Fashionspiration: When Summer Inspiration Runs Dry

It is true with any season, you get near the end and you feel like you have nothing to wear. You have tried every concoction possible in your wardrobe to be stylish but inevitably you hit that point when summer inspiration runs dry. What do you do? 

Mix and Match some bold accessories to brighten up an outfit you already know is a home run.

Here I've added my Dolce & Gabbana silk scarf and bright red wedges to my high waisted navy shorts and ruffle top cream tank. Oh yeah and I added some dress socks for a little trendy pop. 

I popped in some subtle gold jewelry to pull the gold piping from the shoes up into my outfit but kept the jewelry simple since my shoes and head scarf are enough of a statement. It is always about balance mes cheris!

What bold accessories will 

save your summer wardrobe?

Magazine Cover Release Party for PCOS Awareness

As Summer rolls on, the vacations seem to be hitting a climax. I am still not accustomed to so many friends constantly jet setting off to somewhere fabulous all at one time. But true to form no matter the time of year (or how many people stay in town) New York City always has things to do and people to see!

 I was recently invited to a Magazine Cover Release Party for 24 Blogazine on the hip Lower East Side. There were great cocktails and great fashion to be had, and all in the name of PCOS Awareness (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome).

The event was held at The White Rabbit on East Houston St. 

It was the perfect place to learn promote PCOS awareness, 

the most common hormonal disorder in the US.

There were many beautiful ladies present like Yumnahna Jah, who were selling goods to raise funds for the cause. Yumnahna, in her show stopping maxi dress, hand paints beautiful statement earrings which you can find here. There really are works of art, be sure to stop by and say hello!

For the happy hour magazine cover release party I decided to go with an understated summer outfit. Nicole Miller silk tank, Hugo Boss belt, and Camaieu white skinny jeans. I love white pants....a LOT, and I look for any excuse to wear them!

What is your magazine cover release party look?

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Giveaway Winner & What I Wore

The temperature has finally dropped a bit in New York. Nothing drastic but enough to ponder jeans at night...watch out!! With the exception of the relentless rain all Sunday (and I think for the next 48 hours), it has been pretty nice lately. What I wore last week shifted a bit by night, again nothing crazy, but to brave jeans meant a big change. Not to mention the giveaway ended Friday and somebody will be a giveaway winner today!

First things first, some style inspiration from what I wore by night recently.

After a slightly rainy day but clear night, I went for a walk past Lincoln Center with my roommate. With the weather a PERFECT 72 degrees a threw on my lace crop top with no fear of a chill and Levi Skinny Jeans and boots to compensate for the puddles. I love that this is a completely casual outfit in NYC...I am so meant to live here. Oh and yes that is a Borders bag in my hand because I'm a MASSIVE book nerd and since they're going out of business it is imperative that I buy more, trust me that is good logic.

Alright, now for what you all want to see... the giveaway winner is:

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:18Powered by RANDOM.ORG

AMANDA!! Congratulations my dear, this beautiful baby will be yours soon!

But good news for all of you! 

Alex is offering FREE SHIPPING to everyone on their next Stella & Dot purchase! Just visit Alex's Stella & Dot website and shop around, then email Alex at allie.ferris@gmail.com. Mention the code: Embellished Giveaway and tell her what you would like to purchase and she will process your order from there. 

Fashionspiration: Farewell McQueen Exhibit

In light of the fact that this is the last few days the Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibit is open at The Met, I trotted my fashionable self, coffee in tow, across The Park to the East Side...very early in the morning...to skip the line that has eagerly been accumulating each day.

I was excited to wear my new Nicole Miller top I won from their Facebook page contest! Pairing the silk printed peekaboo with Urban Outfitters shorts, a Hugo Boss belt, and Old Navy wedges (I know!), I was ready to see my favorite fashion exhibit one last time.

I love his quote about how he seeks to empower women. I feel that way through my style and I hope to serve as a backboard of ideas in which you can gain empowering fashionable inspiration from to serve yourselves the same way.

Be empowered today mes cheris!

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Fashionspiration: Afternoon Movie

Went out for an afternoon movie with the roommates and saw Crazy Stupid Love. LOVED it, laughed so hard! Plus, can you really get any better than a buff Ryan Gosling either topless or suited up throughout the entire film? Je pense pas! 

