Basics For A Bargain: It’s Finally Spring & Finally Time For Florals!


There’s still a chill in the air here in New York, but it’s finally starting to look like spring. There’s change in the air & I know I’m really excited about it- & not just for my change in wardrobe. However, speaking of spring fashions, the go-to print of the season is florals & I couldn’t turn my back the trend, especially when I’ve been seeing it everywhere! For example, A-list celebs have been wearing florals even during the winter, ushering in the warmer season. Miranda Kerr is all smiles in a floral skirt with a leather Prada tote while taking in the day in Sydney. Elizabeth Olsen mixed her floral top with a mustard coat & skinny jeans. Actress Diane Kruger attended a press event for Farewell, My Queen in a 10 Crosby Derek Lam ensemble.

Miranda Kerr, Elizabeth Olsen, Diane Kruger, Selena Gomez, Jessica Chastain, & Dianna Agron.

Superstar Selena Gomez hit the SXSW Festival in a matching bustier & skirt by Dolce & Gabbana. Two-time Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain wears an Erdem sheath dress with nude Christian Louboutins. Lastly, former Glee star Dianna Agron attended a luncheon with The Hollywood Reporter in an Oday Shakar floral dress with suede Jimmy Choo heels.

Not to mention that there have been plenty of florals hitting the runways this year, including luxe vintage from Valentino, 80s-inspired rocker chic designs from Betsey Johnson, youthful & bright patterns from Tracy Reese, Lanvin‘s elegant & sophistication, & Erdem‘s playful & refreshing angle on flowers.

Valentino, Betsey Johnson, Tracy Reese, Lanvin, & Erdem.

Whether it’s on clothing, accessories, or mixed & match (which I only recommend doing with caution), I made a few selections from some of my favorite stores to share how you can wear the latest floral pieces on a budget! The best piece to start building the perfect spring wardrobe is a dress, like the Merona sleeveless tulip wrap dress ($19.00) from Target, which has recently been marked down from its original $24.99 price. The flattering wrap shape is perfect for accentuating your shape & the navy background adds a regal touch is paired with basketweave espadrilles or bright ballet flats. Next is the LC Lauren Conrad floral ruffle tank ($25.20) from Kohl’s, which is a feminine topper piece to wear with dark denim jeans, white skinny pants, or a denim skirt.

Don’t be afraid of florals on your bottom half, especially with the 4 1/2″ belted printed flat front shorts ($32.94) from Express, which add some tropical flair to your look & will dress down a lace blouse. I love the idea of sequins with florals & this skirt ($34.95) from H&M is a stylish marriage of both. This will pair nicely with a chambray button down shirt for a fashionable day out & about or with a solid pullover & pointy toe pumps for a date. Lastly, floral pants are also one of the biggest trends this season, especially in a looser cut to provide plenty of flow & movement, which is why I choose the Full Tilt skinny harem pants ($24.99) from Tilly’s. The chic black, gray, & white color combination is understated & can be coordinated with pastel pieces like coral or mint.

As for accessories, these bright colors will make your outfit pop, especially since they’re so effortless to match with wardrobe essentials. For example, the sequin tulip print pumps ($27.80) from Forever 21 are flirty & will add extra dimension to cuffed jeans & a ruffled top. Also, for a more subtle floral shoe, the novelty ballet flats ($39.95) from Gap. The soft pink & red tones in the shoe can offset any striped tee & jeans look in a ladylike way.

Part of what I love about spring is that I can still wear scarves, which can bring a lot to a look, like the ground floral scarf ($14.99) from Payless for a denim jacket & LBD with ankle strap platforms or a maxi dress & cargo vest with gladiator flats. Lastly, I’m not really a hat kind of girl, but in some cases, you need to protect your face from the harsh rays of the sun, especially this early in the season, which is why I picked the pop floral baseball cap ($8.99) from Charlotte Russe.

What do you think about the latest floral trend? Which pieces would you wear? What’s your spring wardrobe budget? For more affordable fashion posts, check out how to get Drew Barrymore’s latest look without breaking the bank, suede studded loafers, the best green pieces for spring, a budget-friendly spring look with pieces from Old Navy & American Eagle Outfitters. Happy Styling!

Cover Craze: Michelle Obama’s 2nd Vogue Cover, Kim K for Cosmo, Nicki Minaj’s Makeunder For Elle, & More!


