I'm Going Back To Charleston...Back Where I Belong.

Who here doesn't dream about Spring Break vacation? Whether you're in college or not, we all could use a week to leave all our worries behind. One of my favorite places in the world, is actually my hometown - Charleston, SC. It's a one of a kind city with gorgeous weather, delicious food, tons of shopping, exciting nightlife, and miles of beaches and waterfronts. A perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind.

I've lived in Chicago for almost 3 years now and have, unfortunately, only made it back down to Charleston once during that time. This is why the Spring Break of my dreams would be to head back down to the "Holy City" to lounge on the beaches, shop my favorite boutiques, and drink at my local spots.

Spending a week in Charleston would be one of the best Spring Break vacations as its a city that is very easy-going, yet knows how to have a really good time. When packing for a trip down South I always remember to keep things light, casual, and above all, fun!

Shop This Trip: Vera Moda Jackie Yellow Dress / Ray-Ban Classic Wayfarer / Paul & Joe Sister Titi Triangle Bikini / Old Navy Sueded Espadrille Flats / Magid Large Straw Tote Bag / TopShop Fiesty Cross Strap Sandals / J.Crew Stretch Twill Short / Classic Coolio Cooler / Forever 21 Bow Accent Floppy Hat


An essential for a Charlestonian get-away is an easy to wear dress that can be thrown over your bathing suit  for a day at the beach or dressed up with some sassy sandals for a night on the town. Charleston is a very stylish city and though you want to keep it casual ( you are on vacay after all!), be sure to bring your A-game ;)

If you're looking to take a trip in the near future I would (obviously) highly recommend looking into Charleston. You still get the feeling of being somewhere tropical without all the cheesy, touristy gimmicks. The city is full of Southern charm, a true gem of the South. Trust me, one day in the city and you'll never want to leave.

Rock This!: Solange Knowles, "Today I'm Wearing..."

Hi Everyone! So, we all should know by now that I have a HUGE style crush on Solange Knowles, if I could spend just an hour raiding her closet my life would be complete, haha! You also probably know by now that Solange has been participating in Vogue UK's "Today I'm Wearing" Series for the month of February (which, let's be honest, is probably the closest I'll ever actually get to her closet, lol). She's worn some pretty stellar looks, her use of color and prints is beyond amazing and so refreshing! Can you feel the love I have for her? Well, I'm here today to recreate a few of my favorite outfits she's worn so far for your viewing and shopping pleasure. I would wear each of these outfits in a hot minute.

Shop the Look: Oasis Tweedy Sparkle Top / Miss Selfridge Flippy Skater Skirt / Kate Spade Vanessa Wedge / Lodis Audrey Checkbook Clutch (different color) / Tarina Tarantino Lucite Choker / Cole Haan Vintage Valise Belt

Since her sweater was a great vintage find I knew it'd be hard to find anything similar to it, so I decided to use the colors in her sweater to inspire a similar look. The light blue is found in the lucite necklace, the yellow in a clutch, and the brown in the actual sweater. All these tie together to create an outfit inspired by the real thing.

Shop The Look: Abercrombie & Fitch Blake Cardi / J.Crew Contrast Stripe Tee / ASOS White Slim Ankle Pants / Chelsea Crew Claire Oxford Wedge (only a few left!) / Miu Miu Pastel Cat Eye Sunglasses

I absolutely adore the colors used in this outfit, they're simply perfect for Fall/Spring!

Shop The Look: TopShop Dropped Back Sleeveless Shirt / River Island Pink Scarf Print Blazer / TopShop Sporty Yellow Shorts / Zara Platform Sandal / Debenhams Blue Marbleised Stone Ring / Miu Miu Pastel Cat Eye Sunnies

I love the unexpecteness of this outfit, the fact is this outfit consists of a blazer, shorts, and a basic white tee, but throw in the 'unexpected' banana yellow color in the shorts, blazer, and shoes, and you've got yourself an statement making outfit that pops!

Since February is almost over (is it just me or is this year already flying by?) make sure to pop on over to Vogue UK to check out Solange's last few outfits, I'm sure they'll be amazing. Thanks for reading! Happy Friday!

'Till Next Time...

To The Streets: NYFW

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend! New York Fashion week is almost at an end and while most people are buzzing about the collections so far (which have been pretty amazing), I've also been checking out the fantastic street style!

I find that street style really inspires and gives me ideas on how to wear different items more so than any other styling venue (magazines, fashion shows, catalogues, etc.). Whenever I'm at a loss on what to wear I always find myself browsing street style blogs or Pinterest to get inspiration and 9 times out of 10 I can usually come up with something.

Here are some of my favorites from NYFW so far and some ideas on how to recreate the look...Enjoy!

