Category: Outfits

The sun finally decided to make it’s first appearance of Spring.  Sunshine makes me productive… so I decided to get some serious work done (my business, Elysium of Santa Barbara, has been keeping me busy!)… but the first sunshine of Spring also mandates the wearing of a mini-dress…you can keep the look soft and classy by wearing a dress with a loose fit and covering up  with some boots (the boots do double duty: 1. with a Spring breeze in the air, they keep you warm and 2. boots add a bit of attitude to your look… no need to be too sweet!).

The first day of Spring is full of flowers in bloom, light showers, dappled sunlight, and baby birds… right? Wrong. Santa Barbara had a rainstorm (flash flood warnings and all) in mind.  Without much of a real excuse all Winter to break out my cozy clothes, I saw this as an opportunity to wear a knit cap and playful cardigan.  Wearing (mildly im-)practical puddle jumping boots, a pinstriped oxford, leggings, and layered necklaces helped to distract from the drizzly chill in the air. I love how you can almost feel the crisp cold in these photographs.

The most fabulous part of hitting mid-week? Mid-week Happy Hour with the girls.  For an occasion that’s not quite an afternoon affair… and may or may not trickle into the evening… it’s best to keep the look light and soft… but with a bit of edge.  The chiffon, pastel print, and baby doll cut of the dress are balanced with the black vest and black patent leather shoes… both all tied up with black cords.  Soft makeup and hair with volume show that you put in effort to look good for your {gorgeous} friends!

At the end of a loooooong work week, nothing kicks off the weekend like going out with your best girlfriends to play with the city lights.  When the night’s plans include a nice dinner downtown followed by some time on State Street {Santa Barbara’s main drag}, the look needs to be appropriate for the nightlife yet refined.  A sequined gray mini dress leads to some major skin exposure {perfect for nighttime}… balance the look by covering up with a feminine, ruffled, quilted, chain embellished leather jacket {now you’re refined, gorgeous}.

I had a day full of business meetings and shopping {yesssss!} ahead of me.  The fashion challenge was to look polished and effortless, while still maintaining a level of comfort {didn’t want to have to cut shopping time short}.  Enter: the maxi dress.  It comes in endless styles and every imaginable color (though I’m a sucker for embroidery and jewel tones… it totally screams “High End Puerto Vallarta Vacation”… hey, a girl can dream).  This look is killer on any body type and it makes a statement {you are a confident. bold. perhaps international (make ’em wonder). vision of a woman.}.  Cinch the look with a belt or wear it loose.  Beachy waves in your hair and a pair of statement sunglasses on your face complete the look.

A hostess needs an outfit that is functional (she has to be able to set up the party) and appropriate (a hostess’ outfit should perfectly suit the occasion).  I was throwing my sister a surprise birthday party (fun!) that was a semi-formal brunch (classy!) {see the event here!}.  A 50’s style cardigan and pearls provided the class, while a short dress and high heels complemented the feeling of celebration that accompanied the special occasion.