This year (and the past few years) I have been an avid Coachella weekend 1er, dedicating my time to basking in the Palm Springs sun while hitting up all the fun parties and events that Coachella has to offer. I absolutely LOVE the festival and if you’ve never made it, I highly recommend it, but lately the mandatory 3 day ticket deal is not so much my cup of tea.

This year I was stoked to cover street style for DenimBlog as I couldn’t wait to see what denim everyone chose to wear for the weekend. I feel like denim is a STAPLE for Coachella weekend… it’s easy, it goes with everything, it’s comfortable, can take a beating, and can get dirty without being…well, dirty.

I was somewhat surprised to not see more variations of denim, but I totally get it, it’s hot, you want to be in your bathing suit and throwing on a pair of jean shorts is so fitting. I saw a lot of Chambray happening which makes all the sense in the world because it is the lightest form of denim for that hot Palm Springs sun. A lot of guys chose the Chambray route where as a lot of girls chose the ripped jean shorts route.

2 outfits that really stuck out in my mind were a pair of striped denim overalls and a pair of vintage 70s high waisted shorts that were to die for. A surprising denim trend I saw? BLACK JEANS. I have no idea how people did this (mostly dudes) because it was definitely reaching 95 degrees during the day, but I respect their hustle. They were making a statement that the heat does not affect their fashion choices and black jeans are always look great in my opinion.

No doubt Coachella is filled with great style and has developed into a fashion hub just as much as it is a music euphoria. Each person brings their A game to the table showing how to look great while not overheating. Of course just like any other occasion, there is your “worst dressed” list but the good definitely out ways the bad (at the parties at least). Denim style is ever-changing and always evolving and it’s interesting to see how people prefer to wear their denim…especially in harsh weather conditions. Well Coachella, you brought your best denim to the desert and us denim lovers over here at DB appreciate it. Until next year!

(Cheap Monday Gillian dress) 

The Lake

When I think of the lake I think of a breezy afternoon spent on a boat or on the shore, relaxing and enjoying the view. This denim dress is perfect for a fun and careless day on the lake and perfect for slipping on over a bathing suit if you decide to take a last minute dip. The uneasy ground makes for sturdy shoes and these flatforms will keep you on your feet and looking sweet. I accessorized lightly and added a hat for extra style and protection.

(Rag & Bone cut off shorts)

Palm Springs

The desert is often a difficult place to dress for because it’s so hot that you don’t want to wear any clothes. Luckily Spring time is the calm before the storm and you can still not die from heat exhaustion. This outfit gives off a “cool” vibe with a desert ready feel. Chill out at the Ace hotel in this outfit for a fun day at the pool with great music in the background. I’m loving the trend of cutouts in boots because it makes them acceptable for all places including the hot desert. Gold accessories matches the fabulous aura of a mod Palm Springs and a 2 piece set will keep you cool.

(Shown: SEE BY CHLOÉ Light Denim Blue Cotton Shirt SOLD OUT, A great alternative: Forever21 Chambray shirt)

Cancun

If a tropical place is your destination for Spring Break then you will most likely be living in your bathing suit for the majority of your vacation. I suggest a denim button up (unbuttoned) to throw over your bikini for a little added style. Throw your hair in a bun with a scarf tied in a bow to compliment it, slap on some gladiators and sunnies and you’re ready for your Spring Break in Cancun. Just because you’re in your bathing suit doesn’t mean you can’t add extra style to your look. Accessories make for fun additions and really amp up a look.

(Rag & Bone leather and denim jacket, Hudson Jeans Collin skinny jeans) 

Las Vegas

Las Vegas is also located in the desert, but I decided to showcase a great night time look because Vegas is all about the night life. There’s something ultra classy about white jeans and I love pairing them with a blue jean accent. This Rag and Bone jacket will keep you warm if needed and if not, the Alice + Olivia top with the white jeans is a great combo alone. For added color, heels are a great place to showcase this and adding gold jewelry accents complete the look. You’re ready for a night out on the town, Las Vegas style.

High waisted jeans have been making a come back since their bell bottom days in the 70s and their Mom type jeans in the 90s (which people are starting to rock again as well). Now you can get them in a wide variety of styles, colors and prints which makes them more fun to experiment with. Here are 4 types, all different styles and colors for you to try out. Pair with a vintage tee or tank top tucked in, or for you fashionistas: a crop top.