Perfect for an afternoon movie is a relaxed, classic look. This is me doing a classic look...yes I meant what I said. I actually have my shirt tucked in, with a belt no less, my mother would be so proud ! Of course its with ripped jeans, platform wedges, and a vintage scarf wrapped around my head but hey beggars can't be choosers! This is as close as I get.

And in a stunnah pose for the back shot, otherwise you just feel awkward...or like you're in timeout. I just got these wedges and the belt this weekend, so wearing them in ASAP was vital. obv.

Sugar Tarte lace top

Forever 21 jean shorts

STEVEN wedges

vintage scarf

Buffalo Exchange thrifted belt and bag

What is your afternoon movie ensemble?

Fashionspiration: TGIF

TGIF my dears!!! I don't know about you, but I feel un peu over worked lately...and just the thought of Friday feels good...even if it doesn't mean I'm off tomorrow. Here's a fun, flirty look for your to jump start your weekend. Try a wild print on a feminine dress paired with a super fitted power suit vest (love these). Pull it all together with sky high heels and kicka$$ jewelry and you have yourself a go-getter ensemble mes cheris!

 TGIF: Tactfully Gauging Inert Fabulousness

 TGIF: Totally Gracing Inner Fierceness 

TGIF: Turning Gambles Into Frenzies

Urban Outfitters dress

Express vest

Steve Madden platforms

Erickson Beamon necklace

The only thing to remember is master that wind in NYC! A flirty frock like this also warrants many opportunities for Marilyn Monroe moments. I'd rather leave that to The Seven Year Itch!

What is your TGIF?

Fashionspiration: A Lesson in Layering

Mes cheris sometimes the simple things in your closet can be made more interesting and fabulous just by layering those duds in creative ways! This lesson in layering is great to shop your closet for new outfits...now that's good news for your busting closet and your bank account!

Start with one of your favorite attention getting cocktail dresses.

Then add a sheer layer. 
This allows the dress to still be seen, but adds intrigue to the passer by and more depth to your outfit.

And layer with fun accessories. 

Here I've gone with a massive pearl necklace that has been looped 4 times!

Catherine Deane dress

Nanushka top

Erickson Beamon necklace

Steve Madden platforms

How will you layer your closet?

Fashionspiration: Necklush and Blazers

My dears, I have been craving some Necklush ever since I first saw it on Etsy a few years back...what took me so long to get one? Je ne sais pas, mais, je l'adore absolument!! I love that it is fabric jewelry that does not look like a craft project. I also love that it is a fun way to jazz up your outfit, for work or otherwise, whilst still remaining appropriate. 

Here is my Office to Happy Hour look that I just love. First of all I have gained a not-so-slight obsession with rompers, they are the perfect one stop shop. So add a skinny belt and some fun accessories and I am hooked. The blazer provides the perfect professional spin, and for those of you that cannot try shorts at work and still remain employed try to pair a skirt over it, it can be your secret skort!

Romper: Promod (France)

Belt: Express

Necklush: PacSun

Flats: Steve Madden

Sunnies: Liz Claiborne 

Watch: Betsey Johnson

So let your necklush be the only 

lush at happy hour this week. 

You bring the fabulous!

Fashionspiration: Flutter Shirt

It's on these breezy, beautiful New York City days that I love wearing airy, summer outfits that fly away with the wind. This Meghan flutter shirt...dress?...shirt?...in particular makes me feel weightless and elegant. I have to pair it with leggings because I'm just not bold enough to go bare booty in the crazy NYC wind that whips even the hardiest of skirts up and over your head! It's one of those lengths that is too long for a top paired with jeans but definitely too short to fly solo...it's a good thing we have leggings to solve that dilemma! 

And this flutter shirt also is an insane shade of teal which is one of my favorite colors 

and just makes me utterly happy by just looking at it. I love color... a lot. 

Do you wear flutter shirts, 

or any fashion that makes you fly?

Fashionspiration: Summer Gives Me Wings

Summertime by fashiondiva304 featuring a wing ring

Fashionspiration: Summer White

As much as I love color, I do love white! Summer white is such a refreshing shade to walk down 5th Ave in. It is so clean and ready for the best rooftop picnic you can find! Here I paired simple, but well made pieces together for a more modern sleek shape reminiscent of the minimalistic 90s with some fun jewelry to top off the ensemble....I certainly can't go completely unadorned!

