Shoesday Tuesday: Simple Beauty

I am a huge fan of over-the-top, stand-out things. Clothes, accessories, shoes- you name it. If it's bold a a little out-there, then I love it. But despite my love for all things borderline garish, it all stems from an initial love of simple beauty. Clean lines in neutral colors can stand out for their simple beauty even more than a busy pattern or bold color. And the proof is in the pudding:

Jimmy Choo "Vikki" Platform Pump, Nordstrom, $575

Kate Spade NY "Licorice Too" Pump, Nordstrom, $298

Prada Round-toe Platform Pump, Nordstrom $750

There are so many simple. but beautiful shoes out there, but I think I'm going to spend the day drooling over these. I hope they make you drool as much as I do. Have a great day, everyone! Thanks for reading! 

Celeb Style: WWZDW

Friends, I may have stumbled upon the world's most wonderful fashion resource in the history of the internet. I have found WWZDW which stands for "What Would Zooey Deschanel Wear?" Not only is Zooey Deschanel one of the most adorable people on the face of the earth, but her style both on and off camera is so perfectly quirky, feminine, and playful that I never cease to find inspiration in her attire. She favors silhouettes that emphasize her natural waist and that feature fun colors, bold patterns and striking details.

But back to this website- it's a fairly large collection of photos of Zooey from street shots to public appearances on the red carpet, at awards shows, concerts, interviews, etc. as well as screen shots from movies and TV shows and even ad campaigns from magazines and other media. Each photo will either say "exact match found" or a number of "similar items." Click on the photo and you're brought to those items that are available for purchase! Isn't that brilliant?

There's formal wear, casual wear, outerwear, even bathing suits and pajamas! I was most excited about this dress:

The exact match is a dress by Kate Spade, but the website also had two similar (and far less expensive) options as well! Amazing! I don't know about all of you, but my mind is BLOWN. Do any of you know of other similar websites? I think that Zooey Deschanel is my most spot-on style icon, but I'd certainly be curious about other similar websites for say... Reese Witherspoon or Rachel Zoe?

Take a minute to leave a comment and tell me about your style icon. Who do you love and why? 

Fabulous Friday: Eye Candy

Every now and then it's fun to indulge in a little virtual window shopping and just spend some time admiring the gorgeous designs that are out there, whether or not they fit into your budget. This inspiring set features bold colors and patterns. Enjoy!

These are sophisticated polka dots, right? The dress is by Jonathan Saunders and you can find it at net-a-porter. Yum! 

Is there anything more cheerful than a bright yellow handbag? I doubt it. You can find this one at Forzieri. 

Clearly inspired by the Mondrian patterns of the 60's, this Kate Spade skirt is loads of fun. Get yours at Neiman Marcus. 

These DSquared pumps are to die for! I love them! If only I had an extra $600 lying around, I'd hop on over to Zappos Couture and put them right into my shopping cart. 

Time for me to digest all this loveliness. What kind of fashion eye candy have you seen around? Have you noticed any trends? Leave a comment- I always love hearing from you!

Beth's Amazing Handbag Find!

Over the weekend, I got together with Beth to do a little shopping and some catching up. We love our consignment shopping and you probably even remember how I snagged that amazing Kate Spade handbag during one of our sprees at Second Time Around in Boston. This time we were in Portsmouth, but there was yet another fabulous Kate Spade to be had.

She's so happy!

The whole thing went down in a very similar way to my Kate Spade purchase. There was a lot of deliberation and holding the bag while looking in the mirror, etc. At one point I asked, "Do you want me to talk you into it, or talk you out of it?" In the end, she scored that bad boy for $103 and since we were in NH, it was tax free! Basically half the price I paid for mine! In the world of bargain hunting, I'd say that's pretty darn fabulous. 

Have you ever scored an amazing find at a consignment shop? It seems like Beth and I are destined to be handbag enablers where consignment is concerned. It's just such a good deal, it's hard to pass up. 

I managed to score an amazing cashmere sweater as well as an adorable beret. I wore both to work immediately and the entire ensemble was a hit. I'll be sure to share it in a day or two, so check back soon!

A fabulous new bag....

I mentioned a few days ago that I haven't done much shopping lately, or rather much buying. I've been so content with the contents of my closet that I just haven't found much of anything that I just can't walk away from.

