Elevated Style Tip of the Week: Invest in Nice Hangers!

There is nothing worse than cute tops falling off of plastic hangers. Enter the velvet hanger. I bought these pink velvet hangers two years ago from TJ Maxx (you can find similar ones on Amazon) after my grandmother recommended them to me. Even though my boyfriend complains about the color, I LOVE them.

Here's why I love them:

1. No slippage. My clothes will never slip off again!
2. Extra space. These hangers are so thin that they increased my closet space by 50%!
3. Closet organization. Now I can actually see what I have in there!

Recent Purchases: Spring has Sprung

Of course the weather got cold again as soon as the weekend rolled around, so I didn't feel like going outside to take pictures. Instead, I went shopping! I was in the Spring spirit when I picked out and purchased the items below.

Stay tuned for upcoming outfit posts featuring these recent purchases.

1. J.Crew No. 2 Pencil Skirt in Medallion Paisley
2. BaubleBar Lemon Elliptic Bib Necklace
3. Ralph Lauren Zabrina Pumps in Polo Tan
4. J.Crew Stretch Perfect Shirt in Classic Stripe

Elevated Style Tip of the Week: Plan Your Outfits!

Isn't it the worst when you're staring in front of the closet with no idea what to wear and you have to leave in 5 minutes? If you plan ahead of time, this won't happen!

Every Sunday, I lay out my outfits for the coming week complete with jewelry, belts, and scarves. This saves me time in the morning (so I can sleep in longer!) and prevents me from stepping out of the apartment wearing something atrocious.

Here are some tips:

1. Create some space for your outfits. It can be anything from the top of a bureau to the side of an ironing board.
2. If you're using a particular accessory twice in the same week, put it with one of the outfits and use a sticky note for the other. 
3. Before planning your outfits, look at your calendar to see what events you might be attending. This will help guide your outfit selections.

Lookbook: Chambray Shirt

J.Crew Factory Chambray Shirt; J.Crew Classic Mini in Felted Wool; Tommy Hilfiger Sunglasses, DL40; Banana Republic Ashley Bow Ballet Flats; Banana Republic Scarf

It was 70 degrees in Boston today so I put on a skirt WITHOUT black tights for the first time this year! It felt wonderful. I love this weather. 

The chambray shirt I'm wearing is one of my favorite pieces at the moment. I can dress it up or dress it down. Here, I paired it with a red-orange skirt and leopard print scarf. I wouldn't wear this look to work (skirt is too short), but I'd certainly wear this out shopping on a bright sunny day!

More often than not, I have a hard time finding button-downs that are long enough for my torso. This chambray shirt, however, is plenty long enough and tucks nicely into a skirt or pair of pants. I'm wearing a size M from J.Crew Factory. Buy here on sale.

Lookbook: Cropped Pants

J.Crew Vintage Matchstick Cord; Ann Taylor Overlapping Placket Long Sleeve Blouse; Ann Taylor Perfect Exotic Pumps; AEO White Chronograph Watch; AEO Necklace; Free People Lurex Crop Sweater

As a tall girl, I have a hard time finding pants at the right length. Enter the cropped pant. Cropped pants are thankfully in style and are easy for tall girls to pull off!

The pants I'm wearing above I got on sale from J.Crew. There weren't any long sizes left, so I opted for a regular length. Of course, they were way too short for me, so I simply rolled up the bottom of the pants a bit and voila...cropped pants! Perfect for Spring.

Style Obsessions: March

1. Statement Sandals (J.Crew Sydney Patent Sandals)
2. Beach Hats (J.Crew Two-Tone Straw Hat)
3. Bold Necklaces (BaubleBar Lemon Elliptic Bib)
4. J.Crew Perfect-Fit Long-Sleeve Tee.
5. Printed Scarves (J.Crew Silk Scarf)
6. Nautical Stripes (J.Crew Knit Tunic Dress in Stripe)
7. Colorful Earrings (BaubleBar Glam Spree Drop Earrings)
8. Color Blocking (Banana Republic Laurel Color Block Pumps)
9. Essie Nail Polish

Can't you tell I'm ready for spring?!

