Louis Vuitton | Carven | Isabel Marant

Fall fashion: there are so many cool new clothes, amiright? So many trends to try, so many new offerings from your favorite brands. It can get sooo overwhelming! Luckily for you, I've picked the top five pieces that you should make sure you have in your closet for fall. If you are going to make any purchases this season, let it be these ones.

1. An A-Line Mini Skirt

2. A Suede Jacket

3. A Lace-Up Top or Dress

4. A Pair of Mod Shoes

5. A Printed Square Scarf

COPE dress from Urban Outfitters | Rebecca Minkoff purse | C. Wonder boots (similar)

Finally got to wear my new dress from Urban Outfitters that I talked about a few days ago! Not gonna lie, it's pretty cute and way comfortable. If you have a similar body shape (small chest and waist but with a bit of hips) this high-neck shift dress style is really great. Pair with basic black accessories and you've got yourself a chic summer outfit! Perfect for tacos and margaritas with friends (which is exactly what I did!).

Shop the Outfit:

image via Vanessa Jackman

It's hot outside and you're sick of wearing crop tops. I get it. You want something a bit more classic, a little less music festival. Luckily for you, the item you seek is already lying around in your closet! With some artful styling, sleeve-rolling, and knot-tying, you can transform a button-down shirt into a chic summer piece.

For best results, tie the hem of your shirt in a knot, leave the top few buttons unbuttoned, and haphazardly roll up the sleeves. Pair with high-waisted jeans or a midi skirt and you have yourself a sassy summer look that still looks polished and put-together. No hot messes here!

How to Style Your Shirt This Summer:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

What are your favorite summer styling tricks?

Big buttons at Derek Lam Fall 2015

From button-up skirts to double-breasted coats, it is all about the big button this fall. The bigger the buttons, the quirkier the effect, but the statement button works for girls of every style.

Check out big button looks on the runway, and shop cool pieces below!

Buttons on the Runway

Victoria Beckham | Derek Lam | Calvin Klein | Adam Lippes | Edun

Shop Statement Buttons:

Will you be rocking the big button look this fall?

Chiara Ferragni of The Blonde Salad in a Reformation bodysuit

Ever see a fashionable girl and wonder how her shirt looks so perfectly tucked in? Guess what! It's probably not a shirt at all; rather, it's a bodysuit! 

Leotard, one-piece, bodysuit...whatever you call it, you should definitely have one (or two, or three) in your wardrobe. It's the easiest way to have a perfectly tucked in top, and they are usually very figure-flattering. I recommend pairing a bodysuit with high-waisted bottoms, sheer skirts, and boyfriend jeans. When wearing a bodysuit, just make sure you aren't required to go to the restroom in a hurry—bodysuits + using the restroom = a huge pain.

Here are some stylish ladies who rock the bodysuit, and below are some of my favorites to shop!

How to Rock a Bodysuit Like an A-Lister

Emily Ratajkowski in a Reformation bodysuit via WhoWhatWear

Karla Deras of Karla's Closet wearing an American Apparel leotard

Chiara Ferragni of the Blonde Salad in a Reformation bodysuit

Kim Kardashian via WhoWhatWear

Jennifer Grace of The Native Fox wearing a Reformation bodysuit

Shop Bodysuits:

What do you think about the bodysuit trend? Would you wear one?

By now you all have probably seen the pictures of Kim Kardashian for the August issue of Vogue Spain. I'm sure you also have pre-existing opinions on Kim and her reality-famous family, but let's put those feelings aside for a moment and marvel at the beauty that is this feature.

I love makeup. I really do. I love a good bright lipstick and I even enjoy trying to master the high art of the perfect cateye. But there are days when I really just don't want to put makeup on. It's tiring and tedious and I usually end up getting mascara on my eyebrow or messing up my eyeliner or something that is just frustrating. Makeup can be fun, but it can also be horribly annoying.

And yet I make sure I have at least mascara and lipstick on whenever I leave the house. Why? I'd like to believe I am a mostly confident person (a lot more confident than I used to be, that's for sure) but I still am not to the point where I can walk out of the house makeup free. I live by the adage that you never know who you are going to run into when you're out and about and therefore you should always be looking your best.

However, recently I've noticed that women are going to extremes when it comes to everyday makeup. Contouring is super cool and I love it for big events, but personally I don't think people need to be wearing that much makeup everyday. For one, it's extremely time-consuming, and in the wise words of that one lady, "Ain't nobody got time for that." The other issue is that, for me, the more makeup I wear the harder it is to like how my face looks without any makeup on. Yes, it is really cool to look #flawless with a contoured face and eyebrows on fleek, but if you feel like you can't go outside without a full face of makeup on, that could be an issue.

And with Kylie Jenner and makeup bloggers making a name for themselves by constantly looking perfect and contoured, it's hard to not want a perfectly made-up face. There's a weird dichotomy in the fashion world right now between the gorgeously makeup-free minimalists and the perfectly made-up glam Barbie dolls, like the Kardashian Krew.

So to have Kim Kardashian, a celebrity who is in part responsible for the rise in popularity of contouring and other extreme makeup trends, appear on the cover of a major magazine with next-to-nothing makeup, is really empowering! Kim is gorgeous always, and I love her perfect beauty looks and her edgy fashions. But I also love that she is confident with what she looks like beneath all that makeup and saying, "Hey, makeup or no makeup, I love what I look like, and you should too!" If you love doing your makeup and want to try out the newest contouring method each day, go for it! But know that you should be doing it because you love it, not because you feel like you have to look flawless and perfect for the world. Because you are beautiful no matter how much makeup you wear! And if Kim Kardashian can rock the no-makeup look and still look gorgeous, we all can.

