Tag Archives: neon

November 3, 2012 · 6:38 am

Neon with Black and White

I picked up this neat top in Vancouver this past spring but it hadn’t made it onto my blog until now. I like the mesh and color blocking and the 80s vibe I get from it. I also like that it’s from a store we don’t have in the USA so the chances of someone else wearing the same top is slim to nil.

It’s a great piece for Visible Monday–check out all the other posts at Not Dead Yet!

neon pants

Top: Bedo
Pants: The Gap
Cuff: Consignment
Bag: Sue Huston
Shoes: Kelly & Katie

Since it has an 80s feel, I paired the top with my neon yellow boyfriend jeans. But that wasn’t enough. I added a bright pink purse too. I love pops of color and even though black is classic and elegant, it’s hard for me to leave the house without a bit of bright.

black and white and neon

This works best with a strapless bra because of the sheer shoulders. However, I think a colorful, intentionally visible bra strap might work. I’m still of the mindset that bras shouldn’t show. That’s why I have strapless, racerback, and other types of bras to choose from. However, the bra as fashion statement is popular. I’m okay with that unless it looks sloppy. I like a clean-looking tank top, for example, without straps hanging out. Is that old-fashioned?

 

Speaking of bras, I’ve heard that up to 80% of women are wearing the wrong size. I recently went to Nordstrom for a professional fitting, expecting to be one of the 20%. In fact, I was convinced the clerk would congratulate me on my ability to correctly fit myself. Boy was I wrong! I was not wearing the right size bra. She helped me get into one that fit. And of course, I bought six. They feel great and wearing the right size really makes a difference in terms of comfort, posture, and the way my clothes look.

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September 10, 2012 · 6:17 am

Neon Yellow Boyfriend Jeans

No one needs a pair of yellow jeans–and now I have two. But they’re so different from each other! My other pair is mustard yellow skinnies. These are cropped, loose and day-glo! Plus, I’m participating in Not Dead Yet’s Visible Monday link-up and neon seemed very appropriate.

yellow pants

Top: Street market in Florida
Pants: The Gap
Shoes: Payless
Necklace: Swapped

I bought them in Boston (before my shopping ban). They were 40% off the lowers price and came in at about $17. I could justify it. I’ve worn them a lot already.

yellow and white

It’s funny: I wore these pants with a white top and leopard shoes, just like I wore the mustard ones. But I’ve also worn these with patterned tops, chambray, and bright solids.

leopard shoes

I like neon (just like I liked it in the 80s) but I seem to be collecting only yellow pieces. I should branch out and try lime, orange, or hot pink. I already have neon yellow maxi skirt, envelope clutch and belt. I’ve heard monochromatic is big for fall but head-to-toe neon is a bit much.

Do you wear neon? What colors?

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September 8, 2012 · 1:20 pm

Back to Fashion’s Night Out at the Bravern

Last year, the Mister and I went to Fashion’s Night Out at the Bravern. We had so much fun, we did it again this year. First Mr. Jean of all Trades checked in. He looked fine. I was impressed that he left the suit behind and went with a Perry Ellis sweater and H&M slim-fit pants. It was more risky, but it paid off.

check-in

Then we listened to a band. Don’t you just love her shoes?

band

Last year, I drooled over Jimmy Choos; this year, I had my own pair. Of course I wore them to the event. We decided to head over to Jimmy Choo. On the way, I was distracted by the wonderful pattern- and texture-mixing in the window of Tory Burch.

Tory Burch

We went in so I could drool over the gold cuffs and double-wrap bracelets.

bling at Tory Burch

I sipped on champagne…

champagne at Tory Burch

And thought of all the ways I could wear these black riding boots: maxi skirts, tights and minis, over skinnies. Endless options and a classic boot.

classic riding boot

The fall collection is fantastic and the store drew a crowd.

Tory Burch collage

We dropped by Karen Millen too. I love the asymmetrical coats and shapely dresses. Everything has such structure, but was still feminine. A great combination of tough and soft.

