Looks of the Week
Raise your hand if you hate the Monday after a short week… Me! Me! {Picture me jumping up & down} Well, there’s nothing like some fabulous Summer fashion to help you cope with a rough day. So here’s a little something to help you take the edge off.
Yes, this is a sundress, but it’s so much more. The darker, moodier florals and the blue platforms take it from basic to fabulous. Well done.
Such a sweet, retro-inspired Summer look. Love the lacy white top & shorts, but the white sunglasses & bow-topped headband stole the show in my opinion.
Can you picture a cuter travel outfit? Chic and put together, but not overly fussy. Love the black & white, killer bag & accessories, and that hat is adorable!
Killer!
So cute! Chic and perfect for summer. Wouldn’t change a thing!
This dress reminds me of the Kate Moss for Mango tuxedo dress that I bought earlier this year.
Fabulous. Head to toe fabulous. Love the colors and the cut & silhouettes of the separates.
These boots are fabulous but I especially love them paired with this patterned sweated and scarf. Great layering.
While I’m definitely a sucker for a Peter Pan collar, I have to admit that the overall sweet retro feel to this look is what really got my attention. Those shorts are too cute!
Check out some fabulous Do It Yourself projects here for a too cute Leather Peter Pan Collar Necklace DIY that you can easily do if you’re feeling crafty this weekend.
This look has a little edge, and after all of the maxi dresses, sundresses, and pleated skirts I’ve been seeing all Summer, this type of look is really appealing. Killer accessories!
This is just the type of look that I like to throw together during the day on weekends, casual but a chic combination of great pieces – love the coat – and accessories. J’adore those shoes!
How was everyone’s weekend? Did you relax after a hectic 4th of July week or continue the celebrating and make it a long holiday weekend?
The Little Black Dress
“You can never be over – or underdressed in a Little Black Dress.” – Karl Lagerfeld
As far as I’m concerned, truer words have never been spoken. When Coco Chanel invented the Little Black Dress (aka LBD) in the 1920’s she had no idea what she was opening the fashion world up to. And with that brilliant idea the color of mourning was transformed into the chicest color of them all and the cocktail dress became the epitome of style and elegance.
In the years since its origination the LBD has come in many guises – formal, informal, short, midi, strapless, long sleeves, cotton, velvet, silk, lace, satin…
Evening-Appropriate:
The original LBD was intended for an evening out on the town and that tradition definitely lives on in this day in age.
Short, sassy, chic.
Perfection! It's fun and sexy and one-of-a-kind. What more could you ask for in a cocktail dress?
Kristin's look is everything you want from a LBD - Fun and eye-catching. The fabric makes it unusual and catches your attention when she walks by and her accessories perfectly add that needed zing to the look. Also, the tights make it warm enough to wear year-around.
This is the perfect example of showing some skin in a LBD but keeping the look chic rather than tacky. She looks sexy as hell, but classy and tasteful.
And of course, we’ve got to discuss the 2012 red carpet It Girl who wore LBDs almost exclusively for her Girl With The Dragon Tattoo appearances and premieres…
If you want to up the drama for evening try cut outs, lace, or panels of sheer fabric. They give the illusion of showing more skin than you really are and give a dress a unique and one-of-a-kind feel. I love that despite the modernity of this Prabal Gurung dress, she still looks like Audrey Hepburn!
The quickest & easiest way to make a dress evening-ready is to add jewelry and killer heels! Just keep them in your day bag and pull then out when cocktail hour arrives.
Work-Appropriate:
Wearing a LBD for work is all about length and appropriateness. You’ll want to stick with a drama-free dress, something sleek and approaching knee-length would be ideal.
A slinky sheath dress is the ultimate LBD for the office. The clean lines and chic silhouette are perfect for work and depending on the neckline and sleeves all you may need is a blazer to be meeting-ready.
Obviously Cara's boots aren't the perfect office shoes, but this is a really cute dress that could easily fit into a business-casual office with the addition of tights and a pair of basic pumps in either black or a fun color.
A wrap or criss-cross front dress is a great option for the office. Depending on the formality of your dress code you may need to add a blazer, cardigan, or closed-toe shoes to this beautiful Bottega Veneta dress.
A LBD with sleeves is an easy choice if you're heading into work, virtually any hemline below mini skirt level will balance out with sleeves. And a dramatic shoulder like this gorgeous velvet Nina Ricci dress will make it stand out all the more!
