May 5, 2013: Sweet Señorita!

Feliz Cinco de Mayo, mis amigas! In honor of this "seems foreign and festive but really just another American excuse to booze into oblivion" holiday, I decided to bust out some flamenco girl flair!

Start of with a sassy crop top to show that those hips don't lie! Today was a little chilly, so I stuck a cami underneath; boo, my color-coordinated belly ring goes unnoticed. I wore this to our school Diwali festival, so it conveniently works for a plethora of assorted international celebrations. To avoid leaving nada to the imagination, cover up with a dainty lace cardi, also cropped. It brings the feeling of the pretty lace shawls Mexican ladies wear to church and such!

What good is a flamenco dance without a long skirt to swish yourself crazy in? I had the pleasure of seeing two different flamenco performances during my senior year Spain trip, one in a fancy restaurant and one in a genuine gypsy cave, and they were both stunning! Those ladies know how to rock the twirliest of twirly long skirts, and polka dots reign supreme, which is always a good thing!

Show off your twinkle toes! These epic wedges have a little foot bling built right in. I like that only one toe gets a ring for some funky asymmetry.

Time to go accessory loco! I picked a silver theme and just ran with it. No need to be shy with jangly bangles, stack 'em to your shoulder!...Okay, maybe not that high, bending elbows is a nice function. Even the ears get in on the fun, but still matching, so the unified look isn't too over the top with all that excitement.

Outfit Pieces:

• Top - Charlotte Russe, $16
• Cardigan - PayHalf, $12
• Skirt - Target, $20
• Sandals - DSW, $35
• Earrings - Target, $8
• Bangles - India

May 4, 2013: Rosy Toses!

Here's another great laid-back weekend look that doesn't sacrifice glam, with some adorable footwear as a focal point!

I have no clue what to call this...a sweatshirt? A long-sleeve tee? WHAT ARE YOU?! Well, whatever it is, it's soft and slouchy, has a nifty subtle flower texture in it, and can get layered over a tank or bralette depending on how much of a breeze your tummy needs that day.

Don't feel like throwing on your plain ol' jeans again? These capris have some funky stitching and pocket decorations, plus those cool creases in the upper leg area that stay dark though the rest is faded. Is there an official term for that? I don't know. Probably not. Regardless, these add some rugged chic to your getup!

And now, the stars of today's show! Forever 21 has some pretty out-there shoes (which I can't get enough of!), and floral oxfords were just crying out to be added to my collection. Who am I to walk past an oxford in need of a home? I've had a semi-hard time finding something to pair them with, but this outfit seemed in need of a certain extra something.

To conclude the all-over-flower theme, a dainty gold daisy chain does the trick!

Outfit Pieces:

• Shirt - H&M, $16
• Capris
• Oxfords - Forever 21, $25
• Necklace]

May 3, 2013: Symphony of Style!

Well, after a ridiculously busy day yesterday-lots of cupcakes were involved-we're back to your regularly scheduled glam! As if we couldn't drink any deeper into the nerd Kool-Aid for style inspiration, today's look is brought to you by one of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic's starring background characters, Octavia.

Just because you don't wear clothes doesn't mean you can't have style!

I always liked the look of tucking a collared shirt under short-sleeved dresses, and the ruffles and lace here team up quite nicely. Since 'Tavi is a classical cellist, it seemed the sort of sophisticated yet girly look she would go for if she actually wore clothes. Add a splash of color with her signature pink bow tie! That's right, I can even bow tie when the Doctor isn't involved. I may have an addiction.

These are the third installment of my Not Rated oxford library, as well as being my absolute favorites. Yay for glitter! Just for fun, I decided to add in some over-the-knee socks. I have yet to unravel the secret of the universe that allows women to wear these without them falling down with every step, but when I do, it shall be a miraculous day indeed.

I slipped on some sweet treble clef earrings as a shout-out to Octavia's cutie mark. It took me a shamefully long time to make the cutie-beauty connection in that pun...hey, I never played with ponies when I was a youngster! It's much more hip to do it when you're 20 here in 2013.

Outfit Pieces:

• Dress - Aeropostale, $21
• Shirt  - American Eagle
• Bow Tie - eBay, $3
• Shoes -DSW, $25
• Socks - eBay, $3
• Earrings - eBay, $4

May 1, 2013: Paint the Roses Yellow!

Nobody ever said pastels had to be low-key; these roses pack a serious wallop!  The thick black outlines give them a sort of Andy Warhol pop art feel, like someone sketched them out with a pen all over the dress. Yes, this isn't just a skirt; make your wardrobe do double duty with layering!

Instead of just wearing the dress as is, I threw on a see-thru tee over top for a subtle print-mixing look. The polka dots go well with the roses since they make me think of the atomic blonde hair of Roy Lichtenstein's comic book ladies. Marvel at my infinite knowledge of artists! Monet, Warhol, Lichtenstein...does my classiness ever stop? Well, yes, if I ever go insane enough to do something inspired by Dali. That would be fairly terrifying.

For shoes, I went the delicate route with some comfy crochet flats. If you're hunting for some ideal Coachella footwear, these are a great place to start!

