Sequins Are Always Appropriate!

...as long as you know how to dress them down! Unfortunately, my life is not filled with galas and cocktail parties, but that doesn't mean I don't love to by cocktail dresses and pretty gowns from time to time. Lol! I will admit they are a weakness for me and if I catch one that I love on sale...it's mine! Even if I have no upcoming plans, and that my friends is how I ended up with this leopard print sequin cocktail dress, which I bought TWO YEARS AGO and have never had an opportunity to wear. (pardon the poor lighting. taking pictures inside is an art I have not yet mastered!)

Well, a couple weeks ago I was DETERMINED to wear the darn thing. Fab and I were going to dinner with a friend and I just went for it....and by it, I mean a totally revamped dress down spin on it.  Here is what I did....

I broke out my trusty dusty denim shirt layered over my olive green v-beck sweater, and threw on some brown leggings and brown leather booties! Viola! My cocktail dress is now in my winter wardrobe rotation!

I just can't figure out why I didn't think of this sooner. I've been staring at this dress in my closet for what seems like forever!  Of course, I went for the sequin skirt look here, but I think it would work well worn as a "casual" dress too... just thrown on a chunky sweater and boots, or tights and oxfords.

Side note: This my friends is what you get when I take my own pictures with a tripod... variations of the same pose against a blank wall. LOL! I'll work on it, I promise!  Anyway, back to the outfit. I know that you all have something in your closet like this...a dress that you bought for a special occasion and haven't worn since... you've contemplated getting rid of it, but you love it too much...Well, I say break it out and dress it down. You'll feel casually fabulous all day (or night) long!

My goodness, the lighting is bad in my house! Hmmm, not sure what do do about it... we have recessed lighting...suggestions?

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Over The Knee Socks, Part II (and my new winter hat!)

It rained the last couple days here in ATL and I thought there was no better time to break out my new hat! It's technically a fedora, but I push it down so far on my head that you can't even see the crease in the top of the hat anymore. Lol! what can I say, I guess I have a big head (no jokes, Fabrice! Lol).Whatever it is, I love it. You all know that I am pretty much obsessed with leopard print so I couldn't resist this hat when I saw the little leopard print trim and it was only $19.99 at TJ Maxx! Sold!  I used to have a lot more hats and I don't know where most of them have gone. I think its time to shore up my collection again!

Okay, the my confession is I just put that hat on specifically to take the pictures in the slide show. I was just so excited about it, but I did actually wear the hat yesterday.

Hat: TJ Maxx ($19.99) | Dress: Loehmann's | Sweater: Old | Tights: Merona, Target ($7) | Socks: Target ($5) | Boots: Bakers (ANCIENT) | Necklace: Dots | Gloves: Gift from Grandma

So, who reads Where Did You Get That?  Am I not not totally channeling my inner Karen in this next picture? She's always got on something that blows in the wind like a cape, and you know she loves her black brimmed hat!

I've had this sweater a while and Fabrice will tell you that I wore it EVERY DAY last winter. It was literally my uniform for the holidays when we traveled to the Bay Area to visit my family.  I layered it over EVERY outfit I wore. I am a naturally hot person (hot as in body temperate, as opposed to hot as in hottie!).  I am usually on the brink of a heat stroke in the colder months because everyone else is freezing and of course they feel the need to crank the heat, meanwhile my eyelashes feel like they are going to burst into flames, pools of sweat are starting to form under my arms (gross, I know!). For this reason, I rarely wear a heavy winter coat unless I am going to be outside for long periods of time. If it's just a matter of making it from the car to some one's HOT house, a heavy sweater will do the trick just fine.

Anyway, I've had these boots since 2007 I believe  I think they are pretty beat up looking these days and I've contemplated buying a new pair of black riding boots, but I am telling you I get so many compliments on these old things.  So if ain't broke, don't fix it, right?  I guess they are still doing their job -- keeping me warm and fashionable! so I guess they'll be sticking around for another winter.  One thing that I do love about them is the roomy shaft.  It's really easy to slide them over the thickest socks, legwarmers, and even non-skinny jeans.  Lord knows we've all bought those boots that were great in theory, but you couldn't stuff a pair of jeggings into them if your life depended on it.