Elevated Style Tip of the Week: Stop Buying on Impulse!

I'll admit it...I impulse buy all of the time. I see a good deal and I just can't help myself. This has lead me down a path of regret and wasted money over the years.

Lately, I've been keeping track (in Microsoft Excel) of everything I need to build out my wardrobe. So now, when I'm at the mall or surfing the web, I only purchase items that I've carefully considered and researched. It's done wonders on my wallet and it really has helped me to say no.

Next time you get the urge to buy on impulse, think to yourself how every $5 impulse would be better put towards a polished wardrobe. If you don't love it or need it, put it back!

Lookbook: Does This Bag Make My Butt Look Big?

H&M Dress; Forever 21 Scarf; Ann Taylor Perfect Pumps; H&M Bracelets; Longchamp 'Planetes Tonal' Tote; Coach Handbag

Did you know that the right bag can actually make you look smaller? For us tall girls, scale is the key to finding the right bag...and the right bag for us is a large one. Large bags can make us look smaller because they:

1. Help camouflage any extra flab around the waist, hips and even thighs.
2. Provide a kind of optical illusion. Larger bags occupy a greater area of the overall outfit, which can make you appear smaller.
3. Distract from problem areas. If you choose a larger than usual handbag, it draws attention to the purse instead of the hips.

See above how I appear to be smaller with the larger bag. Crazy, right?!

Lookbook: Wool Cropped Jacket

Banana Republic Factory Jacket; J.Crew Skirt; Banana Republic Flats; DSW Wristlet

One of my recent successful purchases was a Banana Republic Factory wool suit. It’s nothing like anything thing else I have in my wardrobe, but so far, I’m OBSESSED! It’s very versatile – I can wear it as a complete suit, or I can wear the pieces separately. And I feel totally British in it. Above is a recent combination I’ve worn the jacket with. Kate Middleton much!?

Pantone Colors: Spring 2012

Here are the Pantone Spring 2012 color picks―a mix of vivid brights, soft muted tones and fun-loving pastels. Read more about the color choices here. I'm loving the sodalite blue and cockatoo colors. I'll be sure to post some spring outfits soon with these colors!

 

Lookbook: Navy and Black

Ann Taylor Overlapping Placket Long Sleeve Blouse; J.Crew Skirt; J.Crew Booker Boots; American Eagle Necklace

People tend to think navy and black don't mix. In truth, combining navy and black shows a real sense of style. Just don't wear navy and black together if the navy is so dark that it almost looks black. It will look like you got dressed in the dark!

Navy and black combinations were big last year; the subtle contrast is smart for the office or evening. When I go for this look, I tend to wear the black on the bottom to mask my problem areas. Black definitely has a slimming effect. Also, it looks like I need to iron that blouse!

Lookbook: Tall boots

Banana Republic Trench; Ann Taylor Overlapping Placket Long Sleeve Blouse; Ann Taylor Belt; American Eagle Jeggings; Banana Republic Scarf; J.Crew Booker Tall Mid-Heel Boots

Finding boots that fit properly has never been easy for me. First of all, it's tough to find ones that are tall enough for my legs. Anything mid-calf or below creates weird proportions. Second, my calves are huge and oftentimes the tall boots I find are too tight. Lastly, if I find the perfect pair of boots that are tall enough and fit over my calves, they are usually way too expensive. Needless to say, I hate boot shopping. 

Thankfully, I've been having really good luck with the extended calf Booker boots from J.Crew. You can check out the pair I'm wearing above in the Masala Chai color. They are the perfect height for me and can easily pull over a pair of skinny jeans (the 16.5" shaft circumference is an inch larger than my calf measurement). The best part? They are on sale right now!

Other boots I've had success with:

• Steve Madden Intyce: Extra leather is gathered at the top with a buckle, which can be loosened.
• Isola Mocha: These boots come with a wide shaft circumference.
• Anne Klein Calantha: I find that boots with zippers fit better than ones you have to pull on.
• Boots from Aldo: They offer FREE leather boot stretching.

What boots have you had success with?