Easily paired with prints and solids, houndstooth gives a sophisticated kick to any outfit. Whether it be via a small accessory like a belt or full length coat as seen on the always amazing Gwenyth Paltrow!

Houndstooth packs a punch. My favorite houndstooth is the classic black and white, a la CoCo Chanel. I love how the basic black/white palette can be the base for something as lovely as, red shoes! I love how the contrast makes it just a tiny bit edgy while still maintaining the dignified class of a plaid.

Now this amazing Stella McCartney coat worn by Ms. Paltrow is slightly out of my reach, but I did manage to find some super cute and affordable options at ASOS like this skirt..and these fabulous pants for less than $50 and this adorable coat!

Celebrities such as Kim K. (moment of silence for the divorce), Lady Gaga and Tory Burch have been seen all over in this striking print… so take a look and let us know- how do you houndstooth?

More Charlotte Russe…

And what’s great about the faux for Fall is that we’re not saving it for fancy occasions–this time around, it’s all about everyday wear.  We’re dressing it up, mixing it up and wrapping ourselves in the luxury of it all (for a faction of a price).

Here are a few of our favorite ways to wear it…

Cozy up in comfy glam by adding a fur vest to a sweater dress! Add textured tights and some buttery leather boots for a looks that’s oh so chic!

If a bohemian look  is more to your liking, why not pair your faux fur vest with a wide leg denim trouser jean, a silky blouse and extra large sunnies of course.

And for an ultra-easy look with lots of glamour, add a faux fur scarf to any ensemble for an instant update to your look.

So many options at our fingertips, you almost can’t go wrong. How will you fake it with faux this season?

More Asos…

1. Limit the leopard print to one clothing item and neutralize it with simple, clean colors. Black, white, tan, brown… and no other crazy prints unless you are going for a super wild look. If you want to mix prints, stripes look fab with leopard and if you prefer to keep the leopard to a minimum–leopard accessories like a bag or belt will work great!

2. Balance out the amount of leopard you are wearing with your hair and make up “glam” level. This means keep overly wild, curly hair to a minimum when sporting a leopard print top or dress. Too much going on up top can ruin your look. If you are wearing a leopard dress or top, we suggest keeping your hair natural looking, straight or with a slight wave. However, if you are only wearing leopard print shoes, curl & glam away.

3. Avoid cheap looking leopard prints. Anything spandexy, shiny, glittery or unnatural color combos should be avoided. The key is to make sure the leopard print looks like real animal print.

4. Have fun with leopard print and don’t be afraid of it! Follow these tips and we’ll bet you’re lookin’ lovely in leopard!

And one big Leopard DO…keep it simple with a classy black dress and a cute pair of leopard heels a la Kim Kardashian! Here’s our favorite frugal leopard finds for under $50!

For more of Amanda’s “How To’s” Please check out her blog http://www.helloamanda.com!

More Asos…

It’s funny how jean trends, and all trends for that matter, just circle back around. Just a matter of time until we’re dusting off certain items and bringing them back to life! For those of you that do want to participate in this flared jean look, but aren’t quite sure how to, here are some tips…

1. Have a body type that works with this look. Now I don’t mean to discriminate, but we all know what fashion trends our bodies accept and those they reject. To pull off any high waist denim look you should have somewhat of a booty.

You should also have a workable waist. Girls that are built straight up and down might appear boxier than wanted. You know your body and whether or not this look is flattering on you.

2. Pick a good pair of flared denim. Make sure they fit your body nicely and work in favor of your curves. Make sure you get a good rear view also. So many jean pockets can ruin the butt.

3. High-waisted or a mid-rise flare are the only ways to go. We’re not a fan of the low rise flare–they’re simply not as flattering.

4.Your top looks best tucked in with this look, so choose accordingly. Flowy, sheer blouses are my favorite to pair with high waisted jeans. Sheer = less bulk. Something fitted on the top is better for this look since you have a lot of material going on below.

5. Keep the flare minimal. Too much flare is, well… too much flare.

6. Make sure you have the right heel height.  Your jeans should not be too short or dragging on the ground. Just covering the top of your toes is perfect!