-Mulberry high waisted jeans
-Paige Denim skinny jeans, $280
-7 For All Mankind gold metallic jeans
-CHRISTOPHER KANE X JBRAND 2620 HIGH-RISE BLUE FLOWER blue jeans, $740

To celebrate Spring I thought I’d add in some shorts for all of you lovely ladies that love a good pair of jean shorts. When searching for high waisted jean shorts the majority of items that came up were independent sellers that created their own. I wanted to make this section of the post an ode to those independent sellers doing their thing and bringing you amazing high waisted cut offs. If some aren’t in stock, feel free to message the seller to see if they can make any more or search for the pair in the search box.

Here at Denim Blog, we like to give you the low down on all types of denim companies from high end to fast fashion…we don’t discriminate. When I got the opportunity to work with YMI Jeans I thought it would be great to give all you denim lovers an inside look at a fast fashion denim company and how they operate. On top of a fun tour of their HQ, at the end of this post is a little video featuring fabulous LA fashion bloggers with a contest attached for a chance to win a day in the life of a fashion blogger. More on that later.

Based in the heart of LA, YMI jeans started in 2000 producing junior/young contemporary denim and has grown into a full blown clothing company producing everything from kids to intimates to missy denim (sorry guys, no men’s denim yet). YMI jeans is considered fast fashion which is a company that comes out with new styles monthly (still keeping with the seasons) instead of collections every season. Although the pace is elevated at YMI, their quality and/or styles do not disappoint.

I’ll be honest, before I worked with YMI I didn’t know of their brand and I went into it with no prejudgments. I was delightfully surprised when they sent me a pair of acid wash skinnies that fit so perfect and are so comfortable I literally keep them on deck because I wear them every single day.

Once I was able to look at more of the collection, I fell in love and with the wide variety of styles, there really is something for everyone. For example their floral skinnies are to die for and the Twill Ankle skinnies come in a close second giving you that cropped look that everyone is dying over right now (including myself).

I think what I was most (pleasantly) shocked about was how on point the edgier styles were. The high waisted shorts and acid wash jeans did not lack in style, design or fit and that’s something that companies usually fall behind on; being well rounded in every type of style. YMI is able to bring these styles to the masses by constantly being inspired by trends on the runway and go above and beyond in their research, making sure that those styles get to you at an affordable price.

With fast fashion, the process starts with the design team creating a mood board of all of the styles they’d like to hit with their collection, design the pieces and head to what they call market. YMI Market is held in their New York showroom where buyers come and place their orders for the next 3 months. Depending on the unit that is purchased, YMI will work with the buyers prices, make alterations to designs that they think will target the buyers audience and even produce private label lines.

YMI has new styles launching every month and they like to think it’s better this way as they can bring the consumer more trends than your average twice a year collections.  They keep in mind what’s hot right now and what’s selling as well as denim trends that are hitting the streets. What type of girl is a YMI girl? Girls and young women who are youthful, confident, vibrant, fashionable and are not afraid to express themselves through what they wear.

As you can see from these shots, their HQ is absolutely beautiful, only 3 years new, they have an in house showroom, warehouse, lobby, and every department you need to run a fast fashion company all under one roof. One thing that YMI prides themselves on is having a tight Quality Control department that inspects every single item that goes through their warehouse. They also have a design team of 5 people, 2 product developers, and 3 fit technicians.

In celebration of their Spring line, YMI Jeans shot a fun little video with LA’s stylish Fashion bloggers showing you how they styled their YMI jeans all while highlighting different areas in LA. From Santa Monica boho to Downtown chic…YMI has stylish jeans for every girl in every town from LA to across the world.

On top of this cute little video, YMI is giving Southern Californian’s (sorry elsewhere) a chance to have a day in the life of a fashion blogger with everyone in the video. For those of you who live elsewhere there is still a chance for you to win YMI goodies and a feature on their social media channels. For a chance to win a day in the life of a fashion blogger, YMI goodies and more go here!

