The Retail Therapy Diaries: August 2011

Monday, August 29, 2011

Touch of Edge

Want to add a trendy touch to your go-to evening look? Look to add some leather for a trendy and edgy feel. Leather has been seen on celebrities all over Hollywood lately evolving from leather jackets to more modern pieces such as fitted leather dresses and leather skirts. Sometimes leather pieces can be tricky. If worn with the wrong pieces your look can turn from classy to trashy! To prevent a fashion disaster, keep these tips in mind! Make sure if the hem of the skirt or dress is shorter, look to cover-up a little more on top, either with longer sleeves or a higher neckline. Because a leather dress is such a statement piece by itself, keep accessories minimal. Going overboard can can damper an otherwise great look. Not ready to completely plunge into the leather trend? Start small with leather accessories such as leather booties, leather cuff bracelets or wide banded leather belts. Or instead of going for a classic black, try an updated shade such as a neutral beige or even a bright orange! Want to add a feminine flair to your edgy look? Combine a lace top in a feminine shade with a fitted leather skirt or add a girly animal print bag!

Celebrities in Leather

Julianne Hough

Vanessa Hudgens

Blake Lively

Kristin Cavallari, Whitney Port

Leather Trend Inspired Look

Alexa Chung

How to create a similar look:

Skirt: Black Faux Leather Skirt $33.00 (Dorothy Perkins)

Sweater: BDG Speckled Raglan Tunic $ 49.00 (Urban Outfitters)

Shoes: Office Kingpin Wedge Boot $ 39.00 (Office)

Bag: Material Girl Leopard Crossbody Bag $26.00 (Macy's)

Other Leather Options:

Leather Dress $36.20 (H & M)

Black Faux Leather Bustle Back Dress $100.00 (Topshop)

Leather Dress with Drop Armhole $67.69 (Asos)

Pleated Skirt $39.99 (Zara)

Leather Mini Skirt $44.50 (Delia's)

Inspired? Look for these items here:

www.dorothyperkins.com

www.urbanoutfitters.com

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Sunny Delight

Like the sunny shade of the ever popular breakfast beverage, orange has become a fun and bold way to add some color to your look! Great for the start of fall, the bright shade can help to complement that pretty tan you worked hard for this whole summer. Have fair skin? Look for a red-orange shade that has a metallic sheen to it like silk to add a touch of sparkle to complement your porcelain skin! For those with darker skin tones, look for a piece in a more rich shade of orange or even a more neon orange for a pretty contrast! Are you somewhere in between? Try a more coral orange. This universally flattering color looks great on all types of skin tones!

Celebrities in Orange

Ginnifer Goodwin

Blake Lively

Victoria Beckham

Miley Cyrus

Orange Options:

Blood Orange Blouse $38.00 (Nasty Gal)

Notions of Nutmeg Burnt Orange Top $33.00 (Lulu's)

Orange Sorbet Scallop Vest $30.00 (Topshop)

Waist Belted Lace Dress $27.37 (Dressrail)

Orange Belted Pleat Maxi Dress $21.62 (Desire Clothing)

Slice of Color Shorts $39.99 (Modcloth)

Inspired? Look for these items here:

www.desireclothing.com

www.modcloth.com

Friday, August 26, 2011

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

One piece I've been looking to add to my accessories collection is the functional and chic oversized envelope clutch! I've seen this cute bag in a number of magazines and think it provides versatility for those days that you don't feel like holding a big bulky purse. Perfect for holding your essentials, the envelope clutch is just big enough so you aren't left rummaging through your giant bag, unable to find what you need. Not only is this bag cute for day paired with a more casual outfit, the clutch can also be a great modern update to your usual party clutch! Whether you like classic colors or bright colors, these fun bags come in a wide range of shades and styles so there is sure to be one that's perfect for you!

