How To | Transitioning to Spring & Summer

We've cleaned out our closets and now it's time to enjoy the warmer temperatures and shining sun. 

Easing your wardrobe from Winter to Spring and Summer is simple, just follow these tips!

Layering

The biggest tip I can share is to layer! Don't be afraid that it will add bulk, you just have to choose the right pieces. Each item in the layers should be fitted and a thinner material. At the very least, throw on a cardigan to help with cooler mornings and nights.

Lighten Up

Add pastels to your wardrobe! These shades are very hot right now, pick a silhouette with clean lines to look more classic chic than Easter Bunny. If pastels aren't your thing then, try more saturated colors.  Coral and hot pink are the it colors for Spring. They look lovely on everyone and will bring just the right pop of color to your face and outfit. If all else fails, add white! Forget all the rules associated with white and throw on a crisp button-up or a simple tee. It will brighten up your outfit and bring life to those dark winter hues.

Color of The Year

Don't forget about the Pantone color of the year: Radiant Orchid. This is another fun way to update your outfit. Wear the color as a shirt or as your nail polish -- quick and easy way to bring your look into Spring.

Accessories

I know I mention this a lot but accessories are one of the most affordable and easiest ways to change up any look. Go for a statement necklace or earrings and keep everything else simple. 

Beauty

Change our your blush for a bright pink or poppy color. Bold makeup colors can work for every skin tone -- the key is in the brush. Look for a duo-fibre brush that will deposit less product on the skin, that way you'll get a light wash of a bright color. In general though, Spring makeup is subdued and simple. Go for a glowing highlighter on cheeks but keep your lips matte. And skip the heavy eyeliner -- a neutral eye shadow and thick mascara will keep your look fresh. Nail polish is another fun way to add a little Spring to your look. Again go for brights or pastels!

Colorful Pants

Switching out your boyfriend jeans or basic black pants for a colorful crop pant is a simple way to transition your wardrobe into Spring. If you want to keep attention away from your lower half, then stick with dark and sold colors. To show off your inner fashionista, go for printed pants or bright hues like orange!

 

Neon

Neon colors are not just for teenage girls and rock stars. If done properly they can be really quite chic. The key is to wear only one item piece -- it should be structured and formal. Try a neon yellow peplum top under a blazer or a neon pink pencil skirt with a structured button-up blouse. The bright pop of color is perfect for Spring and and mixes well with the black and navy pieces you still have from Winter. 

Patterns

Spring is the perfect time to play with patterns. Florals are popping up in store windows everywhere. You can wear flowers without looking like your grandmother's table cloth -- just look for large floral patterns in bright colors. Stay away from tiny prints and muted tones.

Mix & Match

One of my favorite looks for Spring is the unexpected: a sweater and shorts or a maxi skirt and sleeveless crop top. If you're feeling adventurous play around with different lengths, textures and weights for the individual pieces in your outfit. If you want to wear shorts but aren't necessarily ready to show off your legs, try tights!

I would love to hear your tips for transitioning into the warmer months! 

Let me know in the comments below!

Images: Thrifty It Girl, Space 46 Boutique, Glamour.com, Frankie Hearts Fashion, Polyvore, Street Style Chic

The Perfect Blazer | How To Choose + Style It

The blazer might just be the perfect piece for any women's closet. It's definitely in my top 5. Ate too much last night and need to disguise that little pooch in your midsection? Cover it up with a blazer. Going straight from work to a fancy event? Wear a blazer. Freezing in the morning and hot in the afternoon? Throw a blazer on.

Blazers are a very versatile article of clothing, and a true transition piece. They'll take your wardrobe from freezing February to a milder March and even into the summer. It can make your jeans look dressy and that sleeveless dress look professional. It is the quintessential layering item. Let's take a look at how to choose the perfect blazer and then how to wear it.

