Polka Dots or Spots?

What do you call them? Polkda dots? Or spots? I call them polkda dots, but I've found that some call them spots. Certain men in my life, for instance, which I in turn find very endearing. Either way, I love them. I love them on shirts, on skirts, on dresses... I love them mixed with stripes, which I've previously shared my affinity for as well. The top pictured in the following photo is one of my favorites, and I love to find new ways to mix and match it. Cream with navy "spots," it's lightweight and can be layered in a variety of ways to make cute new looks.

Shirt: LOFT

Open-front cardigan: LOFT

Modern skinny denim leggings, worn cuffed: LOFT

Sandals: Ann Taylor

Belt: LOFT

Watch: Fossil

What do you think of polkda dots? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Get a headache when you see 'em? I want to hear!

Mixin' and Matchin'

My outfit was really cute today.

...But I forgot to photograph it.

So here's my outfit from the other day, which was also really cute and which I did remember to photograph.

Dress: Target

Cardigan: LOFT (current)

Belt: Target

Boots: Target

Panther bracelet: Vintage, purchased at Agora

(http://www.myspace.com/iheartagora)

Watch: Fossil

I love mixing and matching the different elements found in this outfit. I'm also loving this new hair up phase I'm going through. I don't wash it these days since it's still teased from the day before... I just pin it up in a loose, messy bun and hairspray the heck out of it. So easy... it doesn't move all day and I don't have to worry over it. Fabulous!

Chartreuse Love

I've got a thing about chartreuse. I completely love it. Some people turn their noses up in disgust at this unique color. I, however, run towards it with open arms.

Therefore, I knew this shirt was a must for me, from the moment I first laid eyes on it. The slightly pre-wrinkled silky material, the gathering, the exposed back zipper... It was calling out to me.

Yesterday, I thought I lost this shirt. I almost died. My heart sprang into my throat as fear grasped at me. You see, I almost never lose anything. That being said, when I do lose something, I lose it good... It's usually gone forever, or until I find it years later in a suitcase I must have neglected to thoroughly unpack.

Needless to say, as you can see that my top is featured in this post, I found it. This experience was a testament to the state of my closet. Not chaos, just completely packed-os. This fashionista's closets are maxed out, and sometimes things blend into one another! Fortunately I didn't freak out for long before my shirt and I were reunited.

Chartreuse silk top: LOFT

Modern skinny denim leggings: LOFT

Mid-heel sandals: LOFT

Pearl necklace: J.Crew Factory

What did YOU wear today?

The Power of Cuffing

Lately, I find that everything I own looks better when worn cuffed. I wear my denim leggings messily cuffed to balance out the skinniness. I wear my sweater sleeves cuffed. I wear my pant legs cuffed. I turn up my blazer sleeves without a second thought. The list goes on and on. It just seems to me that it shows you put some thought into styling your outfit, and it gives my preppier cardigans just enough messiness to suit me. Here, I've cuffed my destroyed boyfriend chinos to show off the ankle straps on my wedges. Sorry for the poor picture quality!

Tiered ruffle shirt: LOFT (current)

Destroyed boyfriend chinos: LOFT

Cognac-colored wedges: LOFT (online exclusive)

Tassel necklace: Costume jewelry from my great-grandmother

Watch: Kenneth Cole, purchased at TJMaxx

So tell me: What do YOU think of cuffing?

The Red Dress

Four times a year, we receive a look book at work that contains sneak peeks of the upcoming collection. Four times a year, I die and have fashion orgasm after fashion orgasm as I boldly proclaim each new collection as the "best ever."

All the fall collection had to do to earn this honor from me was show me the following red dress.

100% silk in a vivacious red with cascading ruffles and delicate gathers, it was love at first sight for this dress and me. Diamonds, loud gold chain link bracelets and my Chanel earrings were all it took to make me feel like a movie star. A skinny black snakeskin belt pulled the look together. Flat sandals kept it casual and comfortable for work. My dress and I started the day out together with my hair looking fabulous:

Unfortunately, my hair did not want to support my role in the movie of my life, and it fell flat immediately upon me stepping outside my house. (Hate you, Georgia humidity.) So I had to pull it up:

I actually ended up not minding the look so much, and have worn it like this several times since then.

