During April Showers, You May Wear Flowers

During April Showers, You May Wear Flowers by divvyntage featuring see through tops

My roommate my freshman year in college offered me some profound words of wisdom that I have never forgotten. (I don't think she realized she was being profound at the time.) 

"Whenever it rains, I wear bright colors because everyone wears dark colors; and it's so depressing to see so many dark colors on an already dark day. When people see me, I want to be the bright spot in their day." 

And if you look around the next time it rains, you'll notice that it's true. The question is: Will you be a another dark spot or will you be the brightness in another person's day?

Here are some quick pointers for a rainy day outfit:

1) Make sure that the clothes don't turn see through when they get wet. This isn't spring break.

2) Don't wear flowy skirts. I show a pencil skirt because The wind will not catch it and let you pretend you're Marilyn Monroe. I've seen that happen to many a woman on a rainy, windy day...it's never sexy, only embarrassing.

3)Invest in a decent umbrella. Yeah, it has a cute pattern but unless you prefer to see that pattern inside out find an umbrella with good supports. Make sure it has a lot of the little metal pieces at the top so that it doesn't leave you soaked every time the wind blows. I'm partial to the bubble umbrellas pictured above for a few reasons. One, they don't flip easily even if they don't have a lot of supports because of how they are designed. Two, they look cute. And three, you don't have to share your personal space with other people who forgot their umbrella. They are one person only umbrellas.

4) Rain boots aren't just for kids. Bring a big purse like the tote pictured above so that you can throw your real shoes in and don't have to worry about ruining a good pair of shoes

So have fun, be bold, stand out even when the weather makes you want to stay in.

Never Gonna Give You Up...No Please Give It Up Already

   Some things should just die already. This post comes on the heels of time change, the ultimate example of useless things we should no longer participate in. I understand the reason behind its inception, but it no longer has a purpose. Not to mention, reversing and bringing forward our clocks every year gets really tiresome.
   But another tiresome thing is our reversing of wardrobe trends and bringing them forward like they were good trends. Some of these trends were bad to begin with and just like time change, we really need to give them up. 

Here is my list of the top 5 fashion trends that are unfortunately making another comeback.

5) Mismatched Earrings: 

Betsy Johnson earrings
sold currently

Maybe The Breakfast Club was
 too early for her to realize she
grabbed the wrong pair?

   
  You don't look cool. You look like you're too blind to realize that you don't have the same earrings on. This trend popularized during the 80's is showing up at stores everywhere. I first saw it while looking for earrings in the Icing; and upon further investigation, saw that they had spread to designer lines for adult women as well. 

4) Stirrup Pants:

Stirrups today are still ugly

Stirrups in the 80's

    Because your leggings need feet. This unflattering style just makes you look like you're not old enough to dress without help. Stirrup pants are slightly understandable for a two year old but not for anyone over the age of five. So the reappearance of these hideous 80's throwbacks is truly mysterious.

3) Crop tops:

Good thing she has
 an innie

Even the girl in the background was
shocked Tyra wore a crop top in the 90s

    I grew up during the height of this trend during the 90's and I remember how horrible it was. Honestly, no one wants to know if you have an innie or an outie. The only people who really appreciated this trend were men and that was only until they stopped watching the television version of the trend and walked outside to see the average woman wearing it with her muffin top, now visible, rolling over the edges of her shorts.

Yes ,the style still looks indecent today

 2) Bralets:

No surprise that she became
a home-wrecker on 90210

     
   Just because you add let to the end doesn't mean it lets you wear a bra as a shirt. It looks just as inappropriate now as it did in the 90's. They should be worn underneath your shirt not as your shirt. I saw a mother and her about eight-year-old daughter wearing bralets the other day; and it was one of those moments where I really wondered what hope was left for humanity. 

STOP! Hammer time

1) Harem Pants:

Joy Bryant steps out in
the harem atrocity

   Yes, the very worst in style is returning. MC Hammer said you can't touch this, but what he failed to mention was that no one wants to. Any article of clothing that makes your crouch look like its sagging is bad fashion. Enough said.

