Flower Power: celebrate the end of summer

Photo Credit: Celebstyle

The floral headband trend is an amazing girly bohemian summer style that many celebrities have embraced. Just check out Celebstyle’s impressive list, inncluding Vanessa Hudgens, Kiera Knightley and Kristen Dunst, who have all embraced the floral headband trend. These stylish celebs all know that flowers are a perfect way to spruce up your end of summer look.

But if you’re too scared to try full on floral in your hair, just pin one flower. I’ve searched high and low for the best floral hair accessory, and the mini pom pom flower from ban.do is a perfect way to try out this end-of-summer trend. The silk satin flower is available in bright and neutral shades and looks perfect pinned anywhere.

I pinned my ban.do flower in a side swept dutch braid for an easy summer do:

 

The perfect peplum piece

It’s been a week since my last post because I’ve been moving apartments. The craziness and chaos has finally subsided, and thankfully I’ve finally got my new bedroom mostly in order. I never realize quite how many clothes I have until I’m forced to haul them all the way across my college campus.

But I’m ready to continue my back to school clothing hunt, and I’ve finally found the perfect peplum piece. This adorable jacket by ASOS is available in 7 colors! At only $60, I might just buy it in each color:

ASOS Peplum Jacket, $60

Fall shoe trend: metallic cap toe heels

Cap toe heels have been spotted everywhere this summer, and the trend is sure to continue into the fall. Celebrities have been wearing the pretty pointed pumps at practically every red carpet. And while cap toe heels look great in a variety of colors, I love metallic pointed cap toe heels.

For those who are loving the metallics trend for 2012 but aren’t ready to go head-to-toe metallic, cap toe heels are a great way to get your feet wet (no bad shoe/foot pun intended). Pair them with some black skinnies, a pretty peplum top and structured bag for an adorable polished look.

And there’s no need to spend $1000 on Louboutins to get the look. Fabsugar made a great DIY metallic cap toe pair. But for those who are less crafty, here are my favorite affordable cap toe heel picks:

From top to bottom: Modcloth Master Classy heels: $43, ASOS Sidney heels: $76, ASOS Pacey heels: $76, Guess Myrick pumps: $99, J. Crew Etta pumps: $248

Oh yes, it’s the Canadian Tuxedo

Chambray has been a spring and summer staple this year. And I’ll continue wearing my two (or three) denim and chambray shirts all the way through fall and winter.

While chambray instantly looks amazing with practically everything–a pretty dress, sweet skirt, printed pants etc. –I love the boldness of a true denim on denim pairing. I’ve seen many celebs and off-duty models sporting the look. And denim on denim is frequently found on the catalog pages of casual cool brands like J. Crew and Madewell. But I’ve never seen such an amazing pairing like this one I found in the fall Fossil catalog:

I think the similar dark denim hues and bold wash patterns are a perfect pair. And with the brown leather and suede ankle booties to compliment, it’s safe to say I’m absolutely in love with this Canadian Tux.

In the photo: Janette Bootie in Espresso: $148, Natalie Top: $68, Straight denim jeans: $98 (all Fossil)

Transition your spring wardrobe: colored jeans for fall

It’s clear that colored jeans aren’t a fleeting trend. They’ve popped up in every store and in every shade imaginable. Colored jeans are a nice way to add variety to your wardrobe and a good substitution for standard skinny leg blue jeans and denim shorts.

Colored jeans have been easy to wear in spring and summer. A breezy white top and sandals are go-to additions before heading out the door. But fall weather will bring a need to cover up. And you shouldn’t ditch your summer bright jeans for darker shades of denim!

Pair colored jeans with a neutral knit, ankle booties and a statement necklace to take your bright denim into fall.

I just bought the Gap Ankle Zip legging jean in Tomato and am so excited to wear them for the last bit of summer and all the way through fall!

-Gap Ankle Zip legging jean

-Topshop knitted lurex sweater

-Nasty Gal Sienna fringe bag

-Kate Spade ‘Give it a Swirl’ necklace

-Dolce Vita suede ankle boots

A Need for Tweed

One of my favorite fall 2012 trends is texture. Calvin Klien, Michael Kors, Tory Burch, and countless other designers used textured fabrics as a foundation for their fall looks. While I love all kinds of heavy knits and fabrics, my absolute favorite has to be tweed.

