11 Twenty Eight Designs

Recently, I was contacted by Mary, one of my blog readers, about doing a collaboration featuring her Etsy jewelry store, called 11 Twenty Eight Designs. 

Seriously, the power of blogging and social media to connect people and allow for networking opportunities always amazes me.  It truly is a small world, after all!  :-)

Dress:  Eva Mendes New York & Company (Similar in black here)

Once I had the chance to see all of Mary's gorgeous and unique pieces, I was more than stoked at the opportunity to collaborate with her. 

So after some careful deliberation (there are seriously soooo many gorgeous pieces available), I chose the Zella - a dark red agate arrowhead pendant with ruby bracciated jasper, red tiger eye, and gold plated beads.  

Jacket:  The Limited (Available here)

Necklace:  c/o 11 Twenty Eight Designs (Similar here)

The gorgeous colors and the use of agate and Native American reference (without offensively appropriating Native cultures) made this piece a great choice in my eyes.

Shoes:  Target (old)

While I can foresee this necklace with more bohemian looks in the spring and summer, I decided to try it out with a bold fall color palette of goldenrod, forest green, and caramel.

Bracelet:  New York & Company

Purse:  Target

The simplicity of the individual pieces helps showcase the necklace well.  I wore this outfit to work a few days ago, but I would also wear this look for evening or pair with flats for a more casual feel.

As for the necklace, I've already worn it with a few casual weekend looks (post coming soon) and am looking forward to pairing it with other outfits soon.  It really is a standout piece.

I love that this line use vivid colors, real gemstones, and modern designs, AND is still extremely affordable.  As many of Mary's pieces are one of a kind, you're sure to get a unique look.  

Because only a few of this red agate arrowhead necklace were made, it is no longer available; however, you can check out similar arrowhead necklaces in other colors here.

You can find 11 Twenty Eight Designs on Facebook or visit Mary's store here to feast your eyes on the whole amazing selection.

For this dress in other looks, see here, here, and here.
For the jacket in other looks, see here and here.

A Homecoming Look + A Review of My Pick From Altuzarra for Target

My 15-year reunion homecoming from Knox College is right around the corner.  I'm still not sure if I'll be able to make it, but with the weather getting crisp and cool, my mind is on all the activities of fall, including my college Homecoming.

Dress:  The Limited (Sold out on-line; May be available in stores)

Jacket:  The Limited (Available here)

I talked previously on the blog about how to create a slightly elevated look for a Homecoming (see here).  I've been thinking about what I would wear to any dinners, parties or evenings out that might come up with Homecoming.

This dressier look here would be just the ticket!

The printed dress, with its shades of purples and gold (my school colors), would be perfect for a Homecoming look at my alma mater.

Since it's usually quite chilly in Galesburg, Illinois by mid-October, this cognac moto jacket would help keep me warm and it could pull double duty with jeans for a football game or hanging out during the day.

Shoes:  Target

I completed the look with gold jewelry and cognac heels.

Necklace and Bracelet:  Ann Taylor (Available here and here)
Ring:  New York & Company

Earrings:  Torrid

Do you plan on attending any high school or college Homecomings this year?  What will you be wearing?

This dress is a little big on the bottom half (I usually have to buy dresses to fit my bigger top half), so I'm thinking about having it taken in for a more flattering fit.  Taking in the dress on the sides is a relatively simple alteration.

Unfortunately not everything can be altered to fit properly.

Such is the case with another recent purchase.  I tried out one of the Altuzarra for Target pieces.  If you caught my post the other day, you know how much I love this line.  It's really lovely as a whole, but this dress, in particular, caught my eye from the Look Book.  

When a second photo of this dress was posted on Target's web site this past Sunday, I noticed that the fit, construction, and quality of this dress did not seem nearly as high as the one from the Look Book.  The rest of the line looked very high quality, so I decided to go for it anyway.

Altuzarra for Target Dress

I was really excited about the dress and was hoping to wear it to the St. Louis Fashion Blog Awards.  Unfortunately, the dress just didn't work for me.  

I've seen a few reviews that said it fit small in the arms.  The arms weren't too awful for me, but it was definitely too small in the chest and back area.  The dress smashed my breasts, and the band under the bust was a bit too tight, making my tummy bulge more than normal. 

For reference, I'm normally a size 12 Petite on bottom and 16 Petite on top.  I ordered a size 16, so this appears to run quite small on top.  You'll likely have more luck with this dress if you're a size 14 or under and more pear shaped.

