Latest Obsession: Cutout vs. Inset

     Dresses with asymmetrical cutouts have been getting more and more popular, and as this year's prom is getting nearer, I have been considering this trend as an option for my dress. I love both strategically cut slits and lace paneling. Each style turns a simple dress into a much more intriguing version of itself, while little glimpses of skin add unexpected sexiness. I want something a lot more simple this year that will focus more on the fun of it being my last prom. I want to take more of a risk and go edgier than I have in the past, so I like the way these dresses accomplish that without going overboard.

One Shoulder Lace Inset Black Dress - $15 - 1015store.com; Laced Drape Dress in Mocha - $58 - nastygal.com; Slinky Lace Inset Dress - $26.99 - charlotterusse.com;  Sparkle & Fade Ponte Cutout Beaded Bodycon Dress - $24.99 - urbanoutfitters.com; Balmain Studded Cutout Dress - $1,603.50 - theoutnet.com; Alice & Olivia Tina Seamed Cutout Dress - $297 - shopbop.com.

Purchase your prom dress at Rent the Runway from March 29th-31st and get $10 off with the promo code: PROMREP17A142

Savvy Shopping Sunday Kick Off

    I've decided to switch some things around. Instead of having my Who Belongs to These Shoes posts on Sundays I will have them on Wednesdays. Then, on Sundays I will have my new segment Savvy Shopping Sunday. I receive countless emails and newsletters from my favorite stores, so I thought it would be a good idea to spread the love and fill you in on sales, gifts with purchases, free shipping, and discount codes. So grab your remote (to watch Sunday night football, of course) and your laptop and get ready for some savvy shopping!

(click the pictures to shop)

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     I hope all you fabulous ladies (and gents) have had a lovely weekend! Mine was great until the Patriots just lost their playoff game against the Jets! I was able to see one of my graduated friends while she was home from college...we went to a concert on Friday, which was pretty awesome. Then today, I did a little shopping with what was left on my Christmas giftcards and I also have tomorrow off from school. So I guess all these lovely things will help me take my mind off the fact that the Patriots had an amazing season, but had to blow their chances of ending it with a trophy because of their poor playmaking tonight. And I guess all these lovely things will get me through the fact that I'm not going to be able to watch them play again until September.

     Goodbye football season : /

New Shoes!

     Charlotte Russe is having a buy one get one for $10 in-store sale on shoes! Of course, being the shoe lover that I am (and having spotted a couple pairs that I wanted during an earlier shopping trip) I spent some of my birthday money on two incredible pairs of booties...yes, amazingly I still have birthday money leftover from August! Online you can also buy one shoe and get another pair for $15. The nice thing about buying them on their site is that they have a wider selection including rainboots, clogs, and pumps. Either way, you really can't go wrong with Charlotte Russe shoes. Aside from their often towering heights, they are pretty comfortable and well made for the price. Their shelves are always stocked to the brim with the latest trendy shoes and perfect winter boots. And at any given time, they always keep a good pair of classic black pumps around for that last minute party or night-out that you need some simple, chic heels. Well, I could go on ranting and raving about all the reasons I love CR, or I could just move on to showing you the pairs I bought...

Double Buckle Peep-Toe Booties

(these were my $10 pair!)

Sequined Almond Toe Bootie

$38

Bisou Bisou and a License to Drive

  
   Today I took my driving test and passed! It's taken me a long time to get all my hours logged so it was mostly a relief to finally get my license. Afterwords, I called up my dad at his office and my older sister in Virginia to tell them the good news, then headed to Starbucks with my mom and little sister for a celebratory coffee. We hit up a local farmers' market that turned out to be not as splendid as we expected, so we spent an hour across the street at Goodwill. What was just going to be a quick look for one or two 90's floral dresses, turned into filling my whole basket with dresses and scarves for new clothing recreations. I had to narrow down my findings by a few pieces, but walked out of the store excited to start new (and finish old) sewing projects! Now, if I need more thread or fabric, I can drive my way to get it!

My driving outfit...comfy to drive in but still fun.

The most important part was getting my hair and make-up look'n good for the license picture!

The sweet little drawing my 8 year old sister made to congratulate me on getting my license.

This is a skirt I found that I realized could be transformed from frumpy to cute by pulling it up

into an instant dress!

 

I don't know what to call the pattern of this skirt, but I love it!

My Bisou Bisou shoes I got for $4...they're very simple but the braid makes them look so cute!

