Monday, January 16, 2012

Why Head-to-Toe Can Be a No-No


Hi, fashionistas!

It's Samantha here, bringing you my first full blog post! I've been supervising things behind the scenes all along, so I'm excited to be writing my first complete post, and I'm thrilled to have this blog also posted over at Slow Southern Style. I'm most excited, though, to be writing about how much fun it can be to mix and match colors in your wardrobe. 

The inspiration behind this post comes from my every day experience in the store. So often women come into the store agonizing over finding the perfectly colored  brown/silver/green/pink/whatever shoe/handbag/jewelry/whatever to match a specific outfit. A head-to-toe one-color look is usually not nearly as fun or interesting as a dynamic look that has variety, but is still cohesive. Plus, it is almost impossible to find the exact same color in every accessory you want to wear. You will end up looking like you tried to match, but failed (like Judy in the photo below, bless her heart).

Judy in head-to-toe yellow, photo courtesy of tomosaito.com

For easy mixing and matching of colors, remember these tips:

  • Metallics complement anything. They are the easiest way to avoid feeling like your accessories need to match exactly.
  • Silver looks especially great with blues and greens.
  • Mix rich jewel toned fabrics with gray accessories, or vice versa.
  •  Pair solid colored pieces with solid colored pieces in complementary colors. (Mrs. Obama is a fan of this...more on her soon!)
  • Look closely at your patterned pieces. You can accessorize with any color in the pattern, and usually any color that complements any color in the pattern.

Our very own First Lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama is a mix-and-match expert. Let's take a look at some of my favorite Mrs. O looks:

Courtesy of mymodernmet.com

On the cover of O Magazine, looking darling in her red dress and yellow cardigan. How cute would this outfit be with some royal blue shoes? A primary color love affair!






Courtesy of putmoneyinyouridaho.blogspot.com
 On the Today Show, Mrs. O sported and black and white polka dot dress with a coral belt and yellow shoes. Most people would have let the belt or shoes be the only pop  of color, and I love that she wore them BOTH. It takes the outfit from good to great.

Courtesy of huffingtonpost.com


 And how could we forget Mrs. O's inauguration outfit? She looks stunning in her yellow dress and the teal shoes are the icing on the cake.

Another combination that women fear is wearing black and brown together. Black and brown complement one another, and wearing them together is easier than you think. To ease yourself into this, find pieces that contain both colors, whether it is a patterned top with black and brown, or an accessory with both colors, like the black and brown boots below. The best part about them is you don't have to buy a black pair and a brown pair! Who doesn't love saving a little money?

Nicole Dreamer-Women's Cowboy Boots
Lane Cowboy Boots Margaret











You don't have to have a piece that contains both colors to wear black and brown together, though. Just last week I wore a pair of brown boots with jeans, a black and white sweater, and a tan cardigan. I know I looked chic and sleek...don't be afraid, ladies! You'll look so good!


One last thing I want to point out is the versatility of a good dress shoe in a pewter-y color, like the Nina Faviola here on the right. Now, Nina calls the color "Malinda", which I'm pretty sure is code for "life saver". The shoe has an almost iridescent quality, and when you hold it up to ANY other color, it reflects bits of it and just kind of melts into the perfect complement. Seriously, you will be able to wear this with your cocktail and evening dresses of every color from black and brown to pink and blue and anything in between. Every woman should have a shoe in this color in her closet. It's the perfect go-to.



(By the way, I know the monochromatic look has made its way to the runways as of late. I support this chic trend, but this post is simply letting you know that it is not a necessity! If you want to pursue the monochromatic look, keep the fabrics rich and mix and match different materials. Have fun with it, but avoid the Nicki-Minaj-head-to-toe-leopard look!)
Courtesy of stylebistro.com
So, ladies, how about we give it a try? There's no need to get yourself all worked up when you can't find something to perfectly match your dress/bag/shoes when you can look so much more fierce without matching!

Happy Shopping! xo

Thursday, January 12, 2012

On-Trend Thursday: Smoo-oooth Transition.

