Making Me Blush

Dress/ Sandals/ Pineapple Tee/ Heels/ Beaded Feather Tee/Rug

These soft tones will make you blush... in the best possible way. I don't dare call them pastels though. The opportunity to wear pastels in the South blows through quickly like a breeze and before you know it, your pastels have been overpowered by a closet that is all tribal and neon and summery. But these six pieces are crazy enough to hold their own this summer but soft enough to give us the easy breezy-ness of spring. Shop these pieces and more below...

Style File: Roast on the Coast

The Cape Fear region's chicest oyster roast is set to take place March 22 and it's all for a great cause. The Junior League of Wilmington will throw its first ever Roast on the Coast, a March Madness themed oyster roast at the Cape Fear Country Club, to benefit the League's community partnerships with New Hanover County Schools and the Blue Ribbon Commission. You already have your tickets, right? So now we have to figure out what to wear!

We have a lot of fashion factors at play here so let's break down this party's style. The vibe is "coastal cocktail;" it's a sports-inspired event; it takes place at the country club at night...in March. Okay- the appropriate attire isn't exactly straightforward so let's consider what we'll be doing.

1- Eating oysters. (Duh.) 

That can be messy so we don't want to wear anything too precious or fabrics that can't be cleaned. 

2- Watching basketball. 

But this venue is no sports bar so leave your jerseys at home. 

3- It's March.
And that means one thing- unpredictable weather. Get ready for layers.

image via The Scout Guide

For the guys, it's easy: no jeans, no shorts. The rest is cake. Khaki pants and a sports blazer with loafers are easy and sophisticated or any chino-style pant with a collared shirt is perfectly appropriate.

 

via Low Country Wed

 We ladies have lots of options though! The main thing to remember when getting ready for this evening is to have fun with your look. Stay away from any pieces that are too serious, like stiff blazers or heavy tweeds, and play with patterns or pairings you can't get away with at the office. Leave the over-the-top glitz at home though. A sparkly cocktail dress would be overkill in this case. But there are some other great ideas you could incorporate.

First off, let's check out the sporty vibe. Sporty chic is a huge trend for Spring and it would be perfectly appropriate for a March Madness event. I found a little inspiration at local boutique Beanie + Cecil...patterned pants and a peplum top would be comfortable and fabulous at an event like this one.

 

10 Crosby Derek Lam Look via Beanie + Cecil

Check out this cute tank and pant pairing from Ann Taylor...

 I also love the idea of a flouncy printed skirt paired with a cheerful tee and statement necklace for this evening. The overall feel is a bit more girly but you'll feel easy and breezy all night. Cynthia Rowley nailed these options with florals based against black. Bonus points when your statement necklace is a lei printed on the top! Opaque tights and ankle booties will keep you warm in case the evening is chilly. If it happens to be a warm night, rock those booties without the nylons.

Of course, a classic wrap dress is always a good idea. Make sure yours is brightly colored or displays a fun pattern. The ease of jersey will keep you floating around from the shuckin bar to the band stand without skipping a beat. Riding boots would be super cute with this dress but if the evening is warm, wedges will keep you on your toes too!

 

MINKPINK dress via Nordstrom

Finally, a sporty cotton or silk-blend dress mixes sophistication with fun. Toughen up these frocks with a leather jacket or strappy heels. These pieces might be too casual for a wedding or too loud for the office but they're just right for a festive fundraiser.

 

A.L.C. dress via Beanie + Cecil

 

Topshop dress via Nordstrom

I know I'll be seeing you on March 22, riiiiight?? The main question is...what are you going to wear?! 

Shop my suggestions below or feel free to let me know what you're planning to wear!

 

Red Carpet Round Up: 86th Annual Academy Awards

via Tumblr

What can you say about last night's Oscars Red Carpet that hasn't already been said? Lupita Nyong'o was indubitably the belle of the ball. But aside from her princess moment, the Academy Awards felt pretty underwhelming to me. It was disappointing after a fairly strong awards season to have such a blah fashion showing. In the meantime, these looks did stand out in my mind. 

Birthday girl and winner for best supporting actress Lupita Nyong'o had her princess moment in "Nairobi blue" Prada. I even loved her custom Fred Leighton earrings. They brought a little edginess to the softness of her Grecian/princess gown. Well done, lady Lupita. We can't wait to see you in all of your high fashion-ness in the months to come!

via

Best actress winner Cate Blanchett also looked lovely in Armani Prive. She never disappoints me with her sartorial selections. I am OBSESSED though with those opal earrings from Chopard. (I've been having a real opal moment lately...)

via

Who else was surprised by presenter Kate Hudson? She BROUGHT IT in Versace to the Oscars and then turned around and re-brought it at the Vanity Fair party in Zuhair Muhrad. She looks absolutely perfect in both but I love the confidence she exuded in her white beaded cape. Yes, yes and yes.

Naomi Watts was another white haute hottie. She chose a beaded Calvin Klein column gown. Her look was so sleek and sophisticated. With all of the saccharin pastels we saw last night, these edgy white dresses felt refreshing.

Finally, you know I love to give out an honorable mention to a Red Carpet attendee who really goes out on a limb and makes it werk. Elizabeth Banks in Jenny Packham looked fabulous. Feathers, sequins, crop top- swoon! While this look is not for everybody, she brought ease into an unexpected ensemble.

Who was your best dressed last night? Any hits I missed? Or misses we need to hit?

Thus concludes another award season...time to start thinking about our spring wardrobes now. ;) 

All images via Who What Wear unless otherwise noted.