The key of course is to maintain just the right size bump in the back.

After all, the bump is all important. Kind of like my red dress.

Neiman Marcus Passion for Fashion challenge

Readers, are you out there? I need you now! (It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I neeeeed you now...)

Please vote for my look that I created using pieces from the Neiman Marcus fall collection. It's a chance to win $5,000! Maybe if you vote for me and you're lucky, I'll pick you as my shopping partner when I go to spend it.

Let me know what I can do to return the favor... Here's the link!

What's Your Passion for Fashion? Challenge - Round 1 Sponsored by Neiman Marcus

Weekend Wear

This was my outfit for a night on the town with my favorite bunch of ladies after a weeklong vacation. I was getting ready to go back to work and wanted to end the week with a stylish bang.

You tell me: Did I succeed?

Dress: Target

Belt: LOFT

Nail polish: OPI Ogre the Top Blue, Shrek collection

Shoes: Jessica Simpson Strikers, found at TJMaxx

I was shocked to find these beauties at Charlotte Russe... So J.Crew! I got the following three cuties as well (2 for $8 bracelets, rings and earrings!):

Forgive me, my powerful Macbook won't let me upload the rotated version of this picture for whatever reason. Aren't those sweet though?! Love.

Hope you're all staying stylish! Till tomorrow...

A Lesson in Color Block

I often find color blocked garments to be very tacky. People tend to overaccessorize when they wear this trend, as though the simplicity of the design must be made up for in other facets of the outfit.

I disagree.

I think the key to wearing color block well is to simplify it. Let the point of the outfit be to showcase the colors and the cut of the piece and be done with it.

This LOFT tank is one of my favorite items this summer. I love the taupe and the magenta next to one another, and I love the loose feel of the shirt. All I added was a small ring whose stone matched the taupe in my shirt, and an unadorned pair of black flats. Love it!

Silk tank: LOFT (current)

Modern skinny "jeggings": LOFT (current)

Ring: Handmade by a family friend

Black faux leather flats: Target

What do YOU think of color block? Tacky or cool? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Neon, anyone?

Neon can be tricky. I think most people, when confronted with this recent resurrection of in-your-face color, perhaps turn the other cheek for fear of looking like the 80s vomited on their outfit.

However, I feel differently. Now I'm not saying I'm a proponent of those sorority-fraternity parties where college kids spray neon-colored goo on each other and wear light-up necklaces around their necks.

But I do think when done the right way and in a non-goo involving fashion, neon can be a really fun trend to embrace. For example, the following going out outfit is brightened right up with a few pops of yellow and pink neon:

Mixing in a metallic skinny belt seemed like the right thing to do. Correction: Mixing in metallic often seems like the right thing to do. As does mixing in a skinny belt.

Pocket-tee: Express

Pencil skirt: LOFT

Necklace: Express

Skinny belt: LOFT

Shoes: Colin Stuart for Victoria's Secret

So my advice to you? Go neon! Even if it's just in an accessory. After all, they're awfully easy to take off if you start to feel too blinded.

Outfit of the Day: Charlestonian Style

Disclaimer: I must admit that this is not my outfit of TODAY. In fact, it is an outfit from about a month ago, but if you saw my outfit at the moment, you'd scoff at my sweatpants-and-orange-socks combo.

Moving on.

After interviewing for what is now my first adult job, I had the weekend off and was ready to relieve my stress. I drove five hours to spend the weekend in Charleston with one of my best friends from high school, Elise, who also happens to be a fashionista (and a model for Charleston Fashion Week!).

On my way out of town, I spotted this bad boy driving down the road. What IS this?! It was huge. And ominous.

We spent the day Saturday lounging and watching a What Not To Wear Marathon. Great advice from Stacy: "You always have to go, but you don't always have to match." LOVE that!

