Category — FASHION

I often cringe when spotting the cowboy tuxedo — denim-on-denim … eegads.  But navy on denim is totally chic, and when paired with chunky metal accessories, it’s completely preppy and glam.  And just in case you feared the illustrious fashion pitfall, pair light denim with dark navy – no tuxedo confusion there.

A few of my favorite navy + denim picks:

Madewell Armona Polka Dot Dress

Current/Elliott The Perfect Denim Shirt

Current/Elliott The Stiletto in Indigo Polka Dot

Yves Saint Laurent Tribtoo Suede Pumps

AG Adriano Goldschmied Sleeveless Marine Top

7 For All Mankind Gwenevere Skinny Jeans

Theyskens Theory Navy Aki Ziggy Pumps

Maison Martin Margiela Elbow-Patch Cardigan

ASOS Navy Tights

Images via Guerreisms // StreetFSN

Mom Always Said: chin up. smile often. have courage. /via Kate Spade

Thanks, Mom.  For everything.

Image here

I’ve never been good at matchy-matchy – I always wore blacks with browns, polka dots with stripes, clunky boots with dresses – and some of that, in the early years, was a product of not being a morning person (brush hair, put on shirt, put on pants, walk out house, don’t forget shoes.)  Today my mismatched wardrobe has become a nod to my personality.  I’m a bit quiet, though I have plenty to say (thus the love for writing, I suppose!)  Clothes, accessories, shoes – they give me a chance to fake being loud, sans microphone.  And animal prints – therein lies my passion for fashion.

So, when Kohl’s asked me to style a look for the Exotic Trend, I was more than happy to oblige!  Let me start by openly admitting, I obsess over the show Jerseylicious.  If you’ve never tuned in, you really should.  I heart The Style Network in a big way, and Jerseylicious is the dramatic, Jersey smack-talking, all-things-animal-print-wearing, ying to my quiet-as-a-mouse yang.  The point being (I promise, I have one), these ladies rock animal prints from head-to-toe.  While I adore their cray cray style, I’m not suggesting you step out in giraffe print top, zebra pants, leopard shoes, and so on (take note: this is not a cute look; I may or may not have tried it at some point.)

But when it comes to animal prints, I do like taking risks (I mean, I am wearing cheetah print.)  And this season, wouldn’t you know, it’s all about mixing prints.  Forget ‘matchy-matchy’, get ‘clashy’.

MY EXOTIC TREND SHOPPING AGENDA:

I tackled Kohl’s with the staples in mind – LBD (little black dress) and great exotic accessories.  But you know, the shopping bug hit me and I kind of wanted it all.  I am an admitted Kohl’s newbie, so I was surprised to find so much fabulousness packed into one reasonably-sized department store.  I ogled over the dresses from Jennifer Lopez’s line – seriously, if you need a steady supply of well-made solid-colored dresses, look no further.  A few of the rocker chic tops from Rock & Republic completely stole my heart.  And every pair of Candie’s shoes belonged in my closet.  But then they hit me like “a sack of potatoes” (said in British little girl accent – watch this clip from Ellen, and absolutely, I watch too much TV.)  There on the racks was a pair of floral skinny jeans in my size.  The designer?  My style icon, Lauren Conrad.  Floral.  Floral.  Yep, not exotic trend.  Not at all.  But then I remembered, who am I kidding?  I never ever match.  And therein lies the making of a brilliantly mis-matched outfit.

I decided to style an outfit for a weekend of errands, cleaning house, late lunch, and room to shop.  I relish in weekends.  My husband works crazy long hours and I never shut off, so weekends are for us – they’re sacred.  Even errands become an adventure for us, and we take our missions seriously – thus the need for flats.

I paired my new most favorite floral skinnies ever with leopard smoking flats (a.k.a., loafers) – nod to menswear, love it and rocked seriously bold gold snakeskin baubles.  The floral skinnies are buttery smooth, and the dark floral pattern on the pants actually slims fairly well, the length also hits right at the ankle, which I love.  The draped cardigan has great attention to detail and will likely become an every day favorite.  All of the shoes by Candie’s were on-trend and a lot had great animal prints, but I’ve been dying for a pair of leopard loafers and these sweet shoes fit the bill!  And lastly – the jewelry – to me, jewelry makes an outfit.  I’m a huge fan of yellow gold and these Apt. 9 pieces were totally my style.

The beauty of this outfit is that deconstructed, I can wear each and every piece on its own and in so many different ways.  Kohl’s really had in incredible selection of clothing, shoes, and accessories, and trust me, if I ever need a LBD in a pinch, I’ll know just where to go!

Note:  Pardon my baby, Belly, she decided to ham it up for the camera!

