Guest Post on Mae Badiyan

Happy Monday! As if a rainy chilly Monday could be happy? We'll today it can be, because I'm guest blogging on office style over at the lovely Mae Badiyan's blog. Check it out here and let me know what your office persona is.

Arm Candy

Ms. Coco Chanel's fashion rule of taking one thing off before you walk out the door may be ousted this season, as accessories are piled on the wrist.  It certainly is not a minimalist accessory season, instead countless fashion editorials have shown bangle after bangle layered up the arms.

For a fun mix pair your watch on the same wrist as a few of your bracelets.  Try mixing bangles of different shapes, complimenting colors, and juxtaposing materials. Or play it safe with a stack of solid bangles. Really, the more the merrier!

I'd start with a Chan Luu Wrap, and a Michael Kors watch 

Flower Power

If you follow me on Pinterest you are aware of my latest obsession, florals. With spring here I can't seem to stop pinning picture after picture of floral arrangements.  Now this should come as no surprise because I've spent my summers as child roaming through Longwood Gardens flower beds with my Mom-mom.  While she has a much greener thumb than I (I struggle with even growing spider plants), I'm in luck because fashion seems to have been bit by the floral bug too.

Designer such as Rodarte, Peter Som, and Jason Wu sent their models strutting down the Spring 2012 runway in floral ensembles.  Even the denim world seems to have been inspired by florals by printing both big and small floral- like patterns on their denim.  Celebs also have been adding florals to their wardrobes such as Olivia Palermo, Emma Watson, and Miranda Kerr.

Really, nothing else says spring has arrived quite like a bouquet of beautiful flowers, so if you can't grow them, why not wear them?

Trend: Turquoise Denim

Colored denim is MAJOR right now and turquoise (one of the season's hottest colors) is the best way to wear it! With the constantly changing temperatures colored denim is a great way to transition into a spring wardrobe. Wear it with your preppy knits on chilly days and silky florals and tees on warm days. Colors such as crisp white, punchy pink, nautical navy, and tropical coral pair perfectly with turquoise denim. Here's how I would wear the shade day to night:

Bracelet, Shirt, Flats, Pants, Necklace, Shirt, Sandals

The Perfect Spring/Summer Wedge

Every season I have at least one go to shoe. You know, the kind that just seems to go with everything, no matter the color or style. Well for this Spring I've already deemed Kate Spade's Lindsay, my IT shoe. With the wedged platform it's not only the perfect height but also stable, making it comfy for those hours spent standing outdoors in the beautiful weather. But really let's talk about the seriously amazing multi colored striped rope heel. What a fun statement! Literally ever color in the rainbow is in the heel but the straps remain a neutral patent leather nude.

Put a Cork In It

My boss recently introduced me to Stuart Weitzman's Rowsoon Pump, which I've then deemed the essential neutral heel for spring. Really, with its light color and shades of darker neutrals mixed throughout the cork, what won't this heel match?

While the Rowsoon may have started my spring shoe search, it certainly did not end it. As I browsed through the spring collections I noticed multiple other cork options, proving that cork is one of the hottest trends for spring. Elaine Turner does a wedged cork, Manolo a casual flip flop, Badgley Mischka a dressy heel, and Jack Rogers a classic sandal. Really, there's tons of great options for you!

Hats Attacked

Did you hear the Queen put a ban on fascinators for the Ascot Races? Love them or hate them, you have to admit they are like a piece of art! What are your thoughts?

The Equestrian Way

No one does equestrian chic quite like Ralph Lauren. He masters the tailored look with pieces like his Tri- Strap Stirrup Belt- my current obsession. Made with luxe leather like the kind saddles are made of and shining metal to resemble a stirrup, this belt is one beautiful accessory.

Wear it with simple pieces like jeans, blouses, blazers, or your JCrew Pixie Pant like I do. Just try to stay away from bold patterns and other competing accessories. After all, the equestrian world is known for their understated glam.

If $695 is a bit out of your current budget then luckily there is a $78 Lauren by Ralph Lauren version. Even Barneys, Anthropologie, and Steve Madden have versions of the classic belt, each with their own spin. No matter your budget you can add this amazing accessory to your closet!

Monogram It- Moon & Lola

The beloved book The Official Preppy Handbook once said “Preppies have known it for years: who needs LV or YSL when you can lay claim to a discreet EBW III? In fact, most Preppies are so proud of their monograms that they put it on virtually everything in sight.”

While I do love seeing a LV or YSL stamped upon various luxury goods my prep self just as much enjoys seeing a monogrammed PMM on just about

everything. Really if I could monogram my dogs I would (this might do for now though).

Since I'm always on the search for new monograms when I stumbled upon Moon & Lola's Acrylic Monogrammed Necklace I was quite pleased. Due to the personalization most monogrammed jewelry is a bit costly so I was happy when I discovered Moon & Lola's starts at just $58! The acrylic material these necklaces are made with not only allows them to be a bit cheaper in price but also allows you to have so much fun with designing them. You can pick from 21 different colors (some as classic as silver or as bold as hot pink) and choose a silver or gold chain, and 3 different monogram sizes.

