staples

I have many things in my closet that I wear over and over and over. Without these staples, so many of my outfits wouldn't be complete. I cannot live without them. 

1. Cardigans

Of any kind at all. I have so many cardigans, but my never-fail is a black one. It can go over my dresses to make it a little more dressy, pulls together a t-shirt and jeans, and dresses up even the most casual shorts. I could never function properly without them.

2. Ballet Flats

Another thing that allows me to operate smoothly- ballet flats. They are so comfortable and I wear mine down until they are nothing but shreds. Mine mold to my feet and I feel more comfortable in ballet flats than tennis shoes. 

3. Basic t-shirts

This is a given for any closet, but I still felt like I should include it. Everyone needs cotton t-shirts in black, white, and gray in their closets. They are just a blank canvas for anything that you want to create. They work with anything and are fantastic layering pieces. 

4. Flat sandals

I mentioned this a few posts back, but I adore my Bernardo studded sandals. They are perfect for summer and are so versatile. They work with everything in my closet to dress it down.

5. A variety of dresses

Dresses hardly ever look un-put-together, and I love dainty, feminine dresses. Dresses are so simple to wear, you just throw it on and look great. 

6. Black skinny jeans

Last year, my black Uniqlo skinny jeans were all I wore. They look sleek and streamlined, and you can experiment with them so many different ways to give it a new look. I love them.  

7. Dark denim shorts

I'm slightly embarrassed because I have worn my denim shorts SO MUCH this summer. They have sucked all the creativity out of me because they are all I want to wear. I'm wearing them right now. But the great thing about them is that they don't have to look boring. You can easily make them so much more fashionable with color and accessories. 

8. Basics in bright colors

It's important to have your basics in white, black, and gray, but it's always fun to step up an outfit with a bright color. I love my tank tops in bright green, yellow, and orange, and they always make an outfit brighter and more interesting than a neutral. 

9. Assorted jewelry

They really make or break an outfit. Try big cocktail rings, bohemian bangles, or long necklaces to add interest or color to an outfit. 

10. Black opaque tights

Another given. Everyone needs a pair of opaque black tights- really opaque. They look great with anything and really make an outfit more elegant. 

xoxo

fashionista

embroidered with beige

I came across this Temperley dress on Net-a-Porter and nearly passed out. I think this is absolutely adorable. The dusty pink color, the cream-colored embroidery, and the ruffles all make a gorgeous and romantic piece. I love the twenties influence and the slight flapper feel. I would love to see this with black tights and Mary Jane heels. This could also work as a summer dress, with bare legs and flat sandals. 

xoxo

fashionista

mass production

To start this post off, I should say that I have been an enormous fan of The Virgins ever since I heard them on Gossip Girl. I loved every part of them- the raw sound, the clever lyrics, and the can’t-get-it-out-of-your-head beat. So when I heard their new CD was coming out in addition to their EP, I was THRILLED. When the last few days of my countdown approached and June 3 was finally here, I raced to iTunes and bought every song that I didn’t already have from the EP. The album’s songs are:

1) She’s Expensive
2) One Week of Danger (EP)
3) Rich Girls (EP)
4) Teen Lovers
5) Fernando Pando (EP)
6) Murder
7) Hey Hey Girl
8) Private Affair
9) Radio Christiane (EP)
10) Love is Colder Than Death (EP)
11) Fast Times

All of the songs on the EP are incredible. After I bought all of them, they rushed up to the top of my Most Played list. They were on repeat all the time, I lived for The Virgins. So you could see how I was expecting a lot from their new album. I listened to the 30 second preview of the EP songs to see if they had kept the same songs from the EP. They totally hadn’t. All of the sounds were completely changed, even some of the lyrics were. It was infuriating. The songs before were perfect- they had a unique, rough sound that stood apart from everyone else. When I listened to the new ones, my mouth just dropped. For any Virgins fan, yours will too, if it hasn’t already. It’s unreal. I don’t know why they thought they needed to change these perfect songs so they could sound like every other overproduced band.

Now as for the other songs, it’s different from what their usual style is, and I’m not sure if that’s a compliment. She’s Expensive, Teen Lovers, Murder, Hey Hey Girl, Private Affair, and Fast Times are the new songs.

She’s Expensive- This is probably my least favorite song out of the album. I feel like they were just relying on obscenity to make this a funny song, not really putting much thought into the actual lyrics or sound.

Teen Lovers- I like the little disco addition to it in the beginning. This song sounds different from what their previous sound was, but I think I like it. It’s growing on me.

Murder- It’s forgettable.

Hey Hey Girl- This one I love. I’ve been singing it all day. It’s a perfect summer song and really easy to listen to.

Private Affair- Again, a great one. This really reminds me of their old stuff. I love it. Catchy and addictive.

