Anatomy of My (Crazy) Outfit: The Story Behind the Style

  It all began one day back in the fall. I believe it was a Wednesday in October. I was exploring the items for sale on my thredUP app and came across these shoes.   

   
I knew I loved the shoes but I wasn’t sure exactly how I would style them. I’m used to dresses and heels as my standard attire. I do wear flats sometimes but couldn’t really picture these shoes going with any of my dresses. 

I did ask my oh – so – stylish friend over at @thereneberry for a suggestion once I received the shoes and was anxious to wear them. She is an expert at styling menswear inspired pieces and creates sophiscated outfits daily. She loved the shoes and suggested keeping the rest of the outfit basic , to really allow the shoes to stand out. She thought maybe black pants and a simple top. I did try that but then I looked over at another thredup purchase which just happened to catch my eye while putting the black pants back into my closet. My all time favorite Cache leopard dress. 

  I liked the way the brown patterns of the shoes and dress just seemed to contrast yet compliment each other.

I choose a blue long sleeve tee and denim vest to bring out the shades of blue in the shoes. I have a gazillion long sleeve tees from Target ( Merona and Mossimo lines) which I use to layer over and under sleeveless dresses throughout the year. The vest is from Burlingon Coat Factory ( juniors ) and less than $8.00. 

I wore the outfit for the first time back then , last November. 

 Although I don’t usually repeat complete outfits , I knew I would wear this again. It was super fun and comfortable and the shoes also came in handy for shoe-tying lessons for my kindergarten class. 

I knew the time had come to wear it again when I received this unique bracelet in the mail from @kayandstar ( Instagram ) . Trying to plan an outfit around one accessory reminded me of when I bought the shoes , which reminded me of this outfit and I loved the way the brown and ivory beads coordinate so nicely with both the leopard print and the brown houndstooth on the shoes. 

   
 The bracelet was designed especially for me to celebrate the #onelittleword collection. I love it so much and I appreciate the thoughtfulness and fine craftsmanship of all the Kay & Star pieces.
I also was excited to use this new handbag and loved the fact it had shades of brown and blue just like the shoes.  

    
 It’s actually a set of bags. There was a smaller version inside the larger bag. Both large and medium sized bags came with detachable straps. Local friends will understand when I explain I found them while thrifting in the old Ann&Hope building in Pawtucket , RI.  

Speaking of thrifting , I found the turquoise and silver necklace while thrifting on a different day in the old Almacs building in Silver Lake (my old neighborhood and workplace back in the day;). 

    
   That’s about all I have to say about this outfit for now. I’ll let you know if I think of anything else ( don’t worry – JK )!
Thanks for your time and attention, as always. Hope you feel inspired to plan a new outfit, try a new style of shoe , go thrifting , or maybe order your own Kay & Star #onelittleword custom bracelet.

Yours truly,

Jennifer

Xoxoxo

Houndstooth: Classic Print, Modern Design/ Part 4 ( Last but not least) For The Gentlemen ( inspired by my daddy who loves a good print ;) Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Houndstooth: Classic Print, Modern Design/ Part 4 ( Last but not least) For The Gentlemen ( inspired by my daddy who loves a good print ;)

