I justify my beyond healthy appetite for buying luxury bags and shoes to my boyfriend by pouting, whining and then finally reverting to the old tried and true line "I splurge on bags and shoes so I don't need to buy expensive clothes". I am sure you can hear me saying it now and I am even MORE sure that you use the same exact line FOR VERBATIM. Well since this is a safe place and he doesn't read my blog often <sad but true>; I am going to be brave and just say it: THAT IS A LIE. I'm sure Murphy's Law will kick in and this will be the one post he freaking reads. I am kind of a mix. I sometimes buy some crazy/stupid things and other times I will rock a $20 dress like nobody's business. I'm sure I could take it down a notch; I don't need cashmere socks, Venetian stationary or the amount of lingerie that I own BUT it makes me happy. The problem is that I am simply a taurus to a T. I just really enjoy luxury and it doesn't have to cost a lot, it just has to feel good. I love a white tee made of perfect cotton and I can indulge in a bubble bath for DAYS. In my opinion, you've just gotta live it up!
So today I am sharing a post focused on me practicing what I preach. I have taken some lovely bags and shoes and paired them with affordable two piece sets from none other than LuLu's. Less expensive pieces paired with great shoes, a classic bag and some major swagger result in total HOTNESS. When you wear anything with total confidence, you will look stunning no matter what it is, what it costs or where it comes from. Work it.
I am VERY blessed to have a solid group of amazing friends. I went to shoot parts of this post at my friend Diane's house with the intention of raiding her closet and pulling together some of my favorite pieces for this shoot. I think it is so fun to go into someone's closet and match them with some of your own pieces for a different style. I will be doing this in a few future posts. After the pics read till the end for a quick segments on In Her Closet: featuring Diane.
Let the drum roll begin...three looks for you....
Look 1:
I love this grey two piece dress from LuLu's. It can easily be transitioned from day tonight. I would pair the skirt with a silk blouse for a totally different effect. The whole thing was $62 and I made myself look like a Park Avenue lady who lunches with my timeless Celine bag, Chanel cat eye sun glasses and a pair of Moschino denim pumps that I die for. All of the accessories are classic not trendy luxury items that I plan on having in my closet for years to come. Essentially, if I have a daughter, she'll have to wait until I'm dead to rock my stuff.
Look 2:
I love this super classic look that can be rocked at any time of the day. I also like that it is all black making it SUPER chic. This LuLu two piece dress was already was a steal at $44 and now you can rob the bank and get it for $35, YOU ARE WELCOME yet again ;) I made this look edgy by going to town with none other than Valentino. Valentino Rockstud sunglasses and pumps take this look next level. I am not a sunglasses at night person but I feel like I could push the limits a bit in this look. A Gucci bag with a good old tassel completes this masterpiece.
Look 3:
By now everyone knows I have a white obsession so there is NO way a white-ish outfit wouldn't have made it into the mix. This one is kind of beige and I was really into the wrap around effect of the top. I would even pair this top with the skirt in Look 1 and I would wear this top with high waisted jeans. The fun part of these looks is that you can mix and match the different pieces with other items in your closet. They don't have this exact one any more but linking you to another white one I love. Definitely check out LuLu's, they have some maxi and midi versions of these concepts. I decided to go neutral with the shoes which also helped in elongating my legs. They are in fact red bottoms. The clutch is an amazing Elie Tahari that matches the bottoms of these shoes...BAM. Sunglasses are Gucci and my look is nothing but fierce. hahahaha
Insider tip: I got these LuLu outfits a size bigger than I normally am, I didn't feel there was too much wiggle room and to be super honest the fabric is what you pay for so don't complain to me if your bum feels a bit itchy ;)
IN HER CLOSET: FEATURING DIANE
I pulled some pieces from Diane's closet for this piece as I love to see what other items people indulge in and how I can give them my own personal flare. BTW, Diane is my sister from another mother....friends since freshman year of high school, we were 14 when we MET and you should have seen some of the horrible things we wore then. I will not comment on that because I will incriminate us. In any event, I made her share a quick pic of her closet and answer a few key questions that I will ask every time I raid someone's closet. Send me an email if you have some stuff for me to raid :)
Kelly: What are the TOP 3 things that if someone took from your closet you would just die?
Diane: Currently, I am very into functionality and comfort, not to say that next month my focus won't change (Kelly: spoken like a very smart woman) but as for my current can't live withouts:
1. My Chanel Flats
2. My Louis Vuitton Cross-body Bag
3. My Black YSL Clutch
Kelly: I like how she is so possessive and puts "my" in front of everything. I also would have guessed Louboutins if we were on some weird game show where I had to prove how well I know my friend and in this case I would have lost....womp, womp.
Kelly: What do you look for in investment pieces i.e. shoes/bags? Can you give us the scoop on some of things you've bought?
Diane: I invest in classic, timeless items that can transcend from year to year without going out of style. With investment pieces, I look for the simplicity in a piece. I feel like this is an important investment strategy when looking for shoes and handbags. My most recent purchase was a classic Gucci gold chain cross-body clutch. Originally $1200 and I scooped it up for only $400! This bag is amazing as it can be worn with jeans or a cocktail dress. Very versatile and totally worth the price.
Kelly: Okay so you should all know that Diane is in finance and is the friend who manages her money best. She was on her game since she was about 18. I was working part time jobs to fund my shopping and partying necessities and she was saving for an apartment. Also, she has done cost analysis on buying a Chanel bag i.e. when is it good to buy one, how it will appreciate, etc. I can see a Financial Fashion column for her on KbK in the future. Listen to her advice.
Kelly: Don't hold back, what is the most ridiculous/surprising purchase you've ever made and why?
Diane: Is it sad that I feel like there were two years of my life where every purchase I made was ridiculous and surprising. LOL. Lately I have been less frivolous and more careful when spending however I am embarrassed to say that there are a FEW pairs of Louboutins that I "just had to have" (at full price ughhh) that just sit in my closet and stare back at me. They have been worn once and since my feet protested (with blisters and cramps) that is where they will remain!
Kelly: For a while, I thought she thought she was Lady Gaga. Enough said.
Diane....we <3 you, thanks for playing with KBK. Please share this post with friends if you enjoyed it. Another reason I love Diane is that her sister Nat is my talented photographer. This is one big happy family xoxo
Always happy to hear from you in the comments section. Check in Mondays for: Monday Mantra and Thursdays for my fashion pieces. Next Thursday are some great new fitness looks. xo
