Cup of Jo's 9 Spring Fashion Trends: Where to Find Them

Cup of Jo's 9 Spring Fashion Trends: Where to Find Them

UO via Cup of Jo

Recently, Joanna of Cup of Jo posted 9 spring fashion trends (will you wear them?). It got me thinking about whether I think we should all try them out (or not) and, if so, where we might find them for more reasonable price points. First I talked about her first trend: flares. You may have gathered that I love that trend because it's extremely flattering on most women.

Next up for Joanna? Maxi dresses. Joanna says:

2. Maxi dresses. This year, they go ALL the way to your feet (no ankles allowed!), but have slits or bare backs that feel irresistibly sexy. Picks: This, this and this.

Her examples (gorgeous! gorgeous! and a little too much sideboob, respectively!) are $105, $268, and $59. So there's a range, but it's a steep incline up to a pretty high price point for a statement-making dress. My thought on these dresses is this: anytime you wear a dress with a slit uptohere or an open back, it's going to get noticed. That might make it worth the money for you, or it might make you less likely to wear the dress as a staple, in which case you might not want to splurge on it. If you want a video on how to make a double slit skirt at home (and mental notes on how high you want to go-or not!) find one here.

I have to say that I'm not a huge fan of the slit leg on a casual dress. If you're going formal, maybe, but the slit is really awkward to wear on a dress with a flowy skirt in my experience. The bare backs are more doable. Here's a much cheaper white open back maxi dress from Wet Seal.

This one is less open and slightly more sophisticated.

My overall feeling? If you love this trend, you're going to either get a cheap version and wear it a few times, or you're going to need to spend on it. Why not find a gorgeous maxi skirt (there are so many) and pair it with this season's plethora of open back shirts? That way, you can wear the top with shorts or jeans, too.

I'll be talking about open back tops for women who wear bras tomorrow so don't fret.

Next up for Joanna (and for us)? Spring's swing tops. Tune in next Wednesday!

Simple Easter Style

Simple Easter Style

Via

Bear with me. The caps on this post are going wild for some reason!

Dressing for church on easter is one of those things that stresses me out. First, i'm not catholic, like my husband, or even christian, like my mother-in-law. I'm very spiritual, but i was not raised attending any kind of church. Now i find myself spending easter every year with a family for whom going to church on easter is the norm. The first year i went, i almost bailed at the last minute because i had worked myself into such a tizzy. I was so unsure of what people would wear and so worried that i'd wear something offensive. Everything was tossed on to the bed as too tight, too conservative, too casual, too dressy. I think i had a full on suit on at one point. I can't even remember what i wore eventually. 

Thankfully, i've now been to church many times, and even on several easter sundays. But i'm acutely aware of the internal pressure we can put on ourselves to wear something that feels special yet natural. Combine that with things like walking half mile to get to a church or basting a special cut of meat in the oven before and after or chasing kids around as they find eggs, and it can be stressful! 

Here are my ideas for outfits that you can plan ahead with and not stress out like i did. 

Winter: Shake It Off

Winter: Shake It Off

In advance of picking out your clothes for Monday (and hopefully for the week!), I wanted to say this. When I woke up on Friday, the first day of spring, I walked out my back door to this. Snow, gloom, and grayness. Was I back home in Vermont? Back to my law school days in Chicago? I've had many dreary first days of spring, but this one hit me particularly hard. I wanted to go back to bed until it was warm and sunny! 

Then I stopped stomping my feet and looked around a little bit. There, nestled under an inch of snow, were the first green shoots of my mother's bulbs! And if I got over my self pity, I heard birds chirping. And the trees had little buds! There was life beyond my sinus infection and the snow, and I was going to go find it! 

Here are some of my favorite ways for us all to wear spring all week. Maybe Mother Nature will know we support her efforts! 

