellishments, and you can always count on her to arrive in a unique silhouette; she rocks a cut-out dress like no other.

A personal favorite of mine (and every best-dressed list, for that matter) is the Ralph Lauren cape dress she wore to the Golden Globes. She looked like a regal queen, and let the vibrant red of her dress - along with matching lipstick - do the talking. The look was so stunning that Amy Adams had to forgo the red cape that she had originally planned on wearing over her dress.

Talk about rocking the red carpet!

My roommate Carissa once told me that she will never wear a piece of clothing with a face on it. It's kind of like wearing part of a person's soul. So maybe Spring's Prada coats are not for her.

But shows like Prada did have us seeing double - double faces, that is. Models sported painted women on coats and skirts. Not the most subtle of prints, of course, but the dresses were perfect for the fashion fearless.

The trend of incorporating faces (and facial features) into clothing is far from over. Anna Wintour stirred up fashion critic controversy with the furry and face-printed Prada coat she wore to the Girls Season Three Premiere Party a few weeks ago.

Back on the runways, designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and Stella McCartney have been similarly inspired by portraits, turning artistic interpretations of faces into fashionable prints. These more abstracted versions translate better to everyday wear, and work as statement pieces if you are looking for a way to liven up your otherwise simple outfit.

Alice + Olivia Spring 2014

Burberry Prorsum Spring 2014

Wes Gordon Spring 2014

Prabal Gurung Spring 2014

Spring collections are slowly trickling into retail stores, and along with that comes the unveiling of the Spring 2014 Ad Campaigns. 

It's always a treat to see how ad campaigns contribute to the tone of a collection, and they often make the clothes come alive. And from a photographer scandal to new talents landing big campaigns, this round of campaigns was indeed quite lively.

Below are some of my favorites:

Let's start things off with one of the more interesting ad campaigns of the season. Miley Cyrus' status as It Girl continues into 2014 as the new face of Marc Jacobs. The images are dark and moody, reflecting the Victorian-inspired collection well.

The campaign by David Sims, however, is rather incongruous with past MJ campaigns which are usually photographed by Juergen Teller, who - according to the episode of E! News I was watching yesterday - refused to work with Miley. Apparently not everyone does "Adore You", Miley.

The result - a much moodier, darker campaign than usual. I like it and think it works, but Juergen Teller's refusal to work with Miley makes for an interesting story!

Also helmed by Marc Jacobs (for the last time), the Louis Vuitton campaign for Spring 2014 celebrates the seventeen-year-reign of Jacobs before Nicolas Ghesquiere takes the reigns. The campaign features the women who inspired Marc Jacobs for his Louis Vuitton collections, including Sofia Coppola, Gisele Bundchen, Catherine Deneuve, and Fan Bingbing.

The photographs are beautiful, a fitting last campaign for the man who transformed the French leather house into a fashion powerhouse.

We'll miss Marc at Louis Vuitton, but I for one am so excited to see Nicolas Ghesquiere back in the game and know he will do marvelous things.

The fiery-haired Karen Elson stuns in a sexy Jason Wu gown for the designer's latest ad campaign, shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vindoodh Matadin. Shot at NYC eaterie Indochine, Elson makes her Hollywood-glam dress look as appetizing as the food on the table.

I love Elson's dynamic pose, the punchy wallpaper, and the fact that Wu himself joins the supermodel for a fashionable bite to eat in another photo for the campaign. Perfection.

Miuccia Prada continues her tradition of featuring up-and-coming Hollywood starlets with Spring 2014, which showcases 12 Years a Slave actress Lupita Nyong'o, along with Bella Heathcote, Elle Fanning, and Elizabeth Olsen.

The pastel-heavy collection gets some edge with the way these girls wear their Miu Miu clothes with confidence. This campaign is a total win for me.

Alexa Chung has a tendency to turn everything she touches to glistening gold, and her latest ad for Longchamp is no exception. Chung is cool and adventurous in her light blue convertible and clutching to her vibrant yellow Longchamp bag.

I love the feel of this image, love the way it makes you want to hop in the passenger seat and join Alexa Chung on an exciting road trip.

And of course, one my favorite campaigns of Spring 2014 is one of the most straightforward. Lady Gaga poses in Versace as a Donnatella doppelganger and looks beautiful doing so. Gaga's pose is seductive and sexy, just like a Versace dress. Simple, yes, but powerful.

What have your thoughts been on the Spring 2014 ad campaigns?

The stars were out in full swing for the first major awards ceremony of the season, the 71st Golden Globe Awards. Though the ceremony was interesting to say the least (I for one was quite shocked by some of the award recipients) the women looked absolutely gorgeous.

Best actress winner Amy Adams and 12 Years a Slave star Lupita Nyong'o were some of the celebrities who sported ravishing reds. 

Other celebrities opted for bright colors on the red carpet. Lena Dunham in particular stuck out to me in her glowing yellow Zac Posen gown as one of the best dresses of the night. It was a daring risk that paid off well, and there's nothing I love more than watching a girl on the worst-dressed list from last year carry herself over to the best-dressed list. That Vogue cover is doing her some good, fashion-wise!

Some women kept their colors simple and chic with black & white ensembles that were sharp and graphic. Allison Williams (it's a good night for the Girls girls, it seems!) was one of my favorites, in an edgy Alexander McQueen dress. Her matching white and black eye makeup was a great touch that really accentuated the graphic quality of her gown.

I noticed that a few women opted for shorter dresses on the occasion. Sarah Paulson and Emma Stone wore tea-length dresses that hit right on the shins, while many stars (including Michelle Dockery and Sandra Bullock) donned dresses that lifted slightly in the front to show off their shoes. My kind of dress!

In celebration of the long-awaited return of HBO's series Girls, today's post is an ode to everyone's favorite fictional Sex and the City fanatic, Shoshanna Shapiro. More specifically, her inventive hairdos.

Twitter accounts have been dedicated to her "hair donuts" and each week it's become a little treat to see what Shoshanna will think to do with her hair this time.

Though not always the most practical or simple of 'dos, Shoshanna's creative personal style echos her optimistic and adventure-seeking nature - as a college student living in New York City and hoping to live out the Carrie Bradshaw life, Shoshanna's initiative to try new things (even things as little as hairstyles) should serve as an inspiration to us all.

Are you looking forward to the season three premiere of Girls this Sunday? And more importantly, what hairstyle do you think Shoshanna will debut in the premiere?

Source of images

Something strange happens when you go to a big school like USC: you fall in love with football. Between the incredible on-campus tailgates, the triumphant trumpeting of the marching band, and the excitement of the games themselves, you can't help but to raise your pom-poms (and your "V for Victory") with everyone else and cheer for your school team.

Despite my endeavours to create as many chic outfits featuring a cardinal & gold color combination for games, even I must admit that football is not the most stylish of sports. It's rough and rugged, and the players are not overly involved with their appearances like chicer athletes - tennis stars and polo players, for example - are. But perhaps it's that ruggedness that has recently been appealing to the fashion crowd.

Rounded shoulders, jersey numbers, and letterman jackets are huge trends right now. Bloomingdale's flagship store in New York City (where the Super Bowl will be held) is going to display 48 designer football helmets in their windows - they'll be up for auction to benefit the NFL Foundation. Designers involved in the collaboration include Dannijo, Clover Canyon, and Rag & Bone. The helmets will be unveiled on January 15.