Until about a month ago....

I was down in Boston visiting Beth for the day- we went to a make-up workshop and then we hit the consignment shops on Newbury Street. When I got dressed that morning, I put my outfit together, looked in the mirror and said to myself, "If only I had a nice, brown handbag." I didn't mean just any old handbag, but a high-quality one. A nice leather that looks rich and luxurious. I have a classy black leather Coach bag, an awesome leopard print Betsey Johnson, a gorgeous green Michael Kors,  and this amazing Kate Spade bag that Juhree got me for my birthday last year:

I know it seems like I'm dropping a lot of names, but the truth is that these bags have (and will) last me a long time because they are well-made and classic pieces, not because of the name printed on them. Judge me all you like.

Anyway, back to my story. So, I'm looking in the mirror thinking about how much better my outfit would be if only I had a nice, brown handbag. But unfortunately, I did NOT have one, so I had to make do with a less awesome yellow one. After the make-up class, Beth and I were in Second Time Around on Newbury Street just doing a little browsing. From across the room, I saw it and I just had to get a closer look. It was an absolutely gorgeous brown leather bag- a little slouchy, but with enough structure that it wasn't completely boho-looking. It just stood out from all the other bags on the shelf. I knew this was going to be a great find. Turns out it was another Kate Spade. The condition was flawless and the price was perfect- $189. I debated for a while, then decided to go for it. When we left the store, Beth admitted to me, "If you didn't get it, I probably would have, just to keep it in the family." No joke. It's funny how things work out sometimes- I needed a gorgeous brown handbag and the perfect one just fell in my lap mere hours after I came to that conclusion. Amazing. So, do you want to see it? I thought so...

And here I am in Chicago posing like a lunatic in front of the "Bean" with my gorgeous Kate: 

She's really perfect. I hope to have her for many years to come. Have you found any amazing handbag deals lately? Or just amazing handbags? I love a good bag almost as much as I love a good shoe. Almost.

Comment below, kids. I need the affirmation.

Sweet as Honey

Don't you just love the color of honey? It's so warm and inviting and sweet and so I just had to put together a post dedicated to the color of honey. Enjoy these beautiful and stylish honey-colored pieces:

T Tahari Cleo Dress, Nordstrom, $128

Bixby Bag, Kate Spade, $346

Cowl Chiffon Dress, Dorothy Perkins,  £45.00

Just Fabulous Elise Pump, Heels.com, $59.99

Honey is a perfect color to transition from summer to fall- it is still bright enough to work with a lot of true summer colors like sky blue or white, but it has the depth necessary to be paired with rich, fall colors like pumpkin and amber. Try to work something honey-colored into your outfit this weekend and you'll see what I mean!  

750th Post- A Fabulous Outfit by Brittan

Last week when I was helping set up gowns at the Boston Bridal Lounge, there were some other fabulous and fabulously stylish ladies there. Among them was Brittan McCarthy, the owner of Bella Bridesmaid in Boston. I was struck by her combination of bright, cheerful colors and a bold, but youthful print:

I absolutely adore the bright citrus colors of her sweater and bag- there's not much more she could have done to be the perfect picture of spring. And as for the polka-dots, well, I can't say enough good things about polka dots! These ones are particularly adorable. The dress is demure and perfect for a stylish professional, but the right accessories could also make it a perfect party dress. Regardless, I admire Brittan for sporting such a bold look and really showing off her great personal style. 

Want this look for yourself? Unfortunately, the adorable Kate Spade dress is no longer available, but I've found some similar ones for you here and here. The cardigan is easy- you can find one here in a 3/4 sleeve version,  or a cropped one here. Finally, for a fabulous orange bag, I found you these options here, here and here. Enjoy re-creating this fabulous look for yourself and feel free to send me a picture- you know how I love having other people's outfits on the blog! 

On another note, this is my 750th post here on Style... the New Black! I'd say that's cause for celebration! What to do? I have no idea, but it might have to involve finding a fabulous Kate Spade polka dot dress for myself or something equally fabulous! Who knew I had so much to say about fashion and style that here I am less than three years later with 750 posts?!?! It seems a little crazy. Crazy awesome.