As you can see I decided to give over-the-knee socks another go. I loved them much more this time, or I guess I should say I felt much more comfortable in them this time.  You may recall that last time I wore them I listed a couple things I'd change next time I broke them out.  Well, I took my own advice (lol) and paired them with tights instead of leggings this time -- sheer polka dot tights to be exact and I am so glad I did! The peek of sheer thigh added a little bit of understated sexiness, don't you think?  In contrast with the the flat boots and cable-knit socks , the tights made this look a little more ladylike.

Now, I know I've said this a million times before, but I'll say it again.  We all know that black is an easy go-to for classic and polished dressing, and obviously for easy sexy dressing (hello LBD!).  But playing with textures and proportions like I've done here also makes dressing in black FUN!  In fact, because black is what it is, you can afford to be a little more risky and play with trends like over the knee socks and patterned tights even if these trends are a little bit outside of your normal comfort zone.

So, did you run out and buy a pair of OTK socks yet?

Do you like patterned tights?

Thanks for stopping by!!!

How To: Over-the-knee Socks

The irony of this title is that I was really confused on how to wear over the knee socks.  All I knew was I really wanted to wear them ESPECIALLY after seeing how my good friend Olivia rocking them on her blog.  Sure all the young hipsters are wearing them, but the way they rock them is not totally my style and to be honest, what looks sweet & edgy on the 22 year old hipster's slim legs, looks trampy-prep-school-girl-gone wild on my not-so-slim legs.  Anyway, in retrospect I would probably make a few changes to my look, which I will explain below, but all in all I liked it.


Shirt & Sweater: Unkown | Skirt: Guess ( $10, sample sale) | Leggings & Socks: Target ($5 & $3.50) | Shoes: Go Jane ($37.50)

Funny story about this outfit... there was a crazy lightening storm in ATL and it knocked out our power Monday morning.  The word on the streets is I'll need to get used to these things now...ummmm okay! Oh, and I heard my very first tornado warning siren. ummm okay! So anyway, we got the power back on but the dang internet refused to come back up.  I work from home, and taking a day off wasn't an option so guess where I spent my day? In fact, guess where I am right now (day 2)... the good ol' public library. So, with my surprise trip to the public library on my mind as I got dressed, I channeled my inner rebellious private school girl and put together this look, which very much reminded me of my own private school days.  We used to roll our skirts to make them shorter and wear high socks like this.  I even had a pair of lace up guess boots that I barely got away with wearing with my uniform (they tried to make us wear saddle oxfords).  We had our sweaters and cardigans, and all the older girls used to let their shirt tails hang out.  Ahhh the good ol' days of making a fashion statement...even in a uniform.



So, I was originally planning on buying a few pairs of OTK socks on Asos because they have a lot of great options for about $7 but I stopped into target for some immediate gratification and was pleasantly surprised at the considerable number of options they had. They always have a ton of standard knee socks, but I don't think I recall seeing so many OTK socks before.  Anyway, they had a couple pairs on clearance for $3.50 and several other $5 options.  I picked up this gray pair, along with a black pair, and a striped gray, beige, and white pair.

I also learned that there are OTK socks and thigh-high socks... very different things! The thigh-high versions come up to about mid-thigh or higher, while the OTK versions come up from just above the knee to about quarter-thigh.  Of course, this also varies with height, but why is this important? Well, I found that for my thighs, which are not-so-slim up top, the thigh-high versions were very unflattering (to say the least). In fact, the ones I'm wearing here are thigh-high but I scrunched them down a little bit so they didn't cut off at the larger part of my thigh.

So, now let's talk about what I would change about this look in retrospect...

1. I would wear opaque tights instead of leggings. To be honest, the skirt was really an after thought when I realized the shirt wasn't long enough to give me the coverage I needed on my buns.  I can usually wear this shirt with leggings only, but the addition of the sweater vest caused the shirt to gather up a little and cut off some of the length. Anyway, I was too lazy to swap out the leggings for tights...oh well!
2. I would wear a more delicate shoe.  This shoe is a little too chunky with the shearling around the ankle and makes my legs look bigger. That plus the fact that the shoes are completely enclosed also makes my legs look shorter. It doesn't look bad, but it certainly isn't flattering.  A peep-toe bootie or sandal would have worked well here, or perhaps even my brown Sam Edelman laceups since they are open-toed and reveal a bit of the foot under the laces
3. If I had a full or pleated leather skirt, I'd be much happier, but I don't so whatevs.  I am NOT going to buy another leather skirt. I have a few! Lol. Either way, I do like the edge that just a little leather added to the ensemble.