I know I’m looking forward to April for more than the fabulous spring fashions & big upcoming movies, but I have a lot of exciting professional changes ahead of me. However, there’s so much going on in terms of our favorite magazines & the big international headlines are looking more & more fabulous, guiding where fashion is headed as the weather begins to warm up. In this latest post for Cover Craze, I went all out with a total of 15 covers that I just couldn’t stop looking at & reading up on.

The biggest news in covers is that First Lady Michelle Obama returns to Vogue for the April 2013 issue in a sleek two-tone Reed Krakoff sheath dress, photographed by the always impressive Annie Leibovitz. In an interview with Jonathan Van Meter, FLOTUS discusses parenting, marriage, her duties as First Lady, as well as fashion. She shares with readers, “If you’re comfortable in your clothes it’s easy to connect with people & make them feel comfortable as well.”

Michelle Obama for Vogue, Julie Bowen for Lucky, & Emily VanCamp for Marie Claire Australia April 2013.

On the cover of Lucky, two-time Emmy winner & star of Modern Family, Julie Bowen, looks like the modern & sexy cool mom that we all wish we had, wearing pieces from Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Stars, & Pandora. Inside the svelte blond is contemporary & chic in J.Crew, Juicy Couture, Jimmy Choo, & DKNY. Speaking of TV stars, Revenge actress Emily VanCamp looks smoldering in a cut-out Michael Kors dress on the cover of Marie Claire Australia, sharing the spotlight with her dashing male co-stars  Gabriel Mann (Nolan), Barry Sloane (Aiden), & Nick Wechsler (Jack).

Marie Claire shows The Incredible Burt Wonderstone actress Olivia Wilde in a sexy sheer blue dress, as she talks about her engagement to Saturday Night Live star Jason Sudekis. As for Marie Claire UK, Mila Kunis, star of Oz the Great & Powerful, talks about her breakout performance in Black Swan, upcoming Hollywood projects, & taking a break from back-to-back movies.

Olivia Wilde for Marie Claire, Mila Kunis for Marie Claire UK, & Zooey Deschanel for In Style April 2013.

New Girl star Zooey Deschanel, who takes the cover of In Style in a stunning Carolina Herrera gown. Also featured in the issue are pieces by Oscar de la Renta, Bottega Veneta, Marc Jacobs, Balenciaga, Chanel, & Nicholas Kirkwood, as she talks about her love of all things nail art & being a role model for girls.

I featured Selena Gomez‘s breezy spring look for Harper’s Bazaar in my last Haute Headlines post, but what was awestruck by the young star’s shoot by Terry Richardson featuring red carpet looks by Akris, Dior, Calvin Klein, & Prada. The down-to-earth Texas native & star of Spring Breakers talks about her family traditions, stardom, & her new role as a single lady.

Elle unzips rapper / American Idol judge Nicki Minaj without the big neon hair or exaggerated eyelashes that she’s always famous for donning. Also, Elle UK pays homage to another star in music, Rihanna, who looks effortless in a checkered Louis Vuitton outfit (like from the collection we’ve seen on Kirsten Dunst & Kerry Washington). She talks about her future, family, & more from the pixie-cutted pop star.

Selena Gomez for Harper's Bazaar, Nicki Minaj for Elle, Rihanna for Elle UK April 2013.

Kim Kardashian is always in the news & while photogs are tracking her pregnancy style, you can see her pre-baby-bump curves on the cover of Cosmopolitan in a Sophia Loren-inspired look. Smash star Katharine McPhee look positively fresh-faced for front & back covers of Women’s Health. She models various different makeup looks including striking blue eyeliner, enhanced cheeks, & bold red lips. Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence is the focus of People Style Watch & for her stylish red carpet looks in Stella McCartney, Hugo, & Michael Kors. Also, the mag looks at her street style in Thakoon & Tory Burch, as well as her changing hairstyles for previous films like Silver Linings Playbook, The Hungry Games, & X-Men: First Class.

Kim Kardashian for Cosmopolitan, Katharine McPhee for Women's Health, & Jennifer Lawrence for People Style Watch April 2013.

Lastly, we see country crooner Taylor Swift for Vanity Fair, talking about how she’s the target of constant jokes regarding her love life, including the jab that Tina Fey & Amy Poehler made during last month’s Golden Globes. A topless Kate Hudson let her natural beauty shine for Glamour, decked out in layers of Chanel necklaces. The mom of two talks about her romance with Muse frontman, motherhood in her thirties, & how she balances it all. I almost missed seeing Emily VanCamp‘s second April cover for Canada’s Fashion magazine, but I was glad to catch the former ballerina & leading lady for the Captain America sequel in this gorgeous snake-print dress & necklace, both by Gucci.

