7 #OOTDs for the Week: How Style Bloggers Make a T-Shirt Look Chic

Jan 26, 2015

Unlike sweaters, jumpsuits and other chic clothing that makes any outfit feel put together, there’s a fine line between looking frumpy or fresh when you throw on a t-shirt. This week’s outfit inspiration is all about how to style the wardrobe basic to look flat-out chic with help from some of the most stylish ladies on Instagram. Scroll through these seven #OOTDs for tips on how to take your classic crew necks and deep Vs to the next tee-rific level.

1. @asos_isabella: The takeaway from ASOS stylist and fashion writer Isabella is to treat your tee – along with all your other wardrobe staples — as anything but basic. The gray tee gets an upgrade with a mod mock neck and the rest follow suit: black pumps become strappy mules, a classic trench gets an unexpected crop, baggy jeans are in the very of-the-moment girlfriend silhouette and black sunnies go big.

2. @thehautepursuit: Luxury doesn’t always have to have its notorious “suffer for fashion” subtext. As style blogger Vanessa shows, comfy clothing can look high-end, especially when worn together — like her cushy faux fur coat, leather leggings and “haute” tee.

3. @morganlynzi: Vlogger Morgan demonstrates how a t-shirt and jeans can be so much more than a t-shirt and jeans. Pair a not-so-average graphic tee with shredded cutout denim to amp it up; add a silky kimono and glittery drop earrings to turn it to 11.

4. @michelletakeaim: This year it’s all about the LBTP (Little Black Two-Piece), and fashion blogger Michelle shows that a white tee is worthy of the polished set. With a delicate lariat around her neck (look closely), no one would dare call the pairing into question.

5. @eleonoracarisi: Model and fashion blogger Elenora makes an ostentatiously fancy outfit (The tweed! The houndstooth! The buckled pumps!) — feel down to earth by passing up a blouse for a graphic tee. The mix of high- and low-end pieces make the thrifter in us swoon.

6. @aniab: Copy style blogger and photographer Ania’s tricks to taking the award show menswear trend off of the red carpet: 1) Find a pair of tailored pants in an obviously feminine color 2) Pass up your black or navy blazers for one with personality 3) Bring the dressy daywear look together with a white tee.

7. @lisadengler: Style blogger Lisa reps the ultimate cool girl uniform: a fits-like-a-glove tee tucked into high-waisted jeans with black ankle boots, and all topped off with an edgy biker jacket. The shaggy lob makes her entire look so effortlessly on point.

What Insta style stars do you follow? Do you do a #ootd on the regular? Tell us in the comments below, and be sure to tag your pics with @britandco for a chance to be featured in next week’s post.

3 Stylish Ways to Nail The Perfect Shirt Tuck

With the ever-increasing popularity of the high-waisted jean, it’s no wonder fashion girls want to show off their flattering contours by testing out every creative way to tuck in their tops. But even those that have masted the trend need a little guidance every now and then. So, as per usual, we’re here to help. Scroll on to learn a few simple tricks for conquering the cute tuck and seriously upping your personal 2018 style game.

The Front Tuck: Perhaps the most difficult to tackle, the front tuck is best achieved by tucking in your top completely and then untucking everything *except* the front quarter — about midway between your first and second belt loop from the front. This is a great way of highlighting a special belt buckle or embroidery or denim embellishments. Try this method with anything from a simple tank to a bulky (and oh-so-cozy) cable-knit sweater. There’s really nothing you can’t front tuck.

The Half-Tuck: Probably the most lazy-girl-inspired of the tucks, the half-tuck looks relaxed yet intentional and is pretty much just an all-around dope decision. As with the first method, tuck in your shirt completely before pulling out just a front eighth. Clearly, this looks works best with button-up blouses and more structured tops, but we challenge you to try anything! Pair with a cardigan or blazer to pull off a perfect blend of professional with a dash of messy.

