FashionHap: Mid-May 2017, III

Maryse kept the nearly-monochrome theme going with her next outfit, which paired leggings (by Givenchy - a brand with a fabulous aesthetic, which I always enjoy, despite the fact that it's strayed far from the classicism of the days when Hubert de Givenchy designed for Audrey Hepburn) with a slim tee and cropped statement jacket. I much prefer the look of the leggings with this body-kissing tee over the pairing with the blouson-styled piece. It maintains the sleekness of the line. As to her topper, Maryse is the Queen of Statement Jackets and she has outdone herself with this one, a military-themed piece with gold embroidered-leaf detail and brass buttons. This Comino Couture piece is crave-worthy! It stands out beautifully here, against the black backdrop, adding spark and panache to the look, but it would to the same against color or lighter neutrals. As with so many of her other choices, the classic design will keep it relevant far into the future. Equally fun are her mid-calf flat boots. There's a casual toughness to the flat boot that makes a great addition to any fashion palette. This shaft height can be tricky to style, especially if you're of shorter stature as it can reduce the leg line. Be aware of proportion and lean towards pairing them with skinny pants or knee-length or above dresses or skirts. It's less of an issue with Maryse's height, but she, too, chose skinny pants as a combo. Note: heeled mid-calf pairs will help counteract this challenge.
Natalya's love of neutrals was in evidence this spring, beginning with this beige bodycon dress. The tonal pieced detailing gives the piece a distinctive touch and I love the way it enhances Nattie's curves;  she looks amazing! Neutral sandals from Stuart Weitzman complete this monochrome look. Next up is a blush-nude jumpsuit with a deep-v front. As with the dress, this piece is tailored beautifully for Nattie's shape. I'm especially impressed because a charmeuse satin such as this can be challenging - the drapey-ness of the fabric can be very unforgiving, but this one looks polished and sophisticated - just what I'd expect from Natalya! Stand-out lips have been a long-running trend, but for summer, I'm loving the way she kept her whole make-up palette soft. The slight lavender tone in her lip hue picks up the blush tinges of her jumpsuit, pulling the whole look together flawlessly. Her next look is a 180 in both color and style, as she went for black monochrome in a much more relaxed styling. With her black tee, black leggings, cropped jacket and mid-calf flat boots, it's super-similar to Maryse's look and works equally well.  Like Maryse, Nattie used skinny pants to elongate her leg and balance the shortening effect of the shaft height. Unlike Maryse, she chose a longer tee underneath her cropped jacket, a look I love!

Barbie had her boho vibes going strong with this look, a floral print romper - with that fabulous dark floral theme  and  sexy twist from the keyhole detail - paired with knee-high gladiator sandals. The combination of the trendy print and silhouette and the fierce shoes gives this casual look real punch! I love the way Barbie never uses being casual as an excuse for being lackadaisical about style!  Her next look is even more jaw-dropping; she wore this black  cut-out Stello gown for a red carpet event and I can't believe earth didn't pause in its spinning! The cut-out is filled with metallic mesh that gives the suggestion of chain mail and more than a suggestion of sultriness! The one-shoulder styling highlights the mesh detail and makes it even more dramatic (like our little fashion hearts really needed that! ;)). I love how unusual this design is and Barbie has the poise and confidence (and body!) to carry it off! Her simple center-parted hair style, which is generally not a favorite of mine, worked perfectly here, as its simplicity let the dress do all the talking!
A few looks from Brandi round out mid-May. First up is a transitional look that's a s perfect for early fall as it was for early spring: a burgundy floral romper paired with gray suede ankle booties. It picks up the dark floral trend, but in a more colorful way, and brings in a nice dose of texture via the suede. I'm ttly loving the combination! While I'd plan to accessorize with an ivory or beige bag heading into summer, I'd darken the look by going with a black one now. Her next outfit is pure summertime: a ruffled denim blouse paired with white shorts. Ruffles have been the detail of the moment all season and are staying strong into fall/winter. My favorite part of this look is the way Brandi added a pop of color via her coral wedge espadrilles! They make this look so much more fun and lighthearted! To do this look right now, swap the white shorts for slim pants in black or skinny denim in a dark wash and bright pumps (or non-espadrilles) for the sandals. This last look isn't really an outfit, but it's just too hot not to review! Brandi described it as one of those bathing suits you couldn't swim in and I agree - I'd be very worried about having a swimsuit malfunction if I took that one out in big waves! That being said, it is smoking hot! I love the way the criss-crossing, web-like straps add attitude and fierceness. I keep thinking there must be some practical way to wear something this scalding...the way I would lean toward is adding a high-waisted maxi skirt for a beach date, boardwalk stroll or beach-side restaurant (and bring a sweater for dress code safety :))..or maybe for those days when it's just too cold to swim but you want to look beach-cute anyway! If you're very daring, you might consider layering it over  a nude bodysuit and pairing it with black skinny jeans and boots, too.