summer fashion – April Federico

Fashion Diaries: Every Body is a Swimsuit Body | Beauty From Within is IN

Published on June 11, 2021June 11, 2021 by The April DiariesLeave a comment

When people see me on social media just living “my best life,” they don’t know that my mind is a constant battlefield of insecurity. Right now, as I’m writing this, I feel better because I don’t feel insecure about putting my insecurities out there, hoping that someone out there will understand. I can tell you right now that I am confident that I will inspire someone out there and give someone a big virtual hug (through words — I’m better at writing than I am talking!). After all, no one is put on this Earth to please and constantly kiss people’s asses. I could give people a million reasons to make fun of me: I’m a 25-year-old virgin, I live at home, and I don’t own my own vehicle (correction: I don’t own a vehicle yet…stay tuned on the ‘gram). I’ve even dealt with my fair share of imposter syndrome.

This past Monday, June 7, I was in my round-about driveway laying in the sun when I chose to take pictures of myself… in a bathing suit. I didn’t care if I was wearing a one-piece from SHEIN, what mattered was my state of mind. Before that, I hadn’t worn a bathing suit in years because I had gained a whopping 50 pounds in college. But just the other day, I realized that in college, gaining weight is 100,000% normal as long as you’re happy. Yes, I’ve been pressured to lose weight. I’m not going to lie and say that family members’ words didn’t bother me. What’s terribly f—ed up about that is society, in it of itself, wants people to “look good” instead of just simply being “happy.” In fact, I can look in the mirror and honestly say, “wow, April, you look sexy!” THAT’S what exudes confidence and gives me serotonin.

Moreover, I took this one photo of myself where the lower half of my stomach was prominent and my thigh was gigantic. I then realized, that’s just an angle. And what’s funnier is that “angle” wasn’t even natural. Wait… am I picking apart myself here? April, snap out of it! You look hot! No, I’m not being conceited. No, I am not being cocky. In fact, it took a matter of five days just to get myself like that picture. (My laptop is not letting me load it.) I felt so inspired that I took another bathing suit picture and joked that I was channeling Pamela Anderson!

You can make fun of me all you want. No one’s opinion defines me. What matters is how you define yourself. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

THE FASHION DIARIES: Breakfast At Tiffany’s and Oodles of VINTAGE

Published on August 31, 2019August 31, 2019 by The April DiariesLeave a comment

It’s been a hot minute (more like almost a YEAR) since I posted a Fashion Diary entry, which is ironic because I’ve written my own personal journal entries practically every day this summer.

Despite PSL’s being back at Starbucks, along with the Maple Pecan Lattes and the newly-raved-about Pumpkin Cold Brew, summer is not quite over yet. Wait until Monday, September 23, guys! My summer fashion choices have been relatively laid-back, with the occasional dress or two, or three. 😜 It wasn’t until recently when my grandmother sent my mom and I packages of clothing that didn’t fit her anymore. For those of you who know me well, I love vintage fashion. So, needless to say, I was fascinated by my grandmother’s impeccable taste.

The first thing that caught my eye was a black and white polka-dotted dress

***Please excuse the dirty mirror and, of course, the mirror selfie***

Then there’s the makeup look then went with it:

Not only do I adore fashion, but I am a HUGE makeup junkie. This is actually the same lipstick that Audrey Hepburn wore in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” It’s Revlon’s “Pink in the Afternoon.” The blush, bronzer, and highlighter are from IT Cosmetics and the eyeshadow is from Bare Minerals!

The next thing that caught my eye was a long skirt:

It’s hard to tell what the pattern is, but rosewood is one of my favorite colors (number 5 to purple, blue, pink, and red). You can’t even tell I’m wearing a skirt and top because it all flows so well! The top is from H&M and the shoes are from ZARA.

Then there’s the makeup look that went with it:

With natural waves (my hair is actually straight, but if I sleep on it when it’s wet, it gets wavy), and the right lipstick, I rocked this look with confidence. The lipstick is Colourpop x Disney’s Tiana. Shout out to my best friend (hi Katelyn!) for surprising me with it!

THE FASHION DIARIES: How To Style Birkenstocks (are they the new uggs?)

Published on August 12, 2018 by The April DiariesLeave a comment

Happy Sunday, my (A)pril-Listers! I had a busy weekend (hi Kristen, hi Katelyn!) My best friends from Massachusetts came all the way down to little Rhodey to visit me! Over the weekend I found out their beauty secrets (which I’ll be sure to post at some point) and we definitely kept the weekend fashionable.

