Designer’s Best: AnnaSophia Robb, Kristen Stewart, Hailee Steinfeld, & More In Louis Vuitton’s Checkered Print!


One of the most memorable galleries that I posted from Paris Fashion Week was of the Louis Vuitton Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear Collection, which featured a breathtakingly refreshing look at checkered prints. These looks, which have certainly made their mark on fashion, have been seen all of the red carpets since, proving that Louis Vuitton is a brand worth knowing beyond their famous handbags.

Kirsten Dunst chose the rust & white combination to wear while attending The 2013 Art of Elysium Heaven Gala, accessorizing the look with pointy matching Jimmy Choo pumps. InStyle cover girl Jessica Alba showed her support for the magazine at their Golden Globes after-party with black patent leather pumps by Casadei. It-girl Kerry Washington showed her flirty & feminine side in a pastel version at a Berlin press event for her latest film, Django Unchained, with a VC Signature clutch & towering white & metallic pointy toe pumps. Actress Hailee Steinfeld made an entrance in a romper at a Vitamin Water / Sally Hansen-sponsored event, while celebrating her 16th birthday!Kirsten Dunst, Jessica Alba, Kerry Washington, Hailee Steinfeld, Berenice Bejo, Kristen Stewart & AnnaSophia Robb.

Last year’s Oscar-nominated French import Berenice Bejo walked the red carpet at the premiere of Populaire with red suede pumps, stacked bangles, & a sparkling clutch. Kristen Stewart showed some leg at a Tokyo press conference for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part Two in a shorts romper with strappy Brian Atwood heels. Most recently, The Carrie Diaries up-and-comer & cover girl AnnaSophia Robb posed for Teen Vogue in a midriff-baring top & mini skirt from the collection.

Would you wear a checkered look? Do you like the color combinations or the way these celebs have styled their Louis Vuitton pieces? Which designers do you like the follow on the runway & red carpets? To shop the Louis Vuitton collection, check out links to Neiman Marcus, Americana Manhasset, & Bag Borrow or Steal! Happy Styling!

Fabulous in 4 Ways: Floral Skinny Pants From H&M For Day, Date, Cocktail, & Weekend!


Just b/c the holidays are mostly over, it doesn’t mean that the glamour has to end. The latest trends in spring fashion are slowly, but surely emerging & this includes floral pants. They’re not just for springtime, especially when there are so many chic & cozy ways to dress up or dress down florals when the weather is still chilly outside.  I’d like to take a look at some celebrity inspiration to see how the A-listers are wearing this trend.

Kristin Cavallari shares her chic maternity style in Joe’s Jeans with a basic black top & blazer to offset the vibrant pattern.  90210 star Shenae Grimes adds some punk flavor to her Alice + Olivia cropped pants with strappy booties & a leather top.  Playing with the same idea is Minka Kelly, whose Dolce & Gabbana floral pants are enhanced by suede peep toe pumps & a bright rectangular clutch.  Singer Lana Del Rey plays up her demure style in Citizens of Humanity pants under her trench coat with embellished ballet flats.  Lastly, Twilight star Kristen Stewart sticks to her favorite designer, Balenciaga, for her micro floral printed pants, paired with a Rebecca Minkoff blazer & a Juicy Couture tank.

Kristin Cavallari, Shenae Grimes, Minka Kelly, Lana Del Rey, & Kristen Stewart.Even if we look to the runways for Spring 2013, you’ll find that there’s plenty of floral on the bottom. Floral isn’t meant just for dresses, skirts, or blouses anymore. It can be an unexpected pop of femininity or juxtapose more masculine pieces for day or evening.  For example, we’ve seen this in collections from Jason Wu, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Lela Rose, Paul & Joe, & Tanya Taylor. Here, complimenting colors in your floral prints can work to accentuate a factor of luxury in your look, especially when it comes to jackets, cardigans, scarves, & heels.

Jason Wu, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Lela Rose, Paul & Joe, & Tanya Taylor. The pants in question for today’s Fabulous in 4 Ways post are the floral pants ($24.95) from H&M. Not only are these an amazing bargain, but I’m convinced that these can be worn in a variety of ways to get the most out of your wardrobe basics for day, weekend, date, & cocktail hour.  These may be a little hard to pull off in the office, depending on what your work dress code is, but for the more casual environments, I recommend a cute blouse & pumps to make your look polished & professional.

First, for daytime when you’re running some errands or meeting with your girlfriends for a casual luncheon (á la Sex & the City), I recommend playing with the colors in the pants, including the ruched panel cardigan ($9.99) in gold from Dress Barn worn over the lurex lace bra cami ($14.99) in true white from Express. When floral pants such as these are the focal point of your look, you can play with textures to add interest, which is why I’ve selected the Kenneth Cole ‘Slip Me One’ flats ($29.97) in red @Piperlime & the easy metallic combo of Forever 21‘s beaded hoop earrings ($5.80).