See the rest of the photoshoot here:

What do you think about this Kim Kardashian photoshoot?

Jessica Stein of Tuula Vintage

You should always be protecting your skin from the sun. I know this advice sounds obvious, but even in the summer I'll admit I often forgo sunscreen when spending time outdoors unless I'm going to the beach. The bottom line: we could all be better about preventing sun damage.

Good thing is, there are plenty of fashionable ways to protect your face from damaging sun rays. Case in point: the straw boater hat. Follow any fashion blogger on Instagram and you've probably seen them jetting off to the seaside in a cute straw boater. The straw boater hat is a preppier, cleaner hat as opposed to the more boho floppy oversized hat, and everyone from Eugenia Kim to Forever 21 has a cute option so you can protect that beautiful face of yours all while looking absolutely adorable.

Here are some ways to style a straw boater hat:

Chriselle Lim of the Chriselle Factor

Elena Perminova via Vanessa Jackman

Via Adam Katz Sinding for W Magazine

Via Vanessa Jackman

Karen Blanchard of Where Did U Get That?

Shop Straw Boater Hats:

What's your favorite summer hat style? Let me know in the comments!

The queen of shopping, Cher Horowitz

When I suggest a shopping trip amongst a large group of friends or acquaintances, I am often met with a few sideways glances or eyerolls. Ugh, this girl is so superficial. She's one of those girls. The very concept of shopping is seen as frivolous and just generally annoying. And I get it, shopping is all about buying into capitalist consumerist brainwashing and the idolatry of material goods, yadda yadda yadda, but to be quite honest I think shopping deserves a bit more credit. Sometimes it can be downright exhausting.

Take my recent trek to the mall with my mom this past weekend for example. When I suggested that Saturday would be a good time to check out the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, I had no idea that a tropical storm was heading for Baja California and was bringing a freak summer thunderstorm to San Diego. Seriously, it was perhaps the heaviest rainfall I have ever seen. But that wasn't going to stop me from finding some fall outfit essentials!

Of course because it was raining, everyone had flocked to the mall to watch movies and shop (with the comfort of being indoors and dry), PLUS there were great summer sales happening, so it was packed. Crowded places tend to bring out my most critical side, especially when it comes to the complete lack of respect for personal space and common courtesy. Add bad weather to the mix and a crowded mall full of annoying people becomes even more draining.



When people say they "shop until they drop" they really aren't kidding. Shopping is draining stuff, man, especially if you're at it for a long time. Think about it: you're walking around and standing for long periods of time, using all your mental strength to comb through racks and racks of clothing in search of the perfect piece of clothing. It's exhausting to try on four different pairs of boyfriend jeans in hope of a perfect fit, only to come away empty-handed (seriously, when am I going to find the perfect pair?) and calculate how many outfits you can create with a certain pair of cream lace shorts (enough to make the purchase justifiable, it turns out!). Even with someone who finds shopping an enjoyable activity—like myself—it can be extremely tiring, but the ability to walk away with glorious new pieces to add to your wardrobe is so totally worth it. Each shopping bag is like a gold medal, a reminder that you have emerged from this shopping excursion victorious.

So when someone rolls their eyes at you and says how superficial and stupid shopping is, just know that they are silly and lack the physical and mental strength to brave department stores and boutiques all afternoon. Just laugh at them and their basic outfit while you rock your chic, brand-new pieces, your spoils of war.

Anyways, here's what I walked away with after all that:

When your week begins with a trip to Disneyland with your little brother (seriously, am I the coolest big sister or what?) you know it's gonna be a good one! Here are some snapshots from my week:

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Thursday

Friday

What did you do this week? Don't forget to follow The Fashion Barbie on Instagram for more chic adventures!

Kate of A Lone Star State of Southern wearing a LuLu's Two-piece Set

If a trip to the Bahamas is not in the cards this summer, you can still embrace the look of a tropical oasis with a palm or banana leaf print outfit. Or, if you are getting away to somewhere warm and tropical, make sure you match the environment!

Either way, the tropical leaf print is the print of the summer, and you should be embracing it. I love a good leaf print romper or matching set for a bold statement, but a fun printed top or skirt adds a nice touch of excitement to an outfit.

Here are my favorite tropical leaf print pieces!

Shop Tropical Leaf Prints:

What are your thoughts on leaf prints? Let me know in the comments!

Leandra Medine aka the Man Repeller in an Etre Cécile T-Shirt

Ah, the T-shirt. As classic as an apple pie and as comfortable as a cloud, the T-shirt is one of the staples of the modern casual wardrobe. From the simple Hanes 3-pack to the soft James Perse tee, there really is a T-shirt out there for everyone. You'd be hard-pressed to find an individual who did not have at least one T-shirt in his or her wardrobe. They are simply that ubiquitous.

While a simple, plain white tee is always iconic, lately fashion has been all about the graphic or word tee. Fueled by the seventies revival of late, retro T-shirt styles have been all over fashion blogs, Instagrams, and street style sites.

Kylie Jenner is known to rock a sassy graphic tee or two. The fashion logo pun trend may be over, but there are plenty of ways to show some sass with your T-shirt.

Want to look like like an It Girl? Here are where all the cool kids buy their T-shirts:

Mate the Label

For the laid-back California girl who drives a VW bus and grabs acai bowls after a day of surfing

Rad 

For the city-dwelling sarcastic sass master who loves Drake songs and wants to look like Kylie Jenner

Zoe Karssen 

For the macaron-eating Francophile with a rebellious streak

Bella Freud

For the thrift-store-rummaging vintage lover with a sweet record collection

Camp Collection