Featured Fashionista Next Door: Leslie

I'm very excited about my first Featured Fashionista Next Door! Meet Leslie from Fashion Du Jour!  First of all, let me say that Leslie is absolutely gorgeous and she has dimples to die for! And if natural beauty wasn't enough, she also has fabulous style! Oh and can you believe she has great two toddlers? That's right...two toddlers! and she works full time! Sheesh!

Leslie is showing us how to wear one of this summer's most debated trends...CLOGS! A few weeks ago in this post I created a few looks with clogs after reading a post by Nikita over at The Fashion Files, where she mentioned that she just can't get with the clog trend, and I quote " I hate them. They're clunky, I'm positive they're cankle inducing. They also look like hooves."  Nikita is definitely not the only fashionista who feels that way.  I did a little poll on my sidebar and the results were about 50/50.  I happen to love clogs but I definitely think its about finding the right clog, and wearing them with the right outfit.  I love the three looks Leslie's rocking with her clogs below, although Leslie admits that until she bought her own clogs she also HATED them...

Leslie's clogs (purchased at DSW) are more of a traditional clog, but this season's clogs come in a variation of styles... open toe, peep toe, ankle strap, stiletto, lucite, clog boots... you name it, designers have clogged it! (was that corny? Lol)

 

Check out Leslie's blog for more pics of her fabulous style!!! You won't be disappointed!  I swear she has some of the best vintage finds!  This won't be the last time you'll see Leslie featured on the Fashionista Next Door...She and I are actually partnering up for a One item, Two Looks feature where we'll each wear the same item styled completely different ways!  Stay tuned....

Here are some other varieties of clogs that I'm loving!  By the way, I still have not purchased clogs for myself yet! I know, I know... I seem to be their biggest fan, so why haven't I bought any yet? Well, the ones I want are just not in the budget (although I've probably bought enough little stuff here and there that equaled the cost of one pair of fab clogs!  What can I say some times it's the QUANTITY of goodies that matters most...spoken like a true shopaholic!)

More Free People...

So, what about you? Are you rockin clogs this summer?


Thanks for stopping by!!!

P.S.  You could be the next Featured Fashionista Next Door!!! Submission details can be found on the side bar!  (Olivia, I'm waaaaaaiting! Lol)

Closed Toe Summer Shoes...

I received the following message on Facebook from a friend who is also a dedicated Fashionista Next Door reader.  Instead of responding to her directly, I thought I'd post my reply, complete with pictures here! I have totally been in this situation myself! I dropped a table on my big toe one Christmas two months before my cousin's wedding...smh! My toenail turned black and eventually fell off to make way for a brand new clear toenail (gross, right!), but sadly not in time for the wedding.

Melea writes...

"so I may be coming to you for random style advice....... I busted my big toe at the airport and now its all bandaged up. Have a party Thursday night and sandals are out of the question.. . any advice on cute, closed-toed, shoes for summer? my first instinct is a nude pump, but that seems so basic, any ideas?"

Well, Melea there are sooo many closed toe shoe options this summer... The nude pump is obviously a winner! Nude pumps go with just about anything and make your legs look like they go on forever...some other options that are HOT this summer include brogues and oxfords and...clogs! I say that with a bit of hesitation but I happen to like clogs and they are totally on trend.  Denim is also hot, hot, hot this summer, and a denim pump is very appropriate for summer!  and of course, we can't forget about leopard pumps.  Animal print has been hot for a while now, and leopard pumps are a great statement shoe.

Here are some great closed toe options I found online, that I think would complement any summer ensemble quite nicely.  Of course, you need them by tomorrow so ordering online may not work, but I hope you'll find some inspiration in these options...

A Closed Toe Summer by eboni.ife featuring Steve Madden shoes

I am not sure what the attire is for your shindig tomorrow but I took the liberty of creating a look using the woven clogs above.  I am kinda drooling over these clogs but they are $200 sooooo I doubt they'll be coming home anytime soon.  Rompers are all the rage this summer, and the floral print on this romper is super fun and flirty and easy to dress up or down with accessories.

Clogs by eboni.ife featuring Argento Vivo earrings

Now, if you're more a risk taker you could also throw on some nice trouser socks with your fave sandal and keep it trucking. Socks with heels has been a hot trend for the last couple years.  I actually haven't ventured off into this trend myself, but I do love it and I always think it looks fab when I see other people do it.  Rihanna and Leighton Meester pull off the look quite well, don't you think?

