Lace & Pearls

A Seattle Style blog. Helping women who struggle with their personal style or those who just need a fashion fix!

Spring Trend: Ruffles + Anguay Designs

What is it about ruffles that make them so desirable? Is it the modern update that is super versatile and less structured? Personally, I can't seem to get enough of the romantic aesthetic. Whatever the reason, ruffles have come full circle and are popping up everywhere.What is it about ruffles that make them so desirable? Is it the modern update that is super versatile and less structured? Personally, I can't seem to get enough of the romantic aesthetic. Whatever the reason, ruffles have come full circle and are popping up everywhere.What is it about ruffles that make them so desirable? Is it the modern update that is super versatile and less structured? Personally, I can't seem to get enough of the romantic aesthetic. Whatever the reason, ruffles have come full circle and are popping up everywhere.What is it about ruffles that make them so desirable? Is it the modern update that is super versatile and less structured? Personally, I can't seem to get enough of the romantic aesthetic. Whatever the reason, ruffles have come full circle and are popping up everywhere.What is it about ruffles that make them so desirable? Is it the modern update that is super versatile and less structured? Personally, I can't seem to get enough of the romantic aesthetic. Whatever the reason, ruffles have come full circle and are popping up everywhere.What is it about ruffles that make them so desirable? Is it the modern update that is super versatile and less structured? Personally, I can’t seem to get enough of the romantic aesthetic. Whatever the reason, ruffles have come full circle and are popping up everywhere.

Before we get into today’s post, here鈥檚 a little history lesson. Did you know that ruffles date back to the 16th century? While you might have guessed they were old, did you know that it was men who wore them? Yep, during the 16th century German soldiers wore uniforms with ruffles very similar to those we see today.

Ruffles – How to Wear?

Since ruffles are a statement all on their own, you don’t need much to accessorize them. Simple is best. Of course, I am big on jewelry so I decided to also go with a statement earring. I did, however, keep everything else minimal (e.g., ballet flats, color block tote).

Fashion tip: Let your ruffles take center stage and wear your hair back in a classic pony or an undone topknot.

Don’t stop there! Ruffles go well beyond tops and sweaters. Now you can find skirts and dresses with this frilly embellishment too. Depending on your body type, a ruffle skirt can do wonders. If you’re narrow in the hips, add some ruffles to give the illusion of curves.

Ruffles – Where to Shop?

I have seen this trend at every retailer: Target, Zara, Nordstrom, to name a few. I picked up this sweet polka dot blouse at J.Crew and also bought it in burgundy. The silk material makes the ruffles very forgiving, especially on a larger chest.

The tote is from Seattle brand Anguay Designs. I’m obsessed with the color blocking and external pocket, plus the lining is super cute. Crystal, the designer of Anguay Designs, is launching her Spring/Summer apparel line called Unlikely on April 24th. For a sneak peek, visit her Instagram and definitely check out her site because this girl is going places. If you see something you like, use code LACEANDPEARLS to receive 15% off your order, discount is valid until 12/31/17.

Blouse: J.Crew (similar) | Jeans: Jag c/o (similar) | Earrings: J.Crew (sold out) | Ring: Madewell聽(on sale)| 聽Tote: Anguay Designs (borrowed) | Shoes: Jessica Simpson (similar) | Lipstick: Wet n Wild (Smokin Hot Pink)

Thank you Anguay Designs for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.

馃摲鈥檚 by Luba Kochubey Portraits

Comfort Shoes For The Stylish Fashionista (Spring Edition)

If you've ever struggled to find a stylish comfort shoe, you are not alone. Keep reading for a rundown of what I've tried so far. Just a heads up - Danskos did make the list, but so did a handful of others.

A few years ago, I developed severe pain in my big toes. After a doctor鈥檚 visit, I was told that I have tendinitis and that I should wear Danskos to reduce the irritation. I remember sharing the news with my husband as he turned up his nose. There is nothing wrong with Danskos, but for someone who loves fashion, it makes my shoe game very limited.

So what’s a girl to do? Look for an alternative of course! If you’ve ever struggled to find a stylish comfort shoe, you are not alone. Keep reading for a rundown of what I’ve tried so far. Just a heads up – Danskos did make the list, but so did a handful of others.

Comfort Shoes For The Stylish Fashionista

Dansko. I know what you might be thinking, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Dansko has upped their game and branched out into much more stylish options. The price point is comparable to most comfort brands and trust me when I say it, if you go Dansko, you might not go back.

