Day 22: I found these lovely pj-like pants during a thrift excursion and debated on them for about 10 minutes.  They looked big enough to fit me, but there were no dressing rooms and I didn’t wear anything that I could easily slip them on to try.  I figured they would be high waisted and flared, and I couldn’t have been happier when I brought them home and tried them out.  When paired with classic navy, heavy accessories and peep toe booties, it was definitely an outfit to turn the preppier heads in the West End.  Outfit details: dress as top, Forever 21; pants, no brand thrifted; tights, Target; heels, Ana Michele via Plato’s Closet; coat, J. Crew via warehouse sale; watch, Citizen; earrings, Forever 21.

Day 23: Work day outfits always include a little bit of style and a lot of comfort, especially when I am in for a lot of meetings.  I gravitate towards easy stripes and black on brown feels so European chic that it’s a safe yet fashionable choice for the office.  Outfit details: top, Gap; pants, J. Crew; cardigan, Old Navy via Plato’s Closet; scarf, pashmina from Milan; boots, BCBGeneration; watch, Citizen.

Day 24: My striped tunic top from Day 22 makes a comeback for another long day of training.  This time paired with jeans and red cord blazer I thrifted over five years ago and have never let go of since.  Outfit details: dress as top, Forever 21; jeans, H&M; wedges, Aldo; blazer, thrifted; earrings, Forever 21.

Day 25: Part of my job includes meetings with different community movers and shakers.  Today was a meeting with the city planner in the Department of Economics and Community Development here in Richmond.  Not wanting to be too flashy, I paired black on black with trousers and a minimal pop of mustard yellow.  Outfit details: tank, thrifted; blazer, Forever 21; pants, Banana Republic; belt, J. Crew; boots, BCBGeneration.

Day 26: Since I’ve been picking a favorite outfit out of each week, this combo of yellow, red, blues and pearls is my new go-to.  I’ve been thinking more about layering over the past 4 weeks and where I would usually just wear this sweater, I found something to put under it.  I was tempted to choose neutral shoes, but went instead for my red heels – a new found love and I adore the outcome.  Outfit details: sweater, thrifted; blouse, Target via Plato’s Closet; jeans, Gap; heels, J. Crew via J. Crew Warehouse Sale; necklace, Lava Boutique.

Day 27: For the last of my work days, it was again a comfy sweater, jeans and boots paired with a few bold accessories.  The sweater was scored at the J. Crew Warehouse sale after hours of searching through overflowing bins, clothes with random holes, and nothing in my size.  When I found this sweater (I found one the first day I went, but it had holes) sans holes and in great condition, I knew it was fashion fate.  Do you believe in this?  If you find something you like, you leave it in the store, come back a few days later and if it’s there, then you must, must buy it.  Solves a lot of those “do I or do I not purchase” questions.   Outfit details: silk cami, thrifted; sweater, J. Crew via J. Crew Warehouse Sale; jeans, Banana Republic; boots, Nine West; gold bracelet, thrifted; ring, H&M.

Day 28: So. This is pretty much what I looked like on Saturday.  Exchange the Y fleece for a William and Mary sweatshirt and you have my outfit from the morning where we held a community volunteer day through work.  We were cleaning, painting, and otherwise detailing one of our new group homes.  Thanks to about 50 Delta Theta sorority girls from VCU we MORE than finished our task.  And yes, I do work part time at the Y.  Gotta keep that membership going strong.  Outfit details: YMCA work outfit; black pants, Goodwill; tennis shoes, Atrex.

1. Sydney Even Gold & Pave Diamond Love Ring, $860.

2.  Circle Ring Gold and Silver, $65.

3.  Gabriela Artigas X Sincerely Jules Knot Ring, $72.

4. Gold and Turquoise Arrow Ring.

5. Skinny Rings with Dots of Silver, $20.

1. Deep Purple Ballet Flats, $125.  I love the colors in these dark purple flats.  Purple is a go-to classic color and can be paired easily with a cocktail dress or a more casual outfit while retaining an elegant feel.