Lastly, when it comes to summer look don't feel confined to "summer shoes."  I personally love the look of rugged boots with flirty summer ensembles.  I reworked the floral romper above for a more casual look pairing it with a denim vest and motorcycle boots.

Motorcycle Boots by eboni.ife featuring Siwy Jeans vests

Well, Melea, I hope these ideas are helpful!!! Have fun Friday! I am sure you're gonna look fabulous.  I'll look forward to seeing pictures on Facebook!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Fashion's Prisoner

I bought this black & white maxi dress at Forever 21 (with the gift card I won..thanks Chanel Craves) and I am totally smitten with it. It fits sooooo well. I kinda wanna go back and buy another one! Oh, and I can't help thinking prison stripes when I look at it. I don't know if that's a good thing? hmmm. Anyway, I actually created another One Item, Five Looks ensemble, and uploaded it to Fabsugar this afternoon *crossing my fingers*, but of course I am going to share all five looks with my dedicated followers...feature or no feature!

Speaking of dedicated followers, I can't it enough...I truly appreciate you all reading my blog loyally and leaving such nice comments! It keeps me going and inspires me to put my best foot forward, and not get lazy!

Speaking of lazy, I know you guys probably think I've forgotten about my hair challenge. No, no, no! That is not the case at all, although I have had a hard time getting up early to diffuse my mane.  I have been putting effort into my ponytails and I've tried to add little creative touches instead of just brushing it straight back into a bun.  even though, I haven't met my goal of no more than two ponytails a week, I do feel like I have gotten out of my hair rut!  Today was the worst hair day I've had in a while.  I woke up early, washed and diffused my hair and it just would not comply with me AT ALL! It was soooo bushy, and frizzy, and just plain UGH! So, I decided to do a small french braid with my bangs, pinned back into a big bushy, frizzy ponytail.  I was still annoyed with the ponytail to be honest, but I can deal with a frizzy pony anyway over a frizzy mop top!

What I'm Wearing Today...

~ Forever 21 Striped Maxi (In stores now, and online here)

~ brown belt

~ Steve Madden brown gladiator sandals

~ Forever 21 Necklace

~ H&M silver bangle (are you sick of it yet?)

~ Random white bangle

~ Tiffany's toggle necklace worn as a bracelet

~ Target silver tone hoop earrings
(I bought some new hoops at Forever 21 too! Yippee!)

...and here are the other four looks! I won't go into detail on all the other components of each look here, but when I wear them for real I'll definitely include all that info!

I can't decide which look is my favorite. Ironically, the look that I wore today is on the bottom of the list.  What I do know is I could wear this dress every day and be perfectly happy. Lol!  

Which look is your favorite???

Thanks for stopping by!!

P.S.  Do you have an idea for your own One Piece, Five Ways??? Submit your looks to be featured on my blog!!! Email me at fashionista.next.door@gmail.com.

Yay! Another Feature: Fabsugar Look of the Day

Remember this post?  Well, my $9.99 Goodwill blazer outfit was selected as today's Fabsugar Look of the Day! Yay! I am so flattered!  Check out the full feature here! Thank you, Fabsugar!!!  By the way, I really love this blazer and I am itching to wear it again soon. Please forgive me if it becomes a summer wardrobe staple.  I'll try not to wear it out!

Side Note: I wish I had submitted a picture where I was smiling.  I look kinda mean in this picture, don't ya think?  For those of you who have been reading a while, you know that I am far from that! And if you know me in real life, you know that I am annoyingly giggly, actually! Lol!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Insired by "The Old Carrie"

It goes without saying that the fashion in The Sex and The City was fabulous, but for me personally it was the simple outfits that resonated the loudest.  Perhaps because they were more reminiscent of the digs the girls wore on the actual series? I mean Carrie was fabulous on the show, but her fabulosity was a tad bit more "around the way" on the show, in my opinion.  For me the outfit she wore in the scene below where she stands in front of her old closet was the epitome of the Carrie we all know and love.  "Around the way" chic + FABULOUS shoes!  Anyway, I've been wanting to recreate the look and today was the day.  I already had everything I needed right in my closet (surprise, surprise!).

