Fringe Benefits

Vest, H&M.  Shirt and shoes, Target.  Pants, Zara.  Necklace, F21.

This weekend was one of the best weekends I've ever had!  My man and I decided to celebrate our 2 year anniversary with a trip to San Diego, and I could not have had a better time!  I kept meaning to snap blog pictures while we were out and about, but we were having too much fun to remember until our last day in town.  I hadn't planned on blogging this outfit, but my western-themed getup perfectly matched the Old Town San Diego surroundings and I couldn't resist posing for a few shots.

 

 

 

I thew this outfit into my suitcase at the last minute just to have a more casual option with me, and I'm glad I did.  It ended up being the perfect thing to wear to Old Town, a little town in SD that seems to have stopped time in the 1860s.

 

I really love the mix of textures in this outfit.  Denim and leather are SO classic together: think James Dean in his dungarees and leather jacket, or even cowboys in denim and leather chaps.  But I feel like this outfit manages to mix the two in a fresh way, which is always a good thing!  This look feels basic and familiar, but definitely not run-of-the-mill. 

 

A chambray (lightweight, plain-weave denim) shirt is a classic that should be in every wardrobe.  I only recently added one to my collection, and I've worn it a ton ever since!  Mixing it with contrasting denim jeans is a fun and on-trend look, and putting one under a blazer is office-appropriate and fresh.  Here, I opted to mix mine with leather-look leggings and a leather vest for a classic, edgy vibe.

 

 

 

A fringe-filled necklace served as the piece-de-resistance: it tied together all the western elements and brought an "Urban Cowgirl" feel to these seperates. 

 

One of my favorite fashion tricks lately has been mixing a short statement necklace with a classic collared button-down.  As you can see here, having such a sparkler at your neck brings all the attention up towards your face- and who doesn't want that?   It's also a feminine and badass way to take the stuffiness out of a buttoned up collared shirt.

 

 

 

I added my classic black Mary-Janes to finish it off.  These shoes have a chunky heel, so even though they're 4 inches high I feel totally supported.  For girls who want to try to wear heels but are scared of hobbling around, find the thickest heels you can.  I guarentee you'll be able to walk in them!

 

 

Fashion Tips from "Fringe Benefits":

 

1.  Casual doesn't have to mean sloppy.  There are so many comfy yet pulled-together options out there now: leggings that have a leather coating, soft denim button downs, and even tailored sweatpants and lace sweatshirts!  Having a few pieces like this in your arsenal will ensure that you look sharp even on your shlubby days.

 

2.  You can't go wrong wearing classics with a twist.  A crisp white button down?  Classic.  Pinning a quirky brooch (like this one from ASOS) on the lapel?  Twist!  For guys:  Wearing a sports coat over a tee shirt is classic.  Now add a hoodie in between the two and you've got your twist!

 

3.  Are you mostly a flats girl but looking to branch out?  Short, chunky heels are huge this season.  Try a pair like this to kickstart your new high-heel obsession!

 

 

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I received a reader request for a makeup tutorial, so I'm going to tackle that with my next post- it's going to be about all the little extras (makeup, hair, mustaches & beards) that take a look to the next level!  Anything you'd like me to focus on?  Let me know!

 

 



Primary Care

Blazer, H&M.  Dress, Jill Stuart.  Bag, ASOS.  Shoes, Prada. 

 

While wandering around Melrose last weekend with some friends, I decided to pop into Wasteland while the rest of my crew indulged in ice cream across the street- and what I found there was sweeter than any chocolate caramel confection could ever be.  I'm talking about my new Prada sandals!

 

I just about died when I spied these patent colorblocked beauties jammed into the packed shelves at Wasteland.  When I looked further and discovered that they were just my size and only $65 (at least 90% off the original price), the deal was done. 

As soon as they were in my hands I started dreaming up ways to wear them, and thus this outfit was built from the ground up!

  

I love the sharp colorblocking on the shoes and wanted to make my outfit a parallel study in colorblocking.  Since black is the least featured color on these stacked sandals, I made it the basis of the rest of my look- that way the shoes are still the center of attention! 

I envisioned the outfit I wanted in my head, and I could see this black Jill Stuart number paired with an ultra-mod knit jacket either in red or yellow.  However, I didn't own anything that fit the bill so I did some research online.  Since I knew exactly what I was looking for, I pulled up a few webistes for stores in my area- forever21.com, urbanoutfitters.com, hm.com, etc.  I sifted through pictures of little sweaters and blazers and finally came across this bright yellow one on hm.com.  It was the one!  I called the store, put it on hold, and picked it up after work.  So easy!

With an outfit this simple (jacket, dress, shoes), accessories are everything.   I don't wear yellow very often, so I decided to go all out and add little yellow flower post earrings to the look.  My ever-present fly brooch (this is becoming a habit...3 posts in a row featuring fly jewelry!) softened the hard lines of the blazer with a little whimsy.  I found a few bangles in my bauble collection that featured blocks of black and gold- the perfect way to add another "colorblocked" element to the look!

Finally, my ASOS book bag was the ultimate finishing touch.  The clean lines of the square shape pulled the whole outfit together, and that pop of blue was my favorite part!  Blue wasn't an obvious choice to match with the rest of the look, but since red, yellow, and blue are all primary colors they actually mix perfectly!

Fashion Tips from "Primary Care":

1.  Start with one piece-  a new pair of shoes you can't wait to wear or a pair of printed pants you've been dying to show off.  Consider the things you love about the article- the colors, the cut, etc- and think about how you can accentuate those qualities.  For the guy readers out there:  if you love how a fitted tee shows off your broad shoulders, consider a pair of slim cut jeans: the tighter cut will accentuate that manly "V" shape!

2.  Are you in need of new clothes but hate shopping?  You have a few options: you can ask me to take you shopping and I'll do all the hard work for you! Or you can turn to online pre-shopping.  Many websites have a "Find In A Store Near You" option (you might remember how this feature saved my life in this older post!) which makes shopping unbelievably easy- I was able to shop from the comfort of my desk at work and pick it up in a 10 minute trip to mall.  Pick out the pieces you want to try, give the store a call to put the items on hold for you, and say hello to stress-free shopping!

3.  Try mixing all primary or all secondary colors together for an unexpected color pop.  As you can see here, red/yellow, blue/yellow, red/blue or all three make for a clean and pulled-together combo.  My boyfriend even has one great outfit where he mixes purple and green (secondary colors) to perfection.  The colorwheel is a foolproof guide to mixing and matching!

If any of you stressed-out shoppers want to take me up on my offer, e-mail me at jdefino726@gmail.com to set up an appointment!