STYLEnosh

BUY ONE DRESS THIS SUMMER- WHERE IT EVERYWHERE!

I love a dress that can flow from work to a date and then glide right into a weekend brunch. This off white dress from Gap serves all those functions and more.

For Work:

 

Don't be compelled to throw on a pair of plain black pumps with this summer staple. Add heels that make a statement on their own. 

Snakeskin pumps by Vince Camuto (love this brand!) for $118 at piperlime.com.

 

 

And don't forget a sweater or boyfriend inspired blazer for the chilly air-conditioned obsessed office. (Why is it so cold at work?)

Tailored blazer in a beautiful coral color for $120.02 at asos.com.

 

 

 

 

For Weekend:

 

Grab these Sam Edelman sandals to take the look down a notch with a lower heel. You don't have to tower in those behemoth pumps all the time. (Unless you're Victoria Beckham. How does she do it? My feet cry just watching her walk.)

 

 

And this grandpa cardigan at Gap in a pretty blue color just screams weekend relaxation especially if you leave it unbuttoned. Get it on sale now for $48.99.

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRAB YOUR SMALL SUITCASE - HELLO LONG WEEKEND!

Please note the emphasis here is on a small suitcase. My goal is to encourage or maybe even cajole you into not overpacking. Again. 

Life is stuffed with things to do, people to call, and everyone's favorite, bills to pay. Wouldn't it be lovely to actually relax and enjoy your weekend away without spending half of it digging through your gynormous suitcase looking for something to wear? Yeah, I thought so. Here's an easy example of what to pack for a long weekend trip.

This small animal print bag holds a dress, a pair of shorts, 3 shirts, 2 camis, 1 bathing suit (just in case there's a pool party on the weekend agenda), a pair of pumps, a jacket, and a tiny beaded bag for a night out. I'd wear the jeans, floral top, and thong sandals as my travel outfit. And my tablet, journal, and pens can be stashed easily in the white hobo bag. The simple choices allow for mixing and matching the tops with the shorts and jeans without expending an inordinate amount of thinking. It is a long weekend for goodness sake. Spend it enjoying friends and family and the fresh air. Not rummaging through your suitcase.

 

 

 

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND SALES ARE HERE!

It's the holiday weekend so retailers will be waving flags and plenty of sale signs. It's a great time to go outlet shopping too since the take an additional 20%, 30%, and even 40% off deals will be in full effect. Oh, and let's not forget about consignment and thrift stores. Goodwill here I come! Where will you be shopping this weekend? 

Bloomingdale's  The Big Brown Bag sale saves 25-40% off select items. 

Last Call by Neiman Marcus   Take 30% off your entire purchase. The discount is reflected at checkout and the sale last through Tuesday, May 31st. 

Macy's   There's plenty on sale this weekend. Take an extra 15% off sale and clearance items with this savings pass. Take 30-50% off shoes and 25-60% off handbags and other accessories.

The Limited  Take 40% off everything Friday and Saturday only. Use promo code WEEKEND. Offer good in store and online. 

 

TACKLE THE TREND: CRAYOLA COLORED JEANS

Image: shopstyle.com J Brand mid-rise jeans

It seems jeans inspired by a crayon box have been managed to linger on as a spring trend for last few seasons. And I've managed to dismiss the look as something reserved for teens and 20 somethings who have youth on their side. But maybe the rest of us can enjoy this style too. 

This blog post by Glamour.com on trying pastel jeans makes a strong case for at least sticking your big toe in the trendy pool of colored denim. It features Cameron Diaz wearing light pink jeans with a muted color top and blazer. She looks refreshingly chic with minimal effort. And that would be my approach as well. Colored jeans plus a neutral top like cream, tan, or gray seems to be a proven way to tackle the trend without looking too trendy.

A quick search on shopstyle.com turned up several surprisingly affordable colored denim options. 

Like these purple jeans by Cheap Monday for $48.

Or these pretty yellow jeans by Brian Dales for $98.

Are you willing to try the colored jeans look? Do you already own a pair in every bright color? Let us know about your thoughts on wearing crayon colored denim. 

 

 

BUY FLOWERS FOR YOUR CLOSET

Don't you love getting flowers? Well, your wardrobe feels the same sentiment. Your closet will swoon and be overcome with joy when you bring it something colorful and fun to wear. Does color and flowers make you feel overwhelmed? No prob. The dresses featured here are all in the classic sheath dress shape. And the print just gives it a little extra something. Just toss on a cardigan in a basic color like tan or gray and you're ready for work. Bonus: All of the dresses shown here can be found at Nordstrom.com for only $118! Love it!

Image: Adrianna Papeli print sheath dress

Image: Donna Ricco abstract sheath dress

Image: Eliza J sheath dress with collar

 

 

THIS WEEK'S SALES: TAKE AN EXTRA 30% OFF LAST CALL BY NEIMAN MARCUS!

Though I've been completely enamored with discovering unbelivable deals at the thrift store lately, I realize that many of you want to find deals of the new, unworn merchandise variety. No judgement. In fact, it's my job to help you get exactly what you're jonesing for.

