Face It

Ah, at long last!  A fashion post!  I've had this one in the archives - or at least had the photos saved on my phone - for a longggg time.  That being said, this is more of an early fall look rather than a summer look. (Yes, it's been that long.)  This outfit, though, could definitely work for something like a breezy summer night on the boardwalk.  Alrighty, without further ado:

Look at that layout!  La-dee-da, gettin' fancy!

Your first thought may be, "Hey!  There's a face on your torso!"  Well, you're darn tootin' there is.  I love to be a little bold with my fashion choices.  I used to be a tad over the top (please see the About Me section), but I think I've found a good balance.  I can use fashion to express who I am and stand-out in a crowd without looking like I'm crying out for attention.  Truthfully, I believe that anyone can wear something bold and a little eccentric as long as they own it and wear it with confidence.

This outfit cracks me up because not one, but TWO items that I'm wearing are from the children's department - the shirt and the shoes!  The shirt caught my eye because... well, I just think it's cool.  I love the structured sleeves, and the sketch of the woman's face is super unique.  The shirt is also a hi-lo, but you can't really tell from this picture.  Originally, the shirt had a piece of lace with a bow at the neckline of the woman in the graphic.  I used a seam ripper to take it off because I thought it made the shirt just a bit too childish.  The shoes are just simple ballet flats, so no harm there.  Hey, I'm tiny and kids' clothes are cheaper... why not?

The pink jeans brighten up an otherwise totally neutral look.  The only other splash of color is in the blush on the shirt's graphic.  I also chose earrings with a purplish-pink hue to further bring out the color in the shirt.  I have since lost these earrings, and I'm quite sad about it.  The silver ballet flats are a simple shoe that go with most any outfit (unless you're wearing gold!).  I felt like I had a lot going on with the graphic shirt and pink pants, so I opted for something easy and non attention-grabbing.

This picture makes it look like the woman on the shirt opened her eyes, and that truly terrifies me.

So, it was a tad chilly the day I wore this (I think it was early September), so I threw on my [p]leather jacket.  When choosing a "leather" jacket, I purposely went for a cognac color because I think it goes with black, brown, white, pink, chartreuse... you get the point.  So pairing this jacket with the bright pants and the black and white top was a no-brainer.  The coolest thing about the jacket?  Bargain find at TJ Maxx!  Frankly, I think this look is pretty bad ass... especially with the jacket and sunglasses.

X's & O's
~VeeLynn

In This Outfit:
Graphic Tee ~ Beautees (Macy's), Spring 2013
Jeans ~ Ann Taylor Loft, Pre-Fall 2012
Jacket ~ Ci Sono by Cavalini (purchased at TJ Maxx), Fall 2012
Earrings ~ Betsey Johnson (Macy's), Fall / Winter 2012-ish? (pretty sure they were a Christmas gift)
Sunglasses ~ Ann Taylor Loft, Summer 2012
Shoes ~ Smart Fit (Payless), Pre-Fall 2013?

Sidenote: I know Ann Taylor Loft is a tad pricey and sort-of goes against my stance on bargain shopping.  I( used to work there... don't hate.

Trail Blazer

THIS is a great example of how to use what you already have in your closet to make something brand new.  Some of the things in this outfit I've had since high school.  It's also a great example of how more expensive doesn't necessarily mean "better."  It's not always WHAT you wear, but HOW you wear it. (Okay, what  you wear matters a little.)

My husband never puts his sneakers away...

I think my favorite thing about this look is the blazer.  It's a little bit longer and less tailored than a more formal blazer, so it looks a little weird with a pencil skirt or dress pants.  It does, however, look awesome with a pair of skinny jeans.  This is the one thing in this outfit that I bought recently, and I am so happy with it.  In my mind, blazers are the new cardigans.  I used to take a cardigan with me wherever I went, but now I take a blazer.  Blazers give a little more structure to an outfit than a cardigan, and blazers can quickly add just the right amount of edge.