The Full Tuck: We know, we know, it seems simple but somehow it doesn’t always feel simple to integrate into your outfit. Tuck your top tightly into whatever you’re sporting — be it a pencil skirt, trousers, or skinny 501’s — and then lift your arms up and hop on one leg. JK! But seriously, imagine you’re seeing Queen Bey slay the stage and she’s just asked you to put your hands in the air and then voilà, perfect full tuck look achieved!

Follow us on Pinterest for more trend-inspired tutorials!

Illustrations: Marisa Kumtong

12 "Outdated" Travel Destinations To Avoid In 2025 (Thanks, Overtourism!)

Tourism can be a blessing for the economy of many cities around the world, but it often comes at a price. Destinations like Venice and Bali are iconic for a reason — they’re unique, breathtaking places that lure travelers from around the globe. But when a travel destination becomes too popular, it risks losing its charm and overcrowding can strain infrastructure, inflate costs for locals, and disrupt the peace and quiet of small, serene towns.

Here are 12 destinations that have struggled with overtourism. The good news? Many are implementing smart strategies to balance tourism with sustainability. Planning to visit? Consider booking during the off-season for a more authentic and enjoyable experience or try these hidden gems.

Pixabay

Venice, Italy

Cruise ships and swarms of tourists have overwhelmed this picturesque city, leading to overcrowded canals, damaged infrastructure, and skyrocketing prices. The local population is dwindling as Venetians leave due to the city’s unsustainable tourism boom. Last spring, in an effort to manage the influx, the city put into effect an entry fee for day-trippers and has limited cruise ships docking its shores.

Oleksandr P

Bali, Indonesia

Once an idyllic paradise, Bali now suffers from traffic congestion, environmental degradation, and overcrowded beaches. The island’s resources are strained under the weight of mass tourism, but there are efforts underway to promote sustainability like putting a moratorium on new hotels.

Willian Justen de Vasconcellos

Machu Picchu, Peru

Overtourism has led to erosion and damage to this ancient Incan citadel. A quota system and mandatory guides are helping preserve this popular South American destination.

Darren Lawrence

Tulum, Mexico

Once a tranquil paradise known for its pristine beaches, ancient Mayan ruins, and eco-chic vibe, Tulum has become a cautionary tale of overtourism. The surge in popularity, fueled by Instagram-worthy scenery, has brought overcrowding, environmental strain, and rising costs. The Guardianreported that locals are being pushed out by developers and despite the thinking that tourism helps local communities, poverty nearly doubled between 2015 and 2020. Local ecosystems, including fragile mangroves and coral reefs, are threatened by unchecked construction and pollution too. The local ruins have implemented stricter rules like no food or drink to limit trash and environmental impact from tourists.

Jimmy Teoh

Santorini, Greece

Instagram fame has turned this once-serene island into a tourist hotspot. Narrow streets are perpetually clogged, and locals are struggling with soaring costs of living due to tourism demand. The government has since capped the number of daily cruise ship visitors to keep overtourism at bay.

Chait Goli

Cinque Terre, Italy

Known for its colorful cliffside villages and breathtaking coastal views, these once-quiet fishing towns now see millions of visitors annually, way more than they can handle. To combat issues like congestion and cruise ships, local authorities have introduced visitor caps and encourage sustainable travel to protect Cinque Terre’s charm.

Rudy Kirchner

Reykjavík, Iceland

Is there anyone not going to Iceland these days? A small country with breathtaking landscapes, Iceland has been overwhelmed by tourists flocking to Instagram-famous sites like the Blue Lagoon and Diamond Beach. It's best to travel during the off season (November to April) and travel to lesser known spots like the Sturlungalaug hot spring.

youseflns

Maya Bay, Thailand (Phi Phi Islands)

This iconic beach, popularized by the DiCaprio film The Beach, suffered ecological devastation from hordes of visitors and anchored boats. Coral reefs were destroyed, and the beach was closed for years to allow recovery. It has since reopened after a huge revitalization project, but they have introduced visitor caps.

