H&M Off-the-Shoulder Peasant Dress

I've really re-embraced summer over the last few days, and what girl doesn't love a good frilly summer dress, right?  Last week I was over it...this week...ehhh... I have to confess that the catalyst for this shift in my fashion mindset is the SEVEN taped up boxes of fall clothes lining the hall outside of my room.  Fabrice informed me that it is SWELTERING in Atlanta.  I am checking two bags, and carrying one bag on my flight and everything else has to be packed up and shipped.  That being said I was forced to make some practical decisions about what would be in the suitcases, and what would be in the boxes.  Obviously, anything resembling fall had to go into the boxes, and all things summer went into the suitcases.  So here I am back in my summer groove rocking a summer dress, and smiling...

When I saw this dress on the clearance rack at H&M for only $15, I had to have it and of course it has been sitting in the closet on the hanger ever since! I have a thing for off-the-shoulder tops and dresses, but the are less than functional.  If the construction and fabrication aren't just right, every time you lift your arms you're having to fuss with your sleeves and pull them back down. It's a pain! But when it's done right, they fall right back into place and the sleeves on this dress are perfect!

Dress: H&M | Shoes: Nine West (ancient) | Necklace: Forever 21 "Ethnic Emblem" | Earrings: Forever 21| Sunnies: H&M | Bag: thrifted (Goodwill)

I kept the accessories pretty simple... my Forever 21 "Ethnic Emblem Necklace" (not sure how i feel about that name..LOL!), my Forever 21 giant hoop earrings, and a couple silver bracelets (including the H&M bangle), and simple black strappy sandals...OH!!!! and my latest thrift store bag.

The style of the bag is very simple, but the leather is like BUTTER, and the color is fabulous. It looks more like a true white in this picture, but it's actually more of an oyster color, which means it will transition to Fall quite well...trust me... it will! It is also nice and roomy inside. I can slide my laptop right in, which is great. I hate having to carry a separate bag for my laptop. Gotta love when fashion meets function! I could also slide a few magazines in there including my 600 PAGE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF IN STYLE!!!! Just got it today, and I can't wait to curl up in the bed with it tonight!

If you look closely, you will notice that one of the little dangly things on the bottom of my necklace has fallen off. I guess that explains the $6.80 price tag. Oh well! I thing I am just going to remove all the rest of them and keep on truckin!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Red, White, & Blue Jeans

Today's outfit is all about simple, but standout accessories, and the small details. The inspiration is clear...Nautical!

Blazer: random | Tank: Love on a Hanger ($10, Nordstrom Rack) | Jeans: Denim of Virtue (gift) | Belt: Mom's | Shoes: Rachel Roy ($36, Macy's clearance)| Clutch: thrifted | Brooch: thrifted | Watch: Michael Kors | Sunnies: Mossimo ($16.99)

I picked up this red and white striped top at Nordstrom Rack for $10.  I am not sure why I went with red among all the other color options. I'm normally not big on red, but I love the look of the red stripes.  Paired with a white blazer and dark wash wide-leg jeans, this look epitomizes nautical chic, don't ya think?

This tank has a really great fit, and I really wish I had picked up a few more colors.  When it comes to simple tops like this, it is the small details really matter...like tanks with straps that are in just the right place, and are just wide enough to cover bra straps...love that! and I love the scoop back! It adds a little subtle sexy...

Now let's talk about the bag! It's another one of my $5.99 Goodwill finds, and I love it. I think I am in the midst of a love affair with navy blue, by the way. I've been wearing it a lot lately.  Anyway, this lovely number is completely beaded, sparkly, and gorgeous. I love the idea of a full on evening bag with casual street clothes and I think this bag is a perfectly chic finishing touch for this look.

Oh, and the bag is not the only thing that's thrifted! I'm sure you noticed that I kept my accessories to a minimum today. Instead of a necklace, I am wearing a gold brooch on my lapel. I picked up this gold brooch at a random local thrift shop for $2.  I actually think it was over-priced. It probably should have been $1, but I liked it so I bought it along with a little gold owl brooch, and a kilt pin, both of when have not debuted just yet.

and now we've come to my favorite part of today's outfit...the shoes! What's not to love about these shoes? I'm not even going say much about them... I'll just post the dang picture, and let them speak for themselves! Lol! Since I was wearing these long jeans today, the shoes ended up being a fun surprise every time I sat down...the print on the wedge is just gorgeous, don't ya think?

