Step It Up! Best Spring Shoes Under $100

I don’t know how you all feel, but I am psyched for some warmer temperatures and I am so ready to kick off my boots and flats and slip into some cute new shoes for spring. My absolute favorite thing about spring arriving is finally being able to wear my colorful open toe shoes. I am going to tell you about some great new shoes to go out and buy that will totally update your look for spring.

One pair of shoes that is great for people that aren’t quite ready for sandals, is platform clogs. These shoes are higher than flats, but they are way less scary than stilettos. Designers, including Karl Lagerfeld and Marc Jacobs, liked the embellished and streamlined styles of clogs this season. These shoes are comfy and chic and perfect for any outfit this spring. This platform pair can be found at www.newport-news.com and they are only $34.



Another great pair of shoes that I am definitely going to invest in this spring is nude heels. You might have to wait until late spring’s barelegged days to wear them, but it will definitely be worth the wait. These skin-tone-matching shoes in tan, ivory, brown, or camel will makes anyone’s legs look super long and can also be worn as platforms and pumps. Since these shoes are a neutral color, they literally will go with every outfit you own. This pair of nude heels is by Jessica Simpson and they are called the “Stelana” platform sandals. They can be found at Nordstrom or www.nordstrom.com and they are only $59.



A pair of shoes that is perfect for between seasons is peep-toe booties. They are great to wear with tights now while it is still a little bit chilly outside, and then perfect to pair with bare legs when the sun is shinning and the weather is much warmer. This pair of lace up booties is from Forever 21 and they are only $28. These booties are also great if you want to give your outfit an edgier look.



An additional excellent pair of shoes for spring is floral-print shoes. They are made of the same great patterns that you would normally only see in spring dresses and tops. These shoes are the perfect way to add more color to any outfit. You will see this fun floral-print in sling backs, platforms, and sneakers. These Guess high-heel platform shoes are only $90 and they can be found at Bloomingdales or www.bloomingdales.com.



Grab a pair of any of these cute shoes I have shown you and they will instantly update your spring look.

First Look! Spring Fashion Trends

I am so excited that spring is almost here. I am done with the cold weather and wearing boots and coats. I am ready for some sunshine and cute dresses and very bright colors. I have found the top ten must-haves for spring this year. The first must-have is bright colors. You can definitely stand out in fresh shades of orange, pink, green and blue. These bright colors are going to be seen in dresses, skirts, top and accessories. Don’t be afraid of color!

 

 The next must-have for spring 2011 is thick heels. You will make a statement in this superchic and updated style. Whether you wear polished-but-fun pumps, sandals, or peep-toes, these shoes can be worn from the office out to a party.

The third must-have for this spring is colorful stripes. This is a personal favorite of mine because it can definitely amp up your style. This classic pattern gets a new take in a variety of shades, widths, and styles. Whether you wear two different colors of stripes or four, this must-have is sure to make you stand out. 

The fourth spring must-have is an envelope clutch. I personally already have one of these and I love it. If you get a larger one, it will fit everything you need. Get a smaller envelope clutch to use when going out at night. These clutches could also be in the bright colors that I mentioned before.

Another must-have for this spring is a sleeveless jacket. This piece is ultra-versatile. You can wear it casual with a tank and jeans, or take it up a notch with skinny pants or a flowy dress. I was sort of iffy at first about a sleeveless jacket, but after seeing how it can be worn, I am sold.

 

Alright, we are halfway there. The next must-have for spring 2011 is sexy snakeskin. Whether it is a print or the real deal, this print is going to be everywhere. You can try it as a silky top, hot heels, luxe bags and more.

 


The seventh must-have for spring is modern whites. This pristine shade will have clean lines and delicate details. Wearing white is a perfect way to gear up for summer. It is the perfect color to be paired with the bright colors mentioned before. Modern white can be seen in dresses, tops, and pants. 

An additional must-have for spring is peasant blouses. They are a perfect fit for spring’s easy mood. You’ll be able to find these tops in many different colors and prints. Pair one with skinny jeans for a very stylish outfit.

 



Almost there! The ninth must-have for spring this year is bright gold jewelry. I usually do not wear much gold jewelry, but after seeing the dramatic gold chains that are popular this spring, I may have to start wearing it. Whether it is bracelets or necklaces, dramatic chains are going to be a key accent piece. Plus, they go with everything!




The final must-have for spring 2011, and my favorite, is flirty florals. Floral prints are the perfect thing to brighten your days after a long winter. The florals prints this season are going to be vintage-inspired and will be seen in dresses, skirts, tops, and more!




  

7 Best Fashion Color Trends at Awards Shows

My favorite time of year for fashion is when celebrities walk down the red carpet at awards shows. I love to see the amazing dresses that the female actresses and singers choose. So far this year, we have seen some absolutely stunning dresses at the Golden Globe Awards, the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Grammy Awards. Every year there are dominant colors that are seen on the red carpet and this year there have already been some awe-inspiring hues.  

