Fabulous in 4 Ways: Over-The-Knee Boots From Victoria’s Secret (Dedicated To Laurie)!

Attention Style Darling Readers: We have a new category alert! Fabulous In 4 Ways is my latest in offering the best style advice that I can, while keeping a budget in mind. Of course, I’ve had this idea (taking one item & showing how it’s worn in 4 fabulous ways) for a while now, just sitting away & linkless on my categories page, but just recently, a good friend has come to me w/ a deal on a killer pair of over-the-knee boots, asking for help on how to wear them once the temperatures cool down & heavy knits emerge from the depths of our closets.  Said friend, Laurie (who I’ve dedicated a total of 4 blogs to now- Jordana Brewster’s style, how to wear turtlenecks, & the best day-to-night blazers) has challenged me in a very good & very stylish way. Let’s take a look…

As I usually do in my Basics for a Bargain posts, let’s start off with some celebrity inspiration to see how some of the most photographed & stylish stars interpret their over-the-knee boot looks. The City star / socialite Olivia Palermo looks Upper East Side chic with her navy suede boots & fur-lined jacket, mixing neutrals with a sweater tunic. Mom-on-the-go Kourtney Kardashian wears her boots with a flowy blouse under a menswear-inspired blazer & floppy hat, keeping accessories like her bag matching in texture with her footwear. Supermodel legend Claudia Schiffer goes casual in jeggings & a cobalt cable knit sweater with a coordinating bag for her tan suede over-the-knee boots. Former Spice Girl / designer Victoria Beckham keeps her polished posh persona in check with ultra tight leggings, a black top, & satin-trimmed blazer while traveling through Heathrow airport. Lastly, Project Runway host Heidi Klum offers an edgy approach to her leather Jimmy Choo over-the-knee boots by completing her look with a graphic tee & abstract print blazer.

The boots inspiring this post are the Colin Stuart over-the-knee boots ($94.00) from Victoria’s Secret, which are on sale for less than their original $118.00 price tag (pictured below, to the left).  These are fierce confections of footwear meant only for the confident Style Darling (for example: Laurie!).  Even though these may seem much pricier than your average pump &/or ankle bootie, I can’t emphasize enough that this is an investment piece, especially one that you can dare to wear from the beginning of fall, all the way to the end of the winter.  Since we’re talking boots, VS is currently having a 20% off sale on all Colin Stuart boots, which you can shop here.

However, let’s get down to business in putting together these outfits wth some of the celebrity inspiration seen above.  Typically when I see boots, I think of sweaters & leggings b/c they’re both just so comfy & very on-trend for effortless fall looks.  My first ensemble includes the asymmetric hem sweater ($59.90) from Express, which is available in orchid, black, grey, & blue.  The loose fit is perfect for recalling that 80s off-the-shoulder bulky sweater look, as well as hugging your curves to show off your legs.  Just so you know, Express is currently having a mix & match BOGO 50% off sale this Labor Day weekend, so if you really love the look pictured, then check out the short metal stick necklace ($44.90) to go with the sweater. I’ve selected Forever 21‘s pebbled pointe knit leggings ($17.80), which will add some texture & shine against the rich suede of the boots.  Of course, any solid legging will do, but if you’re going for something with a print, keep it subtle since you’re dealing with a sexy lace-up detail in the back of the boots.

My second outfit is perfect for an office environment where jeans are allowed.  The Faded Glory jeggings ($12.88) from Walmart are a steal & can work with so many other wardrobe staples all year long.  The colored denim trend is obviously not going away & pairing it with White House Black Market‘s tweed trophy jacket ($188.00) is a professional & elegant way to dress up denim.  When shopping @WHBM, of course the regular prices are on the high side, but if you sign up for their seasonal catalogues, you can get discount codes, as well as earn points for reductions on future purchases. I find that comes in handy around the holidays when in a pinch for a cute cocktail dress.  For an extra feminine splash, I’ve selected the graphic checkered strips tiered cotton tank ($39.99) from LOFT to add some dimension- which also just so happens to marked down another 30% at checkout.

Look #3 required a little more attention since I wanted to find pieces that would work for more than just the over-the-knee boots challenge.  I started with this streaky knit t-shirt dress ($39.99) from The Limited, which has been marked down 50% on the store’s website. With a solid sheath-like dress as this, I immediately thought of a belt & found this duo of ivory cheetah & glossy black skinny belts ($10.79) from Bluefly. To keep warm during the cooler fall days, I picked out the basic, yet affordable Style & Co. three-quarter ruched sleeve cardigan ($14.99) in black from Macy’s. If you’re headed out to happy hour with the girls or going from the office to an evening function, this look is perfect with the boots, especially when the Minicci scroll weave tights ($7.99) from Payless are hiding underneath your layers.