Karen Millen

Finally, we made it to Jimmy Choo. I chatted with the wonderful associates who work there.

chatting at Choo

The champagne was flowing here too. Then, the wonderful, always glamorous Sarah Hulbert and her husband arrived. She picked up an extra swag bag for me while she was at The Bellevue Collection’s VIP lounge. So sweet! You can see the bag–red with white text and pictures of models–in this picture.

champagne at Choo

We did the red carpet thing–a must at an event like this.

red carpet

Here you can see my whole outfit. I wore an H&M dress, carried an oversized Asos clutch, and wore my Jimmy Choo shoes. My necklace is from Buffalo Exchange.

There was so much to see–we didn’t even get upstairs to David Laurence. I did pop into Anthropologie with Sarah. After we said our good-byes, I poked into Neiman Marcus and ogled the Stella McCartney bags. Amazing!

What a night! did you go out for Fashion’s Night Out?

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May 7, 2012 · 11:48 pm

Acid Yellow Maxi Skirt

Last month I met a few other Seattle Style Bloggers for coffee. After catching up with what’s been going on in our lives, we walked down Broadway and did a little thrift store shopping. That’s where I found this skirt.

yellow skirt

Jacket: Betsey Johnson via thrifted
Tank: Papaya
Scarf: Fred Meyer’s
Skirt: Crossroads Trading Co.
Clutch: Thrifted
Boots: Dirty Laundry
Cuff: Lauren Harkness
Earrings: Shirazi

Neon is big this spring, but trends aside, I like the cut and color of this piece. I wanted to show how I could transition it from a cool Seattle spring into a warm summer. I can’t wait to wear this with sandals and a tank top, but for now I’ve layered it with silver boots and a denim jacket.

silver and yellow

I never used to have yellow in my wardrobe, but I have several pieces now. There’s a shade for everyone–from soft, buttery shades, deeper marigolds, and light lemons. This skirt has a high color value (light and bright) with green undertones. But don’t worry if you don’t think you could pull it off. If you love a color but don’t think you can wear it, wear it on your lower-half and wear a color that suits your skin tone on top.

blue and yellow

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April 26, 2012 · 5:26 am

Neon Envelope Clutch for “Poem in Your Pocket Day”

Why did I not know about Poem in Your Pocket Day? Why did my husband, a self-admitted non-reader and non-intellectual, tell me about it? Could it be that he is smarter than he lets on? Could it be that I’ve been drinking too much and reading not enough?

The answer is yes! And that’s why I’m reprinting my favorite childhood poem. I don’t have an exciting pocket but I have a cool envelope. According to the Wikipedia entry about envelopes, “when the folding sequence is such that the last flap to be closed is on a short side it is referred to in commercial envelope manufacture as a pocket.” Enough said. Here’s my pocket:

neon envelope

Top: Gifted (from mom)
Tank: Old Navy
Jeans: Earnest Sewn
Belt: Matt and Natt
Shoes: Seychelles
Cuff: Greenbelts
Clutch: Asos

Tired of wide thighs? Feel like your waist is too thick? The answer is to carry an enormous envelope clutch! Of course I’m kidding! But I do notice that the larger the purse, the smaller the person. It’s the Olsen Twin philosophy–and it works.

black, blue, and neon

And here’s my poem:

It’s Hot
by Shel Silverstein

It’s hot!
I can’t get cool,
I’ve drunk a quart of lemonade,
I think I’ll take my shoes off
And sit around in the shade.

It’s hot!
My back is sticky,
The sweat rolls down my chin.
I think I’ll take my clothes off
And sit around in my skin.

It’s hot!
I’ve tried with ‘lectric fans,
And pools and ice cream cones.
I think I’ll take my skin off
And sit around in my bones.

It’s still hot!

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June 16, 2011 · 7:08 am

Neon and Neutral

Pretty Shiny Sparkly recently started a Bloggers do it Better movement to showcase real women with real style. I missed the first few opportunities to show how I would style color blocking, all white, and prep school (respectively, not all at once; that would be a real challenge!).

But I made it this time around and I’m showing how I chose to style neon and neutral. Pairing brights with neutrals is hot on the runway, and I like the look: Neutrals are a great way to handle the intensity of brights and the combination is modern and fresh. Neon and black is very intense and more retro (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

fushia and nude

Have you tried neon recently, or does it give you flashbacks to the 80s?

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