Selita's Teal

So there's not too much to say about this look.

I saw Selita's teal Roberto Cavalli and loved it!  I needed a dress for a wedding I was attending.  I figured this color would stand out but not overshadow the beautiful bride. (congrats to them by the way!)  It's a gorgeous fall color and I love jewel tones for the fall. I ended up finding a dress from Vera Wang's line at Kohl's..  It fit like a dream and the color took my breath away.  I added some skin toned stockings because it was cold, but I probably could have done without them. 

Happy Holidays :)

**Me- Dress: Simply Vera Vera Wang for Kohl's; Heels: BCBG; Bag: Aldo 

Photo Credit: www.stylebistro.com

Faux Leather Shift

 

I seriously love leather (well, faux in my case) clothing. I've tried a leather skirt, have several (faux) leather jackets, and I even have two leather vest (sadly, no leather pants-they either give me a weird crotch look (lol) or they don't come up past my thighs :(  The only things left to try were a leather top (which I'm working on finding) and a dress-which I now have.  And since they're making leather pieces in colors other than black, I decided to do a colored leather dress.  All of the looks featured are outfits I've seen and liked so I pretty much took inspiration from them all. However, the Celine blue shift that Katy Perry is wearing matches the style of the dress I wanted, and any dress that was a fall color was close to what I pictured myself in.
The dress I'm wearing is a faux leather shift from Arden B.  It's faux leather in the front and ponte knit in the back, which is good because I'm convinced I would have either suffocated or not been able to fit it if it was all leather!

 (Sorry for the plethora of pics but I just couldn't narrow it down!!! )

**Me- Dress: Arden B; Shoes: Target

 Photo Credit: rudechic.com; superstarmagazine.com; stylelifefashion.com; fashion.about.com; ihandbagpros.co; wheretoget.it; newsgab.com; heatworld.com

Zoe's Printed Pencil Skirt

So here's another feature from People Style Watch's October issue (this issue was one of the best in a long time btw)...

Zoe Saldana, another one of my style favorites, is wearing a super cute top and skirt by Prabal Gurung with Christian Louboutin pumps.  I just love how comfortable she looks in it and surprisingly, I love the print on the skirt.  From past posts, you should know that I don't love prints because for one, I feel overwhelmed looking at them, two, I'm an accessories girl-you can't throw on a bunch of jewelry with a print (at least that's how I feel), and three, it brings back scary memories from my childhood which consisted of wearing big, frilly, flower printed dresses!! But lately, I have been venturing more and more into the world of prints, so I looked at one of the outfit suggestions they included (top right) and tried it for myself.

**Me- Top and Skirt: Sears; Shoes: Charlotte Russe

Overall, I liked the outfit.  Sears had a purple blouse as well as this teal one, but I thought the teal looked better, and I've really been feeling that color lately.  Plus, the material was just so nice!  The skirt was also cute (loved the print and it was half price), but Sears clothing sizes are a bit big, so it didn't fit as tight as I would have liked.  The shoes were the only thing I would change.  My feet don't do well in pointy toe shoes so I didn't have any to wear. Instead, I wore a pair of round toe platform pumps, but I just think it would have looked better with a skinnier, pointed shoe. (Btw, after I wore this, I ended up finding an AWESOME pair of super pointy toe black pumps..and my feet love them too!!!)

Photo Credit: People Style Watch

My Beetlejuice Pants

(I hope you get the title reference lol....)

So the first time I wore these pants in the summer, I styled them similar to Hilary Duff's look-with a bright heel (pink to be exact). 

Recently, I came across this piece in October's People Style Watch (my favorite mag!!) and was delighted to see that their "Everything Under $100" featured the exact same pants I purchased from Foreign Exchange a few months ago! I absolutely love these jeans! They appear to elongate your leg because of the vertical design, they are made of the softest material, AND fit your legs soooo wonderfully! I will say that I didn't like how the black was faded, but that's just me being nitpicky.

