Hello Again!

Hello my fine friends! It's been awhile! And I know I won't post everyday until late May, but I'll try my best!

This week I want to talk about designers and style. My style is so not ethereal or romantic, but I absolutely adore that look. It's just beyond major. Excuse the Rachel Zoe dialogue. 

So the first ethereal designer that popped into my head was Alberta Ferretti. 

Oh, and before I explain in detail, you should all know that I don't like fall runway shows. I think it's nice, but so much of it is black. I love spring collections. So most of these clothes are from this Spring/Summer season. But of course, some is fall. 

Anyway, Alberta Ferretti is just so feminine... observe:

This spring, she has her white...

She has her bright... (which I am loving by the way)

And she has her wild child prints.

I have to say, I'm impressed. Not that that's unusual! Even though the colors and prints are a little bolder, look at the shape, texture, and floatiness that just well, float.

So in a Ferretti-inspired outfit, choose flowy and floaty shapes in bolder colors and prints. 

{ZARA}

{Anthropologie}

Oh yeah! Mixing prints is so fun! These were actually so easy! Just take one color, add a white pattern, and wear them together for a totally fun look! 

For shoes, I think some strappy black heels are the obvious choice because my three favorite Ferretti looks all have them in different colors. 

{J.Crew}

Okay, so I assumed strappy black heels would be easy to find. This was definitely not the case. I found strappy black wedges, but not with a stiletto heel. The J.Crew wedge is close, but I don't really love patent leather. In some cases, I love it, but not this one. 

And because I'm not thrilled with those wedges, I wanted to show you some flats that I lurrrrrve. 

{Also from J.Crew}

Much better!!! They are available in citron, and I'm just imagining how stunning they would look on my foot. Is that weird? Probably so.

Because these looks are from Spring/Summer, I wanted to show you guys some Fall love.

There was a smidge of high drama fabulousness...

...and the remainder was black leather and tulle that took my breath away.

Ba-nanas. Beyond ba-na-nas. I love Rachel Zoe's speech patterns!

  

Welcome to the 50's!

Happy IMOS, mi amigas! And sing the title to the tune of Hairspray's Welcome to the 60's. It makes more sense that way.

Anyway, I was inspired by the 50's neon. And in case your wondering, that does MOT mean poodle skirts. Even though I did wear a poodle skirt for a dance recital a long time ago. I was inspired by neon colors, with modern shapes. With a teeny tiny hint of early 1700's casual dress. Just a smidge.

On to the shoes.

{J.Crew}

I made my goal to use less J.Crew/Madewell/Hollister/AE and never use the same store for more than one piece in my outfits. And for this look, I wanted magenta sandals with a heel. Something refined, but fun and playful. And as I scoured the internet, I found that low and behold, J.Crew has EXACTLY what I pictured! 

Oh and the reason I didn't post the inspiration picture first is that I like to post the shoe first, because in this new template, some formats only show the first picture. And I want you to know what the shoe of the day is. It's International Month of Shoes. Not International Month of Inspiration. But that sounds cool. 

Again, I was inspired by the COLORS. Not 50's silhouettes. Even though I love those, too. 

Without further ado, the skirt.

{Juicy}

Are you not in love with those pleats? That's the smidge of early 1700's European casual wear. They wore pleats. They were also ahead of their time. 

And all it needs is a simple white drapey shirt. 

{Anthropology}

It needs to be drapey. If you take a regular semi-stiff Hanes t-shirt, it just doesn't work. It needs to be a bit less casual. And silk would work well in this situation, but I wanted cotton.

For my last attempt to neon-ify this outfit, I want aqua. At first, I wanted an aqua cashmere boyfriend cardigan. Then I realized that this only exists in my fantasy land. Well, lots exist, but either the color or the fit or something was off. So I decided I'd accept a not-necessarily-cashmere cardi or a not-necessarily-boyfriend-style cardi. And I came up with nothing. It was like that color just didn't exist. So I lowered my standards. And threw blazers into the mosh pit. That's when it all came together. 

{Rag & Bone at Bergdorf Goodman}

Sure, the color's not perfect, and the fit isn't what I had in mind, I think it totally makes the outfit. 

If you wanted to be really fancy, you could wear pearls.

{Tiffany & Co.}

So what do you guys think of my neon-inspired look? And how about those killer shoes? Am I the only one who's obsessed with the pleats on that Juicy masterpiece? I know how many people read this blog, and I know how many comment. That ratio is so off. I know you have opinions! Every human does. And probably lots of primates and dogs and such. First commenter gets an entire post inspired by/dedicated to her. Or him. So comment and tell me what you think or what your idea of the perfect outfit is. I'll definitely consider IMOS suggestions! So comment away!

Some Madewell Inspiration

Madewell is definitely inspiring. I've never actually worn Madewell, or even been to a Madewell! It's still too big for me... sad! Anyway, even if it doesn't fit, it can still be amazing outfit inspiration.

Ok, so here's my inspiration:

It reminds me of an artist. I think it's a buttons! Right now I'm wearing a boyfriend cardigan with big buttons and pockets. I'm sensing a pattern. Oh, and also I'm wearing colorful skinnies. No wonder I like this outfit!