I also was not overly pleased with the quality and construction.  It looked better in person that what the web site photo showed, but not nearly as nice as the Look Book!  In particular, the back seaming puckered quite a bit.  The fabric seemed a step above from a cheap polyester Halloween costume.

I plan on hitting my local Target today to take a look at the pieces in person and maybe try on a few of the other pieces I have my eyes on.  Have you tried any of the looks from this line?  How did you find the fit and quality?

I'm planning a different look for the Blog Awards and hope you can join me there if you're in the St. Louis area! 

TODAY is the last day to vote for the St. Louis Fashion Blog Awards.  Style Cassentials is up for three awards, including Blog of the Year!  Check out all the bloggers of Saint Louis Fashion Week, check out the events, and cast your votes here!!  I truly appreciate your support!

Fall Color Week 2: Autumn Medley

Happy Sunday, everyone!

Blazer:  The Limited (old) (Similar here)

Today, I'm concluding Fall Color Week with a mix of autumnal hues.  I plan on wearing this look for a future casual Friday at work.  

I'm loving how this mix of navy, oranges, mustard, burgundy, sand, and cognac works with my auburn hair. 

Jeans:  The Limited Petites (Similar here)

Top:  The Limited (Available here)

Do you remember or are you familiar with the '80s phenomenon that was "Color Me Beautiful"?  My mother, and probably every other mother of my generation, had this uber-popular book on seasonal color analysis.  As a young girl, I spent many days poring over this book, analyzing my "perfect" colors.  

Bag:  Target (Similar here)

Bead bracelets:  Express (old)
Gold Bangles:  The Limited

My yellow undertones make me more of an autumn (warm earthy shades, like I'm wearing here), but I often favor colors that lean more into the Winter color family (black and cool reds, blues, and greens).  I usually opt to wear whatever I want, but since I've colored my hair, I have found myself leaning more towards these warmer fall colors.

Shoes:  Target

Earrings:  World Market (old)

Have you ever had your colors analyzed or analyzed your own?

For other Fall Color Week looks, see here, here, here, and here.
For these jeans in other looks, see here, here, here, and here.
For this blazer in other looks, see here, here, here, and here.

Fall Color Week 2: Plum Purple

I'm continuing with Fall Color Week today with a rich plum purple.  If you missed my previous fall color posts, see here, here, and here.

Pants:  LOFT Petites (last year)
 Cami:  Ann Taylor Petites

I've been dying to wear these pants again - I think of outfits, but then I lack a requisite piece or two needed to complete the look.

Then, the idea of pairing them with a plum cami popped into my head, and I came up with this evening look.

Blazer:  The Limited (Similar here)Necklace:  Claire's?? (old)

Shoes:  David's Bridal (Similar here)

My plum shoes were a perfect match with this cami.  Secret?  These are actually my wedding shoes!! My fiance and I have been engaged FOREVER and plan on getting married sooner or later.  We had a wedding planned, but life has gotten in the way multiple times.  I have my dress, and these shoes are one of two options for the wedding.

Bracelet:  The Limited (Available here)
Clutch:  The Limited

I've heard it's good to wear your wedding shoes once or twice to break them in.  Who wants to have sore feet on their wedding day? So, I thought I would at least give them a go for today's pics.  :-)

Are you a fan of plum purple?

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

Fall Color Week 2: Deep Green

Hope you're enjoying Fall Color Week.  If you missed yesterday's post on wearing blue this fall, you can check it out here.

Today, Fall Color Week continues with a deep green hue.

Pants:  The Limited (Available here)

Jacket:  eloquii

The color of these pants always makes me think of fall.  This deep teal looks lovely with camel, peach, and other warm autumn hues, but it also works well with black and ivory too! 

Scarf:  The Limited (Available here)
Bangle:  Ann Taylor (Available here)

I'm looking forward to styling these pants with some more traditional fall colors (I'm especially liking warmer colors with my hair), but I worked with what I had available now.

The glen plaid scarf and tweed and leather jacket add in some more touches of fall.

Cami:  LOFT Petites
Earrings:  The Limited

I opted for comfort today with 2.5 inch heels, but you could add higher heels, loafers, or boots to this look depending on your personal preference.

Clutch:  The Limited (Available here)
Shoes:  Target (old)

Are you a fan of deep teal or forest green?  What would you pair with this color?

 For the jacket in another look, see here.

Getting to Know You

Hope you all have been having a great week!

