Splurge Or Save… On A Striped Maxi Skirt!

Most of my spring go-to looks consist of black & white outfits, but as I’m trying to find a balance between lightweight & frilly separates, while warding off the chill from cooler nights, I’ve been thinking a lot about maxi skirts. They’ve been all over storefront windows lately & I’m loving the idea of a modern skirt that can be dressed up for a date or made casual chic with gladiator flats.

Even though I’m usually a fan of black & white in polka dots, houndstooth, or zebra print, I’m getting on board the stripe trend for spring, especially since there are so many different versions of this skirt to pick from. This includes the plus size a.n.a. striped maxi skirt ($19.99) from JC Penney & Dress Barn‘s Roz & Ali two-toned striped maxi skirt ($30.00), which will pair nicely with solid tops in red, pink, or mint. You can find the third option @Forever 21, which is the striped jersey maxi skirt ($15.80), available in sizes XS – L.

My fourth selection is the BCBG striped knit maxi skirt ($48.30) from Last Call by Neiman Marcus, which has been marked down from its original $98.00 price tag. Lastly, the TWO by Vince Camuto nautical stripe maxi skirt ($79.00) from Zappos offers a summer-ready look for boat shoes & a crochet tank.

Which striped skirt do you like the best? How much would you spend on a maxi skirt this season? For more posts from Splurge or Save? check out black peplum tanks inspired by Naya Rivera & Amy Adams, leather moto jackets from True Religion & Jil Sander, Kim Kardashian’s silver Jimmy Choo pumps, & pink skinny jeans by Michael Kors & Ann Taylor! Happy Styling!

The Stylish Five: Top Off Your Look With A Cardigan ($25 & Under)!

During the transition from winter to spring, I’ve been relying on mixing up my looks with layers, & topping them off with a cardigan. However, now that spring is in full effect, I’ve been taking another look at my cardigans, thinking about patterns & prints that’ll work for me, especially when I’m out & about from day-to-night… which brings me to my latest post for The Stylish Five.

From stripes to polka dots, animal prints, watercolors, & florals… the cardigan possibilities are endless. To start, I’ve selected the linear print crew-neck cardigan ($14.99) in red from New York & Company, which is perfect for wearing over an LBD with ballet flats or with a lace cami & walking shorts. Keeping with the idea of stripes, I love the cotton linen blend stripe cardigan ($15.00) in purple stripe from JC Penney to match with colored jeans & wedges or with a belted cotton dress & pointy toe pumps.

I love the idea of hardware on a cardigan, which instantly adds some extra edge to your look, like with Charlotte Russe‘s studded shoulder striped cover-up ($18.99). This can dress down a leather mini skirt & pullover or toughen up some skinny jeans & a blouse with peep toe pumps. I’m a big fan of hearts, which is why I chose the hearts cardigan ($24.80) in navy & pink from Forever 21. Of course this is a more youthful piece, but I think unexpected prints like hearts, or even the bicycle pattern in the blouse for my previous post in The $100 Challenge, are a lot of fun & instantly put a smile on your face. Lastly, the Mossimo Supply Co. ombre boyfriend cardigan ($24.99) in blue from Target is a bright way to keep comfy when it gets cooler at night, especially with a wrap dress or shorts romper.

For more posts on affordable fashion, check out Katy Perry’s white & silver Aldo sandals, must-have polka dot pieces for spring, peplum tops inspired by Amy Adams & Zoe Saldana, & silver pumps like Kim Kardashian’s Jimmy Choo shoes. Happy Styling!

Quickie Darling Deal & Steal: Pick Out Polka Dots For Spring!

In keeping an eye on the latest spring trends, with all the florals, stripes, neons, & pastels in fashion, I’ve been seeing a consistency presence of polka dots in all items from clothing to accessories. I’m a big fan of polka dots for their classic appeal to any age. I even wore polka dot tights with a polka dot dress & polka dot scarf to work this week. Although it seemed a little overkill, I removed the scarf once I entered the building. Since recently starting a second job, I’m surrounded by plenty of feminine details, including  modern cuts on dresses, flouncy fabrics for accessories, & bold color combinations on separates.

I wanted to select some of the best pieces that are both fashionable & affordable for your spring wardrobe. This includes the polka dot faux wrap dress ($40.00) in orange from Dress Barn, as well as the polka dot sandal wedge ($29.80) from Forever 21 & GOjane‘s pointy toe polka dot pumps ($26.95). Other stylish accessories include the striped polka dot lightweight scarf ($9.99) from Charlotte Russe & the Lulu by Lulu Guinness ring leader bow clutch ($35.00) from JC Penney.

I’d like to also suggest timeless pieces to wear with basics like dark denim jeans, a black pencil skirt, a crisp button down shirt, or a bright, ruffled tank. You can wear the Dr Denim snap high waist skinny jeans ($49.88) from ASOS with any number of toppers like a leather jacket, boyfriend blazer, or embellished cardigan. The Express polka dot peplum tank ($29.90) in gray is also available in a nautical-inspired blue / red combo for a dressy casual look with skinny jeans or a denim mini skirt.