At the Golden Globe Awards in January, there was one amazing color that definitely caught my eye and it also happens to be a favorite of mine; Emerald Green.  This was a common color worn by Angelina Jolie, Mila Kunis, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Elisabeth Moss. The actresses wore Versace, Vera Wang, Monique Lhuillier, and Donna Karan, respectively. Emerald green is an amazing color to wear to stand out against the red carpet. 

 

 Also at the Golden Globe Awards, another absolutely astonishing color that was seen in many dresses was light pink. Lea Michele, Sandra Bullock, Megan Fox, and Scarlett Johansson all wore this color. Michele wore Oscar de la Renta, Bullock wore Jenny Packham, Fox wore Armani Privé, and Johansson wore Elie Saab. Clearly this is a very popular color among well-known designers and was all the rage on the red carpet at the Golden Globes.

 

The final color that stood out to me at the Golden Globe Awards was red. This color is always very popular at awards shows. Many people would think that because the carpet is red that you would not want to wear a red dress, but this bright colored hue stands out no matter where you are. This color was worn by Christina Hendricks, in Romona Keveza, Sofia Vergara, in Vera Wang, and January Jones, in Versace. This fiery color always makes any woman look stunning. 

At the Screen Actors Guild Awards, white gowns were very popular. Pure white is a continuously popular color worn at awards shows. This color definitely stands out against the red carpet. Amy Adams wore a white gown by Hervé L. Leroux, Winona Ryder wore a white dress by Alberta Ferretti and Natalie Portman wore a white gown by Azzaro. White is a popular color that will never go out of style on the red carpet.

 

 At the Grammy Awards, there were more amazing colors seen on the red carpet. One stunning color that definitely stood out to me was gold. There were many different shades of gold, but they all looked so beautiful against the red carpet. Kim Kardashian wore a gold gown by Kaufman Franco, LeAnn Rimes wore a gold gown by Reem Acra, Heidi Klum wore a gold dress by Julien Macdonald, and Miranda Lambert wore a gold dress by George Chakra. This sparkly color is such a magnificent way to brighten up the red carpet. 

Another great color I noticed at the Grammy Awards was blue. Blue has always been a color that I love and at the Grammy’s, there were many shades of it. There was navy blue, azure and cobalt blue. All of these shades looked incredible on the red carpet. Keri Hilson wore a blue gown by Basil Soda, Ciara wore a blue dress by Emilio Pucci and Jennifer Hudson wore a blue gown by Versace. 

The final color that I saw at the Grammy Awards was black. This color is always, always worn at awards shows. It flatters everyone and it also stands out against the red carpet. Black was worn at the Grammy’s by Martina McBride in Malandrino, Lea Michele in Emilio Pucci, and Dianna Agron in Vivienne Westwood. This color will always be a popular fashion color trend at every award show.

How to Amp Up Your Style with Current Fashion Color Trends

Whether you love to wear lots of color or if you just like to incorporate a few accents of it, there are many ways you can amp up your style with current fashion color trends. I first want to discuss what the color trends are for Spring 2011 and then show you how to wear them. A great website to reference color trends for a specific season is www.pantone.com. Pantone states that for Spring 2011, the inspiration was exotic destinations such as Africa, India, Peru and Turkey. Pantone mentions ten different colors that are going to be popular in the spring; here are four of them. 


The first popular color is called Honeysuckle. It is a vibrant pinkish-red color that is perfect feel-good hue. Alessandra Ambrosio chose a Honeysuckle colored scarf to amp up her outfit. Another color that is going to be popular is Blue Curacao. This color definitely makes you think of tropical destinations. Victoria Beckham is wearing a Blue Curacao handbag in the image below. It definitely brightens up her all black outfit. An additional color that will be dominant in spring is Peapod. This yellow-green adds an organic element to the palette. This color is perfect to wear on your nails. The last color that I am going to talk about is Russet. This nude hue is a perfect dependable background color. If you are someone who is not afraid of color, then the first three are perfect for you. Amp up your style for spring by wearing a honeysuckle or blue curacao colored dress. Don’t be afraid to go all out with these fabulous colors. 


If you are someone that likes to stick to neutrals and add pops of color, then I have just the tips for you. One way to try any new color that you aren’t sure about or don’t quite want to invest in just yet, is to wear it as nail polish. Painting your nails is the cheapest and easiest way to amp up your style with color. Another way to incorporate accents of color is to wear an outfit with neutrals, such as russet, and wear bright colored accessories. Try a peapod colored scarf or a blue curacao colored handbag to add great new colors to any outfit. Also, don’t be scared to try jewelry in any of these fabulous colors. Now with these simple, new tips, you can amp up your style with current fashion color trends just in time for spring :-)

Excellent Blogs for Finding Current Fashion Trends

Magazines aren’t the only place where you can look to find current fashion trends. Blogs are also an outstanding place to see these trends and they are absolutely FREE! I have researched many blogs and I want to share with you some of the best ones to follow in order to become familiar with fashion trends for the season. 