2. Ruby Rose Ballet Flat, $125.  A good pop of color is a no brainer for spicing up an outfit and these ruby red flats fit the bill perfectly!  Throw them on with a sleek black skinny pant and structured blazer and you have a new work ready outfit in no time at all.

3. Aqua Looping Lace Celtic Ballet Flat, $125.  These aqua beauties will be on your feet almost every day come spring with the turn out of pastels and neons on the runways.  These pretty flats will move seamlessly between beach cover ups and a Saturday brunch date.

What do you think?  Ready to give the bridal flats and spin and wear them around the town, out on a date, or maybe you will even purchase them for your own walk down the aisle!

Images can be shopped here: Beholden Bridal

Day 15: Sunday is always a great day fashion-wise for me because I usually have no where pressing to be besides church and that in and of itself is a fashion venue depending on where we go.  If we head downtown for church then no one takes a second look and this is what I love about Richmond fashion.  If we stay in the West End, then I just retain my “downtown fashion attitude” and leave it at that.  This outfit was chock full of layers and textures and was just fun to wear (despite the temps in the 30′s – my husband kept telling me to “stop looking so cold.”).  Outfit details: turtle neck, H&M; green top, GAP; sweater vest, Target; skirt, thrifted; heels, Target; necklace, gifted from the Tobacco Company.   Location: Shockoe Bottom

Day 16: I was off again on another Monday (love those federal holidays) so I took advantage of the time and took to Cary Street to purchase gifts for my BFF’s birthday.  Luckily I managed to find all but 2 things and was able to spend the day hitting up my favorite local stores: Mongrel, Bygone’s Vintage Clothing, The Hall Tree, and Clemetine.    Outfit details: button down, J. Crew; vest, Guess thrifted; jeans, Arden B.; boots, Nine West; necklace, H&M.  Location: Far West End

Day 17: Work called for all day meetings and trainings which of course called for comfy and layers.  In trying to re-use some of the clothes I don’t typically wear or consider finally getting rid of, I threw on a grey wrap, dressed it up with a belt and rounded it out with jewel toned necklaces and a scarf.  Outfit details: silk top, thrifted; grey wrap, Target; belt, H&M; boots, Nine West; scarf, thrifted; necklaces, New York and Co and thrifted. Location: our apartment in the far West End.

Day 18: So far I am loving Wednesdays – these are my mid-week Sundays in terms of fashion styling.  I usually spend my days between Panera, Starbucks, or a local coffee house.  This also means I can experiment with styling and today I pulled cropped black pants, a sheer top and a touch of neon with conservative snakeskin heels and a black blazer.  Work chic with a twist.  Outfit details: top, Silence and Noise via Plato’s Closet; tank, J. Crew; pants, H&M; heels, Urban Outfitters via Plato’s closet; necklace, J. Crew; blazer, Forever 21. Location: Far West End.

Day 19: Another work day, another training day.  My work style has evolved to consist of jeans, a good heel, silk top and a blazer.  You can’t get much more business casual than this can you?  I find if you add the silk top, curl your hair and keep accessories to a minimal, you are ready for any work business and can easily transition into date night or happy hour after.  Outfit details: top, thrifted; blazer, Forever 21; jeans, H&M; ankle boots, Vince Camuto.  Location: Southside Richmond.

Day 20: I love nothing more than pairing neutral basics with pops of color found in my heels, clutch, and cuff.  With a great cropped pants and grey top it’s easy to look chic and pulled together while color makes everything fun and brighter on a Friday.  Outfit details: jeans, Banana Republic; sweater top, Gap; coat; H&M; heels, Aldo; clutch, Banana Republic thrifted; cuff, bought from a street vendor in NYC.  Location: Far West End.

Day 21: This look might have been one of the farthest from my typical outfits but it was one of my favorites.  It has been freezing and raining (yet no hint of snow) in Richmond lately and while I hate the cold, it has given me good excuse to try different versions of layers.  Here I paired tights with a knee length skirt turned tube top dress with a layered striped tee over it and topped off with my favorite rope necklace.  If you buy one piece of jewelry, make it your mission to find something similar.  It literally goes with anything. Outfit details: top, via Plato’s Closet; skirt, American Apparel; tights, Target; boots, Atrex; necklace, Boutique on Feet; jacket, H&M. Location: Far West End.

