Sugar Rush

These stunning sandals are sweet as sugar, especially when paired with etherial and girly pinks and whites. I have been waiting since November to wear these beauties when I discovered them on sale at an awesome boutique. They were the very last pair and they captured my attention and my heart instantly. Now, finally it's sandal weather so I can take them for a stroll.

I have been enamored with Irregular Choice shoes since I was in high school, and Poetic Licence, their sister brand, takes my breath away too. These beauties are full of thoughtful details and saturated with sweet shades of pink and metallics. The shiny silver snake straps meet the glimmering gold footbed followed by a gold woven wedge and a hot pink sole. The sugary pallet is completed with the textured pale pink snake at the heel finished with a pink zipper, and the pale flower centerpieces flecked with gold. The design really staggers me with its excessive blissful femininity. 

Going over-the top girly with a lacy pink dress and insanely sparkly statement necklace and lounging in a field of flowers seemed like the perfect choice with these sugary glam sandals.

Shoes: Poetic Licence via Wholly Tara boutique. Dress: Ya Los Angeles, similar, similar. Necklace: Saks Off 5th. Bracelet: Bella Jack via TJ Maxx.

xoxo, CC

Show Some Skin

Last week I shared my new way of wearing an open backed top, layered with a chiffon tank, but this week I wanted to show a little skin. I found this strappy white bralette crop top which works really well under the open-backed top as it creates a pretty distraction from any bra straps while really showing off the open back. And, since the bralette is white, it barely shows through in the front! Throwing on my favorite summery bracelet from Hipanema and some bright cut-offs creates a fun casual festival look. I love this combination for a warm summery day, and we've been having quite a few of those lately which makes me very happy! 

Open-back Top: Jack by BB Dakota, similar, similar. Bralette/crop top: Garage. Shorts: J Brand. Bracelet: Hipanema, similar at Anthropologie (blue/black). Sandals: Dolce Vita at Saks Off 5th. Earrings: Target. Nails: Butter London "Kerfuffle."

-CC

Light Bulb

This super cute off-white aztec top poses one big wardrobe challenge: how do I handle the fact that it has an open back? I love that it criss-crosses in the back, and I am not afraid to show a little skin, or even a little bra, but it bothers me that the slit is just high enough that it shows my bra right where it clasps. The clasp is the "ugliest" part of a bra, and I don't really want to show that off. In the winter I have worn this shirt over a black tank top, which really makes the aztec fade pop, but in the summer I want to wear lighter colors. I have considered wearing a bandeau under it, but I wouldn't want the color to show through the thin white fabric in the front and look like a colored bra showing through. 

I saw a girl the other day wearing a criss-cross open backed sweater with chiffon layered underneath and a light bulb went off in my head! The perfect solution! I am not sure if the chiffon was attached as part of her sweater or if she layered the sweater over another top, but it looked so cute and so polished and it just made so much sense. I have a few chiffon tops that I plan to try layered under this one so that I can start wearing it again. Thank you stranger girl for providing me inspiration and solving my wardrobe problems!

I love the chiffon under an open backed top because it is flowy and semi-sheer, so it interacts with the loose open back instead of looking like you are "just trying to cover up" by clinging to your body as a tight cami would.

My other idea, so that I CAN show a little skin, is to find a bandeau/crop top/bustier that is nude in color and pretty in the back, either with lace detailing or crisscrossing straps, or even a little color in the back. I have several open-backed tops that this wish-list item would come in handy for, so if you spot one let me know! I am on the search…

Open-back top: Jack by BB Dakota, similar, similar.

Look #1: Pink silk tank: J. Crew. Wallet: Urban Outfitters, love this one. Flats: J. Crew.
Look #2: Colored jeans: Gap. Chiffon tank: Zara. Wedges: Ruche. Necklace: J. Crew Factory.

-C.C.

Lacy Casual

Now that I can bare to bare some skin my distressed jeans are back in full swing: I've been wearing them practically every day these past two weeks. They are so easy with a casual outfit and somehow add just enough of a style conscious edge to a laid back look. I've been pairing them with my metallic Sperrys or my floral sneakers a lot, and I roll the cuffs up once since the jeans are a bit short on me (as usual--rolling the cuffs makes it look intentional that my jeans are so short. Tall girl problems!). I wore them with those floral sneakers and a polkadotted baseball tee the other day for a feminine sporty/casual look, and here I paired them with some lacy girly pieces. This oversized teeshirt is one of my favorites because it is so sweet and girly with the lace and chiffon panels and the pink ribbon details. I feel like the tee and the lacy bag brought the perfect amount of femininity to the jeans and Sperrys duo. This outfit was so easy to throw together, yet I still looked cute enough for a day running errands around town.

