Luxury Look-Alikes For Less: Nude Cork Heels From Michael Kors Vs. Steve Madden!

In getting ready to switch my closet around from the heavy knits & suede boots that I wore in the fall / winter, I’m looking forward to reacquainting myself with the pieces that I haven’t worn since the end of last summer. This will include some of my favorite shoes, like nude cork pumps that are perfect for wearing with spring dresses.

Of course, I’m crazy about bright wedges, floral sandals, & laser cut ballet flats, but the nude pump is a spring / summer staple. I found the KORS Michael Kors glitter patent cork pump ($195.00), which combine the luxe exterior patent leather with the lightness of a cork heel. I really love the way these textures look together, adding lots of dimension to any LBD, sheath dress, or lace shorts & blouse look.

Being that I’m not going to spend that much cash on a pair of shoes for the spring, I was happy to find a more affordable look-alike in the Summer blush patent pumps ($19.99) @Steve Madden. The shape of the shoe’s vamp is a little different from the Michael Kors design, but it still has the same features to match any spring / summer look. More affordable nude / cork combos for the upcoming spring / summer season include GOjane‘s platform cork wedges ($29.40), the canvas cork wedge ($29.50) from Wet Seal, & printed cork peeptoe heels ($32.80) from Forever 21.

For more shoe-related posts, check out more from Show Me The Shoes, including silver Jimmy Choo pumps as seen on Kim Kardashian, affordable, trendy mint shoes, studded loafers to transition from season to season, Kate Moss’ latest ad for Stuart Weitzman, & Taylor Swift’s Ked’s collaboration! Happy Styling!

4/01/2013 Darling Of The Day: Taylor Swift’s Preppy & Cozy Sweater Look In NYC!

During a recent stay in New York City, country crooner Taylor Swift exited her hotel in a black long-sleeved cable knit sweater, cropped burgundy trousers, lace-up flats, & a leather tote bag. The usually feminine singer / songwriter shows off her preppy style, despite not having received the memo that spring is in the air. Of course there are just a few chilly days left in New York, but it’s not joke (on April Fool’s Day) that Taylor’s look is classic, effortless, & easy to pull off.

To put together an affordable version of this outfit, I selected the Sonoma life + style cable knit sweater ($19.99) in black from Kohl’s, which can also be mixed with a pastel pleated skirt, or worn over a floral sheath dress. Also, the Marisa straight leg pants ($26.93) in empire red from LOFT can offset softer pieces like a silk ruffled blouse, sequined tank & boyfriend blazer, & solid tee with a statement necklace. The accessories are perfect for any season, including the H-Trosuer flats ($59.95) in black from Steve Madden, faux leather zip pocket tote ($45.00) in orange from Dress Barn, & floral square sunglasses ($5.80) from Forever 21.

What do you think of Taylor’s look? Do you like mixing menswear pieces to your everyday outfits? Are you shopping for loafer flats for the spring? For more Darling of the Day posts, check out Drew Barrymore’s look during her recent appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Revenge actress Ashley Madekwe’s black & white ensemble, Nikki Reed’s chic take on menswear, & Diane Kruger’s Stella McCartney pants in Berlin! Happy Styling!

Show Me The Shoes / Color Me Style: Mint Is Back For Spring!

During this spring break, I’ve had plenty of time studying the latest spring trends & aside from bold bright, you can find plenty of pastels, including mint shoes that will make any outfit look fresh & spring-ready. After a recent conversation with an engaged friend about the difference between turquoise & teal for her upcoming nuptials, I was inspired to share the color mint. Of course this hue can be seen on dresses, blouses, pants, & accessories, but more importantly, I’m loving the idea of mint shoes, especially since there are so many affordable shoes.

Add mint to your flats collection with the Merona Macha wedge ballet flat ($19.50) from Target, which have a classic faux snake texture with any effortless tee & skinny jeans. Also, the canvas Bella skimmer ($19.50) from Delia’s offers a lighter material to contrast with a neutral leather mini & sleeveless button-down. If you’re headed to a tropical location on vacation before summer, the Steve Madden Swinger sandals ($49.95) is perfect for a maxi dress & stacked bangles, a cotton spring dress with a beaded necklace, or with walking shorts & a silky blouse.

