NYE Party Frock Inspiration

Happy Holidays Strutters! Now that Christmas is behind us it's time to start thinking about how you're ringing in the New year, in style of course. My plans are not entirely solidified. There's a possible night on the town and a possible stay in option, which means I have to be ready for both. I have plenty of style options for a low key evening but really need to hit up the stores for something that says sexy times.  And I really don't want to spend a lot of money on the dress either considering how much I just blew on Xmas presents for the family. Anyway, here are five looks  that I think are party ready  for inspiration before you hit up the stores.

 Sparkles, Sparkles. There's no time like now to rock your the shiniest dress you can get your hands on. Go ahead and shine like the jewel that you are. Love this little number. Yes, it's pricey but this is about inspiration, right?

Ceiling Lighting by Jayson Home & Garden
Pumps by Giuseppe Zanotti

Solid Gold Baby. I dare say that almost everybody looks fab in gold. But the color really comes alive on dark to olive skin gals. A dress in this color doesn't need a lot of accessories to set it off. Finish the look with a smashing shoe and you're good to go.

Cocktail Dresses by Halston
Cocktail Dresses by DKNY

Lace it up! I have a thing for lace this year and I think it works perfectly for a party dress. Note, I'm not advocating the lace tights pictured below but I love the dresses. And if you're too bashful or not feeling an entire lace get up, then try a pair of lace pumps with a simple black dress. I love. demure and sexy all at once.

Mini Skirts by Delia's
Athletic Shoes by Asos

Black is Right. The little black dress is always party ready. The options are endless and it's so forgiving. Lord knows you and I did some damage with the calories this holiday season and nothing like a black dress for some needed camouflage. I love an all black look from head to toe but we're talking about NYE so spice things up with a red pump.

Black Dresses at Bluefly
Pumps by BP

Crushing on Velvet. Winter is all about donning luxurious fabric and nothing works better than soft to the touch velvet. If you want all hands on you  for the night give velvet a try. Like lace, a touch of it is all you need but nothing says luxe like a velvet dress.

Casual Jackets by Marc by Marc Jacobs
Pumps by Prada

Lace, sequins, velvet, and gold should be on your list as you head to the stores for that last minute hunt for the perfect NYE dress. If you haven't notice, it's all about going for the glam if you're lucky enough to be hitting up a NYE bash. Also don't forget to buy the right dress for your body shape. Check out this post I wrote last year for a few tips.

Do Stylish Mid heels Exist? I'm About to Find Out

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you probably understand my love for the perfect heels, which can not only enhance an outfit but help to put that extra pep in your step. And let's not forget the wonderful ability heels have to elongate the body for shorties like me. So you can imagine how my heart dropped when I visited my podiatrist this week and he told me I needed to ease off wearing heels above 2 inches for a couple of months. Excuse me? I'm the girl that considers a 3 inch heel a good walking shoe. I was like, come again? Do you know who I am?? But in all fairness I knew this day was coming. Lately, when barefoot or wearing flats I experience some strong pain on the top of my right foot. So I started alternating from my regular high heels to flats in hopes of easing the pain. But my podiatrist said flats are not the answer because they don't provide sufficient padding for the balls of my feet and heels add too much pressure, which I experience when I take off my heels. I read that a 1-inch heel will increase the pressure by 22 percent; a 2-inch heel by 57 percent; and a 3-inch heel by 76 percent. Yes, easing off the high heels for now seems to be the answer. The alternative is causing a stress fracture, which could mean a cast or some ugly boot thing to take the pressure off. I asked my doctor if the foot gods are punishing me for all the years of sporting towering heels. He said no, it's a combination of my foot  shape, which makes me prone to stress fractures and wearing heels just makes the situation worse.  Yesterday I took stock of my shoes to see how many pairs of 2 inch shoes I have and realized I had both a fashion and medical emergency on my hands. This called for some serious online research to find the perfect, stylish 2 inch heel. And let me tell you, it's a hard feat ( Haha, get it??) but not impossible. I found several brands and looks that might make this experience a little bit more dignified.

Corso Como-Casey- These are a  good replacement for my typical 3-4 inch night on the town shoes. Not hugely sexy but wearable.

 

 

Steve Madden Carlen boots--not a huge fan of Steve Madden but they are cute and 2 inches...






Love these blue suede shoes. so these are 2 3/4 inches but better than three inches.




Ecco-fun slingback

Well, the options aren't looking too bad,  right? The good news is that I can still rock my 3 inch and above heels for special nights when I won't spend a lot of time on my feet. I guess it could be worst.  I could be restricted to ugly orthopedic shoes.So for now the quest for the perfect stylish 2 inch shoe continues. But it sure is hard to resist the irresistible pull of a sexy heel. I just have to find my inner strut instead of relying on heels like I usually do.

5 Festive Sweaters Under a $100

It's been awhile since I purchased a new sweater. By awhile, I mean a couple of months. I love, love sweaters and I can't get enough. And there's a plethora of sweaters sales right now perfect for staying cozy this holiday season as you hang out with the fam or catch up with an old friend. But let's get something straight: you should not be wearing any type of sweater with a lighted Christmas tree, rudolph, or any other image that declares you an "Ugly Sweater" contest" winner. No, you shall not. Here's Five to Love, featuring  updated classics that will get you noticed.