7. Run with the whole bohemian vibe of this style. Browns, tans, creams golds, pinks, corals…love!

Happy Flaring!

For more of Amanda’s “How To’s” Please check out her blog http://www.helloamanda.com!

More Forever 21…

From the runways of Louis Vuitton to the high street, this trend offers so many options. It can be worn in the office, to a dinner date or you could even try a more casual variation for errands or day of shopping.  Here are some ways to take the midi to the maximum level!

Height vs Length: The taller you are, the longer you can go. Mid calf and/or A-line skirts are best left for those gams over 5’5”. For those of us 5’4” and under, lets stick to the just below the knee length (and don’t forget your heels!).

Color Block It: Pair a bright red midi with a neutral top. Or try a black leather midi with a silky neon tank to add texture and fun to your ensemble. Stick to nude shoes with this look to lengthen those legs and leave the attention on the outfit.

An Office Fashion: Take it to work a’ la Mad Men style. Think tailored, A-line black or navy skirts with simple white tops and make it into your own uniform. A neutral canvas of colors with some bright and bold accessories or a colored cardigan is an easy way to amp up your office style this fall.

Fit or Flow: A fitted cotton midi and a loose crop top is not only comfortable but on trend for a day or running errands or shopping with the girls. If you choose to let it flow on the bottom like this skirt, go opposite on top and go for a fitted tee or tank. Throw on a leather jacket and make it a go-to date night look.

For more from our latest contributor Jammie, please visit her blog faithfullyfabulous.tumblr.com!

I love bangles, heck… I love all accessories; chunky necklaces, fancy earrings, glamorous headbands… I’m never one to discriminate when it comes to accessorizing.

I got a recent email however, specifically asking me how to wear bangles in a casual work environment. I suppose the best news is, this is soooo easy to pull off, you really can pair a nice stack-able bracelet set with any sort of outfit to give your 9-5 fashion a little pep!

Keys to Wearing Stackable Bangles: You want to tie in the colors/style/texture of the bangles somewhere else. Whether it’s a necklace, earrings, belt, ring, headband, hat, etc… choose one or two other accessories to link your the bangles to. Three accessories MAX is my preferred amount.

In the first pic, she did it perfectly. Her gold, brown and black bangles link to her gold necklace and black and gold belt.

And in this more office-friendly look, her funky necklace, ring and bracelets all flow smoothly. And she gets major style points for making an almost all black ensemble look anything but basic!

As you can see, if you have back up in the accessory department, you really can pull off the bangle look with any sort of outfit! To tone it down for a casual work environment, pair your outfit with more subtle accessories and a cute pair of flats! Taking heels, glamorous hair and make up and fancy hand bags out of the equation, instantly tones down any of these looks.

Hope this helped and happy stacking! ♥

The Jean Jacket: Most maxi dresses have spaghetti straps with plunging necklines and some don’t even have straps, meaning they are probably  underlined in your work dress code as “inappropriate.” Hey, none of us want to be “that girl,” even in the name of fashion…but all hope is not lost though as many bohemian chic ladies, like Nicole Richie, have been seen taking their maxi dresses out on the town with a simple jean jacket over them–so find a cute jean jacket, roll up the sleeves and pair it with your maxi-office dress! And because denim is a total neutral it can easily work with most (if not all) of those bold colored and printed dressed that seem to be all the rage right now!

The Cardi: As antsy as you may be to retire you cute cardigans for the spring/summer months, we would suggest holding off and incorporate them into your “maxi look.” Throwing a boyfriend cardigan over these long dresses and belting it will give you a fashion forward, office appropriate outfit. This is a great time to experiment with different patterns as well. If you have a blue and white stripped maxi dress, try pairing a leopard print cardigan over it to give the look a bit of an edge. Or if classic and conservative is more your style, try color blocking your maxi/cardi combo with two brights!

The Pullover Sweater: Now last, but certainly not least–try a pullover sweater over your maxi dress…which essentially turns your maxi dress into a maxi skirt! This is one of my favorite tricks for making the most out of these long dresses and those open knit sweaters we’re seeing everywhere right now are my favorite for this kind of look! 

