You’re Such a Stud

At times I feel like I may have been a rocker in my past life. I like wild hair, smudgey eyeliner, loud music, and leather. But alas, my goldilocks looks prevent me from looking very edgey so I have to work against my all-American appearance by incorporating some tougher pieces into my wardrobe.  Since the majority of my time is, unfortunately, not spent scissor kicking on stage and smashing guitars, I have to do “rocker chic” in small doses. This means picking one or two pieces at a time and working them into my outfit to kick it up a notch. One of the easiest ways to do so, is adding something studded. Below are some suggestions of items that could be added to anyone’s closet to take you from Joan Collins to Joan Jett.

Alice and Olivia skinny studded jeans, $221

Lucca Couture studded tee, $42

RD Style studded vest, $84

Killah studded racerback top, $84.55

Steve Madden studded skirt, $45

Jenni Kayne Gauntlet studded sandal, $495

Bebe enamel studded bracelet, $44

Mudd studded eternity scarf, $9.99

Cecilia De Bucourt square stud belt, $108

(and, of course, here is my version):

Remember to just do one or two studded pieces at a time to avoid looking like an over bedazzled Ed Hardy campaign.

Rock on.

xx,

WhyDid

Put Some Spring in Your Step

Finally the clouds have parted and Mother Nature is giving us a big sunshine filled kiss called spring. So what’s a girl to wear? We wondered the same thing as we attempted to get dressed for brunch this past weekend. We’ve stashed our winter coats and snow boots, but what shall we replace them with? Breaking down some of the big trends on the Spring 2010 runways:

Forward March- Looks like the military jacket will stick around another season. Swap one into your spring rotation for your updated warm weather outerwear.

Balmain

Marc Jacobs

Juicy Couture Military Shirt Jacket, $198

Mixed Bag- A fun trend on this season is the bold mixing and matching of prints. Done head to toe in one pattern or mixing complimentary patterns will give you a head turning look.

Balenciaga

Marni

Versace

Nanette Lepore Primrose Ankle Length Pants, $268

Everything’s Coming Up Roses- Floral patterns were running rampant on the runways.  Whether Laura Ashley’esque or Painterly prints, it’s time to water your girly seed and sport some florals for spring.

Ralph Lauren

Collette Dinnigan

Nightcap Clothing Corset Slip Dress, $189

Tit for Tat- Finally, something I’ve been doing for years is being validated on the runway. Sheer and sexy, models showed their underpinnings as much as their outerwear.

Fendi

Proenza Schouler

Rochas

ASOS Sheer Lace Blouse, $30.77

In the Nude- Neutrals were big on the runway. One in particular was nude. Get naked.

Elise Overland

Valentino

camilla and marc Constantine Ponte Knit Mini Dress, $495

Peekaboo!- Another one of my favorite trends from the runways was the amount of cut out dresses being shown. They are very, very sexy in an unconventional way.

Preen

Michael Kors

illionaire Cross Strapped Dress, $252

Ruffle Your Feathers- A fun and flirty alternative to fur? Feathers. Just don’t go overkill and end up looking like Big Bird. One feathered piece at a time.

ADAM

Jason Wu

Haute Hippie Ombre Feather Skirt, $595

A Shine of the Times- Recession? What recession? Shine and shimmer were all over the runways giving the luxe look. Shine isn’t just for evening. Dress up your everyday look with something shiny.

Michael Kors

Emilio Pucci

Alice and Olivia Adina Oversized Sequin T-shirt, $484

Speaking of shiny, get out your AmEx cards, girls. Adding a few key pieces can re-vamp what’s already going on in your closet.

xx,

WhyDid

Alice and Olivia, Balenciaga, Balmain, camilla and marc, Collette Dinnigan, Elise Overland, Fendi, Haute Hippie, illionaire, Jason Wu, Marc Jacobs, Marni, Michael Kors, Preen, Proenza Schouler, Ralph Lauren, Rochas, Spring 2010 fashion trends, Versace

Save or Splurge?

Due to the current tough economic times, it seems like everyone is cutting back here and there in order to save some cash. (Especially after all of the holiday shopping- not even the ridiculous sales helped!) However, there are a few things that I am just not willing to give up. Below are some items worth the splurge and some others that you can probably skip.

Worth the splurge:

• Skincare- You only have one face. I’m not saying go out and buy hundreds of dollars worth of La Mer, but if you have a skincare routine that is working for you, stick with it! I’m a big fan of Clarins and Elemis. Neither one is cheap, but youthful skin is totally worth it.
• Jeans- Finding the right pair of jeans is SO impossible, it’s like finding a needle in a haystack. There are so many different brands out there it can literally take an entire day of shopping to find the brand that suits your body type. I figure that you can wear your jeans in a multitude of ways so they are worth every penny. Granted, you can get great jeans for less than $200. I have a friend who looks amazing in her American Apparel colored jeans… but I think that has something to do with her ridiculous body.
• Your hair- I would NEVER skimp on good hair. I have had WAY too many tragedies to risk it. I have been going to the same woman since I moved to NY and she’s amazing. She’s not in some fancy salon, but she is pricey (not going to reveal who it is as I like being able to get an appointment). If you’re not willing to risk having to wear a hat for the next month until your bad cut grows out, I would stick with your tried and true.

Some things I’d probably skip:

• $5 coffee- The guy in the cart is only $1.50. Tastes the same to me!
• Eating out/ordering in every single night- This gets pricey. Go online and find recipes for your favorite meals. I am no Martha Stewart, but I can cook a mean stuffed zucchini. Bonus: This also gives you leftovers for lunch. Just a thought.
• Fashion tops- Sure, that Alice and Olivia shirt is cute, but I’m going to bet you can find something similar at Forever 21.  (That’s why they got sued by LAMB and DVF). If you think about how many times you will wear the shirt (in comparison to the billion times you’ll wear your jeans) is it really worth the price tag? Stock your closet with quality basics and fill in with fun and less expensive fashion pieces.