Shop this look: Diesel Leather Jacket, Stella McCartney Sweater, Nasty Gal Skirt, Jigsaw Quilted Tote, Rupert Sanderson Ankle Wedge Boots

Shop the Look: Diane von Furstenberg Jane Rabbit Box Jacket, Yes Style Polka Dot Blouse, TopShop Sweater, Hudson Collin Skinny jeans, Oslo Skylar Tote, Jeffrey Campbell 99 Tie, ASOS Sunnies, Marie Chavez Gold Hammered Teardrop Necklace

Shop The Look: Forever New Laura Swing Cape Coat, J.Crew Honeycomb Sweater, Fat Face Lucky Nep Sweater, James Jeans Twiggy Velvet Pants, TopShop Dashing Riding Boot, Oslo Skylar Tote, Marc by Marc Jacobs Marci Watch

Street style shots via All The Pretty Birds and Harper's Bazaar

'Till Next Time...

Rock This!: NYFW F/W 2012

New York Fashion Week by kinksarethenewpink featuring clutch bags

Happy Friday everyone! New York Fashion Week officially started yesterday and while I won't be in attendance (I really just couldn't fit it into my schedule ;) ), I thought it'd be fun to create an outfit I would wear if I did go to NYFW.

I'm assuming at NYFW you're running around a lot, from a show to an event to another show, so I would want my outfit to be comfortable with easy mobility so I can run from place to place without killing myself. You all know I'm a big fan of maxi skirts and I love the rust-orange color of this one, paired with a nice red suede bootie and a chambray top, I feel comfy/casual yet fashionable. Then throw on a cropped fur coat and oversized fedora for extra warmth during those dashes outside to the next show. Add an envelope clutch to carry the necessities (cellphone, notepad, pen, invites, etc.), finish the outfit off with simple accessories and don't forget your camera! And there you have it!

Are any of you in New York for Fashion Week? If so, what are you wearing? If not, what would you wear?

'Till Next Time...

::Shop The Look::

Chambray Top: Old Navy or this or this

Maxi Skirt: Flannels Fashion or this or this

Red Suede Bootie: ASOS Aggie or this or this

Fur Coat: Loto Fashion or this or this

Envelope Clutch: Tory Burch Robinson or this

Fedora: Rag & Bone(in brown) or this

Ring: House of Harlow

History of Style: Dorothy Dandridge

Source

Happy Monday! Superbowl Sunday has come and gone (Yay Giants!) and now it's time to get into the thick of February. As many of you know, February is Black History Month, a time when we celebrate the achievements of African Americans and our important milestones throughout U.S. history. And I thought, what better way for me to celebrate this month on my blog than discussing Black fashion icons! This will be a little series I'll do throughout the month where I'll choose an icon, analyze their style, and give you tips on how to re-create it today!

To start we'll talk about the gorgeous, classy, and impeccable Dorothy Dandridge...

Source

Facts About Dorothy Dandridge

• Dorothy Jean Dandridge was born on November 9, 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio. She is also known by her nickname, Dottie Mae.

• Dorothy formed a singing group with sisters, Vivian and Etta Jones called The Dandridge Sisters. They headlined at the famed Cotton Club in Harlem and even appeared in a few movies. The group later disbanded after a year and a half of touring, and by then Dorothy was determined to become an actress;

• Dorothy's breakthrough role was in the 1954 film Carmen Jones. It landed Dorothy a nomination for an Academy Awards and she is known as the first African-American actress to be nominated for an Oscar in the "Best Actress in a Leading Role" category.

• Sadly, Dorothy passed away on September 8, 1965, due to an accidental drug overdose.

Dorothy Dandrige Outfit by kinksarethenewpink featuring jumpsuits and rompers

Dorothy Dandridge #2 by kinksarethenewpink featuring off the shoulder tops

Dorothy Dandridge 3 by kinksarethenewpink featuring bangles jewelry

Style Tips:

1. Stay Classy - focus on well-tailored shapes and silhouettes such as clean-cut blouses, dresses and trousers to create a timeless look.
2. Add Some Feminie Flair - Complement the classic look with distinct ladylike pieces such as gorgeous jewelry, sleek handbags, and delicate footwear.
3. Hug That Figure - Choose outfits that accentuate your figure, pieces that are body-skimming (but not dangerously tight!) and use belts/scarves to accentuate your waist.
4. Show Some Shoulder - Wear strapless or off-the-shoulder tops and dresses to show off your neck, shoulders, and decolletage

I love the timelessness of Dorothy Dandridge and how many of her looks would still be considered stylish today! What say you readers? Would you try styling yourselves a la Dorothy Dandridge?

'Till Next Time...