Today's outfit is actually a work look from this summer, but I haven't gotten around to posting it until now.  A soft neutral outfit like this is perfect year-round, and I especially love camel in the fall.

Blazer:  The Limited
Blouse:  LOFT Petites (Similar here)

One of the reasons I haven't posted this look until now is that it really isn't my style.  I like the color combination and the tie-waist blazer is flattering to curves, but the overall look just isn't "me."    The outfit feels very grown-up and professional (like how I think I'm really supposed to dress for work), but I spent the whole day feeling out-of-sorts - kind of like I was in someone else's skin. 

For me, it was a sartorial off-day, but I post it here as outfit inspiration for those of you who prefer a more classic style. 

Pants:  The Limited (Similar here)

I've recently done a major closet overhaul, moving a lot of clothing to the sale or charity pile.  This blouse did not make the cut.  The jacket is on the chopping block due to a few fit issues (I had the jacket altered a few years ago, and I'm debating the benefit of more tweaks vs. a new ivory blazer).

I'm learning to hone in on my style more.  I used to think that I needed to have a lot of variety of colors and cuts in my wardrobe.  I also got in a habit of purchasing styles or colors that I used to like out of habit, not paying attention to the fact that my fashion tastes and desires had changed over time. 

Bracelet:  The Limited (Available in black here)

I would feel compelled to wear pieces I didn't love simply because I thought I "needed" a lace shirt or brown pants to make my wardrobe complete.  Often times, clothes would sit in my closet after a few wears until I forced myself to wear them (such is the case with today's outfit). 

As I've gotten older, some styles and colors that I used to love now seem aging or stale.  I love fashion, and I'm open to most new styles and trends that coming along, but I'm also learning that liking a particular style doesn't mean it's right for me . 

Over the last few months, I've thought a lot about what I like to wear and have been working to better define my personal style.  I've been working on creating a smaller, more edited closet that balances my aesthetic and lifestyle.  While this will likely mean less variety in my wardrobe, it also means fewer "off" days.  I'll always be up for experimenting with new trends, but I'm learning to take into better account what trends work best with what's already in my closet and with my personal style.  When I find a trend I like, I'm learning to be more patient and wait to find the right style rather than snapping up the first item I find.

For example,  I really loved last spring's dramatic ruffle trend.  Unfortunately, I chose a blouse with less drama and more ruffles - I settled, and I quickly regretted it.  I recently found this blouse from New York & Company which is what I was looking for all along. 

Earrings:  World Market (old)
Shoes:  Target

As my wardrobe becomes less diverse in some ways, I'm looking for more interesting details, like colorblocking, mixed media, zippers, etc. that help make each piece feel unique.

Bag:  ??? (old)

Do you like to wear a lot of colors and styles, or do you tend to opt for the familiar when you shop?  Do you prefer having a small wardrobe of clothes you love or a large wardrobe of diverse pieces?

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

Fall Color Week: Orange Crush

Fall Color Week continues today with orange!

Dress:  LOFT Petites (Similar here and here)

Orange is probably the first color I think about when I think of fall.  Whether pumpkins or the changing leaves, autumn is ablaze with the color orange.

Blazer:  The Limited (Similar here)

Belt:  Torrid (Available here)

Here, I took a dress I purchased over the summer and gave it a fall make-over with a camel blazer and leopard print heels.  

This is one instance where I would have preferred a cardigan.  A camel cardigan would have created a softer combination, making it ideal for dressier Thanksgiving festivities.

Shoes:  Target (Similar here)

It wasn't that cold here today, but tights could easily be added to this outfit to stay warm.

Clutch:  Target (old)

I don't wear much orange, but whenever I do, I usually think I should wear it more often.  It's such a warm and inviting color.

Do you like wearing orange?

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

Blue and Burgundy

Today's look pairs blue and burgundy.  I love that this is a somewhat unexpected color combination but that it really works.  Since burgundy is such a deep, rich shade of red, it can really function as a neutral and work with many different colors.

Jacket:  The Limited (No longer available; see here)
Skirt:  The Limited (Similar here)

I would definitely wear this look to work.  The faux leather and studs add a little edge to the outfit, but the shapes and fit of the pieces and overall feel of the look are very work-appropriate.

Shell:  The Limited (Similar here)
Shoes:  Target (Available here)
Clutch:  The Limited

Earrings:  Express (Available here)
Bracelet:  Target
"Evil eye" ring:  H&M

Would you mix burgundy and blue? 

For this jacket in other looks, see here and here.
For this skirt in another look, see here.