What Carrie Wore...

What I'm Wearing...

~ "shirt tail tee"

~ pink skirt circa 2006

~ Tommy Hilfiger green and white striped pumps circa 2006

~ Lal denim button down shirt, purchased at TJ Maxx

~ Forever 21 Necklace, purchased last week with the gift card I won in the Chanel Craves giveaway

(I have a lot more goodies to share with you guys!)

~ H&M silver bangle (duh!)

~ Random white plastic bangle

~ Target silver tone hoop earrings (duh!)

It was actually really gloomy in LA today so I grabbed my denin shirt on the way out the door  I thought it made for nice addition to my look today.  It's kinda like two looks in one, don't ya think?

 Thanks for stopping by!!!

One Scarf, Five Ways...

All you Fabsugar fans out there may have already noticed their new feature One Piece, Five Ways! Similar to their Look of the Day feature, Fabsugar readers can upload pics of themselves wearing one fab item, five different ways, to create five fabulous looks.  If your looks are selected, you'll be featured on Fabsugar and will officially be THEE most Fabulous Fashionista to be praised and adored by all other Fashionista across the globe. Lol, okay maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but it would be pretty awesome to be featured, right?

I uploaded my first One Piece, Five Ways submission this afternoon!  Remember the scarf I wore as a belt in this post?  Well, I decided to use the scarf to create four more looks.  I am crossing my fingers in hopes of being featured, but either way I wanted to share my 5 looks with you all.  Let me know what you think!

One Scarf, Five Ways (click picture to enlarge)

1. Scarf worn as a halter top
2. Scarf worn as a...scarf!
3. Scarf tied on to my purse strap as a little accent piece 
4. Head scarf (perfect for "chic" bad hair days!)
5. Scarf worn as a belt

What do you guys think? I'd love to see my readers be featured on Fabsugar too! Do you think you can come up with 5 fabulous looks with one piece? If so, go submit your looks on Fabsugar, and if you're interested in featuring them on The Fashionista Next Door, I'd love to post them here too! Email your looks to me at fashionista.next.door@gmail.com if you're interested!

I've also got some Goofy Pics coming up later! So stay tuned....

One last thing! A special shout out to all my new readers! I am sure that many of you found my blog because of my SWEET giveaway, but I hope you stick around for some goofy pics and fashion ramblings from time to time!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

More Than Just a Trend...

photo credit - Style.com

The Spring 2010 runways of Gucci, Van Noten, Givenchy, March Jacobs and the list goes on and on, declared that tribal prints were an absolute must have for our spring and summer wardrobes and of course, spring arrived, and along with it came throngs of FABULOUS mass produced ethnic inspired caftans, tribal printed shifts, harem pants, woven bags and accessories. Today, I was browsing Style.com and I stumbled across this video of Liya Kebede at the Spring 2010 Lemlem Look Book shoot and I was reminded that these tribal prints are inspired the traditional, gorgeous, HANDMADE goods by masterful artisans who produce clothing for reasons far beyond the latest fashion trend. Providing a source of income and every day clothing, their beautiful tapestries and handmade goods are created out of necessity.

Kebede's Lemlem collection was born in 2007, introducing a gorgeous line of children's clothing, handmade in Ethiopia by weavers using traditional weaving techniques. Not surprisingly, the line was a hit and Lemlem quickly expanded the line to include a collection for women. While Lemlem continues to make its mark on the fashion world, it has also become a means of sustenance for what may have been seen as a dying art form in Ethiopia. Modernization, in all it's splendor, comes at a price. Ethiopian weavers were essentially being pushed out of the market, and their one of a kind handmade goods replaced by mass produced, cost efficient (and fabulous) replicas. At the heart and soul of Lemlem is Kebede's desire to preserve this gorgeous artform and provide employment opportunities in her homeland.

As you're looking for ethnic or tribal inspired pieces to complete your spring and summer wardrobe, don't forget Lemlem!  Here are few of my fave pieces from the Spring 2010 collection.  View the entire collection on the Lemlem website!

Lucy Tunic - $175.00

Tibeb Jacket - $195.00

Tibeb Bag - $195.00

 Nazret Wrap - $78.00

And I just LOVE these adorable belts from the children's line...

All Lemlem photos were taken from http://lemlem.com

Thanks for stopping by!!