www.fashionising.com

The first blog that I love for current fashion trends is www.fashionising.com. This blog has a tab at the top that says “Fashion Trends.” Then just click on the season you want and this blog will describe all of the looks and even show you pictures of the fashion trends. Not only does this blog talk about clothes, but also about accessories, shoes and hair trends for that season.  

www.whowhatwear.com

Another blog that I have found through researching is www.whowhatwear.com. This blog is all about celebrity style and fashion trends. Each post talks about a different category, such as lingerie, accessories, and they even have a girl of the month post, where they feature a celebrity and her style. This blog is an excellent place to see current fashion trends being worn by celebrities as well as on the runway.

www.thebudgetbabe.com

An absolutely amazing blog to find current fashion trends that celebrities are wearing, as well as where you can buy them cheaper is www.thebudgetbabe.com.  This blog posts pictures of the trends that celebrities are wearing and will tell you where you can buy them for much less. This website will also show what a new fashion trend is and then show you a few different pictures of how you can wear this particular trend. This blog also has a tab at the top that says “New! Deals Near You” and if you click on it and type in your city, it will tell you about deals in your area. 

www.fashiontoast.com

A different kind of blog that features current fashion trends is www.fashiontoast.com.  This site shows the blogger herself wearing current trends. She gives her take on is fashionable now. The pictures are taken in many different settings and there is a caption with each that describes the outfit that she is wearing. 

www.streetpeeper.com

Another great blog that I have recently discovered is www.streetpeeper.com. This blog shows what normal, everyday people on the streets are wearing. There are about 26 different cities that this blog features. A few of the cities are New York, Tokyo, and Paris. This blog shows what trends ordinary people are wearing all over the world. 

www.cupcakesandcashmere.com

One of my absolute favorite blogs is www.cupcakesandcashmere.com. The blogger, Emily, loves cooking and fashion. She goes back and forth blogging about fashion and recipes. Just like fashiontoast.com, this blog also features the blogger herself in current fashion trends. My favorite post that she does is called “Five Things.” She will post what her top five favorite things are at the moment and show pictures of them. 

www.cafefashionista.blogspot.com

Another one of my favorites is www.cafefashionista.blogspot.com. I have recently started following this blog. The blogger also talks about things that she loves right now and she also will show an item from a designer and then show you a brand that carries an item that is very similar and much cheaper.  Every week, she also features music that she loves.

www.cocosteaparty.com

The final blog to follow for current fashion trends is www.cocosteaparty.com. This blog has it all including celebrity fashion trends, pictures of ordinary people on the street and their style, magazine covers, runway photos, as well as images from different photo shoots.  This is the blog to follow to get a taste of a little bit of everything.

7 Stores Where You Can Buy Celeb Looks for Less

 Everyone is always wondering how they can dress like celebrities but pay a whole lot less. Celebrities are the ultimate style icons and to be able to wear what they wear would be amazing. Most likely their clothing cost a lot more than what most people can afford, but there are many stores where you can find clothing that looks exactly like what a celebrity wore. Here are the top seven stores to buy celeb looks for less: 

1. Forever21: One of the most popular stores to buy celeb looks for less is Forever21. Below is a picture of Vanessa Hudgens wearing a snowflake open cardigan. I found almost the exact same cardigan at Forever 21 and it is only $27.80.

 

2. Steve Madden: This store is an excellent place to find shoes and handbags that resemble ones that celebrities are wearing. Here is a picture of Vanessa Hudgens wearing a pair of expensive leather combat boots. You can buy boots in the exact same style at Steve Madden. They are the Troopa leather combat boots and they are only $99.95. 

3. Boutiquetoyou.com: This website is a great place to celebrity looks for less. On this website, you can also purchase the exact same item that a celebrity wore. The prices are fairly reasonable, too. Here is a picture of Kristen Cavallari wearing a Wildfox feather raglan, and on this website, you can buy the exact same top for only $77. 

4. Nordstrom: Some people may not think of Nordstrom as a place to buy celebrity looks at a cheaper price, but believe it or not, you can. There are many brands there that are actually quite affordable. A similar version of this long slub open front cardigan that Jessica Alba is wearing can be found at Nordstrom and its only $38. 

5. Topshop: Topshop has always been an excellent place to buy celeb looks for less. Many celebrities actually even shop there themselves. Here Nicole Richie is wearing a black tank and leopard skirt dress. You can find almost the exact same dress at Topshop for on $38. 

6. Yesstyle.com: This is a website that I have just recently discovered. They are a brand from China and they carry lots of merchandise that resembles what celebrities are wearing. Here Katherine Heigl is wearing a green pleated front dress. Yesstyle.com has a dress that is very similar to Katherine’s and it is only $25.

 

 

7. Aldo: Aldo is a great store to buy celeb looks for less. If you are looking for jewelry, handbags, and shoes that are just like the ones that celebrities wear. Paris Hilton is wearing a pair of diamond hoop earrings. And at Aldo, you can find a pair of crystal rhinestone hoop earrings that look exactly like Paris’s, but they are only $12.