What do you think of OTK socks?

How would you wear them?

Thanks for stopping by!!!

How to Dress Up Basic Black - Look #4

Look #4 Girl About Town, Part II

Black Blazer + Oxford Blue Collared Shirt + Black Leather-esque Leggings + Go Jane Black Shearling Boots + + Gold Evening Bag + Dots Tassle Necklace + Vintage Earrings

I don't know what it is with me and leather like fabrications these days, but I am really loving them.  Perhaps this is my way of forcing fall? Anyway, today's look is all about the small details that make it special.

The Black Blazer
I've said this a million times...a black blazer is your BEST friend.  Fabrice can't understand why I have so many, but they are all very different.  This one in particular is double breasted with fabulous black and gold crest buttons that make it extra special. The buttons give it a classic edge, and provide a little extra polish and sassy sophistication.  Thrown over this basic oxford blue collared shirt and black leggings, this blazer makes this outfit perfect for those days when you're running around town and you want to be comfortable, but you've got that lunch meeting, or dinner plans and you won't have time to stop home and change.

The Leather Leggings
I know, I know, I wore the leather cutout leggings last time. but again if you're talking about dressing up basic black, opting for textured leggings is always an easy go-to item.  They are automatically sexier and dressier than regular black leggings.  In this case, pairing them with a menswear inspired shirt, and a classic black blazer the sex appeal is not overkill and they've easily been transformed to day wear. The funky gold zippers at the ankle also complement the buttons and the gold evening bag for an all around cohesive look.

LOL at myself! I did this pose jokingly.  It's a pretty standard model pose, right? Fabrice totally laughed at me.  He pretty much thinks I'm crazy!

The Boots!!!
Well, I finally got my new boots and I pretty much love them. Olivia, they are very cute and comfortable.  For $30, the quality isn't bad at all.  I'd buy shoes from Go Jane again...especially trendy shoes that I am not looking to keep for the rest of my life anyway.

As far as how the boots contribute to the overall look.  Well, first of all they are right on trend for fall.  Pairing your more classic pieces with trendier items is a great way to add a little personality to your look. The boots are also on the casual, rugged side with the combat sole and shearling around the ankle. Like the oxford shirt and blazer, these little details are also working to ground the sexy leathery leggings for day, but the 4" heel is keeping the look feminine and edgy.

The Accessories
I kept the accessories pretty simple with the vintage gold and crystal earrings. They are classic glam, and perfect for this ensemble. Because I wanted to wear the gold evening bag for extra glam appeal, I opted for my pewter tassel necklace instead of a gold necklace. I know that many people are scared to mix metals, but in this case it works because it's not gold and silver.  The pewter almost falls into the background as a non-metal in this look

So, I've got one final black look tomorrow.  The black pencil skirt. Believe it or not, I have no idea how I'm gonna work that one. This series has been a good challenge for me because my style of dress is relatively casual.  I don't go to formal events and I don't dress up for work. I have the pieces to put together nice outfits, but dressy for me is probably still casual for most. So tomorrow, for the pencil skirt ensemble, I plan to really dress it up a bit. When my friend asked me to do this series, I know that she meant how do you dress up simple black for every day wear. In other words, how do you get out of the black jeans/leggings + a cute top routine and I am hoping that she got a lot of good ideas, and of course I hope you did, too!

What exactly are my legs doing here? hmmmmm

This picture was super blurry, but I loved the way it looked. Almost looks like we did that on purpose.

Unrelated Blogger Question: I bought a domain name...yay!!! but I am scared to switch over because I don't want to lose my Feedburner subscribers.  I know that Blogger is going to keep my old 'ifeluvsu.blogspot.com' link active and simply redirect to my new URL, but what about those who subscribe via Feedburner. Will the feed be broken if I switch?  Has anyone done this before?

Thanks for stopping by!!!