Jeans: H&M, similar. Tee: Jack Wills, similar. Sperry Top Siders. Bag: Ruche, love this one. Necklace: Dogeared. Bangle bracelet: Kate Spade, similar.

xoxo, C.C.

May Flowers, As Promised.

You may remember this dress… I included it in my list of favorite items on ModCloth a few weeks ago. Well, somehow or another it found its way into my closet... Actually, this is how it happened: When I discovered this dress it was nearly out of stock, and was not available in my size, but as luck would have it one became available in my size. Best day ever! My guess is someone returned the dress, but it certainly made my day and I added it to my shopping cart immediately. (Sidenote: they just restocked all of the sizes!) The dress is even more stunning in person than it looked online. I love when that happens. The colors are so vibrant and pretty, and it includes all my favorites; orange, aqua, lavender, and pink. The details are so bohemian chic with the slight hi-lo hem and the cut-out in the back. Best part about it? This dress has pockets. Boom.

Dress: ModCloth. Sandals: Splendid. Belt: Old Navy, similar color. Tassel necklace: Indigo Boutique. Pearl necklace: Dogeared. Earrings: Kate Spade. Nails: Butter London "Kerfuffle." Angel wing bracelet: my own creation. 

xo, C.C.

Black & White & A Balcony

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This sequined owl teeshirt was a score on the sale rack at French Connection in Montreal but I've had trouble finding ways to wear it. I've written about my love for owls before, but they can be really hard to wear without looking too youthful or too gaudy. I chose to pair this tee with white jeans and my new black and white Emma Fox bag, with a blazer to layer. For a dressy finish I donned nude heels, but for a more everyday look I would absolutely wear this outfit with cute sandals too. Black and white is such a classic combination that it tones down the sequins and owl motif and creates a polished look. In my summery white crop jeans I'm ready to spend time outside perched on a balcony with a good book and a mocha iced coffee in hand!

Tee: French Connection, similar, option here. White jeans: J. Crew Factory, also here. Blazer: Urban Outfitters. Bag: Emma Fox via TJ Maxx. Heels: TJ Maxx. Earrings: Isle Of You Boutique. Necklace: Dogeared. Bracelets: Brandy Melville and a craft stand in Senegal.

xo, C.C.

Ditsy Floral

I've always wondered why we call floral prints 'ditsy' since ditsy is a word often used to describe a girl who's got her head in the clouds. Dictionary.com uses the word "flighty" which I think is a great synonym to capture the meaning of the word ditsy--but what does that have to do with floral prints?

When I googled my question I found this definition of a ditsy print: "A ditsy print is quite small in scale, and the design motifs are usually scattered or random rather than being ordered in a definable pattern like rows or stripes."Apparently it doesn't have to be floral, although that seems to be its most frequent form. So maybe the dress I'm wearing here isn't actually a ditsy print (I don't know, is the print small enough or random enough?) but it did get me thinking about what a ditsy floral is and what that description even means.

My floral dress probably makes me look like a ditsy girl too with its short skirt and ruffle at the neckline, but it was one of those 'I can't leave without it' items on a shopping trip a few years ago in college. Adding pale neutrals and a delicate necklace creates a very girly yet thoughtful ensemble. As you may have noticed, this dress is quite short on me, so I only wear it in the spring and fall when the air is cool enough to wear it with tights or leggings. These cute little cut-out booties are just perfect with a casual dress, and I'm so glad its finally dress weather so I can wear this combination. 

Dress: Isle of You Boutique, similar, similar, similar. Cardigan: Eileen Fischer at Garnet Hill. Belt: B-Low The Belt. Booties: Dolce Vita. Tights: Hue via TJ Maxx. Necklace: Dogeared. Bag: Ruche. Nails: Butter London, "Slapper."

Somebody refused to get out of my way…she just really wanted to be in the pictures.

xo, C.C.