Ronda nailed her look for last May’s NBC Upfronts, coming off casually polished in this athleisure-inspired suit. The open jacket, wide-leg pants and piping gave the pieces a sporty feel, which Ronda played up by pairing them with a simple, scoopneck tank. A soft mid-height pony hit just the right note of puled-together but un-fussy. The 80s-referencing oversize blazer has come back to fashion in a massive way over the last season or two and Ronda’s look is a perfect way to pick up on the trend, while still giving it a current twist via an athletic rendering. Grab your nearest, handiest oversized blazer (feel free to do the vintage-clothing-shop thing, or raid the back of your Mom’s closet :)) and pair it with wide-leg track pants. If said pants have side stripes, it’s fun – but not crucial – to match your blazer color with them. Alternatively, tie the look together with sneaker shades that coordinate with your blazer. Echo Ronda’s look by adding a tank under the blazer.  Add a pop of color via your earrings or bag, if the spirit so moves you. Knit blazer pieces, which have been having a moment as well, also lend themselves perfectly to this kind of relaxed sophistication. Pair one with wide-leg pants – wool or crepe suiting pants or chinos will help to balance the more casual vibe of the knit on top, while jersey or similar fabrics will need a more refined top to help balance the formality (you can go full-on collared button-down, but a classic shell, a satin tank or a polished tee will do nicely as well).  Add a subtle necklace or two, or a neutral belt (metallic neutrals 100% allowed :)) and complete the look with of-the-moment mules to maintain that chill-chic vibe. I hope this inspires you to give a Ronda-esque take on the oversized blazer a try sometime soon. Happy styling!

We’re dipping back to Nikki and Brie’s Fall 2018 Cosmopolitan ‘shoot to snag a little inspiration from a color combo that’s been strengthening in the fashion world over the last few months: red and pink! There’s nothing subtle about this blazing pairing, but there’s plenty of fun :).  Nikki’s cropped, lace-up  sweatshirt gives this look a sporty twist. While she added leather pants for a super-fierce look, the same vibe can be achieved with colored denim, chinos or suiting pants. Give a nod to athleisure by topping them with a tank top, raglan-sleeved sweater or full-on sweatshirt ( I especially love the contrast of a casual sweatshirt with  more formal suiting pants!).  If temps are still chilly in your neck of the woods/plains/mountains/bodies of water, top the look with a bomber jacket or blazer. Keep the look fierce by completing it with pointy-toe heels and add gold hoop earrings a la Nikki. I’ve kept the color story front and center by staying with a single two-tone pallet, but softening the vibrant statement of this combo by adding a neutral heel and jacket is totally allowed. Black is your obvi bff,  but don’t forget about gray shades, that provide gentler contrast, or beige and khaki hues that echo the warmth of the red and pink.
Fashion’s initial forays into this pairing centered on orange-reds with blue-pinks, but orange-pinks and coral tones can be employed as well! Pair them with center-tone, classic reds (think strawberry and apple shades) or burgundies. Adding a on-trend mule gives a simple dress a 70’s nod, while a block-heeled slide gives it a nostalgic-meets-now 90’s twist.  Bold gold earrings of any geometric shape provide the perfect exclamation point to the look.
I spent a ton of time last summer loving the pairing of basic tees with more formal skirts – it became and remains a trademark combo in my wardrobe! That idea lends itself flawlessly to a strong color story, like this one: top a streamlined pencil skirt with a minimalist tee to echo Nikki’s sporty-meets-trendy vibe. Finish the look with of-the-moment sneakers to cement the athletic statement. Alternatively, you can never go wrong with a classic ballet flat. Choose a pointy toe for a clean, crisp look or a rubber-soled pair that ties in with the laidback feel of the tee.
Happy styling, loves!
When you think you have it tough, life almost always manages to get tougher…and mine has.  I love you all for sticking with me! I’ll be doing the best I can with content in the days ahead and I promise to try to get some Wrestlemania coverage up for you. With gratitude, Brie