Brandi’s palette-cleansing pairing of an ivory jacket and pale taupe suede OTKs with blue denim showcases a look I love for this season of transitional dressing: wearing a jacket as a top. It’s such a fun way to get extra mileage from a topper and it lends itself to mercurial weather conditions because you can layer whatever you need underneath. Start with a tee if it’s warm, a thermal or light sweater if it’s chilly. Then toss your jacket over the top and zip or button it fully so that your under-layers don’t show. So far, so easy, right? :). Take your cue for the rest of the look from the shape and style of your jacket. Pair a boxy piece with skinny jeans and complete the look by tucking them into ankle booties: flat, low, or sky-high – pick your passion ‘cuz they all work! Combine a more fitted piece with cropped or cuffed boyfriend jeans for a chic-meets-slouchy vibe. I love the contrast provided by refined blazer or the embellished artistry of a military jacket against the super-chill boyfriend silhouette. Reiterate the sophistication by finishing the look with slim, pointy ankle booties. (Make sure the jeans’ hem hits 2-3 inches above where the boot starts to narrow to get the right proportions.) Give denim-on-denim a try by pairing a cropped jacket with high-waisted denim. Play up the 80’s vibe of slim or straight bottoms with glittered pumps. Or, go 70’s and complete the look with suede boots or platform sandals. Jewelry is a crucial element in this type of look; it gives the styling polish and the “finished” quality that makes it work. Earrings are the easiest to use as they interfere least with the jacket. Rings work fabulously as well. For bracelets, roll your sleeves or wear the baubles on the outside of them. Lean toward statement, but not especially fancy, pieces with the laidback boxy jacket (think hoops, or geometric-shaped metal pairs). With a blazer, play against the straightforward sophistication with a bit of glamour (try colored or clear crystals) or whimsy (think animals or flowers). Go for studs with a military piece to allow the jacket’s embellishments to take center stage. With denim, go for bold colors that reference the 80’s, or tasseled pieces for a 70’s vibe. I hope this inspires you to wear a jacket as a top sometime soon! Happy fashioning!

Blue jeans and a little white top Is about as girl-next-door classic as you can get…unless, of course those jeans are all-over sequined. Then, it’s GLAM! Barbie rocked the sheez out of this very pairing on her Instagram, looking thoroughly hot and totally like an 80’s baby in these sequined Zenith jeans from Fashion Nova.  I love the way a super-fun, over-the-top piece like these can put a whole new spin on an iconic combination! She gave the look a casual, sporty finish by completing it with white sneakers. From there, she goes to another take on an athleisure look: a coord set of a cropped top and track pants, again by Fashion Nova. I love the way the pinstripes give this a FASHION-gone-sporty vibe, rather than feeling like a gym look that just got dressed up a little. It’s casual, but also super-sophisticated and I’m so here for it! Her star-printed backpack ups the trendy vibe and echoes the set’s white stripes. Her strong eye and nude lip keep the look chic, but laidback. I’m thrilled that she didn’t try to power it up too much with a bright red lip. We don’t get to see her shoes (*sniffles*), but I’m betting on white sneakers or white pumps ;).  Barbie was really loving Fashion Nova this winter – she turned to the company again for this stunning eggplant satin romper. The color had my attention from ‘hello’ and the off-the-shoulder neckline and romantic puffed sleeves kept it! Everything about this piece makes a statement! The satin also makes it quite formal, so I liked seeing Barbie tone it down with her shoe choice. She went for a clear sandal, which is an upcoming trend for this summer. I’m still not quite sold on the look, but I’d have loved a nude heel in the same silhouette. I’m also crushing on her side-swept hairstyle here – it’s so sensual and gorgeous on her! Barbie was slaying for her birthday celebration in a red latex set from Meshki Boutique. This outfit, like her previous one, makes a fashion focal point all on its own, with the deep, square neckline, dangerously sexy fabric and outrageously high side slit. I could have dealt with a slightly less dramatic slit, but I can roll with this one; I’ve seen Barbie push the trend into much more questionable territory.  Then again, with her body, she can make nearly anything work. So there is that to consider :). Just as with the romper, Barbie wisely kept her accessories simple: clear sandals (again, I’d have loved nude as well) and a gold bag. I applaud her styling choices – they accent the look without getting in the way of the main statement.
I’ve already raved over Bayley’s tweak of her gear – the addition of fringe and reduction of patterns – in my review of her Royal Rumble look. I’m on board just as hard for this earlier version. I love the more edited execution, the movement of the fringe (and also how insanely unique it is!!), and the incredible aqua and pale apricot color story – again, a super unusual combo and a gorgeous one to boot! Brava, Bay – this gear is AHHHHHmazing! Also fabulous, incidentally on trend and mad fun :) I’m so in for this!