My first pair of Danskos were these sandals. I ended up buying them in two colors and my feet never felt better. When fall came, I bought these boots. I was a bit self-conscious of their clunky appearance but ended up getting a lot of compliments wherever I wore them.

Dansko shoes can be quite tall and a little hard on the knees. A lot of people express they have rolled their ankles in the traditional clog style. I have done this several times in the boots too. The fit should also be noted; they have a nice toe box and are normally super roomy.

 

Jambu. The pair that I own fit similar to my Dansko boot. I love the cutout floral pattern and color. The platform makes these shoes very wearable for all day wear, but the heel height did bother my knees. If you have wide feet, they might be a bit narrow in the toe box for you. I do and I have stopped wearing these for that reason.

 

Josef Seibel. I got my first pair of Josef Seibel open toe booties last summer. I am obsessed with this style and bought them in two colors. If you go back through my archives, you might think that these are the only sandals I own. The stacked heel and soft leather make them very comfortable. If it wasn’t for my tendinitis, I could wear them all day.

 

Paul Green. Last fall, I was in dire need of a pump and I was growing quite envious of all the fashion bloggers who rocked a heel. You can imagine my excitement when I discovered the Desire Pointy Toe D’orsay pump. These shoes are a bit of a luxury, made with fine Italian leather. The heel height is 3 1/2 inches but with the asymmetrical strap, they provide a lot of support. I have them in black and hope to get the Smoke Leather color soon for the warmer season.

 

Other Notable Comfort Shoe Brands

Best Retailers For Comfort Shoes

What comfort brands do you love? Please share in the comments.

Wearing: Cobb Hill sandals (old)

聽Photo by Michelle Dorman

Jump Start Spring with Stitch Fix

To jump start Spring, add a pair of colorful denim to your repertoire. By adding a pop of color to your look, you will brighten your mood and stay warm. To jump start Spring, add a pair of colorful denim to your repertoire. By adding a pop of color to your look, you will brighten your mood and stay warm. To jump start Spring, add a pair of colorful denim to your repertoire. By adding a pop of color to your look, you will brighten your mood and stay warm. To jump start Spring, add a pair of colorful denim to your repertoire. By adding a pop of color to your look, you will brighten your mood and stay warm. To jump start Spring, add a pair of colorful denim to your repertoire. By adding a pop of color to your look, you will brighten your mood and stay warm. Last month I partnered with Stich Fix in the My Body, My Style campaign. Part of my collaboration meant placing an order. If you’re new to Stitch Fix check out my style guide.

Now that Spring has arrived we should start thinking about transitioning our wardrobe. If your climate is on the cooler side it might be a while until you get to wear those lightweight聽items. My solution: color聽denim.

To jump start Spring, add a pair of colorful denim to your repertoire. By adding a pop of color to your look, you will brighten your mood and stay warm. These pants are comfortable (hello elastic waist), and the perfect transitional piece. I can’t wait to style these with my favorite nude sandals and lightweight blouses.

I wasn’t too impressed with my first Fix, but the second one was a bit closer to my personal style. Still, I only kept one piece. I love colored denim and did not have a green pair. The cut is perfect and I love聽how the elastic waist eliminates the bulge of a belt.

Jump Start Spring with Stitch Fix

To help you prepare for Spring, grab a Spring Fix and get ahead of the trends.聽Stitch Fix has partnered with Good Will for you to donate your gently used clothes. Just use the box and provided label from your last Fix to聽send out your items.

If you like the pants in today’s blog, pin an image from this post to your Pinterest聽board and share it with your stylist.

Sweater: Ellen Tracy via Marshalls| Denim: Liverpool via Stitch Fix c/o | Bracelet: J.Crew (old) | Booties: Bare Trap (similar)| Purse: Old Navy (identical) |聽Lipstick: Wet n Wild (Stoplight Red)

*Stitch Fix provided me with a shopping credit to purchase these jeans and other items, but all opinions are my own.

