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

April 27, 2013: Acid and Lace!

Nobody ever said sweatshirts had to be slob-wear only! With every girl and their grandma walking around campus in a school swag hoodie or North Face jacket, I felt like it was my fashionista duty to break up the monotony. And what better way to do that then by chucking in some acid...green!

 I love how this crazy top combines so many haute trends in one piece of wackiness; neon, lace AND studs! The fact that the "child-friendly" spikes are gold instead of basic silver makes them look more elegant next to the lace, yet still totally wicked. Also, the green is ever so slightly faded, a good gateway piece for me into neon shades that usually scare me a lil'. Now you can wander around feeling like you're in your lazy day clothes while being 110 percent hip and up to date!

Instead of just putting on jeans or shorts or another run-of-the-mill sweatshirt BFF, I went back over to the work side of the closet for this tan skirt. This way the ratio of feminine to bad-A gets evened out, and the contrast of slouchy top to fitted bottoms is always stylish. Might even be able to wear this to the office!...if you worked at, you know, the world's most formal Hot Topic.

My inspiration today came mostly (get ready for a shocker) from former Doctor Who companion. She might have gotten some raised eyebrows for her miniskirt love, but the love for her most iconic outfit shows feisty time-traveling Scottish redheads know what they're doing!

Running from aliens is no reason not to dress fabulously!

Since marriage between different neutrals became legal in all fifty states, I threw on my black boots for toughness instead of being too matchy-matchy with browns. For extra cuteness points, some ruffled sockies are peeking out of there!

 In Accessory-land, I gave the gold spikes some more refined company with all the black and gold bangles I own, as well as showing that I have a heart of gold! In my ears, at least.

Outfit Pieces:

• Sweatshirt - PayHalf, $17
• Skirt - Express
• Socks - Marshall's, $6
• Boots - Marshall's, $40
• Bangles - PayHalf, $8
• Earrings - Target, $8

BONUS!

 I plundered a New York Sephora during my style haul two weeks ago for this slick chalkboard mani set, and here we have the final product! I thought that it would be just the topcoat that turned the black polish matte, but it comes this way straight out of the bottle. The blue liquid chalk pen started freaking out and flooding, so we had to stick with a white, pink and yellow color scheme. Too cute, isn't it!

April 26, 2013: Purple Passion!

 Happy Friday! Today I’m serving up another method of wiggling your way into printed jeans without making too much of a splash, and that means PURPLE! It’s easy if you put together a light pattern with a solid top in a coordinating yet bold hue, letting them stand out yet not hog ALL the attention.

When it comes to logical clothes, I always thought that sleeveless turtlenecks were pretty far down in the mire. I mean, your neck is that cold that it needs its own parka but your arms are all "nah, it's all good over here, let's catch some rays!" Just looks odd. This evens out having neck-protecting chilliness that doesn't merit full arm coverage. The bunchy sleeves are unexpected and look much cooler than just pushing them up!

These look like the most fashionable painter's messy cover-up pants, don't they? They were also available in shades of blue, green and yellow, but I figured I could use some more purple and orange in my life. And oh my lordy, are the soft! I cuffed them up to keep things fun and fresh. By the way, when glancing around some hoity-toity New York shop, I ran into a pair almost exactly like these for over THREE HUNDRED BUCKS. Just say no, my Skinny Wallet ladies! Don't let the Man...Woman...rob you for some painted pants!

Add in a little Mellow Yellow!  Happy sunflowers pick up the pale yellow portions of the design, and give the purple a double dose of energy. Gotta love how contrasting colors work like a Red Bull on each other!

Just a single earring in a coordinating orange rounds off the look. I really have been neglecting my second piercing on this ear, need to get back into double-dose bling!

 

Outfit Pieces:

• Top - PayHalf, $12
• Jeans - PayHalf, $22
• Sandals - Payless Shoes, $10
• Earrings - Body Central, $3.90

April 25, 2013: Wild Child!

Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side! Everyone loves a good leopard something, especially right now in spring '13, so I broke out my most fierce skirt. As a bonus, I finally have my brand spankin' new Samsung camera for doccumentation! Since I'm not a selfie-lover, I fear the front view screen will go to waste...ah well, still a neat option.

One reason why I rarely shop at stores like American Eagle or Aeropostale, other than their threads not quite being of my tastes, is that I find walking around with a tiny moose or seagull or whatever on my chest (not counting my adoration of animal-all-over prints, clearly) detracts from the outfit a bit. Sorry, Polo, you started this madness. Take your horses back to the stable where they belong. Regardless, this thin sweater makes a good basic top, and lets you be creative with camis underneath.

I wasn't sure which necklace would fit the look better, so I thought, why choose? Jewelry layering is super in! So here we have the daintiness of a bead choker partnered with the sassy in-your-faceness of some big ol' shiny gold leaves! Heh heh...gold leaf. See what I did there. The shape of the leaves do work well with the V-neck of the sweater.

Skater skirts have to be the most fun of all skirt breeds; they're like a skirt golden retriever! Other ladies might find a pencil skirt more to their liking in this ensemble, but those and I don't chill, since they tend to make me look like I'm doing a serious J-Lo impression. Yikes. The leopard here is a little faded so as to not be too Real Housewives extreme, and it has enough weight to it not to be pulling a Monroe maneuver with every breeze that comes along. Finish it off with the lace-up boots, and ROAR! Go take your place on your Queen of the Jungle throne!

Outfit Pieces:

• Sweater - American Eagle, $30
• Cami -PayHalf, $4
• Skirt - PayHalf, $14
• Boots - Amazon, $38
• Leaf Necklace - Body Central, $3.90

April 24, 2013: Emerald Fields!

If you don't have time in your busy schedule to go lay in a green grassy field and find duckies and sailboats in the clouds, at least you can through your outfit! This cute combo is my homage to the Pantone of the Year, packing it full of all the springtime flavor of rolling down a hill in the sunshine.

For anyone who missed my New York style haul post four score and two weekends ago, I picked up this dress at H&M as a great blank ensemble canvass. It's a great sundress design, even lighter and softer than cotton! The bungee waist takes away the need for a belt, so I just dipped into my endless well of cardigans for this sky blue number. I've had internal debates on which is more life-essential, the humble cardigan or the spiffy blazer. Thoughts?

I am, as we speak, planning my wedding to the collective oxfords made by Not Rated. I've raved about the brand previously, and these are my third pair of their shoes. Do laces get any better than these? Nope, not at all! Their baby deer fuzzy taupe bodies let them work as a good neutral shoe even with the lace party.

Of course, what's a grassy meadow without some daisies! The jewelry section of Michael's-or any craft store, really-is fabulous for building your own simple accessories. The Industrial Chic rack in particular is a nirvana for any other steampunk aficionados. They manage to turn anything from burnt hunks of paper to faucet taps into epic necklace components! This daisy pendant is filled with what appears to be shredded flakes of metal; tough and girly at once. (Sounds like the one wearing it, too! Oh, my modesty)

Outfit Pieces:

• Dress - H&M, $25
• Cardigan - PayHalf, $12
• Oxfords - DSW, $25
• Necklace - Michael's, $6