DD's Style File - Cobalt & Neon Inspiration

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When I saw that look in the May edition of Real Simple magazine, I knew I had to recreate it! I already had the same color pant and pumps at home, so the only thing was to find a similar shirt. Preferably that shirt. Ultimately, I did happen to find that Rachel Roy top in two different places but it was all sold out in that shade, so the hunt intensified to find that hue in a work appropriate cut.

It took about a week, but here's the final result:

So how did I do??  Très chic, no?

It was certainly close enough that I was happy with it. And I was definitely the brightest thing walking as I strutted my way into the office this morning!

Neon top - TJMaxx
Cobalt crop pant - Express
Pink pumps - Nine West
Black & white clutch - Vintage
Silver wave cuff & hoop earring-
The Limited
Sunnies - Nine West

Although neon can certainly be attention grabbing, just because it's a bright doesn't mean that it can't work in a professional setting. All the pieces were simple work staples in eye popping shades, and as the weather cools I plan to throw a neutral toned blazer or cardigan on with the top or the pant to transition the pieces into fall.

But for now, it's all about hot, hot summer!


Happy Friday divas!

DD's Style File - Stars & Studs

A big opening close up shot of my hairy forearms is almost enough to shame me... But hey, I've got too many other things to wax, pluck and shave to be worried about that. Afterall, I'm more giddy about my tough girl arm swag, in all of its metal and (faux) leather loveliness.

Stud bow & slim charm bracelets - Forever 21
Silver braid bracelet - The Limited
Flat bead bracelet - Unknown
Faux leather belt bracelet - Forever 21

When I saw this blouse at Zara, I was all over it. Not nearly as fabulous as Dolce & Gabbana's 2011 Stars collection, but about as close as I'm gonna get. And I liked that the print was small, which made it totally wearable for work. You had to be right up next to me in order to tell what the speckled print really was.

Pink starry bow top - Zara
Black knit skirt - Forever 21
Heart charm bracelet - Tiffany's

I don't have a lot of soft, baby pink shades in my wardrobe, so this was a nice addition. The details, like the exposed zipper in back, made for a feminine yet slightly edgier look.

Silver hoop earrings - The Limited
Booties - Target
Sunnies - Nine West

You'll notice that I'm often wearing sunnies in my photos, mostly because it's true to how you'd see me during the day, but also because I usually end up looking all squinty in my pictures without them. However, these sunnies were all about hiding the trouble lurking beneath... I had a seriously bad case of the itchy, watery allergy eyes and to add to the problem I was nursing a stye on my left eye.

Believe me, it was best for all if the shades were left on!

DD's Style File - "Maxi"mum Style

Until this year I wavered on the idea of wearing a maxi skirt to work. For some reason, in my mind it felt a tad too casual, despite the fact that I'd worn a longer length dress a time or two. Then the day came that I dressed a black jersey knit maxi skirt and liked it.

So, I decided to try again.

I bought this skirt a few months back at a bargain price and stuck it in a drawer, and happened upon it the other night. I decided to get some more use out of my white linen blazer and decided to pair the navy print of the skirt with a mustard top and rustic gold tone jewelry.

White Linen Blazer - Charlotte Russe
Mustard tissue tee - Target
Navy & white maxi skirt - Old Navy

Actually I liked this skirt way more than I thought I would, when I grabbed it last minute during my mini shopping spree at Old Navy (courtesy of RetailMeNot, thankyouverymuch).

Pairing it with the blazer made gave it's breezy swishiness a little more refined appeal.

Denim & cork sandals - Payless

Denim clutch - Thrifted

Gold burnished earrings - Forever 21

Wooden bead necklace - Papaya

Gold stone bracelet - Gift

Burnished cabochon bracelet - eBay

Floral sunnies - Dots

Taking pictures in public is still a bit of a....uh....challenge for me. I get all nervous and fidgety when people drive by and are looking at me. Or you hear little one's say, "mommy/daddy, what's she doing?" As I smile politely, I feel an immediate and intense urge to snatch up my tripod and walk/run my way back to my vehicle. Pathetic, I know!