Fast Times- Makes you want to dance! I love the fast beat and it makes me smile!

Overall, good job to the Virgins...

You should have kept your old songs.

Edit: After listening to this over and over, I love the whole album except for She's Expensive...

xoxo
fashionista

woman of the jungle

Tribal inspired jewelry and accessories are huge for summer. Earthy colors like gold, brown, and beige paired with shapes like horns and leaves, make a big statement. Designers like Kenneth Jay Lane, Roberto Cavalli, Stella McCartney, and Matthew Williamson are all jumping on the trend. Here are a few of my favorites, all from Net-a-Porter:

Kenneth Jay Lane

This set of bangles are the perfect blend of upscale elegance meets an ethnic influence. They are so versatile and can be worn with your summer dresses, jeans, or shorts.

I adore these. The colors are so bright and you can mix and match all the colors. You could wear the orange and blue for a unexpected combination, or the yellow and black for a simpler one. The possibilities are endless.

I love this hammered coin necklace. It's both a Grecian-inspired look with a tribal feel as well. It adds elegance to anything, be it a gown or a t-shirt and shorts.

This Cabochon bangle is also a great choice for summer. The orange color is really versatile and can work in the daytime or evening. It looks great alone or with other bracelets and can go with so many summer trends.

Juicy Couture

The lightweight scarf is a staple for summer 2008, and this one is fabulous. Scarves have so many possibilities and can completely change your look just by the way you tie it. You can use this as a head scarf a la Nicole Richie 2005, tie it around your neck for a chic Parisian girl feel, really anything you want. I love the ethnic pattern on this one, with the girlie light blue added.

Roberto Cavalli

This horn pendant is the epitome of tribal jewelry. It looks gorgeous with other pieces that fit into the tribal trend, like billowy tops in ethnic patterns.

And a gold version...

This cocktail ring is so pretty. It has a vintage and tribal feel to it, in a way. The purple stone is gorgeous and this ring would go with any outfit.

The leopard ring is another ring that I am attracted to. I'm not usually one to love leopard, but this modern interpretation of it is so stylish.

These two coiled serpent bangles are edgy and have such a chic ethnic influence to them. The detail on these are incredible. It's so glamorous.

Stella McCartney:

This gold leaf necklace is another vintage-tribal look. The statement necklace is a fabulous piece, and this one is a bit more subtle version of it.

I love this beaded necklace. It looks like a perfect replica of the necklaces that African women hand-make, and the adjustable silk fastening makes it more upscale.

Matthew Williamson



I'm in love with this bangle. The colors are so beautiful and rich, but the print is really what makes it. This would complete any tribal-inspired outfit.

Zoe & Morgan



This mix of color and shapes really makes me love this necklace. It works with any outfit, whether it be ethnic inspired or not. I love it!

Isharya



This has a tribal feel when you first look at it, but if you see closely, it has tiny gems lining it, which gives it a more modern look. This would look fabulous with a little black dress to give it more pop.

xoxo
fashionista

rest in peace

Yves Saint Laurent has passed away, I have sadly learned. He battled brain cancer for a year and he will be missed. 

xoxo

fashionista

girls love sales

There's a new Lisa Kline sale...

Use the coupon code "LUCKY" for 25% off all regular priced items (excludes sale items)

Free ground shipping on all orders over $50 (Expires May 31)

Sale selection up to 75% off!



xoxo
fashionista

thoughts

I've been meaning to do a post about these for an extremely long time but I never got around to it. These tights from American Apparel...hmm.



The black and white ones are the least crazy and could look incredibly cool when paired with the right things. If you want to make black and white unique, here you go. I don't think I could pull it off, though!



It slowly increases craziness with these electric blue and black ones.

and BAM!



Yellow and coral. I worship whoever can rock these babies.

What do you think? Would you ever wear these?

xoxo
fashionista

Baby Steps and Other Purchases

I don't think I'm ready to go full-on gladiator sandal yet, but I am definitely admiring from afar. To fill the void, I recently bought this fabulous pair of Bernardo sandals.



And I'm wearing them with absolutely everything. The weather is already starting to feel like summer here, so I've been wearing little summer dresses and I love it. They have a bit of a gladiator feeling, but aren't really strappy like the other ones. Hopefully I can work up the courage to buy an actual pair, because I think they're fantastic...

I also bought a white, really light summery cardigan from Madewell. For those of you who haven't heard of it, it's J.Crew's sister store and I am in love with it. It has all of your basics stepped up with colors and patterns in such great materials. I highly suggest it. I found what is destined to be my summer staple in a pair of dark denim shorts at American Eagle. I don't visit it very often, but WOW. I love them already. I wasn't a big fan of denim shorts before, but now...I adore them.




They are so clean looking and I love the dark color.

Have you guys been getting ready for summer? Do tell..

xoxo
fashionista