Fashion February: NUMARI Sheath Dress

Happy February! For my first Fashion February post, the goal was to come up with the perfect compliments to this gorgeous NUMARI sheath dress. While the dress is so very versatile and can be worn for many different occasions, I knew immediately that I wanted to dress it for an everyday type of look. Here are my picks:

As you can see, the dress is black with camel accents in the corners. The neutral colors allowed for a bit of color play, as with the coat. Because of the elegant nature of the color scheme, I wanted to leave all the other pieces somewhat simple and make sure they brought out the rich colors found in the dress.

The Coat: This is a lamb suede jacket in distressed brown, and it can be found at Free People. The worn in feel of the coat dresses down the dress a bit (that sounds weird) and allows the dress to be used for everyday wear. It also adds a bit of color to the outfit, while the deep hue still leaves that rich, elegant feel of the dress.

The Necklace: This sweet pearl necklace is sold by Anthropologie and somewhat mimicks Chanel's new gigantic pearl necklaces, but with slightly smaller pearls! The pearls keep the outfit simple, while the chic, nontraditional design adds a modern twist.

The Hair Tie: This domed gold plate from Shopbop adds a bit of hair going without overdoing it. The gold well compliments the camel accents in the dress.

The Purse: This Coach Classic bag comes in smooth leather that can be worn with the strap or as a clutch. The simple but sleek design well compliments the outfit and ties into the black dress, but its simple enough to not draw away from the core of the outfit.

The Shoes: These Michael Antonio Jace sandals are the perfect finish for the outfit. They have a unique design thats adds another interesting element, but at the same time they have a neutral color so they dont take away from the rest of the outfit.

So, I'm thinking that the outfit would look something like this:

So, tell me what you think! Do you like my take on the dress?

Float in Pastels

Can spring be any farther away? Well, I guess, technically it could. But it doesn't feel like it could be. But, you can try to beckon it closer by wearing one of this spring's biggest trends: bold pastels are now IN!

Google Images

Is there such a thing as bold pastels? Doesn't it sound kind of like an oxymoron?

Yes there are. I'm not talking about bold as in neon, or cotton candy. The hues are still soft, yet they have a bit of umph to them. Think about that art kit you had as a kid. The oil pastels?

Google Images

Those. The brilliant blues with soft pinks; the peaches and cream. Think of the kind of color that always has a little dog walking besides it. The kind that always seems to have a white background following it around, as if it just NEEDED its own background; the dirty earth is not fitting enough. The kind that wears cat-eye sunglasses and plays tennis in its spare time.

Google Images

Pantone Spring Color Report

So, am I saying that you have to buy a cute little dog and start playing tennis? Not unless you want to. But it's certainly a fun part to play, isn't it?

Dinesha Guest Post: Reviving the Standards

Hi my name is Dinesha Johnson and not only am I a blogger, but I’m also an item evolver, allow me to explain. If you’re like me and believe in mixing up your basics to stand out then you too are an item evolver. Helping staple items evolve into different looks, is a skill that needs to be practiced consistently. Recently I decided to start making my outerwear evolve to fit my personal style even more, I started off with blazers.

     Blazers are considered a standard outerwear item. When buying a blazer it’s advised to  find a flattering fit for your specific body and buy one in a neutral color so you can wear it however you want. Although blazers are considered standard pieces that doesn't mean they have to be boring! Spice it up with the most popular blazer trends, that you can wear on various occasions.
     Right now, pastel is quietly gaining popularity believe it or not. You can find cotton candy colors on watches, shoes, in hair, why not a blazer? A pastel blazer breathes freshness into a look and is a refreshing change from the standard navy blue or black business jacket.
    A velvet jacket is made to keep you warm and to add texture to this usually sophisticated style. I own a velvet jacket myself and have managed to wear it out for fun, to class and to an interview talk about versatile! Also if color doesn't do much for you a velvet blazer is a great alternative, because this piece specifically stands out due to texture.
   Plaid blazers fit right in with the massive plaid trend we've witnessed this season. Plaid is quite literally everywhere, it’s not going to hurt you to add it to your outerwear. Speaking of massive trends, faux leather panels have grown in popularity as well in the following blazers. Plaid and faux leather blazers are for edgier, trendier occasions like going out with friends.
   And last but certainly not least, is the sparkly, sequin embellished blazer. Not only does this blazer shine bright like a diamond(Rihanna would be proud), it also serves as jewelry and works for the festive season. Don’t worry about earrings and the proper necklace with this piece, it shimmers enough on it’s own!