Taking pictures around the house isn't any better either. Then I figure my neighbors are curiously peeking out of their blinds.

Needless to say, I sometimes have to take several shots just for the sake of not having the oh-gosh-somebody's-watching-me-crazy-look on my face.

Diva's Desires

Diva's Desires has done a bit of a relocation....I can now be found on Pintrest! I held out as long as I could before joining the masses, but alas here I am. Longing, pining and pinning to my heart's desire with just a click of a button.

My objective is to not only use Pintrest for my aimless, leisurely pinning of pretty things, but also as an inspiration and idea board for home decor and personal style.

Three out of the four selections on my board probably make sense....a dress I want that's all sold out (*sad panda*), a bag that I'm debating on whether I need and a super fun clutch for summer.

Then there's the Zou Bisou Bisou... This is my little bit of love for my Mad Men obsession. Loves it. And how much did I want to be Megan as she transfixed the party revelers with her birthday serenade to the yummy Don Draper?! (and yes, I downloaded the song to my iPhone as well...)

But I digress.

It's on my board because I want to channel some of that kitten-like sexiness and bottle it.


Have you all joined the Pintrest world?? I'd love to visit your boards.

DD's Style File - All White Erythang

I've blogged before about how enamored I am with an all white outfit. It just looks so fresh and crisp in the sunshine. Today was pretty much the perfect temperature, so I was more than happy to reach for my white linen blazer and capris to pull together a chic look for work.

White linen blazer - Charlotte Russe
White tank - Express
White capris - The Limited
All jewelry- The Limited

It's funny because you do have to be cautious with what you bump into during the day, which is why I still haven't purchased a white wool coat for the colder months, but in the summer it just seems easier to stay clean.

And white is such a standout bright I think that it gets you noticed the same way a bright red frock would. But don't think that white can't be fiery and sexy too!

Turquoise sandals - Rachel Roy
Light coral bag - Coach
Light pink sunnies - Charlotte Russe

White is a neutral that works with all metals, but I think it works best with your shiny silver pieces, allowing them to sparkle and standout against another cool tone.

I'm on the look out for the perfect white summer dress to replace a favorite piece of mine that I, unfortunately, can no longer fit. Strange how you can gain weight and not even notice until you can't zip your clothes up....but maybe that's just me?

DD's Style File - A Little Bit Hippie

Today's look was all about "casual Friday." And my flared legged denim trousers and sheer
seventies-esque blouse even had me feeling a bit like a throwback.

Peach polka dot blouse - Bisou Bisou for JCPenney
Flared denim trouser - The Limited
Nude peep toe - Franco Sarto
Cream patent belt - H&M

I almost wore this blouse tucked into a highwaisted skirt, but it just seemed to leave me wanting more...so I opted to let all of its twisted blousy loveliness hang loose instead. Perhaps I'll revisit the skirt idea another day.

Gold hoop earrings - The Limited
White bag - Coach

I realize that this bag has been making appearances in lots of my recent photos, it's just out of ease. It's the bag I tend to grab when I'm running out the door in the morning. Besides the fact that I typically carry a white bag in summer, this one just seems to blend so effortlessly, regardless of what I'm wearing. It wasn't even my first choice summer bag, now I can't seem to put it down!
I'd like to be one of those stylish girls who carry clutches during the day, I've just never been a small bag kinda girl. In the evenings, yes. During the day, running errands, etc.....I just can't seem to work that out. I know the problem centers around scaling back on the amount of stuff I carry with me without feeling like I've left something behind that I'm gonna need!

Jade/gold neclace - Forever 21
Pink sunnies - Charlotte Russe

 The weatherman is promising that the next couple days will be beautiful, so I'm making it a point to get out and enjoy it! I hope you all do the same and have a fabulous weekend!!

The Incomparable Ms. Hill

This week I'm promoting style cues from the amazingly talented songstress and lyricist extraordinaire, Ms. Lauryn Hill. Being that she's been none too fond of the limelight and public appearances in recent years, I consider it to be a special occasion to see her performing at Hot 97's Summer Jam.

By pairing plaid and  horizontal stripes with elegant chiffon palazzo pants it creates a structured, yet feminine look that's ready for a client lunch or a dinner date!


