Back to Black

I’ve got a day AND a night look for you today, both mostly black but with pops of pattern and color.

Day Look (movies and lunch)

I love this little black fit-and-flare with studs at the shoulders.  It has a cool cutout at the back, too.  I feel really pretty in it even though it’s much more simple than the pieces to which I’m usually drawn.  Of course, it becomes much more me when paired with my awesome leopard wedge sneakers and my favorite blue bag.  As I’ve said before, this bag feels really luxe even though it was super affordable, and the unique color with the structured shape make my outfits feel more polished and stylish.  I usually keep the crossbody strap on it and use it (I need crossbodies in my life), but today I thought it would be chicer to just carry it by the short handles.

I kept the jewelry plain gold but with sass to complement the sneaks.  My fave little gold pendant and blingy hoops, plus this awesome ring I got while on my trip, at Accessorize.  I’ve wanted a two-finger ring for a while, as long as they’ve been trendy, but I’ve never fallen so in love with one that I bought it until I found this one.  It looks like a dachshund!!! So me.

Although I barely needed it, I brought this cool and supercomfy mixed-material jacket with faux leather sleeves and gold hardware in case it got chilly in the movie theater.

What I wore for day today:

• Delia’s dress
• Betsey Johnson sneakers
• Aldo bag
• Marc by Marc Jacobs necklace
• BCBGMAXAZRIA earrings
• Accessorize ring
• THML jacket from Art Effect

Night Look (out for sushi):

 

I’ve been wanting to wear this look ever since I got this tulle midi skirt!  I plan on creating lots of fashion-forward looks with it.  It also has an elastic waist and a jersey lining so it’s really comfy.  I paired it with this great faux-leather tee (it’s supersoft jersey in the back), a fave statement necklace and earrings (they’re silver leopard faces), t-strap heels (falling more and more in love with these–I love the way they look on my feet), a snake-print clutch and of course, a red lip.

I normally do a red lip as the sole burst of a different or non-neutral color, but I read in a magazine that red and mint work together so I thought I’d try pops of both. Also, I feel like this top and skirt really call for a red lip.

What I wore tonight:

• Forever 21 skirt and earrings
• Bailey 44 tee
• Report heels from Francesca’s Collections
• Express necklace
• MICHAEL Michael Kors bracelet
• Big Buddha clutch from mfredrick.com (M. Frederick is a California clothing store owned by Adam Levine’s (my celeb crush!!) family)

Hope you all had a great and stylish day.

Title, obviously, is the name of an Amy Winehouse song.

Aria Montgomery Style Inspiration

 

Been a bit under the weather and on spring break this past week (hence how tired I look in this pic) so I mostly wore more relaxed outfits, but this was a stylish fave from the week.  Following my new style motto “What would Aria Montgomery wear?” (as in Aria Montgomery from Pretty Little Liars).  I am obsessed with her bold clothes, accessories, and crazy combinations that she somehow makes work.  And we share a love of leopard print, statement jewelry and Betsey Johnson.  I feel like this look is very her and also very me.

I got this dress from a great new boutique on Southport in Chicago called Hot Mama.  It’s totally going to be my new go-to casual dress–I love fit and flare dresses, and this is a comfy t-shirt style with the perfect, versatile leopard print and a cool exposed zipper in the back.  It will look great with other neutrals or with pops of color (like here), with statement jewelry, with belts, and under vests and jackets.  This is sure to be the first of many outfits with it to come.

This bold green Betsey Johnson belt complimented the dress really well and defined my waist.  A favorite long Forever 21 pendant, featuring a teal cameo with a bow on it, was another fun pop of color.

Although it’s not pictured I carried my Stella McCartney Falabella bag with this look and wore a taupe faux-leather jacket from Express when I was chilly.

What I wore:

• Allison Joy dress from Hot Mama Boutique
• Betsey Johnson belt
• Madden Girl boots
• Forever 21 necklace
• Vince Camuto earrings
• Bracelet I took from my mom 🙂
• American Apparel tights

Happy St. Patrick’s Day and almost spring!