So you see ladies, in no way should these dresses be discriminated against in the office. The fact that they can be transformed from a dress code nightmare to a comfortable, flowing, fashionable 9-5 outfit is a reason to invest in numerous styles for spring/ summer!

Minimalistic pieces in bright colors mixed a la Jamba Juice are all the rage. This is an easy and fun trend to incorporate into your pre-Spring wardrobe because you most likely have pretty much all the pieces you need-simple separates in solid colors. Take some tips from the runways of DVF, Gucci and Jil Sander.

If you already have a signature blue piece, look for accents of yellow or orange/coral.

If you have a favorite purple piece, look for bright turquoise and orange mixers…like this skirt from ASOS.

And, if you already have pink, try a mix with a yellow and green or purple.

J. Crew always has the best basics in awesome colors. I got this t-shirt in lemon pulp and have been mixing it with everything from my favorite purple blazer or my bright green clutch and aqua blue pumps.

If your wardrobe doesn’t have room for any new pieces right now, remember you can still color mix with your make up and nails. On trend coral lips and aqua blue or green nail polish add their zest to any colorful ensemble. Stick to a combo of three colors, more than that will come off goofy. And remember to keep the actual pieces you are mixing simple in cut and your accessories basic; let the colors do the talking.

Take a look at some of these colorful budget friendly finds, and happy mixing!

More American Apparel…

The reviews for these jeans were glowing on Piperlime, so I went for it even though they were $169. Hmm, let’s discuss…

They arrived yesterday and they are going straight back. Now don’t get me wrong, they are lovely, but I’m no Rachel Zoe.  I don’t have her measurements or her glam lifestyle and that’s the real problem for real women when it comes to this particular style of jeans.

The jeans are super bellbottoms, think Mr. Furley from Three’s Company.  If I didn’t have to commit to 4 inch heels every time I wore these, they may be keepers, but with such big bells, a significant shoe height is a must or you end up looking much shorter and much wider than you really are…um, no thanks!

The cost per wear on these is simply too high as these are not your everyday throw-on-and-go jeans. I like them, but I need to find a cheaper pair for the same look…so I have resolved to take the 70’s jeans trend down a notch and go for a refined boot-leg style jean at a much lower price.

This pair from the Gap are very wearable and have the same dark wash as the 7’s.  I can justify spending $60 on a pair of jeans from here since they’re a bit more stylized and I love that it’s a trouser cut.  J Brand also makes an amazing pair of flairs called Lovestory and I’ve recently seen them on sale in a few stores…so if you can find them, buy them! The fit, cut and feel is perfect!

So as you think about incorporating this trend into your spring wardrobe, make sure you find a pair of flares that works for you and your budget as these are definitely a trend for now but these are NOT your timeless investment jeans. The trend will come and go, just like the 70’s.

In terms of styling, you can easily rock the whole 70’s trend by pairing them with a silk blouse, some high wedges and some bangles or try out a more preppy look with a striped tee and a cute pair of flats.

Take a look at some of the other options I have found and take note, you don’t have to pay a lot to be all about this trend!

More Express…

I have to say that this year I’ve broken records when it comes to extending my summer wardrobe. The key is to pair colorful pieces with neutrals. If you love to wear black in the cooler seasons, make it pop with some accessories, whether it be a scarf, a bag, or even a wool coat like this snuggly one from ASOS.

If you’re like me, and you like to add as much color as possible, also try mixing neutral colors with season appropriate brights– like this mustard yellow or orange cardigan from J. Crew.

For work or dinner, try an eggplant dress like this gorgeous one from Mod Cloth, and pair it with a black blazer or motorcycle jacket.  The key here is to add a hint, or a dab of color- similar to adding certain ingredients to your favorite recipes (can you sense the theme here?)- a little bit definitely goes a long way.

Lastly, I absolutely love florals for this time of year. A small floral pattern on a black background is another great way to add some color to your closet; whether it be with a skirt, a dress like this one from ASOS, or a blouse like this Patterson J. Kincaid one.

I’ve also found that wearing color in these frigid months helps brighten your mood-seriously!!