fringes with benefits…puttin’ a swing in our step

26 Thursday Feb 2015

Posted by theRAREbelle in fashion forward

Tags

altazurra, bloomingdales, fashion, forward.com, Fringe, Intermix, j.crew, les nouvelles, meli melo, neimam marcus, Net a porter, nordstrom, revolveclothing.com, shopbop, theory, ysl, zara

Fringe…it’s everywhere! You can go whole-hog, or just test the waters. But, for heavens sake, do something with this fashion moment! It’s fun, flirty, and who doesn’t want a little fringe or two with benefits??

Here are a few of our favorites from the dramatic to the conservative…a lil something for everyone. So don’t be too shy, live on the fringe!

How about a jacket or two?

budget-friendly and on-trend…from Revolve Clothing

This one is an investment…just sayin’. From Forward

This one is a must-have…it practically screamed at us from the pages of the Neiman Marcus catalog. So we hollared right back with our credit card when we saw this lux for less…a real bargain!

Skirts are another great way to show off this trend…

The two below are from Intermix…

This suede will put a lil shimmy in your step!!

Tough and feminine

A belle loves to sashay!!

Next up…tops! The first is Theory and the second is J Crew…love!!

Gimme gimme gimme!!

Every belle can rock this look!!!!

If you want to kill two birds with one stone, (we just adore efficiency!) you can order both from Net-A-Porter.

Of course, it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t throw in a shoe or two. I mean, c’mon!! How about this beauty with a touch of fringe by Altazurra…

find them at Neiman Marcus

Or this next pair from Zara…

We die…from complete adoration!

And these from Les Nouvelles…

All for the well-heeled belle!

And sporting a pocketbook is a great way to try fringe without jumping right into the deep end. Sometimes a belle likes to test the waters a bit…

Check out the Tallulah Fringe Messenger bag from ShopBop…

Perfection!!

and this boho-chic hobo from Urban Outfitters…

Well-priced, on-trend, and a pop of color…a belle’s dream!

And if this is all just too much to take in, at least try our favorite lash enhancer to really play up that “eye fringe”. You do know how to bat your eyelashes, don’t you?? Available at Nordstrom…

Fringe for everyday

BFF=belles for fringe

a&a

peek-a-bootie…a playful shoe trend

05 Thursday Feb 2015

Posted by theRAREbelle in fashion forward

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

booties, dillards, dolce vita, Muse Shoe Studio, peep-toe, shoes jeffery campbell, shopbop

Despite being in the dead of winter, just like the ole groundhog, sometimes our tootsies want to come out and play, wiggle around and get a lil fresh air. No one wants to be cooped up all winter for Pete’s sake!!

Sooo polish up those little piggies and get ready to let them out into the light…even if it’s just for a few crisp, refreshing hours (they’ll appreciate the attention after being holed up and hibernating)) with an oh-so-chic pair of peep-toe booties!

Booties are still ever so popular, but as we march into spring, the open toe bootie is just the right platform (ha! Or heel) to set your fashionable feet off in the right direction. Jeans, ankle pants, a flowy trouser all work well, a midi skirt or dress will make the grade, and a mini will make your legs look just as endless as the possibilities.

So, belles, we have picked two options we found irresistible. We bought ’em, and so should you…that way we will all feel better, no shoe envy, no purchase pangs…win, win.

First up…a mid-high (tall blonde finds it to be acceptable for all-day wear without feeling like we are tipping over) stacked heel, Velcro adjustable sling and a perforated suede that is soo comfortable, edgy, and just plain smart looking. A great neutral that becomes whatever you need it to be, it’s a true must-have.

Our local Muse Shoe Studio has just placed a full reorder so get your name on a pair now!! True-to-size, by the by. You can also find this Jeffery Campbell bootie at Shopbop if you can’t wait another minute.

Next up…because we belles have a weakness for fringe, when we spied these beauties we practically pirouetted our way in to get them. We were already dizzy with delight so we restrained our dance moves and managed to maintain a more subtle prance to make our purchase .

These just make us want to frolick into spring, whistle a happy tune and kick winter to the curb. Again, we purchased from Muse, but word is they flew out of the store almost before they arrived. Looks like you can order from Dillards…but don’t delay!! Both are selling fast!

