Casual Cool

Casual, Cool & Chic

I like the comfort of being laid back and the easiness of dressing casually, but I also love maintaining chicness while I do it. This tribal print gray & black wool blend jacket comes from Forever21. I found it in the clearance section, and it was half off the already marked down price.  I only paid $12 for it. The black lycra leggins are by DKNY. I bought them on sale for $ 21.99, from Nordstrom Rack. The original retail price was $79.99. This jacket is so versatile, it can be restyled just by changing the shoes and adding a nice winter hat.

Accessory Tip:

I added a little something to the outfit by accessorizing it with a cummerbund styled suede belt,  that is accented with leather trim and two snap enclosures.  A pair of silver hoops and simple silver chain are all you need to keep the look on trend.

Shoe Tip:

I wore these high heeled "Boutique9" booties with this outfit. The gray wool contrasts nicely with the black leather up the front, along the top and down the 4" heels. The brass accented lace up enclosures are also a nice detail.They were purchased from Nordstrom for around $99. 

Western Option:

An alternative to the short booties, are these over the knee riding boots. They are by Vince Camuto. The original retail price was $249.99. To enhance the riding boot, add a gray or black Stetson cowboy hat, black jeans, and a tooled leather belt for a more western vibe.

Time To Shine

Holiday Sparkle

The holiday season is literally just weeks away. Beat the other revelers by getting a head start on your party attire. When I'm looking for the perfect dress for that special occasion, the first place I look is in my closet. If you are a savvy shopper, I'm sure you've bought items in the off season, because of the drastically reduced price. I only paid about $40 for this dress. The regular price was over $150. I bought it last February; because I knew there would come a time when I'd need something pretty to wear during the next holiday season. This strapless silk dress is by Calvin Klein. The platinum color looks like a tall glass of sparkling champagne. The body conscience ruched design, hugs the curves, while providing a distraction for the most critical eye. The oversize bow detail is another element which adds interest and flair. 

Accessory Tip: I think a pair of studs (diamond, crystal, or cubic zirconia), with a studded choker would be the perfect accessories for this dress.  The only other piece of jewelry I would consider adding, would be a either a tennis bracelet or a studded cuff. 

Shoe Tip:

The shoes are by Casadei. They are made of a combination of champagne colored silk and jet black patent leather. The champagne color in the shoes, couples very well with the color of the dress. They are traditional sling backs modernized with the addition of ankle straps. The regular price was $450, but I bought them from Dillards on sale for much less.

Let's Rock n Roll

Rock Star Ready

This is one of my most statement making pieces. It definitely causes heads to turn. This python snake print duster is made by Kathryn Conover. The print and texture looks and feels like real python, but it's actually made from polyester and elasthanne.The various purples and caramel color compliment each other beautifully. I bought this duster years ago from Nordstrom on sale for $109. The original retail price was $268. When I purchased it it was actually a wrap dress, that I redesigned into a duster. I was looking for something cool to wear to a concert, and wanted it to have a hip yet sophisticated appeal. The pattern, colors, and design of this jacket are very bold, and requires a certain type of fashion confidence to wear it. I wore it with a pair of purple skinny jeans and matching purple T-shirt. 

Accessory Tip: The only jewelry I wore with this outfit was a pair of over sized purple crystal earrings. I didn't wear a necklace because of the busyness of the pattern in the fabric. I also wore an over-sized caramel colored satchel handbag.

Shoe Tip: I chose to keep the Rock n Roll 
 theme going, by being just as bold with my boots. They are by Stuart Weitzman, and originally sold for $498. Made from caramel colored calfskin leather, with a four inch stacked wood heel. The butter soft leather hugs the calf and rises 3-4 inches above the knee. The designer took both style and comfort into consideration, by adding a matching strip of elastic at the top rear of the boot. This allows the boots to fit to perfection, without cutting into the back of the thigh. The clean design of the shaft has simple top-stitched detailing. This boot is so versatile, it can either be rocked out in the way it was with this duster or worn with a business suit.