Picking The Perfect One

Color | Before you go out and buy a bold colored blazer make sure you have the basics covered. A black or navy blazer is a foundation item. If you want to add a little more without going overboard, look for a blazer with a very thin and slight pinstripe in a color that isn't a high contrast. After you've got the basics covered, I suggest adding a lighter neutral like camel or ivory. Then add a black and white striped or floral blazer. You'll be amazed at how much interest it adds to your outfit with minimal effort. And finally if you're feeling very fashion-forward, add a bright pop of color with a coral or yellow blazer.

Fit | The whole appeal to a blazer is the tailored fit. Think of it as a frame around your body. The slight structure adds shape and definition to any size woman! You want a blazer that hits at the top of your hips and buttons at the narrowest part of your waist. The shoulders should be fitted but not stretched too much. The sleeves should hit about mid-thumb when you hold your arms out straight. If the sleeves are too long (and actually even if they're not) roll them up once to make a cuff. Extra style points if it reveals a patterned lining! Of course you want it to be roomy enough that you can button it up without having to suck in but you want it to maintain it's shape when it's unbuttoned. In fact, you'll rarely wear it unbuttoned so make sure it creates a flattering silhouette when it's open. Follow this rule of thumb for any article of clothing, but blazers specifically: if you're in between sizes, always size up. You can easily get certain parts of the blazer custom-fitted to your body by a tailor. I highly recommend that!

Extras | If you really want to have fun with your look, pay attention to the details. Great buttons or a patterned lining, like stripes or paisleys, are the perfect way to add a little extra to your outfit.

Styling It

At Work

Anytime you want to reach for a cardigan, see if you can replace it with a blazer instead. It adds just the right touch of preppy professionalism. If you work in a formal office that requires suits every day, replace your traditional monochromatic suit with pants and a blazer instead. It doesn't have to match, each piece can complement the other and still look structured. If your office allows casual Friday with jeans but you still want to look dressed up, wear a blazer over a button up shirt or silk tank top. Put a blazer on over a simple cocktail dress for a big presentation at work. It will turn your more formal pieces into work appropriate office pieces. If you're a stay at home mom but still want to look pulled together when you run to pick up the kids from school try this: one of my absolute favorite casual looks is jeans, a gray t-shirt, a navy blazer, a gold necklace and camel-colored (or leopard!) shoes. Amazing.

At Play

Right now, t-shirts with slogans and catch phrases are all the rage. If you want to participate in this trend without looking too juvenile, pair one with a blazer and huge, beautiful statement necklace. You will look trendy and chic at the same time. Of course who doesn't want to sport an OSU shirt on Fridays or game day, you can look polished and still show your school spirit by layering a black blazer over an orange t-shirt.   As the weather hopefully begins to warm up, a blazer can be worn in place of your traditional outerwear…talk about instant Parisian style! Even in the summer, you can pair a blazer with lace shorts and simple tank. It's elegant and comfortable. 

Are blazers a part of your wardrobe? 

I'd love to see a photo of your favorite blazer or if you purchase one and incorporate it into your closet, show me that too! 

You can tweet me, tag me on Instagram, or post to my Facebook page

How To | Lessons in Layering

With this crazy weather in the Souh, sometimes it's hard to get dressed in the morning. I'm freezing at 7 am and burning up by mid-afternoon. Some days it's pouring rain and others it's the perfect Fall day. Dressing in layers is the easiest solution to all your weather-related outfit problems. However, mastering the art of layering clothes can be tricky! Most women are afraid to layer for fear of adding the illusion of extra weight or bulk. Follow these easy suggestions to help keep that to a minimum, stay warm and still look sleek!

