Ugh….Fall

Thank you for finally beginning your long-awaited arrival Fall. It’s about time. I get all awkward during warmer months and nearly every summer I make some attempt at wearing lighter colors and saying to myself, “You can totally do this whole girly summer style thing!” Then I just end up feeling fake and frustrated because of the heat. But it’s cooling down! The thing I’m looking forward to this fall is anything but black (though black and I have agreed to remain good friends).

 

 Tee: Wildfox Couture, Slouchy jacket: Dorothy Perkins, Skirt: TopShop, Boots: H&M, Bag: Zara

All of these pieces and colors would pair amazingly well with an all-black ensemble. I love slouchy pieces paired with simple, leather accessories, just Mary Kate it up then surprise them with sleek leather booties. It’s kind of witchy…

 

 

White Collar. Blue Collar. Silver Collar. Lace Collar.

I love a good collar. Whether it be on a well-worn button up shirt, a cute little dog, or your friend that has that not-so-secret fetish. Not to sound too fashiony, but collars have been everywhere lately. They’ve technically been everywhere for a long time, but for right now “everywhere” means all of the shops and blogs I stalk.

For me personally, it gets too damn hot here to put on a fitted shirt and button it all the way up. When you pop on a standalone collar, you can toss it over a dress, over a cool tee, or over another collar if you’re some kind of crazy risk taker.

Gold Sequin: ASOS – White Beaded: Topshop – Floral: Marni

Lace: Romwe – Fringe: DANNIJO – Faux Leather: Karl

Don’t want to spend too much cash? Get yourself to the nearest thrift store, grab a men’s shirt, and chop that collar off. Then stud it, dye it, paint it, bead it, fringe it. (Probably not all of those at once or it’ll be some kind of chic vomit.)

You can even fake that coated denim look by choosing a denim collar and using a sponge brush to paint it. Paint it the color of the denim, or dye the denim first to the color you’d like. Once it dries you’ll have that shiny leather look.

 

black on black on black

I love black. I love sheer. I love flowy. I also think an all black, sheer and flowy ensemble needs a little plastic. Not just plastic so you can pay for said ensemble, but plastic to add texture. Too much sheer and flowy and you’ll look like smoke, or a shadow, or possibly a Ringwraith/Dementor. Fear not, patent isn’t only reserved for the 60’s and early 2000’s. Everything comes back, and if you know what you’re doing you can definitely tote a giant patent messenger bag. Or maybe patent creepers? Or a shiny vinyl watch?

Top: Alexander Wang

Dress: TopShop

Watch: NIXON

Shorts: ModCloth

Ring: H&M

Bag: 3.1 Phillip Lim

Creepers: ASOS

Hip Hop Summer

I know it’s not even spring yet, but I’m sitting here on this dreary day dreaming of summer. For me, days inside are spent perusing blogs and shops looking for my next season’s wardrobe inspiration. For summer, I’m really feeling a 80s-90s Hip Hop influence. The colors were bright and fun, but the look was still edgy. I think it’s the perfect way to experiment with this coming spring’s pastels and summer’s neons without looking too young and girly.

Sneakers – Supra

Bracelet – ASOS

Tee – dope (local!)

Wedges – United Nude

Shorts – TopShop

Bra – Deborah Marquit

How To: Make A Sweatshirt Chic

It is finally cooling down in New Orleans; and by “cooling down” I mean below 70 degrees. Now we can really begin to work with layering, which is key in this city/region.  I won’t lie, I love to be comfortable and I’m also rarely willing to risk that comfort for the sake of fashion. But it presents me with a challenge, and I love a challenge. So I’m taking the ultimate in comfort, a men’s crewneck sweatshirt and glamming it up.

 

 Option 1:

 Pardon me for going all dark, but I have to.  This one is about playing with texture, especially when you’ve got a lot of one shade. The sweatshirt itself is super simple, so you want a pleated maxi skirt and some sky high killer boots. Toss a bright belt over the sweater for a pop of color on top of all the bleak black, and add a floppy wool hat to play off the flowy skirt.

 Option 2:

I went to the next level of fabulous for this one. Grab a crisp white button up (a definite wardrobe must have) and put the sweater on over it, with the collar on the outside. Add a chunky bib necklace to keep the white/grey combo from getting too boring. I love these printed shorts, they are the ultimate way to play up more simple pieces. Finish it all off with a bright loafer. Best part, when you remove the sweater you’ve got a chic and polished outfit underneath.

How To: Make a Crop Top Work

It’s officially Summer and the crop top is everywhere. I think it’s a versatile piece that isn’t just meant for midriff-baring, and can be worn by almost anyone. To be lazy, and because I’m obsessed; everything is from TopShop.

First up, the crops:

Wear them with:

High Waist Shorts/Skirt/Jeans:

Pairing a cropped shirt with anything high waisted is the most universally flattering and perfect if you only want to show a bit of skin.

Pair the tee with a body-con skirt, the bustier with flared jeans, the lace with skinny jeans, and the shirt with shorts.

Bare it All – Hide it All:

If you’re comfortable with showing off your midriff, the classic way to wear a cropped shirt is with anything low-waisted. Which is obvious. But if you aren’t or don’t have the svelte figure to do so, there is a simple solution. The fitted tank.

Find one that fits well and isn’t loose. Tuck it in,  don’t wear it un-tucked or your look will seem unfinished and somewhat sloppy.  Avoid white and nude. This also doesn’t work with every sort of crop top.

Wear the cropped tank in a solid color with a colorful tank underneath to create a color blocking effect. Pair the lace with black for a more romantic and sophisticated look. The fringe works well with any color, the tank underneath just pulls it together.

This is also a good opportunity to show off a fabulous belt!

Wear Over a Dress:

Don’t have the right skirt? A dress will do.

Pair the tank or tee over a dress where the skirt begins right at the waist, to match up with the top. Or pair the tee or the lace over a sleek maxi dress to break it up.

Below is an outfit I styled earlier with a Free People dress and Furst of a Kind top.

So, got any other ideas on how to wear a crop top?

American Flag Fashion: Good or Bad?

For quite a while (since the Spice Girls took over our childhoods maybe?) the Union Jack has been fashion’s foremost flag. While the American Flag has been deemed tacky by some, it’s popping up everywhere. I’ve seen everything from a $15 Forever 21 tank to Balmain’s $1515 flag tank that’s been causing quite a stir.

Balmain Spring 2011 Photo: Style.com

And then of course, there are these stunners from Jeffrey Campbell. I absolutely love Jeffrey Campbell and rarely find a shoe that I dislike, but I’m not sure how I feel about American Flag platform sandals.

Photo: Nasty Gal

Honestly, I’m not sure how I feel about American Flag anything. I just can’t get into it.

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More Topshop…

Christopher Kane for Topshop

I’ve been awaiting the arrival of Christopher Kane for Topshop, and now it is here. Nearly everything has embellishments, gems, or eyelets. There’s a sweet bodycon dress with an awesome pattern, mesh sandals, and a fluorescent pink bodysuit.  Overall, I really love the collection. With prices ranging from $60-$360; it’s edgy, fashionable and affordable. Get it here.