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

skinny belts

When belts over the waists became big again years ago (was it 2005?) I didn't like them at first. It was ninth grade, and I was fine wearing my bootcut jeans and gold Hollister belt slung diagonally over my hips, thankyouverymuch. At that time, I had just dipped a toe in the skinny jean trend but could not even fathom wearing high-waisted jeans, nevertheless a belt higher than my hips. Later, I grew out of the Hollister-Abercrombie phase and experimented more with fashion, and even - gasp - tried out belts over my waist! What a perfect way to cinch the waist, add color, and make baggy shirts and dresses much more flattering.

Over the years, belt trends have come in and out, but the cinched waist is still going pretty strong. Lately, skinny belts have had the spotlight. They are perfect over dresses and high-waisted skirts, but I'm loving them as actual belts, too. A colored skinny belt can be the only color you need if you're wearing denim, white, or neutral-colored shorts or pants.

A few skinny belts I adore these days:

This is the green belt I wore last week. I've worn it a few different ways already!

The bow on this belt is adorable! I love the powder blue color.

This colorful, beaded belt is unique and would be a cool statement accessory on any outfit.

xo-ally

bareMinerals lip colors

I don't wear lip color very often. I have Burts Bees lip balm that I wear daily, but my glosses don't get much use. (Well, I had light pink lipglass from M.A.C. that I loved but I lost it. Sad.) I feel like I buy the wrong color sometimes - it just doesn't fully go. That's why I like getting makeup from department stores! Unlike a drug store, you get to try on the makeup and see how it looks before you make a decision.

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I got the bareMinerals Pretty Amazing Lip Color in "Ambition." It is a bright, hot pink! I was originally deciding between this color or a red so I could wear when I perform with dance team at basketball games. When I tried it on, however, it was suggested that I wear it regularly! Here is the color on me, taken with my phone:

I also got the bareMinerals Moxie Lip Gloss in "Show Off." It is a pinky-nude that will bring out the rosy undertones of my skin but will be much more subtle than the hot pink above. I'm excited to try this over a nude lipstick I bought a while back - the lipstick itself seems too matte, so a gloss will help liven it up a bit.

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What brand/type of makeup do you use for your lips?

xo-ally

skinny belt & ombre nails

Dress: H&M (old) similar Belt, bag: Nordstrom Flats: Report (old) similarSilver jewelry: Tiffany & Co.; Bracelet , Ring Nail polish: Butter London and NARS

It was such a gorgeous day, so a friend and I went shopping and walked around outside downtown. I wasn't originally wearing ombre nail polish - I ended up trying on a few different shades of blue over the royal blue I already had on, and it ended up actually looking good! And remember when I said I would get a lot of use out of this dress? I've already worn it so many ways, some of which are posted on here. Adding a green skinny belt is yet another way to wear this dress.

The nail polish:

NARS and Butter London

xo-ally

rock climbing at minnehaha

I love indoor rock climbing - I've been taking classes at a nearby climbing gym for a while now. I've only climbed outdoors a couple of times. I like it because there is no specific "route" to climb on - you just use what you need on the wall to get up. At the same time, having a route with colorful tape is nice because you know there is always somewhere to put your hand or foot, even if it's a tough move. Overall, it was a warm, sunny day and perfect for being outside!

Our matching tanks were unplanned!

xo-ally