Ruched Tank: Vivienne Tam

White Skinny Jeans: Camaieu

Teal Jewel Heels: Marc Jacobs

Necklace and Jeweled Bracelet: Erickson Beamon

How do you wear Summer White?

Fashion DIY: Exercise Your Closet

That is right...I said exercise your closet, don't throw it away! If you are anything like me my dears, you have a closet and maybe dressers and storage boxes full of clothes! Do you wear them all? Yeah, me neither. That is where Fashion DIY becomes crucial!

Every season I try and weed through my addiction to pare down the fat which is a pretty daunting task...especially since I own many clothes that are too good to part with (from before I lost weight in France...and yes, I realize this is a good problem to have). Now that I find myself sans sewing machine in NYC (a fact that is killing me btdub) I can't actually fix these items, so they just sit there taking up very valuable Manhattan square footage. So what is Fashion DIY well its creating ways to upcycle your clothing, or shop in your own closet if you will!

Here's an easy fix that does not involve sewing skills or any real seamstress tools:

Color Dyeing

I recently bought a corset top from Forever 21 that I later gave me buyer's remorse (which is a sickness I almost never get). Of course when I tried to return said top...Forever 21 with their non-existent customer service policy, how very un-American, would not allow the brand new frock (that had not even left the bag) to be exchanged. So what was I to do? Dye it!!

Totally cute corset top...but in peach...which I later realize that under the my sheer summer tops, just looked like I was naked because it was the same color as my skin. Whoa! was I ever uncomfortable!

 1. Find the classic RIT dye at your pharmacy, in a color your choice (I happen to be a sucker for teal)

2. Mix (following package instructions) with water and bring to boil. 
3. Soak garment for instructed time. Note: more or less time should be altered for desired color. Looking for a pastel? Less. Deep jewel tone? More.

4. Thoroughly rinse and wash garment and allow to dry.

5. Style accordingly! 

And Voila! Fashion DIY at it's finest! Now my once bare-all corset top is a cute pop of color under my sheer summer pieces. Je l'adore! There is always a way to re-work your closet, you just have to get creative. Don't be afraid to play around with old pieces..try and wear them in unconventional ways, or dye them in the latest hot color. That Fashion DIY may just be the little CPR revival your wardrobe needed!

Go try your own Fashion DIY 

and report back!

Bonne chance mes cheris!

Fashionspiration: Backless Dresses

My favorite thing in clothing is always the surprise back. I love backs...I'm not really sure why? But either way these backless dresses are perking my fashionspiration today and I wanted to share them with you!

This Givenchy Couture Collection is a stunning photograph, I love it!

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for more Fashionspiration!

Fashionspiration: Fashion Archive

I thought I'd pull out an oldy but goody from the fashion archive of The Embellished Life vault! The sad thing about blogs is you put up so much information from the beginning, but it takes time to build readers so your early, inspired pieces get seen by very few people!

This dip into the fashion archive is for some visual inspiration from the fashion photography world. Please gain inspiration today from the works of Richard Avedon, Annie Leibowitz, and Thomas Legrange (as pictured above) among other greats.

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY IDOLS:

RENDERED SPEECHLESS

Diary of a NYC Fashion Intern: Merchandise the Mannequins!

How is your summer getting along darlings? I must say Summer in New York City is positively smashing, between the Alexander McQueen Exhibit at The Met and Shakespeare in the Park to Brunch at Balthazar how is a girl to choose? Fortunately, NYC is always going and so is the work. As my days as an NYC Fashion Intern come to a close I hope you've enjoyed the sneak peak at the bottom of the ladder. 

But sometimes a fashion intern gets a chance to be a bit creative... merchandising the mannequins!

 I did some merchandising for the boutique downstairs. 

From glam rock to pretty princess, it's always fun to dress up the windows!

This was a white dress, that is now modeled on a guitar stand with...

Yeah, studded chucks...nuff said. 

I could not be more in love with this petticoat tutu skirt!

So what are your thoughts on my merchandising skills, not half bad huh?! Too bad its a totally different direction from marketing, it would be a fun side job to merchandise the mannequins all over NYC. Maybe in another life, but this one includes being a NYC Fashion Intern which isn't half bad either :)