Lastly, the forth look is my favorite, but perhaps not too far of a departure from the previous blazer look above.  When I saw the Merona tailored blazer ($34.99) @Target, I immediately loved the idea of mixing the plaid with the laces, as well as navy & black, along with integrating the fall’s best new neutral deep red hue with New York & Company‘s satiny roll-tab shirt ($39.95). Of course you can complete the look with skinny pants, but Style & Co. skinny stretch jeggings ($36.75) from Macy’s looked too good to be true in a classic dark wash!

What do you think of these looks? Would you wear over-the-knee boots? If so, how would you style your look with them? What boots are you shopping for this fall? Happy Styling!

Super Style Wishlist: Italy & Miu Miu & Black & White… Oh My!

During my recent trip to Italy, I passed two different Miu Miu storefronts, one in Florence & another in Venice.  The brand has been on my mind lately, especially after seeing the gorgeous window displays of the luxury designs, as well as seeing an image of Oscar nominee, Rooney Mara, at a recent press event in Berlin, promoting her career-making film, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, wearing a Miu Miu design.

However, I wanted to check out some of the latest styles from the brand & fell in love with these black patent leather t-strap platform pumps ($1981.00) available @Bluefly.  They’ve been reduced in price from their original $2467.00 tag, but are still a little out of reach for me.

Black & white never goes out of the style & even though I don’t own or wear t-strap shoes, I can see these perfectly paired with a number of different looks.  While the weather is a little chilly, the patent leather would pop against an opague tight with an art deco-inspired sheath dress.  Also, these are darling for a cocktail party in a halter dress, or even for a more polished affair with a pencil skirt & cardigan- very sexy librarian!

Do you have your eye on a Miu Miu piece? Do you like t-strap shoes? What would you wear these with? Happy Styling!

Super Style Wishlist: Grant Your Style Wishes with 70% Off @Bluefly!

It’s been a while since I posted in Super Style Wishlist, but I wanted to mix the best of both worlds (luxury & sales, that is) with Bluefly.  While the online retailer sells luxury items from designers like Balenciaga, Hermes, Ralph Lauren, & Versace, there’s a major 70% off sale going on right now!

Even though these items aren’t necessarily affordable (maybe the belt is!), the reduced prices are pretty sweet for Style Darlings everywhere to indulge.  The Wyatt white stripe jersey long sleeve panel dress ($73.99, originally $112.00) is a figure flattering & fall-friendly for work & going out at night.  Of course, I’m very big in the black & white dresses, evident by my Nordstrom wishlist post & my retro Halloween costume.

It’s perfect to pair with knee boots, or with tights & these Boutique 9 dark grey suede ’Alynda’ platform peep toe pumps ($85.99, originally $160.00).  Now, as for the Michael Kors vanilla faux leather metal tipped skinny belt ($23.99, originally $42.00), it can also go over a sweater dress or with some trousers & a tucked in blouse.

With a look like this, you need a fabulous addition of outerwear, like the Tahari taupe sateen ruffle front ‘Evelyn’ belted trench ($165.99, originally $225.00).  It’s the perfect length & color, especially to go with the Matt & Nat magenta studded ‘JJ’ wallet ($49.99, originally $85.00).

For a finishing touch, just some simple pieces of jewelry like the Chamak by Priya Kakkar set of 4 – jonquil and silver crystal glitter bangles ($41.99, originally $79.00) & the M+J Savitt black pearl & Swarovski crystal earrings ($149.99, originally $255.00).

Do you have any favorite black & white pieces?  Any style stories from Bluefly? Where do you shop for the best deals on luxury labels?  Happy Styling!

Basics for a Bargain: Leather Pants Inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow, Ciara, & More!

Part of what I love about fall fashion is how stylishly we can embrace texture!  Wearing leather is a fabulous way to upgrade any cotton button-down from day-to-night, but when it comes to leather pants, we have some really awesome celebrity inspiration for a number of very fashionable looks.  Leather pants can certainly be made into an item for any style & it’s a great basic, if worn the right way.

If you’re preppy, add a gray cableknit sweater with some patent leather mary janes.  Or let the diva in you show off a lacey bustier top with your skinny leather pants & some major platforms.  Leather pants aren’t necessarily just for a rock & roll look, but they definitely add that extra splash of edge with a blouse, tweed jacket, or tunic top.

