Why we LOVE...

LACE

...so vintage, elegant, sexy, yet sophisticated.....lace is returning to wardrobes as we head into spring fashion!

Maybe I hadn't noticed all of it until recently (while shopping for that perfect all lace wedding dress), but LACE is slowly showing up everywhere... as shells under suit jackets, peeking out of the bottom of those fabulous LBDs, and even as the main piece in your outfit, like this FABULOUS top from Fossil....I am LOVING it!

A fun lace top, like the one above or this tunic from ModCloth, Let's Lace It Tunic (with just as fabulous a name, as all their items have) is a great way to change up your usual blouse and trousers look. Pair it with your favorite skinny jeans and boots on casual Friday or out for lunch & shopping on Saturday with the girls = perfect! Here is another fabulous, simple lace tank, from urban outfitters. The front detail is so perfect, and then the back is a complete wow! The skirt it is paired with is also fabulous--I just LOVE the whole ensemble!

There are SO many ways to include lace in your wardrobe. Whether it's a simple, sophisticated pair of lace heels peeking out from your favorite black pants, small lace details on your cardigan, or a "vintage-style" lace dress for your next date night, lace can be incorporated into anyone's wardrobe.

love lace by fireyfashionista

Carolina Herrera Lace Corset Dress, $3,490
Gary Pepper Dress, $48
Women's shirts & tops - camis - Lacey top - J.Crew, $695
Lace Cardigan: Buy Jenny Han Clothings, $159
Knitted Berry Lace Back Shrug, $90
lia lace tank, $24
Xhilaration® Juniors Lace Cardigan Sweater - Old Lace : Target, $20
Rose Lace Tights, $24
Pamela Mann Waterlilly Lace Tights - Tights - MyTights.com - The..., $14
Moxsie.com - Aphrodite Pump Black Lace, $75
Lace clutch bag, 90 GBP


The HISTORY of LACE is also extremely interesting to read about...as I searched for the history behind this often pricey and sophisticated textile, I learned that much of what we know about lace before the 17th century is taken from the "clues" in paintings! I particularly loved this quote taken from the art blog, Venetian Red:

lace in its comparatively quiet richness never obtrudes itself and is recognized in its true worth and beauty only by those whose superior taste has trained them to see its value. . .

SO true! Whether it be today, in 2011, or back in the 17th century, anyone could put on loads of jewels and look gaudy or even offensive, but LACE has that beauty and elegance that is rarely overdone. I loved this 19th century fan covered with Chantilly lace....gorgeous! (pictured above)

As far as lace being overdone, it definitely didn't use to be, as years ago lace was considered a luxury because it was made by hand. Thanks to machines that can now make lace, the luxury of it has somewhat decreased. And as I searched through lace fashions, I definitely saw a few items I wouldn't want to be caught dead in and wasn't sure why such an item made it beyond the drawing board, but such it is with all fashion....

So remember, as with all things added to your wardrobe, you never want to overdo it! A complete lace outfit, heat to toe, is a fashion don't. Just keep in mind: a little goes a long way. Look for the small details and pieces that really work with your style. It's all about adding to and creating that uniqueness within what you already have, not drastically changing things just because something "new" is in the stores. And maybe lace isn't for you--perhaps you aren't excited about how it looks, or maybe it's too vintage for your more modern taste. That is completely ok! Not every new style change or addition to fashion is for everyone!

Are you going to add LACE to your wardrobe? I know I can't wait for my new lace items to arrive!

The Ultimate Necessity...

...is of course the LBD (Little Black Dress to those of you not in the know). It is an ABSOLUTE MUST for every girl's closet!


This is something that I totally recommend SPLURGING on since you will literally be able to wear it forever ~ it NEVER goes out of style!! But, for those of us who are broke as a joke right now (yep - that's me) there are lots of adorable options for under $100.

1.Modern Love Dress, $55
2.Sparkle & Fade Shirtdress, $59
3.Gap Bubble dress, $70
4.TFNC TFNC Dress Bow One Shoulder Chiffon Drape at ASOS, $78
5.AE Women's Sweetheart Party Dress (Black), $40

The great thing about a little black dress is that it can be worn to ANY event, especially those occasions where you don't know the dress code. You will always look classy & sophisticated in your LBD. The other great thing is that you can have fun with your accessories!! As a rule of thumb, if you have fun shoes, keep the jewelry simple, or go bold with your jewelry and wear your basic chic black heels. That way, your statement pieces will STAND OUT!

LBDs are also VERY versatile; with just a change of accessories, you can go from Downtown Chic to Uptown Casual.

