MIXED Chick!

I'm sure you guys know by now that I'm a big fan of mixing.... that would be mixing colors, patterns, textures, and even price points! I say mixing is an absolute DO! If you buy great pieces that you love and that fit you great, no matter who made it, what it goes with or how much it cost you will always come out on top! Live a little and just go for what you are attracted to without any concern about what it will and won't go with...  use a little imagination and creativity later down the line when working fun pieces into an outfit...that's fashion, style and fun! I do caution that when mixing patterns and colors to try to be authentic with it.  Don't do it for the sole purpose of shock value, but for style and individuality. 

 

I also caution that when you are buying less expensive things not to compromise the quality (to a certain extent).  Obviously, there is some truth to you get what you pay for but not necessarily.  Look for reasonably well put together construction, cuts, sewing, etc. and you will be fine. I did a whole series on finding affordable clothing at Target and some of those pieces I have had for many years without any issue.  And at the same time, I have some very pricey pieces that haven't held up like you would expect them to. That's the Milk of it! Now for the honeey....

This skirt was a recent find at Forever21 and was only $24.50! The graphic pattern, ruching detail at the waistline and faux wrap design can easily be mistaken for a $300+ Diane Von Furstenberg piece.  I paired it with a much more expensive silk top with button detail in the back from Juicy and my new fav asymmetric suede pumps.  You'd never know (or even care) that one item cost significantly less than the rest b/c the skirt is so cute and everything just goes together. That's the benefit to mixing high end and lower end pieces, its like the pricer/quality pieces help to make the less expensive pieces look just as rich (or that's how i see it...like the average of the pieces together is high thanks to the higher piece.... crazy mind of mine...lol)  Anyways, what tips and thoughts do you honeeyz have when it comes to mixing (price points, colors, patterns, textures)?  BTW: Please excuse my hair, the humidity was so thick I could barely breathe and you're lucky that I didn't have a full blown afro going on!!

Silk Striped Top: Juicy Couture; Graphic Skirt: Forever21; Orange Suede Pump: L.A.M.B.; Leather Clutch: Gap; Watch: Marc by Marc Jacobs; Bracelets: Anthropologie and BCBGeneration; Glass Blown Necklace: Siglo Jewelry

See More Pics With Details Below and Let Me Know What You Think of the Picture Quality...I Used My New Camera (Still Don't Know What the Heck I'm Doing, So Bare with Me)!!!

The Target Challenge Part II: Trendy Pieces 4 Less

Hello my loves!! I'm sooooo sorry for the delay in this post!! Last week was another unexpectedly crazy one and before I knew it an entire week has past since I last talked to you Honeeyz.  Forgive me? Please! Anyways, I'm picking up where we last left off and that's with my Target Style Challenge!! Yaayy!! You guys gave such good feedback on the last post so I hope we can keep it going!  Now let's get right to it, shall we!?! As you know, this series will include inexpensive pieces from my fav place, Target, as a way to show all my honeeyz that style is not dependent upon the cost or the brand but more so on the eye and the attitude.  In this post, I decided to grab what would be considered a trendy piece and build an outfit around it.  No matter how many of us try to pretend we don't follow trends, we do... even when we don't think we do or want to admit it.  Trends are just an integral part of fashion... sometimes they are great and stay, and other times we can't wait for them to go and to never ever come back! For that reason, I think acquiring trendy pieces or testing them out for less is a great way to go! It's a win win people!! 

As most of my honeeyz and fly guyz know, pastels and bright pieces are a big deal this season (for the record, they have always been a fav of mine but whatevs).  I happened to luck up on this perfect silk and nylon blend blouse from the Isaac Mizrahi for Target line in a pretty lilac/pinky pastel several years ago. Like many of my other fab Target pieces, I found this top on a clearance rack for $4 and some change! Yup....Isaac Mizrahi, silk, trendy, classic piece...$4!!!! Digest alllll of that!!! I originally bought it for the purpose of wearing under my conservative suits and spicing things up with a pop of color and it worked perfectly that way! But I really haven't worn it outside of that until being forced to examine all my Target pieces for this challenge and put together some outfits. It turns out this piece is so versatile, so pretty, and so on trend despite being about 5 years old. For this challenge, I paired the top with another trendy item of the season...polka dots and b/c I wore this to work (on a Saturday but work even still), I added a blazer to keep things a little more tailored and sophisticated.  What do you honeeyz think of this piece and look? 

Silk blend Blouse: Isaac Mizrahi for Target (old); Polka Dot Skinny Jeans: BDG; Patent Leather Platform Pumps: Kelsi Dagger; White Blazer: ASOS Black Collection; Black Leather Bag: Juicy Couture (circa 2004); Watch: Gucci; Bracelets: BCBGeneration; Earrings: Siglo Jewelry

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Take Some Time to Smell the Flowers

The weather projections for today were mid 70s and sunny.  In actuality, the weather turned out to be closer to mid 60s, cloudy, cool and misty.  Total opposite.  In preparation for what the weatherman originally predicted, I decided to wear this floral skirt I picked up from H&M this past weekend (only $18 by the way). Everyone is going bonkers for floral print these days and I’m always in love with a great pattern and bright contrasting colors so this skirt fit the bill. Anywho, back to taking time to smell the flowers… on a very small scale of things I could’ve been easily frustrated with the inaccurate weather predictions or allowed for the gloomy day to put me in an equally gloomy mood, and of course that would’ve been so ridiculous b/c that’s such a trivial issue.  But people do it all the time with even more substantive things.  They often allow for frustrating and unpredictable circumstances to negatively color their mood and their feelings...

 

Life can be complicated and no one said it would be a perpetual cakewalk, but there are also so many opportunities and situations where you can be much more appreciative, much more reflective and much more grateful b/c on the other side, things can always be way worse.  There is something or someone out there experiencing things beyond your comprehension and no matter what is happening to you, you have the opportunity and choice to stop and smell the flowers.  Flowers don’t stop blooming just bc of what is going on in your life.  They even say a rose can grow out of a crack in a sidewalk.  Of course, I’m speaking mostly metaphorically when I’m talking about 'smelling flowers'… I’m really just saying that there’s always a brighter side; there’s always a miracle before you and there’s always beauty around you, no matter what you are going through.  Take the time to tap into that, particularly when things are less than desirable.  Some days may be more irritating, more complicated and more challenging than others.  Some days seemingly don’t work from start to finish but try to keep things in perspective and remember that you have the option to smell the roses, pick the flowers, and play in the garden no matter what else is going on.  

Lately, I’ve been constantly thinking about Trayvon Martin and his family since hearing about his murder and how senseless and meaningless it was; how devastating it must be to lose a child and for no reason at all... and then to be mistreated by the same system that you rely on for justice and protection is unbearable.  I think of that and there is nothing, not one single thing, going on in my life that could be worse than what I imagine that child experienced in the last moments of his life and what his parents and family are enduring now.  It breaks my heart everyday and with that tragedy, I’m reminded (particularly as a mother to a young black boy that’s no different than Trayvon and as an attorney who knows that the case is not being handled properly), I have no reason…not one single reason…to complain. I CAN see the flowers blooming. RIP Trayvon Martin. 

Flower Pencil Skirt: H&M; Cardigan: Old Navy; Belt: Forever21; Black Scalloped Pumps: Prada; Pink Diamond Watch: AquaMaster; Studded Bracelet: BCBGeneration; Beaded Turquoise Necklace: Forever 21; Bag: Juicy Couture; Earrings: Gifted from Mom; Short Trench; H&M

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