Well folks, it's late, and I am exhausted so I am gonna go ahead and go to sleep, but before I go I have a question...Do I have any ATL readers out there?  I can't believe that my move to Atlanta is only a few weeks away. aaaaaahhhhh!!! My one way flight is booked and I will officially be an ATL resident on August 31.  Wow. Anyway, I am wondering if anyone can give me suggestions for...

1. a good tailor
2. a good shoe shop
3. and most importantly, A GOOD THRIFT SHOP!

I don't know what I'll do with myself if I can't make my weekly trips to the thrift shop.  Speaking of which, my sister in law recently left a comment on one of my posts.  She lives in Kentucky and she said she said I was inspiring her to go thrifting, but she doubted the thrift shops in her area had the types of great finds I've posted here.  I know that they have really great thrift shops here in LA, and also in San Francisco, New York, and Montana (hello Olivia!)...and I am sure that every city has little gems hidden in their local thrift shops... Are you a thrift shopper? what kinds of things do you buy at thrift shops? designer brands? vintage clothing and accessories? furniture? 

 

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Not So Mellow Yellow...

First things first, yes! These are the same jeans I wore yesterday. Lol! What can I say I love the fit.  Now that we got that out of the way let's move on to the top....

 This blouse is yet another one of my thrift store finds. I was drifting from rack to rack at the Goodwill, and I saw the bright yellow sleeve poking out from the blouse rack.  I rushed over and pulled out the blouse to reveal a gorgeous cowl neck collar.  It was ALMOST love at first sight...almost. In theory, I love the bright yellow but in reality it is not really my yellow.  It's just a tad bit too mustard-y, and in my opinion it washes my complexion out. I do better with lemon-y yellows.  So, I decided to pass and I hung the blouse back on the rack.  But, I got that feeling...you know the one where you feel like you can't live without it? You start styling it your mind... you pick out shoes, and accessories...yep, that feeling... and then SOMEONE ELSE PICKS IT UP!!! and you could just kick yourself. Well, that is precisely what happened.  Someone else picked it up... but...they put it back and that was all I needed. I rushed over, grabbed it, and threw it in the basket. At this point, I still wasn't sold but I didn't want anyone else to snag it... at least not while I was still in the store!  So, I grabbed all my goodies and went into the fitting room, and that is where the magic happened...

 I slipped this beauty on over my head and it really was love at first sight. I really loved the fit, and the shoulder action and the sleeves...I still had concerns about the color, but I figured I could fix that with the right accessories.  I happened to have a pair of jeans in the fitting room with me because my original purpose was finding a pair to cut up for a pair of cutoffs (another story for another day!).  I threw on the jeans and instantly decided that this blouse had to be mine.  The bright mustard-y yellow looked FAB.u.lous paired with denim and that was all I needed!

I picked the blouse up from the cleaners last week, and I've been looking at it every time I open the closet, but in true Eboni fashion I was waiting for an occasion to wear it.  Well, today, I just couldn't resist any longer (my overflowing laundry basket didn't help!), and I figured why not get more use out of my new favorite jeans.  I thought my trusty dusty scarf tied as a belt added a nice classic-modern touch, and paired with my navy blue vintage clutch (also thrifted), this outfit is so super ladylike and fun!

I got a few comments about my new earrings! Not that any one is counting but I've had them about a week and this their third appearance. I absolutely love them! As I mentioned before they are the "High Glam Hoop Earrings" from Forever 21.  They retail for $5.80 and you can buy them online here.

Now, I have to tell you that I was thrilled when I found these because I had just seen these gorgeous POParazzi Swarovski Crystal Bamboo Earrings.

photo borrowed from FASHION du jour

Our friend Leslie over at Fashion Du Jour received a pair from her hubby a couple weeks ago, and I've been lusting for them! You guys know how I love hoop earrings.  They retail for $120 and that is just not in my budget soooooo I was very pleased to find the Forever 21 embellished hoops, and of course they were right in my price range.  That is not to say that I wouldn't LOVE to have the real deal, too!! But I am happy for now :)

One last thing! I have meaning to say THANK YOU to Miss Catherine over at the ABC's of College! Catherine was so kind to contact me for an interview for a feature she runs on her blog called "Dress Like a Fashionista." Catherine's blog is focused primarily on advice for prospective college students, but I love that she throws in an element of fun with her fashionista feature.  Besides, we've all heard that old adage you have to Dress for Success.  Anyway, it was a great honor to be asked to participate.  It's always such a great compliment when someone admires your style.  Head on over to Catherine's blog and check out the interview when you can!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Connect The Polka Dots