Oh yeah, I'm doing the entire outfit from Forever 21! I'll compare the prices.

Cardigan:

This is a pretty similar cardi. It's a bit darker, but it's close enough, right?

Madewell cardi: $178.00
Forever 21: $29.90

Shirt:

I cheated. This shirt is from Zara. I couldn't find a shirt similar enough, so I caved.

Madewell: $68.00
Forever 21 Zara $49.90

Jeans:

Madewell: $98.50
Forever 21: $24.80

Scarf:

This is the one part of this outfit I don't agree with. I think maybe a green scarf would be better. Or red, or yellow, or gray, but a tiny, plum scarf was not working.

From Madewell, I suggest this:

From Forever 21:

Madewell: $39.50 when it's not on sale
Forever 21: $6.50

Total:

Madewell: $384.00 (!)
Forever 21: $111.10

Wow. I guess Forever 21/Zara is probably a promising choice when it comes to prices! Madewell has a much higher quality, but it's pretty expensive. Which is a better value? I think Madewell is cuter, but I'd have to see it in person to decide if it's worth it!

Btw, because it's Thanksgiving break, my posts should be more regular. But towards the end of the week, they will probably be few and far between. Next week (the week after Thanksgiving) is a busy week, but I can work something out. Hopefully.

Sundance Catalog Pics

I'll be the first to admit that these pictures are terrible! I saw a catalog sitting on the coffee table and saw some cool inspiration!

I've never heard of Sundance, but they have some cool outfits! So I took some pics!

This is one of my favorites. I love the peasant blouse with the chunky knit cardigan! It looks so cozy and Thanksgiving-y. I don't know why I think of Thanksgiving, but I do. I could replicate it if peasant blouses didn't have such puffy sleeves! Maybe the chunky cardigan makes it possible. I don't know, but it's worth a shot!

I love Sundance earrings! They look so cloud-like and whimsical. They look like they weigh no more than a feather.

These are so similar to the first earrings, it's no wonder I love these too!

I love cowboy boots. The problem is I rarely wear them, so I get a new pair every year because my feet grow. I usually buy brown with turquoise, but I love the red with flowers!

Belts and cowboy boots are pretty much the same when it comes to how much I wear them. That is, rarely. I don't usually tuck in my shirt, so no one can see the belt. When I wear skirts, I tuck in my shirt most of the time, but I have a wide brown belt that works with EVERYTHING I could possibly think of.

What is it with Sundance jewelry? It's so delicate! I love the stacked rings looks. I also love small and thin things.

My favorite part of this ring is the color. Yes, I like the band thingy, but the little blue raindrop-looking-thingy (that's a technical term) is so beautiful!

I love peasant blouses. Especially in fall colors. I have a maroon one from American Eagle that I love!

So those are my terrible catalog pics! On some of them (the raindrop ring and the peasant blouse) the shadows were so bad, I had to edit them out even though you can still see them! Any thoughts on the actual clothes/jewelry? Comments are appreciated!

Surprise Inspiration

I find inspiration everywhere! I mean everywhere. Like everywhere! Even my mom's outfits!

She wore an ivory lace tank with a pink cardigan and olive skirt:

Wow! I knew my mom was aware of fashion, but this was a complete surprise! We were about to go to church, when I stopped her and asked if I could take a picture!

I love the colors! It was in September, so she wore olive and ivory (fall colors) with a slightly-more-summery cardigan!

100 points- Mom!

The Lilly Story

Hopefully everyone knows that I love Lilly Pulitzer by now. I've probably spent more than a few hours at their website. It's so cool! I read the story, and I thought that it was so inspiring! So this is how Lilly Pulitzer came to be:


Lilly Pulitzer's husband, Peter, owned a citrus grove, so Lilly opened a juice stand. She needed a bright dress to hide the juice stains, so she made a vibrant shift dress.

The demand was instant when a picture of Jackie Kennedy wearing a Lilly dress was on the cover of Life Magazine. Soon, she was selling more dresses than juice. The brand took off.


Now, Lilly Pulitzer has the word "lilly" in every print. The colors are still just as bright and hide juice stains. Lilly has a team of artists who design every print in the print studio. 


Wow I love Lilly Pulitzer! I think I will dub this Lilly Week! Happy Lilly Week, world!

Lilly Pulitzer part i

I walked into a Lilly Pulitzer store a few months ago and fell in love. I told my mom that I wanted my room to look like the store and that I wanted to wear it everyday. None of those actually happened, but I wish they did! I love the colors, prints, and style of pretty much everything!

I love tunics! I also love bold colors and flowers. I hope it's obvious that I love this!

The polka dots and the navy/white combo are classic. I love the ruffles and the sleeves!

I've been loving green lately. It's even better with navy. The white buttons make it crisper and I love the bows! 

I love this print!I l love the colors and the way it's kinda in-a-way dotty. It looks great with those jeans!

If I wore this I could say things like Hello! I'm wearing all pink! Are you? Nope! But I am! Haha! Not really! I don't talk like that! But the outfit is cute!