Well, it's been an odd week weather-wise in our NOLA.  One day it's a balmy 76 degrees, perfect for our new resort wear we've been dying to sport since we bought it, well, last week.  Today's low is a crisp 32; what's a girl to do?  Keep both summer and winter footwear wardrobes on hand?
Well, I've never been a fan of wardrobe clutter myself - stifles the outfit-making creativity, I always say - and I'm here to tell you that there are many wonderfully simplistic solutions at hand to tide you over until things get consistently sweltering.
So let's talk about transitional pieces; the footwear that every lady should have on-hand so that she can handle weird weather situations with pure grace.  These pieces that beautifully “toe” the line (get it?  Feet First joke!) are a must, especially for us New Orleanians.  Not only are they more useful, but you get way more bang for your buck since you get to sport them all year round.  Wear them for the perfect days now, the sweltering days later, and all the freakishly cold days in between.

1. Smoking Slippers, Moccasins, and Ballet Flats 
Mens'-style smoking slippers were definitely a fashionista favorite for fall, and I’ve seen these babies all over the runways for spring as well.  They’re super easy to wear:  think of them as the new ballet flat.  Sport them with shorts, dresses (add opaque tights for chillier days), or cuffed skinny pants and you're pretty much just adorable.
Moccasins are a more casual take on these; they're perfectly preppy with shorts, yet pleasingly quirky with dresses.
And, of course, you can just rock what you've been rockin' for years and don a pair of ballet flats with pretty darn near anything you so choose.
L to R, Jenni Kayne Resort 2012, style.com; J. Crew S/S 2012, style.com; Kate Moss, lovelyish.com; Sam Edelman Crystal-Encrusted Adena Smoking Slipper (also available in gunmetal); loafer/slipper collage, fashionologie.com; Sam Edelman Holland Flat; street style shot, fashionbff.com; Nicole "Goody" Moccasin (also available in red and zebra print); street style shot, hollywoodholland.com; Nicole "Heart" Smoking Slipper (also available in black); Leandra Mendine geeks out in smoking slippers, themanrepeller.com.
       2. Ankle (and cowboy!) boots       
Trust me on this one:  boots are just as usable in festival season as they are in the colder months (er, days).   Think of every single adorable girl you’ve ever seen at Jazzfest (or, if you’re a fashion blog reader, Coachella) with her sundress or cutoffs and cowboy boots.  The trick for pulling them off post-March is to pair them with silhouettes that are decidedly not wintery.  Pick boots in breathable leathers and/or opt for something that hits at the ankle and you’ll get more than your money’s worth.

Coachella style shot, refinery29.com; Chocolat Blu Dasha Oxford; street style shot, mrnewton.net; Coachella style shot, refinery29.com; Olivia Palermo, mrnewton.net; Lane Lucky Pocket Change Cowboy Boot; 10Crosby Derek Lam Resort 2012, style.com; Nicole "Dreamer" Short Cowboy Boot; Coachella style shot, refinery29.com.

3. Pumps
A classic pump is a staple for every woman’s closet, and this is one of the main reasons:  it is absolutely, completely, and perfectly seasonless.  The perfect pump is also the most usable piece in a woman's wardrobe, as well as the most flattering (low vamp + extra height = a leg-lengthening WIN.)  This season, we’re seeing less of the sky-high super platforms and more classic, pared-down, ladylike constructions. 
Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's; Corso Como "Macon" Kitten Heel Pump; Sesto Meucci Suede Pump; style shot, mrnewton.net; street style shot, mrnewton.net; Corso Como "Delicious" Pump; J. Crew S/S 2012, style.com; Stella McCartney Resort 2012, style.com; Jenni Kayne S/S 2012, style.com.
         So there you have it, fashionistas!  Leave us some commentary and let us know your favorite way to work your wardrobe during our bipolar weather patterns.  Let's do it all with effortlessness and, above all, confidence, our best accessory! 
Love and Fashion, 
Keke