Pixabay

Kyoto, Japan

Traditionally quiet streets of this ancient capital city now teem with tourists during peak season. An increase in litter from tourists has required the city to install more trash bins to handle the crowds, and peaceful geishas are often chased down for photos. To mitigate the problem, Kyoto is considering running special buses to popular sites to reduce overcrowding, and temples and shrines are encouraging visitors to come early in the morning.

Prabin Sunar

Mount Everest, Nepal

The ultimate challenge for adventurers, Mount Everest has experienced overcrowding on the slopes and at base camps, leading to dangerous conditions, with litter and human waste piling up on the mountain. Permits are now harder to get, and stricter regulations for climbers are being enforced.

Mateusz Popek

Dubrovnik, Croatia

The Game of Thrones effect brought an influx of fans to this medieval city. Overcrowded streets and cruise ship arrivals have made it difficult to appreciate its beauty. The local government is taking steps to limit daily visitors and impose stricter cruise ship regulations.

Helena I

Lisbon, Portugal

Short-term rentals dominate the housing market now, thanks to affordable flights and the digital nomad craze. This has led to skyrocketing rents and displaced locals. Historic neighborhoods are inundated with tourists, making them less charming too. Everything from public transport to waste management struggles to keep pace with the influx. I went in December and it still felt a bit like Disneyland. Douro Valley and Madeira might be more favorable destinations any time of year.

Cure your wanderlust in 2025! Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for more travel ideas!

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You Can Now Hire an Instagram Husband (Or Wife!) Just in Time for NYFW

Sometimes, you get dressed and you want the whole world to see your super on-point outfit — not just those you come across on your commute. However, a simple selfie might not capture your whole look, and a mirror pic might not do the trick, either. That’s where an Instagram Husband or Wife (or, y’know, partner, for those of us who are non-binary) comes in — they’ll take a full-length picture for you to post across all your social media platforms to rack up all the likes you truly deserve. And now, for a limited time (September 7-15, to be exact), you can hire your very own Instagram Husband or Wife from Task Rabbit!

Task Rabbit is a service that allows you to hire people to do all the chores you don’t want to do — pick up your laundry, move your office supplies from your old building to the new one, hang your shelves and more. But this Fashion Week, they’ve gotten super creative with their offerings and have decided that what we all really need is some help taking #OOTD photos — and how can we argue with that? Your Instagram Husband or Wife will take photos for you, carry around extra clothes (and who knows, maybe even a Tide pen, just in case), edit photos for your liking and even press “Share” if you’re too busy to do it yourself. What a dream.

If you want to take advantage of this special offer, you’ll have to do it soon — Instagram Spouses are only available from September 7 through 15, and you know you wanna give this no-commitment relationship a shot.

What do you think of this deal? Let us know @BritandCo!

(Photos via Taskrabbit)

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Get Into The Spirit Of The Season With These Paleo Christmas Cookies

Christmas cookie decorating is holiday tradition for us here at B+C, so we were so stoked to find this recipe for paleo cookies that adds a healthy twist to this classic holiday dessert. These sweet treats will shine among the rest of your Christmastime tablescape, and they are super easy to make. Plus, they'll pair well with just about any Christmas dessert. Just combine your paleo-friendly ingredients to prep the dough, let it sit overnight, then bake for ten minutes! The best part about this recipe is of course, all of the fun holiday-time shapes you can cut. Consider this recipe your go-to for healthy cookies, though, since you can make them year-round in any shape you like. Let's get to decorating!

Ingredients for Paleo Christmas Cookies

Brit + Co

For the cookies:

1/2 cup grass-fed salted butter, softened
6 tablespoons raw honey
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the frosting:

6 tablespoons coconut butter or coconut manna
1/4 cup cacao butter
1-2 tablespoons honey
Plant-based food coloring
Vegetable-dyed sprinkles, for topping*

* Look for vegetable and fruit-dyed food coloring and sprinkles in natural grocery stores or online, and avoid artificial colors to keep these cookies Paleo friendly!