The Basics

If nothing else, remember this: pile on thin layers! The foundation of your outfit should be a lightweight top. You'll add more interest as the layers go on so just pick a solid or other pattern that acts like a neutral such as stripes. Your second layer can be a cardigan, pull-over or sweater. This is the step where you can add a pop of color. Mix in bold patterns or a slightly thicker textured material. But, still try to keep it lightweight because there's a few more layers to go! The third layer will be a coat or jacket. Make this the opposite of layer two, if your sweater is bright or patterned, choose neutral outerwear. If both your foundation layers are neutrals, take this opportunity to add an interesting coat. If you want to be a true fashionista, trade your coat for a cape! Capes remind me of chic Parisian women. Embrace this look, you'll love it! Next up is a scarf. It's an absolute must: the cherry on top! On Fall days where the temperature isn't as cold, you can skip the coat and just opt for a scarf instead. It's a fun layering piece and doubles as an accessory. Speaking of accessories, those are your last layer. If the scarf is the cherry, then accessories are the sprinkles. 

Quick Outfits

Layering is an easy way to remix your closet and make more outfits out of what you already have! One of my favorite looks is to layer a sweater over a button-up shirt. Wear it with jeans and boots for a Saturday afternoon brunch or with a pencil skirt and thick tights to the office. Pay attention to necklines here. If you're layering a sweater over a button-up shirt, make sure the neckline is a V-neck or a lower rounded neck. If the neckline is too high, it will look stuffy. Keep the top button of the shirt open, that elongates the neck and brightens the face.

Adding tights and cardigans is also a great way to get more use out of your summer dresses and winterize them. Another quick outfit is to pair a summer dress with thick stockings and wear a sweater over the top. You can completely cover the dress top to turn it into a skirt or wear an open cardigan or jean jacket with a scarf. A new outfit instantly! Just make sure you pick a dress with darker colors, you don't want to wear summer prints or florals in neon with dark, heavy boots. That's not balanced. 

Tips & Tricks

Layers one and two (a basic shirt plus cardigan or sweater) should be as slim-fitting as possible. You can play with a bit of depth of texture in layer two but try to keep the line of the silhouette as close to your body as possible. 

Texture is great! Mix up materials with varying thickness. It's just another way to add interest. But remember texture can add bulk. One of my favorite ways to add texture is with fur! Whether you go with faux or real, try a fur shawl collar. It's the fastest route to a little glamour and instant sophistication. Another favorite is leather leggings. Leather is so hot for this season (and really always). Leggings are a great layering piece under longer sweaters and the luxurious leather adds dimension to your outfit.

Belts can be your friend or your foe when layering. I have never been a huge supporter of belting coats or thick sweaters as I don't believe that does anything to enhance a woman's shape. But belts can be helpful if worn on top of layer one. That helps to create the illusion of a waistline. Just remember to keep the belt high so that it hits the narrowest part of your waist. 

As always, pay attention to proportion. The length of each item is equally as important. Try a long sleeve striped tee underneath a chunkier sweater with 3/4 sleeves. Let the t-shirt peek out from the bottom of the sweater. Instant glam. Each layer should hit at the right parts of your body, anywhere you want to draw the eye to. As with belts, bring the attention to the narrowest part of your waist, above the hip bones, and the knee.

For those of you who are daring and want to take layering to the next level try wearing a vest over a jacket. A fun, olive-green safari vest is very versatile. I believe it's a neutral Fall essential that every woman should own. Add the vest over a form-fitting blazer for a fashion forward look. 

Hats are also a very interesting layering piece. This season it's all about the floppy hat (think Rachel Zoe) or the structured fedora. Keeping the top of your head covered will keep you extra warm and of course add depth to any outfit.

When in doubt, choose monochromatic colors in deep shades. That will streamline your outfit, help reduce the look of bulk and still allow you to layer up and stay warm.

What other tips do you have for layering?

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Images: Bows & Sequins, Atlantic-Pacific, Vogue.com, Monmondefou.com, Joycotton.com

Guide To Wearing | A Maxi Dress

Does anyone else consistently reach for a maxi dress during the hot summer months? I seriously cannot function very well in this hot weather, forget about looking cute. But I find I'm always throwing on a maxi because of its versatility. 

What's your favorite way to wear a maxi?