This wouldn’t a proper shoe post if I didn’t talk about some major budget-friendly heels, like the patent cap toe platform pump ($32.50) from Charlotte Russe, which transitions the cap toe trend perfectly between seasons. The GOjane peep toe platform wedges ($24.95) are edgy for a look with leggings & a tunic top, & they’re on sale right now! Next, bring mint to the office with the Fioni Jordyn t-strap pumps ($26.99) from Payless coordinated with a floral sheath dress & a cardigan, or for happy hour with a polka dot blouse & pencil skirt.

The peep toe platform wedge ($32.80) from Forever 21 is chic for a weekend getaway in a chambray dress or with neutral separates like a beige cami with silky pajama-inspired pants. Lastly, DSW‘s Fergalicious Eileen pump ($39.95) is definitely a must-have for a date night in a shift dress or can dress up any outfit like a mini leather skirt & graphic tee if you’re headed to a concert.

Which style is your favorite? Do you like the mint shoe trend? What colors are your mist attracted to this fall? For more posts from Show Me The Shoes, check out floral-inspired shoes from Forever 21 & Gap, luxury look-alike studded Jimmy Choo loafers, how to find affordable platforms like Nikki Reed’s at her recent red carpet appearance, & a behind-the-scenes look with J. Crew’s Jenna Lyons on their latest shoe collection! Happy Styling!

Basics For A Bargain: Monochromatic Looks To Brighten Up Any Season, Wardrobe, & Budget!

It’s not often that I wear monochromatic looks, but when I do, it’s usually either black or gray. These are go-to colors that I know I can always mix & match with each other, especially when I’m headed to work & am looking for something chic & fluid to wear. I was inspired by monochrome outfits during my last photo shoot of pictures of myself to post on Style Darling (see the all-green sweater & pants look, for example).

Since I started covering Runway Rundown here, I noticed the dominance of monochromatic designs, especially for the 2013 runways. This includes Calvin Klein Collection with a multi-textural caramel look, Michael Kors‘ lemon yellow duds, Elie Saab‘s cobalt crush, Salvatore Ferragamo using neutral beige, Christopher Kane‘s all-white ensemble, Bottega Veneta‘s brick menswear-inspiration, & BCBG Max Azria‘s flowing black separates.

Taking a cue from the runways, there have been plenty of color-on-color red carpet apperances. Celebrities who’ve donned monochromatic looks include Michelle Williams who attended the New York Times Arts & Leisure Weekend event in head-to-toe black with a belted mini, tights, & suede booties. Fashion icon Alexa Chung breaks up her nearly-monochromatic look in an oxblood turtleneck by Versus & leather zip-up mini with lasercut flats. Country songstress Taylor Swift went for a more mature look in a custom-made all-white suit by J. Mendel at last year’s MTV Video Music Awards. Victoria Beckham looks nothing short of amazing in her nude sheath dress design with Brian Atwood pumps. Lastly, back in 2009, Penelope Cruz dazzles in a three-piece scarlett suit by Bottega Veneta at the London premiere of Broken Embraces with two-tone strappy sandals.

Now that we’ve seen what’s going on inside the pages of our favorite magazines & who’s wearing what on the runways, I wanted to show how anyone can wear a monochromatic look without breaking your budget. What’s great about finding identical tones is the crisp & clean look that it creates & that’s where you can have fun with accessorizing with a sparkling scarf, baubled cocktail rings, bib necklaces, embossed handbags, & so on. In these looks, I have included at least one accessory, but it’s simply a suggestion & option to really bring the look together & in most cases (except for the teal look) still fits within budget.

First, I’ve been thinking about coral, ever since a post from The $100 Challenge where I featured a coral dress for the holidays, but I just love the softness of the color, which is perfect for any skintone. It instantly adds some natural rosiness to your cheeks & always looks feminine. The studded Peter Pan collar shirt ($22.80) from Forever 21 already has some built-in detail with the gold that helps frame your face. This matches perfectly with Target‘s Mossimo ankle pant ($27.99) & the sueded uber platform pumps ($12.50) from Charlotte Russe, which have just been reduced from their original $32.50 price. Lastly, I fell in love with the art deco-inspired spike triangle earrings ($8.77) from ASOS, which add a rose gold luxury to such a relaxed, yet sophisticated outfit. Also, if you want to break up these pieces to create a trendy or unexpected look, mix things up with dark denim skinnies, cap toe ballet flats, a silk boyfriend blazer, or metallic belt.

