A Diva State of Mind

Last week, Shivawn of Love + Labels & Joneses contacted me to write a guest post on what to wear for a movie date and outdoor date. Check out the post below!

Dating can sometimes be stressful, but choosing the right outfit shouldn’t be! When it comes to dressing for a date, you want to be stylish and dress appropriately (what you wear to dinner is going to be different than what you’d wear to go bowling). Most importantly, you want to be comfortable. If you’re comfortable, you will feel more confident; therefore, focusing less on what you’re wearing and more on your dating experience.

If you’re going to the movies, the perfect date outfit is casual chic. Blazer, jeans and heels are the epitome of casual chic but you can take it up a notch by wearing a printed blazer like this floral one from Dorothy Perkins with a pair of distressed boyfriend jeans and sandals.  Use neutral eye shadow colors to create a smokey eye and top the look off with a nude lip.

The blazer will keep you warm in the movie theatre since they are sometimes chilly. Most likely you’ll go out for dinner and/or drinks afterwards so this is an outfit that can easily transition from one activity to the next.

The second outfit suggestion is one for an outdoor date. From music festivals to touring the city, an outdoor date means you’ll want to leave the heels at home! Go for a fun and flirty look in a printed romper like this one from Nordstrom paired with gladiator sandals (a huge trend this season).

Since you’ll be out all day, you’ll want to protect yourself from the sun with a cute straw hat, sunglasses and of course sunscreen.  It’ll be too hot outside for a full face of makeup; instead add coral blush or bronzer on your cheeks and complete the look with tinted lipgloss for a sunkissed glow.

What do you think of these looks? Would you wear them on a date?

You aren’t the only one who shops at Topshop; Beyoncé does too! The diva appears to shop there often. She has been seen in a variety of Topshop pieces so it was no surprise when she posted another Instagram picture last night wearing a Topshop ensemble.

Beyoncé mixed prints by pairing a Chevron Print Tube Skirt with a top that looks like a variation of the Aztec Crop Top Tee.

Both pieces are available at Nordstrom. The top is $24 and the skirt is $44. The top is also available at Topshop.

Looks like Beyoncé has been inspired by her sister Solange lately. Solange is the queen of mixing prints and Beyoncé has been embracing printed ensembles a lot lately which I think is great! The spring/summer season is the perfect time to to have some fun and add color and prints to one’s wardrobe.

What do you think of the crop top and skirt? Would you wear those pieces?

Photos: Beyonce’s Instagram/Nordstrom

Next weekend will be packed with happy hours, special events and inaugural balls. Ladies, that means you’ll need a fabulous floor length gown for the evening festivities. Last week someone inquired on Twitter where they could find gowns. There are a number of boutiques and major retailers that offer fabulous gowns and Nordstrom is one of them.

If you’re still searching for the perfect gown for Inauguration weekend, check out my picks from Nordstrom.  The gowns I selected are great figure flattering options all under $300.  This is only a select few of the gowns available on the website; there are a pleathora of options available on the website for misses, plus and petite at various price points.

More Adrianna Papell…

Click HERE to view all formal gowns available at Nordstrom.

On Monday, I was invited to attend the Nordstrom Rack Tysons Corner sneak peek event. The new Nordstrom Rack is located on Leesburg Pike right next to Fairfax Square. The new store is HUGE!  It’s two levels with women’s clothing and shoes taking up the entire second floor.

Upon arrival, each guest was given a Nordstrom Rack bag (I look forward to using when I go shopping in Montgomery County or DC since they charge $.5 per bag). The sneak peek allowed guests to enjoy drinks, food and shop.  I’m not sure what’s featured at other Nordstrom Rack stores in the area, but Tysons Corner featured major designers including Alice + Olivia, Michael Kors, Alexander McQueen, Helmut Lang, Tracy Reese and many more.

Check out a few sneak peek pictures:

I didn’t do a lot of shopping at the sneak peak event.  The lines to the fitting rooms were long and although they did sell designer labels for less, the prices were more than I wanted to spend so I opted for this Kensie sweater on clearance.

If you’re interested in shopping at the new Nordstrom Rack location, the store opens Thursday, September 13, 2012 at 9am. Happy Shopping!

I am in dire need (or at least I think I am) of new shoes! Flats, heels, wedges, I need them all. So while on my quest to find some new shoes online last week, I came across the Ivanka Trump Footwear Collection.  That’s right, THE Ivanka Trump; daughter of Donald Trump and Executive Vice President of Development & Acquisitions at The Trump Organization.

The shoe line is divided into 4 collections; weekend, modern classics, red carpet and white; categories that address the basic needs of every woman. Ivanka describes her shoes as stylish yet refined. I totally agree with her! The combination of stylish and refined is perfect for young professional women, like me, who juggle a work life and social life (i.e. happy hour and various events after work).

Below are some of my favorites from each of the 4 collections:

Red Carpet: Alluvia ($160). Available in Black & Ivory Satin

The Ivanka Trump Footwear Collection is currently available at Nordstrom and Macys.  Looks like I found a new shoe brand to add to my closet.

Along with over the knee boots, another favorite trend of mine this fall is fur!  Fur will come in a variety of styles, but the faux fur vest is is the biggest fur trend you can expect to see (what I like to call recession proof fur).  The faux fur vest is a statement piece and the great thing about this trend is that it is A LOT more affordable than real fur, so anyone can rock this trend!

There are a number of retailers where you can find faux fur vests. These stores include EXPRESS, Chico’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Rachel Zoe on QVC, and Bloomingdales.

I’m not a huge fan of kitten heels (although I own one pair and don’t really like them) but they are definitely making a comeback. I prefer 4+ inches or flats, but if you can’t stand to walk around in heels and you’re tired of wearing flats all the time, you can be just as fashionable in kitten heels.

In the past, these heels came across as boring and “old,” but these days there are plenty of styles that are just as fashionable and fun as stilettos. Numerous retailers sell kitten heels including Nine West, ASOS, Nordstrom, and Target.

Last week I posted the Fall/Winter 2010 Trend Report.  Now it’s time to take a closer look at each trend. First up, Wide Leg Pants!

I absolutely LOVE wide leg pants. The straight line silhouette is flattering for any size and gives the illusion of longer legs. Anyone, no matter your height, can rock wide leg pants; just pair them with a fabulous pair of heels. If you’re going to wear wide leg pants, make sure you keep your top fitted for a nice polished look.

GAP, Banana Republic and Nordstrom are great retailers to find wide leg pants to wear to work. Dark denim wide leg jeans are a great option for casual Fridays.