Envelope Clutches on the Runway

Celebrities with Envelope Clutches

Emma Watson

Victoria Beckham

Olivia Palermo

Envelope Clutch Options:

Tab Chic E-Reader Envelope $68.00 (Lodis)

Push the Envelope Tan Purse $31.00 (Lulu's)

Joynes Clutch $40.00 (Aldo)

Hinge Fabric Envelope Clutch $58.00 (Nordstrom)

Audrey E-Reader Envelope $78.00 (Lodis)

Indest Clutch $19.98 (Aldo)

Inspired? Look for these items here:

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Neat Nails

Feeling creative? Why not channel some of those artistic juices by creating masterpieces on your nails? I've come across a countless number of nail art tutorial videos that take you through step-by-step, spicing up your usual single color manicure! From using newspaper to the marbling technique, nail art has definitely gotten more creative. Personally I want to try out the swirled/marbleized design! I've attached some of my favorite nail art designs as well as their corresponding tutorial videos so you can try them out yourself! Have a favorite design? Let me know what it is! Keep me updated on how these designs go for you!

Nail Art

Cupcake Nail Tutorial

Water Marbling Nail Tutorial

Newspaper Nail Tutorial

Pikachu Nail Tutorial

Hello Kitty French Nail Tutorial

Strawberry Nail Tutorial

Inspired? Check out other great tutorials from these channels here:

Missglamorazzi's Youtube Channel

Theeasydiy's Youtube Channel

Cutepolish's Youtube Channel

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Snap, Crackle, Pop

I've been wanting to test out the newest trend in nail products for a while and finally purchased my first bottle! The shattered effect polish has been gaining popularity for a while now and I decided to try the trend, in hopes that it didn't look completely ridiculous on me. I purchased the Sephora by O.P.I Blasted nail color in Blasted White and painted the formula over my bubble gum pink polish. Within 5-10 seconds of applying the thin coat, the shattered effect started to form over my fingernails! I was definitely pleased with the look of the shatter, but would probably choose a different base color for next time. Maybe the white blasted polish over black? Do you have a favorite color combo that you want to share with me? Let me know! I'm still new to this fun beauty trend so share your knowledge and insight with me!

Shattered Effect Nail Formulas

Sally Hansen Crackle $6.99 (Walgreens)

China Glaze Crackle $8.00 (Ulta)

O.P.I Shatter $4.25 (Amazon)

Nails Inc. Special Effects $9.50 (Sephora)

Sephora by O.P.I Blasted $9.50 (Sephora)

Sephora by O.P.I Blasted Tested by TRTD

Pink Base Coat

With the Blasted Polish

A Closer Look

Inspired? Look for these items here:

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

'Shoe'per Outfits

I received a request from a reader asking me to dedicate a post to affordable shoes, so with a new school year starting, I decided to find affordable pieces to create affordable outfits to match with specific types of shoes! From boots to sandals, hopefully I've featured your favorite type of footwear. Did I forgot your favorite? Let me know and I'll do my best to create an affordable outfit that'll help make a chic and stylish impression for your first day of class!

Shoe Inspired Looks:

Boots: Flat Mid-Calf Slouch Boot $30.00 (Charlotte Russe)

Sweater: Lexie Cocoon Cardigan $14.99 (Delia's)

Tank: Full Tilt Crochet Back Tank $18.99 (Tilly's)

Jeans: Mossimo Skinny Jeans $13.98 (Target)

Total: $77.96 + tax

Heels: Liliana Carinthia Leopard Pleated Pump $25.90 (Urbanog)

Blazer: Cuffed Blazer $25.00 (Forever 21)

Tank: White Tunic Tank Top $29.90 (Windsor)

Skirt: Sweater Knit Bandage Skirt $14.99 (Charlotte Russe)

Total: $95.79 + tax

Flats: Plaid Ballet Flat $14.50 (Wet Seal)

Cardigan: Full Tilt Essential Dolman $17.99 (Tilly's)

Tank: Full Tilt Ruffle Front Tank $19.99 (Tilly's)

Shorts: Hydraulic Two Button Side Shorts $14.97 (Tilly's)

Total: $67.45 + tax

Sandals: Clerida Sandals $30.00 (Aldo)

Cardigan: Laguna Niquel $34.65 (Hollister)

Skirt: Ormond Beach $13.93 (Hollister)

Total: $78.58 + tax

Inspired? Look for these items here:

www.charlotterusse.com

www.charlotterusse.com

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Written in the Stars

I recently came across a spread in a fashion magazine that featured celebrities in star patterned pieces! This up and coming trend is slowly making its way into the fall season as more people are being seen spotted in the galaxy inspired pieces. Stay on top of next seasons trends and add a starry piece to your wardrobe!

Celebrities in Star Prints