   I hope this post helped revive your eye for standard outfit pieces like that of the classic blazer, feel free to check out any of my social media below if you’d like to see more style and fashion tips!

Twitter: @Deejay_Speaks
Twitter: @SheHasTheEye
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/deejayispinning
Google +: Dinesha Johnson

Weekend Buys

Every year my mom's side of the family gets together for a huge Christmas shopping extravaganza. Yesterday was the first time I went with them, and it was SO MUCH FUN!
First, they meet up in the mall and talk for while. Then they get coffee and breakfast and talk some more.
Then comes the shopping.
While getting our Christmas shopping done is the first priority, theres always some time to find something for yourself. My "me" stop was in H&M. (Where else?) Here are the couple things I snatched up:

The skirt length can also be higher or lower depending on how you wear it, I personally like it midi length.

And the best thing is, the sweater and skirt go together very nicely!!
 Did you get anything this weekend? What was it? Please let me know in the comments below!

Stand Out!

Sometimes its not jewelry, or a brand new shirt, or flashy heels that's the focus point of a good outfit. Its something else. 

Accessories!

Google Images

Whether its a pair of bright red Beats headphones, a sleek pair of sunglasses, a tilted wide brim hat, or even a fun umbrella, incorporating a new accessory into your look can make you stand out in the crowd of new shirts and flashy heels!

How do you accessorize? I'd love to hear!

Style Crush: Cher Lloyd

So this week the style crush is Cher Lloyd. She is always very fashionable, and not afraid to try new looks. It seems like in most of her outfits she always has that one piece that makes her outfit very unique...only something Cher Lloyd would wear. And she pulls it off!

 

How to get the look:

For the jacket

For the pants

For the shirt

For the shoes

For the earrings

This is a more relaxed version of what Cher Lloyd is wearing.

Tell me what you think! Happy Wednesday!

Journal Note: The Perfect Outfit

I'm going to start doing Journal Notes every once in awhile as I collect random thoughts and discoveries that I hope will not only help me, but also be helpful for you! So here's my first one:

A lot more goes into a good outfit than I thought. You have to think of the trends you want in the outfit, and how to mix different ones. Its tricky, because when you look at them separately, it looks like gold glitter and soft florals would never go together. But when you look at the outfit as a whole, they look perfect together!
Its not really until you pick the outfit apart that you REALLY begin to appreciate it and all the effort that goes into putting together a good one.
You have to decide what you want the main focus of the outfit to be, like you would with a painting or any other piece of art. Then you have to figure out how to make the focus of the outfit stand out from everything else. The outfit that Lily Collins was wearing in this post is a perfect example: she brought the attention to the light kimono and shimmering heels by dressing the rest of herself in black, to create a sort of background.

There will be more journal entries to come, as I collect more random thoughts and discoveries! Theres also a lot more that could be said about the creation of an outfit, and as more does to me, I'll be sure to share it with you!
Have a great week all!:)

Woman Crush Wednesday: Style Crush

Every Wednesday from now on, in honor of Woman Crush Wednesday, I am going to write a post on someone with amazing style, what makes their style unique, and how you can make the style your own! Because honestly, when you think of a celebrity you adore, its often because of their fabulous clothes, right?

This week's style crush: Lily Collins

I am going to start with an obvious one. Lily Collins is one of my favorite celebrities, and it is so fun to look up pictures of her different clothing selections. She's got that perfect mix of classic and trendy. She often times opts for the classic look, but she's certainly not afraid to mix it up a bit.

Today's look:

Here, Lily Collins went with the whole "mixing trends" trend. The floral colored, loose butterfly top pairs well with her shimmering champagne booties. Notice that she brings the attention to these two eye catching pieces by dressing the rest of her body in black, to create a sort of background for the "stars" of her production.

How to get the look:

I'm having trouble linking the picture to the websites, (I'm still new to blogging) so here are the links:

For the Floral Kimono

For the metallic gold booties

For the black bag

For the black tee

For the black skinnies

For the necklace

For the necklace, you could really wear any long necklace you have, but here's a choice for a fancier one.

I would love to hear what you think! Should I do this again with someone else? 

Happy hump day/wcw!:)