Belt It Out

Maxi Dress: Black Swan "Silver Soul Maxi Dress" here

Heels: Jeffrey Campbell "Hough" 

Belt: Express

Necklace: Vanessa Mooney

Bracelets: Vanessa Mooney & Luv AJ

Clutch: Vintage

In my opinion, belts can almost always upgrade an outfit! This skinny black leather belt really completed my whole look! Before I accessorized and added the belt, this dress looked like a massively oversized and colorful potato sack...which did NOTHING for my figure. But by adding the belt, I instantly appeared thinner and taller.  Because it accentuated my waist and broke up my upper and lower body, my waist appeared smaller and my legs appeared longer. Try out this quick and easy tip and see what a huge difference it can make for you too! 

See how unflattering this dress is on these gorgeous models when styled without a belt: here!!!!

LBD

Little Black High-Low Dress: Renee London (LF Stores)

Lucite Heels: Jeffrey Campbell "Affair" heels (here)

You know when you see something on sale and you just have to have it because it's such a great bargain? Yeah...that was this dress. You won't believe how much I bought it for! What was once originally $248, was mine for only $35! I know...I still can't believe it myself. That's a whopping 85% off! The thing is when I impulse buy because of a sale, I typically hang it up and forget about it. After 3 years of it being forgotten in the back of my closet with the tag still on, I rediscovered this Little Bargain Dress while searching for something to wear to my friend's wedding.

A Hot Mesh

Mesh Crop Top: LF Stores

Chambray Skirt: For Love & Lemons

Hat & Belt: Vintage

Laser Cut Booties: Jeffrey Campbell 'Produce' (here)

With summer starting to really heat up, its mandatory to find ways to shed as many layers as possible without looking too scandalous. Lately I've been combating these high temps with one of my favorite summer trends....MESH! Obviously mesh can be a little tricky to style because if done poorly, you could quickly go from being cool and sexy to just a plain hot mess. Below are some of the tips I used when putting my outfit together.

Styling Tips:

1) A little skin never hurt nobody. Mesh Fabric + Crop Top combo seems a little daring but I styled mine with a high waisted skirt in order to show off just a sliver of midriff. Since my top was already sheer, I tried to avoid exposing too much skin. The key here is balance.

2) Layer wisely. Again, anything sheer can easily turn too sexy if you don't layer properly. Covering your little lady bits is a MUST! So I would suggest layering your solid mesh top over a cute bralette or bandeau but if your mesh has embroidery or designs like mine, you can just opt for a simple slip or nude bra.

3) Never forget that nude shoes elongate your legs! For shorter people like me, this is a very important rule to get dressed by. In this outfit, my skirt hemline is a little longer than other miniskirts that I'm used to so I completed my outfit with these Jeffrey Campbell nude booties to help create the illusion of longer legs.

*Try dresses and tops with mesh inserts if solid mesh is a little too scandalous for your taste. Or even try out one of my favorite mesh accessories...mesh heels! These can instantly add sexiness to any outfit without running the risk of exposing too much.  So no matter what your style is, know that mesh can easily be incorporated into any wardrobe. Stay cool by trying out this hot mesh trend with me this summer!

Cream of the Crop (Top)

Crop Top: Fairground 'Astra Crop Top' in Dali Lama Print - Revolve Clothing (here)

Silk Trousers: Olive & Oak - Nordstrom

Heels: Jeffrey Campbell 'Hough' (here)

Bracelets: DIY Swarovski Crystal bracelet & Vintage Bone Cuff

Ring: CC Skye 'Fools Gold' Ring (here)

Short body-con dresses are obviously sexy but silk trousers can be sexy too if you style wisely! Since the weather has warmed up significantly, I no longer have to bundle up with huge coats or leather jackets to go out. Instead, I opted for a printed crop top and some silk trousers for a girls' night out this weekend. I chose a sleeveless crop top as the focal piece of my outfit to keep things young and fun. I also kept the rest of the outfit fairly simple to balance out the busy printed top. 

Styling Tip: When going out for fancy drinks at a restaurant or bar, I personally like to choose either to expose my legs OR my arms for a sleeker and chicer ensemble. I leave the shorter skirts and dresses for the more wild and crazy parties.

Even though we "sprang forward" with daylight savings, I feel like it's 3 hours later than it actually is. I can't help feeling this way after the weekend that I just had. The last 4 days pretty much consisted of nothing but drinking, hiking, and swimming with some work squeezed in here and there. I am so exhausted that I was ready to pass out at 7pm today but then I realized that I hadn't worked out, eaten, or blogged yet. Now that that's all done....Good night, world!!!

Farfalle

If you still think that bow ties are just for boys, you're wrong! Over the past couple years, bow ties have been making a huge comeback in fashion...especially for women. But this trend is slowly drifting away again. I refuse to let a good thing go so I make it a point to work some bow ties into my outfits every once in awhile.

Since I went through a phase of DIY bow tie making, I just have too many bow ties to not wear. I classed up this outfit with my floral print bow in order to add a touch of femininity to my tailored look. 

Bow ties may be borrowed from the boys but they're oh so right for the girls! So help me bring it back in style, ladies & gents! 

Styling Tip: You can do as I did and add a bow tie to a tailored piece such as trousers or a blazer for a sleek and chic ensemble. For a girlier look, try tucking a blouse into a skirt and accessorizing with a statement bow tie.

Silk Tank: Maggie Ward (Saks Fifth Avenue here)

Cardigan: Maggie Ward (Saks Fifth Avenue)

Trousers: Geren Ford (here)

Heels: Jeffrey Campbell 'Solitaire' (here)

Floral Bow Tie: DIY by me

Sheer Pleasure

I also picked up this exquisite little number on my crazy shopping spree at the Isabel Marant pour H&M collaboration launch that I wrote about in "I maRant to H&M". 

This silk chiffon dress far exceeded my expectations. The lookbook really does not do this dress any justice (even though Milla Jovovich looks stunning as always). You have to see the dress in person to appreciate the intricate details that include: the subtle metallic embroidery throughout the dress, the peacock-like pattern, the puffed shoulders and ruching on the sleeves, the cinched waist, and the raw edges.  

I really love how this dress just effortlessly oozes class and elegance with its conservative yet form-fitting silhouette and intricate details. This dress hits just below the knee so in order to elongate my legs, I styled it with a nude heel. I kept the rest of the look simple for my boyfriend's family brunch with minimal jewelry, makeup, and a nude lip. For a nighttime look, this dress would look spectacular with some classic black pumps, a long black coat, and some red lips to add some drama. Now show me how you girls styled your Isabel Marant pour H&M silk chiffon dresses! 

Jacket: Isabel Marant pour H&M (here)

(Complete Lookbook here)

 Shoes: Steve Madden (similar here)

 

 

I maRANt to H&M!

Last week I braved the crowds at a local H&M store and eagerly awaited the launch of the Isabel Marant pour H&M collection. I woke up at 3:30am to wait in line because I was on a mission to scored the most coveted item of the collection...the beautifully embellished cropped jacket! I've been drooling over Marant's jacket since her Spring 2012 collection so I was thrilled to see a similar version of the jacket in the H&M lookbook for a fraction of the price. I did what I had to do to get my jacket and ran to H&M way before the sun came out. Losing a few hours of sleep was such a minor trade off for such a great collection.

The embellishment on the jacket is over-the-top (in a good way) and done impeccably! And since there's already so much going on with the tiedye, beading, rhinestones, embroidery, etc., I kept the rest of the outfit relatively simple. I styled my new favorite jacket with my new favorite heels and completed the look with faux leather leggings and a sleeveless blouse with contrast details made to look like a tie. As my cousin claims, "this outfit is very Sgt. Pepper"! And I'm totally ok with that! Hahaha

Keep an eye out for future posts featuring more of my scores from the Isabel Marant pour H&M collection! 

Jacket: Isabel Marant pour H&M (here)

Sequin Heels: Isabel Marant pour H&M

(Complete Lookbook here)

Blouse: Millau (LF Stores)

Pants: Romeo & Juliet Couture

Clutch: Valentino

Jewelry: Luv AJ and TomTom Jewelry