I’m so excited to finally post this for all of you! It’s been in process since literally August. I plead lack of time and scope of post: this season’s “blast” is more like a ka-boom - fashion is going in so many directions right now! There are a multitude of subtexts underlying a few dominant themes.
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Brie caught our attention with this look which encapsulates her trademark boho flair. It pairs an antique rose peplum blouse with flowing sleeves and blue denim. I love Brie's coordinating mauve and periwinkle-gray make-up palette. ANd, of course, who can resist her pucker face? :) A white bead necklace and a gold pendant add polish to this vintage-casual look. She kept that vibe coming with her next outfit, a lovely ivory lace off-the-shoulder dress (the Marissa from Adelyn Rae) with black trim and a black bow at the bodice. I'm especially a fan of the ruffled-and-trimmed hem; there's something so sweetly throwback about that styling! Her low pony kept the look polished, but not overly formal. I would lay good money she completed this look with either black or ivory sandals :).
Brooke was also continuing in bohemian mode, pairing a navy tank with cut-off denim shorts. The highlight for me is the way she updated the look by topping it with a woven ivory fringe vest - it gives the outfit a trendy nod and upgrades the visual interest dramatically. I confess that I could live without the addition of the headband, but I love the laidback earthiness of her caramel sandals! Naturally, I can't do anything but rave over Cathy's outfit here: it has yellow! And what an amazing piece of yellow it is :) This spot on-trend one-shoulder ruffle top is from J. Crew (and is still available (and on sale!) here). She puts into a classic pairing with blue denim. With a statement that vibrant, you don't need much else to complete a look. Cathy adds a rose lip shade and ta-da: done and stylish. That's waaaay too easy, right? Finish with neutral (or yellow! :) I just had to get that in) heels or flats. We got a glimpse of Emma at the Mae Young Classic in a sheer-and-pieced crop top set above a black brassiere and mulberry pants. I'm not generally a fan of bra-baring styles, but I like the way it works here. The look comes off youthful and modern and it works on Emma. She also gets props for her choice of pants. The unusual and beautiful color makes this ensemble much more interesting. It helps her OTK boots to really stand out as well. This is a great look from Emma - it has a fierce, cool-girl vibe without feeling either too fussy or too nonchalant. Barbie went all out with the urban facet of her fashion sense in this look. She layered a sheer bodysuit under blue denim shorts (from One Teaspoon) and accessorized it with a black Hermés belt and black suede OTK boots. While I think Barbie pulls this off quite nicely, I’m generally not a fan of the visible brassiere look; it rocks in vids and editorials, but it’s a challenge to keep classy irl. Beyond that caveat, though, I love the punchy combo of light denim blue and black. The contrast heightens the power of the black pieces and the look comes off cool and fierce. She quickly returned to summer color with this gorgeously-hued tie-dyed bikini. The strappy bottoms are about as daring as it gets and def make this suit a jaw-dropper. However, it’s the intense shading of the pattern that really sells me on it – that rich magenta, contrasted with icy mint and spiced with hints of daffodil and paprika is so beautiful and just right for baking under a glowing sun. You may remember Barbie previously wearing this Gooseberry Intimates bodysuit in black. Then, she dressed it up by wearing pointy heels with it and black jeans. Here, she kept things more casual by pairing the white piece with blue denim and furry slippers that are totally Rihanna – literally, as well as figuratively, since they are from the Fenty x Puma line. A topknot and hoop earrings complete this off-duty starlet look.
Brandi was busy working the high-low look with this knotted top, which she paired with gray distressed denim and studded gladiator sandals. I love the way this casual ensemble still keeps its edge, thanks to the studs, distressing and, most importantly, the unique and au courant silhouette. This is classic Brandi in that it still retains the undercurrent of polished confidence, even as it explores a much more modern vibe. She created a much sexier aura with her next look, a strapless playsuit done in striped of varying width. They add wonderful visual interest to this piece, although the highlight has to be that plunging sweetheart neckline! Also noteworthy is Brandi’s choice of necklace: a bold gold pendant that’s just the right length to accentuate said neckline and the sultriness of this piece! She gets props for not going with a (at this point over-done) choker; the pendant is different and consequently stands out. She goes more formal yet for her next outfit, which is fine by me because it’s a genre Brandi excels at. She ramps up the fiery statement of this coral side-lace-up bodycon dress by adding a few shots of glam: studded heels, a glittering gold clutch and a statement earring(s?). With black sandal booties, and plainer accessories, this would be a standard date night look, but the formal accessories take it to a new level. The early days of transition between the seasons are always challenging for style. The weather often bounces all over place and you feel like you’re half in one season, half in the other, wanting to move toward the new season, but sorts of stuck in the weather (or pieces, if , like me, you haven’t switched around your closet yet ;)) of the old one. It can get messy, but, happily, there are ways to navigate. One of them is the use of color. Cathy’s bright ensemble is clearly designed for the summer, but that doesn’t mean we can’t co-opt it as inspiration for fall. We just have to deepen the shading: instead of bright lemon yellow and pastel aqua, we can work with warmer, autumn-y mango yellow or amber and teal or emerald. Consider a basic pairing of a cami or tank and denim or chinos, topped with a blazer. The combination is basic enough, but it’s the use of color that makes all the difference and helps the look walk the line between the two seasons. The deeper hues suggest fall, but ecru pants and a mint bag keep things summery, as does the choice of beige suede pumps (green or yellow could work nicely as well). Darker pants and black accessories would kick this look much more into autumn territory. Use jewelry or a scarf to echo your second color. This way, if you take your jacket off, the look still retains that contrasting pop. Alternatively, pair wide leg pants with a drape-y blouse for a 70’s casual-luxe take on the transitional concept. Long sleeves suggest fall, but the absence of a topper is more summery, as are is the choice of pale nude for the pumps, which lightens the feel of the look considerably. (PS this same vibe could be created with beige chinos and chestnut or teal pumps). Add a long pendant necklace to enhance the 70’s vibe. Re-create Cathy’s pinned-sideways hairstyle for a vintage twist, or go with a sleek low pony for a more modern take. And if golden and green shades aren’t your jazz, other warm/cool pairings will work as well. Consider burgundy and powder blue, eggplant and blush or lilac and navy. I hope this inspires you to play with colors for your transitional looks! Happy styling, loves :)
Cathy took on the floral trend with this beautiful fit-and-flare dress. The colors in the print are unusual - coral, peach and teal on a burgundy background - but the vibrant mix looks fantastic on her. I love the way the wide central band defines her waist. White flat sandals, which echo the white flowers in the print - make this look more casual, perfect for a day of summer shopping or picnicking. She takes even more risk with color in her next outfit, pairing a lemon yellow flared skirt with a aqua cropped top. This pairing may feel way off the diving board, but I adore this combination and use it quite often. The glowing yellow and cool aqua complement each other wonderfully. Cathy ties it all together with her necklace, a colorful collar of mixed stones ranging from deep mint to coral, cobalt and mango. None of the necklace shades precisely matches her outfit, but there's so many of them, it doesn't matter; it fools the eye and makes the outfit feel immediately cohesive. I am always thrilled to see outfits like this, that are bold and try unusual things. It's so much fun to see and review, especially because I get to yabber about fashion concepts I don't ordinarily get to :) Thanks, Cathy! PS I love her side-pinned hair! Like her outfit, it's a different and fresh take and the 90's/vintage vibe is fab.
Even though Emmalina is a thing of the past, Emma's ability to pick out and model a killer bikini did not fade into the sunset with it. This floral print piece in white, plum and rose is a standout, one of the prettiest bikini prints I've seen in awhile. The front string tie is a fun detail. Summer rocked a bikini at this same event, albeit a much simpler monochrome piece in dusty olive. Hers gets a boost from the strappy string details that make the body a canvas. She added oversize sunnies for a touch more mystique. Eva was also busy repping her new NEM bikini offerings. She showed off a crochet-edged beige string two-piece that was just the right combination of minimalism and detail. Like Summer, she added sunnies ftw. Carmella's graphic tee paired with camo pants is yet another iteration of the look that has become her trademark. She has a wonderful sense of what clothing elements work for her style and character. And she always injects enough je ne se quoi into her styling to make it look more put together than random - casually put together, but put together nonetheless. The low waisted pant silhouette, with her leopard unmentionables showing, gives me throwback, Lita-esque vibes. However, paired with sneakers, the skinnies feel very right now, with that delightful urbanity I've always loved in Carmella's style. What really gives this look it's punch, though, is the mahogany smoky eye and nude lip combo. It's almost startling in the way that it draws attention to her pretty eyes and I'm ttly loving the effect!
Charlotte attended the International Licensing Expo in Las Vegas wearing this swingy mulberry mini dress. I'm wild over this gorgeous, unique color, as well as the way this silhouette works on Charlotte. A fairly straight dress like this, in a soft, flowy fabric obscures curves, but draws attention to the legs. That makes highlighting them with a pair of killer heels a flawless choice -which is exactly what Charlotte has done here with these strappy sandal-booties. I love how the wide, almost industrial, vibe of the straps contrast with the softness of her dress. This is a flawlessly styled, A+ look from Char! Next up is a black monochrome look with a front lace-up detail. The picture lightning and quality makes an exact id tough, but I'd bet on this being a burnout velvet piece. Add leggings or skinny jeans and pointy-toe ankle booties and unleash your inner Dark Queen! I love that this is such a different style from the dress, but that both looks feel completely at-home on Charlotte. She keeps the casual going by pairing a Ric Flair tee with skinny jeans and the same ankle booties. She completed the look with a cropped biker jacket and oversize aviators. The change in tops gives this a more laidback, urban vibe, but she rocks it just as hard! Cathy looked casually trendy as she combined this off-the-shoulder cutout top from Parker with medium wash denim skinny jeans from Madewell. So many of the current offerings of off-shoulder tops have ruffles and other frilly details that I'm loving this pared-down iteration that lets the silhouette do all the taking. I also love the hint of lightness gained by choosing blue denim over black. She finished the look with nude pumps, which works, although I'd have loved a simple black strappy sandal. She embraced the stripe trend with her next ensemble, which paired another off-the-shoulder top with dark jeans. It's hard to tell if these are black or blue, but considering her choice of a gold metallic pointy pump to finish the look, I'd have gone with blue. With shoe fiends everywhere doing almost nothing but nude lately, I'm enjoying her switch to a metallic, particularly since the polished gold contrasts with the breezy vibe of the stripes. If you've been craving the palette-cleansing effect of an all (or mostly all) white ensemble, now's the time! Draw some inspiration from Cathy's look and start with a simple piece: a sheath dress with a cutout, a breezy denim mini dress, or a ruffled knit frock. White monochrome combos like a tee and flared jeans or a feminine blouse and pencil skirt are 100% workable starting points as well. The key to a super-clean, blank canvas look like this is the accessories. Theprimary trend for this summer is white everything, including shoes and bags, which keeps the styling really brisk and refreshing. If you're going that route, make sure to add visual interest to the look with a contrasting texture - think eyelet or lace espadrilles with denim, or a sheer/semi-sheer blouse (and suitable underlayer ;)) with knit track pants. Add a pure white bag, or bring in tiny hints of soft color by choosing one with embroidery or appliqué. This one happens to be Fendi, but if dropping nearly three grand on a bag isn't something you feel like doing (I mean, geez, why not? ;)), get a plain white one and add your own flowers by pinning on silk flower heads (most will pop right off the step, but wire cutters work too). It'll look just as fab and it'll be the colors and styles you choose. (Hint: flatter flowers, like sunflowers, dahlias, anemones and zinnias will translate most easily. Stay away from rose *buds*. Fully open roses can work, though - the less upwardly poofy and more open, the better.
As fall approaches, adding touches of black to the predominantly white outfit has become a stronger trend. Consider incorporating a piece which includes black in the design (black shoulder ties or neck bows, for example), or add a black belt or bag and shoes. No need to get crazy with the complements - just one or two pieces are all you need to create the iconic contrast. Alternatively, bring more colors to the look by choosing two coordinating hues and doing an accessory in each. I love the idea of using one pastel and one stronger shade: blush with bright aqua, powder blue with azalea, butter with grape, mint with cobalt. The softer color recedes somewhat compared to the bolder one, so the overall effect is softer, but very summer-ready. Work with a bag and shoes, shoes and jewels, a scarf and bracelet, a belt and a hat -pretty much any two accessories are all you need to create the vibe. Tie is all together with a multicolored third piece if that appeals to you ...or don't! The look works either way, so pick your passion :) Happy styling! |
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AuthorBrie: shoe-lover :) fashion-lover and generally glamorous semi-dork Archives
July 2019
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