 

We’ve Been Conditioned to Not Make Mistakes, But I Can’t Live That Way

 

 

My look from Monday.

I loved the effortless combo of these crazy sneakers with this easy, comfy dress. And I love it with my big bow ring.

This dress doesn’t come with a belt, but I don’t think I’d ever wear it without one (gotta have the fit and flare!).  For an unstructured dress, it has some great details, like small, cute buttons, a flattering collar, and perfectly placed seams.  And it’s so comfy!

Let’s talk about the shoes.  I really wanted some wedge sneakers that were unique and not too sporty (the classic Isabel Marant-esque ones aren’t really my style).  These off-the hook edgy-glam ones fit the bill.  And of course they’re Betsey Johnson, my fave.

Was wearing a great Forever 21 bag with this that totally matched the shoes, but the chain strap broke early in the day (gotta get that fixed!), so I switched it out for a Marc by Marc Jacobs black nylon bag with gold hardware which also worked, but that I decided not to include in the pic.

I feel like I’m taking new creative risks with my style, and this look is something I wouldn’t have even thought of in the past.  I love that I can keep learning and shaping the way I dress.  Keeping it fresh and creative.   Fashion is such a fun thing to look forward to every day, and I’m having as much fun with it as ever.

What I wore:

• Topshop dress
• Francesca’s Collections belt
• Betsey Johnson sneakers
• Kate Spade New York ring
• Hue (?) or Ann Taylor (?) tights
• Marc by Marc Jacobs bag and necklace

No memory of what earrings I was wearing.

Post title from “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield.

Love and have fun with your style.

 

We Came To Live Life Like Nobody Was Watching

 

Monday’s look.  I felt so pretty!

I am so proud of this blazer/dress combo.  This is a great example of how to mix prints (though you may have heard all this before): Large scale with small, similar colors, yadda yadda yadda.  I think this combo works especially well because the color of the dress is an accent color in the jacket, making it pulled-together but not matchy-matchy.

I used accessories to pull out other colors in the jacket:  My favorite seahorse necklace to pull out the mint and my old go-to green Aldo bag to highlight the darker greens.

This jacket is a new fave.  It’s Rag & Bone and I got such a fantastic deal on it–I found it for half price at a T.J. MAXX Runway store (the Runway stores are special, they have more high designer pieces–from Tory Burch skirts to Moschino cardigans to Alice and Olivia jackets to PS1 wallets.  I even saw a Valentino dress there last time!), and then I used a store credit to cut THAT price in half.  Gotta love it.  It fits amazingly and the colors freshen a classic floral print.  I spent a good many hours on Sunday reading the latest issue of Glamour, and there was a fantastic feature on Marcus Wainwright and David Neville of Rag & Bone and their families.  They’ve each got three kids and seem like really nice guys.  Reading about the brand’s conception and heritage made me even more excited to rock this jacket the next day (and y’all have seen my amazing Rag & Bone BF jeans).

Speaking of the new issue of Glamour, I really suggest picking it up.  It’s the 75th anniversary issue and it’s full of fantastic articles.  Literally every time I turned the page there was another AMAZING story.  Just to name a few:

• Interview and shoot with cover girl Taylor Swift
• A list of the top 75 women of the past 75 years, including a timeline of Glamour covers
• A beauty shoot and interview with new it-girl Lupita Nyongo
• A piece by Jimmy Fallon on his new show and new baby
• A shoot of Allison Williams looking gorgeous in fantastic metallics
• A laugh-out-loud article describing a woman’s attempts to go one whole week without griping
• Just in time for Valentine’s Day, a collection of stories of women remembering their relationship “firsts”

Anywho, that made my Sunday all the brighter.

What I’m wearing:

• Ultra Flirt dress from Macy’s (also a great deal–I think it was like $17)
• Rag & Bone blazer from T.J. MAXX Runway
• MANGO necklace
• Bracelets from Nordstrom (I think they’re Anne Klein?)
• Betsey Johnson earrings
• Aldo bag
• Anne Taylor tights
• Madden Girl boots

Have a great week, I’ll have a romantic Valentine’s outfit for you Friday!

