When You Have Ten Minutes. And That's It

Even us fashionistas have mornings when you just can't. For me that's generally every morning. I usually plan what I'm wearing for posts ahead of time. For today's post I decided to show what I usually wear when I'm not thinking about it. Let's face it, everyone has that kind of morning. Like I said, most likely every day. As students we don't have that time to try hard on our looks and any extra time is for sleep. Sleep has become my favorite activity, which is ultimately sad. Some times we don't even have a choice but to fall asleep or nothing gets done. So today I'm sharing my 10 minute look!

I usually grab all black. It always matches and looks clean. It takes the "does this match" element out of dressing yourself. Here I have a black sweater and black jogger style, cotton pants. A simple black bootie take care of the shoe problem as well. Something flat and easy to slip on. If you only have a few minutes you don't want to delay yourself with heels, buckles and straps. I always throw on a blanket scarf. It's easy to throw on, keeps you warm and it's usually solid colored to plaid making it easy to match. I'd prefer to have a black one, which I haven't had time to find yet. I usually go to Zara for these because their's are perfect and about $25. If you catch it at the end of the winter season you can some times catch them on sale! This one is from Urban Outfitters, $15 on the 50% off sale weekend.

As for beauty, I think it's important to have a basic, go-to beauty routine. Just an easy look you can replicate. I do my foundation, fill my eyebrows, then I use a cream/white colored eye shadow to neutralize the lid skin tone, then I fill the left corner of the crease with a light gray up to mid-browbone. This just gives your eyes a little depth and shape. Then I finish off with mascara. I do this look everyday unless I'm feeling fancy or actually got my ass out of bed when my alarm went off. As hair, I have a hair cut that's not hard to style, it only can look one way. But some times I wake up and it's greasy, I should've washed it, couldn't shower because life happened, etc. I just pull it back and stick my cute, chic hat on. I tend to look like a dude when I do this, but one, I don't really have a choice and two, I don't care that much.

And that's the look! Do I look particularly good? Not really. But I look totally acceptable and I'm happy with it. That's all that matters. I hope this is helpful for your mornings!

- Mik
Photos: Shahnee Naftali

NYFW Autumn/Winter '15

This is an exciting post this week! I was lucky enough to shoot my post for the week at Lincoln Center. My lovely new photographer, Shahnee Naftali, was even luckier and work a few shows, including J. Crew this week. I met her uptown and we shot for today's post!

It was SO COLD outside it was crazy of me to even go there. My hands were numb and the wind was blowing so crazy I lost my hat at least five times. You can tell my face was like frozen and that we just wanted to shoot then bundle up again. It was totally fun though!

I usually head up to Fashion Week every semester. Sadly not to see shows, which is almost impossible most of the time. It takes crazy connections! I like to go to see the street style, which is a runway show in itself. The people that attend go all out every season and hang out around Lincoln Center hoping to photographer's attention. If you're lucky maybe you'll make it in an article about bet street style from fashion week post from Vogue or Marie Claire. I felt so special when two photographers asked to take my picture! It was a great feeling knowing I was stylish enough! My photo will probably be another file crowding their computer, but it's a great experience to have some ask. So many stylish fashionistas plan an outfit for every day of Fashion Week, head out, freeze their butts off and hope for a glimpse of attention. I went one day, in a fairly casual look, so it was a lucky and cool experience. I will continue to scope Fashion Week from the outside until my day comes when I'm invited to a show. Dreams do and will come true!

P.S. If anyone finds my picture somewhere hit a girl up! (lol)

- Mik
Photography by Shahnee Naftali

Grunge Girl

Lately the blog has been on hiatus because I was looking for a new photographer for the semester, so welcome Shahnee to my team!

Happy Valentines Day readers! While my outfit has nothing to do with the holiday, because who am I kidding, I don't own red or pink, it's still cute and totally me. I've been finding lots of outfit inspiration on instagram lately and one that I found inspired this simple look. Leggings, an H&M baseball tee and a Hollister fuzzy cardigan. "Grunge Girl" is the perfect description of my style and my personality. My dark style against my bubbly and outgoing personality! I'm not much of a girly girl, but that doesn't mean I can't love fashion and be a happy person! While the look is mostly black the fuzzy sweater gives it a warm, girly addition. I also wore these H&M boots for the first time, which fit really well and are an easy match for any look.

Enjoy your Valentines Day and love yourself!