We did Saturday night Charleston-style, with great fashion, great food and great places. Our first stop was dinner at a quaint little Italian restaurant, where I had the most delicious fresh ravioli with pesto.

After letting that settle, we went over to Kaminsky's for dessert, where I had the most delicious Tollhouse Cookie Pie:

Next was a bar called Shine, which had the most fabulous decor:

Look at those chandeliers!

And those window treatments!

The bathrooms were fabulous, too. Just testing out the lighting.

Shoes: Colin Stuart for Victoria's Secret

*Note: Nude heels do amazing things for legs. They make them seem longer!

The wallpaper was amazing, so of course we had to do a photo shoot. It reminded me of my scrapbooking papers!

My outfit:

Headband: LOFT

Bell-sleeve top: LOFT

Skirt: Moda International for Victoria's Secret

Crossbody purse: vintage Coach, found at Agora in Athens

Elise's outfit:

One-shoulder knit dress: American Apparel (current)

Tights: American Apparel

I love these two.

This one makes the magic happen at Charleston Fashion Week.

He'll be getting me backstage on March 17th. :-) Love you, Travis!

After getting home, we had to have a late-night snack of brie en croute with raspberries, strawberries and wine. Yum.

In terms of a relaxing and fabulous weekend, it just doesn't get better than that, ladies and gentlemen.

Outfit of the Day: The Stripe Triumph

I'm feeling nautical. Not only that, but I'm breaking this size 14's number 1 style rule: NEVER wear horizontal stripes.

Pause for reaction. Until recently, I haven't touched stripes with a 10 ft pole, but I've always eyed them with jealousy of those who could safely sport them.

And then I thought... Maybe if I layer, and the stripes are covered in the most high-danger zones (stomach, hips), I could pull it off?

I've since found that this look works for me, and I am now embracing stripes in all colors and sizes. Style rules, be damned!

Striped boat neck tee: LOFT (current)

Modern skinny jeans, rinse wash: LOFT (current)

Sweater: LOFT

Silver ballet flats: Steve Madden (found at TJMaxx)

Purse: Vintage Louis Vuitton (found at Agora, http://www.myspace.com/iheartagora)

First-Day-of-Work Outfit

....Well, not really my first day of work, three years later. But, it was my first day of being a co-manager, and it required a fabulous outfit! Aka, the following:



I saved this shirt for the big day after I bought it because I loved it so much.

Modern skinny jeans: LOFT (current)

Ruffled woven shirt: LOFT (current)

Tab detail short sleeve open front cardigan: LOFT

Skinny belt: GAP (current)

Necklace (aka one of my favorite things I own): LOFT

Metallic gold ballet flats (not pictured): Steve Madden, found at TJMaxx

This day also happened to "require" a batch of double chocolate chunk muffins, which will not be displayed on this blog, as I may or may not have used a mix and am embarrassed to admit said fact. But everyone loved them, and no one has to know ;-)

Outfit of the Day: Sock Challenge

A co-worker recently bet me that "even you couldn't incorporate socks into an outfit in a cute way." So I took her on. I can't wait to tell her about the client who said to me, "Oh, I LOVE your socks!" Let me know what you think!

The lesson to be learned here is that using socks as accessories can be cute, as long as they aren't rainbow toe socks. ;-)

Pink grandpa cardigan with crystal buttons: J.Crew Outlet

Chambray shirt: Gap (current)

Belt: LOFT

Leggings: LOFT (current)

Boot socks: LOFT

Durango boots: Horsetown

P.S. Please excuse the poor photo quality... I've got to figure out the best way to photograph the outfits for these entries.

Stuck in a style rut? I can help!

Need fashion inspiration? You’ve come to the right place. One of my favorite things to do is express my creativity through what I wear, and in this case, that means putting together outfits in my own closet to be tried out at home by you guys using your own interpretations. Each day I’ll post my a picture of my current ensemble, and you can tell me whether it inspires you or makes you want to call the fashion police to report a crime.