Modern Day Queen of Hearts

-Cape and crown from Lucy in Disguise (a costume shop in Austin)
-Frenchi dress (this is a Nordstrom brand)
-BP tights
-Bandolino boots


HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Wearable Wardrobe

I was chatting with my mom and sister the other day and they accused me of having more clothes than anyone in the family (I have three sisters so including mom, that's five girls). I countered that in fact, both of their closets were fuller than mine and they agreed that was probably true and amended their accusation to say that I had more wearable clothes than anyone else. I had to concede to that point. I told them that was because I am a good shopper and that if something in my closet becomes unwearable, I get rid of it. But it got me thinking more in depth about what constitutes a wearable wardrobe and I came up with the following:

1. If you don't like something, get rid of it. This doesn't mean you have to spend hours cleaning out your closet. I keep a bag in the back of my closet and when I come across something I don't want anymore, I toss it in there. When the bag gets full, I drop it off at Goodwill or take it to a consignment shop if it's resellable. Come up with a system that works for you, just get the junk so you can focus on the good stuff.
   
2. Do not compartmentalize your wardrobe. Do not look at your tops and say, these are work shirts and these are weekend shirts. Probably 90% of your shirts could be worn either to work or on the weekend depending on what you pair it with. I almost always buy clothes that are "in between", they are not over the top dressy or super casual. Unless it is for a super special event, I don't buy something unless I can imagine myself wearing it in at least a couple of situations and think of ways to dress it up or down. Also, don't limit yourself by separating your spring and fall clothes because most can transition throughout the year and if they can't, then you need to start keeping that in mind when you are shopping. With your clothes doing double duty, you'll find you have increased your wardrobe without even buying anything.
   
3. Keep your closet organized. You are only going to wear the clothes that are easy to get to. If you don't have your closet and drawers organized in a way that you can see everything, you're never going to wear it. I organize my closet in the following categories: jackets, long sleeve shirts, three quarter sleeve shirts, short-sleeve shirts, sleeveless shirts and tanks, skirts, pants and dresses (and then grouped by color within each category). Sweaters are grouped together in drawers as are jeans. One dresser is devoted to super casual: pajama and lounge pants, t-shirts, workout clothes, sweatshirts, etc. each with their own drawer. I keep coats in the front closet and the hall closet is filled with items that need to be hemmed/mended or steamed/ironed before they take their place in the big closet. I also keep shoes laid out so that I can see them all, boots are kept in the front closet. OK, I totally just gave away how many clothes I do actually have since apparently most of my storage space is devoted to them. :) But regardless of how many clothes you have, come up with a way to keep them organized so that you can wear all of them.
   
4. Don't shop at the last minute. When you need something in a time crunch, you always end up spending more and settling for less than you would if you had shopped in advance. When you get an invitation to a wedding, start thinking about what you're going to wear right away, don't wait until the week before you head out of town. If you don't have the perfect dress, then keep your eye out for it the next couple of months. If you know you are going to start interviewing for new jobs soon, start building an interview wardrobe, don't wait until you get the interview. If you are single, don't wait until you get asked out to fret over your date night outfit, have a couple of things ready to go. And so on. Make a list of the situations you need to outfit yourself for and then take inventory of your closet. If you realize you wouldn't have anything to wear if a particular situation came up at the last minute, make note of what you need and keep your eye out for these things every time you're out so you have them when the need comes up. This will keep you from buying things you don't love which leads us to #5...
   
5. Don't settle. Let's be honest, most of us don't need anything. So, why buy something if it's anything short of fabulous? Be picky when you're shopping and everything that ends up in your closet will be wearable.
   

Plaid

-BCBG dress
-Random necklace
-Ideology cardy (this is a brand they used to carry at Hecht's/Foley's but now that those stores have been swallowed up by Macy's, I don't think it exists anymore, which is unfortunate)
-BP leggings
-Boots from Target

True Blue

I told y'all I've been really attracted to blue lately. Here is some more blue inspiration for you from November's Harper's Bazaar. Love the statement necklace and those blue Ray-bans are fab.











It seems like an unlikely combination but I love blue and black together. I adore the floral dress the model is wearing!