Let's not inflict on future generations what we weren't smart enough to figure out the first time. Really, just let it go already. Even Rick Astley knows when to give up better.

What other styles do you think shouldn't be making a comeback?

Coral Your Valentine

Coral Your Valentine by divvyntage featuring cameo rings

Coral is the big color this year; and I have personally always had a thing for any shade of teal, especially mint. So to me it seemed like a no brainer to make it into a wonderful date outfit for this Valentine's Day. 
Coral is still in the pink family so you can celebrate the day in color but it also tends to be a more guy friendly version of pink. Its one of the shades of pink my boyfriend doesn't mind seeing.
I picked these outfits particularly because they can work for most body types.

Outfit One: Casually Coral
  I love this outfit because of the fun flirty vibe it gives without being too overdone for a fun date to the movies or maybe even a round of put put golfing. 
  The loose top is forgiving of any extra weight still hanging around from the holidays and the dark teal color of the jeans helps create a slimming effect.

 I got the top at Francesca's (theirs has pearl buttons, making it even more perfect) $26*
 The jeans I got at Kohl's $3*
 The mint shoes came from Maurice's $39
 I own the cameo ring set in the picture  and I also have a mint and pearl bangle bracelet set which comes from Charlotte Russe 2 for $10
 Any pearl earrings will do but I do loves these from ModCloth $10


Outfit Two: Cutely Coral
  For a romantic stroll through the park or a picnic lunch what could beat something so femininely sweet. 
  The empire waist gathers in just the right way to give the appearance of curves in all the right places and none of the wrong ones.

  I found this dress at Kohl's $6*
  Mint flats can be found at Charlotte Russe for $19.50
  The jewelry remains the same throughout all the pieces because due to the stackable bangles and rings you can mix and match the best ones with your outfit.


Outfit Three: Captivatingly Coral
  Make a statement and watch his jaw drop in this gorgeous dress as you head to your romantic dinner plans.
  I love the ruching across the stomach to create that illusion of an hourglass shape and camouflage any extra tummy flab.


  This dress can be found at David's Bridal in guava for $60* 
   The gold heels are from Dillard's (They are the actual shoes pictured just a lot cheaper at Dillard's. I have them and I love them) $31.15
   
                              
                        *on sale or with coupon

Give Me Some Credit

Credit seems to be the factor that makes the world turn anymore. Everything stems off of it, from homes to cars and even jobs. But what if you're young and are just starting out. How do you build up positive credit without getting in over your head?

If used correctly, store credit cards are a great tool. They help build positive credit and many offer ways to save money on purchases or get rewards for future purchases. But for your credit to benefit rather than suffer, there are a few cautionary principles you should always follow.

1) Pay off the balance immediately

    This is honestly the most important thing because the interest on store credit cards can be rather high, and the whole point of this card is to help you save money rather than spend more. So never spend more than you can afford to pay that day. Not by the end of the month or the end of the week but that day. If your paycheck hasn't come yet and you think well I'll just put it on my charge card, that's a bad idea cause you have no idea what other emergency expenses might spring up. My best practice is to actually pay off my credit card in the store as soon as I make the purchase. That's actually one of the few reasons I still have a check book. Most stores will allow you to make a payment toward your account that way. So you get the awesome savings that the credit card provides or the points that go toward your next purchase and the insanely awesome thrill of knowing that you already have it paid off and taken care of. And your credit score is boosted by your timely payments.

2) Use the coupons and rewards



Purchased at Kohl's from the clearance racks all for less than $85
thanks to coupons



    Every woman should have a Victoria's Secret card. Victoria's Secret sends rewards dollars. Most the time that's a $10 off coupon. Buy something that's right around that price point and you might only pay a few cents or if you need something else that's a great way to save on it. They also send you free panty coupons: use those! Free is great especially when its something like that because you really can't have to many. If you know you have a coupon at home, don't go shopping without it. Those percentages off can really help especially if you're in the shopping in the sale section anyway. Kohl's is great for allowing you to save on everything including the clearance sections.