Taylor Swift for Vanity Fair, Kate Hudson for Glamour, Emily VanCamp for Fashion April 2013.

For more celebrity posts, check out black & white looks worn by Jessica Chastain & Jessica Alba, the neon trend as seen on Jennifer Lopez & Freida Pinto, Kate Winslet for Lancôme’s latest ad campaign, & complete red carpet coverage from the Academy Awards! Which magazines are your favorite for April? Which look makes for the best cover? Happy Styling!

Red Carpet Review: The Ladies Of ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ Hit The Red Carpet!


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I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to review an advanced screening of Oz the Great and Powerful, which stars James Franco as Oz, a magician from Kansas who becomes a wizard. Also in the film are beauties Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis, & Rachel Weisz as three battling witches: Glinda, Theodora, & Evanora, respectively. The movie premieres on Friday nationwide, but if you just can’t wait to hear about the spoiler-free juicy details, check out my review on Movie Buzzers.

In addition, the lovely ladies of the movie have been making the global rounds at premieres & press events, wearing the best of the best, including Elie Saab, Jason Wu, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Burberry, Michael Kors, Alexander McQueen, Atelier Versace, & so on. To see the more from the trio of Style Darlings, check out my recent Cover Craze post, featuring the glamorous actresses on the cover of In Style. Which of these red carpet looks is your favorite? Are you looking forward to seeing the movie? Happy Styling!

Red Carpet Review: Complete Coverage Of The 85th Annual Academy Awards, Featuring Naomi Watts, Reese Witherspoon, Zoe Saldana & More!


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The 2013 Oscars are just starting & there’s so much to talk about from tonight’s red carpet, including the anticipation behind the performances from the cast of Les Miserables, as well as the tribute to the James Bond series. Some of my favorites so far include Naomi Watts‘ high fashion look from Armani Prive, Reese Witherspoon‘s classic old Hollywood Louis Vuitton cobalt gown, Zoe Saldana‘s two-tone fishtail gown by Alexis Mabille, & Sandra Bullock‘s lace-detailed Elie Saab gown.

Other notable hits include Jessica Chastain (in Giorgio Armani), Nicole Kidman (in L’Wren Scott), Jennifer Garner (in Gucci), Kerry Washington (in Miu Miu), & Charlize Theron (in Dior Haute Couture). Not to mention that I predicted Jennifer Lawrence‘s Dior Haute Couture gown as an Oscar pick in my recent post, which is nothing short of fabulous when it hit the red carpet!

Who wore your favorite looks? Which nominees are you rooting for? Are you excited to see performances by Adele, Norah Jones, & Jennifer Hudson? For more from this year’s awards season, check out more from Red Carpet Review including the Golden Globes, Grammys, BAFTAs, & SAGs! Happy Styling!

Haute Headlines: Meet Project Runway’s Season 11 Designers, Alice + Olivia’s Latest Handbag Line, Jennifer Aniston Newest Endorsement Deal, & More!


Yesterday’s inauguration & the inaugural ball were the talk of not just the town, but of the whole country! Of course throngs of fashion fans were waiting to see Michelle Obama in her surprise gown & it’s no wonder she stuck with a fantastic design by Jason Wu. However, there’s a lot more going on that readers should also know about as we kick off yet another stylish week! Which stories are you talking about at the water cooler? Which headlines are you retweeting? Happy Styling!

*Downton Abbey‘s Michelle Dockery talks to InStyle about fashion on & off-screen*

*See Prada‘s sketches for The Great Gatsby costumes*

*Read what designer Reed Krakoff has to say about working with FLOTUS*

*StyleBistro has picked 5 of the most fashionable TV shows to watch right now*

*Which affordable brand did Anne Hathaway wear with her Chanel gown at the Golden Globes?*

*Model / actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is the latest face & body for M&S lingerie*

*Get a first look at Alice + Olivia‘s latest line of handbags*

*Meet the designers of Project Runway‘s Season 11, which premiere’s Thursday*

*Jennifer Aniston collaborates with Aveeno Skin Care*

*Girls genius Lena Dunham‘s 5 official rules of style*

*Redbook shares how to steal Michelle Williams‘ red carpet & street style*