The Retail Therapy Diaries: May 2011

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Singing the Blues

I came across this look on Reese Witherspoon and loved it! Definitely love how well the colors in the printed dress mesh with the denim jacket. By choosing a denim jacket rather than a more polished tailored jacket such as a blazer creates a more casual look fit for a day out shopping or for a trip to the grocery store!

Here's how to create a similar look:

Dress: Belted Scratch Print Dress $22.80 (Forever 21)

Jacket: Women's Denim Jacket $29.50 (Old Navy)

Shoes: Tolaaro Sandals $50.00 (Aldo)

Bag: Washed PVC Twist Handle Hobo $24.99 (Rue 21)

Hat: Cafe Habana Fedora $19.99 (Fred Flare)

Sunglasses: F7926 Sunglasses $5.80 (Forever 21)

Inspired? Look for these items here:

Monday, May 30, 2011

Military Chic

In honor of memorial day, I decided to create a post focusing on military chic pieces. From studded jackets to military green dresses, this trend has been swirling around the fashion world for a while now. Not only is this trend popular on the runway and on celebrities, I have seen quite a few students walking around campus rocking the trend. I had purchased a military green jacket from Charlotte Russe with floral chiffon ruffles but it must have gotten snagged on something because now there's a rip in the material! Sad day. Anyways, take time to celebrate and honor those helping to keep us safe!

On the Runway

On Celebrities

Here are a few military inspired pieces:

Dresses:

Full Circle Military Mini Dress $129.26 (Asos)

Going to be a Starboard Dress $57.99 (Modcloth)

Jackets:

Black Military Jacket $32.50 (Threadsence)

Ali & Kris Short Sleeve Military Zipper V-Neck Coat $19.99 (Macy's)

Shoes:

Steve Madden Troopa Boot $99.95 (Nordstrom)

Borrelli Heel $48.99 (Aldo)

Inspired? Look for these items here:

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Barbeque Beauty

I'm super excited for out first family barbeque of the season and getting a chance to catch up with some of my relatives! I decided to go with a Tiffany blue cardigan over a flowy white tank and a pair of skinny jeans for this evenings festivities. I wanted to go for a more casual look but at the same time wanted my outfit to look polished. I've created both a casual outfit for a family barbeque and a slightly more dressed up look for a barbeque with friends to turn a few heads while you're standing at the condiments table! Fire up that grill! It's time to welcome in summer!

Casual Look:

Here's how to create a similar look:

Shirt: Banana Republic Long-Sleeve Skinny Tee $19.99 (Banana Republic)

Shorts: Perfect Khaki Shorts $19.50 (Old Navy)

Shoes: Gladiator Stud Sandal $19.99 (Wet Seal)

(I decided this look was more appropriate with flat sandals rather than platforms)

Dressy/Casual Look:

Here's how to create a similar look:

Dress: Fine Jersey Short Sleeve Crew Neck T-Shirt Dress $32.00 (American Apparel)

Shoes: Ethnic Sandals $49.90 (Zara)

Bag: Magid Monica Angular Hobo $34.10 (Endless)

Belt: Classic Spring Belt $29.50 (Hollister)

Sunglasses: Daytrip Retro Sunglasses $10.95 (Buckle)

Inspired? Look for these items here:

www.bananarepublic.com

www.oldnavy.com

www.wetseal.com

www.americanapparel.com

Quick Look

I've been unusually busy this week so I'm sorry if my posts seemed a tad simple lately! I promise to make them more exciting. Just have to get though two more weeks of school and I'll be free for the summer! I came across this picture of Lo Bosworth and loved the color of her skirt. By keeping the rest of her outfit neutral the jewel tone skirt really pops! All in all, a great spring/early summer outfit.

Here's how to create a similar outfit:

Sweater: Cardigan $16.00 (H & M)

Shirt: Petite White Roll Sleeve Burnout Tee $30.00 (Topshop)

Skirt: California Fleece Tulip Skirt $32.00 (American Apparel)

Shoes: Logo Plate Flip Flop $25.00 (Armani Exchange)

Necklace: Saint Kitts Small Necklace $32.50 (J. Crew)

Bracelet: Genny's Gold Star Moon and Heart Bracelet $23.97 (Fantasy Jewelry Box)

Belt: Tan Bridge Buckle Belt $8.23 (Dorothy Perkins)

Sunglasses: F7373 Sunglasses $5.80 (Forever 21)

Inspired? Find these items here:

www.hm.com

www.topshop.com

www.americanapparel.com

www.armaniexchange.com

www.jcrew.com

www.fantasyjewelrybox.com

www.dorothyperkins.com

www.forever21.com

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Spring Showers

Sorry for the delay for yesterday's post! I was up in Canada doing some retail therapy shopping! Though I was able to find a few great pieces (which I'll tell you about in a later post) my wallet has gotten significantly lighter! Anyways, back to the task at hand. For today's post I created a similar look to Cameron Diaz's spring outfit. The weather didn't cooperate with us and we were caught in several downpours. Luckily I had my umbrella, but having a great pair of boots with a three-quarter sleeve sweater is a great way of easing into the unpredictable temperatures. You stay cool enough for the warm sunbreaks and keep your feet dry when it rains. Remember to care for your boots with a weather proofing spray to keep them in tip top shape. Until then, watch out for muddy puddles!

