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Image via: Melodie Jeng for Details.com
Bottom line, scarves keep you warm. Winter winds find their way to every part of you not bundled up, so scarves are there to serve a purpose. That being said, "scarf" is a very broad term, and now that the cold is approaching, it's probably best to learn how to use it wisely. 

Scarves at their very most can be successful outfit accessories, but that's not what this post is about. It takes a very particular kind of man (usually a European one or a hipster one) to accessorize with a scarf. I'm not going to even try to instruct those who don't know how to "go there" on how to get there. What I will do, though, is advocate for every guy to get a scarf for warmth because if  you do that right, you'll end up thanking me. 

Consider a few things when going for a scarf, usually with respect to your coat:

color: The man in the photo above went for a bright color, and it works well. If you have second thoughts about something so bold, though, don't do it. It's best to have a scarf in a neutral--think black, brown (light or dark), or gray. You really only need one scarf, so if you're going to have one, make it in a versatile and safe color that will go with many coats. Only go bright if you're actually going to wear it, it goes with the rest of your outerwear and you have a not as bright option for backup.
pattern: Keep this to a minimum, and if you're going for a pattern, get one with colors that complement each other so the pattern stays muted. Go for the traditional patterns, plaids and checks, etc. You don't want people thinking you're wearing a girl's scarf. It's safest to go with a solid, but if you must have a pattern, think of what the most conservative CEO might go with on his suit socks.
material: Remember, this scarf is functional, so you're going to want it to be at least a decent thickness. No feminine pashmina or jersey scares here. You'll want to go with a nice wool or thicker cashmere if you're fancy. Texture is personal preference, but again, don't go overboard. Think about what's going to keep you warmest, what will itch and bother you the least and generally what you'll be able to stand around your neck for the times you spend outside in the cold.
detailing: Fringe or no fringe? And that's about all the detailing you should be considering. Again, this is personal preference, but just think about it before you buy, especially if it's going to show the way you wear it. There's no right or wrong answer to this one, but just consider your options carefully because cut off fringe is never a good look.
shape/size: Now think about how you're going to wear this. Looped around or doubled over and fed through or the double loop or the double feed through. Even if you only know one way to drape a scarf, make sure the width and length of the one you want works with that method. If you're only wearing it under you coat and close to your neck, you can go shorter, but if you want to loop it fancily or you want it to show over your coat, opt for one that's a little longer. If the one you want is online only, maybe go to a store and practice with one to make sure it will work for you.

There are lots of options out there, so just think about it, it shouldn't be too hard. And stay warm!
 
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Image via: FashionVibe.net
As a New Yorker, and as my mother's daughter, black on black should be second nature to me. But I'm not a native New Yorker and my mother and I have different style philosophies, so this is not the case. I don't disagree that all black looks are always classy and it's hard to go wrong. Many times they look automatically more stylish and sophisticated, and one of the many upsides is that it's easy to accessorize. My complaint is that all black and be boring or sometimes too heavy, and throughout the winter, I like to try to keep it light with brighter colors so my SAD doesn't kick in. If every all black outfit was like Zina's here, though, I think I could subscribe to the all black believers. There are so many good things going on here, so let's start at the top.

First, her necklace is really cute AND it stands out without competing because it's the ONLY thing (minus the gold details on the bag, which don't count. And maybe some rings we can't see?) that's not black in the outfit. The sweater is large and chunky and long, so the necklace isn't too much for it, and the high neck is probably the best neckline for this particular statement necklace. I love how the sweater hangs long over the skirt, which is leather making the texture contrast very striking in the absence of color. The sweater isn't so long as to hide the skirt and it's also not awkwardly reaching just past the waistline so you're not sure if it's intentionally long or wonder if it should be tucked. The opaque black tights and cap toe heeled booties are simple but not boring finishes to an overall simple but not boring all black outfit. This is great for fall and winter, and is also great to note with all the holidays that will be upon us in a matter of weeks. 
 
