fashion blogs

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! ♥

Something strange is happening in my closet…while skirts and dresses typically make up most of my wardrobe and most of what I end up wearing on a day to day basis lately I’ve been craving pants like no other.  It started back in February when I bought these and it’s been a slippery slope since then.

I’ve purchased more pants in the last 5 months than I have in my whole life! I just can’t get enough of this look and thankfully, most stores and designers can’t either right now.  There’s something super sophisticated about a pant-centric outfit that you just can’t get with a skirt and I’m so excited that for Fall everyone is showing them in ultra-bright colors and super tailored skinny styles…some are even ankle length (yay for short girls like me!) so I won’t end up throwing off the proportion when I chop inches off the hem at the tailor!

My latest pant purchase: these vibrant flame Minnie’s from J.Crew.  I saw them in-store a few weeks ago and while they didn’t have my size in stock, I was able to order them through the store’s phone line (key for hard to find sizes like 00’s and petites) which got me free shipping and the promo price of $69.50.

Now I know seventy bucks is not cheap but I know I’ll be wearing these through the end of summer and well into the fall…they’re going to be my fall staple and we all know there’s nothing hotter than red for this upcoming season!

If you’re looking to make the change from skirts to pants, I can’t recommend a better style!  The Minnie’s have some stretch to them, they’re low-waisted, fitted where they should be and I really can’t say enough about this flame color…just fabulous!  Try them, you’ll love them…oh and they also come in black and khaki!

One of my favorite fashion sites has to be Refinery29–they’re always on the cutting edge of fashion and spot every trend months before it hits the mainstream.  Case in pint, the upside down braid pictured here!

Braids have been the hot hair fix for seasons now and their popularity continues to grow….the John Barrett Salon in NYC even has their own braid bar!!  Braids are hotter than ever and the perfect solution for this humidity filled heatwave, but this reverse braid might just be the next big thing.

What do you think? Cheap or Chic? Could this be your mid-summer go to? It’s a really cool look and the top bun helps give your boho-braid a more polished appearance.

DIY Tip: Make sure your hair is blown out straight so the braid doesn’t look sloppy. Pin two-thirds of your hair up and out of the way so you can work on the braid without extra hair on the way. Now for the tricky part, braid your hair holding it straight up (a french braid style works best, but try a simple braid works too if you’re not as skilled). Finally, when the braid is about the length of your head, combine the braid and the rest of your hair and twist it into a ballerina bun. Pin with a ton of bobby pins (or a set of SpinPins) to finish!

This look is sure to be a conversation-starter, but this reverse braid might be a two girl job…what a workout for the arms! Let us know if you think you can pull this off!?! And for more fabulous braid inspiration, check out my dear friend Jenn Falik’s blog, she’s become quite the expert and last time I saw her sporting braids, she looked ah-mazing!!

So every season there’s a color that draws everyone in.  Earlier this summer that color was coral but now that the summer is winding down (so scary!) we’re all ready for a new breath of fresh air when it comes to hot hues and could there be anything more fresh than cobalt blue.

If you follow color trends, you know that not too long ago this color was oh-so hot so if you have any pieces from back then, then you’re already ahead of the game.  And in case you don’t, I have plenty of finds (under $100) that will help you add this to your wardrobe stat.

One of my favorite trends of the season is color-blocking so I love seeing it done with cobalt like this ASOS dress for only $48 bucks! And if you don’t love the turquoise and cobalt together, there are plenty of other colors you could mix in…hot pink, purple, yellow or go simple yet chic with white or cream.

Now when it comes to accessories, adding a cobalt belt or shoe can totally update an old outfit.  My faves happen to be these from BCBGeneration…I love the thicker straps and with this color its go bold or go home so they’re cobalt perfection!

And check out all of these buys that will surely satisfy your craving for cobalt!

More Asos…

If you’re a loyal reader of this blog you know that I like nothing more than shoes (ok, maybe Chanel bags but who can afford those?!) and lately I’ve been taking notice of all the fabulous shoes Michael Antonio has been adding to it’s collection.