I’ve also been seeing a neon opportunity for your wardrobe for quite some time now. Of course, this color is to be worn confidently & with caution. We all want to look so good we stop traffic, but this look with highlighter yellow or electric lime tones could almost guarantee such a result. It all started with the a.n.a. perfect skinny corduroy pants ($17.00) from JC Penney that I spotted sometime before the holidays, but now they’re marked down & I’m excited to see how these might be worn for the rest of the winter & into spring. I paired these with the boatneck banded bottom tee ($29.90) from Express & Forever 21‘s faux suede pumps ($29.80). While any gold, white lacquered, or lucite jewelry will enhance this look, Alloy‘s Zahara neon necklace ($19.90) was just irresistible, thanks to a search on ShopStyle for matching accessories. Also, for more ideas on how to wear these pieces, consider other neutrals like charcoal, black, & navy, as well as classic patterns like polka dots, houndstooth, & plaid.

I found myself a little troubled when looking for coordinating pieces for my teal ensemble- ones that wouldn’t make me go over budget, but… I did. Sometimes that happens when you find absolutely must-have pieces. I just adore this color (on me!) & think it’s a bold way to reinterpret greens & blues since it falls so beautifully in the middle. While checking out the newest arrivals @New York & Company, I found the satiny pleated from belted blouse ($29.95), which instantly made me think to find a skirt. Then the Grace Elements teal skirt with yoke ($24.99) from Loehmann’s was a perfect fit, especially if you’re trying to refresh your work wardrobe. For an extra fun touch, @Steve Madden, the Intrude pumps ($34.99) are just what this look needed to add some texture & despite the myth of material, these can be worn any time of the year. Finally, the Croft & Barrow jet bead hoop drop earrings ($12.00) from Kohl’s put the look just a bit over $100, but you can always keep this affordable by wearing favorites that you may already own like diamond stud earrings or something in silver.

My final look goes out to my plus-size Style Darlings because I think a berry tone is perfect for any shape & any woman. I shopped Wet Seal‘s plus section to find the 3/4 sleeve belted blouse ($18.99) on sale, which comes with a detachable belt, perfect for wearing over a cardigan or jersey dress to help enhance your curves. To keep this look balanced & figure-flattering, the roz & ALI stretch colored jeggings ($19.99) from Dress Barn helped complete the bottom half, especially since they’re available in sizes 14-24. I found the Rocket Dog Monica flat ($24.94) @DSW, which would also help dress down a shirt dress, work if paired with a denim skirt & sweater, or contrast a ruffled blouse & dolman top. My final piece to this looks is the neon metallic teardrop earring ($5.80) from Forever 21, which would sparkle for a date night in an LBD or look cute with a mod shift dress.

Do you wear a monochromatic look? Which colors are you most drawn to? Do you prefer matchy-matchy pieces or like to contrast with colorblocking? For more from Basics For A Bargain, check out posts including outerwear inspired by Kate Middleton & Gwen Stefani, pointy toe heels as seen on Mandy Moore & Miranda Kerr, & how to copy separates looks like Kate Hudon & Kristen Stewart! Also, for more affordable looks under $100, check out a sleek black & silver cocktail look, building with black textured accessories, & how to wear a leopard wrap dress! Lastly, be sure to click on over to Color Me Style for the latest trends in yellow with some help from Emmy Rossum & Kim Kardashian, all-black looks like Jennifer Lawrence & Kate Moss, & black & white ensembles like Jessica Alba & Julianne Hough! Happy Styling!

Color Me Style: Hello Yellow For Winter & Spring, Inspired By Emmy Rossum, Miranda Kerr, Anna Kendrick, & More!

Yellow is one of those colors that’s always a little risky to wear out on the red carpet, but when it’s done right, it can look really spectacular.  Not to mention that the color is coming back for this season (following right behind emerald trends), which we’ve seen on some of today’s most stylish celebrities.  This includes former Grey’s Anatomy star, Nora Zehetner wore a minimalist Calvin Klein Collection sheath mini at a Metropolitan Museum of Art event last month. Lauren Conrad showed off her feminine side, as usual, in a bright Yoana Baraschi dress with suede neutral pumps. Actress Kate Mara looked stunning in a Dior shift dress at the London premiere of House of Cards with a suede box clutch by Nancy Gonzalez & satin peep toe pumps.

