The Modern Way to Wear Florals

A cool floral shot from Blame S/S '13 Campaign - photo courtesy Blame

Originally posted in The CLOSET

The April showers came - oh did they ever - and with them, naturally, the flowers. Hooray! And while those darling buds of May are a joy to behold in our gardens, wearing them can be a little tricky.  I mean, you don't want to look like a teenager (unless you are a teenager, in which case, go on with your bad self), and you definitely don't want to look like a grandma, even if you are one.  The florals of Spring '13 are, as always, bright, cheery and fun but to make the most out of the season's best buds, it's all about how you wear 'em.  

I've put together 3 looks to show you how easy it is to pull off florals in a super modern way.  Whether you go for the bold with a bright mirror print frock or keep it subtle with a blue & white boyfriend shirt poking out under a lightweight sweater, you'll look positively Spring-y with the right floral print.

Happy May 1st to you! xx

P.S - For the first outfit, change up the handbag for grass green, bright yellow or even pink to reinvent the look over and over again. Oh, and that amazing Cleo dress? How Mary Katrantzou is that??

  

 

THE FLORAL SHIRT: Crossbody Bag, $59, Danier; Navy Trousers, $34.95, H&M; Preen x ALDO RISE Pump, $155, ALDO; Jocelyn Sweater, $119.50, Club Monaco; Floral Blouse, $39, Smart Set; Silver Necklace, $14.98, ALDO

THE FLORAL PANT: NYC Tee, $24.95, American Eagle Outfitters; Ray-Ban Shades, $189.95, Sunglass Hut; Botanical Skinny, $149.50, Club Monaco; Python Clutch, $45, RW&CO.; Ankle Strap Sandals, $89, Guess; Cropped French Terry Moto, $53.70, Aeropostale

THE FLORAL DRESS: Floral Dress, $60.20, Cleo; Silver Pumps, $34.98, Spring; Erickson Beamon Earrings, $139.50, Club Monaco; Denim Jacket, $34.95, H&M; Studded Foldover Clutch, $45, Le Château

This Just In: Preen x ALDO RISE

PREEN x ALDO RISE Pointy-Toe Pump, $155, ALDO

The long-awaited PREEN python pretties seen on the catwalk during London Fashion Week have finally arrived at ALDO, right in time for Spring. Picture yourself emerging from a long winter's nap - sun glinting in your hair, cute little baby birds chirping, flowers popping up all over the place. Once you hit the street, traffic comes to a dead stop, jaws hit the sidewalk as you stomp your way down the street. But wait - you need a worthy soundtrack. No, this ain't no time for Thrift Shop babies (you won't find these at any Goodwill, guaranteed) - these fierce shoes call for full-blown Beyoncé.  It's been a long, long winter - you SO deserve these shoes.

Check out the very tempting ALDO RISE Spring '13 line at aldoshoes.com. (Don't say I didn't warn you...)

P.S - Who runs the world? Girls!

Snake Charmers

Spring '13 at Proenza Schouler, Gucci & Erdem - photo credit: Fairchild Photo Services

Originally posted in The CLOSET

Snakes suck. I mean, not literally (I don't think?) but let's face it: they're cold, and creepy and can kill you. And so, I've never really been a fan. Now that I think of it, I don't think I know anyone who likes them. The sad part? It's so not their fault. A little baby snake with its cute little baby snake diaper is probably pretty sweet and I'm fairly certain it doesn't actually want to hurt anyone. It's just that, if someone was coming at me with a pitchfork or a shovel, I'd probably lunge, too, wouldn't you?

As it turns out, most people are almost as afraid of snake prints as they are of the slithery beasts themselves. And I'm here to tell you, as a full-blown ophidiophobic (yes, I looked that up), that when it comes to python, it's just not that scary. In case you missed the memo, 2013 is the Year of the Snake - that's right, the year where we celebrate all things serpentine - so I can't think of a better time to face our fears head on. So how do you wear python print? Think of it as the leopard's slightly edgier younger sister, something that's good in small doses, say in a shoe or a bag or a statement blazer, to add an instant dose of cool to any solid ensemble. Want to go all out? Try pairing a neutral python with a summer floral or opt for snake print done up in a pretty pastel or bold bright.

