These Are The Micro Trends To Get You Through Summer
Summer is finally here and we're seeing the latest in this season's biggest trends exploding everywhere. Excitedly exiting the cold and gloomy winter months, fashion girls everywhere are taking advantage of the coolest new and re-emerging styles for the warm weather season. With there being much anticipation to finally be outside after a year and a half, I've seen so many new and refreshing styles to add to my closet in anticipation of a stylish summer like never before.
Breaking free from oversized knits and sweatpants, I'm longing to engage in wild prints, bright colors and enticing looks as I just want to have fun with my outfits again.
From psychedelic prints to wide leg denim jeans, this summer is all about breaking out and going bold even if it's an occasion that calls for a cute yet casual moment. With there being so many styles worth talking about, scroll to find both classic and trendy items worth adding to your summer wardrobe below.
1.The Designer Shoulder Bag
Every stylish girl needs a designer shoulder bag in her life and Coach is the perfect starter brand. As the company makes a major comeback, their newly released styles are modern with a vintage flair. For a designer bag with an affordable price tag, this Coach pillow bag is a go-to bag for summer.
2."Boy" Shorts
Oversized shorts made their first appearance early last year during the first round of quarantine but now that we're back outside, pair them with chunky socks, sneakers and a cute crop top and you've got a comfy cool girl look for a casual summer day. For an easy on the go look, add a dainty hoop earring along with stackable rings and layered necklaces for a feminine touch.
3.The 90’s Jean
High-waist denim is a classic style that is here to stay but it's the wide leg trend that is making its way back into our lives this summer. The wider the leg, the more stylish the silhouette. From white to blue denim, add a variety of washes to your closet this season.
4.The Updated Maxi
A maxi dress should be on top of every wish list this summer but it's the style of dress that matters most. This year's asymmetrical trend is adding major appeal to all types of clothing styles and this dress is one of my faves so far! Casually paired with a flat or high-heeled sandal, this is a perfect look to compliment a beautiful warm sunny day.
5.The Oversized Button Down
Always essential no matter the season, an oversized button down is a stylishly lightweight addition everyone needs in our wardrobe. Easily tossed over a casual look, a classic white button down is a girl's best friend. What I love about a button down is the variety of colors, prints and lengths to add to your wardrobe mix.
6.Oversized Blazer
Another must-have in your closet is an oversized blazer. For summer, I strongly suggest a lightweight soft light pastel or brightly colored option paired with a stylish crop top. A blazer is a must-have every season, but it's the color that matters most this time of year.
7.A Matching Set
One of my favorite trends this season, big bold prints are the micro trend we never knew we needed. There's something about this head to toe print-heavy look that genuinely makes me happy. Keep an eye on matching sets in different colors, prints and materials for a variety of looks to choose from.
8.Abstract Prints
Transitioning from tie dye to water colors, this season's newest color mix is the abstract multicolored print. There's no question when adding a standout swim piece to your wardrobe this summer created but when in a retro-inspired multicolored print, it's a match made in paradise. Playful prints are huge this summer, so adding a few pieces to your wardrobe this season for a modern yet vintage is a psychedelic trip you won't regret.
9.Colorful Sunglasses
Colorful frames are having a major comeback this season. It's been a while since I've had the urge to match my sunglasses with my outfit but I'm on the hunt for a range of vibrant shades that will effortlessly brighten up my everyday life. We're adding color to our wardrobes from our head to our toes this season.
10.Platform Slides
My favorite shoe style for summer, the platform thong sandal is the chicest look of them all. I can't get enough of the elevated look, and how it takes an everyday casual look to new heights. With a variety of colors to choose from, these sandals can be worn with pretty much anything.
To get your fashion fix and to stay up to date with the latest trends, check out the xoNecole Style section here.
Featured image via @aniyamorinia/Instagram
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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A few years ago, I had dinner with my family, and some extended friends were invited. We had a great evening, and at the end of the night, someone at the table who has known me since I was a child said to me, "This is the most I've heard you speak since I met you." My response was, "When I'm with my family, I'm quite chatty." I think that was her way of saying I was much more social in this environment than she'd ever seen me at other events, and I understand why.
I've been a shy girl almost my entire life. Many people who know me intimately now as an adult would probably be shocked to hear this, but I was such a reserved kid growing up. I hated public speaking. I cried from nervousness after my first solo in church, and I was either extremely comfortable in settings or I’d shut down. As I got older, I realized that it wasn't just me being naturally shy or reserved; in some settings, my inability to feel comfortable was due to social anxiety.
@raquelmartinphd #anxiety #blackgirltiktok #tipsandtricks #drmartinhere
According to The National Institute of Mental Health, social anxiety disorder is a common type of anxiety disorder. A person with social anxiety disorder feels symptoms of anxiety or fear in situations where they may be scrutinized, evaluated, or judged by others, such as speaking in public, meeting new people, dating, being on a job interview, answering a question in class, or having to talk to a cashier in a store.
Doing everyday things, such as eating or drinking in front of others or using a public restroom, may also cause anxiety or fear due to concerns about being humiliated, judged, and rejected.
