Inspiration Board: Renee - Brights & Stripes

The divas seem to pick a lot of neutrals for their looks. When we get colors, many times it's blue or red - both of which I love! - but still, it's fun to change things up sometimes! Don't you love experimenting with different colors? I do ;) Renee's pairing here is perfect for such experimentation because the basic premise is fairly straightforward: colored top, matching shoes. Really, it can be done with any color you love. I've metamorphosized Renee's pretty red to tangerine, a shade that immediately puts me in a summer mood ...probably because it makes me think of sherbet :). To recreate this look, start with your basic, favorite skinny pants. Renee went with leather, which added a fierce vibe to her look and worked flawlessly for  anight out with the girls, but look can be done equally well with a bit less drama. Ponte pants, skinny jeans or a weighty legging (with a tuxedo stripe if you're daring) will all do nicely. Renee gave this look a fun twist with a plaid jacket. Note the critical element here: the longer length. It's what creates a strong and powerful silhouette when paired with slim pants. I can totally see where you may not want to spring as far off the diving board as plaid - especially this time of year - so, I went for a striped piece instead. The stripes are super-trendy right now (so, easier to find if you need to acquire said piece, easier to wear if you already own one) and give the same, tailored feel to the combo. Matching shoes finish the look off fabulously. Don't fear your flats - they'll work here as well. And if you're thinking "omg, I can't buy shoes in every color I want to play with", I hear ya...and I have the answer :) That's where you want to look for a printed shoe - lots of colors  match, lots of dollars not required. Or, provided your jacket has an outside chest pocket, you can borrow my favorite hack: the pocket square. Pop a scarf (any small square-ish piece of fabric (or even a small scale rectangle) will do, actually. If you go that route,finish the outfit with neutral shoes - metallics allowed! With stripes and colors, there's plenty going on in this combo, so feel free to go jewelry-free, or add just a watch. An orangey-coral lip color carries the brightness upwards...and a deep nail shade (I went with dark plum) adds a very Renee-like unexpected twist. I hope this inspires you to go bright sometime soon! Happy fashioning :)