Ways to Wear It: Adorn the Horns

I’ve been playing around with different ways to wear the vintage floral print mounted deer skull graphic tank top I bought from Urban Outfitters awhile back. The muted hues within the earth tone color scheme (including ivory, charcoal, shades of dusty rose, olive, & goldenrod) made it pretty easy to coordinate with other separates.

With the skull shirt being the statement piece to work the rest of the ensemble around, I must say – I surprisingly came up with a lot ways to wear my boho-inspired basic! From dressing it up to keeping it casual, check out all the different ways I can adorn the horns…

Outfit #1: Keepin’ it casual – layered underneath my Anthropologie gold fine-knit cardigan and paired with Free People washed black seamed moto skinnys. Worn with my Bordeaux pony hair high-top sneakers from Anthro.

Outfit #2: Another laid-back look – layered underneath my Anthropologie ivory lace tunic top (worn unbuttoned & backwards as a cardigan) and paired with H&M olive green skinny jeans. Worn with my Free Bird ivory pony hair/black leather booties and Anthro textured satchel.

Outfit #3: Casual with a bit of glam – here I layered the graphic tank underneath my Gypsy Junkies gold sequin blazer and paired it with Free People burgundy seamed skinnys. Worn with my black lace-up leather booties.

Outfit #4: Here’s a mix of business & pleasure – the fitted blazer is a tad more formal, but the lace texture & sparkly sneakers keep the look fun & fresh. Layered underneath my Free People forest green lace blazer and paired with dark denim skinnys. Worn with my Steve Madden gold glittery sneakers.

Outfit #5: Fun & Festive – layered underneath my Anthropologie olive green thin-knit cardigan and paired with my Free People light pink tulle tiered maxi skirt. Worn with my Free Bird ivory pony hair/black leather booties and a vintage tapestry clutch.

**I wore this outfit to a friend’s Christmas party. The invited called for “festive attire”. It might have been a bit of a stretch, but this was my interpretation of ‘festive attire’ – I thought the antler tank somewhat resembles a reindeer (sort of…a little….maybe??…. :/), green (well, in my case, olive green) is a Christmas color – so that works, and nothing screams festive like a full-length pink tutu party skirt (am I right?!) To finish off the look & drive home the ‘festiveness’ of the ensemble, I accessorized the outfit by wearing a big jingle bell necklace – aka a sleight bell wreath around my neck. I don’t know that I had everyone convinced on my “festive attire,” but I gave myself credit for trying…and I got to wear my pink party skirt :) (not many opportunities calling for a frou-frou tutu these days!)

Outfit #6: Takin’ it up a notch – this tank top is actually a bit longer in length. I typically tie it up one side, but could also leave it hang. Here I layered the graphic top under my Free People rust-colored velvet blazer and paired it with my Free People ivory lace-trim silky bloomers so that the lace peaks out from underneath. Worn with some near-sheer black stockings and my Jeffrey Campbell tapestry Lita booties. The vintage floral motif is almost a perfect match to the fabric my shoe-booties are made. Coincidence?…or well conceived :)

Outfit #7: Another combo that coincidentally coordinates – layered underneath my gold thin-knit cardigan and paired it with my Free People Fair Isle wool shorts. Worn with my Jeffrey Campbell Bordeaux leather booties. Color scheme of the motif = colors within the patterned shorts – check!

Outfit # 8, 9, & 10: Sticking with shorts, here are a couple other options I could pair & wear.

Outfit #11: Like the lace, but want to play around with the length…can do! From a touch of lace barely visible along the bottom to a full length maxi skirt, I can embrace the lace at any length!

And as long as were considering our options – here are some other statement soles that would look good with my statement skull shirt…

Annnd, I didn’t really accessorize any of the outfits…but if I were going to, I’d probably pick one of the antler accessories that’s part of my underground + BOUND collection – that way I could adorn a real version of the animal on my apparel!. Or I could mimic the motif and wear my black fringe studded bull bib necklace.

Welp, there you have it – 11 different ways to wear my boho-basic!

Which way is your fav?

Alcohol-Inspired Attire: My Delirium Tremens Top

I often nickname things in my wardrobe if they remind me of certain something. Here are a couple favorites from my closet…

My most recent pet name I made up is for this piece…

I call this my ‘Delirium Tremens’ top. No – not because I was drunk when I bought it (which, for the record, I wasn’t!) but because of the tiny purple elephant print all over it. I bought the gauzy button-down blouse on sale at Anthropologie awhile back & it’s been one of my favorites ever since!

Voted “Best Beer in the World” back in 2008, Delirium Tremens is a Belgium golden ale produced by Brouwerij Huyghe in Meile, Belgium. With an above average 8.5% ABV, one beer connoisseur describes the classic strong ale as having a “light, fruity sweetness and tangy tart notes followed by a dry slightly bitter finish.”The beer’s name originates from the medical condition delirium tremors, or “the DT’s” indicating a violent sickness induced by alcohol withdrawal. Sufferers of “the trembling madness” are thought to hallucinate pink elephants, cats, dogs & snakes. The imaginary pink elephants have become widely known as Delirium Tremen’s unmistakable logo on the brews unique packaging, a bottle painted to resemble Cologne ceramics.

Similar to the logo, my distinctive way of dressing can sometimes come across as unmistakable & unique…and with my love of mixing prints, creatively combining colors & layering on tons of texture, I admit, I may look like I’ve lost my mind from time to time. But I swear I haven’t (at least not yet!) Check out some of the different ways I dressed my ‘Delirium Tremens’ top….

Here I paired my elephants with basic black leggings, a southwestern-print scarf, riding boots, and my forest green fringe bag.

One has to be carefully when wearing so many statement pieces all at the same time, otherwise the outfit becomes overwhelming. But in this instance, instead of competing with one another, I think the standout pieces combine to create an eclectic ensemble.

Or, maybe I am a bit delusional?!…

Here I paired my ethnic-inspired elephant top with elegant oriental damask-print indigo & coral cords.

I can’t really begin to explain what I was thinking when I these two pieces together. For some reason, I just thought the juxtaposing prints worked well with each other – something about the contrasting style vibes within the clothing compliments the quirky combo.

I can however, tell you my thought process behind creating this stylish ensemble…Here I tucked my purple elephant top into a pair of olive high-waisted wool shorts. I layered my brown fur vest on top for some added texture and accessorized the look with a simple orange marble-stone pendant necklace.

So, what was I thinking???…

This outfit is based off one of the classic harmonious color schemes – a triad color harmony. A triad color arrangement is when you incorporate three colors that are equally spaced from each other on the 12-hue color wheel. Example: violet, orange & green.

See……………………I haven’t lost my mind :)

Keeping along the lines of creative color combos, here I layered the purple elephants underneath my rust-colored velvet blazer from Free People. There’s just something about purple & red together that always catches my eye.

I may be going out on a limb with this one…pairing the purple elephants with a red & black classic plaid pencil skirt.

It has similar styling elements from the ensembles above (opposing prints = ethnic/traditional and pairing purple & red together). I’m not 100% sold on the outfit; but hey, playing around is part of the fun when it comes to styling!

Evolving your personal sense of style is all about experimenting when putting outfits together. You don’t always have to wear them outside the house, but you’d be surprised with what you come up once you start working with your wardrobe. Crack open a bottle of Delirium while you’re playing dress up & you’re destined to create an unmistakable look just like the logo!

What do you think? Am I hallucinating when thinking these looks actually look good?

Disclaimer: This post does not condone the consumption of alcohol while deciding what you’re going to wear.

All About Embroidery in These Ensembles!

There are many elements of embroidery throughout these two ensembles!

Crewelwork specifically! Crewel embroidery is a decorative form of surface embroidery that gives a raised appearance to the finished piece. Thought to have originated from the earliest Welsh spinners, the technique dates back over a thousand years; and while designs have developed over time, the general stitches have stayed the same. The free-style form has long been used on clothing, pillow cases, dish cloths, furniture and framed wall-decor.  I learned a lot about this art form and how to accurately apply the stitches to my own work from the book, Mastering the Art of Embroidery.

Now…on to the outfits…

Outfit #11:

Here I simply paired my All-Saints Spitalfields ivory embroidered top with my bronze embroidered pants from Free People.

The casual cotton top showcases the ‘French Knot Stitch’. This particular stitch consists of small round knots that create tiny bubbles on the surface of the fabric; in this instance, the bubbles align to spell out the phrase, “The one whose hand I’m holding is the one who holds my heart.”

The stem stitch, trellis work, and long & short stitches were combined to create the ornate design along the front of the vegan leather bottoms.

 

For footwear I chose my gold beaded sandals from Anthropologie; the golden hue goes with the gold-threaded embroidery on the leg, while the tiny seed beads mimic the small stitches in the top.

Outfit #12:

In this outfit, I paired a different ivory embroidered top, this one from Anthropologie, with the bronze bottoms underneath my hand-made crochet cover-up.

The different weights and tonal variations of the threads that make up the floral motif add depth & texture to the detailed design. I layered the multi-colored, Missoni-inspired wrap sweater my mom made me on top for those transitional times when it’s nice to have something to cover up with. The chevron crochet cover-up is a copycat of an old afghan I found at home – in a wearable size! Just like the blanket keeps me cozy when I’m on the couch…my mini version does when I’m out-and-about!

Do you have embroidery embellishments on any clothing you own? How about anything hanging in your home?

Outfit Ten: A Tribal-Inspired Take on the Embroidered Bottoms

I simply paired my Navajo-print wrap sweater from Arden B. with the Free People leather pants for this effortless tribal-inspired outfit.

The ivory & bronze bottoms coincide with the neutrals hues within the top, while the threaded fringe trim that borders the cozy knit plays up the meticulously-stitched embroidery embellishment along the front of the leg. To continue with the earth tone color palette, a pair of olive suede lace-up boots from Aldo completes the look.

Another play on patterns, more mixing of materials, some subdued hues, in a relaxed, comfortable silhouette = yet another way to wear my new statement pants! (and to think – when I first bought them I didn’t know what I was going to wear them with) :)

I’m already up to 10!…How many more outfits do you think I have to go before I “wear out” what to wear these pants with?

Clashing Separates Combine to Create these Creative, Quirky Outfits!

So, I took a short break from showing you all the different ways I styled my Free People bronze embroidered leather pants; but if you were keeping track, I’m up to 7 different outfits so far. I still have many more ways to show you and I’ll start out again with 2 outfits that, at first glance, might seem completely out-of-whack, but actually come together to make quite creative outfits!

These bold looks boast saturated hues, tailored silhouettes, and tons of texture! Both of these outfits are built from clashing separates that infuse a youthful attitude to an otherwise classic style. Check them out…

Outfit #1:

 

Here I’ve paired my classic plaid button-down shirt from Anthropologie with the contemporary slim-cut embroidered cropped pants. To amp-up the ensemble another notch, I layered a fitted Free People lace blazer over the cotton top. The primary-colored plaid faintly peaks through the forest green lace in this colorful cloth collage of true hues, while the metallic bronze bottoms emit a slight iridescent sheen.

As the plaid pattern takes your eye on a maze, the burnout lace blazer and intricately embroidered vegan leather bottoms are tempting to touch – stimulating the senses in so many ways!

Outfit #2:

The elements of this second ensemble are similar to the first; but while this outfit may have a little less color, it makes up for in texture. Here I’ve layered my rust-colored velvet Free People blazer over a Free People chambray button-down shirt to go along with the bronze bottoms. The sumptuously soft velvet of this unstructured jacket falls loose for a relaxed fit, but the stiff vegan leather pants stay true to their structured slim-fit. The spicy autumnal hue and heavy-weight fabrics make this an ideal outfit for fall.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you that these outfits were a little whacky!

These quirky combinations definitely aren’t dull – but even with everything going on in the clothing; the most important component in pulling off these looks is confidence! Knowing you’re going to stand-out while walking down the street and being secure with that is the ultimate accessory in achieving exceptional personal style.

Do you have the confidence to pull off these audacious outfits, or are you more comfortable blending in with the crowd?