- Mik
Photos by Shahnee Naftali

"You Look Like You Could Kill Someone"

To be honest, I'm a little lost on what to write for this look. This is just how I felt like dressing. But I did do a dress in winter. I bought this edgy, skull muscle tank dress from H&M for three dollars (thank you discount). I paired it with tights and over the knee socks for extra warmth, then added tall, sleek boots from DSW's 50% sale! I've been shopping the after Christmas sales for those missing pieces! Also a big cozy cardigan is important. Big sweaters are my new thing. Lastly a beaning of course. You can do dressed in winter! Just go for it!

The title of today's post is what my roommate/best friend/temporary blog photographer told me when she saw my outfit. Not many people know that I have such a dark side to my style. I find it empowering and gives me the confidence to just be myself. I think of it as the opposite of how most "fashionistas" would dress, but who says a they can't dress darker? It doesn't have to be all glam and heels (me and heels aren't friends.) Fashion is what's happening now, it's the industry. Style is freedom of expression and defined by the individual.

Sorry this post isn't too long. I have a lack of words for this week! But more things to come from my break!

- Mik
Photos by Lara Rounds

Trendy Hats: The Outfit Completer

I'm really late on the brimmed hat trend that took over in fall of 2014. That's only because it took me so long to find the perfect one. Personally, I have a narrow head so hats don't fit. But this hat has a few tricks underneath it, literally, and it's perfect for completing any outfit.

Brimmed hats come in a ton of different shapes, sizes, brims, loose or stiff. I've tried so many styles trying to find something that fit and eventually gave up. While exploring the Brooklyn Night Bazaar, the most hipster thing I've done since living in New York, I found a booth with a lot of these hats. What these hats had that none of the major retailer had is an adjustable elastic to tighten or loosen the hat to your head size. I wish the owner had given me a business card so I can share the company with you, these hats were truly awesome.

I find that a hat (aka not a beanie for once) really completes an outfit from head to toe. Especially if you're like me and don't particularly like to accessorize. It's also great if you're one that doesn't have a prominent facial feature, like myself as well, it really brings out your looks and face. They go with any style, which is great. For this post I was going to do a chicer, all black look, but then switched to a wintery boho. I paired my new head piece with a Brandy Melville plaid shirt, Hollister shall and H&M mom jeans. I felt cute, cozy and adorable!

Photos by Laura Rounds (click her name to check out more of her work)

- Mik

Reasoning Behind the Cut

Has many of you have noticed, I cut a lot of my hair off. And I'm not going to take this post to write about my decision for the change, but to hopefully use it in a broader way. My readers don't care about what I did to my hair, I'm not famous. I do want to share the grand spectrum of what this decision did for me and hope to inspire my audience. Onto the story!

I could give you the "I hated my hair," "new year, new me" excuses, but I think I'll take a cheesier approach by saying I wanted to be myself. Since leaving Syracuse and moving New York, even since I started this new major 15 weeks ago, I've changed. It's extremely obvious. It's my environment, my new friends, old friends and family that choose to accept this about me that allow me to feel comfortable with these changes. My wardrobe to my personality to my career choices have done complete 360's and to be honest I couldn't be happier with who I have become.

Now for the semester. I switched to the communication design one year program here at FIT to start anew. I've been challenged in mediums, projects and choices that I wasn't before. And I can say I made the right decision. I've met amazing and talented people that I will always be close with that have inspired me in unimaginable ways. I thank them for all they have done for me and continue to do. I got a new job as well at H&M. Not that it's a huge change, but it allows me more in house opportunities and freedom I wasn't given before. It's a place with nice people that accept my red hair and my style. They embrace the individual and their skills. I've had internship interviews and met amazing people this semester also. Lastly I now have my first apartment and permanent New York City address. I've made that move that will help me improve my art, my career and my life style. I found myself very stressed out over the pasted few months, but it was worth it.

The haircut was my version of a "finishing touch." Kind of a reward to myself for all I have accomplished in the big city. It's me embracing the person I have become and seeing who sticks by me and supports me through the challenges. I'm an artist, a nerd, a dork, a fashionista, a designer, the list goes on, but each characteristic is important to me. Overall I love it, I feel myself and it solved my top knot addiction.

Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing some of my work from the semester, new projects and of course more fashion. I hope you all enjoy it and continue to follow me in my adventures. I blog to record my journey and practice my craft. Enjoy the new stuff coming!

Photography: Megan Madden

- Mik

As of today,  blushmagfit.com is new and improved. With great new articles, videos, interviews and tutorials, Blush Magazines website has stepped up it's game. Thanks to a great team, a lot was accomplished and I thank them all.
I wanted to share the article I took on, which was contacting a friend and designer, Natalya Nyn. Here's my articles about Natalya, her company and some wonderful photos by Megan Madden.
Check out more amazing things from Blush Magazine's website by clicking on the link above!