Jennifer Lopez is on the set of her latest music video, wearing Balmain leather pants with a metallic sweater from H&M & studded Christian Louboutin pumps.  With extra zipper details & stacked bangles, this look is very high-profile for day, but also party-ready for evening.  Fergie takes in a day of travel in caramel colored leather leggings, a Balenciaga printed top, gold sandals, oversized shades, & hoop earrings, all while sporting a tight bun, perfect for letting your outfit get all the attention.  Ciara leaves a New York City hotel wearing destroyed Rag & Bone trousers with a shirt by Equipment, Louboutin platforms, & tote by Givenchy. She looks effortless & veyr natural, not pairing her rich pants with anything too flashy.  Gwyneth Paltrow made an appearance on The Early Show, doing a cooking segment while promoting her new cookbook, wearing straight leg motorcycle pants by The Row & finished off her look in a printed silk top & feminine ballet flats.

I went on a hunt to find affordable leather / faux leather pants to upgrade the bottoms in any Style Darling’s wardrobe.  My main goal was to find something $100 or less & I came pretty close to that with these chic finds.  @Victoria’s Secret, the pencil pants in black are $59.50.  You could take a cue from the model in the picture & try on this style of leather pant with a heavy knit.  What makes leather look even more luxurious is the combination against neutral shades like gray or cream.

For $66.00, head over to Topshop for these faux leather skinny trousers which would look perfect with a graphic tee & menswear vest for day.  If you already wear knit leggings or jeggings, then you’ve got to have leather-inspired bottoms like these!  Marked down from $130.00, Bluefly has on sale the BCBGeneration faux leather skinny pants for $77.35.  These slim fit bottoms are especially stylish for a girl’s night out or date night with your beau.

Of course, I haven’t forgotten about my plus-size Style Darlings who can take advantage of the Jessica London leather jeggings @One Stop Plus.  These are available in sizes 12-28, but range in price from $119.99 – $139.99.  Considering that leather pants are a must-have basic, investing the money in just one pair will last you a long time & can be worn just about any season (but be careful on sticky, humid summer days!).

Since our celebrity-inspirations were also wearing leather pants in the brown family, I searched high & low to find affordable look-alikes, but could only come across the rich brown leather pants from Jamin Leather for $55.00.  Break out your favorite black tank, metallic accessories, & pointed toe pumps to dress these up & you’ll be on your way to a very luxurious fall!

Who do you think wears leather the best?  Would you wear leather or faux leather pants this season?  How much would you spend on them?  Do you think the leather leggings trend is over or just getting started?  Happy Styling!

Super Style Wishlist: Prada dress, Christian Dior belt, Marc Jacobs bag, & More!

Without getting into too much trouble with my thrifty readers… This is a new blog category, simply to indulge in all the items that are currently in stores & cost a fortune!  I offer my readers the challenge for each & every Super Style Wishlist post to try & find affordable items, similar to the ones I post.

I took a little stroll through Bluefly in search of some seriously fabulous finds on a budget, but ended up falling for pieces that I put together into this super fashionable look, perfect as the summer is slowly coming to a close.  Here we have a super adorable Prada red heart print puff sleeve dress. To compliment the sweet dress, the Jimmy Choo nude patent leather Lagoon sandals will elongate the legline & let the pattern be the main focus.

Extra delicate details found in the Marc Jacobs ivory patent leather Peacock braided cord hobo keep the dress polished & youthful.  You can’t have a dress like this without a fabulous belt to cinch in the waist like this Christian Dior patent leather calfskin Medallion belt, which would go great with a tunic top or any LBD.

For the final finishing touches, the Jardin silver CZ hoop earrings & Kevia set of 5 rose stone & CZ detailed gold rings make it day-ready & cocktail appropriate at the same time.

If case you’re wondering how much it all costs, you can of course click on the links of each item & do your own math, or scroll over the image to the right to see the break down of each darling piece, but I’ll break it to you.  The total of this look will set your back about $4100.00!  I’m not saying anyone should spend this much, but sometimes, don’t names like Prada, Jimmy Choo, & Marc Jacobs make your heart flutter just a little bit? I can’t even imagine all the things I would buy if I had $4100.00 handed to me.  I’d probably book a flight to Italy, but if that wasn’t a possibility, I’d indulge in some serious retail therapy.

What are your favorite luxury brands to keep up with?  Which sites do you check out for some fashion indulgence?  What’s your latest wishlist items?  Happy Styling!