One thing I’ve never been into has been painting my nails. Until a few years ago, I curbed stress and anxiety by biting them, so there was never much to paint. But I also felt it was time consuming, seemed to always chip, and without a doubt I would reach into my purse too soon or try to zip up my jeans and ruin them. But something changed this summer. Maybe it’s that I buy better quality nail polish, or have more patience with the process (doubtful), but whatever it is, I now have a new addiction.

My addiction is for one brand in particular…Essie! They have incredible spring and summer colors. I was impressed with the variety, and they have shades of blue, green, and purple…which are a nice alternative to the typical pink. I have started collecting them, and a few of my favorites are below.

I was a bit surprised at how expensive they are ($8/bottle), but that’s likely because I never shelled out more than two bucks before. And I wonder why they always chipped…in the case of Essie, you get what you pay for.

After a brief hiatus (due to the holidays and an exciting new job!) I am back to blogging! I have been lacking inspiration and motivation recently, but after some retail therapy last weekend I am re-energized and ready to get back into it! My new job has me traveling weekly, but I am committed to putting out a few posts each month.

What rejuvenated me last weekend was a quick trip to JCrew. I really love their style and jewelry in particular, but for some reason rarely shop there. That reason is likely because of the price. I tend to favor quantity over quality; something I am determined to change in 2011…and what has become my New Year’s fashion resolution!!! I will turn 30 this year, and I find myself asking the ago-old question: “What is my style?”. After pondering for a moment, I realized I wear so many different looks. Sometimes city chic, sometimes hippie chick/boho, sometimes really casual. It is almost exhausting and maybe I am trying too hard! I shop everywhere from Banana/JCrew for work to UO for casual to Forever 21 for going out. Not that there’s anything wrong with wearing varying styles, but part of me wants to pick one and do it really well.

So my goal for 2011 is to simplify my look. More classic, well made pieces rather than cheap shirts from Forever 21 that may be in style this season, but won’t be the next. I’m not swearing off cheaper pieces, but I’ll think twice about how timeless they are. Whereas my closet consists mostly of items I’ll throw out in the next couple years because they’re falling apart, or fading/shrunk because I didn’t take good enough care of them, I want to collect special pieces I’ll have for years to come. Sure, I’ll spend more buying and caring for them (I need to find a dry cleaners), but it’ll be worth it. And I’m worth it!

Here’s to quality over quantity and simplifying your look!

Abby

Almost every woman has a basic white dress shirt. And if you don’t, invest in this essential wardrobe item! You may think that if you aren’t in corporate America there’s no use for one, but this piece is so versatile and can be worn in either dress or casual outfits. Below are three ways to wear the classic white dress shirt.

Casual
When shopping or getting brunch with the girls, look effortless by pairing an un-tucked dress shirt with skinny jeans and heels. Any type of denim will do…distressed shorts or a jean skirt. For an even more casual look, try ballet flats or jeweled sandals.

Office
For the office, the options are endless. Try pairing a dress shirt with a pencil skirt, under sleeveless dresses, with wide leg pants, a suit, vest, etc.

Dressy
For a night out with friends or a nice dinner, tuck a dress shirt into dressy black shorts and pair with huge heels. To achieve the dressier look, unbutton a button (or two!) and add a long necklace and chunky bracelet.

I’m introducing a new type of blog post, called One Piece, Three Ways! Basically I’ll take a piece of clothing and show how you can wear it three completely different ways. Many people don’t realize how versatile their wardrobe actually is. This is very helpful as we near the holidays with tons of parties that require killer outfits for lots of different types of occasions.

The first post in this series will be coming shortly…stay tuned!

Abby

One word comes to mind when I think of why I love winter fashion: LAYERS! I love bundling up in big comfy sweaters, hats, gloves, and coats. Chunky knits, tights, scarves, boots…there are a limitless number of pieces to pile on to brave the winter weather. Here are some of my favorite looks…

I have been doing some much needed retail therapy recently to get ready for the freezing Milwaukee weather. Needless to say, my credit card hates me, but I have found some really great stuff and wanted to share with all of you!

I’ll admit, I’m pretty hard to shop for. My taste changes like the weather and I’m very particular when it comes to clothes. My mother despises Christmas shopping for me and basically buys what she thinks is the ugliest thing in the store (this only sometimes works). So I thought I’d focus this post on the few safe fashion bets when it comes to shopping for a picky friend or family member at the holidays.

The key is to buy things that don’t require you to know someone’s size. Since some stores can vary in terms of size, it’s nearly impossible to get it right unless you ask the person (and where’s the surprise or fun in that?). You may think that this rules out almost everything, but there are still a ton of accessories that are perfect for winter and very in right now.

First is the eternity scarf (aka a snood). This is basically a scarf that is sewn together that you can drape or wrap around your neck. They are sold at most retail stores, but I particularly like the ones at JCrew and Urban Outfitters. The nice thing about these is that there are so many ways to wear them. They can be worn wrapped under a heavy coat while outside or over a ribbed tee with jeans and boots while shopping. You can wrap it tight or let is hang lower; there really is no right way to wear them. They also come in patterns and tons of colors. It’s an affordable gift ($25-$50) and your picky friend will surely be impressed that you opted for something trendy and new, instead of the basic scarf.