So perk yourselves up with a pair or two, belles. The old tootsies will appreciate all that fresh air!

a&a

belles wear their 💞s on their sleeves…gift ideas and the art of receiving

29 Thursday Jan 2015

Posted by theRAREbelle in what's ringin' our belle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

bloomingdales, etsy, gifts, hearts, markgraham, nordstrom, shopblondedesign, shopbop, valentines day

Before we know it, the next holiday (heart-iday…get it?) will be upon us. So, to help y’all out (cause that what belles do) we’ve come up with a few of our favorite gift ideas for the various and assorted Valentines in your life.

First…some thoughts on the process…

We won’t deny that we love any gift-giving occasion, and it’s true that we adore receiving a surcee. BUT we love nothing more than being the givers of great gifts. The act of giving can be a treat in itself when the recipient flashes a smile, gets a glint in the eye, exclaims with joy…confirmation that the present hit the mark.

Sadly, not everyone has been schooled in the art of receiving. Then it can be a total drag. Remember, “givers” deserve to get a little somethin’ out of the experience, too! It’s why we’ve raised our baby belles and beaux to be skilled giftees. It’s easy to be gracious and thankful when we get something we want. The real skill comes when it may not be what we expected. We’ve taught them to be grateful for the thought, no matter if they already have it, don’t care for it, or it just doesn’t suit, they must still effervesce…yes, effervesce. Our wee ones have able to spell effervesce since they were knee-high.

So, if you want to follow suit, and if you have a heart (it is February, for Pete’s sake!) then you must effervesce with every gift…large or small…awesome or not-so-much. Really, it’s the right thing to do. And you’re never too old to learn. So if you’re one of those….you know who you are…start effervescing now.

Enough digressing, time to get back to business and let you see the gift list…

For the fashionable man, from Absolute Socks

For the one who knows the way to a man’s heart, from Williams Sonoma

For the H2O lover, from Leif

For the belle who wears her heart on her sleeve (hint hint), from Asos

For the belle who is ALL heart, from Shopbop

For the one whose love is priceless, from shopbop

For the java lover, from markandgraham

For the light of your life, from crateandbarrel

For the arm-candy lover, from Nordstrom

For the one who always knows what to say, from Casetify

For the one who always lends an ear, from Bloomimgdales

For the one who hold the keys to your heart, from Nordstrom

For the Cupid on the go, from owenandfred

For the love-ly hostess, from wiliamsonoma

For Cupid in the morning, from Etsy

For the black and white lover, from shopblondedesign

Whew!!! Alrighty then, we think that should cover just about everyone. Time to start clickin’ and givin’.

We hope you have a lover-ly…and effervescent…Valentines day!!

💞💞💗💋

a&a

and that’s a wrap…belles take on the latest trend

15 Thursday Jan 2015

Posted by theRAREbelle in fashion forward

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Asos, blanket, cape, fashion, nordstrom, poncho, shopbop, Topshop, trends

This trend…the cape/poncho…caused a wee bit of discussion between the two of us. We both love the idea of a cozy, comfortable, layered look; but we’re a lil concerned that this fashion moment could go terribly wrong, terribly quickly…we can’t possibly allow that sort of thing to happen to our belles!

If one doesn’t take care, one might just resemble a homeless person on the corner, so don’t attempt this look with day-3 hair…or clogs. Or if you over-layer or are a little too casual with the wrapping aspect, you might look like you’re still recovering from a week-long bout of the flu.

So, with full knowledge that it must be done carefully, we still want to give this trend a fair shot. Fret not belles, we’ve got solutions! We won’t let you wander the wrong path (heaven forbid). With the links below, you will be kept firmly floating on avenue chic. Tell us what you think!!

From Zara…on sale for just $119.99…

From Nordstrom…this Topshop cape, only $68…

From Nordstrom…another choice from Topshop (also $68)…

Another from Nordstrom…and a steal at $38!…

Found this one on Amazon…

And one more…this one is from Asos and on sale for $58…

Time to wrap it up, belles. We’ ll take one….or two

a&a

time to in-vest, belles…

04 Thursday Dec 2014

Posted by theRAREbelle in fashion forward

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

BB Dakota, faux fashion, fur, Intermix, nordstrom, savvy, shearling, shopbop, trend, vest

Unless you’ve just fallen off the turnip truck, you know that vests are in…way in…in so far that they are going to hang around awhile. And we are thanking gawd because vests are the ideal layering piece and make a fabulous addition to any wardrobe. Especially ours and y’all’s.

Shearling, fur, faux, wool, long, short and in-between…there is an option for every belle. Fashionable and flattering for all ages…teen belles, sporty belles, sophisticated belles, laid-back belles, working belles, working-it belles, mom belles and beyond can jump on this trend. Here are a few of our faves…

This grey and shearling is a beauty…classic, elegant, timeless. We see it becoming a staple for years to come…and we love the length! It is on super sale now at Intermix, an extra 30% off! This beauty is on tall belle’ s Christmas list by-the-by (Nonie belle, we sure hope you’re reading this!!)