Post title from “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

 

Punk Princess

  

Possibly one of my favorite looks ever.

Combining a couple great boutique finds from winter break:  This vest, with faux leather detailing and sheer panels that hang down at the sides and back, from Rebel boutique in Miami and the perfect white tee, which I needed, from this great new boutique in Vail called Coco & Cashmere.  My mom got some great stuff there, too, and they had an amazing selection of brands:  greats like Melie Bianco, Urban Expressions, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Kendra Scott and BB Dakota.

This is a very edgy, streetstyle-inspired look and I love it.  These ankle boots are all-time faves and I only wear them on days when I’m not running around too much, because of the heel.  They’re covered in glitter, have a perfect round toe and stacked heel, and of course the fact that they’re Betsey Johnson and have leopard print lining never hurts.

These jean shorts are great, just distressed enough and look great with sleek black tights.

I want to spend some time talking about the scarf.  It’s one of the more “fashion” pieces in my closet.  It’s Givenchy with that cool doberman print that Tisci has been doing.  The dobermans are edgy with a quirk, and anything that displays my love of animals, especially if it’s recognizable high-fashion, is a must-do for me.  I love the way the scarf hangs, too, and it’s so soft.  I’m not usually one for square scarves, but this one is so big that once you fold it you can basically drape it like a rectangular scarf, and the corners help it hang nicely.

As always, the Falabella is a cool finishing touch.

What I’m Wearing:

• S Line vest from Rebel
• Dakota Collective tee from Coco & Cashmere
• Marc by Marc Jacobs shorts
• Givenchy scarf
• Betsey Johnson booties
• Ann Taylor Tights
• Michael Kors bangle
• Express earrings
• Stella McCartney bag
• As always, Aunt Florence’s watch

Go feel awesome today.

Find the Magic, Go and Grab it

What I wore for my first full day in South Beach (day above, night below)!  It was very windy.

I find vacation dressing really fun and different from dressing at home.  I find it’s easier to look effortless since you have an extra-limited wardrobe from which to choose, and so you’re forced to make some more unexpected pairings (for example, in the outfit below I normally would have reached for a black belt, but it’s so much more interesting  because I only had a brown one).  You also have to mix and match more than usual because you can only bring so much with you.

South Beach is known for crazy style and fascinating people watching.  I’ve seen some awesome and some not-so-awesome street style.  One of the best things I saw was a pair of paper-white wedge sneakers with a high-heeled pump printed on the side.  Fantastic.

I also spotted some no-fail outfits while biking around South Beach (lesson learned, never, I repeat, never, bike in denim short shorts.  Your thighs will thank you).  If you’re ever stumped on what to wear in warmish weather, a loose white button down with ripped denim shorts and little to no jewelry (no necklace—let the collar be the only thing framing your face)  is always effortlessly sexy, and in any situation it’s hard to go wrong with a bright colored top and a fun printed bottom.

Above, I’m rocking a cute casual look, featuring some awesome gifts I got for the holidays–Kate Spade stud earrings and this amazing Love Moschino crossbody.  I was thrilled to discover that the denim line of one of my all-time favorite houses makes faux leather bags.  This one is especially great because it comes with the scarf already tied on it.  It looks so chic, and I find whenever I try to tie a scarf on a bag myself it looks bulky and weighed down.  Thanks, Moschino (and my mom who found me this bag)!

Speaking of which, while I’m on winter break my mom has taken over photography duties.

What I’m wearing above:

• Charlotte Russe tank
• Marc by Marc Jacobs denim shorts and sunglasses
• Betsey Johnson belt
• Taylor Swift for Keds sneakers
• Love Moschino bag
• Kate Spade earrings
• Guess bracelet

What I’m wearing below:

• Topshop top from Nordstrom
• Rag & Bone boyfriend jeans
• Prabal Gurung for Target heels
• Francesca’s Collections belt
• Forever 21 necklace
• Macy’s earrings
• Darcel X Kate Spade ring

Some things just go together.  Tomatoes and mozzarella.  Ali and Noah from The Notebook.  Katherine Hepburn and wide-leg trousers.  Kittens and Youtube.  Killer heels and ripped boyfriend jeans.