This gorgeous dress above is

Spring (Sneaker) Things I'm Noticing

Spring (Sneaker) Things I'm Noticing

Via

Do you know what makes the outfit above work? For me, it's the sneakers. I love the whole look, but it could feel totally different with this spring's brightly colored, pointy high heels. This is an outfit built for exploring a new city, heading out with a new baby, meeting up with friends, or going on a first date. The sneakers do all of that. And, if you agree, you're in luck. 

Liberty print Vans

Because OOOOOOoooo boy is this a good season for sneakers! I had a really hard time choosing favorites to show you here today, it's so good. Wherever you look, you're going to find cool sneakers in tons of colors. I promise. Here are a few favorites. 

Via Le Bunny Bleu

I'd wear any of these in the following way: for now, with jeans rolled up to just above the sneaker, whatever height that was, with something feminine like flowers and then a darker jean jacket. Then, with shorts and a button down shirt with bright lipstick in the early spring. Then with shorts and a flowy, festival-ish tank top in the summer.

Via Jcrew

Or with a great vintage-inspired dress because I love that contrast of soft dress meets sporty shoe. These two women nail it!

Via

Via

Spring Outfit Inspiration from Old Navy

Spring Outfit Inspiration from Old Navy

I love a good Old Navy bargain, especially at the change of season. I'm never 100% committed to what I'll want to be wearing when the weather first changes, and so I don't usually want to spend a lot of money on things that I might not want to wear by July. I often think of Old Navy as a standby for simple pieces that will last a season.

But, guys? This season Old Navy has some downright inspirational styling for spring and early summer, too! And some cute poses for a Facebook profile or Instagram pic!

Stay Warm in the Spring Chill-or Cover Up in the Summer Sun

 

What I love above is that they've chosen to cover something up (3/4 length sleeves, knee length dress, camo jacket, denim vest) and reveal something (wrists and ankles, shoulders and feet, arms and ankles, legs and wrists) in the same outfit. It's grown up spring style done well. Of course, you know I love a straw fedora, too.

Pack Easily for a Weekend Trip to the Beach

Below are four outfits that would be perfect for a weekend trip: the red skirt for an evening out (worn directly from work if need be), the ripped jeans and stripes for the farmer's market in the morning, the jean skirt for a glass of wine at a restaurant on the coast, and the shorts for brunch and a few last hours at the beach on Sunday. You could easily do this with two pairs of shoes since the ripped jean sneakers would love to be friends with those jean shorts.  Throw in a swimsuit and the perfect sleeping slip and you are set! Quick tip: buy a more expensive bikini top that offers the right amount of support (hard to find in a cheap one) and an inexpensive bottom that's from the same color family or matches one of the colors in a patterned top.

Keep it Simple

For summer, is there anything better than a sweet maxi dress that you can wear from sun up to sundown? Not in my book! I love a denim top for summer, too, since you can take a dress and turn it into what looks like a skirt and top-or wear it tied over cropped pants on a cooler day.

I'd also wear all of these to one special beach rainy day spot: the outlets! It makes it so much easier to try things on when all you have to do is slip off a dress or remove a top or bottom to try something on.

Old Navy's not a sponsor. Not getting paid. Just liked it.

Friday Roundup: Romantic, Summery, Festival-Inspired

Friday Roundup: Romantic, Summery, Festival-Inspired

Gah, Urban Outfitters has the most beautiful, romantic, let's-go-to-Coachella pieces right now. If I had a smaller chest, I'd be buying several of their bra tops to wear under big, loose tshirts and tanks this summer.

Also? I'm in love with this trapeze dress in white and am currently figuring out where I can wear it to justify buying it. Things that come to mind are a trip to Thailand, Mexico, or a boho wedding. All invitations for those trips are very welcome! It was even better in person, and here's my iPhone shot.

In a similar realm of the imaginary, this cuff is incredible. If you're looking for a statement piece this summer, this should be it.

Much more affordable, but still gorgeous, is this stack of bangles.

Pair the bangles with this stunning red top.