The Maxi Dress

I am an enormous fan of the maxi dress! Always have been. A maxi dress is a wonderful piece to add to your wardrobe because it's so simple to style! You can take it from day to night. You can wear it to work. You can take it super casz and wear it on the weekend while running errands. Seriously, the easiest piece in any gals closet!

I love that they have made a comeback this season, however I feel they have never gone out of style! Piperlime has a HUGE selection! I have taken the liberty of picking my top 10 favorites to share with all of you. 

I love the loose pleats and drappy fabric of these four dresses and I just so happen to have the dress on the bottom right on order! It should be shipping any day now! So excited! I plan to wear it in so many ways and can't wait to share all stylings with you!!

 At first glance, you would think these two black dresses were meant for evenings out, and that's not an unfair statement. However, add a denim jacket, minimal makeup and loose hair and the one on the left is a work look! The one on the right would look great with wedges or flats to dress it down. Add a belt in a fun, bright color, chunky jewels in mixed metals and again, you have a work look. Not as daunting as originally thought, huh?

 

Two things about these last two dresses: the color and design. I love the faux leather top of the one on the left. And, because it is attached to the skirt of the dress, it looks like a two pieces. Love that! The one on the right is amazing in that it has long sleeves. I love anything with long sleeves!

 One last incentive! If you've never shopped Piperlime, sign up to be on their email distribution and get 15% off your first purchase! What are you waiting for, ladies?

How I've worn maxi dresses over the years!

Mixing Prints

Jacket: Levi's (similar); Top: Ann Taylor; Jeans: Ann Taylor (numerous colors); Scarf: Target; 

Shoes: TOMS; Hat: Arden B (similar)

Over the weekend my son turned two. I'm still in shock that he's two. I'm not really sure how that happened! To continue the celebration, we took a family trip to the zoo which is one of our favorite things to do. The weather was a little on the cloudy/rainy side and I was truly stumped on what to wear. So, I decided to go with layers and lots of them! 

Let's break it down. These mint jeans are my new favorite. I've actually worn them several times but have never managed to snap photos. I love the light color against the black and white, a continued trend! The new top is going to replace the original as I can't find it anywhere! Anywhere I tell ya. Worn last in January, its been missing ever since. I've seen some of my favorite bloggers pairing stripes with polka dots so I decided to give it a shot. It's a very simple way to mix your prints.  The hat was great for shade and to disguise day(s) old hair and shiny black Toms were like walking on clouds. 

 

Styling Leather Again

Top: Piperlime; Jeans: Joe's Jeans (old); Pumps: ShoeDazzle (old/similar); 

Necklace: Ann Taylor (similar); Clutch: Gift

 

Friday night was a joint birthday dinner celebration for two of my very close friends and I wanted to look chic but feel comfortable at the same time. It has felt more like spring, especially on Friday, and I was so ready to wear to shed long sleeves. This vegan tee has been the best investment. Remember how I blogged about styling leather for spring? I've really enjoyed the challenge.

I haven't worn these jeans in awhile, for fear that they wouldn't fit, but they did! You can only imagine my surprise and excitement! They are one of my all time favs! I decided the look needed a pop of color so I went with my lime pumps. I'm so happy with the look and the evening was a complete blast! Nothing like drinks, dinner and great friends!

Other ways I've styled my vegan tee:

Leap Frog

 

Dress: Ann Taylor (similar); Topper: Ann Taylor; Pumps: Guess via DSW (similar);

Fishnets: Simply Vera Wang via Kohls, Sunnies: Prada (gift); Bracelet: J.Crew (gift);

Necklace: Won from a drawing

The colors throughout this look scream spring! This is what I love about spring. Dresses, cute jackets and somewhat bare legs! I've worn this dress with scarves and layered necklaces but I just wanted something a little more this time around. I tried the trusty moto jacket but it was too heavy with the knit dress. I grabbed the topper (seen here, here and here) at the last minute and it just heightened everything about the look. Nude fishnets, that I finally found, and nude pumps are the best neutrals. And that fab necklace...I won it from a drawing at Halls on the Plaza!

 

The Dress: Before and After

 

 

 

What do you think of my sweet frog bracelet? I've been dying to wear him, but with all the long sleeves, he just got lost in the bulk. He has made his debut so look for more of him to come!!

The Carrie Diaries - Fashion Then and Now

I am an enormous fan of Sex and the City, along with every other woman in the world, so when The Carrie Diaries debuted I was a skeptic. I mean, did we really need the back story to Carrie? We knew all we needed to know from the original. A writer who loved her city and the men in it! And the fashion! OMG, the fashion!

