Shopping Haul

Ever have those days where you don't want to sit in your apartment and you say to yourself, "What should I do today?" Well, for me the answer is always "Let's go to the mall."

I ended up finding some fantastic deals at stores where the deal is hard to come by!  Usually I find things I love in Forever 21, but lately I've walked out of there with nothing in my hands. The only thing I bought were a pair of Zigzag Arrowhead Earrings which will go with anything tribal in my closet.  They were cheap and I'll probably have them for a while!

Urban Outfitters is my mecca.  I go in there and I am in heaven.  I fawn over the mannequins' hipster outfits and dream of the day when I can actually afford something full price. I love going to the back of the store to the sale section and finding bargain deals!  In the picture to the left, the BDG solid scoop tank and the tan colored v-neck were a part of the 2 for $24 mix & match.  I love pairing them with fall scarves and long necklaces!  The black flats were only $9.99 and are similar to these ones on the Urban Outfitters website.

Then there's those moments when you find that shirt on sale that you were dying to buy over the summer, but just wouldn't fit into your budget.  Anthropologie marked down their sale items with an extra 25% off, so I knew as soon as I saw this Metallic Prairies Buttondown, I was walking out with it.

Remember when putting your initials on your purse, jewlery, and clothing were cool?  I've never been one to wear my initial on anything, but I've had my eye on this stackable initial ring for some time now and I finally bought it. It's adjustable and you can wear it on any size finger!

And of course, when you're at the register, you get sucked into buying the 2 for $8 nail polish to push you over the edge. Or is that just me?

 I thought the lavender from the Basic collection with the purple from the Sparkle collection would be perfect to layer together, especially for the holiday season!

Up and Coming Trend: Baroque Fashion

When I saw Dolce and Gabbana's Fall Ready-to-Wear 2012 Collection, I almost passed out from excitement.  It's inspired by favorite period in Italian history and its ornate designs, and is extremely Baroque, especially with its gold embellishments, tapestry-like textures, and flamboyant detailing.  The black and gold mini dresses are a contrast to the soft floral and lace, but they all manage to represent the label's Italian roots.

What I love most about this up and coming trend is how quickly it's been picked up on! I've seen plenty of stores mocking this runway look, including H&M, Forever21, Zara, & Cotton On. This is definitely going to be my inspiration when trying to find a dress for the holidays!

 Here are some suggestions to recreate this look for at more affordable prices:

TopShop Baroque Print Bodycon Dress
TopShop 'Tapestry' Floral Print Blazer
Cotton On Baroque Luxe Leggings
Messenger Bag with Studded Foldover Flap
Zara Trousers with Gold Side Trim
River Island Cream Embellished Dress
River Island Black Embellished Maxi Dress
River Island Tapestry Print Stud Shoes

To view the rest of Dolce & Gabbana's Fall 2012 runway show, click here!  

Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2012 RTW by closetxcollections featuring a beaded clutch purse

Celebrity Style: Rebecca Romijn and Portia De Rossi's Printed Pants

There is nothing I love more than statement pieces and floral pants are definitely the most versatile go-to look for either fall or spring!

Rebecca Romijn and Portia de Rossi stopped by The Ellen Degeneres Show on October 23 to help dunk Rebecca's husband, Jerry O'Connell, in water and they did it in style.  While Rebecca's floral pants were form fitting subdued leggings, Portia's Topshop Jaqard pants were more like earth-toned trousers.  Would you wear them with the matching metallic blazer?

Both women displayed their love for bold prints, which is one of my favorite looks of the year!

Get a similar look to Rebecca Romijn's by buying these very affordable yet on-trend H&M leggings or pants!  I actually have the leggings myself! They are lightweight, comfortable, and easy to style! If you are afraid of making a statement, stick with a solid colored top that is in the pants to keep the look clean.

Whose printed pants do you love more - Rebecca's or Portia's?

Designer Obsession: Balmain

Balmain Spring 2013 Ready to Wear by closetxcollections featuring balmain

There's always that one designer a fashionista cannot get enough of; mine is Balmain.  This is more than just fashion, it's artwork!  

For his Fall/Winter 2013 Ready-to-Wear collections, designer Olivier Rousteing took his love for the Baroque and channeled it into runway masterpieces, using pearls and beads to create intrinsic patterns and detailed embellishments.  There is nothing out there in the fashion world that compares to Rousteing's creations, in which he took his inspiration from the 1800's Russian Faberge` egg and incorporated it into his work.  His Spring 2013 Ready-to-Wear collection (inspired by the city of Cuba) is similar, what with the embroidery and beading, except the color palette is noticably brighter and if you notice, all of the models have braids, which is a popular hairstyle for spring!   

I fell in love with these collections right away for its attention-demanding embroidery, quilting, and gold embellishments that represent a women's strength and feminity.  Celebrities such as Penelope Cruz and Kristen Stewart are among these strong, yet feminine women who have expressed their love for the line, as well as other Balmain pieces.  

You can view the Fall/Winter 2012-2013 and Spring 2013 Ready to Wear collections in their entirety here and here.  Which runway look is your favorite?