Well Read

Shirt, F21.  Sweater, Ralph Lauren.  Pants, 3.1 Phillip Lim.  Bag, ASOS.  Necklace, vintage.

A few weeks ago I got a request from a reader for a post on how to wear wide leg pants, which may have actually been the highlight of my life as a blogger!  One of my goals as a stylist is to help people feel more comfortable making their own fashion statements, so if you have any questions at all about how to wear a piece of clothing or try out a new trend, please ask!  I'd love to make Hell or High Fashion as interactive as possible.

 

I picked up these white wide leg 3.1 Phillip Lim trousers at Crossroads (a second-hand shop) a few weeks ago and have been dying to wear them ever since.  Skin tight pants have been popular for so long that wearing such a loose, relaxed pair felt really refreshing!  One thing to remember with a long pair of pants: heel height is everything!  You want the bottoms of the pants to just about touch the ground, so heels are usually a must.  Tailor your pants to a length that works for your favorite high-heels.

 

My white pants seemed to be giving off a sailor vibe, so I went with nautical stripes up top.  The layerd sweater/collared shirt combo was very menswear, so a sparkly tie necklace finished off the look perfectly! I think a feminine touch is important when attempting to pull off a daring pant, and a dainty, sparkly take on a traditional male accessory seems to say, "I may be wearing pants, but I'm still a lady!"

 

The most exciting part of my outfit though was for sure my new BOOK CLUTCH!   I've seen these amazing purses disguised as books everywhere lately; Kate Spade has a collection of classics and Charlotte Olympia has made some too.  Those retail for $300 and over- totally out of my price range.  So when this little beauty popped up on ASOS.com for $35, I couldn't say no! 

 

I am thrilled with my purchase; I took this book-bag to a bar yesterday and got complimented by the bouncer, the waitors, and friends alike.  One girl even thought I was carrying around my Bible!  Love it.

 

Another way to wear wide-leg pants in to pair them with a crop top!  It's recently become acceptable again to show a little midriff in public, so I say go for it.  A look like this is bursting with confidence, and that's really all you need to pull off and out-there outfit.  If you wear your wide trousers and belly shirt with pride, no one will have a negative thing to say!

 

Here are a few other way to wear a pair of pants like this:

 

- Tuck in a fitted button down and finish off the look with a wide leather belt

- A shell blouse (a shirt with a boxy cut) would lay flush with the width of the pants for a cool 60s vibe

- A tight shirt with a shrunken blazer on top is the perfect business-appropriate pairing

 

Fashion Tips from "Well Read":

 

1.  Don't be afraid to wear something weird!  If you fall in love with a piece of clothing that isn't a regular part of your wardrobe, research different ways to wear it- or just ask me!  Never let fear stop you from indulging in fashion.

 

2.  If you're attempting to wear long, wide trousers, make sure the length of the pant is perfect.  If they are too long you'll look like a little kid playing dress up, and if they are too short you'll look stumpy.  Fit is everything!

 

3. Usually all you need to authentically pull off a look that you're not used to is a smile!  Confidence is ultimately the most important accessory- so if you feel cool in your outfit, everyone else will think you're cool, too!

 

 

 

What else do you guys want to ask?  Let me know and I'll do a personalized post for every question I get!

 

Earning My Stripes

Dress, Karen Millen.  Shoes, J Crew.

 When I was younger, my family was very big on the "rewards system", where a good accomplishment always warranted a treat.  I've continued this tradition into my adulthood, and was compelled to treat myself to a new dress (or two...or three...) when I was offered a new job this week!  I've started working at the Betsey Johnson boutique in Beverly Hills, and I couldn't be more excited about it...  especially because my store is surrounded by lots of another amazing shops that just happen to be having huge summer sales!

On my break I skipped over to the Karen Millen boutique and snagged this striped sundress for over 70% off!

