Stylized Existence: June 2010

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Cool Off

I was searching for inspiration the other day when my co-worker told me she was looking for a way to stay cool at work while still looking put together and polished. It's been incredibly humid and hot all over the US lately, so I am sure many of you are looking for ways to wear less while still looking professional. The best way to stay cool is to opt for skirts or cropped pants instead of full length trousers. Skirts (if worn at the appropriate length) look very professional. If you're lucky enough to work in a more business-casual setting, you can even get away with wearing skirts with pretty patterns in order to keep your work attire interesting. I went with a floral print skirt from Anthropologie at a reasonable $68 and then kept the rest of the color scheme neutral in order to not cause too much of a stir in the office. The ruffled vest from Madewell is an awesome find because it gives the outfit another layer (which makes it more interesting to look at) while still being light and not covering the arms and creating unnecessary heat. This vest comes in 4 colors and I would buy one of each if I had the extra cash right now! Under the vest I would put a simple, COTTON tee. This one is from J.Crew and has a nice scoop neck to elongate the neck and create a taller appearance. Cotton is important because it is a breathable fabric and will help you maintain a cooler body temperature. I don't condone polyester under any circumstances, but especially not in the summer! Add a few simple, neutral accessories (love the initial necklace for only $18 from Urban Outfitters) and you've got yourself a sophisticated outfit for work.

Perfect-fit ruffle henley tee
$25 - jcrew.com

Legère Ruffled Vest
$62 - madewell.com

Woodblock Print Skirt
$78 - anthropologie.com

MOOS
$75 - aldoshoes.com

Reflecting Pool Earrings
$24 - anthropologie.com

Serpent Chain Trim Bracelets
$4.80 - forever21.com

Delicate Initial Necklace
$18 - urbanoutfitters.com

Monday, June 28, 2010

Fourth of July!

For my American readers, the Independence day holiday is right around the corner. I am so lucky to be able to celebrate this day with my closest friends + lovely boyfriend this year because I am flying back from Prague for the weekend! If I had more time between now and the holiday, I would definitely be purchasing the simple red and white striped cotton dress from Aubin + Wills and pairing it with the navy basketweave clutch from Banana Republic. I would keep things more neutral in the rest of the outfit by adding a knotted bracelet (for only 5 bucks!) and brown belt to cinch the waist of the flowy dress, as well as neutral (but still an interesting design) sandals. For the guy - I love these brown Oakley sunglasses and the relatively affordable Timex watch. The red,white, and blue dress shirt is also from Aubin + Wills and would look perfect paired with the navy shorts from J.Crew. All together, these looks are patriotic while still looking casual and stylish for a weekend BBQ. What are you planning to wear for your 4th of July plans?

Silverdale Dress
49 GBP - aubinandwills.com

Steve Madden Sysco
$49 - piperlime.gap.com

Timex Core Camper
$40 - urbanoutfitters.com

Sailor Knot Bracelet
$5 - urbanoutfitters.com

Marc by Marc Jacobs Aviator Sunglasses
$98 - shopbop.com

BDG Waist Belt
$20 - urbanoutfitters.com

Ardingly Shirt
98 GBP - aubinandwills.com

Sun-faded Stanton short
$60 - jcrew.com

Nubuck Flip Flops
$38 - jcrew.com

Basketweave clutch
$60 - bananarepublic.gap.com

Men's Oakley Sunglasses
$140 - urbanoutfitters.com

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Wedding Season

I've got a couple of weddings on the agenda for the rest of the summer, so I thought I would share an outfit idea I put together for my cousin's upcoming wedding. Jackie is getting married on July 31st and I am lucky enough to be one of her bridesmaids. I have been halfway across the world, so right now I am not totally sure what is in store for rehearsal dinner plans, but I am sure there will be something to get dressed up for on the night before the wedding.

Below is an outfit I am considering for the rehearsal dinner - I love the soft color and texture of the gray/purple dress... especially when paired it with neutrals, because it helps the soft color pop. The shoe is just sexy enough to offset the bagginess of the dress and the awesome Lauren Merkin clutch is a neutral staple that could carry you through many outfits (definitely an investment piece). The anthropologie necklace is sparkly, but still dainty enough to not clash with the ethereal nature of the dress. I would choose a neutral nail polish to blend into the background, and a really pretty shimmery shade of eyeshadow to (hopefully) play up the tan I will have by then. What are you planning on wearing to your summer weddings?

Marlie racerback dress in orchid shadow
$128 - jcrew.com

Classiques Entier® 'Trellis' Sandal
$100 - nordstrom.com

Tousled Web Necklace
$58 - anthropologie.com

Urban Decay - Stardust Eyeshadow
urbandecay.com

Maybelline Nail Polish, Blushing Bride
ulta.com

Cream Glitter Python Embossed Eve
$180 - laurenmerkin.com

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Stripe Crazy

I'll officially be back in the states 6 weeks from today and the knowledge of that has me thinking about weekends in the warm weather - maybe even a trip to the coast. I have been loving stripes lately because it's so easy to dress them up from casual/preppy during the day to chic for a night with the addition of a few accessories. I would wear this outfit for a dinner at the beach or a relaxed summer get together. I love the distressed bermudas with the gold wedge heel - it gives the tomboy vibe of the shorts a little dose of glam. I also love adding the layer of sparkle in the necklace on top of the striped tee because it also helps add an element of "dressiness" to the otherwise plain top - and the necklace is perfect because it is a complementary, but not overpowering color. The bag and the sunglasses round out the outfit with a little more style and another layer of color.