"I Hit The Shoe Jackpot"

These Boots Are Made For 
Walking!

You won't believe what amazing price I got these Salvatore Ferragamo, "G700 Pegasus" boots for. I bought them a few weeks ago at Haute.com, a Nordstrom online website. I was wishing on a star, when I saw them in a major fashion magazine, while at the hair salon back in June. Knowing that I would never lay down $1850 for a pair of boots, I put them on my watch list, and periodically "googled" them to see if I could find them on sale. After checking on them for several months, I gave up on the idea of being able to buy them at my preset price point.

Well luckily for me, I had a ding, ding, ding, ding, ding moment, while perusing through the clearance boots at Haute.com, and these popped up at $299. That's more than 80% off the original retail price. Purchasing these at this kind of discount is a two-fold win. One, I bought them at a drastically reduced price, and two, should I decide to, I can resale them online on Ebay, Poshmark or Tradesy and probably make a profit.

The zebra print trench coat is by Ralph Lauren.

Bling It Out!

Chopard Swarovski Crystal Shades

The bling doesn't have to stop at the fingers. These Chopard shades are encrusted with Swarovski baguette crystals, that sparkle like diamonds. The square shape of the lens with rounded edges have a universal look. Whether your face is round, oval, or pear shaped, these will look great on you. They are authentic Chopard glasses, that cost $735. This type of purchase is definitely an investment. I was fortunate enough to get them as a gift. They were purchased from the Chopard store, at South Coast Plaza, but can also be found at several online retailers at a 10-25% discount. Online sites such as Tradesy.com offers a plethora of top of the line designer sunglasses at an even deeper discount, because they are primarily pre-owned glasses in "like new" condition. 

Bougie Rouge's Tip: If you don't want to make this kind of investment, consider this. I once purchased a really beautiful pair of plain gray sunglasses on clearence at Sunglass Hut for $49. I took the glasses to Michael's Arts & Craft hoping to find coordinating stones I could adorn the glasses with. I purchased a pack of smoke colored Swarovski crystal stones, a tube of industrial glue and embellished the arms of the glasses with the crystals to give them the bling I was looking for. 

Falling for Fall...

Luxurious Leather

The leaves are changing colors, and the temperature's dropping. This butter soft lambskin leather skirt is by Halogen. It has an A-line cut with inset side pockets, and a banded hem. The skirt isn't technically a mini, given it falls a few inches lower than a traditional mini skirt would. It's rich camel color is listed as one of the hot colors for fall/winter 2014. I guess I was ahead of the trend, when I purchased it from Nordstrom last fall, for about $129. I coupled the skirt with a poly blend wrap blouse from Forever 21. It has bell shaped long sleeves, which gives it a boho feel. The camel, navy, rust, browns, and pumpkin colors in the blouse compliments the solid skirt.

Accessory Tip: Keep it simple. Don't over do it with the jewelry. I think a pair of over sized gold hoops and a few gold bangles are enough. No need for a belt, noting the contrasting sash tie at the waist of the skirt.

Shoe Tip: A pair of brown or camel colored suede or leather shoe booties, or a pair of tall boots with a flat heel would definitely set this outfit off. Flat boots will help to maintain the sophistication of the outfit. I wouldn't necessarily recommend wearing tall boots with a high heel, due to the length of the skirt. Unless of course you're looking to give it a more urban vibe. 

Bougie Rouge's Shopping Tip:

As summer winds down, so do the prices of summer clothes and shoes. Now is the time to start looking for those end of the season deals. Most stores are anxiously trying to make room for their fall merchandise, and are aggressively slashing prices to clear the racks of the summer stuff. Expect to find the best deals from now through Labor Day. I bet you can find deep discounts on many of the pricier summer items you fell in love with at the beginning of the season. Believe it or not, now is also the time to save on fall 2014 fashions, as many of the retailers are working to boost their fall revenue by offering preseason sale promotions. Saving on both summer and fall items, is a win-win situation for savvy shoppers like us.