NYFW STREET STYLE

My heart breaks a little knowing that New York Fashion Week is over, but it picks right back up when I remember we still have London, Milan, and Paris to go! As much as I adore fawning over the creativity that goes into creating the looks that make it down the runway, I've always felt that street style is a bit more authentic. I love seeing people interpret trends in different ways, and observing how they make it work into their own aesthetic. Runway has a tendency to feel a bit distant from the average consumer, but seeing variations of extravagant runway looks on "regular" people makes the styles feel more within reach.

I adore the contrast between the rock n' roll edge of the top layering combination down to the glittery heel. The combination of a sparkly turtleneck and a glitzy heel can leave you feeling a little overly preppy, but I love the way this look is roughed up a bit with a band tee, loose jeans, and a casual suede clutch. The bright red belt scarf really sets the look off.

How darling is this monochromatic look? Sticking to a single color scheme can lead to disastrous clashing if not executed properly, but adding texture and complementary details makes this look polished, not lazy. 

Wide leg trousers are making a comeback, and I'm fully behind the immersion of the style into denim. They're comfortable, flattering, and when paired with a drape-y patterned button down, just the right amount of sexy. The pointed toe on the shoe perfectly contrasts the shapelessness of the pants, and the light basket-like handbag softens up the entire look.

Good news, shapeless & oversized no longer translate to just rolling out of bed. When paired with a statement shoe and polished accessories, it's loungewear turned streetwear. The silhouette of this sweatshirt dress is anything but sloppy, and can you imagine how comfortable it is?

All street style images from Refinery29.

PINTEREST LOOK FOR LESS

Call it wishful thinking, but I'm hoping to soon break out my long sleeve blouse and boot ensembles. Being covered head to toe can be a bit intimidating, especially in all black, but this lovely pin inspired me to embrace the off-the-shoulder trend this fall as a way of giving my eyes (and shoulders) some room to breathe. Off-the-shoulder tees and blouses have become practically as common on the streets as your average button down, so I'm happy to add it as a staple to my closet. Thigh high boots used to be reserved for superheroes and the super sexy, but I love adding a delicate ruffle to a sharper look to add a touch of femininity. 

BooHoo Leggings - $14.00

Wet Seal Crossbody Bag - $18.90

BooHoo Aviator Sunglasses - $10.00

BooHoo Ruffle Top - $35.00

BooHoo Thigh High Boots - $70.00

Total: $147.90

RUNWAY TO REALITY

This post is sponsored by Visionworks

If there is one dream I have always had it is to attend NYFW. I have had two chances so far, and they both happened when I was a week away from having a baby. A good reason to miss out, but bittersweet nonetheless. One day it will happen, and in the meantime, being the fashion lover that I am, I'll be translating the runway looks of my favorite shows to everyday life. This past week models strutted the catwalk wearing the latest designs of iconic fashion labels such as Zac Posen, Lacoste and DVF. I've partnered with Visionworks to showcase eyewear designs from these designers and translate these styles to the concrete catwalk of Arizona.

DVF's latest show was full of rich colors and interesting layers. You can always count on Diane to show women as sexy and strong every time. I love these teal glasses with a femme cat-eye. They frame my oval shaped face very well, and the color is complementary to my olive skin. After seeing the pictures from her show, I gravitated toward the rust color, and the masculine trousers. I also enjoyed the new ideas of putting skirts over pants and dresses over skirts. So, I put a lace slip dress over my slacks and a rust colored sweater vest on top.

Lacoste is the perfect example of high fashion sportswear. There is always a classic and timeless quality to what they make such as these brown frames, but you can always expect a sporty twist. In their show they showcased a lot of hoodies mixed with full feminine skirts. There was also a lot of dusty blues and purple pieces to see. I created my version of their runway look pairing this dusty blue hoodie and purple skirt. It's a bit out there and yet really cool.

Zac Posen's runway shows are always inspiring to me. He really celebrates the frame of a woman, and even his fabric choices speak volumes of femininity. Everything he puts on the runway makes a statement that you can't miss just like these red glasses. I feel so artistic and memorable when I wear these frames. I loved that he styled the models with curls and bit of frizz for the runway. That's my hair everyday. I also love that he had the models wear one color or pattern head to toe. He showed a lot of jackets and a lot of red. I was so surprised to see that for spring, but I love it.

Photos by Rennai Hoefer; all clothing was found at thrift stores; glasses were provided by Visionworks.

SHOWING SOME FLARE

I've traded in my skinnies for some flared jeans, and I forgot how good they feel. Do you remember wearing flared pants or even wide leg jeans? I know! It feels like a distant memory, but they are back in a big way and I finally bought myself a pair of Who What Wear jeans from Target. 

I love them because they make my legs look even long and my waist ity-bity. Oh yeah, did I mentioned they are high waist jeans that suck everything in too? Oh yeah, baby! This mama is one happy girl right now because, as I shared in a past post, my body isn't quite back to itself even though Levi turns 1 years old this coming week. AHH!

If you have long legs and a long torso, the key to wearing these jeans is to define your waist by tucking in your shirt. I don't like everything super structured, so I added my kimono (also from Target). A contrasting denim jacket would work well or simply a tank and t-shirt is always great. 

Length is always an issue when you wear flare pants. I'm going to hem these jeans because I love wearing lower heels. For now, it works with these suede wedges.  So, are you ready to get your pair of flare (see what I did there)? If you're a bit hesitant you can find them at Target on sale for $34.99. That's such a low price for a fashion experiment! Let me know if you try!

Photos by Rennai Hoefer

FALL MUST HAVE BOOTS

This post is sponsored by Zappos and LuckyBrand.

When fall fashion season starts I do a little happy dance because that means it's boot wearin' time! As excited I get to buy new fall shoes, I hate the process of shoe shopping. It's frustrating for size 10, narrow, flat footed people. So, I do all of my shoe shopping online with Zappos now. It's fast, easy and the online reviews help so much in determining what size is best. In fact, I've teamed up with Zappos and LuckyBrand to share with you my favorite picks and how I style them on the daily.

Not only have I learned to shop exclusively online for shoes, but I've learned to stick with a couple tried and true brands that I know fit me well. Comfort is just as high of a priority as style to me, so LuckyBrand is a go-to for me. Their leather quality is wonderful and their styles always match my west coast easy style.

I have several booties in my shoe collection already, but I just can't resist buying a black and brown pair each year. This year I chose black leather booties with a slightly pointed toe (Eesa style) and toffee colored suede wedge booties (Yamina style).

My daily outfits no matter if it's during the week or weekend usually involve some kind of denim and simple color palettes. I just spoke at Say Hi Society about Pinterest, and I wore my gray blazer, jeans, a black t-shirt and these Eesa boots. I felt comfortable and confident the whole time.

I'm also loving head to toe blue these days. Blue hues are a huge color trend for fall. Though I don't mind mixing black and navy, brown just complements blue so well and gives that fall vibe you can't miss. The Yamina style is great for miles of walking because the wedge style is supportive for your feet. I've been wearing them while I play with the kids, shop and work, and I love that the suede material makes them wearable well into the spring.

If you're in the market for new boots definitely give these a try. You can easily purchase them on Zappos with free shipping and easy free returns. They come in just 3-5 business days too! Let me know what you think!

Photos by Rennai Hoefer