weekday wardrobe: red and black

"That's a sexy top."

That's what my mom said today as I was getting ready for pictures. Yeah, there's a bit of a deep v-neck, and it's kind of sheer, but I didn't think it was all that sexy. I had lunch with a friend that I haven't seen in a while and this is what I wore. See? Not sexy--unless you count the three times when the wind blew my shirt open and everyone got a glimpse of Victoria's Secret...



[PANTS: Forever 21; TOP: Chic 8 Boutique; BELT: I don't remember.; CLUTCH: Windsor]

my signature style

When it comes to my wardrobe, there's always one question that stumps me every single time I'm asked: how would you describe your personal style? So my answer is always the same: it's constantly evolving, because, well, it is. I think my style has changed since I started 'words & wardrobes' in 2010, but there are some things that are part of my personal style that have been there since the beginning. Here are five things that have each remained a constant in my closet:

Mixed prints. Since my first foray into pattern play, I've been obsessed with pairing prints. It has become a way to expand my wardrobe choices and gives me a chance to experiment with the pieces in my closet.



Animal prints. I'm someone who considers leopard print a neutral, so it should come as no surprise that animal print is a constant in my wardrobe. Whether it's cheetah or python or dalmatian, I'm wild about animal prints.



Textured handbags and clutches. As much as I love jewelry, I love accessorizing with my handbag. Whether it's an envelope clutch or an oversized satchel, a little texture makes me a happy girl.



Cobalt blue. I'm in love with this color--my cobalt halter has been in heavy rotation since the start of spring--and my obsession with this hue isn't going anywhere.



High heels. I'm only 5'3" so the higher the heel, the taller I feel. I'm also a fan of shoes with crazy heels, like the abstract heels I bought from Urbanog.com last year.



So tell me: how would you describe your signature style?

wardrobe remix: 101 dalmatians

If you're a long-time reader of words & wardrobes, you know I love animal prints. From leopard to snakeskin to cheetah, I'm all about the prints. So when I came across a dalmatian-print sweater at Old Navy a few months ago, adding it to my wardrobe was a no-brainer. I like the subtle difference between dalmatian spots and polka dots, and black and white (or off-white, which is the color of this sweater) is a classic color combination that can be paired with pretty much any other color. This sweater is a staple in my wardrobe and I wear it at least once a week, but here are three ways that I've worn it.



Although I'm a big fan of mixing prints, I decided to keep this variation of pattern play simple by pairing the sweater with an asymmetrical skirt of the nearly the same print, but in a different color. I accessorized with a black belt (to camouflage that postpartum waistline of mine) and a pair of sky-high stilettos that in retrospect, I should have swapped for a pair of black pumps.



There's nothing like pairing the neutrals in this sweater with a bright color (instead of playing it safe with another neutral). In this case, I chose two: yellow and fuchsia, in the form of a midi skirt and skinny belt. I completed this look with silver accessories and black pumps. Oh, and a set of black, yellow, and fuchsia chevron rings.



I don't know what it is about the color fuchsia, but I chose to once again add it to the mix by pairing this sweater with a fuchsia cropped pants. This time I did a bit of pattern-mixing by adding a zebra-print belt, and finished the look off with pumps and a gorgeous robin's egg blue nail color.



[LOOK ONE: speckled; LOOK TWO: fuchsia; LOOK THREE: on the fence]

weekday wardrobe: on the fence

[PANTS, BELT and RINGS: Target; SWEATER: Old Navy; SHOES: Christian Louboutin (a gift from my mom)]

weekday wardrobe: electric

[SKIRT: Sharon Young (thrifted); TOP: Old Navy; SHOES: Qupid; CLUTCH: Asos; GOLD BRACELETS: Agaci Too; ORANGE and YELLOW BRACELETS: Charming Charlie; RING: I don't remember]

wardrobe replica: j.crew spots and stripes

With the exception of two gingham shirts bought last summer during a sale, I don't buy much from J.Crew. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind adding some (and by some, I mean nearly all) of their pieces to my wardrobe, but they're a bit on the pricey side, so they would be 'splurges' for me. I love the styling, though, and have been inspired by their visuals on more than one occasion. Like today. I'm a sucker for print-mixing, so I knew I had to try recreating this look.



Although these pieces are currently on sale at J.Crew, they're still out of my price range. I recreated this look for less than $40--the skirt is from Etsy and the shirt is from Old Navy. I added brown strappy shoes and some silver jewelry to bring the look together.











So tell me: What do you think of my replica?

[SKIRT: Vintage (purchased on Etsy); TOP: Old Navy; SHOES: Charlotte Russe; CHEVRON RINGS: Target; SILVER RING and SILVER BRACELETS: Forever 21; NEON BRACELET: Charming Charlie; IMAGE: J.Crew]

wardrobe remix: scribble

Since giving away a quarter of my wardrobe after a thorough closet-purging session a few years ago, I vowed to be more careful about what I toss into the 'DONATE' pile. These days I hang on to some pieces a bit longer, with the confidence that I'll someday find a way to make it work. That was the case with this skirt. I love the print, I like the length, and I absolutely adore the pattern, so this stayed in the 'KEEP' pile, even though it took me a while to wear it. As it turns out, it's pretty versatile.



For the first look, I paired the skirt with a yellow halter and snakeskin peeptoe pumps. I kind of feel like this look is one that was good in theory, but not so much in execution. The halter has an elastic hem, which made it harder to keep it tucked in properly, so my waist is nonexistent. Still, I'd make it work for date night with the guy.



The second look is my favorite, even though it's too freakin' hot to wear this in Texas right now. Maybe it's the mixed prints. Maybe it's the faux leather jacket. Maybe it's the shoes. I don't know. But I really like this and would wear this to hang with the girls.



I wore another yellow top, in the form of a button-front shirt, for the third look, which would be perfect for work. In retrospect, I would have chosen a less chunky shoe, but I still think this outfit would work for the office.



[Look One: SKIRT: Thrifted (tag says Appraisal); HALTER and BRACELETS: Forever 21; RING: Beauty Supply (I think); SHOES: Charlotte Russe; Look Two: TEE: Banana Republic (thrifted); JACKET: Forever 21; RINGS: Target; SHOES: Charlotte Russe; Look Three: SHIRT: The Limited (thrifted); BRACELETS: Agaci Too and Forever 21; RING: Forever 21; SHOES: Shoemint]