I think I might have just beat my own record for "cheap and chic" with this outfit!  Thanks to Forever 21, H&M, TJ Maxx, and my local thrift shop this outfit costs about $8 + $20 for shoes + about $19 for accessories.  LOVE IT!!! I truly believe that no matter how much money I have, I will always be a sucker for a bargain.  I just love the satisfied feeling I get when I get a good deal on something I love, i.e. this silk polka dot blouse. I love the color, I love the polka dots, I love the over sized fit, I love everything about it.  I scored this blouse at one of my fave thrift shops for $1.95 (on that note, when you thrift shop you always have to factor in cleaning cost.  I have a really good dry cleaners that charges about $3 for blouses so if you tack on that cost it is about $5).  When I bought the blouse I had this gray H&M mini in mind, which I bought just because it was $5.95 and I thought it would make a great summer basic. Hmmm, well in theory it is a great summer basic, but the material is very thin so a tunic or over sized long shirt is imperative. I thought I'd at least be able to throw it on with a blazer, but even that might be a little too much because of the fabrication.  I was thrilled when I spotted this blouse because I knew the over sized blousy fit would balance the skimpiness of the skirt just perfectly.  What do you think?

What I'm Wearing

~ Thrifted taupe polka dot blouse

~ H&M gray mini-skirt

~ Brown skinny belt

~ Steve Madden taupe patent leather pumps

~ Forever 21 necklace

~ Forever 21 embellished hoop earrings

~ H&M bangle (I know, I know)

~ Random mother of pearl beaded bracelet

(another mystery bracelet. I have no idea where it came from)

As I was editing these pictures I realized that I am really diggin' the faux peplum shape created by pairing a belted blouse with a straight skirt.  You've seen me do it here, and here with my denim shirt.  It is so flattering! I'll try not to over used the technique, but in case you haven't noticed I am a creature of habit :)

you can't really tell in any of these pictures but I actually stepped out of my comfort zone and got a bright orange color on my finger nails.  I usually stick to nudes on my hands, but It's summer and I thought I'd give color a try. I LOVE IT!!!!

 The color is Santee "neon orange."  I took this picture yesterday right after the I left the nail shop. Be honest...what do you think? I was surprised that even Mr. Fabrice liked it.

In other very exciting news, Mr. Fabrice begins taking the bar tomorrow. Ahhhhh! I am so proud of him.  He has studied his butt off for the past 4 weeks and the big day is finally here.  Come Thursday, he'll officially be able to put the bar behind him.  Notice I am speaking as if he has already passed.  That's because I have no doubt in my mind that he IS going to pass but for good measure, wish him luck!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

More Lace, More Denim, More Animal Print...

I don't know what's gotten into me lately but I seem to be stuck on lace, denim, and animal prints. Not sure why, but when I look in my closet, those are the things that seem to cry out "weeear me, Eboooni...weeeear me," so as a result you guys have seen look after look featuring lace, denim, animal prints, all of which are totally on trend, but I think I'm falling into a rut of sorts?  Well, rest assured that I do own other fabrications and patterns, and eventually I will get over my latest obsession. Bear with me, and I hope you enjoy the many variations of lace, denim, and animal prints I present along the way!  Seriously, I think this might be the last one...maybe.  I don't want to make any promises. Lol!

Today's ensemble was inspired by the fabulous, dreamy, luxurious, 3.1 Phillip Lim Embroidered Hairpin Lace Skirt.  

This lovely skirt is actually no longer available, but retailing for $450, event when it was available there was no way I could afford it. Boy oh boy, was I thrilled when I found a very similar lace skirt at Forever 21 for only $22.80.

What I'm Wearing...

~ LAL denim button down shirt

~ Forever 21 Lace Skirt

~ Brown Corset Belt

~ Bakers patchwork pumps 

(This is where the animal print comes in. I love these shoes! they have great patches of tiger, snakeskin, and croc! soooo cute! and they were on sale. I got them for like $18!)

~  Brown Vintage Clutch  

(one of the latest Goodwill finds I talked about here)

~ H&M Bangle

~ DKNY layered chain watch

~ Tiffany's toggle necklace worn as a bracelet

~ Forever 21 Necklace

~ Mossimo Sunnies

~ Earrings from JC Penney

Thanks for stopping by!!!