friday's fancies - pretty in plaid

This week's Friday's Fancies theme with Long Distance Loving is pretty in plaid. I found this amazing (and inexpensive!) blanket scarf in fall's favorite print. I love how the traditional red color combo and also how the size of the scarf can double as a blanket - when it's not making a statement. ;)

scarf, sweater, skirt, booties, bag

For the rest of the outfit, I chose not-so-simple basics: a neutral-colored sweater with side buttons and elbow patches from J. Crew, a faux leather mini (been seeing these everywhere!), and black ankle booties. The blue snakeskin bag has a fun shape and print to add a little something "extra" to the outfit.

xo-ally

yay or nay: leopard hair streak

Okay, first off - I can't believe I haven't blogged in days! I felt like I had finally gotten back into the swing of things, but right when that happened, a TON of homework hit me. Darn that PR campaign class....

Anyways, I was perusing Pinterest recently and saw this pin of a girl with a leopard printed streak of hair.  The article it links to explains that the hairstylist uses permanent hair dye to freehand the spots on that section of the hair.

I think that is actually a really unique idea. There could be so many colors and patterns to choose from! And with the colored-hair craze going strong, I have an inkling this trend might continue to grow.

Or, at least, we'll see Snooki sporting the look.

While this I think this is creative, I personally would not want this done to my hair. It looks a little 13-year-old to me. Though I'm sure there are older girls who could rock the style if it fits their personality.

What do you think? Yay or Nay on the leopard-streaked hair?

xo-ally

tory burch animal print reva flats // new blog design

I've been seeing these flats ALL over Pinterest lately in Polyvore-style outfit images. I love them so much! The gold logo piece on the toes even seems to bring out the gold and darker tones within the animal print. A great way to add interest is to add animal print flats - this pair by Tory Burch is versatile and would liven up any outfit.

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Also - do you like my new design?! I kept the layout the same but changed the header and side buttons. I was starting to get bored of my old header and wanted to add some color. Let me know what you think!

xo-ally

wear now, wear later: animal print loafers

One of the best ways to get the most out of your wardrobe is to have some items that will carry you through multiple seasons. With summer sandals and fall boots, sometimes it can be difficult to wear shoes that can be worn in both times of the year. Flats are an exception - they work year-round! With loafers emerging as an upcoming trend, I put together two outfits with Betsey Johnson zebra-printed loafers.

Summer:

I love the colors in this outfit! The wild, black and white print on the shoes allows for some playfulness in the rest of the outfit. I chose bright pink chino shorts and colorful jewelry with a printed bag to accompany the plain shirt and shorts.

F21 shirt, J. Crew shorts, Wet Seal sunglasses, Betsey Johnson earrings, Kate Spade ring, Kate Spade bag, Betsey Johnson shoes (link below).

Fall:

Take a cue from the turning leaves and put oranges and deep reds into the mix! Since the loafers are printed, I decided to play around with color and texture in the rest of the outfit. The leather skirt plays up the edge from the animal print, but the collar necklace and knit beret soften the look. Add some over-the-knee socks and a fashion-forward watch, and the outfit is complete!

J. Crew sweater, Nordstrom necklace, Topshop skirt, F21 socks, H&M hat, Kiel James Patrick bracelet, Michael Kors Watch, Betsey Johnson shoes (link below).

The shoes:

Which look do you like better? How do you stretch items from your wardrobe through different seasons?

xo-ally

cable knit and leopard print

Sweater: J. Crew Headband: Henri Bendel Necklace: Muses & Rebels Ring: Kate Spade Bracelets, tank: F21 Watch: Michael Kors Jeans: Nordstrom Flats: unknown (aka my mother's closet)

I went for a classic look today with a cable knit sweater, skinny jeans, and leopard-printed flats and added the accessories to put more life into the outfit. I just realized the color scheme exactly mimics my bedroom - I didn't even mean to do that! I love the combination of red and purple, and the animal print packs an extra punch.

After getting only a few hours of sleep last night, I needed some rest this afternoon. I watched an episode of Dance Moms (so much crazy, so much awesome) and took a short nap. Now it's back to business before performing at the last men's basketball game tonight!

Oh yeah, the second photo was taken in my bathroom because I wanted to get a closeup of my accessories. Total MySpace mirror pic right there. Don't mind the awkward green hand towels in the corner. Haha.

xo