@itslerap Don’t feel alone in your struggles.. it’s more common than you think🥹 #fyp #foryou #socialanxiety #socialanxietytips #socialanxietyawareness #mentalhealth #blackgirlmentalhealth #allerapadgettandco #PostitAffirmations
How Social Anxiety Symptoms Can Show Up
- Blushing, sweating, or trembling;
- Having a rapid heart rate;
- Feeling their "mind going blank," or feeling sick to their stomach;
- Having a rigid body posture, or speaking with an overly soft voice;
- Finding it difficult to make eye contact, be around people they don't know, or talk to people in social situations, even when they want to;
- Feeling self-consciousness or fear that people will judge them negatively;
- Avoiding places where there are other people.
What Can Cause Social Anxiety Disorder
@ohmylawdthecableturnedff Like girl, leave me alone, I have social anxiety 😂
The risk for social anxiety disorder may run in families, but there isn't a specific reason to prove why some family members can experience symptoms of the disorder and others don't. Research has found that several parts of the brain are involved in fear and anxiety and that genetics influences how these areas function in tandem with stress and environment and how that plays a role in social anxiety.
As a kid, I often had many girls assume that I was stuck up, and it made me wonder for years if something was wrong with me. I found myself many times and even still now wondering how this woman who loves to be social in certain environments can, in others, clam up and not feel comfortable. Without having the language for my anxiety, I was labeled by many girls as "stuck up" or "the girl who thought I was better."
There are many layers to why that was the assumption, one being a suburban Black girl who was well dressed, so comments were quickly made if I wasn’t a social butterfly like “You think you better because you got on xyx, etc.”
It made it extremely difficult to be social in certain settings, and it wasn't until I got older and found community on social media with other girls who experienced social anxiety that I realized I wasn't stuck up or an introvert (as testing confirmed I was actually an ambivert), I was socially anxious. This realization made me feel comforted and helped me understand that as an entrepreneur and creative, I did have to network, but I could go about it in a way that made me feel comfortable.
I could research who would be in the room, practice my greetings, bring a friend to an event with me when I could, and overall remind myself that that shy little girl doesn't have to speak louder than the woman I am now. This realization and developing coping skills made me wonder why Black women aren't allowed to be socially anxious. Why do we always have to show up as the life of the party or ready to be the center of attention?
"There are many stereotypical biases that we have to go up against or manage, so we're taught that we don't have the room to be quiet or perceived as standoffish," licensed psychologist Dr. Shaakira Haywood Stewart explains. "There's this stigma and pressure to have to show up as a Black woman in the space. We don't have the right to be, sort of like the quiet, shy white girl in the back room. Like no, we have to go above and beyond. And there's a lot of pressure to have to do that in a lot of different spaces, and I can see how a lot of Black girls and women feel relieved when they find that they aren't alone in that feeling.
"There are many stereotypical biases that we have to go up against or manage, so we're taught that we don't have the room to be quiet or perceived as standoffish. There's this stigma and pressure to have to show up as a Black woman in the space."
"Even in our families and communities, there can often be a lot of pressure, even where you find a Black parent saying to a shy child, 'You better speak up,' and that creates a lot of anxiety. Parents are a bit more conscious now, not raising their children to believe they don't have room to be quiet or shy. Many of us weren't raised to have room to be shy; much of how we were socialized [were] with things such as speaking when spoken to, like when you were in the room, making eye contact as it pertains to socialization relationships."
How Social Anxiety Can Show Up in Black Women
The quiet Black woman who is socially anxious can easily get mistaken for being stuck up, "bougie," or even mean. "With my clients who are Black women that experience social anxiety, they're met with comments like 'Your face looks mean' or 'When I met you I thought you were mean but once I got to know you I realized you were nice,'" Dr. Shaakira Haywood Stewart says. "That sort of narrative happens a lot, especially in the workplace, which also contributes to how they're viewed in the workplace and where it can be assumed that they're not really a team player."
In addition to this perception having a negative impact on Black women in their work environment, this extends to how they are viewed in friendships and other forms of socialization. "You can receive comments like, 'Why are you so quiet? Why are you so standoffish? Why are you so bougie acting?'" she adds. "It really does create a barrier socially and even romantically.”
How Can Black Women and Girls Overcome Social Anxiety
In order to overcome social anxiety, Dr. Shaakira Haywood Stewart says that you must first understand what's happening to you in social settings. Understand that the anxiety you feel is a result of your nervous system becoming heightened when you're in large groups of people, at parties, etc. She also suggests therapy in order to find better coping skills to navigate certain situations as well as how to limit your social battery and situations with ease, although she notes that it might not be necessary in every case.
"If you're a Black woman dealing with anxiety, I see you, and I understand. Don't pick apart the anxiousness that you feel when you walk into rooms and instead focus on what you can control. How you look, your greeting, who you connect with, and how long you stay. Give yourself grace as you navigate social settings, and if you're someone who has passed judgment or assumed that someone was stuck up, ask yourself if they had an attitude or if it was anxiety. Extend kindness, and if you see a shy person, don't be afraid to speak first; it might just make their day and help them open up."
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