Nikki attended a December event for Birdiebee charity partner Dress For Success (an organization that provides workplace attire and tools to help women present themselves in a professional way for job interviews, as well as programs to teach women about personal finance, so they can successfully manage the money they earn). She chose her trademark red and black color story, pairing a classic body-kissing v-neck midi sheath with a black peplum jacket. The dramatic longer length of the jacket brings extra panache and uniqueness to the simplicity of the dress. Nikki completed the look with black chunky-heeled mary-janes with a rounded toe – an unexpected vintage element from this generally quite modern lady! Bright red lips carried the color and provided just the right finishing touch. By matching her dress shade, Nikki kept the color story very simple, which gave it tremendous impact. A deeper red or a nude shade would have softened the look significantly. I love how Nikki smartly switches her style up to be appropriate for the event she’s attending. She doesn’t wear date night or athleisure looks to this type of function, she keeps her look professional, which is exactly the right thing to do. I applaud!
She was looking amazing again  - though in a much more glamorous way! - on New Year’s Eve as she celebrated with sister Brie. Nikki chose a sexy nude-blush cami, paired with gorgeous matching flared pants with a glorious sheen. I love the way the luxe fabric of her pants lends formality to the laidback camisole, as does the wide, coordinating sash at her waist. She gives the look a fabulous touch of spice by completing it with floral ankle booties, which bring a delightful dose of color and pattern to the otherwise monochrome outfit.  A slim gold choker and statement earrings add a nice touch of shine, further serving to elevate the look, while her dark burgundy lips add modern, moody drama and her polished low pony brings sexy sophistication. This is such a fabulous look from Nikki! (And PS – if you’re considering re-creating it, it’s worth nothing that it’s so well-chosen that it will have just as much impact with a less daring cami ;)) Brie’s outfit was simpler in concept, but equal in drama, as she donned a glittering maxi dress from Parker NYC. The long sleeves give the piece a trendy 70’s vibe, which is accentuated by its easy glamour. Brie echoed that with her long, loose hairstyle and looks absolutely stunning!
Nikki’s flair for drama was on full display in her next ensemble! I’m wild over her magnificent lace blouse with its layered-ruffle sleeves – it’s so feminine and beautiful! We need to talk about the styling though. I understand the trendiness of having only a bra underneath and Nikki has the body to rock this look into oblivion, but I can’t generally recommend it for the non-paparazzi’d of us. I do appreciate the way it shows off the beauty of the lace… but a nude cami would give essentially the same effect with a more sophisticated vibe. I’m back in for her choice to toughen it up by adding leather pants and OTK boots - it keeps the lace from feeling too sweet. Despite my not being totally here for the styling, I can’t help but admit that this looks incredible on her!

We got a taste of Mckenzie’s real-world style as she attended a December college graduation. She wore a plaid top, paired with flared jeans and topped with a leather jacket. A silver statement pendant provided the exclamation point for this casual but put-together look. I also love her mid-pony with the soft poof at the front – so pretty! The casual continues for this holiday-time look in which she paired a white turtleneck and blue denim with a burgundy velvet shawl from Earthbound Trading. The spike of warm color and luxe texture gives this laidback ensemble panache. A gold statement necklace elevates the look and gives it the signature of intentioned style. That’s cemented by her super-cool caramel-toned fedora, which is a beautiful neutral to pair with the burgundy hue, instead of the more expected black.
This gorgeous azalea jumpsuit is a stunning example of Nikki’s sexy-meets-chic style. The piece features an off-the-shoulder silhouette, flared sleeves and flawless tailoring in a magnificent shade of warm, bright pink.  Those details serve as the focal point of the look as Nikki wisely edited everything else except slim, statement earrings that add subtle shine. The color and silhouette create an engaging and dramatic look that’s rendered incredibly sophisticated by the restraint shown in the styling. Her bright pink lip echoes the azalea shade without appearing matchy and carries the color upward. I love everything about this look! It’s drama on overdrive in her next outfit, a choker-neck romper with a jaw-dropping, décolleté-baring plunge-front. Holy shiz! :)