Keep it cozy when it comes to a weekend look, if you’re headed out to a movie during the day with your beau & then sit by the fireplace eating Chinese food. Yes, that’s what I’d like my weekends to be, which is why I picked the striped sweater with oversized cowl neck ($34.96) in herbal mist from New York & Company to wear with the Brash Zoey riding boot ($39.99) in black from Payless. The mixture of stripes & florals has fascinated me for a while, so when you’re cooped up with your significant other in the house when the weather is on the frightful side, experiment with your looks a little to keep things fresh.  However, if you’re headed out, I love the mix of tassels with the patent textures in the daisy fuentes Gemini studded cross-body handbag ($29.50) in magenta from Kohl’s matched with a little more spring fever in the floral bangle set ($7.80) from Forever 21.

When it comes to date night looks, you always have to consider where you’re headed.  Floral pants may seem busy, but if accessorized correctly, they’re the perfect foundation for a sophisticated & smart look to impress your date.  I picked the teardrop cut-out blouse ($24.99) in black from The Limited, a piece that is sure to make the rounds with other wardrobe staples like a pencil skirt, boyfriend jeans, & leggings.  Of course in skinny pants like these, a pair of DSW‘s BCBG Paris Preena pumps ($29.94) in fuchsia will elongate the legline & won’t be as intimidating as some seriously pointy toe shoes.  For a special finishing touch, I love the colorblocked flap crossbody ($19.80) from Forever 21 & Mixit hematite stone tassel drop earrings ($4.00) from JC Penney.

For a cocktail event, pants aren’t necessarily the first thing to come to mind, especially when a dress is so easy to throw on with some snazzy earrings & killer heels. However, if you’re running around & don’t have time to get that go-to LBD dry-cleaned, you can rely on floral plants to build an evening-ready cocktail look, including the gem collar peplum top ($30.00) in aubergine from Topshop with a built-in jeweled neckline that helps accessorize your ladylike ensemble.  Also, I’ve added the Abrianna heels ($34.99) in bone from ALDO with the sparkling sequin hinge wallet ($9.99) in champagne from Charlotte Russe. Lastly, b/c there’s so much going on in the look already, I didn’t want to bog it down with extra bling, but here’s your opportunity to break out a really fabulous cocktail ring like the affordable stretch oval ring ($12.99) in orange from Target.

Do you own floral pants? Would you consider adding them to your wardrobe? How would you style them? For more styling posts, check out my affordable LBD look, statement rings for under $10, & how to wear a metallic faux leather skirt in 4 ways! Happy Styling!

Basics For A Bargain: Fall’s Faux Leather Forecast, Inspired by Jessica Chastain, Lucy Hale, Maria Sharapova, & More!


I’ve been on the prowl for great fall finds & one trend that keeps stopping me in my tracks is leather & it’s just not going away.  Why should it? The luxe, lush material adds an edge to a feminine blouse, contradicts a flirty skirt, makes you look like a rock star, or just helps any Style Darling stand out a little bit more.  Take it from some of our favorite celebrities, including Jessica Chastain, Kate Bosworth, Lucy Hale, Nicole Richie, Sophia Bush, Maria Sharapova, & Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

My previous post about summer leather shared looks worn by Emma Stone, Alexa Chung, & Julianne Hough, but our calendars change to fall in just a few days, so why not start looking at ways to wear leather- or faux leather in this case, that can really spruce up your current wardrobe, as well as help welcoming the season.

At the recent celebration of New York Fashion Week, we saw lots of leather in recent posts for Runway Rundown, including Spring 2013 collections by designers Jason Wu, Holmes & Yang, Oscar de la Renta, & Michael Kors. Also, there was more leather to be found hitting the runway with metallic pencil skirts from DKNY, jackets by Marc Jacobs, pleated dresses by Tracy Reese, cut-out accents from Pamella Roland, & chic tops for Helmut Lang, as seen below.

However, when it comes to affordable fashion, it’s not always easy to find leather when you’re shopping on a budget. Enter: faux leather. You can’t forget that faux leather isn’t harmful to animals & is always less expensive.  It’s so easy to find faux leather separates, jackets, & dresses these days & I couldn’t decide on just a handful of items, so brace yourself… there’s a lot to look at!

What caught my attention to start posting about all these leather trends was a recent post made by Venus that I spotted on my newsfeed on Facebook.  These looks all include faux leather items, including (from left to right) the faux leather trimmed blouse ($36.00), faux leather mini skirt ($32.00), peep toe ankle strap heel ($39.00), sweater with faux leather ($18.00), faux leather leggings ($44.00), & faux leather dress ($64.00) in black. Of course, I couldn’t just write about items from one store, so here’s some more!

I should disclaim that I do not condone wearing any of these items with other faux leather pieces. You can take that risk if you’d like, but to avoid looking like a biker chick or appearing as though in costume, I’d recommend allowing for one item to be the standout & then mix with other fabrics to create a multi-dimensional & textured look.  First, the zipped faux leather denim skirt ($19.80) comes from Forever 21 & is available in plus sizes 12-20.  Underneath, you’ll find the essential faux leather shorts ($15.80), which are perfect for fall with tights & ankle booties.  Pair either of these bottoms with a fabulous blouse, studded tee, or menswear-inspired button-down.  The a-line skirt ($39.00) from Joe Fresh is cute for bringing to life the looks worn by Selena Gomez & Nicole Richie at the top of this post.  Also, add just a hint of leather with the zip back pencil skirt with (minus the) leather ($59.90) from Express.