Also, try the Rampage polka dot mesh peplum top ($26.99) from Loehmann’s with edgier bottoms like liquid leggings, a leather pencil skirt, or cropped metallic pants. Another option for a more polished look is the Elementz a-line skirt ($17.99) from Macy’s with a scoop neck tank or three-quarter sleeve pullover. To wear polka dots casually, there’s also New York & Company‘s Spring Street polka dot poplin shirt ($31.46) in blue & a more feminine option is available in pink to wear with a white skirt, linen pants, or lace shorts.

How do you like to wear polka dots? Do you prefer black & white polka dots or do you like to wear unexpected colors? For more on polka dots, check out a recent post in The $100 Challenge, various price points for polka dots stockings, & lastly, spring-ready polka dot pants! Happy Styling!

The Stylish Five: Spring-Ready Striped Dresses ($35 & Under)!

It’s Easter Sunday & I wanted to share with readers some affordable spring-ready dresses that are perfect for more than just today’s holiday & any body type! I’m recently starting a new position at my job, as well as an entering into an exciting opportunity for a second job this week, so of course I’m thinking about what I’ll be wearing. Fortunately both environments require a blend of professionalism & creativity, so I’m gearing up to dust off favorites from last spring & invest in some show-stopping looks to last me through the spring & summer.

All of these looks are under $35 & I’m really drawn to stripes since there’s so much opportunity to mix with accessories like floral tights on a chillier day, textured pumps, or an embellished cardigan. First, I wanted to share the boat-neck 3/4 sleeve shift dress ($22.97) in black stripe from Old Navy, which will pair well with bold pieces like red heels, a yellow lacquered belt, turquoise tights, or a green leather jacket. Also, I’ve been keeping an eye on the latest styles @JCP, including the a.n.a. short-sleeved cowlneck dress ($22.00), which can be dressed up with a boyfriend blazer & pointy toe pumps, or worn casually with a denim jacket & ballet flats.

For a thicker stripe, I love the rich tones in the striped chiffon sleeveless dress ($32.47) in summer berry punch from New York & Company, which is also available in a blue / green combination. This is an office-friendly dress that can translate well to happy hour, especially when mixing up the look with stacked bangles, a cropped jacket, or knee boots. Also, as a big fan of Target, I knew I had to feature the Mossimo half back zipper fit & flare dress ($27.99) in teal stripe. This youthful dress is perfect for accentuating any figure & is available in sizes XS – XXL. Lastly, another look for my curvy Style Darlings is the colorblocked chiffon dress ($27.80) from Forever 21, which gives off a vintage feel with the playful collar & delicate bow.

Do you like to wear stripes? What kinds of dresses are you looking at for spring? What’s your spring shopping budget? For more spring fashion posts, check out blue moto jackets at every price point, Kim Kardashian’s silver Jimmy Choo pumps, the best mint shoes for the season, & the hottest floral looks as seen on Elizabeth Olsen & Selena Gomez! Happy Styling!

3/22/2013 Darling Of The Day: Nikki Reed’s Embellished Blouse Look For Less!

This week, actress Nikki Reed, of The Twilight Saga fame, hit up Justin Timberlake‘s Target-sponsored release party for his latest album, The 20 / 20 Experience, in a long-sleeved white blouse with stud embellishments on the collar, curve-hugging black skinny pants, towering platforms, & added a bright pop of color with a turquoise clutch. Her look is hitting all the right notes here & I love the simplicity in her menswear-inspired outfit with some trendy touches that any Style Darling can pull off. The prove my point, I went seraching for similar items to complete an affordable outfit that a woman of any size can sport.

This includes the pyramid stud collar blouse ($22.80) from Forever 21, as well as their plus size studded collar Georgette top ($24.80), which is available in sizes XL – 2XL. Both of these tops can work perfectly with a textured pencil skirt at the office, under a blazer with leather leggings for a girl’s night out, or with dark denim jeans & ballet flats for a chic day out on the town. I turned to Old Navy for the bottoms & happily found the Diva skinny jeans ($29.50) in Black Jack, which are sold in sizes 0-20, with short, regular, & tall inseams, & in different washes including dawn, authentic, & rinse. Of course we know that the darker the wash, the better the look, but I’m always excited to share Old Navy’s selection in sizes when it comes to staples like skinny jeans!

As for shoes, I included two options: the nubuck platforms ($24.70) in black from GOjane, as well as Payless‘ Brash Kosmic platform pumps ($24.99) in black, which is a wide width option for those who have difficulty fitting in narrower shoes. I also added two clutch bags since I wasn’t able to find a studded match for the one that Nikki carries, but I loved the contrasting textures & color combination found in  Duro Olowu‘s snakeskin foldover clutch ($30.00) @JC Penney, as well as the simplicity of a patent exterior with Charlotte Russe‘s textured patent envelope wristlet ($12.99) in teal.

Lastly, the final touch to this look is Nikki’s rings which are always a fun way to accessorize any outfit, especially when there are so many subtle details like the collar & on the bag, which is why I thought the Jennifer Lopez silver tone simulated crystal stack ring set ($16.80) from Kohl’s was a good investment if you like to mix up your digit decorations.

While the combination of pieces comes to just over $100, this is still an affordable look inspired by a celebrity on the red carpet. For more red carpet fashion ideas, check out previous posts including the latest Top 10 Celeb Sightings gallery featuring Stacy Keibler & Jessica Alba, neon looks as seen on Beyoncé & Kristen Stewart, the ladies of Oz the Great and Powerful on their stylish press tour, & a complete look at this year’s Oscars red carpet! Happy Styling!