Partly because it's summer partly because of my perpetual time crunch, I fall into a uniform of sorts during the warm weather: midi or maxi skirts of various ilks paired with a basic casual tee knotted at my waist. I vary it with different textures (crisp poplin, flowy satin, earthy denim, whisper-light tulle), different color combos (I make it a point to try out eclectic,  fun pairings and to avoid black as much as possible, unless I'm especially in the mood for it!) and various jewels. When you go the "uniform" route, its subtle variations that keep the aesthetic feeling fresh. My latest fascination has been mixing glam baubles with boho ones. It's unexpected, almost a little disjointed, but it works perfectly with the high-low vibe of a semi-formal skirt and super-casual tee.  A sparkle-heavy collar gets just the right amount of muting when paired with an earthy stone pendant. A crystal statement piece gets a rebellious, free-spirited kick from a simple knotted cord or tassel piece. Delicate, personally meaningful short necklaces turn softly quixotic when matched with glittering station chains. Long, outfit-making pendants get an offbeat, nature-tinged spin when combined with a fabric choker or a shell set on a satin cord. Complete the look with casual heels that reiterate the high-low balance: of-the-moment mules, classic espadrilles or cork sandals. I hope this inspires you to mix baubles of divergent genres in one of your looks sometime soon! Happy styling, loves!

I’m a fan of color most of the time. It’s a great way to spice up a look and it’s a happy-maker if there ever was one :).  If you steer away from a lot of color due to concern about saccharine overload, one of the simplest remedies is pairing it with solid, grounding, sophisticated black. It’s easy, it’s functional, you have it in your wardrobe already and you don’t need a Masters in color theory to figure out what to combine.  Make black the focal point of the look with an LBD, coordinating skirt and top or summer suit and add accents in a color that makes your fashion-heart sing. I’ve been loving the lavender shades that are finally showing up again; it’s been a lost color for a few years and I’ll never know why – it’s so gorgeous and summery! And it brings a lightness to black that makes a playful variation from chic red or true-but-oft-tried neutrals. If a matching belt and shoes is beyond your wardrobe’s current abilities, carry the color with a bag, baubletry or a scarf instead.
You can push the envelope a little further by eschewing matchy-matchy and going for a same-color-family pairing: soft carnation pink with bright rose, pastel peach with intense orange, pale banana with vibrant lemon, whispery baby blue with deep cobalt. This is a perfect spot for a cord-hung pendant, beaded jewelry or other accent pieces that aren’t all about the metallic.
Black makes such a strong tonal anchor that it allows you to jump off the diving board even further: try mixing two bright shades with it! A simple-with-a-twist tee paired with black denim, cargo or suitpants makes for a  relaxed but pulled together look…and the vibe gets super summer-ready with a double color-pop! I love the sunshiney connotation of orange and yellow it just lights up a room! (And your mood :)) Consider other fun  two-fers as well: hot pink and aqua, lilac and mint, sky blue and peach, banana and coral. Get a little crazy – with stalwart black hues backing you, you can hardly go wrong! How candy can ya go? :) I hope this inspires you to try out some candy shades soon! Happy styling :)