We all know that leggings are all the rage right now, so to find the perfect pair for this edition of Basics for a Bargain, I turned to H&M for their leggings ($24.95) in black, which are also available in white, if you dare! Break these bad boys out with a chunky oversized knit & your fiercest pointed toe pumps, or help a graphic tee look less casual & top it off with a satin blazer.

I also found the plus size tee with faux leather shoulders ($34.99 – $39.99) from Jessica London & Antonio Melani Sardinia faux-leather top ($34.65) @Dillards which pair well underneath a suit for the office, or with dark denim pieces like jeggings or a mini.  If all-over leather isn’t your thing, then the touch of texture on the shoulders helps frame your face & becomes an accessory to your look. Lastly, the faux leather strapless cocktail club dress ($54.99) in black 2 cute 2 trendy crawls near the borderline of pinup, but with asymmetric zipper details, you could be working it just like Kristen Stewart or Brooklyn Decker do when making red carpet appearances.

Which leather pieces are your favorite? Which celeb looks the best in leather? Are you a fan of real leather or would you rather wear faux leather? How would you style your leather look? Happy Styling!

Runway Rundown: Holmes & Yang’s Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear Collection!


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Now that Katie Holmes is a single woman, she’s been everywhere, including New York Fashion Week, with friend & stylist Jeanne Yang.  The duo have been hitting runways together with their brand, Holmes & Yang, since 2009 & this season’s Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear Collection can be added to that stylish legacy-in-the-making.  Katie often wears pieces from the line, which was created in an effort to create looks to be worn from day-to-night seamlessly no matter any age or time.  I’m sharing this collection which includes printed sheath dresses, evening & edgy jackets, trousers & shorts, as well as elegant formal looks.  Check out the gallery & share with us which are your favorite pieces!

Be sure to also check out previous posts from Runway Rundown, including collections from Oscar de la Renta, Zac Posen, & Michael Kors! Happy Styling!

Runway Rundown: Michael Kors Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear Collection At Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week!


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To me, Michael Kors is the quintessential American fashion designer.  Of course, there’s Ralph Lauren, Tory Burch, & even those Olsen twins & their brand, The Row, who are making American designers all the more competitive against those French & Italian types.  However, as a big fan of Project Runway, I’ve put MK above all the others since I love his sense of humor about fashion, but also the minimalist elegance that so many celebrities embrace in his designs, including Jennifer Lopez, Blake Lively, Penelope Cruz, & Viola Davis.

When it came time to start sharing runway picks from New York Fashion Week, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I didn’t include his Spring 2013 Ready-To-Wear Collection, which features men’s & women’s looks, combining Americana with 80s hues, all in the name of quality fashion.  These pieces are fun to consider, exciting to watch, & probably darn amazing to wear.

For more galleries from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, check out the latest posts in Runway Rundown, including Rachel Zoe, Victoria Beckham, & Christian Siriano! Happy Styling!

Runway Rundown: Gucci’s 2013 Resort Collection!


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While I’ve been scoping out the best & the latest from the runways, I was super excited (as always) to find Gucci’s 2013 Resort Collection, featuring delicate florals, luxe neutrals, dazzling jewels, & lavish gowns. Fans of Gucci include Salma Hayek, Blake Lively, Olivia Wilde, & Drew Barrymore… perhaps we can see these designs come to life during upcoming red carpet events.  I love how inspiring this collection is, especially for future fall styles with thick belts, layers of beads, & statement necklaces.  Check out more from Runway Rundown like Valentino’s Fall 2012 / Winter 2013 Collection, Balenciaga’s Resort 2013 Line, & Herve Leger’s new bandage dresses! Happy Styling!

Runway Rundown: The Scoop On Derek Lam’s Resort 2013 Collection!


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I’ve been very serious lately about my Runway Rundown posts, featuring all the latest designs debuting on the catwalk & one that I was especially excited to see was the Resort 2013 collection by Derek Lam.  I found a link to Elle that showed me the proportionally creative line, featuring separates that are likely to be seen on stars like Angelina Jolie, Alexa Chung, or Emma Stone this season.  While some of it is meant to thrive on the runway, there are plenty of opportunities for inspiration here, especially mixing prints in your own wardrobe.  Also, playing with structure & menswear inspiration is always a fun way to reinterpret old favorites.  Click through the gallery & share which looks make your wishlist! Happy Styling!

Runway Rundown: Project Runway: Season 9 Winner, Anya Ayoung Chee’s Collection!


I love that I can post videos on here, so if you missed the finale of Project Runway’s ninth season, here’s a little clip of winner Anya Ayoung Chee‘s runway colletion via a slideshow on YouTube!  Do you think Anya should’ve won?  Who was your fan favorite throughout the season? Who’s your favorite designer from all nine seasons?  Happy Styling!