Dreaming of summer days in the sun

I am counting down the days until we're wearing summer dresses and sandals. Below is a dress I can't wait to wear. It reminds me of the Free People dress in this post but a fraction of the price.

Look 1:

(H&M dress, Vintage orange beaded necklace, Gem Garden turquoise necklace, American Eagle Sky-High Wedge Sandal)

Steal or splurge

We've seen Stewart Weitzman's "Alex" wedge on the feet of Jennifer Aniston and Eva Mendes. They are the perfect compliment to any dress, jeans, shorts, cropped pant... the list goes on. But when do you splurge on the $365 Stew's or opt for the $79 Steve's. That, my friend, is entirely up to you. My advice? Know your budget and don't be afraid to shop around. While I love a bargain, keep in mind that you really get what you pay for. I always suggest making a list of your "Must Have" items for the season. If you are able to prioritize the pieces that will round out your closet you can easily determine which items need to be top dollar and which items can be a steal. As always, have fun with it - styling is meant to be fun and fantastic!

Stewart Weitzman, Alex $365

Michael, Michael Kors, Juniper $140

Steve Madden, Fantastik, $79.95

A weekend in cuffs

A good friend asked me to show a few weekend looks. I've used the same Miss Sixty jeans to show two very different looks - perfect for comfortable weekends that do not include sweatpants.

Look 1:

(Miss Sixty jeans, Urban Outfitters tank top, Vintage scarf, Vintage leather clutch, Ebay turquoise cuff (Zuni Indian), Nine West gray heels)

Look 2:

(Miss Sixty jeans, Target flannel shirt, Minnetonka Kitty moccasins, Vintage handbag)

What I'm loving right now

Muse

(Photo credit: Amanda Brooks)

70's Cher. Love.

Leather and daisies

I'm 100% ready for spring. Check out these looks that mix leather with floral prints - perfect for spring weather.

Look 1:

(Kenneth Cole leather jacket, Franco Sarto wedges, J. Crew Favorite Tank, Free People Floral Fields Wideleg pants, Nordstrom pearl necklaces, Oversize clutch was a gift from a friend)

Look 2:

(Kenneth Cole leather jacket, Urban Outfitters dress, J. Crew belt, Franco Sarto wedges)

I really love the snakeskin, t-strap, wedges shown here. Both looks are a balance of feminine and masculine.

Skirts just wanna have fun

Gals tend to shy away from skirts because they seem like work. It doesn't have to be that way at all. This post is for those skirts in your closet just dying to be worn... because skirts don't have to be tricky.

Look 1:
(J. Crew men's button down shirt, J. Crew necklace, H&M necklace, Vintage silk scarf, Anthropologie scarf pin, Fossil leather skirt, Steve Madden flats)

Look 2:
(Free People blouse, Anthropologie cardigan, Vintage necklace, J. Crew skirt, American Eagle belt, Steve Madden shoes, Vintage bead handbag)

Just because

I'm a sucker for neutrals.

Look 1:

(Urban Outfitter BDG Skinny Jeans, Urban Outfitters BDG white tank top, J. Crew Schoolboy Blazer, Nine West heels, J. Crew necklace, J. Crew bracelet, Vintage handbag)

Mixing stripes

Mixing stripes is a great way to add depth to your look. When playing around with your pieces, think of the stripes as your "neutral" but try not to go crazy with every accessory you own. Have fun!

Look 1:

(Madewell Widelegger jeans, Anthropologie blue and white striped t-shirt, Heritage 1981 blazer, Lucky Brand Rory heels, Fossil Large Tear Drop Hoop earring, Etsy necklace, Jesslyn Blake crossbody handbag)

Look 2:

(Madewell Widelegger jeans, Anthropologie blue and white striped t-shirt, Vintage cardigan, Anthropogie necklace, Lucky Brand Rory heels, Anthropologie necklace, J.Crew belt)

A story about the wideleg

Loving the look of the wideleg pant! It's a great alternative to the skinny pants that we've been seeing for several seasons now. Using the same Drapey Wideleg pants from Free People I've created 3 completely different stories.

Date Night:
(Free People Drapey Wideleg Pant, J.Crew Favorite Tank, Nine West heels, Urban Renewal kimono, Vintage necklaces, Cuff bracelet gift from my husband)

Weekend:

(Free People Drapey Wideleg Pant, J. Crew Favorite Tank, Vintage Sweater, Gem Garden turquoise necklace, Woodies by Jeffrey Campbell mary jane clogs, Gem Garden large cuff (Zuni Indian), Cuff bracelet gift from my husband)

Work:

(Free People Drapey Wideleg Pant, Anthropologie bolero, American Eagle denim shirt, Ralph Lauren clogs, H&M necklace, J. Crew bracelets and belt, Timex gold watch)

I went back and forth on whether or not to include the brand names. I really don't believe that you need to wear brand name clothing to create an amazing look though I do believe there is a difference in the fit and the quality of each piece. Everything you see is a mix of vintage and higher end pieces and the price points range drastically. I love to wear a pricier gift from my husband with a necklace from H&M. I don't believe that an entire look should be purchased from the same store. It's more fun to mix and match to create your own style. That's the whole point of styling! Perhaps down the road I will remove the brands from the blog... I'll have to feel it out.