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

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!

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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!

I'm dreaming of...a Divvyntage Christmas

I'm dreaming of... by divvyntage featuring sheer shawls

     Can't you just see yourself sipping a nice cup of hot chocolate in this outfit? Its nice and simple and all the pieces are classics that will remain wardrobe staples for years to come. The only problem is that $28 socks are a bit out of your budget, not to mention a $305 leather jacket. No problem, there are much better ways to divvy out your money and still look great.  I went out shopping to find the pieces I didn't already have hiding in my closet. Which I admit, I already had the boots, the jacket, the earrings, and the jeans, but I'll go over how to get those items as well. And most of us already have one or two of these pieces in our closets since they're so versatile.

• The sweater I bought new  from Marshall's for $17, a savings of $28.
• The jacket I got from Macy's five years ago for $25, a savings of $280.
• The jeans are Levi's that I bought from the Levi outlet earlier this year for $30, saving $70.
• Instead of leg warmers, I bought socks from Target for $2.50, saving $25.50.
• The earrings are my mom's that she let me wear. So best place to shop for these would be a vintage or thrift store; but if you have friends or family members that have older jewelry, not a bad idea to have a jewelry exchange with them. Savings came to $13.
• The scarf I bought new from Kohl's, it came with a cute hat too, for $18, a savings of $4.
• You'll notice I saved the boots for last. That's because I do recommend saving up for some things and putting a bit more of an investment into them. Good leather boots are one of them. If you go with cheap materials, they will break down faster and you won't get as much use out of them, and they won't look as nice as long. So on that note, I bought my BCBG boots at Dillard's two years ago for $120, still saving me $110.

    My total savings on this outfit come to $530.50. A little shopping around and knowing where to look can save you a bundle and give you great wardrobe staples for years to come!

Rules to Shopping Happiness

I'm known for being cheap. I don't think its so much that I'm cheap but that I know how to divvy out my money into a set budget and know how to shop for quality pieces and items that fit within that budget. I think the biggest problem most people have is that instead of being able to wait for a deal or look for their best option, they are impulse buyers. So the three important rules when shopping for anything are:

1) Know your budget:
     Literally sit down and figure out your budget for everything. Take out payments for bills and credit cards first. Factor in an amount to go toward savings. Next take out money for groceries and fuel. Go through your expenses like that. BE REALISTIC with yourself. Nobody else is going to see this budget but you, so go ahead and factor in the money you spend on snickers bars. Do you have a spa day every month? Factor it in. Obviously, you should be able to determine the difference between wants and necessities but prioritize your splurge budgets too. Are snickers more important than the spa? Are new shoes worth bringing in your lunch a couple extra days a week? You decide.
   Once you have a budget, STICK TO IT!

2) Know where (and when) to shop:
    For clothing and accessories shop off season. You can usually find the best deals in those clearance racks and if its something that you think will be completely out of style by next season, you probably shouldn't be buying it anyway. Also don't be afraid of Goodwill, thrift stores, and discount retailers like Marshall's. I find some of the best items at places like thrift and vintage shops. Especially for jewelry. Instead of paying twenty bucks for a necklace that is supposed to look vintage, I get an actual vintage piece for a fraction of the cost.
    For bigger purchases--think appliances, cars or whatever--do research before buying. It took me eight months to buy my car. I waited for deals and did a lot of research on models and reviews and ended up buying through the internet. Of course, I had test driven the car at a dealership long before I made that decision, but I got a great price which brings me to my last rule.

3) Know how to say NO:
    This is a lot of people's huge downfall. You have a budget, you did your research but when you get there to purchase your item something else catches your eye or the salesperson tries to add in extra money. That dress you see on the hanger is more than you really want to pay or more than your budget says you should pay. Learn to walk away. 
   The price will go down or it wasn't meant to be yours after all. The sales person will have some magic wand that somehow makes the price go down to close the deal or you find a new place to shop. It works and you feel good about your purchase today and tomorrow and a month from now.