Color of the day

Polka Dot Ruffle Blouse & Cardigan: NY & Co.  Skirt: Mossimo.  Heels: BCBG.  Purse: Gucci.

   

There are moments when I get bored looking at my sage green photo backdrop, however I don’t have a handy photo taker with me throughout the day and the only time I have to take a fashion shot is 2 minutes before I run out the door to work in the morning, so green backdrop it is.

Sometimes I’ll take a photo by my fireplace or on my porch, but the outfits don’t always display quite as well.  Today I did step outside my box and actually tried out my bright bathroom for my photo of the day!  Okay, so the color is a bit overwhelming… but maybe a nice change from the normal sage?  Hopefully, it can remind you to have a bright and happy day!

Pink, orange, polka dots, stripes, ruffles, buckles… if you only read this description, it might seem that there’s to be a lot going on in this outfit, but together it’s definitely not that much.  Adding a solid tone sweater / cardigan / or jacket of any kind can really tone down a look that might have otherwise been a little busy.  If you’re more of a busy-lovin’ gal – by all means, leave the sweater off!

 

Zip it up!

The dress I’m wearing is Mystree Front Zipper Ruffle Dress from PB&J Boutique.

The dress is a bit short, but is really great for summer casual events (picnics, weekend wear, grill outs…).  Also, because it was such a light fabric, I wore a little black under-dress to make sure I was covered!

If you haven’t checked out PB&J Boutique, they sell casual clothing which are typically in muted colors (grey, black, white, beige) and fabrics that are soft cotton blends.  Another good things to know is that they offer free shipping to Canada and the United States. U.S. customers also receive a prepaid UPS return label which provides free returns. Shopping is truly risk-free since they do full-refunds as well (note - other conditions apply to sale-items).

 

Shades of Purple

Skirt: Forever XXI.  Blazer: H&M.  Beaded Blouse: Macy’s.  Shoes: Jessica Simpson.  Purse: Vintage.

I’m not a huge fan of tone on tone, but I do like different shades of the same color together.  This light purple top is a little pale for my coloring, so bringing in a deeper purple shade in the blazer brings not only definition to the outfit, but makes it a more flattering color combo for me overall.

Color Mixing Classics

Red ruffle cardigan: INC.  Brown Ruffle Top: Antilia Femme.  Skirt: The Limited.  Shoes: BCBG.

 

It’s very common place (and beautifully classic) to see red, white, and black paired together – but I liked adding the brown for a different take and I think it worked nicely.  

Yep, I wore my sassy BCBG shoes to work again.  From my Too Sexy for Work? post, these bad-ass heels got a vote of 77 (63%) who said they were work appropriate and a vote of 45 (37%) who said they were not work appropriate.  I went with the majority vote!!

I only wear these shoes with a skirt or dress as (in my mind) they are really meant for “show” and just wouldn’t be done justice hidden under pants!  So, I just make sure the dress or skirt is conservative enough to work with a sassy shoe.

Finding the right fit

Sheer Ruffle Top: Express.  Jeans: Anne Taylor LOFT.  Yellow Bracelet: Forever XXI.  Shoes: Michael Kors.

I always share my stories of great finds for the more proportionally curvy bottomed ladies.  I like the curvy fit from Express, and I also like these – curvy fit from Ann Taylor LOFT.  The waist is more fitted that a lot of jeans, and there is considerably more stretch in the hip / thigh area while not being too wide in the rest of the leg.  They also come in this nice dark color which is always flattering.

My Express curvy jeans below:

“The whole world, as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color.” ~Hans Hofmann

Heels: Jessica Simpson.  Necklace: Francesca’s. Dress: Faith Passion.

I wanted to mix this dress with a contrasting color, but didn’t want to overkill it since the dress itself was so bright and pattern filled.  I decided on blue and mixed in a bold necklace and studded blue heels.

Some other red / blue combos of mine over the years:

Animal Print

 

 

I adore this animal print top, but find it often works better layered under another top or dress to give it a bit more shape.

Purple and red accents brought some “pop!” to the otherwise neutral ensemble.

Animal print is still hot in my book.  It’s also still showing up on everything from purses, shoes, computer carrying cases, and of course – fashionistas everywhere!

Summer Clearance

Tee: Limited.  Skirt: Ann Taylor Loft.  Shoes: DSW. 

Casual weekend look – I adore this bright little skirt and found it for a great deal due to summer clearance prices (under $25!).  August / September time frame is the perfect time to stock up on summer dresses, tank tops, shorts, skirts, and sandals -- so if you’re in need of any of these wardrobe items, go out and get them now!

In addition to the fun color, did I mention this skirt has pockets?!?  Love it.

 

While yellow isn’t a great color on me, I find it’s a wonderful accent color and I tend to purchase items such as purses, jewelry, and shoes with this color.  It’s good to remember that no color is unworkable!

Sassy Work Shoes

After much debate (and a fun “too sexy for work?” post), I wore my red suede ruffle shoes to the office.  Not only was I concerned about the flair overall, but was a bit concerned on the heel height.  Don’t get me wrong – I love a good 4+ inch heel any day of the week, but comfort after 10 hours is not expected.  Surprisingly, I survived and they really weren’t that uncomfortable!  I wouldn’t run a marathon in them, but at least I know I can make it through a basic day (good thing I sit a lot for my job!).  Also, everyone at work seemed to like them and I didn’t get any funny “that’s inappropriate” looks.  As long as stand-out heels are paired with more conservative clothing items, I definitely think sassy work shoes are a DO!

 

 

Dress: INC.  Necklace: Newport News.  Heels: Quipid.

Great Giveaway

If you’re a fan of fabulous designer duds, check out Animated Confessions’ giveaway for Daniel’s Footwear and enter for a chance to win a £50 voucher for their online store!

Color Combinations

Dress: George. Cropped Cardigan: Chadwicks.  Purse: Nine West.  Purple Suede-Like Shoes: H&M.  Necklace: Thrift

 

Mismatch of the day: blue and purple!  I truly love the contrast of blue and purple, and find it an easy combination to work with.  For my neutrals today, I stuck with brown and white.

My color wheel of inspiration:

 

What are your favorite color combos?