I wore this lovely blue dress from the Tracy Feith for Target collection today to celebrate the fantastic weather:
That got me thinking about more summer ensembles. I'm been so focused on layering for the last few months that I've totally forgotten how to dress for nice weather.
Rebecca Taylor Spring 2010, Marc by Marc Jacobs Ukita Patchwork Skirt, $328 at shopbop.com, Porter Grey Embroidered Circle Skirt, $310 at shopbop.com: This is a look from Rebecca Taylor that I really loved. It's really simple, slightly bohemian, and very sexy while still being daytime appropriate. The key here is a bold, a-line, high-waisted skirt and a drapey tee, paired with a statement leather belt and some summery shoes. You can go two ways with the skirt: a very strong, colorful pattern, or a girlier, more subdued material. This Marc by Marc skirt has a certain Eastern European flair that's very boho/gypsy (loves it), whereas the Porter Grey skirt is extremely refined and girly, but not at all boring. The subtle texture of the rose-printed fabric adds so much visual richness. What I love about the cuts of these skirts is that they're extremely flattering, as they highlight your waist and skim over your hips, and they're nice and cool for warm weather.
KAIN Label Pocket Tee in Deep Lavender, $84 at shopbop.com, DVF Delilah Woven Belt, $185 at shopbop.com, Miu Miu Cork and Leather Wedge Sandals, $650 at net-a-porter.com: The cut of this KAIN tee is perfect: the ideal soft, draping counterpart to such a structured skirt. The purple picks up on the purple in the print on the Marc by Marc skirt, so it's just the right amount of bold and chaotic, and the purple livens up the greyish off-white of the Porter Grey skirt. I chose a strong black belt so that it wouldn't compete with the tee color-wise, and so that it would really define the waist and keep it from being lost in the draping of the tee. The studs and woven texture in the back add a nice amount of edge to the feminine silhouette, as does the military feel of that buckle. As for the heels, I wanted something summery but still dramatic. Wedges just scream summer to me, and the cork heel gives the look a needed bit of earthiness. The brown leather doesn't fight with the other colors in the outfit, and the knot details tie in with the boho feeling of the skirts perfectly.
As for the makeup I'd do for this look, I'd so something very simple and low-key. Who wants to spend half an hour inside doing makeup when it's that nice outside? I like this look from Gucci Fall 2010, with it's combination of easy, but piercing eye makeup and bouncy Chloe hair (Chloe hair is what you usually see at the Chloe shows, very full and soft with a lot of body and a slight curl towards the ends). It's sweet, but still sexy, and really low-maintenance.
MAC Eye Kohl in Smolder, $14.50 at maccosmetics.com, MAC Eyeshadow in Texture, $14.50 at maccosmetics.com, Dove Mousse, Volumizing, Body & Lift, $4.29 at drugstore.com: To get that look, I'd start with applying an eye primer across the lid to help your makeup withstand the summer heat (I like Urban Decay's Primer Potion), and then dusting a peachy-medium brown shadow, like Texture, across the lid and into the crease, blending heavily. Brush a little bit of Texture into the lower lashline, and then line the upper and lower waterlines with Smolder Eye Kohl. The black liner gives your eyes so much piercing definition, but the soft shading in the crease adds definition and a little warmth. As for the hair, apply a volumizing mousse, like this Dove mousse, from roots to ends, and blow it out with a round brush (don't forget the thermal protective spray!). Then use Velcro rollers (yeah, old school, I know) and a good amount of hairspray to set your ends into loose waves/curls.
And just for some random hilariousness, who wants to see my actual hair color? The left is me a few weeks ago (my hair's actually a couple shades darker now, I just re-dyed it), and the right is me at my 16th birthday (almost 3 years ago!) as a natural blonde. Yep. I'm a blonde. A very dark blonde, but a definite blonde in sunlight. No one ever believes me when I tell them. My hair is actually short for the time in that picture, it was usually a good 6-8 inches longer until I chopped it all off in the middle of junior year. I'm trying to grow it back out again, and I'm about 3 inches away from where I was. Waiting for your hair to grow out is the most frustrating thing ever!
Image Sources:
Tracy Feith dress: thebudgetbabe.com, Rebecca Taylor look: style.com, Gucci looks: style.com, Marc by Marc skirt: shopbop.com, Porter Grey skirt: shopbop.com, Kain tee: shopbop.com, DVF belt: shopbop.com, Miu Miu wedges: net-a-porter.com, MAC eye kohl: makeupandbeautyblog.com, MAC shadow: temptalia.com, Dove mousse: drugstore.com.
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