Dotted

[Pants: Forever 21; Top: Forever 21; Cardigan: J.Crew via Buffalo Excahnge; Shoes: Dolce Vita (similar); Nails: Essie 'Sew Psyched']

Not much to say here. Just really, really, really sick of snow. 

All photos by Mikhail Glabets

So Wrong

[Top: thrifted; Pants; Francesca's; Loafers: Cole Haan; Necklaces: Joyo; Watch: Nixon; Ring: Aloha Sunday] 

Conventional wisdom indicates that a top with puffy sleeves and shoulder pads is just wrong. But my newfound love for thrifting and of elements of 80's and 90's fashion throws that idea out the window. I mixed this top with the more current baroque-style pants and my favorite geometric jewelry to give it a more modern edge. But as Heidi Klum told us in last weeks' Project Runway, going all the way 80's is just wrong. (Seriously, two of my favorite designers there created a strapless gold prom dress with the bottom 18 inches covered in ruffles. Shudder.)

All photos by Mikhail Glabets

Sartorially Inspired

Sometimes I see photos of street fashion and think I can never come up with such crazy outfit combinations.

And then I see photos like this, and think, yes, that I can do, and that I love.

via The Sartorialis

I noticed style surrounding New York Fashion Week can be so outlandish, but I love the more refined, minimalist sensibilities of these European fashionistas. They look so cool and understated and not like they spent hours dressing to catch a photographer's eye.

Anyways, here's my interpretation.

[Sweater: Thrifted; Jeans: Old Navy; Pumps: Zara; Coat; Gap (thrifted!!); Necklace; BaubleBar; Ring: Forever 21; Watch: Nixon; Nails: Essie 'Sew Psyched']

You can't really get more basic than jeans, a sweater, and a good wool coat, but that photo from The Sartorialist was a reminder of just how chic that combination can be.

I took some liberties with the jewelry (and posing), though.  

All photos by Mikhail Glabets

Texture Overload

 [Blazer: Forever 21 (similar); Shirt: Behnaz Sarafpour for Target, via Buffalo Exchange; Pants: Francesca's (similar); Shoes: Zara; Ring & Earrings: Forever 21; Nails: OPI 'Skyfall']

I would normally balk at sticking a shiny pink & grey blazer, lace top, and black baroque print pants all in one outfit. But I couldn't find the right dress to wear to my office holiday party earlier this month (all my dresses are suited for the summer months), and this combination seemed to provide just the right dressy feel. I've since stocked up on some more season appropriate dresses, and I guess will have to wait until next year's office soiree to sport them. Unless any of you has a fancy party you'd like to invite me to? 

All photos by Mikhail Glabets

Layers of Leopard

[Sweater: Barney's New York Outlet (old, last seen here); Blouse: J.Crew Factory; Jeans: Citizens of Humanity (similar); Booties: Report; Beanie: Asos (similar)]

A full-on leopard blouse seems like a very audacious wardrobe choice, so to get away with wearing it at work and more traditional dress code sessions, I layered it under this cozy sweater. Layers cover multitude of sins. 

All photos by Mikhail Glabets

Hunter Green

[Sweater: Banana Republic (last year, but similar); Pants: Forever 21; Shoes: Restricted via DSW (sold out now, but I am loving this similar pair); Earrings: H&M (old); Ring: Forever 21 (similar)]

Hunter green is really the perfect color name for this particular pair of pants. Because I literally hunted them down. After I embraced the colored jeans thing with this purple pair (six months after everyone else, I know), I decided I wanted another pair or two in a classic, pretty jewel tone for winter. (Sorry, "Oxblood" just hasn't been my color EVER, so I'll stay away from that trend.) I loved this green, so I ordered the pants on Forever 21's website. It seemed suspicious when they weren't shipping after a week, and I then got the heartbreaking news (overdramatic much?) that the order had been mysteriously cancelled and the pair was suddenly out of stock online.

Well, I still wasn't over it a couple weeks later when we were in California, and used our touristy moment in Santa Monica to hop into the Forever at the Third Street Promenade. They were there!

And so worth the hunt. They're comfy and a pretty shade of green that I am excited to pair with just about everything I own this winter (but especially the blues and blacks pictured here).

PS. I know my poses are whacky in this post. Not sure what happened there, but I'm making you suffer through these images so you can hear the story of my pants hunt.

All photos by Mikhail Glabets

Black & White

[Top: Old Navy; Jeans: Gap (similar); Shoes: Old Navy (sold out, I love these flats for fall); Necklace: J.Crew factory; Bracelet: flea market] 

I loved seeing black and white graphic prints all over the spring 2013 runways. It's such a modern and fresh combination and can go so many different ways (duh Erin, they're like the two most basic neutral colors ever). In this case, black top and white jeans. I added a pop of blue in the shoes to punch up the otherwise minimalist look.