I love Lilly Pulitzer prints. The fabric looks so soft, and the colors look so crisp and fresh. This is one of my favorites!

Again, I love the green with the navy! The flowers are pretty, and did anyone notice the tassel necklace? Love!

This print makes me smile. It's just an army of high heels! I like the 3/4 sleeve. It's perfect for 3/4 cardigans (Thank you, Captain Obvious!) or regular cardigans because you can't tell that the sleeves are shorter!


I'm be back with part ii tomorrow! But for now, what do y'all think about part i? Love? Really love? Want to to swim in Lilly Pulitzer?


One more thing: I saw a video on the website that showed them making a print and I finally know what I want to do when I grow up! I want to do exactly that. Click on Story of our Prints and watch them turn a blank sheet of paper into an explosion of printed greatness!

How To Look Effortless... Or at Least Make Getting Dressed Easier!

I've always wanted to look "effortless". Some people just have that gift. I don't. Well, every once in awhile, I'll grab some things out of my closet and hope I look great. In all reality, I rarely look amazing when I do that. But when I put some thought and effort into it, I can look effortless. The problem is that if I put effort into it, it's not effortless. But if I look effortless, it's okay, right? Good question, Birdy! Yes, but why no t train yourself to actually make it semi-effortless? 




1. Everything in your closet needs to go together. Well, not everything. I like to have a small (or large) section in my closet where I keep simple(ish) tops and simple wear-with-anything shorts/skirts/pants. In my opinion, it's easier to pull things out of my Simple(ish) Clothes section if they are in rainbow order (call it what you want, but I will always call it rainbow order!). Then I can pull out a shirt and grab some shorts/skirt/pants in coordinating colors, which leads to my next point. . . 

2. Things work best if they are either the same or different. Lately, whoever starts the trends has loved monochromatic and bright contrasting colors. Some days I grab a pink shirt with magenta shorts. Some days I stay in a smaller range (Think navy pants, cardigan, and tank). Other days, I wear completely contrasting outfits. For example, today I'm wearing a magenta t-shirt and navy shorts. If you pull a blue shirt, grab either blue, green, black, pink, purple, yellow, brown, gray, orange, red, or white shorts. It works if the style is on the simple side, and the colors are polar opposite or the same!


3.Shop smart. This is a very broad topic, but I think that you should know what you have and need, and you should buy things that work with your closet. If half you closet is black, buy colors that work with black. In other words, don't buy something if it doesn't work with a) your closet b) your lifestyle (i.e. don't buy stilettos if you're thirteen!) c) your budget. Branch out, but don't wear things you know you won't wear just because it's trendy or it looks good on a model. I speak from experience!


4. Be bold! It's easy (in a way effortless) to blend in, but it looks better to wear a lemon yellow skirt with a fushia blouse. Spend a little time experimenting, and it will pay off later! 


5. Quality over quantity. If you have 45 shirts in your closet, but only wear 26 of them, the only thing you are doing is wasting your space. Donate them, unless they have sentimental value, which is why we have closets in guest rooms! My point is to get rid of it if it hasn't been worn in at least a year and a half, or doesn't fit right. Also, a few good pieces is better than a ton of cheap ones. If you have less, it keeps your closet cleaner, which makes it easier to get dressed in the morning. 


6. Keep it simple. It's so much easier to mix-n-match if your clothes have regular patterns, or simple color palettes. I mix stripes with florals every once in awhile, and I have to be strict about my colors and patterns. If they are to busy, you'll be hard to look at, and definitely not effortless!


Wow! I always (not really!) end up with six things. I'm going to do one more because seven is my favorite number. . .


7. Trail and error: The key to success! It's one of the easiest ways to look effortless (if you're not born effortless-looking). It typically takes less than an hour to concoct multiple effortless-looking outfits. I use them as go-tos, then when I get more inspiration, I write it down, try it on, and if it works, wear it! Whew! How's that for a run-on sentence? 


Those are my seven (not six!) tips for looking effortless. They work for me! I use them! What about y'all?

Some Outfit Inspiration

When I browse websites, I try to notice the clothes and  the way they style the outfit. I may not like a certain aspect such as the color, but if I set my mind to it, I could find something that I love even more! I even look at stores that I know won't fit me, just for inspiration. I love love love this look, and I think I could easily alter it to work for my style. Which, by the way, I have no idea what my style is, but I know what I like. And don't like.

Madewell is amazing at layering. I don't know how they make it look so relaxed! I love the way they opened the shirt and added a cardigan. I wouldn't wear this exact outfit, but I can always dream up some outfit that's still inspired by it, but my style. 

Photo from RDuJour

My favorite part is the way they styled the open shirt with the cardigan. 

I would use this cardigan. . . 

BP Nordstrom reverse seam cardigan

. . . and this shirt. . . 

Mossimo Supply Co. Juniors Lightweight Plaid Top in Plum

. . . with this cami. . . 

Hollister Leucadia 

I know it doesn't match perfectly, but that makes it quirky and special! I would wear it with any dark and slightly distressed jeans. . .

So what so y'all think of my Madewell inspiration? And my outfit? I really like the shirt-opened-as-jacket look!