10 Best Ballet Flats

The ballet slipper is newly embellished--and flat-out fabulous.

$20, JCPenney

 

$52.92, N.Y.L.A Shoes, Nordstrom

 

$270, Belle by Sigerson Morrison

$165, Matt Bernson, mattbernson.com

$345, Hogan

 

$335, Donna Karan Collection

 

$69, Mia, amazon.com

$30, Abaete for Payless

$70, Seychelles at What's in Store

$695, Giuseppe Zanotti Design

 

 

 

TREND TO TRY: OVERALLS

5 WAYS TO WEAR OVERALLS

Overalls are perhaps the most versatile of transition items. They are pants but they allow you to show up that you have got something cool going on underneath and you can layer on top of them. Genius. Farmers really had it together before any of us. Here are five ways that you can become an overall success.

The Boho Babe

Citizens of Humanity Acid Washed Denim Overalls, $485

A.F. Vandervorst Vague Jacket, $2,574

Victoria Beckham Denim Cotton-Chambray Shirt, $345

B Brian Atwood Snakeskin Cross Body Bag, $395

Paco Herrero Shoe Boot, $305

Classic Round Sunglasses, Forever21, $5.80

White Washed

Frame Denim Le Garcon Stretch-Denim Overalls, $300

River Island White V-Neck Open Knit Boxy Sweater, $70

Dolce & Gabbana Oversized Floral Cat Eye Sunglasses, $490

Jil Sander Leather Large Pouch, $425

MICHAEL Michael Kors Dakota Open-Toe Sandal, $150

The Team Captain

Sass & Bide Doing My Thing Denim Overalls, $350

Maison Martin Margiela Floral-Print LEather Brogues, $795

Rodarte Barbed Wire Radarte Printed Sweatshirt, $242

440 Mini Printed Leather Crossbody Bag, DVF, $295

The Uptown Girl

NSF Buddy Overalls, $429

Paul & Joe Pelote Shirt, $515

Astoria Sandals, $162

Lizzie Fortunato Bloom Printed Pouch, $125

The Downtown Girl

Rag & Bone Leather Strap Box Overalls, $595

3.1 Phillip Lim 3/4 Sleeve Cotton Jersey Baseball T-Shirt, $255

Nicholas Kirkwood Black Leather Horn Heel Sandal, $735

West Seal Verbiage Cuff Beanie, $11

Carven Large Shoulder Bag, $549

The Ultimate Guide to Spring Essentials

THE BEST SPRING FASHION ESSENTIALS UNDER $250!

Shedding the steep price tags is just as awesome as shedding the winter layers.

Classic Trench Coat
No wardrobe is complete without this basic. It's perfect for layering in both spring and fall, and can be worn this season, next season, or 10 years from now. This classic coat is worth its weight in gold.

Zara, $139

A Fun Sweatshirt
You can wealth this to the office, but you'll need to mute it with a blazer and tonal pants. Or, you can save it for the weekends with a pair of boyfriend jeans or frilly skirt.

Pink Vichy Cotton Sweatshirt, $250, avenue32.com

White Jeans
If you didn't feel comfortable pulling off winter white jeans, don't fret. Spring is almost here and wearing a pair has never been more stylish. Whether worn with a black blazer or grey sweatshirt, you'll be living in these from the office to the beach and back again until September.

Rag & Bone Dre Jeans, $187

Off-the-Shoulder LBD
Great for a first date or evening wedding, this black dress is the perfect addition to your "I need to look good" arsenal.

H&M, $59.95

Something Gingham
Attention prepsters: You will WANT this top. Match it with a crisp white button-up underneath or with a fitted blazer over for work and deconstruct with a pair of fitted skinnies and heels for happy hour.

Sister by Sibling Cropped Gingham Knitted Top, $210, net-a-porter.com

Basic Black Top
The great thing about this top is you can dress it up for the office or down for the weekend, and it's flirty shape transcends styles--everyone can wear it!