Make sure you catch up on Week 1 and Week 2 and if you want even more styling fun, check out my styles from a year gone by, here, here, and here.  How have you challenged your style so far this year?  Trying out neons?  What about prints?  Do share!

Claire Danes and Emma Stone are only 2 of the major clients of celeb stylist Petra Flannery.  She was featured in a previous Styled post (read here) and also calls celebs such as Zoe Salanda and Mila Kunis her own.  Petra is known for her ability to take items right off the runway and pair them with the “right” girl for a clean and sopohisticated look.   Claire and Emma were my hands down favorite looks of the Golden Globes and it came as no surprise that they were styled by the same person. 

What Golden Globes post would be complete without a photo of Angelina Jolie?  While she appeared very thin and plastic like on the red carpet, there is no denying the power of this red and nude dress.  It is literally a show stopper.  This look’s credit goes to Jen Rade, “Angie’s” stylist for 8 years.  Among her other credits are styling music videos for Pink and Avril Lavigne and styling the commerical for the Jovovich-Hawk Target collab.

I love me some Rooney right now.  Each of her red carpet appearances become more and more lovely while managing to keep the risque factor.  She shines in this Nina Ricci dress, styled by Ryan Hastings.  Ryan is noted as a well respected stylist who works with Twilight ‘s Robert Pattinson and actress Mia Wasikowska.  He seems a perfect fit for Lisbeth’s Mara as he began his work as a fashion editor and slowly grew his celebrity clientel.  Even now, he doesn’t have a website, agent or any other type of publicity going for him (hence the teeny tiny photo below and lack of anything else).  As far as stylists go, he has gained a name for himself as a fashion stylist versus a someone styling merely for an event.  How do you think he did with Rooney for the Golden Globes? 

Meryl Streep was a surprise hit for me.  While her dress landed her on numerous worst dressed and what was she thinking lists, I loved it.  The pocket detailing, western styling, and lace details on the collar tell of a laid back elegance that only Ms. Streep could pull off on the red carpet.  Unfortunately, after hours of internet searching and twitter asking I wasn’t able to identify her stylist.  Pictured below is the lovely Alessandra Rich, a British designer with outstanding designs who created the dress.  What did you think of Meryl’s dress?  Best dressed or a little too wild wild west? 

Who was your favorite surprise celebrity stylist?  I am loving Rooney Mara’s look right now and would love to see more from Ryan Hastings, maybe even an interview if we get lucky?  Or at the very least a full size photo!   

Images and info courtesy of Style.com , Harper’s Bazar, Hollywood Reporter and Fab Sugar

As you know, I am forever seeking out great places to shop whether that is local boutiques, online shops, or even new larger retailers.  But perhaps one of my favorite places to find great items are thrift and vintage stores.  For those that just don’t like spending hours shifting through the masses of racks for a few treasures, you will love the recent resurgence of online vintage and thrift retailers.  The concept is simple: they find great vintage buys, compile them all in one place, and you get the eclectic feel of shopping vintage without even leaving your cozy room.  Some may argue the prices of these retails are overpriced for thrifted finds, but others love them for the simple time saving fact.  Either way, there is no denying that you can find true treasures through these online ventures.  Featured above are some of my favorites from Everyone’s Buying Vintage – a truer statement I’ve never met!  Read below for my reviews and fave picks from the site.

1. 70′s Salmon draped dress, $32.  I love this pretty pink dress with its long sleeves high neck and short hemline.  This is the perfect transition piece from winter wear with tights and boots to pretty flats and a fedora for spring wear.