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J.Crew sweater, BCBG skirt, Steve Madden booties
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Kate Spade ring, Saks outlet ring
I think this play on a sort of school girl look is so fun, and keeps it light for fall. The sweater is pretty slouchy and has a removable jeweled collar, and the skirt is perforated leather. The shapes are all classic, but the details make this outfit unique and unexpected. This goes well with heels, boots and flats, but I thought that these extra tall heels would give the skirt that extra swing while walking. The sweater collar does a lot in terms of accessorizing already, so two big neutral rings set in gold are all this outfit needs to be complete. Once it gets a little cooler, brown, plum or maroon tights will also work well with this outfit!
-E
 
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Image via: Tommy Ton for GQ
It's starting to feel genuinely cold out, but that doesn't mean style goes out the window. It does, however, probably mean that you can't go sockless and layers are something to actually consider. Summers can suck for guys because suits just kind of aren't fair while girls get to wear airy skirts and sleeveless dresses, but winter is really where suits can be the most convenient cold weather option while leaving guys looking dapper, put together and on top of their style game. If traditional suits aren't required for work, or a whole suit look might seem too stuffy, roll up the sleeves and throw on some sharp sneakers and a hat--all solid colored as to not take away from the pattern in the suit. This guy went with a sweater wrapped around his neck instead of a tie or just nothing at all, which isn't necessarily everyone's look, but that sweater could be thrown over the button down under the jacket to keep it even more casual. This guy knows his way around a suit and all the options that come with what's normally considered formal wear. This outfit can serve as a how to for taking off the suit accessory staples and replacing them with something casual and cool.
 
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Image via: Tommy Ton for GQ
It's pretty common to hear from one girl to another, "that is SO you," about a piece of clothing, but for guys this happens...less often. The times I encounter this type of phrase in reference to a male friend, it's not typically a good thing. Another girl friend encounters some sort of offensive button down, laughs and says "that's such a [insert male's name here] shirt," with an eye roll and then that's that. Well, this article I came across on GQ.com changed my perception of that kind of instance. 

Normally I'm pretty against wearing the same thing every day, and signature looks seem like something of the past, and predictable can be pretty boring. When variety is available, why not take advantage? Well, that's not everyone's style, no pun intended, and sometimes branding your style via a consistent daily look, or uniform as they call it in this article, is just what you need, especially when guys have fewer options out there.

Via: GQ.com
 
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Image via: Eonline.com
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Image via: Eonline.com
This week, we'll end with a glamorous note to start off the weekend. Miley Cyrus walked the red carpet in Marc Jacobs to honor MJ with an award at the FGI Night of Stars, and she nailed it. I believe Miley knows exactly what she's doing with her image as she struts around nearly naked, unable to contain her wild tongue. So it was a nice contrast to the last few weeks of weird mesh, cropped and barely there fashion statements she's been making. This dress shows some skin, in true Miley fashion, but keeps it limited to just the backless region while keeping everything else covered up but still very sexy with the slinky fit. The all-over shades of green sequins also give the dress Miley-mandatory personality. She looks youthful but sophisticated and very, very polished, keeping the rest of the styling to a minimum. It's almost as if Miley decided it was time to try normaling. Not that the common folk get to go to these types of black tie events, but it's easy to take a cue from Miley on this carpet: you can have a lot going on without an x-rated outfit, and polished and sophisticated is not limited to the LBD. Also, it's possible for her to go a night without seeing her tongue, which is good news for people who possess the gift of sight everywhere.
 