Meet The Designer: Natalya Nyn of Toysyndrome

By Mikayla Madigan | Photography by Megan Madden

Natalya Nyn is a former FIT fashion design student from Russia. Toysyndrome is her completely original company, which focuses on the nostalgia, individuality, and fun of urban streetwear. Coming from a BFA program with a focus on evening wear and working at J. Mendal, Nyn felt like designing became too serious and she wanted to have fun with her work. Nyn created t-shirts, now sweatshirts and beanies as well, with small, plastic toy bugs, reptiles and aliens sewn on them. She also uses hand dyeing techniques to make colors and textures on some of her shirts.

These aren’t just randomly sewn on bugs; they organized and designed in a way that’s practical and artsy. The pieces are bold, fun and for someone with a young personality, such as Nyn herself. Since starting her own line she has made strides to make her company grow. She now works with a company to mass produce her orders and a freelance seamstress for custom orders. She’s had interviews with Refinery29 and Fashionista and been featured in Nylon. 

But the person who really helped her take off was Lena Dunham. Nyn’s story is that she saw the popular show Girls being filmed while she “casually ate her lunch nearby. Dunham noticed her shirt and Nyn ended up giving one to her, which Dunham then posted on Instagram. What really surprised Nyn was a message from the Fashionista editor with a link to the Season 3 trailer for Girls, which shows Dunham wearing a Toysyndrome shirt in an episode. Nyn calls it one her most exciting moments to date!

Nyn says that in the future, she’s thinking of creating a system for customers to customize their shirts online. And, she’s currently working on making little creatures of her own to find a home on one of her designs.

Nyn has become so successful since the first time we met only a year ago. From FIT to Lena Dunham’s Instagram and even a store in Dubai, Toysyndrome has expanded in a short period of time. It’s inspiring hearing success stories from former FIT students and knowing that there’s something out there for everyone. Her advice to current students is that throughout your career, you will get a lot of “no’s,” but with that will come one amazing “yes.” So never give up, have confidence, and believe in yourself. 

You can see more of Nyn’s collection at toysyndrome.com. Follow her on Instagram @toysyndrome and see her pieces in person at Patricia’s Boutique on Bowery Street.

Getting Kind of Grunge

It's been over a week since I have posted and I have to say, I missed it. It was a tough week! After taking a long weekend Upstate I mistakenly got behind on work and that included the blog. Getting behind for the first time in forever taught me one thing, NEVER DO IT. There will be stress, frustration, tears (it was bad), etc. I had probably four major projects due this week and I was no prepared for the overload. It led me to feel like getting a little grunge!

Let's be real, 90's grunge was an amazing time for fashion and a huge inspiration for me. While I'm an outgoing and happy person, the whole style just draws my attention. The mood of grunge certainly went with my mood the whole week. That's what fashion does; lets you express yourself.

I wore a "rock & roll" Urban Outfitters tee, Hollister maxi skirt with black tights underneath, my acid wash jacket and quilted Doc Martens. Beauty wise I added Kat Von D "Homegirl" lipstick. I felt the part for sure.

Take it from this weeks breakdown, get head so you don't explode your head. Even though some sweet fashion came out of it.

- Mik
Photos: Megan Madden

Lights: Little Machines

While I love sharing my fashion and outfit ideas, sharing my other personal favorites I hope will be just as inspiring! Today, September 23, 2014, is the release of LIGHTS' new album; Little Machines. LIGHTS is like an electro-pop, singer songwriter from Canada. And she's one of the realest human beings I think I've ever seen.  I'm admittedly obsessed with her, but I like to call it "dedicated."
She's been my favorites artist since I was fifteen. She's ultimately inspiring and a great model.  She reminds me everyday to enjoy life, learn from life and to be yourself. LIGHTS is proof that you can build a brand just based on who you are. Her music captures who she is and what she's feeling. I could go on about LIGHTS, but I'll let you listen for yourself.

Click here to listen to her single "Up We Go"

On Monday,  I chose to wear her most recent shirt she made for the announcement countdown of Little Machines. With one day until the album release I felt it was super appropriate! I personally own five LIGHTS tee shirts that I've acquired of the five years of my obsession.  I also incorporated other pieces that LIGHTS has in her style, my cargo jacket and brown combat boots.

Boots from Target
Jacket from Urban Outfitters

You can see more of her merch at iamlights.com
And check out her instagram: @lightsy

- Mik
Photography: Megan Madden