2. 80s avant garde mini dress, $78.  I am drawn to sequins, poofs, and unrealistic clothing for the simple wow factor.  While this doesn’t lead to a practical closet at times, it lends itself quite nicely for those times you just want to play dress up or wear something outrageous in public.  This dress fits the bill perfectly and could even be altered for those girls looking for a great piece of vintage but don’t want to commit (trim down the puffs!).

3. 80s polka dot mini, $36.  I am the first to admit that I really am not a girly girl.  But I love these polka dots and ruffles like crazy!  This dress is adorable and I can easily see it paired with a more utilitarian vest or a bright blazer to done the girl-factor.

4. 80′s Safari Printed Dress, $36.  This is still on my to-buy list for spring.  The lovely pastels are perfect for spring and when paired with sky high wedges or a funky hat screams resort wear.  Beach party anyone?

5. 80′s Rhinestone Blazer, $40.  Gems and blazer need I say more?  This is a great twist on a classic blazer.  The length is on trend and the sparkles lend itself to either work, a girls night out, or casual brunch.  How would you wear this blazer?

6. 80′s Grecian Goddess Blouse, $28.  My last fave pick of the day is a silk blouse.  The thrift or vintage store is the perfect place  to stock up on these.  They come in a vast array of colors, styles, and prints and can usually be scooped up for $5-$10 depending on where you shop.  Through an online site such as EBV the prices are higher than your typical thrift store, but you are guaranteed a quality find.

Interested in other online vintage shops?  Try 2 of my freshly found favorites:

• Pickpocket Shop – a delightful online site with fun photos and a great mix of vintage and thrifted items to include Anthropologie Urban Outfits and Betsy Johnson
• White Hat Vintage – the selections in this great Etsy shop are carefully curated and contain vintage items as well as clothes.

Have you done any online thrifting/vintage shopping latey?  Or do you prefer the more traditional route?  Full dislosure:  I love the hunt of thrifiting so I prefer to go myself as opposed to shopping vintage online, but I love these types of shops!

Images courtesy of EBV

Day 8:  I spent the second weekend of January traveling, covering over 12 plus hours in three days, hitting two states, and seeing a lot of family members.  The majority of this day was taken up by driving, so I opted for a comfortable yet stylish outfit and neon fit the bill perfectly.  My slightly tousled hair was a hold over from the previous day’s bun – sometimes the unwashed bed head looks are the best.  Outfit details: top, J. Crew; jeans, H&M; boots, Atrex; necklace, Boutique on Feet.

Day 9: First official day back at work after various days off for the Christmas and New Years holiday again I opted for comfy.  The necklace I found during one of the first weeks after I moved to Richmond five years ago.  We have a huge farmer’s market that sells everything from veggies to crafts to vintage items.  I love the delicate gold chain and the large purple with gold flecks pendant.  Outfit details: sweater, Urban Outfitters; jeans, H&M; boots, Aldo; necklace, thrifted.

Day 10: By the end of the day, this outfit changed slightly, I moved from wide-legged trousers to boot cut jeans and added a black circle scarf.  Lately I have been investing in quality pieces that also fit my body type.  As a petite girl, this can be extremely hard.  Fortunately, just as there are a myriad of fashion bloggers out there, there are also a myriad of petite fashion bloggers whose focus is on finding clothes to fit smaller framed girls.  I’ve decided I need to hem these trousers before I can properly wear them again.  What do you think?  Outfit details: top, Cynthia Steffe from Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market; trousers, Banana Republic; blazer, Proenza Schouler for Target; boots, BCBGeneration.

Day11: Today was another work day, but working from home allows me time to experiment.  This outfit is my favorite from this week as it incorporates some of my signature style looks (a laid back t-shirt glammed up with jewels), but also goes outside of my typical wear with the rolled boyfriend jeans and ankle tied red shoes.  I picked them up at the J. Crew warehouse sale and am in love.  Outfit details: t-shirt, Forever 21; boyfriend pants, Banana Republic; heels, J. Crew Warehouse Sale; necklaces, both Target.

