Petite Fashion Challenge #16: Summer Wedding

This month's Petite Fashion Challenge (PFC) is hosted by Petite on a Penny is: 

Summer Wedding: Create an outfit for a Summer Wedding. 

For Bonus points, try to make your outfit, head to toe come under $100 

(or exclude shoes and accessories to meet the $100 mark).

How many times have we scratched our heads trying to decide what to wear for weddings and thought how easy guys have it? :)  If you have several weddings to go to in one year, buying dresses can quickly become expensive and thought this challenge had perfect timing as wedding season is upon us.

For this challenge I wanted to put together a simple outfit and I was over the moon when I saw this dress on the Zara website.  The light blue hue with silver tint is gorgeous in person and I absolutely loved the contrast trim.  The color blocked sandals perked my interest as well and I was curious to see how it would look and fit in person.  While the fit is slightly large on me, it's still passable and I fell in love with it the colors when i lifted the sandals out of the box.  To complete the outfit, added the multi-strand pearl necklace for a subtle lady like touch. 

The Zara Kids Shimmer Linen Dress cost an unbelievable $19.99, the Zara Strappy Sandal was marked at an amazing $49.99.  

 Wearing: Zara kids dress  l  Zara sandals  l  J.Crew necklace  l  Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses

Sorry for the windy photos! 

While I did not have a clutch on hand, I saw the this Asos Fold Over Metal Bar Clutch online and it's currently on sale for $30.44. This bring the outfit total to $100.42. Ack I'm over the challenge limit by $0.42! So close! :P

After completing this challenge, I decided to return the dress. I really do not like dresses that wrinkle and I noticed that after I bent down to tie the straps of these shoes, the dress already had sustained wrinkles.  The shoes however has quickly become a new favorite pair of shoes that will be on heavy rotation during this summer. :)

This challenge was fun and it showed that you can look like a million bucks without breaking the bank. Please check out the outfits of the other bloggers who participated in this petite challenge Here

Yellow (Trend of the Month)

This month's trend of the month, hosted by Marion from Marionberry Style, is all about Yellow.

Whenever I wear this color I notice an extra skip in my step and my smile becomes a grin.  There is a variety of shades of yellow you can wear based on your comfort level.  I started off wearing pastel yellow and graduated to bright yellow tops and shoes.  

This is a typical work outfit I would wear if I wanted a simple look with lots of neutral shades.

Wearing: Wilfred silk blouse  l  J.Crew pencil gray pencil skirt  l  

Cole Haan Peep toe gray snakeskin pumps  l  J.Crew coral belt 

For this challenge I wanted to show a typical work outfit and how it can be brightened up with a burst of yellow....perfect for the summer.  I contrasted the yellow with a navy blue bag and embraced the coral belt. 

Wearing: Wilfred silk blouse  l  J.Crew pencil gray pencil skirt  l  Club Monaco Yellow vneck sweater

Cole Haan Peep toe gray snakeskin pumps  l  Matt & Nat blue purse  l  J.Crew coral belt

I apologize for the poor lighting of the photos....I took the photos hoping the flash would be sufficient lighting on a cloudy evening but alas it was not enough. The colors ended up looking much darker than they actually were. :(  But hope you still enjoy!


Please check out how the other bloggers styled this fabulous color by going to Marionberry Style blog! 

Red Jeans Part 1

This year I ventured into wearing colored jeans and this time I took the plunge and opted for bright red ones.  Feeling bold, I paired the pants with a pattern I was too timid to wear in the past: leopard.  

The color combination of the leopard pairs well with the red as they are from the warm color family.  Next time you pull out a red piece from your closet, try pairing it with a beige/tan color and see how fabulous it looks together. :)  

To complete the look, I added gold accessories in the form of my favorite chain necklace from Banana Republic and my Rose Gold Michael Kors watch.

You can easily make this a work appropriate outfit for swapping the red jeans for a red skirt.  Or if your work environment isn't too conservative, a nice pair of red cropped dress pants would be very fab. :)

Wearing: J.Crew Crewcuts Leopard print cardigan  l  Banana Republic shell  l  Tractor Jeans - kids size 14  l  Banana Republic Gold chain necklace  l  Ann Taylor Tan Belt  l  Michael Kors Rose Gold watch  l  Max Studio leopard pumps

En-Trenched in a Vest

Browsing through the Forever 21 website, I was immediately drawn to this belted trench vest since I have an affinity to trench coats.  Priced at $27.80 it was a steal and I was quick to order it online. However, when I received it I realized it was a linen blend material which was prone to wrinkling. I love the look of linen but I absolutely dislike how quickly the material can wrinkle. As a result, this will be a return for me.