Another great find from Savvy are these cozy-chic rabbit vests. They are the perfect length whether you are petite or tall. And they are light as a feather – a blessing ’cause who wants to be weighed down?!? They are also not the least bit bulky…another blessing because we belles don’t necessarily go for extra paddin!! These vests can be super-casual or trés chic…or both at the same time! And…bonus…they are perfect for travel as they can be worn so many ways (on their own, under a trench, over a jacket or blazer (ooh…especially a lil’ leather number so it looks like a coat with leather sleeves)!

And this sweater vest is another great option available at Savvy. A little shorter, encouraging the layering options…and don’t y’all just adore the sweater back? We think the play on texture is very smart. And who doesn’t want to look smarter?! And, by the way, the color way makes it a great addition to any wardrobe.

Okay, this one makes us die just a little bit. We are swooning over the color-way, the pattern, the whimsy!! This is a vest to perk you up, add a little pep to your step, and put a smile on your face. Get it before it’s gone at Nordstrom.

Next on our list is a faux shearling option. The perfect throw-on-and-go! Worn with jeans for a relaxed look or layered over a dress for an edgier feel, belles can rock this look a million ways. Find it at Shopbop.

For the fashionista belles who want to make a statement here’s a jaw-dropping, to-die-for vest that adds a little toughness with leather. The leather can be removed so a belle can change it up with ease. Mouthwatering right?!?! This one can be purchased at Shopbop as well.

And last, but most certainly not least, is this so-right white vest…what a way to lighten up the dark and gloomy days of winter!! Again, the length is good for just about any belle and so is the price!!

Find it at Nordstrom.

We have a ” vested ” interest in keeping y’all on trend. Now do your part and “invest”!!

a&a

Espadrilles = summer thrills…foot candy for belles

08 Thursday May 2014

Posted by theRAREbelle in fashion forward, what's ringin' our belle

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

espadrilles, footwear, j.crew, nordstrom, saks, shopbop, shopping, soludos, trends

We love shoes…all shoes…can’t have too many…and we are thrilled to pieces about this season’s espadrille trend! They come in all shapes and price points, and color and pattern choices are vast. While we love the flat version for the comfy casual chic factor, we swoon for the dressier versions because they appeal to our passion for contrast and a touch of whimsy.

Here’s a sampling …which one catches your eyes??

These animal print ‘drilles are a neutral (animal print is our favorite neutral!). They go with just about everything.

These can be found at Shopbop. They are by Steven . ‘Nuff said.

We actually own a pair of these darlings…love the lace-up factor…and you can get them at Soludos.

We love a feminine touch…belles are girls after all…and lace is another trend that we can fully embrace! Why not sport these with your boyfriend jeans? A touch of tomboy and a dash of girly-girl adds up to the perfect summer look.

These Tory Burch are available at Shopbop but they are running out of sizes so you better get crackin’ !

And of course to take it up another notch we have a dreamy pair…but be forewarned they might break the piggy bank…but worth it…maybe…just sayin’….

Scrumptious . By Valentino at Nordstrom .

Sometimes an LBE (lil’ black espadrille) is what we are pining for and these are just what the doctor ordered.

From Topshop and available at Nordstrom . Love the leather, canvas and raffia textures!!

And where would we be without J.Crew? We belles often get a hankering for a J. Crew fix and these absolutely satisfied the craving.

Wear them with pants, jeans, shorts, skirts, sundresses. Can’t. Not. Wear. So there. Get them here J. Crew.

Belles love adornment…aka em”belle”ishments … And these fit the bill….and our feet!

From Kate Spade and you can get yourself a pair at Saks.

And lest you think we’d forget…you can always just put a bow on it! These will bowl you over….tee hee…

These beauties are from Gucci and you can get them at Nordstrom .

So there you have it…a selection that is beyond….

a&a

the RARE belle

~ a southern gal's guide to all things fabulous in food, fashion, finery and frippery

Tag Archives: shopbop

fringes with benefits…puttin’ a swing in our step

peek-a-bootie…a playful shoe trend

belles wear their 💞s on their sleeves…gift ideas and the art of receiving

and that’s a wrap…belles take on the latest trend

time to in-vest, belles…

Espadrilles = summer thrills…foot candy for belles

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: