Camo is such a complex print, between the multitude of colors and the organically-shaped splotches, that it’s super-easy to pair it with a neutral and call it a day. Black is go-to, beige is fab, olive is awesome. But Nikki was a bit more daring than that when she wore the pattern recently: she injected some fiery attitude by adding a stunning flame-red to her look via accessories and bright lip. I love how unusual this color story is; it’s unexpected and bold, but not outlandish, making it totally do-able and appropriate for a myriad of occasions and places. Start with your favorite/only/clean piece of camo, be that a blouse a la Nikki, a jacket, a skirt, a dress. Build the look depending on weather. Do it like Nikki with blue denim or keep things a bit darker with black jeans if it’s springtime-cool.  If it’s toasty warm where you are, add a neutral or denim pencil skirt to the blouse, a tank under the jacket. If it’s not-so-toasty, add neutral layers below each piece. Once you’ve got the camo+neutrals main elements together, bring the spark. Nikki’s choice of flame red will work just as well set against black denim and camo as it does with the blue. I also love the idea of a softer, sweeter color pop set against the tough vibe of the camo: try rose, blush or a combination thereof. If you just can’t red or pink with camo, consider adding cobalt blue or rich mustard yellow instead. Nikki elevated the hard-working camo print with her pointy heels, which works fantastically. Feel free to reprise that, or do it with sandals. Alternatively, keep the whole look more casual with bright sneakers – keep them on the simple side, though and avoid pairs with more than two colors so the look doesn’t get too overwhelming. Echo your shoe choice with your lip shade and/or jewelry -statement earrings, a pendant necklace, a bangle or two, a monochrome scarf in silk or cotton- to carry the accent color throughout the look. I hope this inspires you to add an unexpected color to your camo stylings! Happy fashioning, loves :)

I apologize for the dearth of posts lately. And no, I haven’t forgotten all the Wrestlemania fashion – including the Hall Of Fame Fashion Review! The event is so huge that it requires hours of dedicated time, which I haven’t been able to scare up lately; often, I’m sitting down to start work here to 11:30 or midnight and that curtails my time frame since I do need some sleep :). Ordinarily I’d be regaling you with Inspiration Boards, but with the sale and unceremonious killing off of Polyvore, which I used for collages, I’ve also had to research and test new alternatives. I’ve finally found a workable one, which is allowing me to bring you today’s IB, and I have at least one more still to do test runs with. April was quite a month :p. And so, to fashion!
Maryse styled this fun look for her maternity-wear, but it translates equally well even if you don’t have a baby on board :). She started with a minimalist black canvas and added a pop to the look by accessorizing it with two different, but coordinating vibrant prints on a cropped jacket and a chain-handled embroidered bag. The look works because the wild effervescence of the prints is grounded and anchored by the dark background.  Almost any piece or set can form the backdrop of this look. If you’re craving a dress, do that. If you’re all about pants, go there instead. Skirts are a yes as well. Pick your passion – as long as it’s dark! All black is the go-to, but black with navy (i.e dark wash jeans or a navy skirt) or deep charcoal will work nicely too…just don’t get all crazy and start adding heather gray or beige to the mix :). With the edgy accessories, the styling will get busy in a hurry and overcooked isn’t a good look for anyone - person or vegetable! Once you’ve got the basic canvas selected, you can get jazzy. Grab a floral or embroidered bomber, floral scarf, printed or jacquard blazer or cardigan to toss over the top. Then add a second pattern. The one crucial aspect of selecting pattern #2 is that the colors have to be similar (not the same, similar :)) to pattern #1. Two florals with predominantly blush and burgundy tones work fabulously! So do rainbows (or pieces with enough shades in them to echo a rainbow). Feel free to mix prints and embroidered pieces. You don’t even need to stick with complex patterns: go for the simple geometry of stripes or dots, add a shot of gingham or a pop of paisley – anything goes, as long as the colors are predominantly close between the two patterned elements. Note: if your shoes are not one of your patterned pieces, take a cue from Maryse and complete the look with a black pair or another understated color or texture.  One of my favorite aspects of this look is the way you can vary its intensity through your pattern choices: pairing a pinstriped blazer with dotted heels will be much subtler than combining an embroidered bomber and a rainbow sequin-striped bag, so you can be histrionic or not and still have fun. I hope this inspires you to combine patterned accessories sometime soon :). Happy styling, loves; it’s so good to be Inspiration Boarding again!

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!

We’re finishing up our series of sporty looks with a bit of 90’s inspiration from Brie. Her laidback ensemble walked a perfect line between ring gear and street wear, making it pretty much the ultimate example of athleisure. She paired a graphic baseball tee with distressed leggings. A red plaid shirt tied at her waist gave the look an extra shot of color and a trend-meets-grunge vibe. I love the way the shirt makes leggings out-of-the-house-appropriate, while maintaining the super-chill feel. Recreate the look with dark, neutral leggings (distressing optional) and a neutral  raglan-style top: baseball tees work, sweatshirts work, even  sweaters with this no-shoulder-seam silhouette. Grab your favorite flannel  or plaid shirt to accent your waist. Cement the 90’s vibe by completing the look with Converse. If you’re daring, add in a little throwback-Avril-Lavigne and accent the look with a coordinating tie, knotted loosely at your neck.  Optional: top the ensemble with a relaxed jacket: dark, boxy denim, classic black leather, a cotton moto piece.
Brie’s outfit is totally chill – perfect for weekends, shopping, morning coffee, a lowkey lunch date. But what if you’re feeling the skater vibe, but you need to head somewhere a smidge fancier?  I love the idea of pairing an easy, sporty top (think the same line-up as for Brie’s look) with suit pants. The polished styling on the bottom ups this game in a hurry! Like the blouse in Cathy's look, they provide the formal, contrasting element that gives the look edge and interest.  A straight or wide-leg style is chic, on-trend, and makes a clear distinction from a leggings silhouette. Dark neutrals nod to a grunge vibe, but you can def work this look in warm beige, blush, ivory or white tones as well. Add bold, minimalist earrings, a sleek ponytail and a bright lip for a shot of color. Round things off with coordinating sneakers – I love the old school vibe of these Vans! And voilà: a little tbt, a little now, a little sporty-gone-dressy.
I hope this series has inspired you to try out some athleisure looks! Happy sporty styling, Fiercenti!

