eclechick

staples...they really hold "things" together (part three)

what's a wardrobe without a skirt? specifically, a pencil skirt; this is an essential piece that easily transitions from work to play. pencil skirts are a perfect mix of sexy and sophistication and every lady should have at least 5 in various lengths, materials and colors. think about it...fall/winter materials differ from spring/summer because of the weight of the fabric. black is always in, however, khaki, white or a even one in a vibrant color or pattern is acceptable.  i'm going to keep it simple today and stick to the basics...BLACK, you can never go wrong with this color. dress it up or dress it down and it works. i love classic cotton ones with a hint of stretch, however, designers have been experimenting with different blends and i like it. check it out...

   
james perse

james perse took the classic pencil skirt and made it out of soft jersey material!! i love it, this skirt is the epitome of sexy meets sophistication. these are the elements that put the extra in extraordinary. 

i tried to fight it, but i lost the battle...

j. crew

that color is AMAZING, just in time for spring. stay tuned for more staple items. until next time...stay up and keep it fresh!! xo 
 

 

staples...they really hold "things" together (part deuce)

next up is the white tee...you can never go wrong with a classic fitted white tee. i'm drawn to v necks because...i have great cleavage and love to flaunt it in a tasteful manner of course. *eyelashes batting* fitted crew necks, scoop necks and my personal fave v necks are the perfect way to achieve an effortlessly chic look. it's the perfect blank canvas; adorn your neck with eye-catching necklaces, surround your wrists with a variation of baubles, or opt to add beautiful/funky pins to your tee. it's a simple essential that can be worn with any style jean, skirt, short,trouser, underneath a blazer...i could go on and on. lna manufactures some of the most luxuriously soft, yet comfortable tees that i've ever worn...

crew neck

you can also find great ones at: j.crew, splendid & c&c california; just to name a few. tune in on monday for the next addition to the staples.  until next time...stay up and keep it fresh!! xo

  

staples...they really hold "things" together

a really close girlfriend made an eye opening statement; "i'm only going to purchase staple pieces for now." my mind immediately ran to my closet and started flipping through all of the clothes, dresses, tops, skirts and everything else. and i too realized that i need (not want) but NEED to purchase some staple pieces too.

staples are a necessity to any wardrobe, go to items that can easily blend with almost anything...similar to a chameleon. view them as the foundation, a wardrobe can be built on these items.  i asked 3 fashionable friends what there staple pieces were and collaborated a list for all of you eclechicks to follow.  throughout the week you'll see what made the list and why they will really hold your wardrobe together. enjoy!!

first up...

the basic blazer (elizabeth and james: blade runner)!!  dress it up or dress it down...it can even be glunged out (glam + grunged)!! the diverseness of this piece allows you to wear it with jeans, leggings, skirts of any length, jeggings (jeans + leggings) or trousers. plus camis, blouses, tees or even a bra (wink) can be worn underneath. blazers are a quick fix to a fitted tee and skinny jeans, just add a great shoe and jewelry...voila!!  black is always in, however, white, gray, cream or vibrant hues of fuschia, cobalt, turquoise and red are a sassy pick me up from the norm.

next of kin...

bb dakota: katelyn blazer
   
  

legs of lace

lace leggings made a small blip on the style scene this summer, unfortunately, no one really picked up on it because of various reasons. one main one that i can think of is, the people wearing the lace selection gave them a raunchy appeal, that look just isn't appealing to everyone. designers have since changed the design up a little and to be honest, they've caught my eye. i've heard some people refer to wearing leggings as "lazy dressing" but i beg to differ, it's all in how you wear them. your choice of shoes, tops, jackets, jewelry, etc can make or break a pair of leggings and these pieces also set the tone of the direction that you want the outfit to go in. in this case, the lace adds a sophisticated appeal that i really like.

check out my top choices: 1, 2, 3 & 4. the fourth selection is a little on the risque side for me, but, i think they're stylish and fun!! what do you think?  

 

pretty little baubles

i was never one to wear a lot of accessories until...hmmmm maybe about 3 years ago, and now i can't get enough of them!! i love unique, larger than life rings and bracelets, and this season; alexis bittar, kenneth jay lane and alexander mcqueen haven't let me down. every girl loves pretty things to look at, why not adorn your wrist and hand with whimsical, beautiful and extraordinary baubles?!! go ahead, you'll find that you love it too. pretty baubles can take a basic outfit from 1 to 100 with a simple slip on. shop my list of favorites below:

1. kjl: link chain bracelet 2. noir: disco deco cocktail ring 3. behnaz sarafpour: metallic braided cuff 

