Green Dress > Chambray Shirt > What I Wore

One of my favorite ways to wear certain dresses is layered over other garments. A simple dress can easily be thrown on over a pair of leggings, a tank top, a turtleneck, or even a button down, as shown here. This is especially important to remember as the weather continues to cool down. Don't stop rockin' your favorite sun dress just because the season has changed! This green cotton tank dress almost begs to be partnered with colorful leg wear, tees, blouses, and sweaters, so much so that I actually hardly ever wear it on it's own. It actually reminds me of wearing jumper dresses when I was a little girl. Remember those? 

Well, knowing how to layer a dress won't just spark nostalgia, keep you warm, and prevent you from dying of boredom, but it will save space in your suitcase when you're traveling. I once packed this same dress for a week long trip to New York in the dead of winter and probably wore it about 4 different times, with no two outfits looking alike.

Green Dress x Forever 21 (a different green here, a longer one here) > Chambray Shirt x H&M (here's a nice option, and another here) > Leather Belt x Urban Outfitters > Denim Heels x Alloy (a VERY different version, but very bad ass) > Feather Ear Cuff x BohoFunk

Mixed Black and White Prints

Mixed prints were all over the runways this fall and I'm sure you've noticed them featured in many a store window display, magazine ad, and fashion blog street style snap. Mixing prints can add whimsy and a unique edge to an otherwise everyday outfit. However, it can be difficult to pull off, and despite it's sometimes seemingly haphazard, accidentally awesome look, actually requires a bit of skill (and a little imagination) to orchestrate. The key is to find prints that share some DNA, and by that I mean, have some similarities. For everyone new to this fashion trick, the mixed black and white print is the perfect trend to practice on. You already have the commonality right there. Boom. 

Now, I recommend, for starters, you pick a theme. Mine was "tribal" or "ethnic". You know how I love a tribal print! I paired an off white and black tee with an over sized, very graphic tribal print with an off white and black skirt featuring a smaller, sort of abstract print and a border of elephants around the bottom. I actually created two looks with these pieces. The first is a casual, sort of edgy look that might be appropriate for a fun night out and the second is work appropriate. To create the more conservative look, I simply added a blazer and pumps. The addition of the top layer toned down the bold print of the tee and tied the two prints together.

Quick Tips for Mixing Prints

Create a theme, character or story for your outfit

Pick prints that share DNA

Tie prints together with the addition of a layer or accessory that features a color prominent in your prints

Have fun with it

Tee Shirt x Forever 21 > Elephant Print Skirt x Charlotte Russe > 3/4 Sleeve Blazer x Olsenboye (here's a VERY cute one) > Obi Belt x Asos (still available here) > Necklace x H&M > Kente Cloth Bracelet x Aqueene from Nines Queens Crew > Sandals x Jessica Simpson

White Tee > High Waist Jeans > Yellow Blazer > What I Wore

It was a lovely day in southern Cali, so my fiance and I took advantage of the sunshine and a few moments of free time to go have breakfast. We followed that up with an afternoon of shopping downtown. I made sure to wear the most comfortable pair of sandals that I own, and by the end of the day, I was glad I'd thought a little more about function than fashion, though I do think this pair is pretty cute.

V Neck Tee x Forever 21 > Yellow 3/4 Sleeve Blazer x Cotton On (super cute option here) > High Waist Jeans x Urban Outfitters (good alternatives here and here) > Beaded Necklace x H&M > Leopard Print Skinny Belt x Asos (surprisingly, still available here) > Sandals x 12th Street by Cynthia Vincent

Leopard blouse+Sequined jacket+Cold=Awesomeness

In an effort to be cute and fight a cold while at work, I think I pulled it off pretty smartly.

I like to shop, but lately I've been attempting to be a little more frugal with my money. So I decided to rummage through my closet to see what I have. Through my search I found: a sequined zip-up jacket that I got from H&M. The leopard print button down blouse I got for $4 from Goodwill the day before this picture was taken. The skinny jeans and jewelry are all from Francesca's collections. My booties I got from Payless when Payless was just starting to get a little more pricey about 3 or 4 years ago, however my booties cost me $9.99. The purse is a Steve Madden purse that I purchased from Planet Funk when it was in existence 3 years ago.

I know that this image is blurry, but I wanted to show it to say: No matter what you do and how you feel, just have fun. I was a little sickly and it was the end of the night, but my camera lady made me laugh and captured that moment.

Miss Reke

Denim Shirt > White Skirt > What I'm Wearing

Despite everyone's acceptance of wearing white after Labor Day, it's not a practice that I generally participate in. Call me old fashioned, but I do like the idea of certain "fashion rules" -- You know, silk in the summer, tweed, corduroy, and velvet in the winter. I'm also the type of person that doesn't like for her food to touch on the plate, so there you have it. However, it has been so hot in Los Angeles for the past few weeks, that rules, whether they make sense or not, no longer apply. The triple digit daytime temperatures and hot, humid nights have defied all logic, so all bets are off when it comes to getting dressed!

Chambray Shirt - H&M (similar styles here and here) > White Skirt - C&C California (similar styles: here and here) > Tribal Beaded  Sandals - Bakers Shoe Store (a cute option here) > Belt - Urban Outfitters (I think this may be the same one. And it's on sale! > Earrings - BOHOFunk