March into Fall!

It’s almost the end of August, the sun is setting around 7:30pm, the days are getting slightly cooler, the wind is blowing a tad bit harder & it seems like fall is gently knocking on our door. For a fashion girl, this is good news! It’s time to change wardrobes! I’m saying good bye to summery yellows, crop tops and saying hello to booties, burgundy & all things autumn! Among other fashion trends, military inspired pieces are making their way onto retail racks & magazines. Personally, I love this trend! I love how the colors, bold embellishment & cuts almost scream power! Although I may have worn pieces on and off, I have never put together an entire outfit inspired by this trend and the end of summer seems like a good time.

I’ve been super active on our Instagram handle @modaninja. I’ve been making it to ‘Instameets’, it’s a great way to explore the city & meet other creative people. I also use the opportunity to wear something that will work well with the area we are shooting in. We met in a suburb called Manayunk, it’s 20 mins from the city. We then walked by the river towards the Wisshickon dam! Since I knew we were going to be hiking, I decided to wear my fall inspired outfit. Honestly, when the hubby (Mr. H) saw my outfit he said I could pass off as Colonel Gaddafi’s body guard, we had a good laugh but I knew my outfit was on point.

Here are some ideas on how you could adopt this trend in your wardrobe:

Combat Boots: If you don’t already own a pair, get yourself a pair of combat boots. They are super for walking the city or for a hike and perfect to make any outfit look edgy.

Start simple, go green: Well, nothing says military like green! So pick a jacket, pant or tee in military colors or with accents of camouflage. A pair of khaki pants or shorts, combat boots and a white tee could land you a role of an extra on the sets of war movie. Haha, just kidding

Canvas & leather bag: Give the totes & hobos a break and pick a backpack or satchel in earthy tones of dark green, camouflage grey, beige, brown & tan. Leather trims & metal buckles will add an edge to your outfit.

Embellishment: Stars, dull gold buttons, rusty spikes & studs can give your outfit a forces inspired feel. DIY a shirt with some stars on the shoulder, maybe add some shoulder pads & feel like a decorated officer. Of course try to do a good deed or an act of bravery while you are at it 😉

Change up your make up: Add some oompf to your outfit with dark lips or smokey green eyes.

Here are some pictures of my outfit. All shot by young, talented and amazing people of Philadelphia.

The next 6 shots are by Matt Bergey, he was one of the hosts and organizers of the Instameet. An amazing human being (he paid for my water in a store where they wouldn’t accept cards – WHAT, is this America?) & a really good photographer, as you can see. I love his editing, so crisp and cold. It was perfect for my outfit! Follow his work on Instagram here!

Of course, none of my posts from Philly can be complete without pictures by Gina South! By now you should know her and if you don’t check out her Instagram portfolio here. Did I tell you she is 17 & has hosted her first exhibit already? I am a little extra proud because I was on one of her prints, hahaha! I feel super comfortable shooting with her and you can see how relaxed I am in front of her lens!

I also had the pleasure of meeting a New York based fashion lover and budding photographer. If I was a photographer, I would be shooting Mikey instead of standing in front of the camera, his street style is on point! Mikey Vargas has just put together a new website check it out. And as always don’t forget to follow him on Instagram here