This time, I decided to "winterize" these pants and wear it similar to how Gwen Stefani did with a blazer and open toe booties.

**Me- Blazer: Sears; Top: Charlotte Russe; Skinnies: Foreign Exchange; Booties: Guess

Photo Credit: People Style Watch

It's A Celebration B*****s

Today is my blog's birthday!!!!!!!!!!!! This day last year, I put up my first post.  I'm so grateful that I was able to turn a dream into a reality.  This blog was an idea I had in my head for the longest time.  I've always gravitated to "The Look for Less" or "Where to Buy Similar Items" features in blogs and magazines, so basically this blog is just an extension of what I've always done. My friend Tia was really instrumental in helping me make this happen and I am so grateful for her!  Also, I've had a few photographers along the way (for those days when I just couldn't seem to capture the pics myself), so special thanks to Tia, Kim, Cam, Tasha, Josh, and Kay.  And thanks to all who have viewed this blog (I don't know who you are, but my view numbers are increasing daily lol)!

And yes, I brought a cupcake just for this and it was sooo good!! lol

Color Combo: Rose+ Oxblood+ Grape

So I saw Ashley Madewke (who's blog I just started to follow recently) in this outfit and it instantly grabbed me.  I think she looks absolutely chic and I love the color combination she chose.  The rose jacket, burgundy sheath, and purple heels complement each other so well!  So, I gave it a shot with the colors/items I had in my closet...

**Me- Blazer: Jennifer Lopez for Kohl's; Top: Alloy; Pants:  Dorothy Perkins;  Bag: Aldo









































Photo Credit: PeopleStyleWatch.com

Tan and Black...With a Little Bit of Leopard

This year, I've accumulated quite a few black and tan combo pieces.  This shirt featured is one of them.  I got this back in February and paired it with black leggings and wedge sneakers.  A few weeks later, I saw Victoria Beckham in a similar top and took note on how she paired it with leopard print pumps and black (light wash) denim.  And I absolutely loved the coat she wore with it.  So I took note for the next time I decided to wear this top.  So today, I added black coated denim, leopard flats (which I felt gave it a nice touch with the added print), and my coat (which was inspired by many of the Victoria Beckham peacoats I see her wear). I have to say that normally, I hate buttoning up my tops all the way but I felt I had to get the full effect for this one :)

**Me- Blouse: Burlington Coat Factory; Denim: JC Penney; Flats: Charlotte Russe; Coat: New York & Company; Bag: Cato's

Photo Credits: Pinterest; thetrenddiaries.com

Mixing Prints and Owning It

     So I decided to go a bit out of my comfort zone with this one and try mixing prints (*fingers crossed*).  Of course, Solange is the QUEEN of this trend so I looked to her style first for a bit of inspiration.  Most features I came across for mixing prints with stripes were recommending that you add florals-NO.  Solange, Heidi Klum, and Reese Witherspoon have all done the pairing, but I just didn't really like it for myself.

Apparently, there are rules for following this trend (lol) so here's what I followed in putting together the outfit...

• Begin with choosing a bold printed piece, be it a printed top, skirt, or blazer (I chose a blazer)
• Stick to one color family (check)
• Stick to a max of 2 prints in your outfit (I added small pink zebra earrings *shrugs*)
• The key to mixing prints is all in the size and shape (small verticals, one big horizontal)
• If mixing bright prints are too overwhelming for you, choose black and white prints for a classy ensemble and bring a dash of color with a bold bag, shoes, or other accessories  (check)

And I found this last rule on another site and thought it was so cute and fitting for what I was trying to do...

• If you are usually fashionably conservative, mixing two directions of stripes may be too big a stretch for your style. Any sense of uncertainty you have with your outfit will show – so if you do decide to wear vertical and horizontal stripes together, walk with a purpose. Be prepared for a few stares, but rest assured that you are simply more fashion evolved.

LOL

In the end, Olivia Palermo's print pairing came closest to what I was willing to try.  The color isn't too bold and the look is simple yet interesting.  It makes you do a double take (at least with me it did)- not because it looks bad, but because it actually looks GOOD.

