Class of 2017
Left: Straight-leg pants, $120 Hand-me-down (Too Big For Mom), Heels, $140 Your Roommate’s, Taken Without Permission, but she won’t mind, Dilapidated Rabbit, model’s own
Center: Home, by Toni Morrison, $12 Your Local Public Library; Scale earrings, $17 Christmas Gift
Right: Collarless Jacket, $150 Your Best Friend’s Closet
Refresh your style with a pop of color for spring! Try Bite Beauty’s High Pigment Pencil in Pomegranate ($27, Sephora.com) for an appealing zing that draws attention away from your scuffed shoes and otherwise tawdry thrift-store purchases as you saunter into the office or traipse through a park on a cloudy day.
For added bounce in your hair, apply a dime-sized amount of curl cream to wet locks, scrunch upwards, and air dry or use a diffuser to get manageable but wild-child volume reminiscent of the days when brushing your hair was optional.
Living Proof Curl-Defining Style Cream, $28 Sephora.com.
Congratulations, Class of 2017. You’ve made it so far. Now it’s on to the world of plain black pumps and collared shirts everyday. It’s time to bring your childhood to the flea market and invest in some business clothes with the nickels you make from selling your old toys. Despite the fact that you’ve worked incredibly hard the past four years, you might not have enough money to get some nice business clothes, especially if The Bank of Mom and Dad deactivated your account nearly a decade ago. We’ve got some tips for staying stylish while starting off on your own.
1. Thrift stores are your best friends. “Vintage” is cool, right?
2. Invest in lipstick. A good red will draw eyes away from your chest—at least momentarily—long enough for someone to actually seriously consider hiring you.
3. Borrow from your friends. They probably can loan you something at the bottom of their closet that they forgot they even owned. If you’re lucky, they might even say, “That looks so good on you!” and let you keep it.
4. Sweat the details. They might only be $17 and turn your ears green if you wear them long enough, but those earrings show how much you care about trying to at least attempt to look put together.
5. Don’t forget your roots. Even if that means still sleeping with a stuffed animal, dancing on deserted playgrounds, and not letting go of your childhood dreams.