Day 12: This is another outfit that changed slightly by the time I wore it out.  I swapped the thrifted belt for a slim grey suede belt and a bright green scarf.  It felt a little “girl goes camo”, but for an $8 dress and some old standby accessories, it turned into an out of the box outfit.  Outfit details: dress, Target; boots, Nine West; necklace, J. Crew; belt, thrifted.  

Day 13: Casual Friday tends to bring out my natural tendencies – mixing colors, shapes, skinny jeans and boots.  My husband actually loved this outfit as he likes simple things.  The GAP jacket is one I rarely wear, but every now and then it gets pulled out and seems to complete an outfit.  Outfit details: top, American Apparel; jacket, GAP; jeans, H&M; boots, Atrex.  

Day 14: Business chic calls for boots, blazers, and a detailed watch.  I had a coffee meeting this day to discuss freelance writing opportunities and planning events for RVA Fashion Week in April.  Needless to say, you can watch ChicStripes for more details, but the meeting was quite a success.  And I think the outfit was too.  Outfit details: top, GAP; blazer, thrifted; jeans, Banana Republic; boots, Atrex; scarf, American Apparel; watch, Citizen.  

Another week down, 2 1/2 more to go full of outfits.  How are you dressing for the start of this new year?  Established any new fashion rules, broke out of your comfort zone, wore something you never thought you would?  Do share!

JulyS is another unique Etsy shop that sells everything basic in very un-basic ways.  The three girl shop is run by J, M, and Little K who craft everything from wool coats, basic t’s, work wear, and pieces with bad girl styled leather accents.  I first fell in love with this shop when I came across the mustard yellow overcoat – the one wardrobe item I have the hardest time finding.  I could be living in the middle of Minnesota and would still not have a decent winter coat at the rate I am going.   Needless to say, the yellow had me and I quickly devoured and favorited almost everything in their shop.  I’ve featured 6 items here that I would love to work into my wardrobe.

1. Ethereal Beige Coat, $59.  This coat is a classic styled blazer with just the right amount of umph to make it stand out.  I am loving the blush beige color, baggy side pockets, and exaggerated length. This jacket over a sexy LBD?  To die for!
2. Jet Black Leather Coat, $98.  Perfection wrapped up in leather, shoulder pads, and faux fur.  If you invest in one leather jacket this winter, make it this one.  The fur is reminiscent of the bomber style jackets that populated the runways last year, think Burberry, and this one is a fraction of the price.
3. Winter Wrap Coat, $128.  My perfect winter coat.  The bright yellow is sure to cheer anyone up even on the dullest days.  The length is perfect and it just radiates warmth.  Pair it with skinny jeans and tall black boots.
4. Geometric Greenish Gray Top, $59.  A great twist on the classic laid back t-shirt.  I can easily see this worn loose with wide legged linen pants on a casual day, or styled tucked in with a fitted skirt for a work appropriate outfit.
5. High Waist Pants, $45.  Even if you have been on a social media fast, you should know by now that high waist pants + neon = great fashion statement.  Every girl needs these pants.  Pair them with a cream top to tone it down, or thrown on a silk purple tank and layer up the sparkles for a full on night out look.
6. Dress, $59.  A dress so simply perfect it only needs that one word to describe it.  This dress is both an (illusion) one shoulder ruffled dress and a classic cocktail dress.  Wear it casually with boots and a blazer, glam it up with earrings, or pile on the layers with a button down and vest.

All images courtesy of JulyS’s Etsy shop.  Like her on Facebook here!  

Day 1: New Years Day was relaxing to the utmost.  My hubby and I slept in, made a lazy French toast breakfast with load of coffee, pulled out our mountain bikes, and hit up Banana Republic for some after Christmas shopping.  With that in mind, I kept it casual but polished with a thrifted 80′s style sweat shirt, a structured role necklace, skirt, and my first major shoe purchase.  Looking back, this is easily my favorite outfit of the week.  Outfit details: sweater, thrifted; necklace, Boutique on Feet; skirt, H&M; heels, Carlos Santana; bag, J. Crew via Plato’s Closet.

