Wednesday's Look For Less: Striped Blazers

There's not much more refreshing than stripes in the summer except for maybe an ice cold lemonade or a quick dip in the ocean. Dressing for the workplace or a more conservative environment in the summer can be a bit of a challenge. You still want to feel footloose and fancy free but you need to cover up. Welcome to the world of the striped blazer. It's nautical, Parisian-chic, preppy, classic, all of the above. Both versions below are cotton- KEY in the hot summer months. Can you tell which costs more? 

The jacket on the right is a budget buy from Gap for $69.95. Not bad for a blazer! The option on the left from J. Crew, currently on sale, rings up at $168. Personally, I like the horizontal stripes on the Gap jacket better. What about you? 

Regardless of whether you spend or save, the striped blazer will add sophistication to a chambray top and navy shorts or will polish up a breezy floral skirt and solid tee. Could you work one into your wardrobe this summer?

Bend It Like Beckham or Own It Like Olivia

Most of us style lovers (or at least those of us who visit this realm of the blogosphere) envy Olivia Palermo's style. Her NYC street style has been pinned up and down and chronicled all over. I love when I find an image of her and it almost seems achievable! Today I wanted to share with you an image I came across last night and the pieces you can use to achieve her look. 

image via Rags To Riches

Striped Tee (on sale!)

Shorts (on sale!)

Studded Hobo

Tortoise Shell Bracelet

Nail Polish

Flats (on sale!)

While you may be saying to yourself, "But it's winter time," you might want to check the weather where you are. In the South, our weekend forecast shows 70's! An outfit like this one is the perfect option for a warm winter day or a great transitional look come spring. A boatneck striped tee is a classic along with the contrasting red nail polish and tortoise shell link cuff. You'll never tire of any of those pieces. Then inject a little interest with high waisted shorts, a studded bag and an unexpected pop of color at the feet. Tres chic!

Hopefully you also notice that many of these pieces are on sale sale sale! Who loves you, baby?? And I couldn't withhold this valuable piece of information from you: the flats are an actual Olivia P. pick from Piperlime and everything on the site is 20% off TODAY ONLY with the code 24HOURS! Check it out before it's over! 

Happy warm winter weekend to some of you! To others, layer up (with great sale finds).

Earn Your Stripes

If you're a total Francophile, like moi, then you might be a serious sucker for stripes. Over the weekend, I scored this top from the Gap for under $20 during their 30% off Friends and Family sale. Don't worry if you missed out, though. This tee still only rings up at $23 and I'd be willing to bet their Black Friday sale will be even better...

A striped tee is so easy to wear, it's hard for me not to reach for it every time I go to get dressed. It's natural to want to pull on your favorite blue jeans, a comfy pair of shoes and a puffy vest (om, this might be the exact description of what I wore yesterday) but what about taking that tee a little more Rive Gauche and creating some interesting and unexpected pairings? By mixing in elements like leather accents, studs, sequins and neoprene, your basic tee takes on a whole new, vibrant style. 

Cardigan/ Moto leggings/ Studded Pumps/ Knot studs/ Tee/ Necklace/ Skirt/ Pumps

Mix and match dressy accessories to make your basics sing as we approach the holidays. When in doubt, you can always throw on your favorite jeans and get going! 

How do you wear your stripes?

Wednesday's Look for Less: Striped Peplum

If you haven't gotten in on the peplum trend yet, don't worry. This fall and even next spring are chock full of the swingy shape. But you don't have to spend a lot to look spot-on. Can you tell the difference between these two tops?

The sassy shirt on the left is by The Row and rings in at nearly $400. (It is darn cute though.) Thank our lucky stars that Anthropologie caught on and offered us a less expensive option at $58. 

Are you in the market for some more affordable peplums? Try these on for size...