 North Highlands Cardigan-$68.99

Red. Grandpa sweater. How you can you go wrong?

James Long for ASOS Multi Yarn Sweater-NOW $82.75

Love this colorful decidedly 8os sweater.  

 

Sequin Trimmed Shaggy Cardigan-$94.82

A  classic cardi with added drama. Shagalicious!

 

Sequin Front Sweater ^$69⁵⁰

Subtle shine takes this sweater up a notch. 

Metallic striped dolman sweater-$54.50

Casual, cool and festive, thanks to the metallic stripes.

7 Tips to Creating Stylish Warm Winter Looks

Dahlings, the weather outside is truly frightful. And depending on where you live, it’s scary as hell. So how does one maintain a level of style when all you want to do is stay snuggled in your warm bed to stave off the cold weather outside? Well I can tell you that it’s an absolute must to maintain some level of style. And as I always rave about this time of year, the layering technique is great to achieve some visually interesting looks while still staying warm.I saw a multitude of layered looks today at my office party which inspired this post. One of the gals rocked a black sheath dress with pockets with a white blouse underneath. She added mustard colored tights to add a bit of color to what would have been a very simple and neutral color palette. Another gal wore a red printed v-neck empire dress, a tank top underneath, topped with a velvet blazer. Gray patterned tights and suede ankle boots continued the fun feel of the look. And everyone looked just smashing and kept the right proportions and silhouettes. How do you get the look yourself? check out my tips below.


1. Don’t over do it on the layers. Two- Three layers is probably ample.

2. Use a foundation piece with a silhouette. If your outfit foundation is a dress, choose a dress with a nice silhouette, well fitted but not tight around the breasts and hips, drawn in at the waist. For instance a sheath dress over a blouse works beautifully. Add some tights, boots and your good to go. But you shouldn’t shy away from a loose fitting dress which can be a great layering piece. But then you have to add layers to shape it like a fitted vest, sweater or a  fun sash or belt.

3. Chill on the chunky. Go easy on the fluffy and the puffy, the thick and the woolly. Rule of thumb: Don't add bulk around your bulk. For curvy women, the layered look is about adding color and warmth not bulk. One of the tricks that I use a lot is to wear a loose garment over a tight garment. Balanced achieved!

4. Select clothes made of different fabrics and textures: cotton, denim, corduroy, velvet, etc. to keep things interesting. I love layering wool with silk or rayon or chiffon with cotton. Fabrics that are opposite just add some great visual interest.

5. Balance layered tops with slim bottoms. If you choose to wear several layers on top, keep the bottom half of your outfit long and lean. Try skinny-cut, tapered, or bootcut pants or leggings or tights. Elongate your body by matching your shoes or boots to your pants, leggings, or tights.

6. Use the same shade of one color. I love layering with one variation of color. I’m really loving camel and creams lately. So for instance I have a gray brown stripped dress with a sheer neckline that I layer with a camel cardigan. It also works well with a gray blazer, which picks up the brownish gray in the dress. Mixing neutral colors, it’s just such an easy way to look instantly pulled together.

7. Wear simple jewelry and accessories. When wearing the layered look, stick with simple accessories like stud earrings, plain necklaces, and thin, light scarves. It's really enough to have a few layers going on.

So what are some key layering pieces? To create easy layered looks, these are some great items to have in your closet: Thin  turtle neck, cardigan ( long and hip length), vests ( sweater vests, rayon), long sleeved thin tees, black tights ( wool tights too), scarves ( thin, big, interesting fun scarves), and of course a classic blazer.

Layering  allows you to wear items you already own - even many of your summer pieces - which you can enliven when you wear them with pieces like scarves, cardigans, blazers and tights. You can also use layers to hide figure flaws and create the appearance of a proportioned body using some simple techniques. By adding a few inexpensive key pieces to your wardrobe, you can effortlessly create fashionable layered ensembles. And that is something to smile about Dahlings.

Crazy About Jewelry: Stella & Dot

I'm mad about jewelry!! I think I've starved myself for so long by not purchasing anything blingy and shiny for so long and now I'm truly obsessed. In my last post I featured jewelmint.com the membership jewelry site. Now thanks to a friend, I've now discovered Stella &Dot, a boutique style jewelry line sold exclusively through trained independent jewelry Stylists at in-home Trunk Shows and online. Last week I attended a trunk show at a private home with a Stella & Dot stylists and had a wonderful experience. About half the line is under $50, making it easy  to walk away with a fun piece. Of course there are those pricier drama-filled pieces to buy as well. There's also something for everyone: from delicate pieces to bold looks that will get you noticed. I think what is also really unique about Stella &Dot is that the company offers other women an opportunity to own a piece of the business by becoming stylists themselves and selling the line directly to other women. I look forward to hosting an event soon. But in the meantime, check out the pieces I nabbed: Stella Vintage Link Bracelet in Gold and the Jolie Cocktail Ring.  These are very bold pieces that I look forward to wearing with simple everyday looks or with a fun outfit for a night on the town. Now I just have to make sure my friend doesn't snatch the bracelet off my wrist when I wear it since we were both eyeing it! I did offer to share it with her but what kind of a deal is that?? Anyway give the site a look over. Some good gift possibilities as well.