Disclosure: Bloggers received a gift card on behalf of Kohl’s via Glam Media to complete the trend look. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Kohl’s. All trademarks and service marks are owned or licensed by Kohl’s Illinois, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Kohl’s Department Stores, Inc.

Forget animal prints, why not kick it old school (circa kindergarten), and rock animals printed on your clothes?

And really, what’s cooler than a blouse covered in zebras, roosters, horses, birds, and cats?

A few of my favorite current animal-printed pieces:

ASOS Poodle Shrunken Boyfriend Blazer + Poodle Pocket Mini Skirt

ASOS Sugarhill Boutique Playsuit in Bunny Print

ModCloth Everly Tour de Horse Dress

ModCloth Ze-brouhaha Cardigan Horse Cardigan

Forever21 Equine Knit Top

Joie Constantine Owl-Print Silk Dress

Old Navy Bird Print Charmeuse Blouse

Anthropologie Leifsdottir Scattered Wing Romper

Images: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6

Long before I strutted in court rooms (i.e., squeaking in front of judges, gulping back nerves; in high heels), I was a bookish English major with a passion for fashion and literature.  In fact, I was so smitten with the two that I wrote a massive thesis on the history of the corset and its influence on feminism.  To this day, I love old books and undergarments, and these stunning 1920s pieces are no exception.

French Brassiere and Underpants, Met Museum, 1920s

Found here

The Red Valentino collection for Fall 2012 is incredibly dreamy.  The clothes, the styling, the sketched backdrops – all of it lends itself to the pages of a fairytale … a grown-up fairytale.  Wouldn’t it be nice to just draw yourself into the pages of a fairytale sometimes?  (Though with my drawing skills, the castles would probably be all lop-sided and droopy … still, I’ll settle.)  Also, I hope Valentino never ever stops using bows in their designs.

Check out the whole collection at Style.com

Images found via Honey Kennedy // Images courtesy of Red Valentino

Image Board created by: Glitter & Pearls // Images found here

Spotted:

The cheetah-clad show-goers in picture one are wearing the Madewell The Prairie Boot + Christian Louboutin sneakers.

In picture two, the stunning women are rocking a Moncler Sweater  and JOSEPH + a Pendleton for Opening Ceremony Cropped Bomber Jacket.

In picture three, the beautiful be-spectacled blonde stands out in a Pendleton The Portland Collection Timberline Jacquard Coat in Tan/Red (that I am IN LOVE WITH.)

That last wool blue + grey cape is the Rag & Bone Leighton Capelet, though sadly it’s completely sold out.  (Similar Rag & Bone Capelet, here.)

Images: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4

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The Limited $100 Giveaway ENDS TODAY!

This series is brought to you by Levi’s® Curve ID

Find your custom fit at Levi’s® stores or Levi.com

I used to wear jeans like sunglasses or lip gloss – I never left the house without them.  I lived in denim, wore the same pair over and over, found the ever-so-perfect way of fluffing the jeans to keep them uber soft.  And then I grew up, entered the career world, and my jeans cried from the high up shelf where they were left.

Nowadays I relish in a good pair of jeans, but I’ve begrudgingly accepted that my old pairs aren’t quite going to cut it.  Levi’s® Curve are perfect for my grown-up figure (hello, curves!) and they’re also the perfect canvas for any number of fabulous outfits.  When I put on a pair of jeans, I want to play dress up.  I’m just not a jeans-and-flip-flops kind of girl; but great jeans and a pair of heels — that’s my sweet spot.

How do you style your jeans? Are you an every day denim-wearer, or do the jeans only make appearances on nights and weekends?

And, if you get the chance, check out all of Levi’s® Curve ID jeans in Levi’s® stores or on Levi.com.  They’re sleek, sophisticated, and completely flattering.

Levi’s® Curve ID Demi Skinny Jeans // Low Luv by Erin Wasson Curved Nail Pendant Necklace // Alexander Wang Cellaphane Stripe Cardigan // Maison Martin Margiela Four Finger Rings // Low Luv by Erin Wasson Arrow + Leather Bracelet // Giuseppe Zanotti Haircalf Strappy Sandals // Stella McCartney Yenisea Peplum Top (Similar) // Chanel Classic Shoulder Flap Bag // Kate Spade Supercalifragilipstick! in Adventurous Red

That incredible-looking cake is actually inspired by Stella McCartney’s spring collection; Apollina created this Stella Cake (a Citrus Cake with Lemon Curd Filling and Orange Lemon Icing) with the collection in mind.

Image Board created by: Glitter & Pearls // Images: 1 featuring the citrus-print blouse by Stella McCartney // 2 // 3