All photos by Mikhail Glabets 

Out on the Town

[Dress: Target (last year, similar dress from Modcloth here); Necklace: J.Crew factory (I love these cool mint and turquoise ones from BaubleBar); Booties: Report; Ring: Forever 21] 

I wore this getup for an awesome night out during a recent bachelorette weekend in NYC. I know what you're thinking: "That's your apartment, Erin, NOT New York." Correct. There were way more important things to do than take outfit pictures that weekend! But I still loved the look and played a bit of dressup in my kitchen once I got settled in back here.

This also marks the official start of my love affair with these booties. I have them in the tan color and black and plan on wearing them with everything from dresses to skirts to skinnies to pajamas (kidding). This is me slowly embracing fall clothing.

All photos by Mikhail Glabets

Snapshot of #StyleMeJuly

Hellooooo. I thought I'd give you a quick preview of what I've been up to with #StyleMeJuly (this month's rendition of the awesome style photo prompts put on by Hilary Rushford; more info here). Some of these outfits make it over to the blog, but others live inside Instagram. Here are some of the ones I had the most fun with this month.

Day 6 "Channeling Audrey"

[Top: Crossroads Trading Co. (last seen here)]

Oh how I would love to wear Audrey's signature black Givenchy dress, or the more casual pearls-polo-scarf-skirt seen here. I had to make do with what was in my closet, so I pulled out a 60's-era vintage blouse with the neck scarf already built in (talk about efficiency!).

Day 10 "Retro Moment"

[Shorts: Banana Republic outlet (last seen here); Pink Oxford: Gap, swapped; Sweater: Forever 21; Shoes: Sperry]

Retro might call to mind bell bottoms and a giant afro, or a super short, geometric print mod dress, but I went a different route with this one. I had recently seen pictures of Jackie O on a boat looking oh so preppy, and I wanted to channel that. The loose seersucker Bermuda shorts, striped sweater layered over Oxford shirt, and boat shoes did the trick for me.

Day 11 "Dots and Circles"

[Scarf: H&M; Shirt: Old Navy]

Why stop at one polka dot pattern? I know I just confessed being fed up with crazy pattern and color mixing, but dots get a special dispensation. I love the vibrant blue of the scarf, and the fact that the shirt is so comfortable and soft it feels like I'm wearing pajamas.

Hope you join in on the fun for the rest of this month! Spamming your friends' Instagram feeds with wardrobe pictures feels less and less awkward over time, I swear.

No-fuss Neutrals: 5 Awesome Blogger Looks This Week

I like color just as much as the next girl (maybe more, just look at my header). But I'm starting to feel exhausted by the head-to-toe neon, neons and pastels, color color color, maximalism, patterns times five, etc. that's been everywhere this spring and summer. (Alexandra of To Vogue or Bust just shared some great thoughts on this same concept).

Burnout, I guess. Speaking of, it's also just too hot lately for all these layers and elements in one outfit! As a result, you've seen in me in not one, but TWO black and white outfits this week. I'm pretty sure I haven't worn that color scheme in the history of this blog up until now (yes, all four, long months of it).

[My take on black & white, here and here]

I still love color, but I am feeling inspired by muted, soft, understated looks lately. I'm starting to realize this is probably why the 90's era of Calvin Klein minimalism came about: as a reaction to the over-the-top everything from the 80's.

I think others are ready for a bit of a break from the color explosion. I say that because three bloggers who I read regularly (and am used to seeing in rather dramatic hues and patterns) went for the neutrals this week. Their looks are surprising and lovely, so I wanted to round them up. (I've included images for the ones I've received permission to and will continue to update with more; the rest you will have to click through to see for yourself!)

1. Frassy: Muted

It's all in the blog name. Frassy's style is usually full of sass, color, cutouts, and sky-high heels. This time she went for a demure navy and gray-ish beige dress, a classic hat, and brown brogues.

2. Viva Luxury: Basically Black

Annabelle has a knack for combining bright, citrusy colors in ways you never thought possible, without look contrived, childish, or downright clashing. And seriously layering some jewelry. But she looked just as great in this effortless black dress, black sandals, and gold statement jewelry. A true chameleon.

3. Sincerely Jules: Pink Lady

Yes, I get that she's wearing hot pink. But she's wearing it over the most-neutral-of-all-neutral colors: beige. The result is still sleek and classic. Jules says it perfectly herself: "After wearing this yesterday, I realized I need to purchase and wear more solid basics from head to toe." She's actually been pulling a lot of cool neutral, polished looks this week, a slight departure (IMO) from her casual but bright California vibe.