It was the first dress that caught my eye when I entered the shop, and there was only one left- in my size, no less- so I knew it was meant to be.  The quirky colors are perfectly colorblocked into the simple stripes, and even though there's a lot going on (color AND pattern), it works because the hues are subdued rather than in-your-face bright.

Plus, this Karen Millen creation came complete with a waist-cinching belt.  

Sunnies, Ralph Lauren.

I paired it with prim and proper pumps from J Crew and added my favorite Ralph Lauren frames to keep the look clean and classic.  This outfit is definitely going to be in heavy rotation this summer!

Coast to Coast

Dress, Zara.  Shoes, Jeffrey Campbell.  Necklace, F21.  Sunnies, AO.

Tomorrow night I'm packing up my Mustang and driving across the country, from New Jersey to California!   My big move has got me thinking about the different styles and trends coast to coast, and I'm defnitely an East Coast girl (at least fashion-wise).  

My closet is a sea of little black dresses, which are totally appropriate in New York- but I'll definitely look a little out of place covered head-to-toe in dark colors in the LA sunshine.  Instead of pairing these LBDs with simple black pumps, I tried to jazz up my look with funky booties, strands of pearls, and matching sunnies. 

Sitting on the hood of a yellow car also helped brighten up my style!

When I visited LA a few weeks ago, I found one of my best bargains to date in these AMAZING Jeffrey Campbell booties.  I had been eyeing the shoes online, waiting for them to be marked down from $200, when I stumbled across them in Wasteland (my new favorite consignment shop).  These beauties were mine for only $42!!

Booties, Jeffrey Campbell.  

Speaking of bargain hunting, I decided to do a little shopping in my brother's closet- "borrowed from the boys" has been a huge trend for the past few seasons- and came out with the perfect aviator frames.  Joey had ordered these a few years ago from American Optical, the company that supplies military pilots with their sunglasses, and never wore them.  I tried them on and instantly knew I had to borrow (or steal) them.  They looked just right with my new boots!

I threw on jumbled pearls and toted around my Lulu Guinness lips clutch to top off the outfit. 

This particular little black dress has quickly become my favorite, because all of the simple little details balance each other out beautifully.  The high neckline plays against the short hemline, the pleated skirt keeps it from being too stuffy, and the cutout back gives the dress some sex appeal!

I'm confident that this outfit will travel seamlessly between the east and west coasts- wish me luck on my drive!!

Here Comes the Sun

Skirt, belt, and bag; vintage.  Jacket, AG.  Tee, F21.  Sunlasses, Ralph Lauren.

Boston was spoiled by 60+ degree weather the other day, so I threw on one of my favorite springtime outfits and celebrated with a photo shoot in the park!

These pictures were taken by the wonderful Zash Chinhara, and I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome.  Finally, some fancy pictures for my loyal readers to look at!

Shoes, F21.

While not a week goes by that I don't add something to my closet, whenever spring rolls around I find myself reaching for the same old things.  This skirt, for example, has been a staple for almost 2 years now, and I think the reason the picnic-blanket print gets worn over and over is the fact that it's vintage.  It's not trying to look like a current trend; it's very plainly something from another era- and that's always in style!

I belted a vintage waist-cincher over it for a paper-bag feel and threw Nanny's old 60's purse into the mix as well.

Once the weather starts warming up, almost every one of my outfits gets topped off with my denim jacket.   It's another piece that really never goes out of style.  Granted, an acid-wash, oversized, shoulder-padded denim jacket isn't going to cut it in 2011, but a classic, cropped style like my AG jeans version will last you for years to come.

As always, pearls and nude pumps go with any look.

Also, look what I finally broke down and bought myself:

Ring, Alex Monroe.

My mouse ring!!  I wear it every single day...since the detail is so small and inobtrusive, I feel like it's a private joke that only I'm in on whenever I look down at it.  To the outside world, it looks like a simple and sophisticated gold ring;  little do they know, it really cements my status as a crazy cat lady.  :)

I might be overloading you with pictures, but I think my outfits look so much better through Zash's lens!! Don't you?