Day 2: I was lucky enough to have Monday off so I took advantage of the time to do some good thrifting.  I headed downtown where I found a great jacket for my hubby, an animal print top, tribal bracelet, and wide legged pantaloon pants for me.  I was going for a unique layered 70′s look and got a few compliments on the gigantic necklace made out of coiled up zippers and pearls.  Outfit details: dress as top, Kersh at Eurotrash; vest, Guess via thrift; necklace, unknown via Plato’s Closet; jeans, Gap; hels, Aldo.  

Day 3: First day back at work for a three day work week.  I wanted something a little more daring than my normal neutrals so I went for the shirt I thrifted the day before.  I’m not usually a t-shirt gal, but this super think luxe feeling shirt from Ann Taylor Loft won me over (and it was $5, why not splurge?).  Paired with a black cardigan, yellow belt and my favorite denim trousers, I felt a little too classic.  A borrowed Citizen’s watch from the hubby capped off the look.  Outfit details: t-shirt, Ann Taylor Loft thrifted; belt, J. Crew; trousers, Banana Republic; heels, Aldo; cardigan, Old Navy via Plato’s Closet; watch, Citizen.

Day 4: My second favorite look of the week (see Day 1 for my fave) combines classic colors, textures, and shapes.  I had a work meeting but that didn’t stop me from pairing my new BCBGeneration boots with jeans, a lace tank, black blazer and an amber toned link bracelet.  For a stylish work tip: pair a blazer with any and everything and you will instantly update your look to business casual.  Outfit details: tank, Forever 21 via Plato’s Closet; blazer, Forever 21; jeans, H&M; boots, BCBGeneration; bracelet, Target.

Day 5: Thursday was my casual Friday and this was my second attempt at layers (see Day 2 for the first).  I started with a black long sleeve stop, layered with a purple tank, threw on a black knit vest and topped it all with sparkles and a bright red vest.  Not “repellant” layers by any means (See The Man Repeller), but an interesting mix of layers.  It’s a start for me.  Outfit details: black top, H&M; purple tank, Gap via Plato’s Closet; knit vest, Target; red outerwear, thrifted; jeans, H&M; necklace, Forever 21; boots, Atrex.  

Day 6: You get two half outfits for today.  That equals one full outfit right?  At any rate, this started my marathon travel trip where I covered 1000+ miles in 3 days and saw 10 different members of my immediate and extended family – on both sides.  Needless to say, I decided to focus more on family time than photo time, but these are glimpses of the outfits.  The first visit was for a funeral, unfortunately, but I paired houndstooth cropped pants, a black top, black heels, and diamonds.  Later that day, I threw on my cropped 80′s sweater (Day 1) over my black silk top, added red velvet flats and kept the diamonds.  Outfit details (what you can see): 1st photo: earrings, vintage diamonds from my grandmother; jacket, H&M; sun glasses, Prada.  2nd photo: sweater, thrifted; black top, silk thrifted; earrings, diamonds, vintage from my grandmother.

 Day 7: Once again, not a full photo, but we’re getting closer!  I was traveling again this day and needed something comfortable but striking.  These are a few of my favorite pieces  in one outfit.  On the whole this is a very “me” outfit: neutrals, pop of neutral color, glam pieces, and a cargo style mannish piece.  I love anything that mixes high/low and girly/mannish.  It’s a great way to ground an outfit and make it your own.  I’m not a country girl by any means, but I loved all the driving I did, passing cows, horses and rundown abandoned barns and buildings.  The only thing I could think of was what cool outfit photos I would get if I had blue tractors, miles of fields, and buildings with burned out holes in it at my disposal.  Outfit details: top, Gretta Pollman via Etsy; scarf via Festival of India; jacket, Old Navy; earrings, Forever 21; jeans, H&M; wedges (not pictured) Aldo.

Who else has been participating in the 31 Day Style Challenge?  Don’t forget to send me your photos so I can feature YOU in my blogger post!  I can’t wait to see what the next week of dressing brings!

Photographer: Andrew (Day 1-5, Days 6-7 relative and self-timer).

Locations: West End Richmond and Tennessee