I was asked to join WWDMAGIC as one of their official bloggers for the show on behalf of my personal blog which required participating in speaking on and moderating panels, blogging, and attending events for the week. This was my second time working for MAGIC, it’s been a pleasant (and extremely crazy) experience both times and I’m bringing you guys an inside look of my week through instagram. I started off the week (and each day) moderating a panel of bloggers that searched the floor for trends and items they thought would be big in Fall 2013 and that they generally wear. Walking traffic would stop by and listen, some people made it a point to attend the panels and take notes and some people stayed after to discuss what the bloggers found and their opinions.

After this, I headed to the Mandalay Bay hotel which is where the rest of the shows under the MAGIC umbrella were located: Project, The Tents at Project, ENK, Pool and Project MVMNT. My favorite brands are at these shows so I love making it a point to head over there to reconnect.

The Hudson booth is always a favorite, as you might have seen from the DB instagram they always shower you with champagne and a yummy lunch while you gaze at their amazing and impressive collection. You get a chance to chat with the designers and they have a DJ and tote bags for you when you leave. Their Fall line is to die for with a much more edgy approach bringing leather paneling, details and patchwork into the picture. They also have metallic dusting and cargos coming back, lovely prints for days and my personal favorite: stylish sweat pants.

After visiting Hudson and never wanting to leave, I headed over to the MINKPINK/ Evil Twin / Style Stalker booth at ENK which are all under one distribution company for North America, Live Life Fashions. A lot of cutouts, leather, prints and edged up pieces in this booth and I’m always wanting all of it. I also made it a point to head over to David Kahn because they are one of my personal favorite denim lines. The fit is perfect and their prints and styles are always fashion forward and unique. They had the metallic trend going on, prints on prints, and paneling as well. Another fave? Discovering This is a Love Song, Harlyn, Morning Warrior, M2F Brand Denims, and Jarlo.

For the next couple of days, I spoke on panels about trends and taking looks from day to night, I got interviewed by WWDMAGIC (look out for that one!) and also went on a daily morning show my fellow blogger friend Jenny Wu hosted each day. Brands I discovered at MAGIC that I LOVED were Iron Fist Clothing, which is definitely for you more edgy people like myself, Love Marks Collection, and Messeca NYC. Brands I visited for a second time because I love are Ellison Apparel, Gypsy Junkies, Laundry by Shelii Segal and Miista Shoes.

As for trends for Fall, I saw an overall edge being brought to all the lines I saw, everyone’s incorporating leather, edgy-er prints, and darker colors or neutral colors. I also saw a lot of cut-outs with leather or cut outs in general, 60s mod, matching sets and playing with light and heavy weight fabrics.

On a personal note I had a great time attending all the parties and events that the brands and shows held which usually had an open bar and yummy food. BCBG Generation had a VIP Sky Box, literally above their booth, for bloggers to go up to during certain hours of the day to participate in and open bar, a photo booth, manicures and a bracelet making station where you could customize your own BCBG Affirmation bracelet (highly addicting). I also got to eat some fabulous food on my time off and get down with my roommate and partner in crime Stephanie. Overall MAGIC was a productive, wonderful, exhausting, fun, exciting, non stop, amazing experience. Thanks for tuning in and thanks to MAGIC for having me!

As winter is slowly coming to an end, we reflect back on bangin’ winter outfits from our favorite bloggers. I creeped around on my favorite fashion blogs to find my favorite winter outfits of theirs and put them all in one round up.

Of course it was difficult to narrow it down because there are so many good blogs out there and I know I’ve left out some above par outfits, but that’s what the comment section is for right? Feel free to share your favorites there too!

From LA to NY, Panama to UK, plus size bloggers to guy bloggers, I’ve tried my best to cover it all. I hope you enjoy my round up and let’s use this post as a final PEACE OUT to winter and all of its harsh weather conditions. BRING ON THE SHORTS AND TANKS! (See all the looks after the jump!)

Tangible Style

I met Mauricio Herrerabarría at MAGIC this month and I instantly fell in love. His style is cute, edgy and always evolving and his personality is as big (if not bigger) than his style. Based out of Panama, Mauricio’s blog is mostly about street style and women’s fashion with a few of his own outfits mixed in. Watch out Bryan Boy, Tangible Style is making his way up to the top!