So what piece have I had since high school?  The shoes, of course!  Round toes, chunky heels, and Mary Jane straps are back, baby, and I'm taking full advantage.  The shoes also have some cute details: white "stitching" around the arch and a little white flower on the outside where the strap meets the shoe.  I probably wouldn't wear these shoes with a skirt or dress.  They are fairly casual-looking, and I think the shape of them along with the chunkier heel would look a little unflattering.  Plus, I don't really think of them as a summer shoe.  Yes, they have a white flower, but I still think they are a "cool [not cold] weather" shoe.

All in all, I kind-of felt like a rock star that day.  Cute tee featuring the British flag, sick blazer, the perfect pair of skinny jeans, and I found a way to wear some heels that have gone under-appreciated for far too long.  Feeling like a rock star always makes you look one!

Rock on!
~VeeLynn

In This Outfit:
Tee-Shirt ~ Miley Cyrus for Max Azria (Wal-Mart), ca. 2009? (Don't judge me... it's a cute shirt!)
Blazer ~ American Rag (Macy's), Fall / Winter 2012
Skinny Jeans ~ Ann Taylor LOFT, 2012
Shoes ~ Payless?, ca. 2000?

Grr, Baby

Animal print is touchy.  It is so easy to go overboard, and then it goes from fashionable to trashy.  I think that tops and dresses that are just one solid animal print are too much.  For example, some thing are mixed prints, and that keeps it from being too overwhelming if all the prints are in the same color family.

I cropped out my unmade bed.  You're welcome.

This piece has elements of leopard print, giraffe print, zebra print, and also throws in some purple.  Think about this dress / tunic-that-I-can-wear-as-a-dress-because-I'm-short as a solid leopard print.  Not as cute, right?  While it seems like having more than one print would make something even busier, it actually draws the eye in various directions and keeps it from being too much.  It actually adds a degree of subtlety as each pattern is, in itself, subtly represented.

About a month ago, I had to go to a dinner with the artistic team and a reviewer for a show I had designed.  I thought, "As the costume designer, should I not look fabulous?"  A resounding yes!  It was starting to warm-up (only to get cold again the next day), so I thought a leopard print skirt would be a great choice.  Sadly, my legs need a tan like Barbara Streisand needs people.  So it goes.

2 pictures, 1 post.  I didn't crop out my mess in this one.  Deal.

Wait, is that skirt a solid animal print?  What did I just say?!  I SAID, "... tops and dresses that are just one solid animal print are too much."  I also tend to like my statement pieces to be on the bottom, like in this post, so maybe it's just me.  You'll notice I paired the skirt with a purple tank.  It is so easy to want to put black or brown with leopard print because it obviously matches and that's that.  Adding a color like purple, pink, blue, white, you-name-it, makes your outfit pop.  It also keeps the animal print from being overwhelming because, like the mixed-pattern print of the dress up there (^) it draws the eye in various directions.  Black and brown are dull and keep the focus on the print.

The tank I'm wearing is a silky material with lace and sequins... I know you can't really tell from the picture.  This adds texture, as the skirt doesn't have any sort of embellishment.  Over top, I added a loose-fitting peplum cardigan.  The looser fit and the peplum at the hips balances out the tighter fitting skirt and tank.

Wait, is that cardigan black?  What did I just say?!  I'm just full of contradictions today, aren't I?  Well, you don't want to go TOO overboard with color.  A black or brown cardigan over top of a colored top brings it all together.  Which brings me to the shoes...

Black heels could also have worked with this outfit, but I feel that would have broken things up too much, especially since the skirt is primarily tan.  Also, nude colored shoes lengthen your legs with dresses and skirts, and we all know I NEED that.  These shoes aren't a solid nude... they are various colors of tan and a snake skin texture.  Putting these with the leopard was a risk, but I think it worked.  Snakeskin is more of a texture than a print, so it doesn't take away from the leopard at all, especially since they aren't right next to each other.  I finished the look with simple jewelry... a small blingy bow-tie necklace and some dangly earrings that have a hint of pinkish-purple.