Second are fingerless gloves. They are hot right now and the best part (regardless of how ridiculous it is) is that you can still text. Some of these gloves are actually called texting gloves! You have a ton of options, but don’t let that overwhelm you. Decide if you want shorter wrist gloves or longer ones that go to your elbows. The longer ones will keep you warmer, but there are some really unique and colorful shorter ones that are just for show. If you’re unsure on color stick with black, grey, or cream. If the person you’re buying for is more daring, try bolder colors or some with buttons or zippers. I wouldn’t suggest these for someone who plans to wear them to keep warm, as they’re not as functional. However, normal gloves are still a great gift, and you can get longer ones in various colors that are very affordable.

Third is a fur vest. Don’t worry, fake of course. You need to have some idea on size here, but for the most part it’s easy to tell if this will fit someone. And since you may leave it open, it won’t matter as much anyway. I just bought a green one from Forever 21 and it will go with absolutely everything! And it keeps me warm too. You’ll find these everywhere, and with shorter more dressy versions, or longer and more casual ones, there’s something for everyone.

Last are leg warmers. I am slightly obsessed with these, partly because they keep me warm but mostly because I love the layered look. I love wearing black tights, grey leg warmers, then knee high boots. It’s such a cool look and honestly keeps your legs pretty toasty. You can go absolutely crazy with tights and leg warmers in terms of colors, length, and texture. UO, F21, and H&M are great places to find affordable ones.

Good luck shopping for your picky fashion friend or loved one this holiday season…if you have any questions, leave a comment or email me at abby@abbystyle.com…I’d be happy to help you out!

The 70s are back! Wide leg pants, in the form of jeans or dress pants, are huge this fall/winter and have also been all over the spring/summer 2011 runways. This is a trend that keeps coming back, partly in thanks to celebrities like Rachel Zoe and Nicole Richie, who are faithful fans. Says Jerome Dahan, founder and designer of Citizens of Humanity: “Wide legs, trousers, super flares, and bell bottoms are definitely the new fashion-forward trend, not only in the premium denim market but everywhere,”.

I love the flare jean and basically lived in them while in high school. They’re normally made of comfortable denim, aren’t too tight, and are a great way to give your legs a slimming look. There are so many looks you can create with the wide pant, most involving huge heels and fitted tops. I have a high-waisted pair of flare black pants that I wear to work in the winter, and I pair them with a fitted blouse or ribbed long-sleeved tee, and a skinny black belt. This makes your waist look smaller and legs look longer…killing two birds with one stone! You can also try wide leg jeans with a long tee and shorter jacket, or with an over-sized blouse tucked in with a chunky belt.

So many options…get a pair and play around with different pieces in your wardrobe! Anthropologie has 7 For All Mankind Featherweight Trousers ($178) and Ginger Trousers ($155), but more affordable options are available at Gap (~$70) and Banana Republic (~$90).

Don’t throw your skinny jeans away just yet though, they still are great for tucking into boots and wearing with cute flats!

Why are they called “Armadillo” shoes? Because they look like the small mammal that has an armor shell. You may think they’re ugly. Or look like space shoes. But armadillo shoes are popping up all over the runway, in magazines, and on celebrities. Could I walk in them? Would I want to? Hell no. But they’re fashion forward, innovative works of art. This post is a tribute to my growing obsession!

During Fashion Week 2010 in NY, London, Paris, and Milan, armadillo shoes were a common thread throughout. To the model’s despair, designers have only gotten more creative with footwear in previous years, and heels have been on the rise. 2009 was no exception, when Alexander McQueen first debuted the armadillo shoe at Paris Fashion Week. Models had a hard enough time walking in five inch stilettos, so how would they react to these twelve inch platforms? Some took it simply as part of the job. Others refused to wear them and risk a potential fall that would undoubtedly turn up on you tube. If the armadillo shoe is any indication where fashion is headed, models better get on board and learn how to walk in these things.

Lady Gaga is a huge McQueen fan, and she has worn these through the airport (believe it or not), on red carpets, and in music videos. I am clueless as to how she can walk in these, but they add a theatrical aspect to her outfits that has helped define her as a style icon. Other celebrities have graced the cover of magazines (Demi Moore in Harper’s Bazaar) and somehow walked the red carpet (Kelis).

From a consumer perspective, they’re not practical and I don’t know how the average woman would ever wear these. I need to get my hands on a pair and see how they’re made because I don’t even understand how your foot fits inside without being crushed. I feel like you’d need spotters surrounding you at all times. But ladies, don’t worry…unless the height comes down I don’t think we’ll be seeing these on the shelves at Macy’s anytime soon.

Regardless of the practicality and danger, they add a very big something too every outfit and I can’t wait to see where designers take this trend.