Brie: Carmella posted this fab mini set of snaps on her IG and omg the COLORS! I wondered where 'Mella would go after she exhausted black, gold, leopard and red and this bright teal looks ahhhmazing! - especially when paired with highlighter-lime :). I've been digging the mod-urban vibe of her bodysuit-gear for some time and this iteration does nothing to reduce that. The squared out neckline is sexy as hel..sinki, the high-cut legs are totally 80's and look amazing and the bright hues are just icing on the cake! The gold tones in her baseball cap coordinate without being matchy and she gives us just a touch of her trademark animal print via the choker, which works to flawless effect due to the above-mentioned low neckline. Her poses = slayage (that over-the-shoulder smile tho!). So much fabulosity in so few snaps leaves me wanting moooooooore. Mooooooooore, I say!

Cathy went for denim-on-denim in this December snap, pairing a button-down in a medium wash with dark skinny bottoms. She connected the two with a black leather belt and completed the look with banana yellow pumps, which naturally I love :). That said, the styling feels like it’s missing a little something. I would have liked her shoes and belt to be matchy-er ( a classic interpretation that’s very effective), or the addition of an accessory in a light shade to connect the whole look. She utilizes the belt again for her next look, this time connecting dark skinny denim to a shoulder-baring striped top. Here, her black wedge sandals make the look feel quite cohesive, while her burgundy tasseled bag adds a fun touch of whimsy.
We saw Charlotte do a very similar look to this back in September, except that here she went with wide leg pants instead of skinnies. I like the change and the very sophisticated vibe of the duster coat with the flowing pants. The one small tweak I would make is to do a full tuck with her blouse (or add a belt) to define her waist more. It would have pulled the look together, given it a solid focal point amid all the pieces with movement and made it feel a shade more polished and chic.
Sadly, we don’t get a really good look at this ensemble from Alicia, worn during her visit to Iraq this winter, but frankly when I see a studded jacket and OTK boots, I’m generally in right there. It looks like Foxy added a black top beneath all that fierceness and then threw in her customary fabulous twist by adding a floppy fedora. The color unites the look, while the variety of elements and unexpected accessory keep it fresh and intriguing. Trademark Foxy slayage. She was at it again, albeit with a much more casual take, in her next outfit, which paired a white tee with leather leggings, topped with a striped scarf and a faux-fur trimmed cropped moto jacket in a natural canvas-tone. She completed the look with fur-lined mid-calf boots and added a baseball cap in coordinating hue for good measure. I love how this look feels so easy and unstudied and yet retains a quiet glamour at the same time. It also happens to be a flawless use of winter white shades.  

So, about forty years after the Rumble, WWE managed to release photoshoot-style snaps of the ladies in their ring gear, under the guise of celebrating International Women’s Day. Ok, Big Dub, whatever. It’s a gear ‘shoot and I’m good with that. No need to try to convince me its anything else. So, now about forty years after they released it, I’m reviewing it…under the guise of rounding up the Royal Rumble :). I like that these snaps give you a close and clear look at each of the ladies’ in-ring looks and it allows me to comment on a few of the gals I couldn’t acquire good pics of the first time around.
Aaaaand Becky isn’t in her gear, but this actually looks like it could have been. Its  a taste of her chill-gal-meets-medieval-punk stylings that we saw early in 2017. The hints of metal give this look a nice touch of flash and the rust and black tones work beautifully with her hair. While I would have found this a little lowkey for a major event like the Rumble, I could get behind her wearing this for a tv event.