From my jungle to yours,

~VeeLynn

First Photo:

Dress ~ Love Purple, found at GoodWill (!) <-- more on this later.

Second Photo:

Tank Top ~ Xhileration (Target), A long time ago

Skirt ~ Ann Taylor LOFT, Spring 2012

Cardigan ~ American Rag (Macy's), Winter 2012

Shoes ~ Naturalizer (!) (Naturalizer.com) Winter 2012 <-- more on this later, too.

Necklace ~ my  friend ordered it for me from a Chinese website. :) Spring 2011

Earrings ~ Betsey Johnson (Macy's), Winter 2012

Spring Has Sprung

I met my girlfriends for Mexican food and a much-needed margarita this evening. I made mine a jumbo size. ;-) In any case, it was 75 degrees outside, so I had to go into my under-the-bed tote and pull out the capris. Green capris to be exact. Last spring, I wanted nothing more than green capris... and so it was.

I'm consistently making a mockery of myself.

I paired my capris with a sweater I got this past winter that I am absolutely in love with.  It's so quirky and wonderful.  There is a patch of lace down the center back, hence the awkward photo on the right... I was trying to show you the lace. With little success.  You can't see my shoes because they're just old, ugly flip flops.  Sometimes shoes make the outfit... not this time.

Colored pants are a spring / summer favorite of mine.  I would rather have loud pants than a loud shirt.  In this case, both are a little loud,  I guess.  Pairing colored pants with a patterned top in neutral tones adds texture without making you look like an Easter egg.  The lace detailing on this sweater adds a second "layer" of texture.  Going cami-less underneath makes me feel just the right amount of scandalous.  I also think leaving the back open makes it a bit more springy, no?

I also love wearing tight bottoms with a baggier top, or vice versa.  Wearing two "tight" items can a make you look skanky (or in my case... muffin-toppy).  Two "baggy" pieces can make you look frumpy.  Although there are exceptions to every rule. :-)

Happy Spring!

~VeeLynn

In this outfit:
Sweater ~ Almost Famous (Boscov's), Winter 2012
Capris ~ Ann Taylor LOFT, Spring/Summer 2012

Ask Anything: Size Matters

Tonight, I had my very first fashion consultation... via Facebook Messenger. It makes me so happy that my friends come to me for advice! I thought that this one situation could benefit a lot of people, so I asked her permission to post. Here we go:

"I need some fun spring outfits - the problem is that my size is right on the verge of regular/plus size. I'm a 14-16. Where do I find knee length dresses?" -- Kristy

Believe me, when it comes to shopping for unusual sizes, I'm the queen of the castle. I happen to fall on the opposite end of the spectrum from Kristy. I can wear children's sizes. (Some good buys there for you tiny gals. But, this is for another post... I digress.) Kristy is an awesome bargain shopper, so like moi, she loves stores like TJ Maxx and picks through the sale racks at department stores. Because, let's face it, who doesn't love a good buy?  Sometimes, though, necessity (or gift cards) demand that we splurge.

My first thought was Lane Bryant, but Kristy is not a true plus size, so their clothes tend to be baggy on her. After minutes of greuling deliberation and feeling like a failure at my future career path, I suggested that she try stores like Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor LOFT, or New York & Company. These stores are great for women of all sizes. Their clothes are great for day-to-night looks, so even though they may be a little pricier, it is always a good investment. Something you can wear to multiple occasions.

One thing about these stores is that there is a lot of vanity sizing going on. What does that mean? It means that their clothes tend to run about a size too large, so that when you need a size smaller than normal, you feel great. So goes the theory. For example, at Ann Taylor I am a size 00 petite or XXS petite. A double-zero I am not. How does this benefit women like Kristy? She would actually be one of the median sizes at these stores, allowing her to move up or down a size or so given the fit of individual garments.

Check out these stores online! Something for all shapes and sizes!
Ann Taylor
Ann Taylor LOFT
New York & Company

Happy shopping!
~VeeLynn