The way I would style this vest is to mix it with the nautical theme. I added the gold accessories to glam up the outfit a bit more for a weekend brunch with girlfriends or a casual date night.  I love how the trench vest adds a a layer that looks polished without looking bulky. 

Wearing: F21 Belted Trench Vest  l  French Connection striped top  l  Zara kids white jeans  l 

Michael Kors pumps  l  Banana Republic chain necklace  l  Michael Kors Rose gold watch  l  F21 gold bracelets


Have any of you invested in a Trench vest? How do you like to style it? 

Windy Day and a Color blocked skirt

When I decided to take a photo of this outfit, the wind decided to pick up and give my color blocked skirt some life.  Luckily it was a long skirt....otherwise I might have an embarrassing story to tell you all.

I thought this skirt was perfect for the summer and thought how you can transition it into the fall by adding a leather jacket.  I love the brightness of the skirt 

Wearing: DKNY tank  l  F21 color blocked pleated skirt  l  Target Sandals  l  BCBG turquoise necklace  l  J.Crew necklace

Zara Fantasy Blazer

For the last few months, I have been on the hunt for a nice structured tweed jacket.  As you can imagine, I was elated when I came across the Fantasy Fabric Blazer in Turquoise on the Zara website.  The vibrant  shades of blue, turquoise, and cream caught my eye and length of the blazer was exactly what I was looking for.  Although the sleeves are a little long overall I was very happy with the fit of the jacket so I think this one will be a keeper. 

The blazer is currently selling for $129 which brings my remaining shopping budget to $186.27. 

Wearing: Zara Fantasy Blazer  l  Mango cap sleeve top  l  Ralph Lauren white Jeans  l  

Michael Kors sandals  l  Club Monaco Necklace  l  Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses

One thing I was surprised about this blazer was the shoulder pads. I wasn't expecting it to have any (as I'm generally not a fan) but I'm hoping it is not noticeable and I'll get used to it over time. 

For this outfit, I decided to play up the youthful color of the blazer by adding a pair of white jeans and a simple but fun necklace.  I think since the jacket is the centerpiece, I decided to keep the color palate neutral.  I'm looking forward to experimenting with this Blazer for the office. :)

Have any of you been rocking the tweed jacket? 

Target Wakana Sandals

This evening, stopped by Target to pick up a few items, when I spotted this beauty in the clearance section.  The Mossimo Wakana cork wedge heel sandals in light brown on sale in store for a mere $7.48 (marked down from $24.99).

The tan color is perfect for matching summer outfits and the wide flexible straps do not cut into your feet making it comfy.

The sizing is about half a size larger than the normal sizes. Normally I wear size 6 shoes but for this pair, I picked up a pair in size 5.5.

Last month, my remaining shopping budget was $72.75 which was carried over to this month.  My May shopping budget started off at $322.75, but with the shoe purchase, my new remaining budget is $315.27. 

Have any of you had a recent Target find?

On a side note, do any of you ladies love watching Bravo? I think I heard one of the funniest lines this evening on the Real Housewives of Orange County where Brooks describes Tamra's son as: "He is the bomb.com". Hee Hee Hee! 

Weekend in DC

This past weekend I had the pleasure of returning to DC to attend a friend's wedding and reuniting with friends.  It was so nice to be back to where we used to live and I got nostalgic remembering the fond memories we made with our friends in the 2 yrs we lived there.  If you have not had a chance to visit DC, I highly recommend it. :)

Enclosed are some pictures from this trip!  Hope you enjoy! 

Outfit 1: J.Crew crewcuts leopard cardigan  l  Banana Republic yellow tee  l  7 for All Mankind Jeans  l  Coach purse  l  Longchamp bag in curry  l  Banana Republic chunky chain necklace  l  Michael Kors Rose gold watch

Outfit 2: H&M Green blouse  l  Paige Denim jeans  l  Coach Penny loafers  l  Coach purse  l  J.Crew necklace  l Michael Kors Rose gold watch  l  Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses

 

Outfit 3: Gap navy blazer l 7 for All Mankind jeans l J.Crew lace tee  l  Coach Penny loafers  l Michael Kors Rose gold watch

 Hope you all have a lovely week!

Leather & Gingham

Wearing: Banana Republic leather jacket  l  J.Crew gingham shirt  l  Joe Jeans  l  

Cole Haan patent penny loafer pumps  l  Banana Republic Chain necklace  l  

Michael Kors watch l  H&M Ring

I love how adding a leather jacket can instantly make an outfit look much more chic and put together.  This is an outfit I would wear to run errands and meet up with friends on the weekend.  It's easy going and comfortable without looking disheveled. (I hope) :P

What is your weekend go to outfit?