Solar Power: the Fashion Kind

Hello there, my beautiful barganistas! So as I have stated before, I am writing to you about the different colors that have been chosen by Pantone and are popular this season on the runways. The next color that I am going to share with you is called Solar Power. Solar Power is a bright, sunshine yellow. Out of all ten of the colors that Pantone has created, I think that this one is my favorite. Yellow, in general, is such a bright and happy color and to see it appear in the spring trends gets me really excited.
           Personally, I really enjoy wearing the color yellow, especially in the form of dresses and tunics. This color is so feminine, delicate and warm. I know that a lot of people are afraid to wear the color yellow, and believe that yellow is best suited for tan or darker skin tones, but I believe that anyone can wear this color. The great thing about Solar Power is that it is bright, but tastefully so. It will not wash out fairer skin tones. Instead it will compliment them. If, on the off chance you are afraid to wear yellow, this color will make a great accent piece as well. Another idea I’m excited to try is to bring out accent pieces in this cheery color when the weather starts to get colder and our clothing color palette can become a bit drab.  As I was doing my regular window-shopping at the mall, I found some great pieces in Solar Power at affordable prices! I hope that you enjoy what I found, and I wish you all happy shopping!--Olivia W.

Step into Style with Great Shoes

Have you ever looked at a man or woman with interest...until you saw their shoes?
Sometimes it's worth investing in a good pair of shoes. Besides, a person can usually tell designer shoes from an unbranded pair and it's a fun way to invest in your outfit and make it look more sophisticated. When investing in shoes, it's important to look at what you like about your feet (arches, toes, ankles) and find a nice pair that accentuate your foot. Not to mention, we all need to be spoiled once and awhile. Below are some sexy alternatives to those Crocs and Rainbow sandals that give us a bit more comfort rather than style...

Color-blocked heels feel fresh and so perfectly suited for the Spring — plus they're a super simple way to lend a little outfit interest to even your most basic jeans and tees.

Fendi $695                      Enzo Angiolini $110

Kork-Ease $150

We love the textural intrigue of a woven sandal. They have that cool, tribal-inspired quality that looks especially perfect for the warmer months ahead.

Kenneth Cole  Reaction Warm Cedar $ 79.00

   Burberry Prorsum Woven Leather Wedges $1,685    Frye Ramsey Woven Peep $228.00

What's not to love about flat sandals? They're easy on our feet, and in shimmer, embellished, or pretty-hued versions they certainly don't skimp on style.

Tibi Amber Flat $340                                 L.A.M.B. Myra $225

Metallic heels feel entirely new and fresh for the season. They've got a slight futuristic quality that's sleeker and cleaner than sequined shine — and they work for night and day.

Elizabeth and James $350                         Michael Michael Kors $93.99

--Kellie M.

Accessorizing

One of the cheapest ways to change a look is to spruce it up with accessories. You can make a flowy blouse look professional, bohemian, or beachy just by what you wear around your neck or in your hair. In high school, I was known for having so many different pairs of earrings and scarves. Not having the biggest budget for shopping as a teen, I learned to change my look by focusing on the accessories. I lived for costume jewelry. It was usually funky and statement making, but I didn't feel guilty if I only wore it a couple times because of the usually very inexpensive price. The statements I think change a look most drastically are hair accessories or hats, necklaces, and scarves. Because of their size (as opposed to rings and earrings), they create other points of interest in your outfit. Below are some examples of each of the above categories.

Topshop, $36, scarf

Urban Outfitters, $28, necklace

Anthropologie, $28, headband

Mod Cloth, $24.99, scarf

Topshop, $32, choker/collar

Urban Outfitters, $24, scarf

Forever21, $12.80, hat

Topshop, $30, choker

Forever21, $19.80

Urban Outfitters, $34

So next time you are in a pinch or craving a new look without be able to drop lots of money—consider a new accessory! Go forth and shop beautifully.
-Kristina K.

