Reese's Style for Under $100

I love Reese Witherspoon. I have not seen a movie of hers that I didn't enjoy, or at least her performance. I loved Legally Blonde, Sweet Home Alabama, Pleasantville and Election, but I thought she was especially good in Walk the Line. She is also one of those celebrities who nearly always manages to look great- on the red carpet and off. Two of my favorite looks of hers:

And here are those same looks for under $100 each- just for you. Yes, you can leave a comment to thank me.

Stretch Tank, Old Navy, $10

Print Skirt, JC Penney, $19.99

Cross-Body Bag, Nine West, $29.99

Oversize Sunglasses, Sunglass Shack, $17.99

Total: $85.98

For this outfit, I chose to focus on the shape of the pieces and the overall color scheme. The navy scoop-neck tank is pretty spot-on, (in my opinion) and while the skirt is not the same type of print, the silhouette is still flowy and breezy, like Reese's. For the bag, I chose to depart from Reese's white color choice because of how much white is in the skirt in my set. Unfortunately I couldn't find one with brown detailing like hers (which helps off-set the white), so I chose to go with a metallic instead. White would have been too matchy-matchy for my set. Finally, the oversize sunglasses finish off the look and there's enough left in our $100 budget for an inexpensive pair of flip flops or ballet flats. Next!

Organic Tee, Fair Indigo, $15.50

Skinny Ankle Jean, NY & Co, $14.95

Oversize Sunglasses, Forever 21, $5.80

Slingback Flat, Payless, $17.99

Large Hobo Bag, Target, $24.99

Branscombe Necklace, Aldo, $20

Total: $81.23

This look was deceptively difficult to recreate for under $100 because it is actually a LOT of pieces. At first glance, it's a charcoal grey top and a pair of white skinny jeans, but when you look a little closer, there's a necklace, a large handbag, sunglasses and shoes. There's also an iPhone, but I didn't count that towards the fashions. It would have put me WAY over budget!

Happy weekend, everyone!

A note on gentlemanly style... and being a gentleman

I hate to generalize, but.... I'm starting to think that men who drive fancy sports cars are not only "compensating" but maybe they're trying to use the car as a reason not to behave like decent human beings. Like, "Oh, I can be a jerk, because I drive THAT."

Today while out running errands, there were TWO separate occassions when I felt slighted by a man near me. The first was as I was heading back to my car with my arms full of grocery bags. A man in a fancy silver sports car pulled into the spot next to mine. As I was about to open the door to my car, he opened his and as he was about to step out, noticed he was blocking my way. For the record, the gentlemanly thing to do would have been to shut his door, and allow me to pass. I'm sure you've surmised he didn't do that. I stood with my arms full of heavy bags (I bought a lot of yogurt) while he went first. Then he skipped away while I mumbled something under my breath about letting a lady go first.

Next was later in the evening when I stopped at the gas station near my home. I filled my car with gas and then went inside for a fountain drink (to quench my thirst in this stifling heat). TWICE in the store- once by the soda fountain and again by the cashier as I was paying, another man LITERALLY brushed against me as he passed. Um, hello? It's called personal space. Ever heard of it? The thing is, in BOTH brush-ups, there was ample room for him to give me a WIDE berth and yet he felt the need to literally invade my space to the point of making physical contact! For real? It was as if he didn't even see me, or as if it wasn't worth the effort to step aside. And in both cases, I had nowhere to go. I was up against the soda fountain and up against the cashier's counter. As I walked back to my car, I saw him step into the same kind of car as the rude guy at the grocery store earlier.

Ok, this blog is not supposed to be a rant about the lack of social skills in today's society, but it got me thinking about accessories for men as well as women. A few weeks ago, I wrote about the most important accessory a woman can wear- confidence. Well, for men and women I'd like to say that one of the most important accessories we need to put on in the morning is politeness. The next time you have an opportunity to let someone else through a doorway first, let them. Someone needs to change lanes on the highway? Slow down & wave them in. Gentlemen, let the woman go first and everyone yield to the older person- remember that whole "respect your elders" thing? It's still cool to do that.

Ok, I'm stepping off the soapbox now. I'm sorry to rant like that, but both situations just really irked me. And then of course I started thinking about men and style and in the background my TV was playing a commercial for "Burn Notice" and I realized that I see the commercials for that show all the time and Jeffrey Donovan always looks amazing. Evidence:

Here's what I like about his style: the simplicity. In all these looks, he's in a simple, light-weight suit, crisp button front shirt and his signature shades. It's proof that menswear can be done simply, but still with style. When it comes to the suit and shirt, it's all about the fit. Invest in higher quality with these pieces- they will last longer and the quality is always clear to the observer. Want Mr. Donovan's look for yourself? I've done the work for you:

Modern khaki chino 2-button suit, Banana Republic, $380 (Jacket- $250, pants- $130)

Slim Fit Stretch-poplin dress shirt, Banana Republic, $59.50

Fossil Watch, Macy's $95

Lauenroth Loafer, Aldo, $90

And of course, the signature sunglasses:

Burn Notice Sunglasses, Sunglass Shack, $39.99

When emulating the style of a celebrity or fictional character, it's always important to spin the outfit in the direction YOUR personality dictates. If something about the look doesn't work for you, then switch it up. And of course, I recommend finding the perfect sunglasses for YOU rather than copying the ones worn by celebrities. It doesn't matter who made them famous, it only matters how they flatter YOUR face. The same goes for any aspect of the outfit.