Shameless star Emmy Rossum also donned Dior with a metallic minaudiere & strappy black sandals. For an interview on The Late Show with David Letterman, Anna Kendrick asymmetrical sheath dress by Halston Heritage is offset by nude peep toe pumps & jewelry by Dana Rebecca Designs. Lastly, during a recent appearance on Katie, Jada Pinkett Smith slipped into a curve-hugging Victoria Beckham dress with towering, patterned platform pumps.

It wasn’t heard to search the web for some cute & affordable yellow dresses to wear with your favorite evening shoes, collar necklaces, stacked bangles, or statement rings. Yellow dresses are also popular in pastels like the cutout ribbon back dress ($27.80) from Forever 21, which is described as “citron.” @Macy’s, the Bar III cap-sleeve seamed scoop neck dress ($29.99) is marked down from its original $69.00 price tag.  For a figure-flattering, sexy dress, the ASOS wrap front pencil dress ($56.29) is the perfection attention-grabbing option, especially is paired with strappy sandals, or belted & worn under a boyfriend blazer.

The Ark & Co ‘Swept Away’ strapless dress ($46.00) from Lulu’s is a pretty option, especially if you want to show off your décolletage with a spiked necklace & messy updo. Lastly, the Mossimo casual one-shoulder dress ($24.99) from Target is a flowy & flirty number to wear casually with gladiator flats when on vacation, or with a velvet bolero & textured tights.

Also, yellow separates really make an outfit pop, so if you’re wearing neutrals, this bright color can really work the value of basics like dark denim jeans, a black sweater, or a mini skirt. Take a cue from Olivia Palermo‘s wool-blend coat from Old Navy with leather leggings & oversized turtleneck. Also, supermodel Miranda Kerr tops off her casual look with a yellow blazer, perfect for a chic day out shopping. Kirsten Dunst played with yellow in her printed Stella McCartney separates at the premiere of The Bachelorette with ankle strap suede heels. 

Kim Kardashian‘s colorblocked look made headlines, especially with her sophisticated Chloé blouse & mary jane Christian Louboutin platforms. Taylor Swift plays up her girl-next-door style in a pleated yellow skirt, also by Chloé, with a tucked in cable knit sweater & bowed ballet flats.

Get inspired to add some yellow thoughtfully to your look with these affordable pieces.  First, the Tinley Road Bleecker blazer ($39.99) from Piperlime is fun to wear over an LBD for the office, or to dress up a graphic tee & jeans with pointy toe pumps. You can head to Express to find the mesh inset blouson tee ($24.90) for floral pants, satin shorts & tights, or tucked into a brocade pencil skirt. Another top worth considering is the blouse ($29.95) from H&M to coordinate under an embellished cardigan, over a silk cami, or with a contrasting hue like red or cobalt jeans. Also, Piperlime‘s Greylin Viv ponte pencil skirt ($42.99) is a timeless basic to match with a printed top or classic & crisp button-down shirt.

Accessories in yellow aren’t hard to come by either… & there’s always a place in your look for this color. The embossed skinny belt ($14.99) from Coldwater Creek is currently half off & will add a special touch of texture to tweed or suede pieces. I also love the fringed drop earrings ($6.80) from Forever 21, which will work for an evening look with a cocktail dress & even bring out the personality of a tropical maxidress in the summer.

You can never go wrong with yellow shoes. I am the proud owner of at least three pair & I don’t mean that they’re gold- they range in the banana to mustard hues & I’ve found so many uses for them. I love the Steve Madden Rockkk flats ($29.99) from 6pm, which originally cost as high as $60.00 when they hit the market. Finally, for the shoe-lover out there, the Michael Antonio Tracey sandal ($29.94) from DSW offers a sexy way to show off your gams, while still embracing the color yellow.

Do you like to wear yellow? Which celebrity do you think pulls off yellow the best? Do you have a favorite yellow piece that you like to incorporate into your look? For more affordable fashion ideas, check out posts including stylish cardigans $20 & under, polka dot pants for any season, Victoria’s Secret’s latest nail polish launch, & fabulous flats by Fergalicious on clearance! Happy Styling!