4. majorica: multi-sized pearl ring 5. alexander mcqueen: stud textured bracelet 

6. alexis bittar: dust bubble ring 7. alex & ani: blue bell bangles 8. alexis bittar: jeweled cocktail ring       
 

strong shoulders revisited

remember when i first turned you on to the shoulder pad trend? i was riding the fence when it came to wearing tops, blazers, etc with them because they were reminiscent of line backers and dorothy from golden girls (i must admit i heart that show). now i'm all for this look!! in small doses...for some reason it seems like this trend is a little on the expensive side; i've seen tops starting at $130!! spending a large amount of money on a trend like this is preposterous to me. so what's a girl to do? no worries, while perusing through some of my favorite shopping sites i found a top worthy of mentioning. i present to you...the serious shoulder dress.

super cute, the shoulders are emphasized and here's the best part...it's inexpensive!! the crew over at shop nasty gal are always on point, you can purchase it here! and clearly you won't suffer from buyer's remorse because of the price. pair this up with some intricately designed leggings if you think it's too short and voila, you've captured one of the "it" styles for the season without spending a lot of moolah! 

 

 

  

wristy business

sexy, sleek and classy defines how a men's inspired watch looks on a woman. i've been on the watch hunt lately and was drawn to this style. rihanna wore the piaget polo watch in the "take a bow" video and i was intrigiued by the design. men's inspired styles are taking over...here's some of my top picks

from l to r, top to bottom: michele sport sail, freelook oversized, freelook aquamarina, michael kors round, toy watch chronograph, and the michael kors oversized chronograph. what do you think? i think you should add one, maybe two to your christmas list or think of purchasing one as a gift! you won't have to worry about your watch having a dated look because this style is a timeless classic.

until next time...stay up and keep it fresh!! xo

photos courtesy of: piaget, saks and shopbop  
 

channeling herman munster

as corny as it may seem, i love watching the munsters, the show gives me the chuckles...herman is always up to something and grandpa always has some type of potion or invention to test out!! recently i've taken a liking to platform wedges...and then it hit me, the styles are reminiscent of herman munster!! not sure if that was the designers intention but that's what came to mind!! take a look for yourself...

you see it too, don't you?!! you're probably wondering how you could pull these sky high platform/wedge booties off. easy!! this style goes great with leggings, skirts and skinnies. channel your inner herman munster and mix in a bit of flirty sophistication, envision this; a form fitting, shoulder pad heavy mini dress with some girly pearls double wrapped with a quilted chanel inspired clutch...voila!! you'll be the master of the "herman munster" boot.

 alexa chung has been spotted in the acne atacoma lace up bootie too! yes, i admit, my style is a little quirky so you may not like these "herman munster" inspired shoes, but trust me purchase a pair and everyone will be on your heels!! my personal favorites are: this camilla skovgaard bootie, the lovely velvet angels wedge and this fierce wedge bootie by matiko!!    
 

put a little color into it

sifting through countless racks of clothes can be fun...lately dull colors have been poured into stores for the fall/winter. yawn!! i feel like i'm being bombarded with variations of black, white, gray and camel...BORING. what's the remedy for these drab colors?? add a little color!! easy enough...right?!!  jewelry with colored gemstones, vibrant camisoles and layers, generous color palettes for shoes and jewel tone coats and/or scarves easily transform dull to vivacious!! take caution...too much can put you in the circus clown category in a milisecond!! and that's a look we definitely don't want. here's a few tips:

1. if jewelry is your choice; stay away form plastic (looks juvenile and cheap) and keep the color choices to a minimum.

2. opting for camisoles or layers? just a little peak from the top or bottom of the main layer reveals a bit of fun and refined elegance.

3. have those colored pumps been on your mind lately? keep everything else basic or at least within the same palette. view your shoes as the grand finale; the fit is exquisite and then voila!! the shoes...you want everything to flow smooth and cohesively, too many colors will break the fluidity.

4. my personal favorite is colored scarf or coat!! why? it's easy, quick and effective. an aqua, purple, yellow or multicolored scarf will always add a bit of fun to a black coat. likewise, a colored coat adds pizazz to a black or gray fit.

still a non believer? see how these ladies did it...

 

until next time...stay up and keep it fresh!! xo
 
 

marbled denim...style watch

i've been on a hiatus for a little bit, but i'm back with fresh topics and fashion tips for YOU!! first up is a style watch...marbled/tie-dyed denim. do you like this look? i'm on the fence...sometimes i like it and at other times i hate it. i used to love "statement jeans", but since i've gotten older i've learned that "statement jeans" are not practical. i like jeans that go well with a variety of tops, furthermore, giving you the freewill to come up with a plethora of looks...can't be done with these babies. it's cool to purchase 1 or even 2 pairs but don't go into marble/tie-dye overload. check out these looks and other marbled styles here!! until next time...stay up and keep it fresh!! xo