Le Fashion Monster

Le Fashion Monster is an LA based fashion blog for those girly girls that love a good heel and a chic outfit. This year Deniz has been edging up her look and I can’t help but fall in love with this hoodie mixed with a red leather skirt. It’s a combo you wouldn’t normally picture together but now that I see it, I’ll probably wear it daily. Now mind you, LA is not freezing so this is actually an appropriate winter outfit out here. Follow all of Deniz’s fabulous outfits on her blog, Le Fashion Monster. 

Jazzabelle’s Diary

I also met Jazmine at MAGIC this year and she is just as sweet as she looks. Being from London, her style holds true to the “classics” with a little twist every now and then. Great photography, cute outfits and of course that cute little face, Jazzabelle’s Diary is an inspiring and beautiful blog.

Locks and Trinkets

I have a confession: I have a secret (ok, not so secret) crush on Enocha from Locks and Trinkets. A Boston native who has recently immigrated to LA , Enocha has an effortless style that is so unique, you can’t find anything else like it. She wears everything from dresses to snap backs and heels to sneakers and somehow puts a chic touch on all of it. Another thing that sets her apart from other bloggers is her editorial style photos listing the items and photographer at the bottom. I can go on forever about Enocha but I’ll let you stalk her blog so you can really see what I’m talking about.

Fashion Goggled

Landon, the smarts behind Fashion Goggled, has a truly unique approach to blogging and I find it so refreshing and addicting to follow. He makes sure to incorporate different edits and effects on his photos so it’s not boring outfit post after outfit post. I also really appreciate Landon’s style because men’s fashion is hard to switch up and he does it with ease. I love this outfit because A, I’m a sucker for wool slacks and B, the layering and colors work harmoniously. For more Fashion Goggled be sure to check out the blog.

Honey & Silk

Usually blog names are odd, boring or just flat out don’t make sense but I can’t think of a better name for Orange County native, Stephanie Liu’s blog. Stephanie is sweet like honey and her looks are smooth as silk (excuse the cheese but it’s true). All of her photos are on point and her style is sleek and chic. She took this photo at NYFW this year and I absolutely love the pop of color. Winter can bring on more neutral or darker tones, but Stephanie broke all of the expectations with this color blocking look. Check out Honey N Silk and fall in love like I did.

Fated to be Hated

Bebe Zeva from Fated to be Hated is my new muse. She can make any outfit look flawless from crazy, new wave looks to chic tailored looks and I love that about her. She inspires me to bring out my inner crazy and her writing isn’t too shabby either. I love this look because it’s how I feel everyday in the winter…grunge. I want to slap on clothes and call it a day. Be sure to check out this Las Vegas dweller and all of her fashion adventures.

Good Bad and Fab

I have one word to describe Jenny from Good Bad and Fab: FABULOUS. Jenny is a fashion lawyer turned fashion blogger and she lives nothing short of a fabulous lifestyle. Random trips to Cabo, events around LA, champagne, yummy food and of course, beautiful outfits, Jenny does it all. This outfit is one of my favorites of Jenny’s because I love how she edged it up but kept it chic with heels and the cheetah purse. I love Jenny’s style and I’m sure you will too. As Jenny  always says, Live Fabulously!

Margie Plus

Margie, Margie Margie. The most fun loving person you could ever meet if you can’t tell by her photos. Margie has her own column on Lucky Mag but also has her own blog, Margie Plus, which is all about her random adventures and her rad plus size fashion. Loving this night time look that she put together with sequins and leather for a night out on the NY streets. Margie Holla!

Style Map

Trend forecasting, app building and blogging, Emily from Style Map does it all! The cutest girl you will ever meet, Emily has great style and a great eye for it as well. Her blog is about all of her fashions, trends and life and it’s nothing short of a great read. I’m loving this outfit because it is so harmonious despite the different colors and feels which makes for the perfect winter outfit. Check out Style Map ASAP well, because Emily is awesome!

Glitter on the Ceiling

Jasmine of Glitter on the Ceiling is a plus sized blogger out of LA who writes about music, collections, street style and more. Her blog has a variety of content and is always an interesting read. Another thing I love about Jasmine is that she knows how to dress for her body type. Everything she wears works so well with her look and I think that is a true talent and skill to acquire. I love this look because the velvet top is a great cut and is also slimming, the jeans are a fantastic pop of color and the necklace and heels tie the whole look in.