Loving Florals Right Now

-Babe & Co. Cardy (I don't know what this brand is, I got it from Nordstrom Rack)
-Anthropologie dress that I got in Austin this weekend
-Necklace from J. Crew
-BP tights
-Bandolino boots

Weekend in ATX

Spending a long weekend in Austin, Texas. Of course, did some shopping today. Went down to South Congress and got a Halloween costume at Lucy in Disguise and bought a cute dress at Anthropologie on 6th St. Both will soon see their debut on the blog, I'm sure. Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!

Dinner and Drinks

-Gap sweater
-Absolutely cardy
-Random scarf/wrap (I think somebody gave me this, if it was you, please remind me because it was driving me crazy earlier that I couldn't remember where it came from - I love it regardless!)
-J Crew Necklace
-Ferragamo bag
-Citizens of Humanity jeans
-Bandolino boots

Today's Outfit

-Eight Sixty top
-BP cardy
-Random belt
-Necklace from Urban Outfitters
-Express skirt
-Boots from Target

Today's Outfit

Basic outfit:

-Banana Republic dress
-Beth Bowley sweater
-Boots from Target

Layered up to go outside:

-BP sunnies
-Ferragamo bag
-Scarf was a gift, don't know where it came from :)

Fall Fashion Day 5: Hosiery

Hosiery has become a big part of fall dressing in the past couple of years. The thing to remember when adding hose, tights or leggings to an outfit is that you do not want the hosiery to be the focal point of the outfit. They should be a little bit more subtle, a little bit in the background against the rest of your outfit. As hosiery has become more popular, the options of colors and patterns is expanding but beware of some that have gone too far. Stay away from crazy patterns or anything that is too loud, it usually doesn't work. And with very few exceptions (such as an evening gown when it's snowing out), nude hose are generally somewhat tacky, find something more interesting to wear or wear pants. There really are no must-have colors or styles, just have fun with it. Personally, I always have a pair of black leggings and black Donna Karen hose on hand during the fall and winter months but aside from these basics, just go with whatever grabs you. Here are a few pics of great hosiery.


Notice how the dress and the boots pop and the hose are more of a background.



















In this case, the tights are so subtle, you almost don't even notice them. Good work.

















Don't be afraid to mix patterns. The tonal pattern on the tights is a great complement to the plaid dress.

















Even thought the tights are a brighter color than the dress, the black still overpowers them. Keeping the dress simple and solid in this case works well.






Mix and match, don't matchy match. Contrasting colors is so modern.

















You can't go wrong with all black.












I like the stripey pattern on these tights.

Fall Fashion Day 4: Jackets

There are five jacket trends I am loving for fall this year:

1. Trench
2. Leather
3. Bold Color
4. Bomber
5. Plaid
   

The trench, of course, has been around forever, originally taken out of the trenches and onto the streets by Burberry. The past couple of years, we've seen the trench updated from its classic form. We're seeing new details and colors that make it even more fun. I love the collar and the a-line skirt on this one.




I may have mentioned before that a leather jacket is what I am lusting after this fall. I like the edginess of this one. I was also in Arden B the other day and they had several cute ones, some were even on sale!








Bold color and such a feminine shape, love it!













This is my own denim bomber that I love to throw on over dresses and pair with boots when it gets cooler.












This plaid number is by LAMB. Who knew plaid could be so rock star?












Of course, don't feel like you need one of each this season. Just pick one or two styles or trends to add to your wardrobe this year. Or, even better, combine trends by getting a plaid bomber, a leather jacket in a bold color, or even a leather bomber or leather trench. I've been seeing tons of jackets that mix at least a couple of these trends.

Fall Fashion Day 3: Layers

One of the keys to interesting layering is layering pieces of different lengths. For example, put the longest sleeve layer on the bottom and wear a three quarter sleeve and/or a short sleeve on top. Or layer a top over a dress, or even a shorter dress over a longer dress. Or layer two jackets. Try thinking outside the box and layer three pieces instead of just two.

I love this look. Layering a cardigan over a sweater vest...brilliant!




















Notice the three quarter sleeve layered
over the long sleeve.



















Thinking outside the box, layering dresses. Love it!

























Looking back...here are a couple pics of me layering different lengths.





Alright, ladies, happy layering! If you're into math, you know that the number of possible combinations is far greater than the number of individual pieces. You just increased your wardrobe exponentially without spending a dime. :) Don't forget to have fun with it!