Desperately seeking designer clothes at a fraction of the often sticker shock inducing pricetag? Head over to Last Call by Neiman Marcus. Now through Sunday, May 22, take an extra 30% off apparel, shoes, and handbags. You'll know what's on sale because they conveniently indicate "PLUS 30% OFF" right below the item. The discount is applied when you checkout so no promo code required.

Happy shopping! And please let us know what you bought!

 

Image: lastcall.com

THE THREAD VIDEO: DEBUNKING PLUS-SIZE FASHION MYTHS

Now, this video from Yahoo's The Thread and Marie Claire's Ashley Falcon is helpful! Great tips for curvy women on how to wear color, prints, and yes, skinny jeans! Though I do believe the skinny jean trend is much easier to pull off if you have a little height on your side.

Not exactly known for being the tallest chick in the crowd? Stick with elongating pieces (clothes and accessories that give the illusion that you're taller) like heels without ankle straps and long necklaces like the one shown in the video. Enjoy and get inspired to break out of your fashion rut!

EASY WAY TO SCORE A $3 BLAZER FROM A STORE YOU LOVE

For the past two weeks, I've been scouring my local Goodwill store like it's an Island full of hidden treasures. Well actually, that's exactly what it is. The deals are crazy phenomenal for what you'll find. Think all the stores you normally shop at and quite a few designer pieces mixed in too. And with little time and minimal effort invested. Here's a sample of my last thrifting trip.

 

Barely worn blazer from a major store. Only $2. 80!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

Black pinstriped pants in perfect condition and fit for $2.30!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My most expensive purchase of the day. A sheer designer blouse for $4.39! A lady was eyeing it in the checkout line. She was waiting for me to put it down so she could pounce on this awesome deal.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now let's talk about that thrift store smell. I know several friends who just can't get past it. I'm pretty smell sensitive myself. I can look at anything. But the wrong scent can send me into automatically hurl mode. Yes, thrift stores smell funny. There's a lot of old stuff flowing through there everyday. But if you wait about five minutes, that annoying scent will dissipate as you collect all of your phenomenal bargain basement purchases!

 

TODAY SHOW VIDEO: EASY WAYS TO TRY COLOR BLOCKING

The color blocking trend actually makes me a little hesitant to slap on those geometric shapes of color. But it doesn't have to be daunting. Check out this video from The Today Show and Stacy London on how to add color blocking to your wardrobe for work and play.

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TACKLE THE TREND: WEARING WHITE & CREAM

There's nothing more sleek, fresh, and clean than wearing white and cream together. You may be thinking that you can achieve the same result by sporting white from head to toe. But white and cream provides a more modern, unexpected new feel to an outfit. Anyone can wear all white (well, wedding dresses excluded). But are you chic enough to add a little cream? 

Vest: H&M, Skirt: Hale' Bob at Loehmann's, Shoes: Anne Klein at Last Call by Neiman Marcus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE EVIL SIDE OF THE OFFICE DRESS CODE

Images: morguefile.com

It's your own fault that companies even have mandatory office dress codes. They know if they didn't have something explicitly written and recommended, half of you would show up in flip-flops and old, ratty jeans on a regular basis. So now we have wardrobe guidelines for work. And I understand their purpose. But sometimes these guidelines are just cruel. Honestly, is it really necessary to wear pantyhose to work in these modern times?  You'll typically find this antiquated rule at companies that are so conservative they think the sight of a woman's bare leg will render men unable to function  thus causing work productivity to suffer. 

But no woman should have to wear hosiery between the months of May - October.

It's oppressive. I'm certain that most men have no idea how hot pantyhose can be. The thought of wearing a pair actually makes my skin itch. So not comfortable.

But men have their own fight with the dress code too since some workplaces still require them to wear a shirt and tie. Every. Single. Day. Which in my book can be classified in the same category as pantyhose: Oppressive. If you're sitting in a cube all day without meeting clients, why do you need to wrap a tie around your neck? Just plain cruel.

So how do you get around the evil office dress code? This question is tricky territory. You don't want to lose your income over your wardrobe. But you don't really want to be sweltering everyday in order to eat either. I usually test the waters a little bit. If I see other people going sans pantyhose, I'll try it too. But if anyone takes the time to you remind you of the company rules, HR comes to mind, you might want to go back to nylon oppression. Hmm...entrepreneurship sounds real attractive right now. 

 

LOOKING GOOD IN LEGGINGS-IT IS POSSIBLE!

After yesterday's post on what not to wear outside of the house, imagine my surprise when one of my friends walked into the party last night wearing, shocker, leggings with a tight shirt! I know I had to take her picture because she looked like this:

 

The lesson here is: know what looks good on your body type. She looks fantastic! And she was working it too. The leggings look works for her because she has all the necessary elements working in her favor. In other words, she's young and her body is in great shape. If you don't look like this when you wear leggings without a long shirt, then you shouldn't be wearing leggings. #thatisall