Kristen Glam

Kristen has impeccable style and I literally could not pick just one outfit from her blog to feature on this post. Every single outfit offers something new, I love the way she incorporates sneakers and beanies to her outfits and her jackets are always so on point. Kristen’s great taste and awesome photos on the streets of New York make you instantly glued to her blog and make you never want to open a new tab in your browser ever again. I picked this outfit because the boots are something different (and amazing) and the layering is perfect. This outfit symbolizes a winter outfit and in my opinion is definitely one of the best ones I’ve seen!

Celebrating the day of love is filled with fun, little butterflies in your stomach as your evening plans approach. Sometimes the least of your worries is what you will be wearing that night and for all of you last minute girls out there, I’ve got your back. I have 4 different outfits laid out for every type of girl / occasion. Feel free to mix and match any of these items in any of the following colors: pink, red, black, white or coral. I hope all of you have a romantic day!

(J-Crew Vintage Denim Jacket, Nelly.com Lace Dress, Michael Kors heels, Studded Heart Bag)

Romantic: This outfit is for a serious date night involving wine, a table for two over candlelight and of course…chocolates. Surprise your man as he surprises you with this lovely lace dress, a jean jacket over it for some contrast and a nice set of black heels to dress it up. Wear your hair in a top knot or down with sensual waves. You’ll be sure to sweep him off his feet.

 (Top Shop Heart Flippy Dress, H&M Leather Jacket, STEVEN shoes, Patent Lip Purse)  

Fun: Spending the night movie hopping or photoboothing it up the whole night? This outfit emulates your spunky mood and makes for a great addition to a fun night. This printed dress screams Valentines day and has a fun and flirty silhouette, perfect for running around the town. I dressed it up with a leather jacket and heels but feel free to pair it with tights and Dr. Martens for a toned down, more comfortable look. Have fun you two love birds.

(Wharehouse Striped Cropped Jacket, Mini Wool Skirt,Reverse Studded Bustier, Seychelles Ankle Boot)   

Flirty: For all you single ladies that are going on a first date or to a place where more singles are located, this outfit is perfect for your night. This flirty look shows that you are ready for whatever the night will bring and have great style while doing it. The knee highs add a stylish yet flirtatious vibe luring all the boys to you. Toning down the outfit with ankle boots and adding a striped jacket for added accent this flirty look is far from mediocre and you’ll be the best dressed in the room.

(Marni Blouse, J-Brand Deep Red Skinny Jeans, Delia’s Letterman Jacket, Even and Odd Wedges, Rare Bags Clutch)

Sporty: Found “the one”? Been in the married game for a while? This look is for you. For those couples who enjoy celebrating valentines day together but have more casual plans, this sporty look (which may look familiar) fits right in for whatever “chill” plans you have. You’re honoring the holiday with your red pants but adding HUGE style with the letterman jacket. The blouse girls-it up and the wedges dress it up. You’re left with a perfectly balanced outfit thats comfortable and perfect for your night.

It’s been a long time coming but I’m excited to show you the final product of my Den.m Bar custom made jeans. To refresh your memory, I went to Den.m Bar in Downtown LA, to customize a pair of my very own jeans every step of the way…from button to pocket fabric. After a few fittings and some alterations, I have the final product.

The fabric is great, a thick and sturdy raw denim from Japan which has a weight of 13.5 oz, so that I can dress it up or dress it down. The orange stitching I chose was done flawlessly with straight double stitching and every detail in tact. The little Den.m Bar patch is small yet strong and I appreciate that it’s not distracting from the jeans.

Now this is where the customization comes in handy: I chose a super skinny cropped jean because I’m petite in size which means “short” jeans are regular on me and the rise is one of the only rises that actually fit me. I love the inseam of my new jeans as they hit at the sweet spot of the ankle, lengthening my body.  The only complaint I have is that the thighs/crotch areas are still a little loose, but it’s nothing that can’t be fix and nothing that they haven’t offered to fix.

