Closet Lust... May

Summer is basically here but it seems to come and go in Pittsburgh. I've been so chilly in between the warm rays of sunshine that manage to peak behind the clouds. The heat just needs to come already and thaw us out, I swear. But I've found four new items that I think will be very useful for the summer, items I would be consistently pulling from out of my closet.

$44.98 - Aldo SMILE Bag

Aldo is a shoe and accessory company that is really providing an interesting perspective to the fashion industry and this handbag is the perfect example of this. The architecture is so well done that it looks expensive and I wouldn't be surprised if it gets marked up by another $100. The biggest strength I see of this bag is its versatility because I could see anyone using it to go to the supermarket or meet up with friends for lunch.

$99 - Nine West Farfalla Caged Wedge

Summer is sandal season and this wedge is a beautiful addition to any shoe collection. There are a few colors on the Nine West website but I'm quite partial to the blue shown above. This is something that personally I would wear with jeans and a nice t-shirt. It's casual, flirty, and perfect for the season.

$59.95 - NYandCo. Floral Maxi Skirt

A maxi skirt is great to have as they can be worn on many different occasions. One day at work, I saw three different women sporting beautiful maxi skirts and I thought I was out of the loop somehow. I've been searching for a yellow maxi skirt ever since and I'm really happy to have found this one from New York and Company. The floral pattern is summery and bright and from the pics from other users on the website, it looks like a great buy.


So that's it for May. I've been kinda stressed out these past two weeks but I'm glad I came across the items I found. Not sure if I'll have more to say this month, but I'll keep you posted.

~Renee Brown

Things to Wear During the Summer Daze

Here, I created two summer looks; both of which are suited for a day out with friends. I wanted to use white as the base color of both looks and chose the tank from Forever 21 and the Free People dress from Shopbop.com. For the first look, I chose a bright yellow bag from Target to give some color to the otherwise neutral look. The simplicity of the jewelry pieces I chose adds a touch of romanticism to the outfit I think and the wedges were just too killer to pass up.

For the second look, I wanted to create an outfit for those not so hot days. The cardigan is thin so it provides a nice compliment to the dress. The dress is by far the show stopper of the whole look. When I saw the peek-a-boo glimpses of red underneath, it really took my breath away. Like the previous outfit, I chose tan wedges from the Gap and gold jewelry from Max&Chloe and H&M.

Look 1

$32.99 Target- Merona Leah Perforated Tote

 

$79.95 DSW- Steve Madden Grecco Wedge

$17.80 Forever 21- Pintucked Lace Tank

 $6.80 Forever 21- Clear Pendant Necklace

 $49.99 Gap- 1969 Destructed Boyfriend Shorts

$3.80 Forever 21- Twisted Rope Ring

$12.80 Forever 21- Studded Straw Fedora

Look 2

$59.95 Gap- Perforated Wedge Sandals

$59.95 Gap- Straw Satchel

$5.95 H&M- Necklace with Feather

$68 Free People Medallion Slip Dress

$24.95 H&M- Linen Cardigan

$45 Max&Chloe- Band of Elephants Ring

$55 Max&Chloe- Meredith Hahn Vita Spear Bracelet

Once again, thanks to my readers for their patience. It's been a rough time. Anywhoo, let me know what you guys think of the looks.

~Renee

Workin' It In the Winter

I honestly love work apparel and today I decided to create two work looks for the upcoming colder weather. In the first look, you'll notice that there is very little color in the actual work outfit. To add a spicy pop of color, I picked a bright tangerine pashmina to put off the darker tones of the look. I adore the pashmina but my favorite piece is the coat, mostly for its construction. A long single breasted coat in a simple gray color like the one below is a great piece to have for a winter wardrobe and when paired with the striking color of the pashmina, it looks amazing.

Look 1

$17.99 On Sale!! Double Layer Paisley Pashmina Shawl

$68 Ann Taylor Wrap Sweater

$34.95 New York & Co. Ponte Pencil Skirt

$98 Ando Store Single Breasted Coat

$47 On Sale!! Neiman Marcus Swing Earrings

$87.99 On Sale!! Macy's Giani Bernini Satchel

$26.50 Macy's INC Adjustable Ring

$49.99 DSW Chinese Laundry Alice Pumps

If you look through the items of Look 2, you'll notice some of the pieces are a lot more expensive. Not to worry, cheaper options are always available. I started this look with the knit top and the lattice print skirt and worked from there. To enhance the gold skirt, I chose a long turquoise coat from H&M and a champaigne pashmina scarf. A beige patent leather pump and a brown Coach handbag are great accessories that complete the look.