Here's how to create a similar look:

Sweater: RSVP Jiello Sweater $44.00 (Zappos)

Tank: Emily Blu Long Knit Tank $24.00 (Nordstrom)

Jeans: Levi's Low Skinny Jeans $44.00 (Zappos)

Boots: Re-Boot Your Style $39.99 (Modcloth)

Bag: Braided Strap Handbag $25.99 (Tilly's)

Ring: Filigree Ring $24.00 (BCBG)

Don't forget an umbrella!

Umbrella: Puddle Princess Umbrella $39.99 (Modcloth)

(Not only does this umbrella have adorable lace detailing, it comes with a cute tote to carry it in so you aren't leaving puddles everywhere)

Boot Protector Spray $6.99 (Amazon)

Inspired? Look for these items here:

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Flirty Florals 2.0

Florals part two! Today I wanted to focus more on tops and accessories! Florals can be found on just about anything these days. For a more modern twist on this hot trend, look for pieces with larger floral prints. Since summer's just around the corner, switch pretty pastels for bold brights instead! The bright colors and bold prints will help to accentuate that lovely new tan! However if you're from Seattle like me, you might have to wait another month or so before you can have fun in the sun.

Tops:

Floral Zipper Tank $19.80 (Forever 21)

Rose Radder Top $32.99 (Modcloth)

Skirts:

Megan Skirt $35.00 (Abercrombie)

Floral Bodycon Skirt $7.50 (Forever 21)

Shoes:

Poetic Licence Magical Sunset Pump $65.90 (Nordstrom)

Amber Floral Round Toe Pump $23.60 (Urbanog)

Bags:

Quilted Bouquet Mini Purse $38.00 (Fred Flare)

Moltz Bag $35.00 (Aldo)

Accessories:

Flower Thoughts Corduroy Hat $19.00 (Threadsence)

Floral Front Stretch Belt $9.50 (Charlotte Russe)

Inspired? Look for these items here:

www.charlotterusse.com

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Flirty Florals

So I've been trying to figure out how I wanted to post this popular trend since I first started my blog. Because I love this flirty pattern so much, I've decided to make this tend into a two part post. For the first post I wanted to focus on dresses with the print, and for tomorrow, I'll focus on other floral pieces and accessories. I absolutely love florals! Not only are they super feminine and girly, they can work with just about any style you may be loving at the moment. By adding a bomber jacket and some studded high heeled booties, you can create a girly outfit with a tough girl edge. Likewise with a fedora hat and a denim jacket, you can go for a more laid back boho/beachy chic look. Florals are perfect for any season, but their favorite seasons are definitely spring and summer! So slip some on today and leave a trail of cheer wherever you go!

Florals on the Runway

Oscar de la Renta

Charlotte Ronson

Florals on Celebrities

Jessica Alba

Jessica Biel

Floral Dresses:

Poetry and Rose Dress $49.99 (Modcloth)

Strapped to the Flowers Dress $32.00 (Threadsence)

(Check out the details on the back of the dress!)

Monarch Beach Dress $49.50 (Hollister)

Floral Chiffon Dress $39.50 (Delia's)

Mixed Spring Dress $12.80 (Forever 21)

Full Bloom Sweetheart Dress $58.00 (Nastygal)

Sweetheart Strapless Dress $20.99 (Papaya Clothing)

Fitted Waist Dress in Floral Print $64.63 (Asos)

Inspired? Look for these items here:

www.papayaclothing.com

www.asos.com

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Just Bag It

Every great outfit needs a great accessory to finish off the look. Some like jewelry and others can't leave the house without their signature scarf. For me it's all about the handbag! Despite the fact that all my jeans either have microscopically small pockets or don't have pockets at all, I'm always in need of a chic bag to hold all of my treasures! From leather to corduroy to satin, bags come in almost any fabric imaginable. Thus you can bet that there's a bag out their that's as unique as you. I found a few bags that I thought might appeal to some of the more popular styles being toted around town currently! What's your favorite bag look like? Why does it triumph over all your other bags?

Boho: