PIECING IT TOGETHER (REAL V. STEAL)

Simple and timeless mixed with a fun pop of neon & modern silicon watch...

REAL:

T by Alexander Wang 'Classic Muscle Jersey T-Shirt'

FUNBOY Watch in 'Lights Out'

Alexander Wang 'Diego Textured-leather Bucket Bag'

Acne 'Pistol Leather Ankle Boots'

J Brand Denim '901 Low-Rise Leggings-Style Jeans'

Deborah Marquit 'Giardino di Fiori Italian Lace Soft-Cup Bra'

STEAL: 

Gap 'Pure Body Tank'

FUNBOY Watch in 'Lights Out' (no alternative here, it's a steal by itself!)

Deena & Ozzy 'Confetti Studded Bucket Bag'

BP. 'Trolley Ankle Boot' or Dolce Vita 'Jax Bootie'

Zara 'Super Skinny Jeans'

Hanky Panky 'Signature Lace Crossover Bralette'

Items worth splurging on: a great tee (one that's soft and won't lose it's shape or pill quickly) and that "you'll have this forever" bag that never goes out of style.  While I would love to own some Acne or Isabel Marant booties, until the day comes when I can drop $500+ on a pair of shoes, I've found some good ones from ASOS, Lucky Brand and Sam Edelman (back in December I treated myself to these fringe booties from SE and wore them so much that I've had to tuck them away for a while).  

I recently bought these Lucky booties in black and cannot stop wearing them.  The heel isn't too clunky, the toe is a perfect mix of pointy//round and they go with everything...can't wait to wear them in the summertime with a dress or jean shorts.  I actually snagged them for $30 bucks on Hautelook - such a steal!  And most denim you can find on sale (sometimes you have to be patient and wait a little longer) at stores like Nordstrom Rack (always hit or miss) or Shopbop, who does free 3-day shipping//returns in the U.S.   

(IMAGE SOURCE: W BY HARRIS)

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Love this track by Electric Guest called "This Head I Hold."  Since I wasn't able to go to SXSW or Coachella, Sasquatch during Memorial Day weekend is my music festival to look forward to right now.  Can't wait to see them there.  This song gets me ready for Saturday night...

JUST WING IT: S/S 2012 TREND (WINGED EYELINER) + VIDEO HOW-TO

Whether you sport a soft, subtle swoop or a boldly defined streak, winged eyeliner can take your look from casual to sultry in minutes.  The best part about this new Spring trend?  It looks like it would take a pro to make this advanced beauty technique happen (and have it not look like cat woman gone haywire), but you can easily achieve it at home.  Scroll down to watch a DIY video tutorial on how to get catty and things go awry, just wing it by turning your makeup mishap it into a smokey eye.  

 

 

 

 

Lancome LinerDesign in 'Trendy Grey' 
Maybelline Eye Studio Master Precise Liquid Ink Pen Eyeliner in 'Black' 
L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner in 'Black'
Dolce & Gabbana Intense Khol Eye Crayon in 'True Black'

(IMAGE & VIDEO SOURCE: ELLE, TUMBLR & LAUREN CONRAD)

CASUAL ENCOUNTERS: CHIC & COMFY STREETSTYLE

Nothing beats a good pair of jeans...

(IMAGE SOURCE: HARPER'S BAZAAR)

HARPER'S BAZAAR: 'THE BOLD AND THE BRIGHT' (APRIL 2012)

Magnificent shots from photographer Paola Kudacki of model Hailey Clauson wearing this seasons boldest, brightest colors in the April 2012 issue of Harper's Bazaar. The clothing pieces literally look like art...such phenomenal textures captured.  On-set video included at the bottom...

 

(IMAGE & VIDEO SOURCE: HARPER'S BAZAAR)

DOPE DENIM: GIVE YOUR JEANS SOME FLOWER POWER

I've been in debate over when I'll jump on the floral denim bandwagon.  I had a really easy time adding leather pants and coated/colored denim to my drawers, but this is a tad more difficult.  One thing is for sure: whenever I do end up sporting flower-covered stems (hah), it will be on a very sunny, summery, floral-appropriate day.  There's no way these will mesh with our all too often rainy days here.  Not sure if you saw my Baby Got Black post, but it may help to understand why this will be a branch-out for me.

Either way, Shopbop's March 2012 Denim Guide (feat. Current/Elliot Spring 2012) titled 'A Casual Encounter' makes the fun twist on the original jean look a lot less daunting, a lot more appealing and well...casual.

Also, be sure to check out this blog post by Sally Ann - co-founder of the awesome blog, A Piece of Toast, alongside sister Molly - on printed denim, which was part of the inspiration behind this post.  Sally seems to be in the same boat as me when it comes to clothing (basics-obsessed and neutral-addicted).

Included two pairs by Paige that I think are super cool and possess on-point color combos (they look awesome with a bright white tee as pictured below).

(IMAGE SOURCE: SHOPBOP & PAIGE)

CALVIN KLEIN: S/S 2012 AD CAMPAIGN & 'WET-LOOK HAIR' HIGHLIGHT

Calvin Klein's Spring/Summer 2012 Jean ads are really awesome.  The oily, high-shine look of the shots fully embody the season they're advertising (not to mention the 'wet-look' hair was huge trend on the S/S runways this year - scroll further down for photos) .  With the exception of pants, the otherwise lack of clothing seriously draws your eyes straight to the brightly colored, nearly neon denim.  Model Lara Stone's stunning beauty doesn't hurt either; Stone is one of my favorites and I think she was the perfect choice for this specific campaign.

 

WET-LOOK HAIR (TOP-BOTTOM): LANVIN//GEORGIO ARMANI//RICHARD NICOLL//SINHA STANIC//STELLA MCCARTNEY//TEMPERLEY


(IMAGE SOURCE: CALVIN KLEIN AND VOGUE UK)

SHOPBOP: 'WILD FLOWERS' LOOKBOOK (MARCH 2012)

Who knew this many floral prints (upon floral backdrops) could look this good?  Leave it to Shopbop to somehow make it happen.  Wild Flowers is springtime in a nutshell (or in this case a lookbook).  Get your flower fix here.

Florals for days:

(IMAGE SOURCE: SHOPBOP)