Mix It Up Monday: Magenta Dress

A bright solid dress with minimal (but classic) detail has a lot of staying power in a wardrobe. This one features a v-neck, rouched waist, and shirred shoulders. 

With white cropped cardigan and
bright floral pendant necklace

Keep it casual with a jean jacket
& chunky necklace from the opposite
side of the color wheel

Turquoise argyle cardigan

Create the illusion of separates with a
button-down collared shirt in coordinating
shades

Berry tone in the dress pulls in common ground
and blues & greens lend a bit of contrast

Mix It Up Monday: Sage Patterned Top

This Vera Wang top features an abstract print on sage, middle pleat, and unstructured/unsurged hem. It is lightweight, and therefore perfect for a stand-alone summer top, or layering piece for cooler weather. 

With navy shorts for warm weather.

Tucked into khaki A-line skirt; orchid cardigan
over top to bring out the colors in the top;
champagne & grey pearl necklace to top it off.

With dark wash straight leg jeans [to balance
the flow of the top] & structured jacket.

With brown pinstriped trousers &
sky blue cardigan for a light, contrasted look.

Mix It Up Monday: Sheer White Top

A guest piece of clothing for this week: Aubrey's top! It features banded sleeves, collar, and bottom hem with a slight ruffle on the edges. Because it's sheer, it can morph into any color scheme with a simple cami underneath. The material is lightweight & ethereal in movement, making it easy to wear with layers--even in summer heat. Here are a few ideas for mixing it up:

Top: Forever 21

Tucked into khaki A-line skirt
coral cami underneath
beaded coral themed necklace reinforces undertone from cami
jean jacket--classic

Shift neckline to an almost off-the-shoulder look
turquoise cami
turquoise beaded necklace
boot cut dark wash jeans

Patterned cami underneath to give
some more dimension to the look
navy shorts

White & pink micro-pinstripes in capris
hot pink cami
pink pendant necklace

Ruffled edge just barely visible at the bottom--keeping
a girly charm to the argyle sweater vest & denim skirt;
a cute spring-time look!

Spring Sprang Sprung

I truly enjoy grammar: in English, there are three basic tenses: past, present, and future. Each one has a perfect form (completed action), progressive form (ongoing action), and perfect progressive form (ongoing action that will be completed at some definite time).
When I think about the seasons changing, and now spring being upon us, it seems that the shift in weather/plant growth/warmth could also be said to have these "grammatical" forms. Plants cycle through it, warmth and coolness ebb & flow in weather patterns, and clothing inevitably follows suit to keep up with the change. 
I always thought of spring as an "in-between;" that is, not an extreme (summer or winter), but a transitional period to get me to summer. Because of that perspective, I tend to overlook the beauty of the season in my haste for sandals, sundresses, and long sunny days.
In an effort to acknowledge this lovely time of year, here is an outfit created of pieces pulled from all four seasons:

• Summer: cerulean t-shirt dress
• Fall: white jean jacket
• Winter: grey tights
• Spring: lightweight zebra scarf

Mix It Up Monday: Floral Dress

This is a dress I've worn for Easter, attending a graduation, for a job interview, to a tea party, and more! Its sheath design, cap sleeves, lightly pleated bodice, knee length, and slim pockets give it the ability to fluctuate from party dress to work dress.  

With a pink bow-front skinny belt
and pink pearl necklace:
still letting the dress do the talking,
but playing up a color tone found within.

With white fitted blazer and pendant necklace:
a polished look suitable for work.

Persimmon cardigan, bronze skinny belt, layered pearl necklace:
highlighting color and adding the hint of metallic luster.

A tone-on-tone cropped cardigan and coral flat pearl necklace:
Letting the colorful pattern of the dress speak loudest with subtle
additions to the look.

White bell-sleeved collared shirt:
for a chillier spring day; the cuff details
compliment the slight ruffle in the top of the dress sleeves.

Cream colored vest:
additional structure without bulk.

White jean jacket:
wouldn't this be cute for a casual date--
out for ice cream and a walk in the park, maybe?

Orchid cardigan:
there is just a hint of this tone in the outer petals
on the flowers in the dress--make it more noticable
with a coordinating cardi.

Shatter

To Try This Weekend:

• Paint your nails in a solid color.
• Let dry completely.
• Choose a shade of shatter/crackle nail polish [called different things depending on the brand; OPI makes Shatter, Sally Hansen makes crackle, etc], paint one coat over your nails.
• Watch and be amazed as it dries and separates before your eyes! 
• Paint over with clear coat to set & help prevent chipping.

The finished product looks intricate without being high maintenance. Winning combination!

Here I used OPI Marooned on the Magnificent Mile
with OPI Silver Shatter on top.
And I should have waited for the picture until I cleaned up the edges
of my nails, but oh well! Call me over-eager. 

Roaring '20s

What is is about playing dress-up that's so timelessly appealing? I love getting into character, especially as it pertains to costuming! This week I had the opportunity to do so and participate in a "How to Host a Murder" mystery dinner: The Chicago Caper. It was a wonderfully kooky cast of characters!

Molly M. Awbsterr & S. Treighton Harrow
The only thing purchased for these costumes was the dress--at $6.99!

Anna Maria Carlotta Sassine ("Torchy"), S. Treighton Harrow, Molly M. Awbsterr, Billy "The Kid" Thrower, "Silky" M. Adam, Ernie "Bet a Million" G. Ambler, Malissa F. Orrthot ("Scoop"), Eddie "Socks" R. Gyle