Again, I was against The Carrie Diaries, until I tuned in one day on Hulu. Now I'm hooked! I don't set my DVR for the show, it's working overtime as is, but I do watch it faithfully every week on Hulu. I don't agree 100% with the back story of Carrie. It just doesn't match up, but I'm willing to overlook it because the story line is so real. A teenage girl who's falling in love for the first time, falling in love with NY, falling in love with fashion and finding her place in the world. Who can't relate? And the soundtrack! I'm totally re-living my youth with the music. And the fashion! Such a flashback to all the things I listened to and wore in the 80s! 

I started thinking about the 80s and how they play in today's fashion world. Based on the wardrobe that young Carrie is wearing on the show, it totally applies to today's trends. Here's how.

A denim jacket is a closet essential and colored denim is all the rage! I love how they styled this look! I am a huge fan of dresses paired with denim jackets. Oh, and look at the caged sandals! Another trend in shoes this spring!

Between Carrie and Larissa, where do I start? Let's look at Carrie's ensemble. First off, the knit cap. A piece sported by the Rachel Zoe, and so many others, and a piece I own several of actually. Great for a bad hair day! And what girl doesn't own the classic trench? Everyone should. For Larissa, animal print and so many pieces of it! I love it! A bold statement necklace just adds to the look.

An adorable bunny sweater? Why, didn't I wear an adorable duck sweater this fall? Yes, I did!

 

I swear, this is a look straight off my blog from this past winter! Statement winter coat, check. Distressed jeans, check. Tall boots over distressed jeans, check. And a scarf to top it all off!

A statement bag goes a long way. This is what happened after her sister spilled paint on their mother's handbag. Carrie made it her own. I believe this is a DIY project in the making!

 As the saying goes "Everything old is new again" and isn't it so true with anything from the 80s? It always seems to come back around, doesn't it? Leggings? I remember wearing them with long sweaters and flats. Neon? I had a belt that snapped together in pieces and the pieces were neon yellow, green, pink and orange. High top tennis shoes? They are back and wedged! Why didn't I hold on to that stuff from my youth? One, I'm not a hoarder. Two, I'm not a fortune teller to be able to see that far into the future. And three, I'm pretty sure I couldn't pull it off today.

If you haven't tuned into the show, it's truly worth it if only for the trip down memory lane and a really great soundtrack of our youth! Oh, and for the amazing talent of stylist Eric Daman of Gossip Girl fame!

Images of The Carrie Diaries:

Photo One: Television Blog

Photo Two: Elle UK

Photo Three: Crushable

Photo Four: Star Plus

Photo Five: The Digitalists

It's Time to Wear White!!

As you all know I am a firm believer in not wearing white after Labor Day and before Easter. It's the Southern fashion rule! Yes, the "experts" all claim you can throw that rule out the window, but I just can't be swayed! I do wear winter white, a creamier shade of white, but now that Easter has come and gone white will make it's way back into the mix! 

Here are some of my picks when adding white back to your wardrobe! 

Banana Republic offers the versatile shirt dress on the left. I love a shirt dress. A classic wardrobe piece that has so many styling options. The peplum dress from Piperlime is so chic. An ultra feminine look that is work and play appropriate!

 

I love this eyelet suit from Ann Taylor. It's a new twist on a classic white suit. And, the 3/4 sleeves adds summer freshness.

Zara is my go-to site for fashion forward looks. The sheer top of the dress on the left is on-trend and simply lovely. The black and white striped dress on the right is a little 60s Mod and so now. I love that it's slightly over-sized but still has shape. It's definitely not a dress, or stripe, I currently have hanging in my closet but should, right?

Are you one to follow the Southern white fashion rule or are you willing to break the rules and wear it all year round? Let's discuss!

How I've worn white in the past:

It's a Steal

Jumpsuit: Target; Jacket: Banana Republic (old/similar); Pumps: ShoeDazzle;

Necklace: Ann Taylor (similar); Sunnies: Tom Ford; Lip Color: MAC Dark Side

Remember last week when I blogged about my jumpsuit being either a splurge or steal? And, how I told you to check back to see which one I purchased? Did you guess correctly?

 This is a little Target number that I got for $29.99! Sure, I love Rachel Zoe and her designs, but I also love that my wallet didn't take a huge hit for something so cute! You can make something under $50 look luxe by adding a statement necklace, metallic pumps, a leather jacket and over-sized shades! Also, add a bold lip for drama. I'm loving my new jumpsuit and can't wait to style it all spring and summer long!