Stay tuned for the outfits I'm going to make using this skirt and pair of heels!

In the meantime...bisous bisous pour vous!

Love from Lulu's

    I am really happy to let you fabulous people know that I have an exclusive discount for my blog readers at one of my favorite online stores! Lulu's is offering a 15% discount from now until August 13th with the code OPENCLOSET. My favorite part of their store is definitely their dresses, so I thought I should make a list of a few of my favorites!

Chicks in the Kitchen Dress-$39

The little chickens on this dress give it a fun 70's vibe.

Don't Worry, Be Happy Dress (in black)-$38

Being a child of the scrunchies and mom-jeans

era, I love that 90's florals are so trendy.

French Toast Tuesday Dress-$38

This dress would look really cute with pastel pinks and

purples for perfecting a make-up color scheme.

Mother May I Dress-$29.50

This is one of those dresses that makes you feel just as light and airy as it looks on you

...just right for hot, hot days when you don't feel like wearing much of anything! 

On the Griddle Dress (in chocolate chip)-$40

A lovely little dress for a party...or summer barbecue.

Wherever you wear it, you're sure to look amazing!

Romantic Novel Dress-$35

The name totally fits! This number is just the dress

to wear on a romantic date!

Stained Glass Rose Dress-$38

I like how artsy this dress looks...if only I

had it when I visited my uncle's gallery!

Swallow Tail Shirt Dress-$45

I love t-shirt dresses...you can wear them with anything

and they're perfect for a casual weekend look.

Verona Velvet Dress-$25.50

I'm in love with the velvet trend for fall this year, so this is

a nice dress to transition from a summer wardrobe to an

autumn ensemble with a couple sweaters and some leggings.

(photo credits: lulus.com)

A Cue from Chanel

   Through the years, Chanel has been a huge influence on the fashion industry. You could even say that the label has formed its own dictatorship on the runway. Each season generates a new "it" Chanel item that every store can't resist to create a rendition of their own. This spring, there were many things to fall in love with-classic tweed, mushroom colored nails, the always-popular quilted purses, sky-high clogs, delicate flower motifs, jewelry tattoos, crocheted dresses, and intricately woven designs. But one understated accessory that added to this faux-peasant theme was the stockings. The sheer tights were given a unique twist with laced-up stripes going up each leg.

    I found a website that sells cheaper versions of this trend in easy to wear socks and stockings. For under $10, you can add a little Chanel style without the immense Chanel cost. Aside from the affordable price, the socks are great for hot days when wearing tights could result in overheating. Leave it to Chanel to start a hosiery revolution!

Lacey Lace-up Slipper Socks

$7.00

BUY

Woven Sheer Thigh-high Stockings

$5.00

BUY

Lace-up Small Net Ankle Socks

$5.00

BUY

(photo credits: style.com and socktheory.com

The Garment District

   The weekend I spent in Boston, we took the T to Cambridge to go to the much talked about Garment District. It has been said that even Kirsten Dunst has visited this wondrous thrift shop! At first, we didn't quite know where we were going, but after walking a few blocks we eventually found it. From the moment we walked in, we were surrounded by anything and everything unique. We sought out the racks on the second floor first, where rows and rows of clothes seemed to go on for miles and shelves of shoes were all in order by color! Then there was another whole room filled with vintage from the 60's, 70's, and 80's, as well as a couple racks from older decades. All this may seem like enough, yet there was a separate section for designer clothing and accessories that consumed much of my time. We then, progressed to the bottom floor to dig through the "$1 a pound" floor...although, it's really $1.50 a pound. For the most part, there wasn't much to find beneath the piles because we began looking an hour before the store was about to close, so the good stuff was probably snatched much earlier in the day. While cashing out, a pink wigged and tulle skirted cashier told me she liked the cute cats on the dress I'd found and we struck up a conversation about knock-off vs. real purses. Satisfied with what I walked out with, I hoped I'd be back for more someday!  

Maddie in the shoe section...with some awfully cute rainboots.

So many shoes...although most of them weren't my size.

Taking pictures on the "subway"!

The heaps and mounds of clothes from the $1 a pound!

My lovely bargains!

Chanel-like purse-$20

(It's not real but it's still a nice bag!)

Marc Jacobs shirt-$28

Vintage 70's dress-$16

Maddie's cool snakeskin shoes!

All the clothes we brought....

...for a photoshoot of course!