One of my absolute favorite things about my friends is that they share my love of driving around for fun. It may have something to do with the beautiful area of New Jersey we grew up/live in, but either way, it’s something that certainly brings us closer. My friend Darek and I were trying to figure out something to do on both of our days off, and he was like, “Wanna do a drive through New Jersey to check out the fall foliage?” IS THAT MY BEST FRIEND OR IS THAT MY BEST FRIEND?! I feel very lucky in these moments.

So, we decided to go on a drive through the Delaware Water Gap – which naturally involves exploring, with my camera in tow. Darek is one of my most fashionable male friends. You may actually recognize him from my ‘Denim Factor’ post. He will never admit or realize it, but he has style mastered without even trying. We have very similar tastes, and I could make a blog post out of what he is wearing without any hesitation. I realized both of our outfits had the common theme of being 80s/90s based, so I figured, why not make a “Blast From the Past” post?

I am 1000% a fan of the return of the fashion from my childhood and prior. There is such a comfortable, effortless, nostalgic feel that accompanies these looks. Be it a denim bomber or a flannel around the waist – these styles are both functional and add such a “feel good” vibe to an outfit. Darek paired the flannel and denim bomber jacket together perfectly. The colors look incredible together, and the combination has a modern Breakfast Club feel, which I love. Keeping it casual with jeans, Darek also really rocked the “denim on denim” look. (Justin Timberlake would be so proud.) His shoes were more on the classy scale, but gave the outfit an air of sophistication – while maintaining a relaxed look.

Flannels are, without a doubt, my go-to for fashion. You can dress them up or down, they can be worn to layer, and they can be worn to accessorize. They look good on anyone, and they add color without overpowering. I love throwing on a vintage-style crew neck pullover and putting a flannel either on top or tied around my waist (depending on the weather). Leggings are also a huge staple in my closet. I don’t care what anyone says – leggings are the new pants. They are incredibly versatile and look so chic when paired with an old-school pair of Adidas (not pictured, but also a part of my outfit that day).

Fashion is another thing that brings my friends and I close. We bounce ideas off of each other, and they have become so skilled at capturing exactly what I want when it comes to my blog’s photography. There is nothing better than having both a model and a photographer for a shoot – and then being able to trade places. Here are some of our shots:

DAREK
Sunglasses: Ray Bans
Jacket: Vintage
Flannel: Kohl’s
Jeans: Marc Anthony
Shoes: DSW

TAYLOR
Crewneck: Cotton On
Flannel: Garage
Leggings: Cotton On
Shoes (Not pictured): Adidas Superstar
Unfortunately, I cannot remember where I got my sunglasses from.

Just a reminder to surround yourself with those who help you pursue your passion – it makes all the difference.

Truly,
Taylor