(Clearance is your friend. It will still be in style next year and usually is still wearable when you buy it anyway because they start marking down mid-season. That tip was free. You're welcome.)

3) Don't feel like you have to buy

     Just because they have a sale and sent you that 30% off coupon doesn't mean you have to buy anything,. Yes those coupons are awesome, but I get them every month and if I used every one, I'd be broke. Use them when you need them, not just because you have them.

4) Pay the balance off immediately

    So important it bears repeating. This is not only true for store credit but for regular credit as well. If more people followed this principle we'd have far fewer issues. *Le sigh*

Year of Dresses on ModCloth

Help me win the year of dresses offered by ModCloth, so that I can feature the great dresses on this blog!

All you have to do is follow this link:
http://bit.ly/ZY92iO



 Just in case this is the picture you should see >>>>>>>

Push view and vote, scroll down and select vote.

And there you have it; You've supported your "favorite" blogger (even if I'm not you can support me anyway. I'm okay with that).

Thank you all in advance, and let's hope I can show you some great ModCloth fashions this year!

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Cinching Up Your New Year's Re-shoe-lution

   I love dressing up for the holiday season; its the one time of year my super cute dresses really get to step out of the closet.
  This year, I decided that really knowing how to divvy out my budget means knowing how to make all of the pieces in my closet multifunctional and that includes those dresses that usually only see the light of day a few times a year.

  And with a couple of simple changes, you can too!

  With an easy switch of a belt and shoes, you can take almost any dress from formal to casual. Again, cardigans come into play as well. Throwing a casual cardigan over a dress can change the look drastically. As does throwing a chunky sweater over the dress to use the bottom of the dress as a skirt. There truly are so many way to make those dresses cross functional!

  But when its really as easy as a different pair of shoes and a different belt shouldn't we all be celebrating by pulling those holiday dresses long after the New Year's confetti settles?

So let's all resolve this year to find ways to turn that once-in-a-blue-moon piece into something worth wearing again and again.



This cranberry lace dress is evening appropriate when paired with a black skinny belt and mint heels.
The same dress is great for everyday wear when paired with a wide brown belt and brown oxfords.

The Most Wonderful Piece of the Year

     Yay for cooler weather! I love this time of year mostly because I love that sweaters are so forgiving of all the extra holiday weight I might pick up. But why only wear something so body flattering for a few months out of the year? That's where the cardigan comes in. These wardrobe staples can be used throughout the year to keep warm, add color, shape, and style.





 

The boyfriend cardigan for 19.99 at Target.



     My personal favorite is the boyfriend cardigan. I probably have at least ten of these looser fitting, longer cardigans. They're great for people with wider hips because they hit in a place that hides it better and you can belt them to accentuate the waist line. They tend to offer a more casual look but paired correctly can offer a more polished look as well.  I love Target's selection of boyfriend cardigans because they have great color availability and lasting quality for a decent price. 

The classic cardigan for 19.80 at Forever 21.







    The classic cardigan is another great option for stylish and office appropriate wear. This classic cut can dress up your favorite jeans and tee shirt or provide an extra element over a favorite button-up. This style is pretty easy to find in about every possible shade, color, and pattern. Forever 21 offers great prices on these as does Target. These are also very easy to find at vintage and thrift stores since the shape doesn't change much. 

   The open cardigan is typically more flowy and doesn't have buttons like the other two types. They can come in a wide variety of shapes and lengths. Again, this can be belted or left to hang open. A variety of stores carry these for low prices and they are pretty commonly found at thrift stores.





The open cardigan for 29.99 on ModCloth.

   These pieces can take you throughout the year since you can roll up the sleeves or find lighter weight knits. You can throw them on over sundresses on cool summer nights or pair them with jeans or sweats as you sip your hot cocoa in the winter. They are the ultimate budget friendly piece since you'll wear them over and over again!

    
   Check out Divvyntage on Polyvore to see some more outfit combinations you can make with cardigans!