Michael Michael Kors Pleated-Back-Stretch Crepe Top, $100

The T-Shirt Dress
This relaxed fit dress is a weekend staple. Wear with booties and a trench coat until it's warm, then pair with Birkenstocks for the summer months.

Black crane Wide Dress, $95, lagarconne.com

Bermuda Shorts
Say goodbye to micro shorts and say hello ro the more modest version--the Bermuda. While you won't be showing off your assets (and that's a good thing), these mid-thigh versions are a safe office bet when temps soar.

Zara, $39

Lounge Pants
If you just hit the gym and now you're off to run errands, do your hop-ha a favor and change into something more breathable and less visually displeasing (yeah, you now what I'm talking about).

3.1 Phillip Lim Black Ribbed Lounge Pants, $250

The Clutch
Yes, you have black and likely white, but this color combo is amazingly fresh and works with your basic blacks, neutrals, and any ddim combo. I love it.

Tulum Wave Pink Pouch, $130, shoplatitude.com

SPRING FASHION TRENDS 2014

JEWELS OF THE SEASON

Reasons to Love it:
Designers went dutifully nuts with embellishment for spring. Dotted with crystals or encrusted top-to-toe, these pieces are guaranteed to dazzle. Slip one on when you want to feel like a million bucks.

Christian Dior, Prabal Gurung, Tom Ford, Rochas

HOW TO WORK IT
These clothes include their own "accessories," so forgo big jewels and statement bags, and pair with graceful ankle-strap heels or neat ballet flats. Wear your hair up (you don't want it hiding the detailing). Make a sleek side or middle part, and tuck the ends behind your ears. If a long sparkly dress feels too extravagant, try a mini with sneakers or an embellished top.


Asos Dress, $116

BCBG Max Azria Clutch, $268

J.Crew Skirt, $695

French Connection Dress, $248

Tory Burch Jacket, $650

Tibi Skirt, $365

Badgley Mischka Heels, $225

Spring Fashion Trends 2014

FIRST BLUSH

Reasons to Love it
Unless you're under 10 or live in Palm Beach, you probably don't wear a lot of pink. But you should! Shades of blush, rose, and coral are flattering, especially when spun into airy dresses and tailored suits. The effect is delicate, for sure, but not overly precious or prissy.

Burberry Prorsum, Balmain, Prabal Gurung, Giorgio Armani

HOW TO WORK IT
If your skin tone is on the pale side, choose brighter, more saturated shades of pink, as blushes or mauves can wash you out. Temper the hue's sweetness with smoky makeup and sexy rock and roll hair. Or slick back strands for a modern look. No dainty diamond studs or string of pearls here. Instead, go for an accessory like a lariat necklace, a cuff bracelet, or a chain-link belt.

Rebecca Minkoff Tote, $195

Red Valentino Dress, $695

Clu Dress, $230

Morgenthal Frederics Sunglasses, $395

Emporio Armani Patns, $595

Rupert Sanderson For Antonio Berardi Sandals, $995

Banana Republic Blazer, $150

Moschino Cheap & Chic Jacket and Skort, Jacket $995 and Skort $450

swimsuit myths and shopping tips

What's fact, what's fiction, and what's good to know when you're on the hunt for a suit.

4 Swimsuit Myths

MYTH: Never wear a white bathing suit
FACT: A white silt in a textured fabric with a thick nude lining will block any show-through

MYTH: The more coverage, the better
FACT: Extra fabric can emphasize the thing you want to hide. Boy shorts, for example, can squeeze and exaggerate excess flesh, whereas a string bikini adjusts to lay flat on the skin.

MYTH: Wear black to look slimmer
FACT: Navy, plum, brown, and dark green do the trick, too. Vertical and diagonal stripes and tiny prints can also make the body look leaner.

MYTH: With swimwear, buy the same size as you do in clothing
FACT: Swimsuits are typically sized smaller than clothes because they are meant to fit snugly. You may have to go up a size or two, especially with brands targeted to juniors, such as Roxy.


