Marc, Two Ways with Outerwear

For those of you that are still into large day clutches, you might want to check out this little gem at Bergdorf Goodman.


It's on sale for $195, and it was originally $260! I would buy this in an instant if I wasn't already over-budget with clothes/accessories/beauty (all of the new MAC collections are so tempting!), because it's completely my style. I love the colour, because it goes with everything and because it isn't specific to any season. And come on...it's Marc Jacobs! For me it's been pretty hard to find something from the Marc Jacobs line (as opposed to the Marc by Marc Jacobs line) that's even within my price range. But alas...my credit card isn't exactly welcome to a $195 dent at the moment, so I decided to style two outfits for you guys using this clutch.

The first one is meant for a young, yuppie lady who's fairly well-off and is meeting her girlfriends for lunch. She wants to look put-together, but not like she's put much effort into what she's wearing. First of all, my entire palette for this outfit would be neutrals. Wearing lighter-coloured neutrals ensures that nothing will be clashing and that you will look polished. Plus, because the palette isn't beiges and browns, there's no risk of "muddying up" your clothing palette. I would start off this outfit with a classic trench, styled exactly the way the model has it with the belt tied rather than buckled. What's underneath doesn't matter, as long as it's some sort of sheath that doesn't really show through, which makes the trench a little sexier. I would add a pair of beige heels, like the ones below. What I love about these is that they add a touch of youth and edge to the outfit, and set this young yuppie lady apart from all of the other trench-wearing young yuppie ladies out there. Did I mention they were on sale? I would wear this outfit with loose, Serena van der Woodsen-esque waves.


You can get the trench from Nordstrom for $84.90 here, and you can get the heels from Shopbop for $112.80 here.

The other look is on the other spectrum as far as young yuppie ladies go. This one is meant for a more trendy, fashionista-type girl, who wants to look as polished and perfect as she can without going too over-the-top. While I was browsing Shopbop's sales, I came across a fabulous cape from Thayer which is a great alternative to typical outerwear. The neutral beige colour keeps it from being over-the-top, but this cape is perfect for our Blair Waldorf wannabe. I would pair it with a coloured shift dress, like the green and pink ones I've shown, for a simple pop of colour. Finally, I would top the whole outfit off with these great ankle boots from Piperlime. They're very Whitney Port, and border the line between edgy and girlie.


You can get the cape from Shopbop for $338.80 here, the green dress from Nordstrom for $183.90 here, the pink dress from Nordstrom for $165.90 here, and the ankle boots from Piperlime for $44.99 here.

Be Like Blair

Though many may find it difficult to pick between the equally gorgeous styles of Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen from Gossip Girl, I personally find it much easier to take style tips from Blair, just because Serena's style often requires long, skinny legs like hers (which sadly, not all of us are blessed with). I am about 5'2", so pulling off some of those shift dresses isn't exactly easy. Though Blair's style is pretty extreme, I like getting inspiration from her outfits rather than attempting to pull off an entire one. So, while browsing the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale today, I came across a large number of pieces that I thought would be fit for Blair Waldorf herself (not counting the price tag, of course).

I'll start off with one of the more simple ones, a beige puff sleeve dress. This neutral colour would be flattering on many different skintones, and leaves the way for a fun pair of flats or heels, depending on the occasion. But the fitted silhouette, puffed sleeves, and bow detail are all Blair. The $68.90 sale price? Not so much.


This short-sleeved white shift dress could be styled in many different ways, and may not seem to scream "Blair!" at first, but I found a couple of accessories that might bring it more into Waldorf territory. It's on sale for $68.90.


For a Blair Waldorf-approved look, I would pair this dress with a pair of red bow pumps ($29.99 at Piperlime) and a red bow headband ($2.80 at Forever 21)


This red, structured dress with bows on the sleeves is so Blair Waldorf that the Nordstrom model is even styled in a Blair Waldorf sort of way. The high bun, the pink lipstick...though I imagine if it was Blair she'd have a bit more blusher on, just to push the whole "innocent doll" look. It's on sale for $165.90, which isn't too bad for a nice evening dress that makes you stand out from the crowd (high bun and bright lipstick not required).


Finally, this black ruffled trench coat (which is a steal at $26.90) is a great way to add some girlie to a basic, everyday piece. A trench like this can be used in the fall or the spring, because the ruffled soften what would be a harsh piece. Plus, we all know Blair loves her belts and this trench sports its own. Unfortunately, it's only available in Medium, but if that's your size I would grab this ASAP.

Loving Ruffles

Sorry, no outfit post here...I just wanted to direct your attention to this fabulously cute ruffled trenchcoat from J. Crew (it’s on sale!).


Sadly the sizes available are pretty barren, but this is still a lovely piece to look at. It could almost pass for a big-name designer; plus, with J. Crew, you know you’re getting a quality piece. I would pair it with a little black jersey dress with a hem shorter than the jacket, and some simple black flats or heels to focus all attention on this gorgeous trench.

EDIT: Sorry guys, this coat just sold out! I'll be on the hunt for another ruffled trench, so check back for updates...