Click the image for more details!

DD's Style File - Working Girl

Summer is definitely all about color, but winter gets waaay to gloomy and depressing for me, so I'm aiming to carry my enthusiasm for color right on through the year. (Don't shoot me for talking about that time of year, we all know it's lurking...) The problem I seem to have is finding the right tights to go with some of my more vibrant pieces so that my look is still cohesive. Which is another top reason to love spring and summer - just slather some Johnson's Baby Oil Gel on your bare legs (and perhaps some faux tanner for my porcelain divas) and you're ready to go. No muss, no fuss.

Personally, I tend to find that on those days, when I just can't seem to figure out what to put on, regardless of the time of year, or nothing is coming together in real life quite as it did in my mind, it takes the fun out of fashion and makes it feel like work.

Which is why I'm still trying to get better at picking out my clothes at night before bed, but sometimes I'm just too exhausted to even go there, but I'm still working on it. *sigh* If only I was one of those early risers who could get up and work out in the mornings, I know that yoga would get me centered and ready to take on the day, but that evil featherbed of mine is big on holding hostages...

But I digress.

When all else fails, stick with a classic, they always work. LBD's for evenings and collared shirts with pencil skirts for the 9 to 5. Problem solved. So today I went for the classic office look, pairing a bright pencil silhouette with a white button down, red skinny belt and my loving favorite, leopard Guess pumps.

White button-up shirt - Converse for Target
Pink pencil skirt - Express
Red skinny belt - The Limited
Gold earrings - The Limited

I mentioned in another post that I bought three of these skirts from Express, this is the second one. It's a nice saturated strawberry shade, that's just enough color for an office full of grays and blacks.

Pink & silver aviators - Charlotte Russe
Multi color bead necklace - NY & Co.

Square orange bangle - The Limited
Leopard pumps - Guess

 Have a happy Monday!

I've Been Dazzled by ShoeDazzle

I've posted before about my apprehension toward shoe of the month clubs, and provided my opinion on my experience with ShoeMint thus far (it hasn't changed, read it here). But recently I gave ShoeDazzle a try.

Like the others, I went through a little "style assessment" and was presented with recommendations that would likely fit my taste. Honestly, most were a little too much heel for me. I'm most comfortable in a three and a half inch height (that doesn't make me less of a diva, does it?), but most of their selections were four inches or more. With shoes priced at $39.95 with free shipping and returns, I kept perusing hoping to find something stylishly suitable for my weak delicate ankles.

And then there were these cuties:

The Zamora. The colorblocking was on trend and paired with a neutral they were transitional enough for the office, an evening out and church on Sunday's. We ladies like a workhorse, don't we! The heel was the perfect height and once they arrived, they fit like a glove!

I haven't had the opportunity to wear them just yet, but the warm weather has just begun, so there's plenty of time left.

My experience overall with ShoeDazzle was a positive one. Plus, they automatically applied a discount to my first purchase, bringing the total down to about $31. I've checked back for more possibilities, but have not yet found any more that meet my requirements, so to speak. So if there are any ShoeDazzle reps reading this, "bring more 3.5" heel heights, please!" And you'll definitely have a return customer out of me.

I was shopping in a hurry when I made my shoe purchase, I think I was so excited that they actually had the shoe available in my size that I couldn't focus on anything else. So I missed ShoeDazzle's other offerings - bags, clothes and other accessories. However, these items are not at the $39.95 price point. Apprehension about quality is creeping in again, I envision the clothing to be not much better than a piece from Forever 21, but I ordered a dress anyway because it was very similar to something I'd been looking for. I'm hoping that since it was almost twice as much as a F21 dress that they will surprise me with the fabric quality and workmanship, especially since I wasn't able to use a promo code on my second order.

There is also a dynamite oversized clutch that I'm waitlisted for, fingers crossed that it comes in soon. (I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for that email)

Vidalia

So, I encourage you all to give ShoeDazzle a try, especially if some of these other clubs are a little pricey for your taste, like maybe,....*cough*.... the "Mint" clubs.

Once my dress comes I'll post some photos and my reviews on that. Stay tuned!

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