So what do you gentlemen think of my Burn Notice-inspired outfit? Would you wear it? Ladies, would you like to see your man in an outfit like this? Leave a comment- I always want to hear what you are thinking!

Style Collage for (Real) Men

Shirt: Gap, $44.50

Jeans: Levis 527, $59.50

Shoes: Helly Hansen via Endless, $54.97

Hat: Target, $14.99

Sunglasses: Sunglass Shack, $19.99

Belt: Old Navy, $15

Watch: Fossil, $85

It's true- it takes a real man to be confident enough to wear pink. To pull it off, keep the rest of the outfit masculine. I paired this pink button-front from the Gap with cool jeans and some hipster-esque accessories. If the hat and shades are too much for you, skip 'em. If you'd feel better with a black rocker t-shirt under the shirt, go for it! Make it your own, but trust me, guys, you need to try pink.

2/25/1020 UPDATE: A couple of days after this post, my coworker Ken wore this to work:

Notice not only the use of pink, but the mixing of brown and black (the cuff and shoes, respectively). I believe he also had a belt on, but I'm not sure of its color. The point is, mixing black and brown is perfectly fine. In fact, had he worn brown leather shoes, that would have been a little too matchy-matchy with the leather cuff.

Obviously the cuff and the denim help keep this look masculine, but the rolled sleeves and open buttons at the top and bottom of the shirt also help keep it casual and easy. Nice job, Ken!  

My future's so bright..

... I gotta wear shades! As you may know by now, the PA/DC/MD area got hit pretty hard with a serious snowstorm yesterday. Today the sun is shining and it's almost blinding against the endless fields of white snow. It's really stunning. I love this kind of weather. The air is crisp and clean, everything is blanketed in gorgeous, sparkling, pure white snow and the contrast against the clear, blue sky is truly spectacular. You need a good pair of shades to function in it, though. Driving down the street can be a serious hazard because of the slippery snow, but also because of visibility due to the sun's glare against the snow. There are some shades that seem to keep coming back in style, so if you're wondering what will look good and remain classic, get yourself one of these styles:

Ray-Ban Wayfarer:

These classic shades were popular in the 60's, again in the 80' and now in 2010, they're back in full force once again. Perhaps it's the fact that all things retro are in vogue, or maybe people really do love this style. Or maybe it has to do with the fact that Ray Bans have been used in film and TV for decades. (Here's a fun fact for you: that unique product placement was the direct result of a deal signed between Ray-Ban and the company- you guessed it- Unique Product Placement in 1982.) Regardless of why they are so popular, the point is, they're hip right now and probably will be in another couple of decades. The ones pictured above are available at Amazon for $109, and more updated versions can be found just about anywhere. Unfortunately, that price is a little high for my budget. Fortunately, the Sunglass Shack offers a knock-off style for only $19.99 in both the classic black and this tortoise shell frame:

I remember back in the late 80's, early 90's it was popular to wear this style with black sides and neon colored front frames. Can you say, "HIDEOUS?" I admit, I had a pair. I think I bought them at the beach boardwalk for $5 when I was in 7th grade. What was I thinking? I'm pretty sure I paired them with a B.U.M. Equipment oversized t-shirt over my bathing suit. Thank goodness there are no pictures to document. At least, not to my knowledge.

Aviator Sunglasses:

 

Aviators look good on everyone and are so classic and timeless that you can wear them with confidence no matter what the current trend. These pictured above are Ray Bans from Amazon as well and sell for as little as $75 to as much as $200+ depending on the color combination and size. Of course, this style is also available in a less expensive version from the Sunglass Shack for only $25.99.

They have only four different color options for the lenses, unlike real Ray Ban Aviators that come in literally dozens of color combinations for frames and lenses. I recommend trying on lots of different colors to find the ones that work best for you. That's certainly an argument for buying name-brand because you can find the exact size and color that will be most flattering on your face shape, size and skin tone. However, if a less expensive version works well for you, then that's fabulous, too!

The bottom line with any sunglass style trend is that you should only participate if the style truly looks good on you. Some sunglasses are a bad idea no matter who you are. And don't forget to opt for polarized lenses whenever possible. Trust me, your eyes will thank you. Now for some fun. Can you name the celebrity who made the following sunglass styles famous? Leave a comment to guess.

 

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Have a great day, everyone!