How to Dress Up Basic Black - Look #3

Look #3 Girl About Town (Black & Tan)

featuring.

H&M Leather Cut-out Leggings + Black Skirt Worn as a Tunic + Tan Swing Coat + Mossimo Black Suede "Karensa" Pumps ($29.99) + Dots Tassle Necklace

It's funny, I can clearly remember when leggings came back on the scene back around 2006, and I remember thinking to myself... Seriously? Stretch pants are back? NO THANKS!  Of course, I should have known better because sure enough, they have become an absolute essential for my wardrobe all year long! Of course, I started out with plain black leggings, but nowadays there are plethora of fabulous legging options out there...one of which is the leather legging! Last fall American Apparel's Liquid Leggings hit the scene and we all went wild.  This season, we are revisiting the leather legging trend in a whole new way... with leather cutouts! These leather cut-out leggings from H&M were only $19.95, and they are a GREAT way to 1) jazz up your black legging based ensembles and 2) add leather pants to your wardrobe this fall without breaking the bank! and the best part is you still get the comfort and versatility of your good old faithful leggings. Can't beat that!

Now, In addition to swapping out my regular black leggings for the leather cut-out version, I also topped off my all black ensemble with a tan-ish swing style coat. and viola! I am ready to hit the town.  Investing in  a few statement jackets/coats in neutral colors is definitely a sure fire way to maximize your wardrobe. I went the fancy route with the leather leggings and flowy tunic, but this jacket would have looked pretty jazzy over plain black leggings and black t-shirt, too.

 So, to recap the key elements of this look:

1. Choose statement black pieces.  All black ensembles are almost always chic by default (I said almost), so have fun with it!  Play with shapes, and textures... mix and match....go crazy!
2. Top off basic black pieces with a statement jacket/coat in another neutral but contrasting color.

So, I have to apologize in advance for the picture overload today, but I finally feel like I got my picture taking mojo back.  Thank the LORD!!! I have been hating my pictures lately... partially because they have all been taken in doors at night but I got my lazy buns up at lunch and got dressed....and I am VERY happy with the results! :)

I am absolutely in LOVE with all the gorgeous greenery here in ATL...

Thanks for stopping by!!!

How To: Tying A Scarf, Part I

Hey Fashionistas! I am trying my hand at something new... VLOGGING! or video blogging :)  I got a lot of great feedback on my new series How to Dress Up Simple Black... thanks to you all for the comments...

MissKRoberts of Compulsive Flyness commented...

"I'm so glad you're doing these features on all black. Loving this first look! You've done one scarf 5 ways how about a feature on just how to wear a scarf? I can never get my scarves to look like you've got yours above."

.... and Olivia of 406Olivia commented...

"Love how you layered the scarf AND necklace! I haven't figured out to wear both..."

Well ladies, I thought I'd try to reply to your comments with a little tutorial... hope you guys enjoy! :)



MissK, thank you for inspiring me to dive into the wonderful world of vlogging. More scarf tying tutorials are on the way soon!

Also, stay tuned for the 2nd How to Dress Up Simple Black look coming up next....

Thanks for stopping by!!!

How To Dress Up Basic Black - Look #1

Earlier this week, one of my good friends sent me a tweet requesting that I do a post about how to dress up simple black. Well Miss Aja, here you go! For the next few days, I will show you a few looks using a few basic black pieces from my wardrobe:

1. Black Maxi Dress
2. Black Jeans
3. Black Leggings
4. Black Silk Camisole
5. Black Blazer
6. Black Skirt Suit

Look #1 - Lunch Date

H&M Black Maxi Dress + LOFT Floral Scarf + LOFT Clutch + Nine West Strappy Sandals + Dots Tassle Necklace

It doesn't get any more basic than this racer back jersey knit black maxi.  It literally feels like a night gown.  The great thing about a simple black dress is that it is a blank canvas for colorful and fun accessories!  Have fun with it! The pretty floral scarf and lady like clutch instantly gives this dress an elegant look that's perfect for so many occasions.  Isn't this look perfect for a lunch date, or dinner with the girls?  Swap out the heels for flat sandals and you've got a chic look that's perfect for running around town, too!

Can't wait to show you guys look #2 tomorrow!

Thanks for stopping by!!!