Fall Fashion Day 2: Boots

I LOVE boots. Once the weather gets colder, I wear boots almost every day either over skinny jeans or hosiery of some sort. Not only does it add a whole new element to an outfit, but it's so practical when it's cold outside. There are five boot styles that every wardrobe needs. Once you have these, you should have a boot for every occasion.

1. High Heel
2. Dressy Flat
3. Casual and Comfortable Flat (such as an Ugg boot)
4. Rain Boot
5. Ankle Boot

Here is a great high heel boot that I would wear for a night out.








I love this high heel as well. The color and detail make it slightly more casual so that it could easily transition from day to night.





This is a good example of a flat dressy boot. This style comes in handy when you are going to be out and about all day and into the night. Since it's flat you can run around all day but it's still cute enough to wear out in the evening.





This is a cute little bootie that I could imagine wearing day and night for any occasion and the color would go with pretty much anything. Perfect!


When you're picking out boots, don't forget to have fun and make sure that (regardless of price) every pair you buy is fabulous. As I mentioned, I love wearing boots on top of my jeans, leggings or tights which allows you to show off the entire boot. So, pick boots with fun details like rouching or scrunching or that incorporate one of the fall trends such as fringe, buckles, extra zippers, or buttons.

This is the pair of boots I want to buy this season. I am loving button details on boots right now and I want to add an ankle boot to my boot wardrobe. These are by Steve Madden.

Fall Fashion Day 1: Scarves

Scarves are a great way to add layers and texture to an outfit. Put one on and it creates an insta-outfit for fall! Just by adding a scarf, you can transition spring and summer clothes to the cooler weather. Here is my sister, Sandy, modeling some great ways to wear them. The one at the top is my new fav way to wear a scarf or pashmina, just drape it over your shoulders. And I just came up with the idea of adding a broach to my scarf the other week (see bottom pic). There are countless ways to wear scarves and it's a great way to take your look to the next level. What do you guys think? Email me your favorite way to wear scarves if you don't see it here. :)

Five Days to Fall Fashion

This week, I will be doing a countdown of five days to your most fabulous fall fashion. Look forward to learning about the following: scarves, boots, coats, layering and hosiery! If you can master these five areas of fall dressing, you will have something fabulous to wear every day. Once you get them down, you can turn any piece in your closet (even tops and dresses you thought you could only wear in the spring and summer) into a stylish fall outfit. Stay tuned until tomorrow for...scarves! xoxo

Photo Shoot

I assisted with the fashion styling on a photo shoot today. We were shooting a look book of curly hair for PR at Partners salon. We had some hot models and some fabulous looks. Fierce! Here are some photos of the day for your viewing pleasure.

Purple Jeans

Afternoon shopping, then meeting the girls for happy hour followed by drinks with a friend calls for a casual yet cute outfit that will transition from day to night.

-BP sweater, scarf and handbag
-Bangles from Old Navy
-Forever 21 jeans
-Shoes from BP also

Madewell

Have you guys been to Madewell, J. Crew's stylish younger sister, yet? I was in there for the second time the other day and I'm a fan. I read some mixed reviews about the store online but skinny jeans, boots, scarves, oversized cardys, fun prints and colors...what's not to love? Check it out if you haven't. There is one in Tysons Corner in VA and for you Austin folks, I believe there is one in the Domain if it's open yet. Or check it out online, it's a cute website. Happy shopping!

Today's Outfit

Business meeting and a little research shopping:

-Fire Los Angeles dress
-J. Crew necklace
-BCBG cardy
-Gold bangles and gold cuff bought in London
-Handbag from BP
-Boots from Target

Effortless Chic

I think this woman looks so chic, I just wanted to share her with you. This was taken at the Dior show at Paris Fashion Week last week. Note that she's still wearing leggings. My BFF over in London told me that they were over leggings there and I agree that they are not the trend that they once were but I also don't think leggings are going anywhere. They have become somewhat of a wardrobe staple for the fall.





Pic via www.stylesightings.com

Client appointments all day:

-Club Monaco v-neck
-Mossimo sweater from Target
-Jeans from Forever 21
-BP handbag
-Target boots

This outfit represents two of my fav things about fall: boots and layering knits. BTW, my jeans are purple, it's hard to tell in the pic but I got them for $20 at Forever 21 the other day. I was pretty excited about the purchase.

I recently connected with Nicolas Martinez, designer of a new line called NM Sandy. I really like his work! You can check out more at his website.