So I gave into the trend I used to make fun of, Birkenstocks! Yes, I bought a pair from SHEIN. This dress I’m about to show you that I just got from SHEIN is TO DIE FOR and I couldn’t wait to share it with y’all. Not to mention it’s PERFECT with Birkenstocks.

I bought the traditional tan Birkenstocks because, duh, tan goes with everything! Like I said, I used to make fun of them but now, I just can’t get enough! I want them in black, pink, white, every color imaginable!

Okay, judge me, because Birkenstocks are basically the new UGG fad for the summer/springtime. But personally, I think they’re both timeless trends. I mean, hey, jeans have been around for decades and people still wear them, even if they are wide-legged.

P.S. Jeans with Birkenstocks = HAWT (especially with skinny jeans).

Without further ado… here’s a couple of ways I’ve styled the infamous Birks.

Festival Style

Yes, it was 90+ degrees and I was still wearing a cardigan strictly for this artsy, festival look.

Nevertheless, Birkenstocks are THE show for festivals. In this case, my friend and I went to the Warren Folk Festival last weekend, where we were going to be walking (and, of course, bearing the heat.) So, I wanted to go for a more casual look. Here I am wearing (literal) cut-offs jean shorts that come down just at the middle of the thigh. I’m wearing the vintage sunglasses I bought at Urban Outfitters and a simple, black tank-top. Oh yeah, and don’t forget the fedora (;

2. Sunday Brunch

This is the dress I’ve been dying to show on my blog. It’s from SHEIN and it has blue stripes and orange and pink tassels, which are SO in right now. I have never been so in love with a dress before. But this goes to show that Birkenstocks can definitely go with any casual dress. I was thinking of my little black short-sleeve dress with a v-neck that I also purchased from SHEIN.

These shoes are also perfect if you want to get a pedicure (yes, my friends and I got ~blue~ pedicures.) My toes are Tiffany-Blue ☺

Birkenstocks are also great for toning down a cute romper and achieving a more casual look.

Start your end-of-summer looks off with sliding your feet into a comfortable pair of Birkenstocks! These shoes are also perfect for walking around campus (especially if your campus is larger.)

xoxo,

April

I do not own any of the gifs used in this blog post.***

THE FASHION DIARIES: A Mid-Summer Fashion Dream | ZARA and Discounts

Published on July 20, 2018July 20, 2018 by The April DiariesLeave a comment

Long time no fashion updates! (Well, except on Instagram, of course). But, as promised, I will be doing a ZARA AND a discount haul! I’ve been so busy with my internship, work, and even an org retreat. To follow my bylines at Rhode Island Monthly, click here.

But let’s get down my business (a.k.a my blog) and talk about what I’ve bought recently/worn this week:

P.S. sorry that 3/4 of these are selfies, but I just wanted to get ~the essentials~ in the pictures.

This first outfit I wore on Monday to RIM, and I really wanted to wear one of my new tops from ZARA. I thought of wearing these shoes that I got for my birthday (from TJMAXX) for a pop of color. This outfit is perfect for a work environment, an interview, or even school if you’re feeling fancy. These rounded sunglasses are from Francesca’s. The top can also be paired with a dark-wash jean.

This is (another selfie) but it’s also a printed top that I also purchased from ZARA with mixes of yellows, oranges, browns, lilacs, and pinks. The sleeves are poofy with babydoll detail, which you can also see at the neck with almost a neck-tie keeping the shirt together. This adds a more sophisticated look, but this can be worn anywhere, although it does have a bit of deep neck (hence the tie). I wore this with a pair of red jeans and beige-gold kitten heels.

Exhibit C: a pinstripe peplum top I wore on my little excursion to Downtown Bristol. This is an example of a more sophisticated makeup look. I usually don’t wear eyeliner, but I used a powdered brown eyeliner from bareMinerals to create a subtle cat-eye. I didn’t want the cat-eye to be too strong because it was only a nice summer day by the water at one of my favorite coffee shops.

This outfit was actually inspired by one of my favorite YouTubers, Erin Noelle. Believe it or not, this outfit (and the earrings) were from Wal-Mart! So, of course, I bought them both for decent prices! The earrings I actually featured in my blog post, THE FASHION DIARIES: Summer Colors and Patterns. I paired this ensemble with classic white jeans, the original Sperry Topsiders, and a classic gold ALEX AND ANI bracelet.