I love how they’re able to capture the latest trends at such an affordable pricepoint and whenever I’m looking for a special show that can’t possibly existfor under $500, they surprise me!

Case in point, these gold linen pumps with a fabulous metallic platform…very Gucci like, no?  I love neutral shoes but sometimes you want neutral with a punch so when I saw these for only $49 I had to have them!

And in case these aren’t what you’re looking for here’s a few of my favorite styles that won’t break the bank and you can see the full collection here!

More Michael Antonio…

In the world of fashion, the Missoni family is the royal family…I used to visit their boutique inside Harvey Nichols weekly, coveting anything and everything that came out of their fashion house. They are masters at color, knit, and print. They put the
chique in boho, the glam in hippie. Yet I have never had an occasion that warranted dropping $800 plus on a dress. And it seems that every time I found a dress that almost, kind of compared , well it just looked cheap. And I mean cheap in the bad
way, not in the good way!

But a recent trip to Forever21 had me singing another tune about the almost-but-not-quite Missoni look-alikes. Buy these knitted tops now and pair them with your favorite jean shorts or maxi skirt. And in a couple of months, they are sure to be Fall staples. How cute is this one shouldered top?

Now for those of you with spending will power, consider this your Save the Date. Missoni is pairing with Target this Fall to do a 400 piece line of adult and children’s clothes, home décor…even a bike!!! Holy @#$%!!! Someone is going to have to keep me from buying every single item. Don’t laugh. I’m. Very. Serious. This is the Target event to top all Target events. I know, I say that every time but this time I mean it.

I will be camping out for days before the September 13th release. Again, I’m very serious. Last spring we had Wills and Kate’s Royal Wedding this Fall we have the divine marriage between Missoni and Target. Bring on the fanfare!!!

There are no words for me to describe just how much I love this outfit on my new “it” girl…Emma Stone.  She’s really hitting her fashion stride and at the Friends With Benefits premiere last week.  She stole the red carpet from the gorgeous Mila Kunis in this amazing Giambattista Valli dress.

When I saw this dress on the runway I knew it was red carpet worthy and I’m just so excited that Ms.Stone was the lucky one to snag it. She’s breaking all sorts of fashion rules in this number and I love her for it!

More Topshop…

It’s been so hot lately that the only options I have in the AM are a dress or a skirt…so anytime I see a skirt that could go casual to dressy and look super cute at the same time I’m sold.

I’ve been scooping up skirts during the J.Crew sale but none have been as cute as this Forever 21 one.  I love the texture, the length and to be perfectly honest, I plan on wearing it exactly how the model is…with a super light weight denim shirt.  And while it may seem a little “western” with all of the Southwest style love we’re feeling around here, it may just be on of my go-to summer outfits for the rest of the season!

Oh and of course we left the best part last…it’s under $20!

Well, we are officially tasting the summer heat and with every day getting more hot and more humid, the desire to wear less becomes greater and greater. Unfortunately, work dress codes can be a little restrictive and while in the throws of a heat wave, it calls for some wardrobe creativity.

Day in and day out, skirts and dresses offer an easy solution, but if you are looking for something a little different and edgy, welcome city shorts into your life. I’m sure the word “shorts” are underlined, bold and in capital letters under the “what not to wear,” section of your dress code, but I’m confident that you could walk into your workplace in these shorts and no one would blink twice.

This is a great look if you are trying to remain professional, but at the same time want a little variety while in sweltering conditions. These city shorts from ASOS for $43 hang beautifully on the hips and go down to at least your knee…so on one in HR will be calling you into their office!  Throw on a chic button down with a great pair of nude heels, and you will have a corporate meets chic look that stands out from a sea of suits!

City shorts can be taken outside of your nine to five as well. They come in a lot of fun colors, and when paired with a bold top and wedges, like these River Island Belted City Shorts for $60.32, can be a great look for a hot and humid night out with the girls. Skinny belts are very big this season, so play around with different styles.

Hopefully these longer (but still totally cute) shorts will quench you thirst for new ways to cool off in style this summer!

…and for more of Kate’s fashionable point of view and advice, check out her blog LifeSucksInAStraplessBra.com!