This look from one of the Bellas' twinning photoshoots has a very fun, sporty vibe to it, despite being not so much of an "outfit" per se. That doesn't mean we can't turn it into one though :). The crux of the way these pieces work is the oversized, athletic-gear top, the bright colors and the way the ladies' super-high knee socks create the impression of OTK boots. This drab time of year is one of my favorite periods for playing with colors as therapy and the intense hues of workout pieces readily lend themselves to experimentation. Start with an oversize sweatshirt. The twins choose zip hoodies, but pullover hoodies and pullover non-hoodies work just as well. The boxy silhouette and slightly longer length are the important aspects here, as they help the balance of proportion. Next need: a pair of coordinating leggings. Go for a print, an ombré fabric, a pair with side-stripes or -if none of the above are handy - a neutral. Right now, this is look is total gym, but here comes the fun part: kick in the FASHION side of things by completing it with flat OTK boots that walk the perfect line between casual and fierce. Add a pair of statement earrings to reinforce the vibe. Throw your hair in a high or mid-height pony and add a touch more color and elevation by knotting a silk scarf over the elastic. Boom. Done. Need an alternative way to do the whole color thing? Np. Do leggings again; neutrals preferred this time, but colored pieces are def an option as well. Get the fashionality into the look via a collared tunic - go for something crisp and clean, like woven cotton or an oxford cloth. Avoid relaxed fabrics like linen or gauze. Top the look with a cropped, bright sweatshirt, leaving the longer layer showing through below. Feel free to pull the sweatshirt sleeves backward past the tunic's sleeve-ends and turn the cuffs back for a little extra polish. Complete the look with coordinating sneakers. I love this mix of mint, pale aqua and lavender, but this would be amazing done in blush tones, or popped with neon sherbet shades. Don't forget about red and black either! Round things off with coordinating sneakers and a nylon backpack. additional shot of color via baseball cap optional. :)

One of the key elements of distinguishing an athleisure look from straight up gym style is adding an elevated piece of fashion that signals that these were considered choices. In Alicia's look, earrings served that role. Cathy did it a bit differently with this streetwear Instagram snap, using a semi-formal blouse to elevate the casual pieces and it looked amazing! The formality is unexpected and gives the styling zest and excitement.  She counter-balanced the fanciness by keeping the other elements of the look laidback: leggings, sneakers and a cropped, sherpa-lined jacket. Her blouse featured a cutout and tiny studs, but a whole variety of styles and embellishments can work for creating this look:  an embroidered blouse makes for a sweet and femme play on the sporty concept. Ruffled, bowed, sheer-accented and lace tops will serve a similar function. Or, give it a cool and polished turn with a striped piece or silk button-down (the material is crucial here - you want something with a sheen to get that crucial contrasting fancy vibe). On the pants front, a number of styles can work: track pants, cuffed sweats, straight up leggings. Keep the color scheme primarily to neutrals to tie the look together and keep it elevated. All black is fab, but if you're feeling the need for something lighter, consider beige, ivory or gray tones. Top the look with a chill jacket - a bomber is the current automatic go-to, but for cooler temps, a down piece will do nicely and create similar relaxed vibes.  Neutrals def work, but also feel free to spice the look up here with a bright color, as Cathy as, if the spirit so moves you. Complete the look with simple sneakers.  Cathy's choice of bright white brings a real pop to the look and plays on the white shoe trend, but a neutral or coordinating color will work perfectly as well. Happy sporty styling, loves!

Alicia can slay sporty looks of all kinds from daring and fierce to totally chill. This snap from one of her WWE photoshoots represents the latter vibe and incorporates one of my fave color combinations: gray and blush. Since the Olympics are underway, all things sporty are taking over our brain and this look came to mind immediately. It was created for warmer weather, so we’ve re-envisioned it with cooler temps in mind. Foxy’s heathered tank becomes a basic sweatshirt, while her flirty brassiere becomes a comfy blush thermal. Roll the cuffs of the sweatshirt back about two inches and let the tee’s sleeves show underneath to carry the color through the outfit. Alternatively, layer a lightweight hoodie underneath and let the hood show above the top sweatshirt’s collar. (Same drill with the cuffs 100% recommended :)). Need to fancy it up a bit more? No prob - add a button-down underneath instead.  Same drill with the cuffs...except crank the je ne se quoi into over-drive by unbuttoning them and flipping them back over the sweatshirt's sleeve ends. Next up: sneakers that coordinate with your underlayer – you can go totally matchy-matchy or  do similar-family shades (with say a brighter pink or magenta pair) – or your top layer (think metallic silver or carbon gray). To elevate this look above the just-threw-this-on-pitfall, add statement earrings: consider a star-themed pair in rose gold or a bright Lucite pair that brings in a pop of color. If blush and gray isn’t your thing, swap in a different contrast color, or do this in all-neutrals: mixed grays, navy and beige, olive and taupe. Don’t forget about the crisp graphic vibe of black white either! It’s an iconic combo that brings extra intensity to any pairing!
Stick around, athleisure-lovers: we have a whole run of sporty Inspiration Boards on deck in honor of the PyeongChang Games :)