**Me-Blazer-JC Penney; Cami: Charlotte Russe; Pants: JCPenney; Shoes: Prabal Gurung for Target; Clutch: Express; Earrings: Charlotte Russe

Photo Credit: www.typef.com/article/can-wear-vertical-stripe-shirt-horizontal-stripe-cardigan/; http://hot2molly.com/2013/07/26/mixing-prints-be-bold-look-fierce/; http://www.fabsugar.com/Celebrities-Mixing-Prints-2013-30923517

Plus One More

    So it's official...I can call Jessica Alba one of my fashion icons!  I have already done five posts about her style...plus one more for today's post!!  Her style really resonates with me and is probably the closest to what I actually wear.  
    Anyways...I was running late (as usual) and needed something quick to wear.  I remembered I saw this pic and I thought this would be perfect to throw on.  There's not much to it-just a red cardi/blazer, striped top, high-waist jeans, gladiator sandals, and a great bag lol!  I've only worn the cardi/blazer once-mostly because it's an orangey-red (not really my favorite shade of red), it's a bit bright, and honestly, it's just not something I gravitate to when I'm trying to figure out what to wear.  But, as stated in my byline, the purpose of this blog is to find ways to wear things in my closet differently (gotta make sure I get my money's worth at least), so I'm glad I got to make use of this top.


 



**Me- 
Cardi/Blazer: Sears; Cami: Express; Jeans: Delia's; Bag: Aldo

















Photo credit: PeopleStyleWatch

Turquoise Toss Up

So I liked both of these looks featured today....it really was a toss up.

I have a dress in a similar color to the ones I'm showing today.  For some reason, I had the hardest time trying to figure out what color shoe to pair with it.

Originally, I saw Sofia Vergara's turquoise (I think that's what you would call this color) first so I decided to find a gold shoe.

Then, I saw Jordin Sparks in her turquoise dress and I loved the white pumps (which has been a big trend this summer), so I decided to find a white shoe.  

 


















In the end, I decided against the latter because I'm just not big on white shoes-sneakers, flip flops, flats, pumps-they're just too hard to maintain.  

I can say that I love the simplicity of both looks-unfussy hair, minimal jewelry-they let the dress (and the color) speak for itself.  

You're probably wondering why it was so hard for me to pick a shoe color when in the end, I just chose a simple gold shoe?  Well, in my head, I imagined a multi-colored shoe with turquoise in it, but I never found one and that probably would have been too much anyways... 

As far as the dress, I love the color, but it was a bit big even after getting it tailored..guess I lost weight in week (idk). (New York & Company items always fit huge on me smh.)

**Me-Dress: New York & Company; Heels: GoJane

Another Neon Obsession

I love pops of color-that's pretty much the only reason why I like this look-so there's not going to be too much more of an explanation.  Kate Beckinsale is wearing an Alberta Ferretti dress and Jimmy Choo heels.  Really, I could care less about the dress, it's the shoes I love. The color pops and....they're NEON ( if you read the previous post, you know that I have a slight obsession with those colors)!!  I lucked up and found my own neon heels (now I have neon heels AND flats lol) and paired them with a black dress like Kate did.  I liked the look, but my shoes didn't pop as much as I wanted them to, but whatever. *shrugs*

**Me-Dress, Heels: Express

Getting My Money's Worth (Neon Bag)

So I brought a bag from Target last year during the summer neon craze because I just LOVE neon colors.  I already had the jewelry, the clothes, even neon flats (smh)!  To complete my collection, I just had to have a neon bag.  After I bought it, I forgot about it (like I do with a lot of stuff I purchase on a whim).  I never even used it!  While I was doing some spring cleaning this year, I came across it and realized that I just didn't like it as much as the day that I brought it.  But I hate feeling like I wasted money so I decided that I would figure out a way to incorporate it into my wardrobe.  The only thing was that it was soooo bright and I didn't want to pair it with my other neons (ie those neon flats I mentioned earlier) so I played the waiting game.  And then my answer came in the form of Alessandra Ambrosio in July while browsing Instyle's website.  I like how she made the bag her standout piece and kept the colors basic. So, I popped off the tag and did what she did.....




