True Love!

Today, I fell in love! My soul mate, or should I say 'sole' mate is from Nina Ricci's Fall 2010 collection. This girly, pink, peep-toe mule is to die for! Not only are they feminine and pretty, but they're interesting to look at. It's almost like a small piece of architecture! The velvet, flower detail and animal skin all together give it great techture.

Check out the rest of Nina Ricci's Fall 2010 collection at http://www.ninaricci.com/. You'll fall in love with it all!

Enjoy!

Style Icon: Beyonce

I love the way Beyonce paired this Chanel blazer with cut off shorts! It is the perfect mix of casual and dressy. Ya gotta love the Louboutins too! The graphic tee is a bit much and a little juvenille looking however. With the pattern on the blazer and the layered necklaces, a plain tee-shirt would have been fine.
Beyonce wore this out to dinner at a nice restaurant and then to a Broadway show. I've never been to a Broadway show, but I would guess that denim cut offs may be a bit too casual. I would suggest wearing this during the day and slip on some nice pants to make it a night oufit.

Faux Pas!

I focus so much on what you should wear, you're probably thinking "Kirsten, what trends should I not wear?" Don't worry, I'll cover the 'fashion don'ts' in this article.
I was flipping through my Spring/Summer Accessories issue from Women's Wear Daily (WWD) and was really shocked at some of the trends they put in the magazine. They are trends that were once popular and, in my opinion, should never be popular again.

The first trend on my bad list are clogs. This is definitely a trend you can pull off if you want, but I just hate it. Clogs are also known at Mules. Why would you want to wear anything named after a dirty animal? I'm just saying.

This is also a bad way to wear the floral trend.

The second no-no are fanny packs. That's right...fanny packs. Designers such as Louis Vuitton and Dolce and Gabbana are bringing them back, but I think it's a huge mistake. Go to any '80's party and you'll see people mocking the horrendous fanny pack.

This style from LV is called the 'bum bag'. Note: anything named after a homeless deadbeat should not be worn.

What's your opinion?

What to wear on St. Patrick's Day and not look like a leprechaun threw up on you

This Saturday I was riding the bus to work and saw some pretty bad green outfits for St. Patrick's Day. Pistachio green pants, neon green dresses, 'kiss me I'm Irish' t-shirts, mixing shades of green, all bad choices. Celebrating a holiday doesn't mean you have to sacrifice good style.

Go with a light sea-foam green sleeves top to wear with a blazer or cardigan for work. This top has ruffles down the front, and will be a great addition to your wardrobe. Get this shirt at Banana Republic for $69.50.

Another blouse found at Banana Republic for $69.50 is perfect for your St. Patrick's Day work outfit. This shirt is a little more vibrant color of green and has sophisticated pin tuck pleats down the front. Pair this with a classic black pant or jeans if you're going more casual.

Need more green? This kelly green dress from Mod Cloth is $117.99. It has very feminine ruffles and the wrap style of the dress will certainly be flattering on just about all body types. Watch the deep v-neck if you're wearing this to work. It's St. Patrick's Day not Mardi Gras.

Enjoy!

March shoe of the month

This is my birthday month, so this shoe is also on my wish list. To all my loved ones, please take note. :)

This shoe is very basic, but also a very important addition to your spring wardrobe!

 I found this shoe at Target made by Mossimo and is only $29.99!

 A nude colored shoe is a staple for a woman's shoe collection, particularly this spring. Nude is such a versatile color. Wear this pump with your bright colors, black, browns, whites, whatever, this shoe will work with it. 

Try pairing the pumps with a classic shift dress like this one from Target by Merona for $39.99. 

This color is a perfect color for spring and summer; it will be flattering even if you haven't had time to work on your tan. 

Top off your outfit with this Hermes Vachette Graniee Bolide bag. Okay, so maybe you can't afford this bag, I'm right there with you. Find this bag and other vintage Hermes bags on Bagborroworsteal.com . This bag goes for $119 for a week, $350 for a month or $893 for 3 months. If you have the money, you definitely should splurge on this bag. It's a classic bag that will never go out of style!

Enjoy!

All Things Spring

I love Spring! Everything is fresh and bright including the clothing. Even when it is cloudy and rainy, a bright outfit or accessory makes the day that much better.

What do you need to brighten up your wardrobe?

This umbrella will make you want to go out on a rainy day. Made by Totes and sold at Target for $16.99, this bubble umbrella comes in lime green (shown, even though it looks yellow), pink, electric blue, black and clear. Could be the best accessory you buy all season!

RUFFLES

Love these two pieces!

This beautiful rose satin box clutch by Sondra Roberts (left) is a great clutch to wear to all those spring weddings! I found it at Nordstrom for $98.00. Pair it with a simple light pink dress with no print. Or a white linen dress, but only if you're not attending a wedding. The nude ruffled verticle tote pictured right is by Be & D and is $990.00 at Nordstrom. Nude shades are good compliment to all the bright colors that are trendy this spring. 

PATTERNS AND PRINTS

Vibrant colors used in unique patterns are hot right now! If you're not too sure about putting bold patterns in your outfit, try starting out small with a handbag. Jessica McClintock (left) makes this stunning sequined clutch for $78.00. This clutch seems to have every color in the rainbow on it, so you can't really clash your outfit with this bag. The tote (right) by L.A.M.B. is a great piece for a cloudy day. Right now it's on sale at Nordstrom for $196.90, which will really make a cloudy day better!

I was walking through the Water Tower Place in Chicago and saw this dress in the window at French Connection. This is a great example of spring's color, pattern and floral trends. This dress has a great vintage feel to it with the high neckline, cap sleeves and ruffles on the hips. You might be worried about the ruffles making your hips look too wide, but the princess seams on the skirt will counter-react that.

Anthropologie has a great selection of spring dresses that have a vintage or retro feel to them and this is the season to wear it! Spring is the best season to pull off the vintage, feminine, ultra girly look. 

Here are some looks to try from Anthropologie...   

The top dress is a great example of how to wear prints, stripes especially. The lines are neither vertical nor horizontal, so no need to worry about the lines making you look distorted. If anything, the diagonal lines will make you look thinner. The colors are great too!

The bottom dress is a good, abstract print for those who are wanting a more subdued hue. The colors are very pale, but still very in for spring. The skirt on this dress is very flattering. The pleats at the waistband cinch in the waist and take emphasis off the hips and belly area. If you're meeting the girls for a big lunch, this is the dress to wear. It will hide your after-eating-tummy-pooch. :)   

                                                   

Solid color dresses are another way to go with your spring outfit. This color of yellow has been pretty steady in popularity for the past few seasons, so don't be afraid to pull an item from a previous season to your new spring look. We are in a recession after all. The nude ruffle Be & D tote pictured above would look great with this shirtdress.

You can also go for the nude look this spring in this silk, ruffle dress. The gathering at the neckline and ruffles along the torso and hem are perfect details. I would stay away from this dress and others with similar necklines if you're big busted. Too much gathering and ruffles will make you look even bigger. This fabric is great for warm days because silk is a natural fiber and will allow your skin to breath. If the day is very hot, stay away from polyester, which is synthetic (man-made) and does not breath at all and you'll be even hotter. Pair this dress with the Sondra Roberts rose clutch pictured above for a perfectly feminine look!

Enjoy!

Must have summer handbag

Chanel quilted handbags are the way to go this spring and summer. This classic look is always in style, but this season it is particularly popular.

The chain-linked strap and quilted lamb leather are an iconic style of Chanel handbags. If you want the authentic handbag, be prepared to drop between $1,000-$1,600!

I must say, I NEVER condone purchasing a counterfeit item! It seems harmless to give $20 to that creepy looking man in China Town for the counterfeit designer handbag. You might think why not. These bags are so good that takes a professional to determine if it's a counterfeit or not. I have done a lot of research on counterfiet goods and essentially when you give the street vendor in China Town that $20, you're giving them $20 to spend on drugs and weapons; you're giving your money to criminals. So...don't! I have a pretty long paper all about this topic and I could go on  and on about this, but I'll stop myself now.

There are plenty of options for those who can't afford an authentic Chanel bag that don't help criminals make their living and don't steal a designers identity. 

Marc Jacobs does quilted leather almost as well as Chanel and at half the price. This red leather quilted  crossbody bag is a great substitute at $595.

Still need a lower price?...

This black, quilted crossbody bag is from Forever 21 and at $17.80 is a good alternative for a cheap spring bag. The bow in front adds a feminine flair that is also trendy this Spring. You can get this bag in white and light pink also, but the bow is still black, which doesn't look so great. I suggest you keep with all black. The color blocking is too '80's for me.

Enjoy!