And the best part of wearing a LBD to work? Take off your blazer or tights and switch up your shoes and you’re ready for a night out on the town!
Day-Appropriate:
Wearing a LBD during the day is a breeze, it’s all about picking one that suits your plans since they come in all shapes, sizes, and styles these days. Brunch, sight-seeing in a new city, traveling – You can easily add a little class to these activities with the perfect frock, dressed up or down.
You'll stand out in a crowd in a dress like this one! This type of dress could easily go from day to-night and she did a great job of keeping things casual by adding low-key accessories. Great platform t-straps and I like her decision to add the faux fur and leather jacket to stay warm. And that purse! 🙂
You can easily add a boho feel to your LBD with a cardigan or duster and layers and layers of funky jewelry. These boots are a great, unexpected way to finish this look off.
Adding brightly colored or patterned tights to a LBD is a great way to spice it up and make your look wholly original. I love love love the little white Peter Pan Collar on this Asos dress, it's definitely something I would wear with ballet flats!
Such a cute dress! The oversized pockets show you how little details can set a LBD apart from other dresses. And those shoes! Too cute - A fun, interesting alternative to ballet flats.
In my Real Girls Need Real Closets post I discussed the basics that a well-rounded wardrobe should contain – including the LBD. Similarly you can check out My Ten Essential Closet Pieces from Wendy’s Lookbook.
So what do you think? Are you ready to try adding a Little Black Dress to another part of your life?
Have a great weekend, I’ll be back from sunny Sea Ranch on Sunday with some great vacation clothes shots! If you’re interested in real-time updates, photos, and reading links that I’m loving, follow me on Twitter or Facebook.
Links You’ll Love
Fashion:
In the market for some new shoes? Refinery 29 and FabSugar have you covered on all fronts! Pump It Up: 10 Comfy-Chic Heels Every Working Girl Needsand 10 Super Chic Foldable Flats For the Girl on-the-Go.
Accessory obsessed? Real Simple has the goods on which baubles to buy – 7 Trendy Jewelry Pieces For Spring, WhoWhatWear shows you just what to put on your face Accessory Report: Retro Frames, and Mama’s A Rolling Stone has everything else you need for Spring – Style Essentials: Spring 2012.
In the mood for some fabulous vintage-inspired pieces? The Ulyana Sergeenko Spring/Summer 2012 Lookbook contains everything from gowns to floor length skirts to pin-up style one piece rompers.
Have you been enjoying the Do It Yourself articles that I’ve included in the last few Links You’ll Love posts? (The decoupage tray from Refinery 29, tuxedo pants & knockoff Chanel pants, sequined & beaded collared tops) You’ll love these two DIY suggestions!
- Are you a fan of all the gorgeous floral pants out there for Spring but unsure about dropping $100+ dollars on a short-lived trend? I Spy DIY walks you through how to make your own! [MY DIY] Painted T – You can apply this method to anything you’d like to freshen up for Spring – pants, a t-shirt, a canvas tote… The options are endless.
- I absolutely adore Peter Pan Collars (clearly) and was thrilled to discover Love Maegan’s Leather Peter Pan Collar Necklace DIY. Simple and chic.
Health/Fitness:
Are you a fan of the rush of endorphins you get after a workout or run? It might be evolution’s way of motivating you to hit the payment. heck out Science Daily’s Runner’s High Motivated the Evolution of Exercise.
I love to travel, but there’s one thing that never seems to get any easier – dealing with jet lag! Ever think about trying fasting? Steve Hendricks rights for Harper’s Magazine The Empty Stomach: Fasting to Beat Jet Lag.
Did you enjoy the Mark’s Daily Apple piece Why Fast? Part I – Weight Loss? that I shared a few weeks ago? Check out the next installment: Why Fast? Part II – How Fasting Fights Cancer.
Did you enjoy the breakfast ideas that I included in last week’s link post? Here are a few more ideas to spice up your breakfast routine:
- Easy Blueberry Cherry Granola from Yum Universe
- Strawberry Muffins (Gluten, dairy & sugar-free) from FitSugar
Personally, I love a little external inspiration to get me amped up and ready to hit the gym. Luckily Modelinia agrees and showed off some oh-so-fit Victoria’s Secret Angels in the new VSX Sexy Sport collection: Candice Swanepoel & Erin Heatherton Have Us Ready to Hit the Gym.
How about you, are you ready for a workout now? 🙂
Moi Contre La Vie 