Before you know it, you (and maybe even I) will be sssimply sssmitten for snakes. Well, the print at the very least... 

Hope you have a fantastic weekend!

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Hips Don't Lie

A model on the runway at Charlotte Ronson's spring 2013 show in The Stage at Lincoln Center. Photo source:Fairchild Photo Services

Type-casting is a dangerous thing.  Take Ben Affleck;  when he first came on the scene, he was Hollywood's golden boy.  The kid had talent (decent acting abilities and an Academy Award for co-writing Good Will Hunting), loads of charm, and the tall/dark/handsome looks to match.  Pretty soon, Hollywood had him spray-tanned, teeth-whitened and bootcamp buffed straight into Leading Man status. Armaggedon, Pearl Harbor and even a Gwyneth Paltrow score followed and Ben was raking in the box-office dough. Then, Gigli happened. Suddenly, Ben had gone from promising young thespian to sell-out. He started dating J.Lo (or was it Jenny from the Block?) and a string of forgettable Jersey-Girl-esque films followed. It took the poor guy nearly 10 years to do damage control, during which time he married the lovely Jennifer Garner and had 3 perfect little kids. Wah. Wah. Wahhh. Seemed like this acting thing wasn't going to work out. Then, out of nowhere, dude co-produced, directed and acted his way back to Oscar gold with Argo. Boo-yah! In true full circle fashion, Ben Affleck is Hollywood's golden boy once again. We so did not see that one coming.

The peplum, as it turns out, is kind of like the Ben Affleck of fashion (it's a stretch, I know)...

For the rest of this story, and cute outfit inspo (ie.how to wear peplums for work, weekend, and a night out) read here  

PLAY: I.N.C International Concepts Striped Peplum, $79, The Bay; Lauren Leather Jacket, $388, Roots; B&W Bracelets, $15, ALDO Accessories; Super Skinny Zip Pants, $60, Gap; Leather Booties, $120, ALDO; NARS Lipstick in 'Schiap', $30, Sephora; Faux Leather Clutch, $20, Smart Set; Cat-Eye Shades, $12, ALDO

Originally posted in The CLOSET

Spring 2013: Accessory Report

ALDO's fun Spring '13 Campaign - Photo courtesy ALDO

As a fashion blogger, I'm  constantly tempted by trends.  I spend a good 8-10 hours each day either staring at, speaking about, shopping for, or writing articles about pretty clothes.  In the beginning, it was total torture;  I wanted every single thing and would rearrange my whole day so that I would just 'happen' to be in the 'hood of say, Club Monaco, just when that to-die-for piece hit stores.  While researching a trend story on shoes online, I would often accidentally click on the 'add to shopping cart' button and somehow click the 'buy' button in the process.  'Whoops!?'  In the beginning, I felt cheated because my fashion blogger salary was nowhere near my Dior/McCartney/Tibi tastes...

For the full story (and the rest of my fave Spring '13 accessories) head to The Fashion Scoop! x

Eagle Necklace, $18, ALDO; Cat-Eye Sunglasses, $18, Laura; Snake Ring, $10, ALDO; Leopard Necklace, $17,Dynamite; Python Clutch, $59, Danier; Jaguar Ring, $15, Le Château; Leopard Belt, $20, American Eagle 

Cuff, $12, ALDO; Linen Blend Clutch, $30, Le Château; Plastic & Metal Link Necklace, $18, ALDO; Rosette Ring, $8, Reitmans; Attitude Jay Manuel Pump, $60, Sears; Two-Tone High-Tops, $26, American Eagle; Cap-Toe Flats, $31, American Eagle; Woven Bracelets, $15, Spring

Statement Necklace, $16, ALDO; Metal Mesh Bracelet, $17, Le Château; Wide Basket Weave Cuff, $21, Cleo; Pointy Cap-Toe Pumps, $100, ALDO; Woven Metallic Band, $15, Le Château; Sterling Silver Ring, $99,People's Jewellers; Metallic Envelope Clutch, $40, Le Château