How to Make Paleo Christmas Cookies

Brit + Co

Add the softened butter and honey to a large mixing bowl. Cream the mixture together using a handheld mixer until it is smooth. Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract and whisk until they are well combined. Pour in the almond flour, coconut flour, and baking soda, and continue mixing until the batter has come together smoothly.
Separate the dough into two, and place each one on top of a piece of plastic wrap. Roll each dough into a ball, then flatten to a thick disk, cover completely with the plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to firm up for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove one of the dough discs from the refrigerator, unwrap the plastic and place the dough on top of a piece of parchment paper, then top it with another piece of parchment paper. Use a roller to flatten out the dough to about 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch thick. Work quickly with your favorite Christmas cookie cutters, and use a thin spatula to lift the cut cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake the cookies in the oven for 10 minutes. Let them cool for a few minutes, then place on a wire rack for further cooling. Gather the leftover scraps back into a ball in the plastic wrap or parchment paper and place it back in the refrigerator, while working with the other piece of dough. Do this in batches to keep the dough from getting too warm and so you don’t overcrowd the baking sheet.
While the batches of cookies are baking, use a small saucepan to lightly melt the coconut butter and cacao butter together over low heat on the stovetop. Remove the pan from the heat when the ingredients have just melted together. Stir in the desired amount of honey, then set aside to cool and thicken up slightly. If you are using food coloring, add in the desired amount into the frosting mixture (1-2 teaspoons of green or red should do the trick). If you plan on only using white frosting, only use a small amount of honey, as it can make the frosting an off-white or light brown color.
After the cookies have completely cooled, decorate them with the frosting and sprinkles as desired. If you don’t have any professional piping tools, an easy fix is to place the frosting in a plastic sandwich bag and remove all the air when sealing the top. Cut a tiny tip off one corner of the plastic bag, then gently squeeze and pipe over the cookies. Use one plastic bag or piping bag for each color of frosting. Top with corresponding sprinkles and enjoy!

Is your mouth watering yet? Check out our newsletter for more delicious holiday recipe ideas!

Recipe development and photography by Sarah Anderson.

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13 Yummy Christmas Cookies From Around The World

Heaping plates of Christmas cookies are synonymous with the holidays. It seems that nearly every country around the globe has their own variation on the holiday classic. In fact, some of these regions have been making their version of Christmas cookies for literal hundreds of years.

If you’re looking for a way to reconnect with your heritage, or maybe just want a little baking inspiration, check out our picks for the yummiest Christmas cookies from around the world.

The Noshery

Mantecaditos con Guayaba

These may look like ordinary thumbprint cookies, but these almond shortbreads from Puerto Rico are filled with a special guava marmalade. (via The Noshery)

Broma Bakery

Meringues

French meringues are a classic crumbly egg white cookie with a chewy interior. These get an extra European twist with the addition of Nutella. (via Broma Bakery)

Pretty. Simple. Sweet.

Alfajores

Deeply flavored dulce de leche, a caramel made from whole milk commonly found in Spain and many Latin American countries, is the key ingredient in these super pretty sandwiched Christmas cookies. (via Pretty. Simple. Sweet.)

Fancy Peasant

Melomakarona

These Christmas cookies that hail from Greece get their sweetness from a generous soaking of fresh honey! (via Fancy Peasant)

Very Eatalian

Baci di Dama

The name of this Italian treat translates to “lady’s kisses” — how adorable is that? These bite-sized cuties are made with ground hazelnuts and filled with a dollop of dark chocolate. (via Very Eatalian)

Cooking Classy

Linzer Cookies

These Austrian Christmas cookies are typically made with raspberry jam, but feel free to get crazy with a filling of your choice. Plus, the gorgeous windowpane look will make them a prize takeaway at your next cookie exchange. (via Cooking Classy)

Olivia’s Cuisine

Basler Brunsli

If you’re hanging out in Switzerland around Christmas time, you’ll definitely see these chocolate treats around. They’re often described as Swiss brownies due to their deliciously chewy texture. Perfect with a cup of eggnog or coffee! (via Olivia’s Cuisine)

Cilantro Parsley

This post has been updated with additional reporting by Meredith Holser.

Lead image via Pretty. Simple. Sweet.

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