Yes, those who know me are aware that I like to wear short-length dresses and almost always have my hair straight. But right now I must say I am enjoying doing just the opposite!

It started with the hair- with the warmer weather it’s been fun to wear sometimes almost untamed wild curls and waves. At first I started with just some curls at my ends, but then it progressed to a giant mane. The flowy curls needed something to match and a long and flowy dress was just the answer.

This is how I normally wear this dress- in a very feminine and dainty style with nude shoes. Nothing is over the top. Sometimes I even wear just a soft pink or natural lip. I like the all white/nude clean look and feel of it this way. With my dark hair it makes for a nice contrast, too. I’ve gotten so many compliments on this dress when I go out- “wow, that is a great dress!” from both men and women. I’m convinced I need to find more in this style.

GET THE LOOK:

Floral Chiffon Maxi Dress by TokyoFashion
(available on yesstyle.com)

Yes, so even though this is how I “normally” wear it, I’m feeling the need to suddenly play with more color. Bright color.

I just got a pair of bright yellow shoes and another of bright tangerine shoes. I’m so ready to wear them! So far I’ve been wearing the yellow shoes with a short but billowy yellow dress. The match is nice and expected, and the two matching colors really pop together.

This dress has small details of yellow within the print. For kicks and giggles I thought I would play with my new yellow shoes and see if it works. I haven’t really decided yet but I’m leaning more toward the nudes for this look. Still it’s fun to experiment!

It’s fun but may need a jacket, scarf, or accessory to tie it all in. Maybe some coral nail polish. I’m still playing around with ideas. But regardless of yellow shoes or nude shoes, this dress is a must! It is both comfortable as can be and is incredibly fabulous!

GET THE LOOK:
Orange Polka Dot Dress by Kiwi Shop, available on yesstyle.com

The weather has been gorgeous here and I’ve all ready been enjoying some time by the pool. Time by the pool makes me think of that song about an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini- hey, why not an itsy bitsy orange polka dot dress? This dress works beautifully on its own or as a cover up when going to the pool. You can also pair it with a refreshing and festive cocktail. I’m thinking tiki cocktails are in order for this one!

Bring out those citrus colors and brighten up your style!

My latest fashion obsession involves prints and colors! Make a print pop by accessorizing with bright and bold colors. Two accessories I find myself using more than ever are my red high heels and red lipstick. My goal this season is to stock up on colorful shoes, nail polish, and eye make up colors. I’m thinking teals, yellows, blues, hot pinks, bright and fun colors! Oh, and also some soft pinks and coral lipstick for when I do wear some bright colored eyeshadow (remember to keep everything in balance). But until then I’ll be wearing my reds!

Here are two of my favorite red hot fashion prints. The first is a tribal pattern play-suit with almost muted colors until paired with red lipstick and heels. A piece like this would look great with any bright color!

Get the Look: Tribal Playsuit with Ruffles by 59 Seconds, available on yesstyle.com

This next piece is red hot on its own, literally. This dress has a bright red hot chilli pepper print with a pleated texture that just flows beautifully.

 Get the Look: Pleated Chiffon Pattern Dress by NABI, available on yesstyle.com

I’ve been a fan of Nabi’s styles for quite some time now. I love what they do with fabric- the way their designs form to the body and how it moves when you walk. It’s feminine but very daring in its own way.

And one thing they do have right now is bright beautiful patterns with lots of fabric!

Are you into red hot fashion this season? What’s your favorite pattern or colors to wear?

It’s spring and I want color. Bright, bold, beautiful color. When it comes to bright colors I like to use simple structured shapes so that the color has a simple foundation.

This particular dress reminds me of something from the late 1960′s. The shape is simple, it drapes beautifully, and the color welcomes spring with a big hello! I like to mix things that probably were never meant to go together, so I thought why not a giant spiked necklace to wear with the dress?

As I was sitting in the living room next to my whisky bar, it occurred to me that I have created something of a modern “Mad Men” type of scene. This makes me like the dress and the styling even more, ha. I adore mixing vintage with modern elements. It’s amazing how natural they really can work together. Forced is no fun, but when you mix styles of different era’s you come up with a style that is uniquely you (and certainly not a trend!).

I dress up every day because I believe every day is important and worth celebrating. I mean it. It challenges me to constantly try something new and to appreciate every detail of the day. I love going out to events, but that isn’t an every day occurrence. What my everyday life truly consists of is working on the computer, running errands, and primarily setting aside time to relax in my home as I enjoy a hand crafted cocktail or a dram or whisky, light up a cigar and then listen to music or read a book.  I like to keep it simple, but dress for a night on the town. Just like how I prefer my fashion to be, funny how that works.

This particular dress is from JOANNE KITTEN on yesstyle.com, I’ve been quite fond of the dresses JoanneKitten has to offer; they are one-of-a-kind styles that are elegant and fun and also come in brilliant colors. The ring is from BCBG. I found it in a clearance bowl about a year ago and find myself wearing it more than any other ring I own. It goes with everything! The necklace was a recent purchase from Lavo Collections in the Rice Village shopping area of Houston. It was my first time there and I believe they have multiple locations. Very cute shop! The shoes… well let’s not talk about the shoes. I very rarely wear flats but these are the only gold shoes I have right now (note to self: shop for gold shoes). I think they are cute flats, but I’ve had these for a ridiculously long time! I can’t remember how long… they were my beach shoes when I lived in Miami so they’ve seen some “life” shall we say. hahaha.

What are your fashion inspirations and how would you define your style?

Because blue is that beautiful tone that looks stunning in the winter and warms us as we welcome the spring. What I love especially about this jacket is the military style of the buttons and shoulders, but the openness in the front and the cropped length. It’s military in style without being too heavy, after all it’s starting to warm up outside and fashion must also be functional.

GET THE LOOK:
Buttoned Military Jacket from ageha@shibuya, available on yesstyle.com

The crop length on the jacket allows for all sorts of layering- from beautiful billowing dresses and blouses to fitted pieces such as the one I am wearing here. With such a stunning color, I wanted to have a neutral canvas. Today I went with black (a classic). I’m feeling a bit retro and classic today so perhaps it inspired me to stay with clean fitted lines.

This blue pops without being obnoxious. I adore that. And then I wanted to mix in another bright color just to keep things interesting. I decided to play it up with some bright red pumps and I’m pretty ecstatic with the decision.

I love wearing red shoes, but it can be difficult to pull off with some outfits. Too often it can feel forced ,but here it feels like a natural thing. It isn’t expected and that’s part of what I love so much about it. The black simple outfit and my hair in a retro inspired updo adds elegance and sophistication whereas the bright colors of the blue and red bring in a lot of youth. I think they meet just perfectly in the middle.

The collar has such a nice shape that I didn’t want it to get lost in my hair. Thus I decided to put it up, and being in the mood I am in I attempted a bit of a retro style. Honestly, I  separated a segment of hair on top (creating a diagonal part on the top of my head, and only using a small amount of my shortest top layer of hair), then swept all the rest of my hair to a side, twisted it up and bunched it into a ball. I twisted it again so it would look smooth and pretty (I think I got lucky here, lol) then pinned it to keep it in place.

I swept the remaining hair over my bangs, added some pins to give it a bit of a wave, twisted part of it into a circle then stuffed whatever was left of the ends into the large twist. Pins, pins, and pins- add some spray and smoothed out anything that looked out of place. I added a hair accessory with some feathers to give it a bit more flare and there you go!

I’m pretty happy with it. I’ll definitely be attempting it again, hopefully with the same success! One thing is for sure, feeling “blue” is fabulous this season!

Cinched waists, military style buttons, sharp shoulders, voluminous jackets and patterned tights- these are my latest fierce fashion obsessions!

A fitted waist is definitely coming back into style and perhaps with more color than we have seen in the past. Never the less, black is a classic that will survive all the trends. Personally I like to play with both, depending on my mood. I’ll keep stock in black because it will last me (and challenge me to reinvent it in new outfits) but I will also take the leap into a splash of brilliant color.

Going along with the cinched waist is the cropped jacket trend- you can add so much more shape and color with a jacket, and the shorter length lets you show off your figure. The bigger the structure of the jacket the smaller your waist appears, too. It’s a fun illusion you can get pretty playful with.

What’s interesting to me here are the shapes and textures. Patterned tights take a classic dress and make it runway edgy in an instant. I love that! Suddenly, I can’t get enough patterned tights in my arsenal.

GET THE LOOK:

Jacket: I’m really not sure! I’ve had this for years

Skirt: TokyoFashion Faux Leather Skirt, available on yesstyle.com

Tights: 59 Seconds Patterned Tights, available on yesstyle.com

Shoes: Target

Don’t you love it when you go exploring into the unknown depths of your closet only to discover a piece that you’ve not only forgotten, but now inspires you for a whole new look?

That’s just what this jacket is. I purchased it…. maybe even 10 years ago, it’s truly been a long time- but I packed it away for the winter months and then never saw it again. Until now. And I think it gives the perfect attitude to the cool drizzling rain outside. The layers of the leather skirt completely the look flawlessly. It has attitude, but it’s still elegant and fashion forward. The tights make the whole look come together as “fierce fashion.”

Now, this kind of jacket will be too hot as the weather begins to warm up. But the basic shape and principle can be applied with lighter materials while maintaining that beautiful volume. Oh, you know I’m already shopping  for some fantastic pieces! I think color will be a huge factor here, too- so be warned, ha.

Now that’s some serious texture and form. Okay, next onto some sharp shoulders!

Sharp, pointed shoulders have become my new “lace” and by that I mean, if a piece of clothing has it then I pretty much must have it. I feel like it lengthens my limbs, which are naturally long but I love to push the envelope whenever I am able to. I also like the mirror idea of the points on each shoulder complimenting the points of my shoes- the heels.

I love heels, and I think the pointed shoulder can be played with as an extension of the heel. The two together pull you and make you look longer and leaner. A sharp shoulder is also undoubtedly fierce. This is a Sharp Shoulder Knit Dress from Sabotte on yesstyle.com. I love the subtle detail of texture with the flaps and buttons. It comes in beige- which I was very tempted to get and still might, but I had to go for the classic black solution in this case. I purchased the dress with the tights at the same time, and am happy to say the two marry perfectly together!

What are your fierce fashion obsessions?

While the winter weather keeps us wrapped up, don’t miss the essential element to any girl’s wardrobe: the dress jacket. This is a jacket that 1) it’s cozy 2) we grab in an instant whenever we want to look fabulous without a care in the world, and 3) has a unique quality that stands out from the crowds.

Most of us will actually have a few of these jackets in different colors and styles to match our various moods. This winter I’ve embraced colors like red, burgundy, emerald, and eggplant. With my dark hair I like the contrast these colors bring.

A dress jacket is different form a traditional jacket in that when buttoned up it looks like a purposeful dress. Though I love this quality about them, I like to wear them open so it adds more movement with my complete look. I like the layers and length, especially in the winter. It adds depth and keeps you warm all at the same time.

There are two qualities about this particular jacket from eFashion that I absolutely adore: the ruffles and the double breasted buttons.

If a jacket has buttons this season, I either want one single well placed button or a whole bunch of them! I love how one single item can make a bold fashion statement all on its own. For this reason, I like to wear something simple underneath- like a form fitted black dress or extra long tank top. You could even add a simple scarf if you wanted to. It’s a chic and comfortable look.

What’s your favorite dress jacket color to wear this season? Find more winter essential jackets on yesstyle.com and see which one matches your personality!

To show off the designs, I’m wearing a natural toned long top. You’ll notice that even the top can be tied to change up appearances, but more on this piece in a moment. The first and the second pair of leggings have a mix of fabrics that stand out brilliantly in person. Both feature lines of a faux leather material that is ultra silky against the skin, and adds a beautiful shine to your design.

Faux Leather Leggings from SARAH: available on yesstyle.com

I’ve had many fashionistas come up to me to compliment me on the leggings, and then ask if they could touch them! Because the material is a faux leather, you get an almost liquid look that fits seamlessly against the skin (no wrinkles from a thick material that would crease). There is just enough of the material too be creative and not obnoxious, too. The tones in these two might be “normal”, but the designs are anything but that.

With a pair of boots, these leggings make me think of riding pants. With heels, they are an edgy part of your wardrobe. Wear them with a loose top, or even a simple camisole topped off with a form shaped jacket. A military style jacket with a big collar could look extremely haute, too!

Now on to some color….!

These red leggings from WiWi are a bright and bold color that will liven up any outfit. When something is this bright, I like to wear soft pastels, nudes, and cream colors to keep everything in balance. Some sheer light printed tops would look darling with these pants. It will also take an adorable dress to another level! Be daring and embrace the bright colors.

These leggings are by far my new favorite. Again, the style is simple and stunning and the material feels oh so comfortable. Very much a win – win! I wanted to show it off first in the same top so you can see how a change of leggings makes  a difference in the tone of the look, and then show you a wilder side:

With a simple change of the top, the leggings get a new kind of attitude. From classy and chic to wild and ready for a party. I’m very much in love with flowly see-through tops to layer over my outfit. The see-through factor lets the sun shine through and show the form, but give you more versatility in the volume of your style. We like volume- but we must maintain a feminine look and never look like a balloon.

So start playing with colors and prints, keep looks flowy and feminine, and add your own edge into your wardrobe!

PS The boots in the last look are my Convertible Boots which I’ve featured before. This is the newest way I’ve been wearing them. Each time I bring them out I discover a new style- you gotta love that in a shoe!

Yes Style is hosting a holiday contest, and you could win an iPad 2 just for showing off your holiday outfit. It must be a Yes Style holiday inspired outfit, and you can find the complete listing of the rules on yesstyle.com.

Here’s what you do-

1. Take a photo or video of you in your “Holiday Party à la YesStyle” outfit. Upload it to Facebook, your blog or anywhere you want and tell us the URL in the comment section below.

2. Send an email with the same URL, your name and email address to: contests@yesstyle.com

3. The “Holiday Party à la YesStyle” outfit does not need to be composed of YesStyle items but should be inspired by styles found on YesStyle’s retail websites and not from The YesStylist. You should clearly state the source of your inspiration on the page where you uploaded the photo or video of your outfit.

Don’t forget to check out the official contest rules! A picture’s worth a thousand words, or in this case, an iPad 2. So get styling, you have until January 5th, 2012! Good luck, my loves!

My holiday outfit inspiration:

This season I have been inspired by deep burgundy colors, belts to show off the waist, dresses that show movement or layers, interesting sleeves, and the military jacket.

That’s why when I spotted this dress it just had to be mine. It’s a Shirred-Sleeve Buttoned Layered Dress from  CatWorld and is available on yesstyle.com. Funny thing about this dress is that everywhere I go, people stop me and ask me if it’s vintage. I’ve had so many compliments, and being a fan of the vintage style I take that as a great compliment as well.

“The color is a dream, it’s perfect!” a girl said to me at a bar. I was thrilled. The layers of the skirt portion of the dress move beautifully and add a feminine feel against the structure of the military top. The white of the belt gives a nice accent, and makes me think of snow. The sleeves give you more texture and complete the look of the dress.

Combining elements from your every day style into one piece is fun. This dress is easily one of my new favorites and has inspired me to find more. So get to taking photos of your holiday outfit! Submit them to the contest and even share them in the comments here! I’d love to see what inspires you