Mens 3 button suit
$3,295 – harryrosen.com

Mens slim suit
$885 – harryrosen.com

Giorgio Armani men s clothing
$1,455 – harrods.com

Mens collared shirt
$270 – harryrosen.com

Title of work tie
barneys.com

Sand mens cotton shirt
$235 – saksfifthavenue.com

Etro mens brown shoes
therealreal.com

Supe Design mens backpack
$115 – luisaviaroma.com

Saks Fifth Avenue Collection tie accessory
$105 – saksfifthavenue.com

William Rast tie
lordandtaylor.com

Zara bow tie
zara.com

Houndstooth: Classic Print , Modern Design/ Part 2- Elegant Accessories

Houndstooth: Classic Print , Modern Design/ Part 2- Elegant Accessories

Houndstooth: Classic Pattern, Modern Design/ Part 1- Dresses

Houndstooth: Classic Pattern, Modern Design/ Part 1- Dresses

Rumour London houndstooth dress
$365 – wolfandbadger.com

Marella white dress
$130 – houseoffraser.co.uk

Vintage dress
pinkqueen.com

Vintage dress
pinkqueen.com

A Classic Essential: The Striped Shirt- Options and Inspiration

A Classic Essential: The Striped Shirt- Options and Inspiration

Yumi red dress
$76 – houseoffraser.co.uk

Each X Other stripe shirt
shop.harpersbazaar.com

The Kooples pullover sweater
$105 – stylebop.com

J Crew zipper t shirt
$53 – jcrew.com

J Crew cotton tunic
$53 – jcrew.com

Button sweater
genuine-people.com

Stripe crop top
genuine-people.com

J Crew striped top
factory.jcrew.com

Glamorous stripe top
$15 – glamorous.com

Moschino blue skirt
$635 – net-a-porter.com

ESCADA white pants
$500 – harrods.com

Pink skirt
amazon.com

Flat sandals
stanleykorshak.com

RED Valentino leather sole shoes
$445 – redvalentino.com

Ballerina shoes
$140 – prettyballerinas.us

Geox black and white shoes
$140 – geox.com

Wine pump
shein.com

Qupid strappy shoes
charlotterusse.com

ZALORA flat
$11 – zalora.sg

Fit & Flare Textured Dress From Target 

The crystals on the round neckline of this fabulous little black and white dress add innate femininity to your overall look and can be an instant mood lifter and a crowd pleaser to all you encounter.  

It is from the Xhilaration line at Target and is available in sizes xs- xxl. It’s made of a beautiful textured poly/ cotton/ spandex blend and is machine washable. 

I love the versatility of this dress. I wore it during the holiday season and plan on wearing it throughout the year. Here are some ideas for styling this extremely affordable , adorable dress.  

    
    
    
    
   
Thanks , as always , for your time and attention. Hope you found this post worthwhile.  I really do love this dress and can’t wait to wear it again 😉 . 

Yours truly , 

Jennifer

Xoxo

How To Wear It: Dressing Your Dress 

What’s not to love about the right dress? It’s a quick way to look pulled together and polished. There are no separates required, just slip on and zip. However, if you do feel like mixing it up, a dress is an easy and versatile way of showing off your personal style. Add a blazer, cardigan, leather jacket, sweater , or colorful tights to make the look your own. 

I found these dresses at thredup.com , necklaces at @style_by_alana / luluavenue.com and bracelets at alexandani.com. 

I found similar , gorgeous dresses available right now. I included both a ‘steal ‘ and a ‘splurge’ just for fun. 

Hope you feel inspired to style ( or re-style) dresses in your own wardrobe or shop for just the right one to add to your collection.  

    
    

   
  

 
    
   And remember … 
 
Thanks so much for visiting my blog. I truly appreciate your time and attention! 

Yours truly , 

Jennifer

Xoxo

Spruce Up Your Spring Wardrobe With a Fresh New Neck Scarf

Spruce Up Your Spring Wardrobe With a Fresh New Neck Scarf

Balenciaga red shawl
matchesfashion.com

Hermès silk shawl
therealreal.com

Gucci silk shawl
$140 – tessabit.com

Moschino silk handkerchief
$82 – forzieri.com

Retro scarve
elizabetta.net

Silk shawl
smile.amazon.com

ASOS paisley bandana
$8.64 – asos.com

Cowboy bandana
urbanoutfitters.com

Paisley bandana
$5.75 – newlook.com

Red bandana
$5.75 – newlook.com

Wool and the Gang Bea Bandana
$79 – woolandthegang.com

Opposites Attract! 

There is only one rule I believe in when it comes to style – Always wear what you want to wear. 

However, there is one thing I tend to do a lot. I pair opposite items such as casual with dressy , masculine with feminine , or trendy with classic to create new looks. 

I often pair classic, casual , must-have jackets with party dresses. 

    
 
I love the way a fitted , masculine blazer can make a flirty dress more serious, or can be softened by a floral dress.  

    
 
All dresses and jackets above are from thredUP.com. 

I love the combination of a feminine dress and rugged boots. I added faux leather leggings to the combo to add a little trendiness to an otherwise classic look.  This tunic is from journeyfive.com.

   
Here are some more ideas for pairing masculine and feminine pieces. 

    
 
All bracelets are from Alex & Ani. It is an eco-friendly jewelry and lifestyle brand. The bracelets are made from recycled or vintage articles. They create bangles in conjunction with charities to promote fundraising campaigns. This is the ‘Hero’ bangle, which was designed for Hasbro Children’s Hospital , located in Providence, RI. 20% of all sales of this bracelet goes directly to the hospital.  

These are a few of my favorite sets from Alex & Ani:  

  

  

 You can follow @alexandani on both twitter and Instagram to see their latest designs.  

Thanks so much for your time and attention.

Yours truly,

Jennifer

Xoxo