Strawberries, Polka Dots, and Leather

Sometimes the things you just throw together end up being some of the greatest outfits!!

Christmas Party/ Fiesta Navideña

Cotton Candy

I am IN LOVE with this outfit. 

Clean and Classic

I love trying bold new trends, but sometimes you just have to go with a clean and classic look.

It's Friday. That means jeans at the office!

Don't you love these mint pumps? I love the color mint. It's one of those universal colors that looks good on every skin tone. 

I talked about this coat in an earlier post. I highly recommend investing in one. You can find them new with tags on eBay for about 50% off retail! They run slightly large, so I would size down one size from your normal coat size.

I keep collecting more colors of this coat each year. It will seriously last you forever. That's how well made it is.

Doesn't the fall just make the most beautiful scenery all on its own?

It seems like fall took forever to get here, but now it's here with a vengeance! Leaves are falling like crazy and temperatures are in the 40's!

I love the fall, because I love the weather and love looking forward to the holidays.

Ya'll knew I wasn't going to leave you hanging for a statement necklace right!? Today is my debut for this beauty. 

I love how all the elements combine for a clean and crisp look.

This white top is AWESOME! It is so figure-flattering and comfortable and comes in a bunch of colors for about $23.00. Check the bottom of the post for the link!

TGIF! Have a great weekend everyone!

Coat: J. Crew 

Jeans: HSN

Shoes: Sole Society (old) Check out these similar ones.

Necklace: Chico's

Top: Lord & Taylor

Cool Palette

I decided to throw this together this morning on the spur of the moment! Sometimes the things you anticipate the least end up being some of the best! Cool colors can usually be combined pretty freely without looking weird. With warm colors, you have to be more careful.

Halloween Haute

This Halloween, I went goth-glam!

I don't really "dress up" for Halloween anymore, but I do enjoy being a little festive. 

Halloween is a once-a-year free pass to push the limits on fashion! How could I resist that?

I've been inspired recently by the 19th Century English Gothic era. As everyone knows, I LOVE statement necklaces! My entire outfit is centered around this necklace, from Betsey Johnson's Dark Forest Collection. It is a retired collection, but if you search for it on eBay, you should be able to find plenty of pieces for sale at a reasonable price.

My other "fun" piece was these stockings! They were about $3.00 on eBay. Let me just say that their quality is reflective of their price! If you try these, make sure you only need to wear them one time!

I know I will basically complain about the weather no matter what, but it was FREEZING outside this morning! I could barely relax enough to get any decent shots, so the whole operation had to move inside. I don't know how professional models deal with swim suit photo shoots in the cold. I am a total wimp.

I used to think Gothic fashion was just for angsty teenagers, but now I think it can be so glamorous when done right!

Also, everyone who knows me knows I am TERRIFIED of spiders. Like, it is full-fledged arachnophobia. So this necklace is an example of me facing my fear.

I wanted to wear "witchy" looking boots too. I found these at the back of my closet. Sometimes looking for something specific in your closet for a special occasion reminds you that you have some great pieces you forgot you had and should be wearing more!

These stockings must be forever memorialized in these pictures, because at the end of the day, they are going to the place where hosiery goes to die.

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween!

Fruit with a Punch

I love taking "Casual Friday" to the next level. I believe that when done right,  jeans and a blazer can often look more sophisticated than a dress! I have been searching for this blazer for months. I refuse to wear tight uncomfortable fabrics that don't breath and stretch. This blazer is made out of terry cloth and feels like I'm wearing a t-shirt. 

Pairing basics with high fashion shoes and a statement necklace can put a "classic" outfit on trend.

I am definitely pear-shaped. These jeans are a pear-shaped woman's best friend! They work great for women difference who have a big difference in the size of their hips and waist. They also have just the right amount of give to be comfortable and just the right amount of "compression" to slim down your silhouette. 

As you have probably gathered, I LOVE statement necklaces! Because of the "strength of the statement", you can only wear them once in a while. Sometimes only a couple times in a season. I scored this bling pineapple necklace this summer. I know it's October, but I basically refused to retire it until next spring without wearing it one more time! 

Another basic piece that will take your wardrobe many miles is a good sleeveless cowl-neck sweater. They look good on almost everyone, and the cowl neck has a softening effect on the face. If you find a good one that's semi-loose fitting, it will take ten pounds off your frame.

Every woman needs at least one pair of statement shoes! If you don't have a pair, you need to seriously consider getting some! They can be found at all price points. There are no words for how confident you will feel walking around town in a pair of amazing shoes!

As you can see, these have taken me many miles, and I think I will still be wearing these in 20 years! They are almost 5 years old and have held up spectacularly! 

When I go all out with powerful shoes and a statement necklace, I like to keep the earrings toned down. Just my personal preference, but I think it brings balance to the overall look.  

Finally, it's hard to see in the other pictures, but a bold lip was the absolutely necessary finishing touch to the ensemble! I love MAC lipglass!

That's all I have folks! Hope your Friday is fabulous!

Jacket: Tart Collections

Top: Dress Barn

Jeans: HSN

Shoes: CARLOS by Carlos Santana (old)

Necklace: eBay

Earrings: The Limited

Lipgloss: MAC