Snow and Sable

Happy Friday, everyone!

Hope you all are starting to thaw if you were in the areas affected by the polar vortex.  It is expected to be in the mid-40s in my parts today - downright balmy after this week's sub-zero temperatures!

Today's outfit is perfect for winter evenings.  

I love wearing velvet in the wintertime.  A velvet suit is luxurious simplicity to me, and the soft fabric feels cozy in the chilly temps.  

Pants:  The Limited (Similar here)

Blazer:  New York & Company (Available here)
Bracelet:  The Limited (old)

I love the simplicity of this look so much that I kept accessories to a minimum and pulled my hair back to echo the streamlined feel.

A black bra or camisole underneath the suit provides a sexy underpinning and maintains the clean lines.

Bra:  Playtex (Available here)
Clutch:  The Limited (Similar here)

Shoes:  Target (Available here)
Earrings:  The Limited (Similar here)

SNOW!!!

Would you wear a velvet suit?

For these pants in other looks, see here, here, here, here, here, and here.
For this blazer in another look, see here.

Stay warm, my friends.

12 Days of Holiday: New Year's Cocktail

Sometimes New Year's Eve calls for more formal attire. 

Dress:  Eva Mendes for New York & Company (Available here)

Sparkly dresses are great, but I love black dresses for the clean slate they provide.  This one-shoulder dress is different for me, but I was attracted to it as I think it can be worn in a variety of ways.  

To create a cocktail look, I added a few sparkly sunburst brooches and metallic belt.  I mixed gold and silver here with a pop of rhinestones to add more formality.  

Heels:  Simply Vera by Vera Wang

Clutch:  New York & Company (Available in black here)

The brooch on the shoulder actually came with the dress (it's removable), and I added the other brooch to my belt to create more visual interest.  I have been looking for some pretty brooches for a while, so I was excited to find these as part of Eva Mendes' collaboration with New York & Company.

Earrings:  Torrid
Brooch:  Eva Mendes by New York & Company (Available here)

Belt:  Torrid

This dress is too long, and I haven't had a chance to alter it yet.  I used the belt to create an asymmetrical look that added a bit of drape as well.

After some consideration, we plan on staying in with the kids for New Year's, so my look will be decidedly more casual than cocktail attire, but it's fun to play around with sparkly champagne looks!  :-)

Ring:  The Limited (Available here)

Hope you all have a safe and healthy New Year's Eve!!!  My last holiday post up soon!

Skirt Week: Drama Queen

Hi everyone!  Today kicks off Skirt Week, and I'm super excited about this first look.

Skirt: The Limited (Available here)
Clutch:  Jason Wu for Target (Available on eBay here)

Tank:  Torrid (Available here)

I fell in love with this skirt from The Limited the second I saw it and just knew I had to make it mine!  The mini with sheer overlay is a clever and sexy way to show off the legs while still having some coverage.

Shoes:  Target

I hear a lot of petites say that they can't wear maxi skirts because they are too long.  Well, this one was definitely too long, but hemming is generally one of the easiest and least expensive tailoring options.  At 4'9", I have virtually all of my pants and skirts hemmed, even petites sizes.

I had both layers of the skirt hemmed to get the right fit, and I couldn't be happier with the result.

Jade ring:  Vintage (Similar here)

I have some ideas for how to style this skirt for early fall, but after playing dress up for a bit, I came up with this dramatic summer evening look.

I love how these separates create the look of a dress. 

The bold beaded chainlink necklace adds to the drama and really works with this simple color palette and easy, flowy pieces.

Necklace:  Target

Do you like the trend of sheer maxi skirts layered over minis?

For this top in another look, see here.