You know what they say, everything is better with pockets! At least, that’s what some people say IDK. Truth be told, I didn’t even realize this dress had pockets until I put it on! This is another discount outfit I wore to RIM. In case you haven’t noticed from previous blog posts, I love blue, bold earrings, cute shoes, and vertical stripes.

If you look closely, my earrings are hot pink with pom-poms, and my shoes have bows on them! Also, I’m sporting a new pair of retro sunglasses from Urban Outfitters. They remind me of the pair of sunglasses that Carrie Bradshaw wears in “The Carrie Diaries.”

THE FASHION DIARIES: Summer Colors and Patterns

Published on June 2, 2018June 2, 2018 by The April Diaries1 Comment

It’s officially post-Memorial day (and my birthday), which means one thing: TIME TO WEAR WHITE… and other things. I’m not going to lie, I’ve broken this rule one too many times, but do I care? No, not really.

You can check out my very first published Rhode Island Monthly materials here.

Anyway, I’ve been bringing out the summer colors since I got out of school last month.

Exhibit A: Colorful earrings. Orange, especially, is the color of conversation. If you’re going for simple jewelry, however, I recommend choosing gold. Gold is paving its way into the spotlight this season, and as you can tell from these photos, so are chambray and white.

In both of these photos, I’m also rocking the beachy waves. My hair is naturally straight, but sometimes when I sleep on it weird (when it’s still wet, that is), I just let my hair do its thang, and if I like it, I like it.

White is especially popular for the summer because it’s 1) a neutral and 2) a light-reflecting color that will be sure to keep you cool for the summer *insert Demi here.*

Exhibit B: Military green. Military green was a popular color during the springtime. But, I’m escorting it into my own personal summer style guide. Military green can be paired with any neutral color, like gold, white, pale pink, silver, and black. In this case, I paired my military green “birthday suit” with a pale pink chunky, platform heel and a rose-gold, gold and silver statement necklace (and, of course, a birthday crown).

Last, but not pictured, are stripes. No matter if they are black and white or navy and white, but this pattern screams #nautical. And with the nautical aspect in mind, anchor prints will also be coming back for the summer season.

Stay tuned for more Rhode Island Monthly articles! ♥

THE FASHION DIARIES: Spring Fashion Mambo

Published on May 7, 2018May 7, 2018 by The April DiariesLeave a comment

Once again, I’m taking a break from the millions of things I have to do before finals to bring you another FASHION DIARIES. No, I am not in finals week (yet), but I will be next week. Thus far, I have finished 2/5 of the things I have to do. Like Nelson Mandela once said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” (I should be saving that for when I do my senior sem/thesis next year).

So, without further ado, here is what I like to call the spring fashion mambo for any event/occasion!

1.) Carnival Cutie (photo taken by my dear friend, Francis — hi!)

My school hosted a carnival/block party a couple of Saturdays ago. I wanted to look cute, yet comfortable because I would obviously be going on rides and eating greasy food (Francis and I waited about an hour for Frisky Fries — so worth it!). So, I brought out the gingham print shirt and the red pants (carnival and barbeque patterns/colors). The one (or two) things missing in this picture are my classic beige Sperry Topsiders. One other essential is my cat-eye sunglasses. P.S. see my gingham blog post for my take on the trend!

2.) Sunday Studious Style

One classic piece to wear this spring/summer season is a denim jacket — no matter if it’s a dark wash or light wash or distressed or embroidered! In this case, I appropriated my mom’s embroidered dark-wash embroidered jacket. I recently bought this off-the-shoulder red-striped dress from rainbowshops.com (that’s where I also got my gingham top from above). Regardless, a denim jacket I believe is essential for any wardrobe. You could pair any pair of casual shoe with this ensemble, but I decided to sport my trusty Sperry Topsiders for this Sunday outfit. This outfit is perfect for studying at your local library, coffee shop, going to church, or walking by the bay (for those of you who don’t know, I live seaside!).

3.) The Maxi-Dress… ‘nough said.

First of all, my campus is beautiful — I thought I’d just throw that out there ☺ Again, I bought this dress at Rainbowshops.com (where else?) and I am actually wearing this dress right now as we speak! I decided to bring out a bold, statement necklace to complete my maxi-dress and sandals look. The necklace is a combination of gold, silver, and rose-gold. Sandals are from TJMAXX and they are nude and gold thong sandals. This dress also has a bold slit (I’ve been so tempted to do the famous Angelina Jolie slit stance). The vertical stripes make me look taller than I actually am and the belt/cinching is in the perfect place. This outfit is a perfect business casual outfit and perfect for any occasion, really!