My favorite part of my new jeans? The hounds tooth pocket. It’s like a little secret only I know, but is a fun surprise if anyone ever spots them. Overall the jeans are really well made and a great quality pair of denim. I’d like to personally thank Den.m Bar for being so accommodating, professional, sweet and most importantly for the opportunity! I love my new custom jeans and plan on wearing them often.

You’ve seen Denimocracy’s Spring lookbook and their Spring line in action, but what about behind all of that? I have for you an exclusive interview with Denimocracy’s designer Janine Shaw. I sat down with her to ask her a few questions about the line and even a few questions about her personal life. Ladies and gentleman…meet Janine!

DB: What sets Denimocracy apart from other denim brands? –

JS: The fabrics are the finest fabrics available sourced from all over the world, they are amazingly soft and comfortable. We work with the best laundries in Los Angeles and the wash processes are extremely ground breaking and like nothing that is out there. The Denimocracy line is sexy and not afraid to have fun. While staying on trend, we have no desire to look or feel like everyone else. We strive to push for perfection in all aspects.

DB: Take us through the steps of developing a collection for Denimocracy-

JS: It all starts with finding the most beautiful and innovative fabrications. We then create mood boards with inspiration images in order to visualize the overall feeling & direction for the season. From there we play with color palettes, silhouette sketches, denim wash & novelty dye treatments and creative concepts & details. Each piece is made one by one and perfected until it is loved and adopted into the collection.

Denim Blog: What was your inspiration for Spring/Summer 2013?

Janine Shaw: The theme for Denimocracy Spring 2013 is Utopian Dream – inspired by the natural elements (earth, wind, water & fire) in a bright fantasy wonderland. Natural sun bleached corrosion;dreamy and marbled rock surfaces of bleeding color & exquisite sunsets. This line has a Romantic, ultra femme & bohemian free spirit feeling.

DB:What is your ultimate goal/vision for Denimocracy?

JS: My goal is to perfect the evolution of denim by creating a line that is inspired by vintage aesthetics while constantly updating and pushing the envelope with modern elements. As a brand we want our customers to feel confident and love how they look and feel while expressing their unique personality to the world.

DB: LOVING the tie dye that’s entering the Spring/Summer 2013 collection, how is Denimocracy’s tie dye denim different and what inspired you to bring these types of tie dye in?

JS: Playful prints are extremely popular right now but I wanted to create pieces that looked like a work of art. We developed one of a kind dyes that were done by hand and naturally affected by nature. There are several multi color batik tie dyes, that are really special and stand out.

DB: What is your favorite item from the collection?

JS: My favorite item is the Indigo Jigsaw in our best selling Luxe Skinny. This style has a modern and edgy patchwork denim, I really love the various shades of denim in one garment.

DB: Off the topic of denim, name one interesting thing about yourself that our readers would love to know/find interesting.

JS: The highlight of my day is coming home to my scruffy poodle mix puppy named Levi.

DB: Thanks Janine!

Ahh Denimocracy, the manufacturer of the most comfortable jeggings known to man. You may have seen their Spring 2013 look book already, but I got the chance to visit their showroom to look, touch, and feel the line and I have your first look at it.

My favorite style of jeans from the line were the uniquely tie dyed denim pants. Tie dye has been done, it’s not ‘DONE’, but we’ve seen it. Denimocracy just upped the ante with their tie dye work and I’m not sure if anyone can top it. The colors, patterns and placement were all perfect and I wanted every pair that had it.

Another technique I was impressed with? Their use of patchwork. Remember in the early 2000′s when this was big but it was SO BAD….yah, these aren’t that. These are done with thought of how they will look on your body and what body parts they will enhance. Their patchwork denim is so skillfully done and also taken across the line appearing on their skirts and shorts as well (because I don’t know about you, but just on the pants is not enough).

I also loved how they branched out into denim shorts, vests and tops to give the line a more complete feel. They were done in great colors and have great styles.

Denimocracy’s spring line wasn’t just tie dye and patchwork though, they had an array of beautiful Spring inspired colors that jumped out as you went down the rack. Not one color was off or ugly and they really anchored the entire line. So if you’re wondering, is Denimocracy’s Spring line something I should spend my money on? My answer is yes. Yes child, spend your money on those amazing tie dye pants and patchwork shorts. You will be the cool kid on campus.