Tweed is a classic, timeless fabric. I love how an amazing tweed jacket can evoke the vintage appeal of Coco Chanel but still look completely modern at the same time. Whether in classic colors or brights, metallic or luxe, a good quality tweed jacket is a staple in any wardrobe.

A quality tweed jacket may be a bit of a splurge, but I personally believe it’s well worth it. Designers Alice + Olivia and Rebecca Taylor often sell expensive (but still affordable) tweeds at Nordstrom and Bloomingdales. For a cheaper tweed jacket, check out Zara, H&M or ASOS.com.

Top to bottom: Mango tweed jacket: $90, Sanctuary tweed jacket: $138, Bailey Italian tweed jacket: $174, J. Crew Pepper tweed jacket: $258, Alice + Olivia tweed jacket: $597

I “Heart” Sweaters

Oh yes, I do heart sweaters. They work for practically every season (even summer–think lightweight materials). I’m a big fan of solid colors. My closet is a rainbow full of every color under the sun. And that doesn’t even include my striped sweaters!

Sweaters are a great investment. And solid colored, good quality sweaters are worth splurging for. But I’ve been recently looking to add some more fun sweaters to my collection. And while I used to think heart prints were too cheesy to ever be pretty, I’m starting to reconsider. I think a heart printed sweater would work well in my collection. Who would’ve thought I’d want to wear a sweater that looks like something I’m sure I begged my mom to get me in 5th grade?

From top to bottom: J. Crew sweater: $60, Popcorn knit sweater: $66, ASOS sweater: $40, Sugarhill Boutique sweater: $80

Stripes & Seersucker

Cheers to my first outfit post!

It wouldn’t be a true style blog without some photos of my own outfits. I’m hoping to include a couple each week, so a keep a look out for more.

I love seersucker, so when I saw this skirt at (surprise) Land’s End Canvas, I picked it up right away. The price was right, and I knew I could combine it with so many things. I treat seersucker as a neutral. Its delicate pattern and texture goes with pretty much anything. It makes for a much more interesting outfit over a plain white or black skirt.

-Sweater: J. Crew Factory

-Skirt: Land’s End Canvas

-Shoes: DSW

-Necklace: J. Crew

-Watch: Fossil

-Belt: Banana Republic

Make a statement: best big necklace bangs for your buck

When you wake up late and only have 5 minutes to get ready in the morning, it’s easy to grab your go-to dress, jeans or top and head out the door. I’m a notorious late riser, and I am lucky to leave once a week looking my absolute best.

Reaching for the dependable clothing items in your closet is great when you’re short on time. But those outfits can get monotonous and boring if they aren’t at least occasionally mixed up. One of the easiest ways to spice up your staples is with statement jewelry.

I’m a big believer in the power of accessories to update outfits. I’ve also been known to invest a lot of money in my jewelry and accessories. But for those who seek a slightly cheaper route, here are some tips, tricks and picks to make a big statement with less:

1. Read the “ingredients list.”

-Always read carefully about what jewelry is made of to steer clear of cheap-looking or poorly made products.

-Pick items made with “glass” and “resin.” Avoid “acrylic” and “plastic.”

2. Shop sale jewelry at your favorite stores.

-Expensive jewelry goes on sale often, so always look at the sale section before perusing full-priced items.

3. Check out Ebay.

-Many people resell jewelry from big brands on Ebay, Etsy and other online retail stores.

From top to bottom: Anthropologie Congeries necklace: $48, Anthropologie Floraburst necklace: $48, BR Layered Cabochon necklace: $70, BR Tortoise Focal necklace: $60, Ann Taylor Neon Lights necklace: $70, J. Crew Factory resin droplet necklace: $68

The Great Kate: her Olympics look for less

Photo Credit: FabSugar

I love celebrity style. But there are very few celebs who I envy everything they own…except Kate Middleton. The Duchess of Cambridge is never outlandish or garish. Just tasteful and appropriate. I love her color choices, her simplicity and every perfectly tailored piece she wears.
When she stepped out last week for the Olympic exhibition in a bright blue Stella McCartney dress, I was enamored. A color I am truthfully not that fond of looked absolutely radiant on the brunette beauty.

So when I saw a much cheaper look alike on Modcloth, I was inspired to recreate a similar ensemble:

–Modcloth blue sheath dress, $45

–Mercanti Fiorentini nude leather pump, DSW, $160

–Boticca woven clover clutch, $210

–Blue Nile Hammered circle silver necklace, $245