5 Things to do BEFORE You Hit the Stores

1. Apply self-tanner a day in advance to warm up winter skin. But don't try this on the day you plan to shop. The tanner will rub off on the fabric.

2. Check your closet for clues as to what already works on you. Love how you look in V-neck tops? Try halter cuts. Not a solid in sight? Focus on prints.

3. Wear a seamless thong )which won't show under swimsuits) and easy-to-remove clothing. A shift dress and slip-on flats allow for speedy changes.

4. Allot plenty of time to shop. You don't want to settle just because you're in a rush. Give yourself more than a lunch hour to browse and try on.

5. Drink a margarita!


6 Crucial Moves to Make When Trying on a Suit

• Lift your arms over your head. Does the top rise up?
• Bend over. Does the chest spill out the front?
• Lower your arms so they're at your sides. Are your breasts coming out of the sides of the suit?
• Relax your shoulders. Do the straps fall off?
• Sit crossed-legged. Does the bottom pop open or creep down in the back?
• Do a couple of lunges. Does the bottom ride up?

5 Ways to Protect Your Perfect Suit

• Hand wash the suit in cool water with Dreft or a soap made for swimsuits
• Clean the suit after every wearing, even if you didn't get wet, to remove sunscreen, sweat and body oils
• Gently roll the suit (don't wring it out) to get rid of excess water, then air-dry it away from direct sunlight
• Never wear the same suit two days in a row or it will stretch. Give the garment a 24-hour rest so the spandex has time to recover its shape.
• Avoid leaning on rough surface, like rocks, cement, or wood, to prevent snags. 

6 Winter Pieces Reinvented for Spring

The Chunky Sweater
While a cozy knit is a winter must, it's also an essential transition piece. When temps start to rise, copy Jamie Chung and partner it with a floral mini. Roll up the sleeves to ace that effortlessly stylish look.

KNITTED SWEATER + FLORAL MINI: To master print mixology, pair oversize prints, like this chunky-stripe H&M sweater ($35), with minute details like the florals on this J.Crew skirt ($98).

The Flannel Shirt
Traditionally, plaid is for casual fall-ready ensembles, but Olivia Palermo reworked hers for spring. Follow her lead and ground an otherwise too-formal skirt with a flannel top.

FLANNEL TOP + FRINGE SKIRT: To avoid a discordant look, make sure your top (R13, $395) and your skirt (Rage & Bone, $165) share similar shades.

The Turtleneck
Don't store your turtleneck away just yet. Follow Chloe Grace Moretz's lead and layer the cozy piece under your sleeveless springtime dress.

TURTLENECK + SLEEVELESS DRESS: For a more spring-appropriate look, ditch the black as much as you can. I turned to lighter shades for both the turtleneck (Zara, $37) and the dress (Shoshanna, $295).

Leather Pants
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley translated her love for leather bottoms from season to season, trading in her sweater for a breezy blouse (and worked in her favorite animal print along the way).

LEATHER PANTS + BLOUSE: For you leopard-print lovers, go for this Rebecca Taylor top ($265) and pair it with faux-leather, like these Zara pants ($50).

The Maxi Skirt
Miranda Kerr reinterpreted her dark maxi skirt for hotter climates by pairing it with a fun tie-dye tee--a clear, playful nod toward summertime fun.

TIE-DYE TEE + MAXI SKIRT: Look for maxis with a slit for ventilation and to show off your sexy legs. This Modern Citizen skirt ($49) has both. A laid-back tie-dye tee, like this Raquel Allegra top ($166) stops your look from bordering on scandalous.

The Leather Moto Jacket
Make the classic leather moto jacket work double time. Copy Olivia Munn and swap pants in favor for a printed midi when the sun's rays strike (bonus points if your jacket has color).

MOTO JACKET + STRIPED MIDI: To avoid overheating, leave the jacket (River Island, $110) unzipped and go for a strapless dress (Fashion Union, $31) underneath.