Playful Cabaret

Hey bargain bloggers! I am back to introduce another color that is on the list of color trends by Pantone for spring 2012. The color that I am sharing this week is called Cabaret which is a hot pink with cool blue undertones. It is also described by Pantone as a rose violet. Since I work in a mall, I often window shop at other stores to see what is popular for right now. I like to think of it as a casual way of keeping up with the trends. In my recent visits, I have seen this color everywhere! It is used on every blouse, skirt, and even jeans. I would have to say that this Cabaret is almost as popular for spring as Tangerine Tango.

            As much as I love Tangerine Tango, I think that I love Cabaret more for spring. I think that I am naturally drawn to pinks, mostly because I am really girly, but what I love most about this color is that it is a wearable shade of hot pink. Because this is a cool shade, it would look flattering on most skin tones; warmer shades such as Tangerine Tango are a little harder to pull off.

            So as I was window-shopping, I did find a few pieces that incorporate this fun color, but at affordable prices. Remember, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to be fashionable. It’s all about how you wear it ;) Enjoy!
-Olivia W.

Urban Outfitters $59.00

Forever 21 $13.80

Urban Outfitters $59.00

Lucky Brand $69.50

Urban Outfitters $59.00

Urban Outfitters $59.00

Urban Outfitters $49.00

Heritage 1981 $16.90

Forever 21 $9.80

Tangerine Mix Match

On a recent trip to Ross, I stumbled upon a beautiful tangerine Michael by Michael Kors tunic. I particularly loved the bright richness of the color which just happened to be one of Pantone's chosen colors of the year. Originally priced $89.50, I only paid $34.99. What a steal! If you're not a mathematician (me, either), that's more than 50% off! Today I'm going to show you how I can use a single piece to spice up my wardrobe and create different outfits. All the accessories, jeans, legging, and shoes came from my closet. The pictures below will demonstrate how many different ways you can wear one piece, whether it's a casual outfit for school or for a night out on the town.

  An outfit to school includes the textured purple sweater, skinny jeans, and combat boots. Another option would be the tunic paired with solid black leggings.

A great look for a night out to dinner or bars would be the tunic paired with jeans and black/cork wedge or paired with a black studded sweater and black belt.

                                                                                      

A "hipster" outfit would consist of patterned leggings (this case floral) and combat boots and can also be paired with the purple textured sweater. You could also wear the tunic with the studded black sweater and combat boots to wear to a hip bar downtown.

Keep checking back for upcoming bargain fashion trends!!!
-K.M.

One Garment, Seven Ways

 Ciao tutti! (Hi all!)
Now I must reveal something about myself...

...I'm addicted to travel. Not just traveling anywhere. I have a tendency to always end up back in Italy (going on four times after this summer). When I first went to Italy, I was eighteen and blew my savings from minimum wage jobs that I had held since sixteen. I lived in Firenze for two months by myself and, as a natural-born fashionista, my activities regularly included browsing the local shops and markets [mercati]. Oh, I could kill to be able to reach those markets anytime I wanted! The unique pieces you'd find there were unlike anything else I'd ever found in stores here in the States. I have the most amazing collection of Florentine leather products and Pashmina scarves. My favorite thing to hear when I wear them: " Where did you get that?!"

I feel as though I don't even have to tell you--I didn't have to pay much for these items in the market. Bargaining was the name of the game and, boy, did I abuse that right! Being a thrifty chic shopper, it's important to keep your eye out for those special pieces--the ones that look like they could be from some exquisite boutique in a far away land that no one has ever heard of. These pieces can make your wardrobe more memorable and more fun to work with. When you are being thrifty, you do not want to simply shop at cheap stores like Forever 21 and H & M. You want to keep fresh and the best way to do that is to invest or search for a couple unique (but timeless if you're spending $$$$) pieces that you can wear a bunch of different ways. One piece of this nature can be the same as buying seven different pieces! See below for some examples....

 

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(Items seen here are available at UrbanOutfitters.com and Anthropologie.com)

Now that you have an example of how one piece can really spruce up your wardrobe (and you get the most use out of it which = more bang for your buck)....

Go forth and shop beautifully.
-Kristina K.