As soon as I put this outfit on and looked in the mirror I knew it was one of my all-time favorites.  I love the perfect combo of these lace-up heels and shredded boyfriend jeans (both of which are favorite pieces of mine on their own).  This shirt was also a Christmas gift from my parents, and it is so ridiculously soft and comfortable, not to mention stylish and adorable.  I love a fave statement necklace poking out from under the collar.  And as I said above, the brown belt (along with the half-tuck, a favorite styling trick) makes this outfit, which I put a lot of thought into, look effortless.

Obsessed.

Post title from “Good and Broken” by Miley Cyrus

Happy Holidays all!!!

We only see what’s in front of us, We only see straight ahead

Polished but very fun today!  I was very comfortable all day.  These pants are very cozy and the jacket fits perfectly.

This jacket is one of those pieces in my wardrobe that I really love but always feel like I don’t wear enough.  Typically, jackets that don’t button are a huge pet peeve of mine, but the fit of this one was just right and the zipper details add interest to the lower half, so for once I didn’t feel it really needed a button.  Plus, the color, studs on the shoulders–I was obsessed the second I found it!  I love the idea of it with these pants, but I think what made the outfit today was the combo of the royal blue and the yellow bag.   Such a great color combo and the perfect accents to a neutral print like this subtle leopard.

Over the summer I got a second earlobe piercing on my right ear.  Whenever I see this look on girls I think it looks so wonderfully effortless, especially when paired with other stud earrings.  My cousin always has a fantastic mix of little studs and I always want to channel that pretty, effortless vibe.  I hadn’t changed the stud very much and I finally did today and I love the little star!  Betsey Johnson  makes great sets of mismatched earrings and even sells individual initial studs for extra piercings.  The set this stud came from also came with a little gold chain with earring backs on either end to attach to any two studs and have dangling from your ear.  I can’t wait to try it.

What I’m wearing today:

• Forever 21 jacket
• Banana Republic pants
• Topshop blouse
• Justice tank
• Francesca’s Collections belt
• Boutique 9 flats
• Street Level bag from Nasty Gal
• Marc by Marc Jacobs necklace from Nordstrom
• Guess bracelet
• BCBGMAXAZRIA earrings
• Betsey Johnson stud earring from Macy’s

Post title from “Fast in My Car” by Paramore.  Rocked out to it this morning while I was getting dressed.

Like Dorothy on the Yellow Brick, hope my ruby shoes get me there quick

Loving this today.  So girly but so edgy and funky.  Basically so me.

This dress is a fave.  I love houndstooth, especially on a dress with such a feminine shape and a pop of neon in the belt.  Of all the times I’ve worn this dress, my favorite looks have always been when I paired it with (faux) pearls.  So I decided to go all out with the pearl jewelry today.  I was worried about it being a little costumey, but I think it’s fun.

I just got this Betsey Johnson bracelet.  As soon as I saw it I knew it was a must for me–it says “Paris is always a good idea” which is a quote I love.  The charms on it are little bows and Eiffel towers and I love how its a young, fun spin on  a classic pearl bracelet.

This neon crossbody matches today, but I also love wearing it as a pop of color with neutral outfits or even other, non-neon colors.  I think a pop of neon against muted or richer colors is awesome.  And with a denim top–so easy, so on trend.  I got this bag at the most AMAZING boutique, Ambiance, in San Fransico.  They had an amazing selection of fantastic vegan bags, cute clothes, and great costume jewelry and scarves.  I want to go back now!

What I’m wearing today:

• Almost Famous dress (comes with belt) from Charlotte Russe
• Hue tights
• Madden Girl boots
• J. Crew cardigan
• Melie Bianco bag
• Necklace from M2 boutique Chicago
• Earrings from my mom
• Betsey Johnson bracelet from Zappos.com

Title from Lady’s Gaga’s new song Gypsy, which is currently rocking my world.