Party of Two

Inspo:

In spite of our relatively small current readership (tell your friends about us!), we usually invest hours in developing and planning the aesthetic, style, backdrop, and mood for a blog shoot. We like to showcase our own individual styles while creating quality content that is on trend, and that process takes time for us. This shoot is really the exception to the rule.  We were in C's room getting ready for dinner at the end of an exhausting day when we both reluctantly agreed we could maybe do one more shoot, on the fly. The result was this post: two simple, classic, wearable outfits and a few great shots of us doing what we love best...making each other laugh while enjoying a good white wine. The colors and mood of the photos came together naturally with the fashion as we reveled in a stunning summer evening.

Tips & Tricks:

The Fit & Flare:
This cut is extremely popular at the moment. Essentially, "Fit & Flare" refers to a dress with a fitted bodice and a fuller or looser skirt. This style is hundreds of years old, referencing the dresses of every type of woman from a Puritan housewife to a French courtesan (sorry, we're nerds). The modern iteration of this look usually comes in the form of a short sundress. If you like a strapless look, we recommend a sweetheart neckline like J's. This neckline is flattering on everyone (she is actually borrowing C's dress in this shoot, and their bust lines are pretty drastically different), and enhances the flirty fit of the rest of the dress. For you women who don't love yanking your dress up all the time, try a simple tank version like C's or an off-the-shoulder cut, linked below.

Colorblocking with Style:
Colorblocking has been a popular trend for several years now, and the novelty has (almost) worn off. We think that monochrome colorblocking is a little more current than the traditional version, so go for a dress like J's that features different shades or tones from the same color family. It also allows you to accessorize more boldly, such as J's choice of the magenta heel. Her thick cat eye sunglasses, Jackie O earrings, and hot pink lip also add an appealing retro vibe to this classic dress.

Tone it Down:
C's dress makes her feel like a four-year-old at a birthday party (which is awesome, don't get us wrong). This dress brings in the two current trends of blush pink and full tulle skirts. However, over-accessorizing or styling with girly pieces will make this dress look too over the top. C brings it down a notch with earth-toned accessories and a short boot. A legitimate cowboy boot or a gladiator sandal would also look awesome with a frou-frou dress like this.

What We Wore:

On J:
Dress: Eliza J  (Runway inspo / Splurge option / Affordable Option (same cut) / Off-the-shoulder version here  / More from this designer here and here)
Shoes: Aldo  (Less expensive version)
Belt: Banana Republic
Shades: Cole Haan (similar here)
Earrings: Banana Republic (very similar)
Necklace: LUCA Jewelry
Watch: Michael Kors


On C:
Dress: Pinky  (Runway inspo / Splurge (but good sale) / Affordable options here, here, and here / Fancier look but is this sale price for real?)
Boots: Franco Sarto (Same designer / Similar here)
Sunglasses: Forever21
Earrings: A gift (similar here)

Keep it Classy,

J & C