

This Blogger Shows Us How To Rock Sequin Style Like A Pro
Admit it, you're in love with the sparkle.
I can't deny that sequins have at one point or another been a pivotal piece in my wardrobe. Whether it's sequined dresses, jackets, skirts, tops or another sparkly garment, there is a magnetic element of glamour that a girl seeks to indulge herself in when donning a sequined piece.
Karen "Britchick" Blanchard, Blogger
A few months ago, while I browsed for fashion inspiration for the new year, I came across dozens of girls that rocked sequin dresses in a fly way. Yet, I have to say that there was little diversity, with most looks encompassing the "sequin dress, high-heel" routine that we are so accustomed to. But when I landed on one of my favorite blogger's websites to see what she had to offer, I was amazed and browsed her gallery of sequin styles for over an hour, inspired by the many sequined garments, new and vintage, that she had acquired and in awe of the multiple ways she pulled them off on any day of the year.
Karen "Britchick" Blanchard is what I like to call a curator of cool and, specifically, a sequin goddess. Having had her personal and street style blog, Where Did U Get That, for close to seven years, it's safe to say she has amassed a wardrobe to make any girl salivate and within all of her belongings, she possesses dozens of dazzling pieces that truly make you go "where did she get that?!" I interviewed Karen who explained that she has always been drawn to sequins and their versatility. "To me they are too pretty to be considered party clothes. Plus, they come in so many styles that they just work with my way of thinking which is to experiment and have fun with your outfits."
Not only does she have fun, avant-garde pieces that peek one's curiosity, but she wears them all in the edgiest and unique ways. The blogger's style has been refined as a result of the surrounding culture which she thoughtfully embraces."I get inspired by everyone from around the streets. I shoot a lot and so I observe a lot of different styles which is really fascinating."
Karen provides endless inspiration on how to take your sequin, and personal, style to the next level. For those daring to test the waters she illustrates a simple style tip that works for all, "pairing sequins with an everyday piece like jeans is something anyone can do. They balance each other out. I say find a drapey oversized sequin t-shirt and you are done."
Whether you've chosen a sequin dress, skirt or anything in between, this sequin queen is sure to have a look that will open your mind and give you a fresh, original, and vivacious look.
Here are five ways Karen has rocked her sequins that we're loving.
Party Ready
Karen dons a dazzling pencil skirt with bright pink pumps and a crisp white shirt and blazer for a fresh look that is appropriate for any party. By selecting a neutral top, she has perfectly balanced out her bold, colorful skirt and avoided an overpowering look.
Girly and Sweet
Socks with heels are always a nod to the girly aesthetic, and Karen looks every bit dainty and sweet in her leopard pumps with calf socks, gold sequined skirt and fuzzy blue sweater. Color pops help to round out a feminine look and the blogger's bright pink lips and royal blue purse took the outfit up another notch.
Edgy and Cool
In one of my favorite looks from the blogger, Karen went full-force sequin in a glimmering skirt and vibrant, sequin jacket. By pairing the embellished pieces with casual Adidas and a blue fur accessory, she tones the look down while maintaining a unique edge. While she boldly combined two bright sequined pieces for her look, she was able to play down the shimmer with sneakers for a clean look.
Rocker Chic
Karen brings ultimate cool with a sequined top and skirt that provide a mixed-metal feel. Her jazzy look feels rocker with the help of leather boots and a bad-ass suede and shearling Acne coat.
Casual With a touch of Sparkle
Here, Karen's sparkling silver leggings feel natural for a casual day with her minimal black booties, powder-pink fluffy sweater and grey pea coat for a laid-back look.
Now that I've whet your palette, check out the gallery below to see some other cool ways to rock each of these looks!
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
Why Do Millennials & Gen-Zers Still Feel Like Teenagers? The Pandemic Might Be The Reason.
There’s nothing quite as humbling as navigating adulthood with no instruction manual. Since the turn of the decade, it seems like everything in our society that could go wrong has, inevitably, gone wrong. From the global pandemic, our crippling student debt problem, the loneliness crisis, layoffs, global warming, recession, and not to mention figuring out what to eat for dinner every night. This constant state of uncertainty has many of us wondering, when are the grown-ups coming to fix all of this?
But the catch is, we are the new grown-ups.
As if it happened without our permission, we became the new adults. We are the members of society who are paying taxes, having children, getting married, and keeping our communities afloat, one iced latte at a time. Still, there’s something about doing all these grown-up duties that feel unnaturally grown-up. Enter the #teenagegirlinher20s.
If there’s one hashtag to give you the state of the next cohort of adults, it’s this one. Of the videos that have garnered over 3.9M views, you’ll find a collection of users who are overwhelmed by life’s pressing existential responsibilities, clung to nostalgia, and reminiscent of the days when their mom and dad took care of their insurance plans.
@charlies444ngel no like i cant explain to her why i had to buy multiple tank air dupes from aritzia #teenagegirlinher20s #fyp
The concept of being a 20-something or 30-something teenager is linked to the sentiment of not feeling “grown up enough” to do grown-up things while feeling underprepared and even nihilistic about whether that preparation even matters.
It’s our generation’s version of when we ask our grandmothers how old they are and they simply reply with, “I still feel 45,” all while being every bit of 76 years old. In this, we share a warped concept of time while clinging to a desire for infantilization.
Granted, the pandemic did a number on our concept of time. Many of us who started the pandemic in our early or mid-20s missed out on three fundamental years of socialization, career development, and personal milestones that traditionally help to mark our growth.
Our time to figure out and plan our next steps through fumbling yet active participation was put on pause indefinitely and then resumed provisionally. This in turn has left many of us hanging in the balance of uncertainty as we try to make sense of the disconnect between our minds and bodies in this missing gap of time.
Because we’re all still figuring out what the ramifications of being locked away and frozen in time by a global pandemic will have on us as a society, there really is no “right” way of making up for lost time. Feeling unprepared for any new chapter of life is a natural rite of passage, pandemic or not. However, it’s important to not stay stuck in the last age or period of life that made sense to us because self-growth is the truest evidence of personal progress.
So whether you’re leaning on your inner child, teenager, or 20-something for guidance as you fill the gap between your real age and pandemic age, know that it’s okay to grieve the person you thought you would be and the milestones you thought you’d hit before you ever knew what a pandemic was. If there’s anything that the pandemic taught us, it’s that we have the power to reimagine a better world and life for ourselves. And if we tap into our inner teenager as a compass, we can piece together our next chapter with a fresh outlook.
Sure, we’ve lost a couple of years, but there are still some really amazing ones ahead.
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Featured image by Stephen Zeigler/Getty Images