Trend Friend: The Asymmetrical

Dress: Forever 21; $24.80
Sweater: Gap; $68
Jacket: Hanii Y; $1,140


According to ancient philosophers, having perfect symmetry has long been the penultimate symbol of beauty. Well let me tell you people, that philosophy is as ancient as the men behind it. From a slightly crooked smile, to an uneven hairline, to a sprinkle of freckles on one cheek, there is something more artful and interesting about the asymmetrical. Lately, designers have been taking this more contemporary way of thinking to heart with their creations. From a cardigan collar to the buttons on a jacket to the straps on a cocktail dress, the look is suitable on virtually anything. If you hated geometry as much as I did (a special thanks to my tutor!), then you will especially enjoy this rebellion against equal lines and angles. However, I will say that designers still haven’t abandoned proportion. In fact, asymmetrical garments can be some of the most flattering. If you have a defined collarbone and dainty shoulders, showing part of your décolleté with a strapless dress is sexy in a very peek-a-boo way without being risqué. Or, if you’re anything like I am—always cold with space heater in tow—try out the trend with a luxurious fall/winter knit. A sweater with an oversized collar that drapes longer on one side is whimsical and makes an everyday item that much more exciting. The best part is, you can make the statement as loudly or as softly as you like. This is a great style to try for the trend-timid.

Local Find -- Mingle Jewelry

I don't know about you, but I've definitely been there--I buy a cute, trendy (okay maybe even a little kitschy) necklace at Forever only to have it fall completely apart upon first wearing and then go forever amongst the deep depths of broken $4.80-somethings in my jewelry drawer. Hence, my newest resolve in shopping: buy better jewelry. Although I'm many many years from the tax bracket to stop buying costume altogether, I've decided that my jewelry--unlike my clothes, which will inevitably fade, shrink, stretch and wear no matter how much I pay for them--should have a little more staying power and statement power. So, with my mission clear and my wrists and ears bare, I have been searching for some stand-out jewelry to stand the test of time. At Envie (one of the great Austin boutiques hidden away on Burnet Road), I took notice of what is now my new favorite local jewelry designer.


Meet Mingle Jewelry, a collection of simple yet striking hammered silver and gold bangles, cuffs, stacked rings, earrings, and necklaces designed by Rachel Roberts, a young Texas native and UT grad. This collection will survive in your jewelry box for years to come, with its fresh and contemporary look. These pieces won't overshadow your outfit and can be worn with strong patterns and statement pieces, but would look equally chic with a simple white tee and jeans. I'm in love. Top on my wishlist: these hammered silver bangles for less than $100. All fellow Austinites can find Mingle Designs at both B. Chic and Envie (here I found lots of pieces that aren't even on the website), or anyone can order online.

Girl's Best Accessory

Michael Kors: $36; Via Spiga: $130; Linea Pelle: $187.50

Want to make getting dressed a cinch? Buy a double-buckle belt. From Michael Kors to Via Spiga to Alexander McQueen, designers have been shaving pounds off of women while adding a sense of cool sophistication. For the past few years, we’ve seen hundreds of belts on the runway and on women who want to draw a little for attention to their waist and disguise their mid-section (yep, I’m one of them!), but this newer style is a bit more refreshing and ultra slimming with more coverage and fun detailing. Though there are cheaper incarnations at places such as Target, I do recommend splurging just a little because this is a piece that goes with everything. Toughen up a frilly dress with a brown leather double-buckle belt or go bold with a red belt against a dark tunic. They even liven up an everyday pencil skirt/blouse combo. These belts also go surprisingly well with printed frocks and tops as they keep the attention on the thinnest part of your body even amidst a bold pattern. Pictured are a few of my favorites, all ranging in price from low to medium to high.

Trend Friend: 2-in-1 Color Block Dresses

Designer choice: Theory dress; $295.