These last two have a great knack for neutrals all the time, so their looks aren't anomalies at all. But they're so pretty I thought they were worth including!

4. The Glamourai: Silver Bullet

        

Kelly's taste is pretty impeccable, and today's look beautifully and creatively displays this fact.

5. Wendy's Lookbook: Classic Pencil, Slim Trousers & Nude Pumps

The slight details (polka dot sheer blouse, textured clutch) give this cream-and-black look some punch. I love those high-waisted pants she has; so modern and chic! I wish I had the torso (and budget) for them myself.

What do you think? Have we burned ourselves out with color too early on in the warm weather season? Or am I taking it all for granted now? Will I be fed up with navy, browns, and gray in December and desperately reverting to a fuschia/chartreuse getup? Am I crazy? Do you even care? Tell me!

Black & Lace

[Top: Behnaz Sarafpour for Target, via Buffalo Exchange; Shorts: Forever 21; Sandals: DSW; Bangle: SoWa Vintage]

I'm playing the black and white card again this week. And getting wild with some grey in there. This shirt has come a long way, though. It appeared in my first outfit post on this blog, back here.

All photos by Mikhail Glabets

Minimalist

[White Blouse: Forever 21 (earlier this season); Black Skirt: Banana Republic outlet (old); Sandals: Target (old); Leopard Bracelet: SoWa Vintage Market]

I've been on a classic/minimalist kick recently, thanks to my summer reading: I Love Your Style, by Amanda Brooks. You'll hear lots more about this book, as it's recently joined the ranks of my favorite style-related things (alongside stripes and Atlantic-Pacific).

Amanda talks about how minimalism requires a sense of editing and restraint. I love that. I was immediately challenged to look at my closet and see how I could exercise that discipline and effortlessness with my current wardrobe. I'm still trying my hand at the whole thing, but I thought a black and white ensemble was an easy way to dive in and experiment with minimalist style. It was hard to resist the instinct to jazz up the outfit with piles of jewelry, but I'm pleased with the result, and the carefully chosen single leopard bangle. I thought the strappy sandals added a simple but interesting sense of detail and shape to the outfit. 

Stay tuned for more black and white looks, and lots more dishing on what I've learned and loved from I Love Your Style. 

All photos by Mikhail Glabets

Black & Blue

[Dress: Forever 21 (appears to be sold out, but another cool colorblock option here); Shoes: Ruche; Sunglasses: Ray-Ban Boyfriend; Earrings: BaubleBar; Bracelets: J.Crew and Flea Market; Nails: Essie: Muchi Muchi] 

I promise you'll see my eyes again soon; it's just been really sunny out lately, so the glasses are a must. And yes, I'm posing in parking lot. 

On a completely different note, I am going to do something unusual for me and wax poetic about Forever 21 (sense the sarcasm?). No, but really. A lot of friends remark that the store is overwhelming and intimidating when they try to shop there, and I would agree if I hadn't spent the last 10 years fine-tuning the art of navigating it. If you're looking to get your toes wet, check out the store's Love 21 division, which is described as "contemporary." By that, I see nicer fabrics, more refined styles, flattering (i.e. not soooooo tight) fits, and an overall modern, chic look. Now, I think all corners of the store have gems if you look hard enough, but Love 21 has already sort of sifted through all the clutter for you.

I say all this to point you to my dress, which comes from the Love 21 line and called my name when I saw it in the store. The classic ladylike shape, cute bow, and skirt in my favorite color had me at hello. I styled with minimal jewelry and t-strap, kitten heel sandals that also play to the girlish vibe.

All photos by Mikhail Glabets 

Closet Remix: Neutrals and Leather

[Brown Top: Barney's New York Outlet; Black Tank Dress: H&M; Leggings: Target; Jacket: Cole Haan (old); Boots: J.Crew (old), Purse: Bag: Vintage Coach, thrifted; Scarf: H&M (old); Earrings: BaubleBar, Necklace: Forever 21 (old)]

Black, brown, and leather. This outfit looks more fall than spring. But it's been chilly here, and this look is comfy but still different. The jacket was a recent re-discovery from my closet. My mom had bought it on sale for me years ago and I thought it was odd at first (mustard yellow leather?), but I've come around to realize it's pretty interesting and just enough to spunk up an outfit. I had forgotten about it for most of this year, but was very happy when I realized it was just cool but just warm enough out to wear right about now. Some simple jewelry added another color pop to the very neutral outfit.

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

All photos by Mikhail Glabets