Look 2

$17.99 On Sale!! Double Layer Paisley Pashmina Shawl

$129 H&M Turquoise Long Coat

$68 White House/ Black Market Ruffle Knit Top

$49.95 New York & Company Lattice Print Skirt

$7.99 Target Ash Tear Drop Earrings

$398 Coach Legacy Candace Leather Carryall

$59.95 DSW JS by Jessica Oscar Patent Leather Pump

$69.99 Overstock.com 14K Gold Clear Crystal Charm Bracelet

~Renee

My Wishlist!!

My birthday is coming up in a few weeks (September 16!) and my family has already started harassing me about what I want for my birthday. In an effort to entertain you good people as well as satisfy my loving and, at times, overbearing family, I've decided to post my current wishlist items. I've been quietly searching the web for goodies that I want and found some amazing items which as always are posted below with links to the products and their prices. Let me know what you think of the selection by commenting below!

Ann Taylor

$58 Ann Taylor Short Resin Necklace

$88 Striped Popover Camp Shirt

 $348 Weekender Duffle Bag

ASOS

$93.67 On Sale!! ALDO Solian Color Block Slingback Shoes

$221.39 Aqua Maple Mini Kimono Dress

$110.70 Minkpink Inked Rose Print Dress

Lulus.com

$14  On Sale!! Orange Bangle Set

 

$22 Pretty Floral Cuff

Piperlime

 

 $350 Jackson by Joie

$240 Stacy by Miz Mooz

Forever 21

$10.80 Paillette Layered Chain Necklace

$4.80 Colorful Bejeweled Studs

By the way, if anyone is suddenly struck by generosity and wants to send me things for my birthday, just message me and I'll tell you how you can send me stuff. Peace and love, everyone!

~Renee

Jackets, Sweaters, and Boots!!!!

Autumn is upon us and I am so excited for what the season holds for us in terms of fashion, especially with the Mercedes-Benz Fashion show coming up. As it happens, with every subtle change in temperature is an even greater change in our wardrobes and while the warm weather of summer still lingers, I've decided to just give everyone a few leads as to where to find the amazing jackets, sweaters, and boots that we, as women, depend upon during the fall.

Jackets 

Light weight jackets are really great for the cool, but not cold, weather. The Ellen Tracy Zip Up at Macy's and the Terry Moto Jacket at the Gap that I found are perfect jackets for such weather and add an edgy flare to any outfit. As for the colder, chilly nights its good to have a nice elegant pea coat like the navy Via Spiga one below.

$149.50 Macy's Ellen Tracy Zip Up Jacket

$174.99 Amazon.com Via Spiga Wool Pea Coat

$69.95 Gap Terry Moto Jacket

Sweaters

I love sweaters that I found. The first one is a classic done by Tommy Hilfiger. This type of v-neck sweater is the kind that every body type and size can wear. I particularly like the blue/white and the tango red/ navy (found on macys.com). Next, I picked the Sienna Bare Shoulder Sweater because I imagined it with a camisole or tank top underneath. Its a rather risky sweater but its cute. The Guess' Wendy Waffle Cardigan is form fitting and looks amazing on the model, I have to say. I love the Heather Grey color and the zip up but it, like the bare shoulder sweater, is definitely not for everyone. The last sweater I chose was the American Eagle Cardigan Sweater which is simple, classy, and versatile to say the least. I loved the red color but they have many others to chose from on AE.com.

$44.98 Macy's Tommy Hilfiger Sweater

$49.50 Amazon.com G by GUESS Sienna Bare Shoulder Top

$89 GUESS Wendy Waffle Cardigan

$29.95 AE Lightweight Boyfriend Cardigan

Boots

For boots, its important to have a variety of neutral colors like the brown, black and gray boots I found at DSW. The last three boots are of a similar style as they all have heel and a similar height. The Coconuts Monah and the Santana boot are of a more streamline structure and would look great with jeans. I have to say, though, that the Madden Girl Boot is my favorite. I love the color and the construction and to me, its flirty. Now, with regard to the first boot, I am honestly still debating on whether or not I hate it. I mean, its an definitely an option for the fall but I'd have to see what it would look like with jeans.

$109.95  SM Crafti Riding Boot

$149.95 Coconuts Monah Boot

 $129.95 Santana Canada Cassandra Boot

$59.95 Madden Girl Pinup Boot

Let me know what you think about the items. Don't forget to comment and follow me on Twitter!!

~ Renee