Throw in a different flower look with this photo glass necklace. Another piece from the jewelry making aisle of Michael's, I like how it captures the look of those pieces of art people do where they paint over dictionary pages, and the clearness makes it 20% cooler! These magnetic-closing necklace wires are one of the best things invented in history...EVER.

Outfit Pieces:

• Dress - Charlotte Russe, $33
• Shirt - Rue 21, $13
• Shoes - DSW
• Necklace - Michael's Arts and Crafts

April 30, 2013: Timey-Wimey-Wear!

Here's to the end of my first month of blogging! 2,200 views and 60 Twitter followers in 30 days; not bad, SWS, not bad at all! For this milestone post, I decided to go right to my roots with, you guessed it, some Doctor Who attire.

One of the biggest sources of sadness in my life is the fact that there are so many wonderfully hilarious shirts for sale online that I would give a kidney to own, but they're all a minimum of 30 bucks with shipping, which can rack up a hefty sum for noveltywear. (Regardless, I WILL own the "I many be crazy but at least I have each other" tee at any cost). Therefore, I decided to take matters into my own hands and concoct my own! This one will take some explaining to non-fans. It's obviously an "I ♥ NY" parody, but has two hearts just like the Doctor does (alien anatomy, remember), and Gallifrey is his home planet. Following? Good. For some flair and extra warmth, I went with a snazzy red blazer!

The Doctor is known for his ever-changing yet always wacky getups, and these trendy polka dot slacks would do him proud, I like to believe. A fantastic snag from the Charlotte Ruse sale rack, they're not just jeans, but fully structured high-waisted dress pants. Quality tailoring for a bargain! Gotta have his footwear of choice, too. The true measure of a great man is his love of Converses!



With style like this, the Sonic Screwdriver is really just for show

Finally, no self-respecting Whovian would be without a (cool!) bow tie. When real neckwear isn't an option, this glitzy ring will do the trick.

Outfit Pieces:

• Shirt - Custom!
• Blazer - H&M, $25
• Pants  - Charlotte Ruse, $15 (sale)
• Sneakers - Famous Footwear, $45
• Ring - Charlotte Ruse, $6

April 29, 2013: The Cat's Meow!

Ladies and...ladies, behold, my latest innovation in style: Crazy Cat Lady Chic! Since you can't utter Zooey Deschanel without the word "quirky" connected to it, I feel like she would totally rock this getup. It's just fun cuteness!

What else would you start off a CCL outfit with than a comfy cardigan? This one has a twist with the chunky front buttons, baby-sized pockets perfect for storing any kitty treats you might have to tote around, and a lace back panel. Layer a coordinating goldenrod cami underneath!

I seem to be starting a new trend of Animal Patten Mondays. Last week birdies, now it's kitties. This skirt is so much more creative than just putting on whole cats; look at those different colored eyes and darling little ears! As a break from the high-low, maxi or miniskirts, the knee-length goes along with the retro oddball look I'm going for. You could definitely make this work for some sort of impromptu Halloween office or class outfit if you wanted. Definitely on my possibilities list for October!

Of course you need some bows on your shoes with this outfit! A little sparkle never hurt anyone either.

Outfit Pieces:

• Cardigan - Rue 21, $15
• Cami - Wet Seal, $4
• Skirt - PayHalf, $14
• Shoes - Burlington Coat Factory, $17

April 28, 2013: Out to Brunch!

Today is a rather special Sunday for Skinny Wallet Style, as I have the privilege to go out to brunch with some of the members of Philly Style Bloggers! I'll be getting to learn some tricks of the trade from seasoned veterans of the bloggosphere (as well as some fresh faces like myself) over delicious nosh. Therefore, I picked out an elegant yet playful look for the day!



Some days, dainty tiny floral prints just don't seem up to scratch. At times like that, break out some oversized blossoms like the ones on this top! This feels like the fabric pattern from the dress of a Southern belle attending a cocktail party or the Kentucky Derby to me. (Or a luau! It's just Big Kahuna enough to mesh with the tropical print craze.) Compliment the purple blooms with these velvety periwinkle skinnies.

Hologram has got to be one of the strangest material trends I've seen pop up lately (and this is  the style world being influenced by Fifty Shades of Grey we're talking about). It's just so wacky and wonderful, I had to get in on it! Unfortunately, all the cool shoes I could find were roughly a zillion dollars, until the saving grace that is H&M handed me these tennies. So much love! But figuring out what to pair them with? Aye, there was the rub. I realized that the dominantly purple reflective colors would work well with my pants, and though, "why not?" Every outfit needs more shiny!

Even my earrings are photosynthesizing today! If you're scratching your head over why the star is sprouting greenery, it's actually a Paopu Fruit from the video game Kingdom Hearts. While you wouldn't be making fruit salad out of it anytime soon, it's said that two people who eat one together will have their destinies intertwined for all time. Beat that, strawberries!

Outfit Pieces:

• Shirt - Forever 21, $18
• Cami - Forever 21, $6
• Pants - Marshall's, $20
• Shoes - H&M, $13
• Earrings - Hikari wo Sagasu, $6