(Photo credit: Instyle.com)

Printed Midi Dress

This look is a fusion of elements from two outfits I spotted.

 I came across this pic of Bridget Kelly and gravitated to it instantly.  I immediately loved everything about her look-her hair, the KTZ printed dress, the bright colored pumps by Gucci-everything was just perfect!

The second look was courtesy of Evelyn Lozada back in January.  Her dress was a Felicity & Coco long-sleeved midi dress, which was super cute.  I especially loved that she added wedge sneakers to it for a more sporty vibe.

Keeping both of these looks in mind, I knew that I:
 a) wanted a dress that was black and white and had some sort of print or lettering on it
 b) wanted it to be a midi dress because it was a trend I wanted to try
 c) wanted to add a bright shoe to the look.

Welllllll, I found a cute number-printed dress at ASOS, which interestingly enough, showed the dress paired with wedge sneakers. (I tried it on with my wedge sneakers just to see how it looked...I looked freaking ridiculous!!!)  I paired it with a bright clutch and peep toe heels.
Overall, I loved how the look came together but this will probably be my only midi length item I buy.  The length seems to cut your legs off at a weird spot which can look bad especially if you're not tall. Plus, I just love short dresses way too much!!

**Me- Dress: ASOS; Heels, Clutch: Express

(Photo Credits: GetWhitit.com; Trueheartedsole.com)

OLDIES: My Keepsake Find

So this post features a dress I wore to a wedding last year.  At the time, this blog was still an idea in my head, so now I've decided to do an "oldie" post (outfits that I wore before I started the blog) on this look since I haven't blogged in a while.  I first saw Nicole Richie in this Keepsake "Lost Without You" cutout dress back in October 2011 and made a mental note to find something like it.  Well, when it came time to look for a dress to wear to the wedding, I thought about the Keepsake dress.  I ended up finding a dress at Foreign Exchange and was surprised at how spot on it was to Nicole's.  Since pink and orange were the big color combo trend then, I added orange, pink, and yellow extras :)

 **Me-Dress: Foreign Exchange; Shoes and Accessories: JC Penney

(Photo credits: wantandafford.com; robyncooke-styleguide.co.za)

Diane's Floral Print Trousers

Today's inspiration comes from Diane Kruger's photo-call outfit for her film back in late January.  She is wearing a vest and silk floral print trousers by Stella McCartney.  This look embodies 4 trends: printed pants, floral, tapered hem trousers, and black/white.  I like that she kept it black/gray/white and didn't add a pop of color or fussy jewelry.  Again, I love effortless, yet fashionable outfits and this is another perfect example.  I was a bit nervous about the tapered hem (aka borderline MC Hammer-time pants), but I decided to take a tiny step out of my fashion comfort zone and try the trend.  I came across several similar pants at Forever 21 (of course!).  I already had a black tee, vest, and pumps, so I really only spent about $25 to recreate this look, saving myself $900 lol (her trousers are $925!).


**Me-Top: Charlotte Russe; Vest, Trousers: Forever 21; Pumps: Payless

Oranges and Bananas

Here's another look inspired by Solange Knowles.  I ran across this picture of Ms. Knowles back in March.  Her color combination of citrus and mustard (at least that's the most accurate description of the shades to me) is absolutely gorgeous!  Even though the colors are bright and eye catching, it's still a classic look because she chose classic cut and silhouette for the dress and coat .  I have never worn orange and yellow together unless it's already the color combination in a tee or jewelry, but this look really made me want to go for it....so I did!  However, I reversed it and made the main color orange instead.  I really liked the outfit came together. 

 

**Me: Top, Crops, Shoes- J.C. Penney

Blazer-Charlotte Russe

Clutch-Target