Reversible jackets, double-stuffed Oreos, and pullout sofas—there is nothing better than an item that serves a dual purpose. On a slightly more luxurious note than my favorite snacking cookies, a new kind of 2-parter has recently been gracing the runway, designer boutiques, finally arriving at my favorite bargain havens. The color block dress is sophisticated, office-friendly, and the perfect dose of retro with a contemporary twist. As an avid jeans addict, I typically like to dress up my denim for a night out. Having grown up in Chicago and moved to Austin for college and career, I simply never got used to the feeling of a jersey dress clinging to my curves making me feel oh-so-exposed—especially during chillier evenings. Enter: the color block dress, with its cinched in waist, tailored skirt, and simple yet flattering top. Upon zipping up this clever design, the wearer looks as though she has effortlessly put two pieces together from her wardrobe. The result is elegant and a little Parisian. It’s a little more ladylike than jeans and a blouse, but with just one garment to deal with, it’s altogether easier. For day, try a dress that has longer sleeves and a simple black or navy skirt. Add some fun yellow or red heels for a pop of color. If you’re curvier, go for a sleeker, more structured shape. Those on the more petite side looking to add some curves and show off their tiny waists should try the dresses with the paper bag skirts—scrunched at the top for hour glass definition. For evening, it’s all about bare arms. Go sleeveless, add ruffles, and experiment with prints on either the top or the bottom—but not both. While the title trend insinuates that this style has an impending expiration date, I predict, here and now, that the color block dress may just be the quilted Chanel bag of this generation—timeless and a closet staple.

Cheap Choices: Right- Forever 21; $19.80
Down- Papaya; $31.99

Steal of the Day

Today if you visit bluefly.com you get 30% off any already reduced item like this luxe cashmere v-neck tunic by CeCe for only $55.99, down from the high retail pricetag of $275. Shop fast! This sale ends tomorrow!

Star Style: On The Cheap

Rachel Bilson first made waves as the high school hottie on "The O.C.," and while the teen-pleasing show is forever immortalized on DVD, it is Bilson's unique style that makes every sidewalk spotting of the actress completely memorable. Her look, a mix between bohemian, edgy, and ladylike chic is a sublte scene-stealer. Though she may wear a low, messy bun or an ovesized scarf, she always looks put-together--never sloppy. Bilson may achieve fashionista status with the help of a Hollywood budget, but here's how to shop her look and make it your own without taking out that mafia loan...

Jacket: Forever 21; $39.80Scarf: Old Navy; $12.50

Jeans: Urban Outfitters; $54


White t-shirt: Nordstrom BP; $20


Shoes: DSW; $69.95



Sunglasses: Sunglass Warehouse: $15.95

Steal of the Day

Found: The most adorable sheer chiffon dress, perfect for layering. The abstract bird print gives such a vintage feel and the material makes this piece look more expensive then it is. Wear it with a grey slip or a long sleeve tee/turtleneck on cooler days. On sale, this look can't afford to be missed. 

*At the checkout, don't forget to put in coupon code luckybreaks8  for an additional 25% off your purchase. 

On the horizon

Ruffle details...

From Project Runway to the street, ruffle details have been showing up everywhere lately. This feminine statement is best paired with something less girly and with a little edge like a biker jacket or a tall boot. Scoop this trend up anywhere, from Target to the Moschino designer boutique. Here are a few of my favorites high and low.

Splurgers try Rebecca Taylor, Caroline Hedaya and Ella Moss. 

On a budget? There are plenty of options at Target, Steve Madden and Forever 21. 

Traveling Pants

Destination: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Long known as a mecca of soccer and samba, Rio de Janeiro also boasts a surprisingly unique fashion sense of its own. As we trade in our sundresses for scarves and lattes, South America is just getting heated up. The summer '08 styles still feature the bright signature Brazilian prints I have come to love but incorporate fragments of the natural world. Styles remain loose and flowing but materials are shifting from the usual soft jersey to more elegant and tailored silks. A-line cuts are big this season, a large departure from the previously popular asymmetrical looks of Brazilian fashion. If you are starting to feel a chill in the air, no doubt these trends will make you want to book your holiday vacation early. Here are some of my favorites from Rio fashion house FARM.