If you do have $$ to spend on a LBD (jealous!!), just keep the following in mind when purchasing:

• Pick a classic fit, either a sleeveless v-neck or round-neck with a straight skirt that sits right at the knee. This fit will NEVER go out of style, it will always look modern & elegant.
• If it doesn't fit perfectly, take it to the tailor! Let's face it, it is quite rare to purchase anything off the rack that fits every curve of your body. With the right fit, ANY piece of clothing can make you look like a million bucks - definitely worth the money of tailoring!!
• Make sure you take care of it! Best thing would be to DRY CLEAN the dress, that way it will keep the black from fading & will keep the dress looking brand new.

Go out and get yourself a LBD so you will be ready for ANY occasion that comes up ~ NO MORE time will be spent thinking...what should I wear??

New Year brings New....

With 2011 just a few weeks in, what will this new year bring for you?

I recently stumbled upon this FABULOUS quote, and couldn't wait to share it:

I think this truly says it all about Fashion and Style....Fashion is out there, and we LOVE to see what's new and what came down the runways, but we can't all wear (nor afford) those runway fashions. We need to take what we love about each look or each designer and make it our own....that then becomes your STYLE!

It's been just over 6 months since our FIRST POST about cleaning out your closet, finding "your brand," and making a fresh start. Sometimes it can be good to do this more than once a year....especially this time of year when the winter here in MN seems to last forever and we all often fall into that winter blues rut.

Why not take advantage of this down time, as we patiently wait for spring, to check out that closet again, re-look at those items you thought you'd hang on to because you might wear them. Have you? Have you made some purchases lately, or received pieces that you love that could replace some of those older items in your wardrobe?? I TRY to think about how many pieces I have added to my closet and then take out at least half of that number in order to keep a wardrobe that I love and feel good about! You don't want such an overwhelming wardrobe that you don't even know where to begin when choosing your outfit each day.....or, well, that really wouldn't be all that bad??!! Anyways.....however large or small your wardrobe (& closet) may be, you want to LOVE EVERYTHING IN IT!


Speaking of other NEW things for this new year, I recently also found a FABULOUS new website/blog/artist. Her name is Brittany Fuson, and she is an artist of fashion! She blogs about new fashions along with her own drawings of them! (pictured right) LOVE it!! She does custom work, and I am planning to send her some pictures in the future for her to "re-create"!! (...Perhaps after my upcoming fall wedding!!!)

Anyways, she also has a fashion newsletter, "In Our Shoes," that she and a friend, Kimberly, a wardrobe stylist who also has her own website, collaborate on & send out. If you send her an email, you can sign up to receive it. I just received her January newsletter and LOVED it! She and Kimberly wrote about their "STYLE RESOLUTIONS"--which I thought was a FABULOUS idea!!

They both talked about wearing high heels more often and finding reasons to get "dressed up"--LOVE that! So after reading theirs, I was inspired to write my own...

One FASHIONISTA's STYLE RESOLUTIONS for 2011:

1. DRESS UP more often....(I've also said this before, but never stick to it...maybe now that it's in writing I'll actually do it!) I have so many fabulous dresses and clothes that are sometimes "too dressy" to wear as a teacher, so I will try to make dates with my sisters, girlfriends, or fiance to go out and wear those great pieces!!
2. Really think about an item before purchasing = less impulse buying! With planning a wedding and just trying to save more money, I think I need to be less impulsive when it comes to a pair of $250 boots or $175 jeans. Take the time to think about if I really need it, before I buy it!
3. Enjoy the clothes that I have & change it up a bit....pair up pieces that I haven't put together before and create a "new" outfit...then it almost feels like I'm wearing something NEW! I'm too likely to just wear the same couple outfits almost on a "rotation"....I need to spruce it up a little!!
4. SPARKLE for 2011. My sisters & I decided that we are going for a little sparkle in 2011. Especially if you ended 2010 on a not so fabulous note, adding more spunk and sparkle to your wardrobe each day just makes you smile more and feel a little better about each day. With all the sequins and sparkle out there, this one is easy-whether it's more "bling" in your jewelry (like this fabulous bracelet from J.Crew-pictured below) or sequins on your sweater-anyone can pull it off....just don't overdo it!

SO....as you take another look at your closet/wardrobe, maybe take some time to write up your own STYLE RESOLUTIONS for 2011.
It's actually more fun than you think.....and KEEP THEM in a place where you can pull them out 12 months from now and see how well you did following them!!

Here's to a FABULOUS 2011, full of great FASHION!!