馃摲鈥檚 by Luba Kochubey Portraits

Adding Stripes to Your Wardrobe is a Must

Wearing stripes is nothing new, but I'm here to tell you why you need to incorporate more of them into your wardrobe. If you're ahead of the game, kudos!Wearing stripes is nothing new, but I'm here to tell you why you need to incorporate more of them into your wardrobe. If you're ahead of the game, kudos! Wearing stripes is nothing new, but I'm here to tell you why you need to incorporate more of them into your wardrobe. If you're ahead of the game, kudos!Wearing stripes is nothing new, but I'm here to tell you why you need to incorporate more of them into your wardrobe. If you're ahead of the game, kudos!Wearing stripes is nothing new, but I’m here to tell you why you need to incorporate more of them into your wardrobe. If you’re ahead of the game, kudos to you!

I’m not much of a t-shirt wearer, but I do tend to dress on the casual side. Stripes don’t necessarily have to be dressed down. They can and should be one of your best closet staples.

Adding Stripes to Your Wardrobe is a Must

Easy to find at聽all price points. No matter the price point, you can always find a striped tee. Look at your local thrift shops, high-end retailers, and even your big box stores for this item.

You can wear them every season.聽Striped tees come in a variety of options from luxury smooth cotton to vintage-like materials. Play with the different textures and fabrics to change up your look.

They play well with others.聽Think of your stripe as a neutral. You can pair it with a different print for a fun fashion-forward look, or style with a pop of color. Be creative and pick up some stripe options that are vertical, horizontal, and abstract. Stripes are anything but basic.

They work for almost all occasions. See this business casual look that I wore recently. Striped tee + blazer + heels = forever fail proof. You can wear a striped dress, skirt, or my favorite combo: a striped tee with colored denim. Top off your look with a pair of killer heels or sweet ballet flats.

Fail proof on those “nothing to wear” days.聽Here is another striped look I wore on the blog. Need more inspiration? Check out my Pinterest聽board for hundreds of style images.

Sweater: Nordstrom (similar) | T-shirt: Loft (similar)| Denim: Loft (similar) | Necklace: Loft (old) | Purse: Micahel Michael Kors (similar) | Booties: Nordstrom | Lipstick: Wet n Wild (Stoplight Red)

馃摲鈥檚 by Luba Kochubey Portraits

5 Items You Need For Spring!

Military blazer with ruffle blouse and denim.Military blazer with ruffle blouse and denim.Military blazer with ruffle blouse and denim.According to Phil, winter ain’t gone quite yet! But that should not stop you from聽planning for Spring. To get started, I recommend looking at your favorite retailers and fashion experts (bloggers, celebs, and magazines) to determine the trends (bell sleeves, cropped pants, and off the shoulder blouses). While I am all for trends, I prefer the classics. This is why I am recommending five items you need for Spring. The best part is you might already own some of these items. If聽not, they are inexpensive enough to pick up pretty much anywhere.

Military blazer with ruffle blouse and denim.Military blazer with ruffle blouse and denim.Five Items You Need For Spring!

  1. Something Blush. I am a girly-girl through and through and I can’t get enough blush in my wardrobe. It’s just so feminine and romantic. It’s also a good transitional color that works now and later. I picked up this gorgeous blush tote and these shoes聽. I am still on the lookout for a faux leather jacket and some other blush items.
  2. A Military-inspired jacket aka “the anorak or utility coat”. Such a classic and always on trend. You can opt for the more traditional聽anorak聽style or a cute shrunken聽blazer like the one in this post. What I like about this classic is you can dress it up or down (wear with pants, shorts, dress and skirts) and it’s also another great transitional聽piece. See how I styled this trend here, here, and here.
  3. White Denim. This trend is here to stay and becoming the new normal. Do yourself a favor and pick up several pairs, I would opt for a skinny, distressed and a cropped pair. You can also wear this look year round.
  4. Ruffles, on ruffles on, ruffles! Ruffles are in full bloom this season as they should be. They are one of my favorites. If your style is girly, stock up on this trend and incorporate it in your tops, blouses, jacket, and skirts. See my ruffle outfits here, here,聽here聽and here.
  5. Seasonally appropriate makeup. Around this time last year, I started rocking a bright lip. My go to was聽Purity Persimmon and聽Smokin Hot Pink. Have fun with your lip color and be sure to update your nail color in brighter shades

Blazer: Target Who What Wear Collection | Blouse: Nordstrom (similar)| Denim: Loft (similar) | Purse: Margot via Marshalls (similar) | Necklace: Stella & Dot | Booties: Bare Trap (similar)| Lipstick: Bite Beauty (similar)

馃摲鈥檚 by Luba Kochubey Portraits

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