Steal of the Day

FOUND: A gorgeous structured bag for fall that looks luxurious but doesn't break the bank. This satchel from the Anya Hindmarch for Target collection doesn't fail to deliver on luxury, style, and wearability. Perfect for work, travel, or everyday and LESS than $50.

Best to click here now and order one for yourself, Target's designer collections go fast.

The Beauty Beat

Have you ever been this girl?

I carelessly go about my day, assuming I'm the same person I was when I first did my makeup in the morning. I go from work to grab a drink with a friend or stop at the grocery store, only to catch my reflection in a mirror and be met with that instant feeling of dread. My eyeliner, which was once traced so thoughtfully along my bottom lash line, has decided to find a new home...smeared all under my eyes, threatening to make its way to my cheeks if I don't act fast. I wonder how long I've looked like zombie girl, or, better yet, raccoon face. Maybe it's just been a few minutes, but in all likelihood, it happened within a couple hours of initially applying my liner.

Nowadays, if you open my makeup drawer, you may find a battalion of lip glosses, an army of mascaras, and endless troops of eye shadow palettes, but you will find but one kind of eye liner, staked out permanently. Line & Seal 24 is a semi-permanent pencil that stays put from the moment you put it on in the morning until you wash your face in the evening. While "semi-permanent" may sound a little extreme, the formula is hypoallergenic and perfect even for contact wearers such as myself. It glides on smoothly--though if you want that slightly smudged, smoky effect, you should take a q-tip to the line you drew immediately after applying. The best part is, the liner also retains its vibrancy of color all day--be it sleek brown or even a subtly sexy navy. There are dozens of hues available. My favorite shade is "Milk Chocolate." (pictured above) It is exactly how it sounds...a bright, medium-toned brown with hints of auburn, perfect for all eye colors, especially those of us who complain about having (sigh) dull brown eyes. The soft shade really picks up on the green and gold flecks in brown eyes. During my work day, I may reapply a few swipes of gloss or even run for my blush on days where I know I look as tired as I feel, but I never go for another dose of liner. But, even if I wanted to use it as many as 100 times a day, at $5.99, its so affordable that I don't mind buying replacements.

Check it out for yourself: www.styli-style.com/products/LineSeal24/LineSeal24.html

Wish List: The boots I'll wear forever...

Every Sunday night when I turn on the TV to watch AMC's Mad Men, I go into

total style-obsessed freak-out mode. There is something so flawlessly graceful (and even sexy) about the way women dressed back then. On this week's episode of Mad Men, Betty Draper was featured in one of her regular on-screen uniforms: riding pants, riding boots, red lips, and a tucked-up french braid--Very Jackie O. Even if regular trips to the stable are not on your agenda, we can all take a lesson from Mrs. Draper's classic look.

This fall, I have got to get a pair of perfect, timeless, luxurious brown leather riding boots for my closet. This is an item that I'd be willing to shell out a couple extra bucks for, considering they will virtually never go out of style. However, I am trying to find a few quality pair that won't break the bank:

Urban Outfitter's affordable take on them.

The J Crew version I might have to ask Santa for.

Inspiration Pick

We've all heard people joke that pink is the new black or navy is the new black, etc. and it was clever for awhile. But, let's be honest, NOTHING can ever replace the sophistication and slenderizing effect of black in the fashion world. For awhile it seemed the color was getting the silent treatment from designers on the runway, with all of fall's deep florals and jewel tones and the punchy, flirty hues of spring. Often chastized for being too dark, too rock 'n' roll, too old, or too extreme altogether, an all-black outfit has the potential to be fresh, mysterious, and undeniably chic. Think black opaque, textured tights, a tailored turtleneck mini, and a streamlined handbag to carry you the through from day to evening. Throw in some leather if you're up for it. There's nothing wrong with a little edge, as long as you don't fall off it. Thank you, Marc Jacobs (pictured left: fall 2008 runway) for making a classic young again.

Steal of the Day

Found: Amazing transition piece for fall, this Simply Vera Wang dress is chic and sophisticated but still a great budget buy!

 

Click Here!