Prep or not, I think every girl could use a classic monogram necklace- which is why I had to buy one for myself!

Golden Globes 2012 Favs

I love red carpet season, so many beautiful gowns! Here are my top 5 favorite stunners from the recent Golden Globes. Who were some of yours?

Salma Hayek in Gucci

Reese Witherspoon in Zac Posen

Dianna Agron in a Giles dress

Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang

Emma Stone in Lanvin

Oh and did you notice the bold black dresses and elegant long sleeve trend?

Booked Fashionable

Recently I've let my inner nerd come out and have read book after book. When I actually find the time to read, I love it and just can't stop! While I was perusing through the bookstore looking for my next victim I came upon Barnes & Noble's Leatherbound Classic Series. Their pretty covers caught my eye, making already beautiful classics even more perfect.

The Tie Top

Remember when you were younger and you would tie your tee shirt up with a hair scrunchie because you thought it looked cool (possibly inspired by Britney Spears)? Well, in hindsight that look might have been awful but tie tops are back, in a new more modest way of course.

This time around tie tops come in the form of blouses with longer lengths so your midriff wont show. Wear these tops now with flared jeans and heels for a bit of glamorous retro look, or in the summer with cutoff shorts and flip flops for a casual beach side look.

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Neon Accents

I recently purchased this Only Hearts dress for spring because come some warm weather I jump towards anything reminiscent of nautical stripes. However, with this dress' bright blue stripes I want to keep it fun and decided to style my outfit around this image by mixing in neon pinks and yellows. I think it's a fresh spin on nautical prep meets runway.

Here are some of the ways I would style this dress:

Dress

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If you're on a budget I love this necklace and this belt- they're both great prices!

The Classic Satchel

Like most fashion crazed girls I dream of one day owning an Hermes Birkin Bag. Nothing is quite as classic with its minimal hardware and sturdy shape.

Named after the actress Jane Birkin- when Birkin was on a flight with an Hermes designer the contents of her straw bag fell all over the ground and she complained she could not find a good weekend bag to hold all her belongings. Thus the Birkin bag was created, large enough to hold lots of stuff with a closure sturdy enough to keep it all secured.

While the price range of a Birkin will most likely keep this bag a bag of my dreams not of my reality ( sigh, $9,000), I figure I can get a similar classic look with some other satchel styles. Here are some of my favorites:

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New Year, New Posts

Happy New Year everyone! Sorry I have been absent recently, I have been concentrating on my latest project Piqued Magazine (please check it out, like it on FB, and follow on Twitter)! However I will be back to regularly posting now as I also work on Piqued, which will launch this month!

When I think of a new year I think of a new me (new years resolutions, anyone?) and a new wardrobe. This year I'm planning to fill my closet with pieces that sparkle because if you sparkle on the inside shouldn't you on the outside as well?

I adore the current trend of making sparkles more casual by mixing them into everyday pieces instead of just a night time lbd. Here are some of my favorite sparkle pieces:

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How will you sparkle and shin this year?

Forever 21 and HK

Everyone knows I openly admit that I just am not a Forever 21 girl. I just don't have the patience to search through their their overflowing racks organized in no particular order. I get that they have the latest trends and at a great price, which is great for most college girls like myself, it just hasn't worked for me yet.

That is until while I was searching through my newsfeed and stumbled upon Kylie and Kendall Kardashian's (yes, I "like" them on Facebook) pictures from the recent Forever 21 and Hello Kitty launch. They looked adorable, fun, and totally girlie with a little Harajuku flair. Really, what girl doesn't love HK, no matter what age they are (I'm almost 22)! The collection includes some cute tees with HK's face and even cardigans with more subtle HK details, you can even hide your HK love in boots with their tube socks. Definitely take the time and check it out!

Monogram Necklaces

I remember a few seasons back on The Real Housewives of Orange County (yes, I do enjoy bad reality tv) character Alexis Bellino received a gorgeous necklace from her husband with all of her kids' initials. It was elegant in swirly cursive writing and of course dripping in 7 carats worth of diamonds. Although it was way out of my price range, my true prep self loves to monogram just about everything so I haven't been able to get the image out of my head since.

Luckily this morning while going through my daily emails I stumbled upon Jennifer Zeuner's initial pendants. They look so similar to Alexis' version just without the diamonds so there's an even less hefty price tag.

I would love wearing this beauty with a simple v neck or open cardigan so it can fully shine.

Clutched

Former stylist Khirma Eliazov now creates the most luxurious handbags. I'm obsessed with her Demling clutch that mixes exotic skins, the finest leather, and original and unique hardware. It's stunning.

Tribal Shoe Trend

Tribal prints are huge in fashion right now and I'm love how I'm seeing the trend even on shoes! These Cobra Society boots are gorgeous but if they are a bit out of your price range try Steve Madden's options. Keep the rest of your look neutral and let these shoes take in all the lime light.

Genius by Guinness

Need a special gift for the man in your life? Come February (so far away, I know) Coach is partnering with modern artist Hugo Guinness for a mens accessory line. Look for awesome wallets, bags, keychains, and even playing cards. With their coffee cups and handcuffs you are sure to recognize Guinness' NYC inspiration in the line.