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The new.
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Jennifer Lawrence, everybody's dream BFF, has been the face of Dior for about a year now, wearing the hell out of the iconic label's dresses on red carpets worldwide. But one of the most exciting aspects of this partnership are the beautiful editorials that come out of it. The newest photos were just released, and they feature J-Law with that effortless, no-makeup look, which nicely contrasts the polished Dior clothing and accessories she's wearing in the shoot. Not only does she look extremely gorgeous in the natural makeup look, it's a welcome change from the also beautiful but heavily made-up and (seemingly) highly airbrushed photos that were released in February. Even she claimed they didn't look like her in an interview on the Oscars red carpet. Not that she was complaining, she said that she "loved PhotoShop" after she saw the photos.
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The old.
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All images via: Dior.tumblr.com
And while we're on the topic of Jennifer Lawrence owning high fashion photo shoots, let's not forget the spot on shoot in British Harper's Bazaar that Buzzfeed nicely rounded up earlier this month. Keep doing what you're doing, J-Law, and can't wait for American Hustle press/Oscar season/Hunger Games press to keep it coming on the red carpet. Never change.
 
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Image via: J.Crew
J.Crew just released looks from their November style guide and, not surprisingly, it's filled with great new outfit ideas that sticks to the reinstated simple basics that J.Crew originally became famous for (and was criticized for straying from, though I didn't mind). Here we have one of said looks, and I think it pretty much sums up how we generally feel about November. It's pretty cold, not quite transitioning anymore, but it's also not quite Christmas season yet. It's the casual fall month that calls for more committed layers than October, but when a month of possible parties and potentially stuffy family gatherings lurks not far in the future, you want to keep it simple, easy, quick and comfortable. This girl keeps it cool with a pretty glamorous twist. I love the rich fall jewel tones incorporated in the outfit, and that the sweatshirt is a very luxurious velvet(?) with nice cropped pants that can work with so many different outfit combinations and shoe choices. The chambray shirt layered under the sweatshirt and bejeweled baseball cap keep this outfit casual and cool while the heels balance out the rich solids and keep it feminine and dressy. It's a balanced mix of casual and dressy with nice color combinations and punctuating pattern. It's not trying too hard, but it doesn't look completely thoughtless. Great inspiration for November go-to outfits when the last thing you want to do is leave your warm, comfy bed. 
 
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Gap circle scarf, Uniqlo maxi dress, Gap denim vest, Converse shoes
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silver cuff stolen from mom, Forever 21 rings
I found this black maxi dress at Uniqlo last fall for some ridiculously low price like $20 or something, and was so happy that my maxi dress wearing days weren't limited to warm weather. On fall and more mild winter days, this dress is so easy to throw on and layer, and it stays comfortable all day. For this fall, I wanted to keep the summer memories alive with the denim vest, but with no jacket I can still stay warm with one of my favorite accessories, a thick, knit infinity scarf from Gap, doubled up to create lots of volume (and warmth) at the neck. I always find it a little difficult to choose shoes with maxis that aren't flowy around the ankles, and this one doesn't quite hit the floor, which can make for an awkward situation south of the shin. I decided not to mess with bulky boots and instead finish off the outfit with low tops that bring a fun and sporty vibe to an otherwise classic outfit. Boho-ish jewelry completes the look to give the casual clothing a touch of dressy.
 
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Image via: Ashley-Ringmybell.blogspot.com
I've only just begun season 2 of Revenge, but Ashley Madekwe's character, Ashley Davenport, is easily one of my least favorite characters on the show as of now. However, real life Ashley seems pretty great and also has an extremely endearing fashion blog that I discovered while working at StyleWatch (they love her over there). Pretty much everything looks good on her, but she has a knack for creating colorful outfits with great proportions and brings some of her British influence to the predominantly LA-based photos. Here we have a great transitional outfit that's very easy to re-create. My obsession with oversized chunky sweaters continues, and this is a great example of why. It's not too overpowering, but the oversized-ness of it makes it hang nicely, almost like a flowy shirt. She keeps the rest of the outfit snug with some perfect black jeans and Zara two-toned sandals that I'd really enjoy having in my life. Neon jewelry and, of course, that red Chanel bag add some vibrant touches to this mostly casual and neutral outfit. The heeled sandals and punchy accessories really dress up an easy sweater with jeans look, but nothing competes with each other and nothing is overdone. Perfection.