jax likes...fashion essentials

i have to be honest with you; katie is by and far more put together than me in every aspect of dressing.  while she was nominated for "most creative" in highschool (and won, by the way), i was nominated for "most likely to sleep in class."  i've had friends who attend college with her who do not know katie in any way aside from me mentioning her and she has actually been recognized solely from being so well-dressed for class every day.  i'm a bit more of a slob, and i suppose my list reflects this.  but here it is, in no particular order.

JAX'S TOP 10 FASHION ESSENTIALS:

1. ray-ban sunglasses - it's hard to find sunglasses that look right on my face, but a couple years ago i found the perfect pair.  there's no official name for the style, but they look like a large hybrid of aviators and wayfarers.  mine are plain; plastic black with black lenses.  whether i'm hungover, have dark circles i want to hide, or it's just plain sunny, these are an absolute necessity.

2. choco sandals - they take a little while to break in, but are absolutely worth it.  they're sturdy and waterproof, and now that it's warming up i pair them with everything.

3. gray sweater - i have at least five of these, my favorite being a large men's version which is very thin.  i hate being overheated and wearing stuffy coats (i don't even care if it's winter).  they're perfect toppers for anything; tees, tanks, dresses, whatever, and they work belted too.  and i guess if i'm forced to i can still wear a jacket on top.

4. shoulder bag - ideally mine would be the alexander wang brenda zip chain bag, but alas, i'm stuck with my faux-suede carrier from forever 21.  it gets the job done though, and when i'm out it's a lot easier to sling it across my body than to have to find somewhere to put a huge bulky purse.

5. levi's denim shorts - i've got two pairs, one bigger and one smaller, and i'll never give them up.  jean cut-offs are always in style in some form or another.  and to be honest, i'm not much of an actual jeans-wearer (or any pants for that matter).

6. antique locket - i found a great gold round locket at our local antique market, complete with pictures of an elderly couple inside.  it was a little out of my price range with little diamond chips and engraving on the front, but luckily i received it as a gift.  a piece of jewelry always pulls a look together, and i wear this one quite frequently.

7. vintage tshirts - a pretty common staple for a lot of people, and like i said i'm a slob so i love my tees.

8. toe nail polish - as an ex swimmer, i used to never paint my nails out of frustration because they would chip so quickly.  now i absolutely cannot go out in open toed shoes without toe nail polish on.  i don't really care about wearing makeup or even shaving my legs (sorry if that's gross) but bare toe nails kind of freak me out.  my current favorite polish is o.p.i.'s "mad as a hatter."  it's super sparkly and amazing; look it up.

9. adidas sport headbands - i've got probably a thousand of these.  i used to wear my hair up every day unless i showered in the morning (my hair is very thin and doesn't do much unless freshly styled).  then i decided to chop off a foot of it, and now i can't even put it in a ponytail.  i freaked at first, but i've almost gotten used to these elastic headbands as a substitute for my messy updos.

10. gap tank tops - they're super cheap and soft.  i love the skinny strapped ones and have them in every neutral color.