Rock This!: Valentine's Day

Happy Friday! I'm super pumped because this is actually a real Friday for me, meaning no work tomorrow! I haven't had a Saturday off in awhile, and I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself...probably school work, haha! What a life I live ;)

So it's February, meaning Valentine's Day is right around the corner. I've never really cared that much about Valentine's Day, didn't hate it, but wasn't obsessed with it either. To me it was just a nice excuse to eat chocolate, wear pink, watch silly romantic movies, and drink girly cocktails - not that I don't do that every other day of the year ;) - But I know there are some people out there that take Valentine's Day very seriously.

Though DCT and I have yet to make any official plans (we're totally last minute when it comes to things like this) I already have a date night outfit planned and I thought I'd share some possible outfit ideas for you fabulous readers....

Valentine's Day Outfit Ideas by kinksarethenewpink

1. A tailored blazer in a peachy-pink color gives that perfect V-Day pop for brunch with friends (Blazer - Topshop)

2. Whether you're single and going out with the girls or heading to a hot date a ruffled dress in a cool purple hue gets amped up a notch for Valentine's Day with hot pink accessories. (Dress - Halston Heritage)

3. This floral ensemble is perfect for a classy dinner for two. (Dress - TopShop)

4. Maybe you're staying in and cooking dinner with your significant other or having a movie night with gal pals, whichever you do stay comfy and cute with this heart-print sweater dress. (Sweater Dress - AX Paris)

When it comes to holidays such as Valentine's day, I think simple/quirky nods to the holiday makes for the best outfits. You don't have to go all out with red and pink, hearts and kisses (though that can be lots of fun too). Have you set your plans for V-Day? If so, what are you doing and, most importantly, what are you wearing?

'Till Next Time...

Rock This!: Cowboys & Aliens

So this past Saturday was movie night and some how I got talked into seeing Cowboys & Aliens, the big selling point was being able to stare at eye candy Daniel Craig for 2 hours. The movie itself was actually pretty entertaining, it was by no means a masterpiece, but you really shouldn't go in thinking that. As my roommate's boyfriend put it, it was so bad it was good - if you decide to see this movie, go in with that in mind and you'll have a great time! ;]

Besides spending most of the movie staring at Daniel Craig's buttocks in his leather chaps, I actually became quite infatuated with Olivia Wilde's costumes, specifically her prairie dress in the beginning of the film. She looked hot. Really hot. Then the added gun slinger belt made her a B.A.M.F., which made her even more hot. So yep, I developed a bit of a girl crush on Miss Olivia Wilde.

Pretty Girls Wearing Clothes

For some reason I was really inspired by her outfit, I could not stop thinking about it even after the movie was over and done with - they say you get inspiration from the most unlikeliest of places and that definitely happened here. I tried to see if I had anything that could imitate her look in my closet, but was unsuccessful, so instead of going out and buying a prairie dress (which I'm still very tempted to do), I decided to create a little outfit collage  for your viewing pleasure :]

If you get inspired, like me, to go on a hunt for a western style prairie dress just keep  in mind fit and fabric are important elements to ensure your look is modern and sexy a la Olivia Wilde and not frumpy and dated a la Little House on the
Prairie :] Enjoy!

Cowboys & Aliens by Ashes316 featuring a lace up bootie

Free People vintage day dress, $298
Marc by Marc Jacobs lace up bootie, $295
Marc by Marc Jacobs lace up bootie, $295
TopShop leather satchel handbag, $105
Surface To Air wide ring, $178
House of Harlow 1960 chain jewelry, $133
Urban Outfitters linen hat, $15
Tarnish buckle belt, $48
Fielding Grey Metal Floral Wire Wall Decoration, £35

Rock This!: 4th of July Weekend

It's the 4th of July weekend and you know what that means - beach, BBQ, and fun in the sun :) I'm sure everyone is ready to enjoy a nice long weekend with family and friends, whether you're attending a BBQ (or two or three as has happened to me...so much good food and so little time), a beach bonfire, or getting out the city for some quality time with nature. Whatever your plans are, make sure to do it in style!

4th of July BBQ by Ashes316 featuring embroidery dresses

I think this dress would be perfect for a family bbq, it's fun and flirty and the gingham print makes the dress a picnic (or bbq) classic. Accessorize with some neutral jewelry and shoes, either a high-heeled wedge or to keep it casual try an espadrille flat. Grab a simple wristlet that will hold your phone and other necessities, you don't want to worry about a big bag while chowin' down on some saucy ribs. Finally, add a 4th of July punch! Throw on some bright red, statement making sunglasses and show your American Pride without looking like a walking advertisement. Who's ready to party? Go America!

4th of July Beach Party by Ashes316 featuring a brass chain necklace

For those of you who are hoping for some fun in the sun a la the beach, go a little 4th of July crazy, just have fun with it! A red bikini paired with a blue & white striped shirt screams America, add some funky accessories (star shaped sunglasses? Yes, please.) and you're on your way. Don't forget a fun beach tote to carry all your beach necessities.

Enjoy the long weekend! Happy 4th!