Fashion Me Fabulous

Shop: Stacy Leigh Why We Love It: Leather accessories that are unique, girly and so cute I want them all. Plus, this shop isn't afraid of bright colors! Price Range: $12 - $597 More Info: Stacy Leigh as has a restyled vintage shop , a vintage shop , a men's vintage shop , and her mom has a shop . Favorite Items: Flower Wristlet Bag $158 (pictured); Ruffle Bag $250 ; Ruffled Tuxedo Belt $85 ; Red Rose Drawstring Bag $75 ; Wave Bag $145 ; Ruffled Suede Jacket $195 ; Ruffle Clutch with Detachable Brooch $325 ; Lone Elk Tree Bag $275

Black riding boots may look like the chicest thing in your closet come fall, but it's a relief to be rid of them when spring rolls in. This season, I want to see happy prints on my toes. Which do you love? red polka dot peep toe flat, Urban Outfitters $28 tan and blue abstract floral flat, Gola "Iris" on Endless $64.95 floral loafers with red bow, Poetic License at Lori's Shoes $70 graffiti ballet flat, Rachel Roy "Jerica" at Macy's $62.30 geometric print ballet flat, Target $12.99 white spring print ballet flat, TWS by Campers $160 ditzy floral oxford sneaker, 80%20 "Marlee" at Moxsie $55 crackled leather mary janes, Anthropologie $118 mod floral canvas flat, Fossil "Sofia" $68 striped bow peep toe nautical flats, Yes Style $58

I love fancy hats, and I wish women still wore them all of the time. Easter is one time of year when extravagant hats still make an appearance. I love that. However, not all of us want to don an Easter Bonnet with all the frills upon it (or pay for one even if we do want to wear one). Here are some alternatives to the traditional bonnet that still provide a lot of frills. (Although, chances are no on is going to write a sonnet about these). Hair clips: Pictured: (Clockwise from top left) Ostrich Feather Clip, Forever 21 $3.99 Rhinestone Flower Barrettes, Windsor $6.90 Ivory Flower Clip, Wet Seal $6 Little Bow Hair Clips, Forever 21 $2.50 Chiffon Flower Hair Clips, Forever 21 $1.50 Polished Flower Hair Clip, Forever 21 $3.80 Full Bouquet Clip, Anthropologie $18 Headbands: Pictured: (Clockwise from top left) Veiled Bow Headband, Forever 21 $5.80 Flat Flower Headwrap, Urban Outfitters $18 Rose-Is-A-Rose Headband, Anthropologie $32 Beaded Flower Headband, Anthropologie $38 All-Year Poinse...

This unique dress from Mod Cloth was nearly sold out when I wrote this, so clearly some people like it. It has laid back retro appeal certainly, but it makes me think of a cheery maid donning her dull apron over her cute spring frock. I like the pockets, but I think I'd wear this dress backwards to show off more of the abstract houndstooth print. What do you make of it?

Layering lets you take a simple item and make it interesting. Having a closet full of all the best basics is nice, but you need something to spice them up. Basics get boring, items like this cupcake wrapper vest make them fun again. So ruffle your wardrobe a little. Pair this with a collared shirt and dress pants to make an office look pop. Add it to a sun dress for occasions when you may need more than just spaghetti straps (like at Church for Easter or when you don't care to wear a strapless bra). Throw it over a tank top with jeans for an effortless spring look. The possibilities (and compliments) will be endless. This ruffle vest is available in grey (pictured) and ivory from Urban Outfitters for $58.

When I returned the Gaultier top , I headed over to Target's excellent selection of Merona dresses. I had a hard time choosing between their floral Easter offerings and something more casual, but in the end work wear won. In fact, shirt dresses keep popping out the entire day I was out shopping. In mini form, they're playfully sassy. Longer, they're work casual. With the correct accessories (bead necklaces, espadrilles, frame bag) they have beachy retro appeal. I just may live in them as the weather warms. Top: candy stripe faux two-piece dress, Express $49.50 purple ruffle skirt shirtdress, Forever 21 $42 blue plaid skirtdress, Anthropologie $118 ruffle apple green shirtdress, Talbots $139 Middle: utilitarian navy silk dress, Banana Republic $120 yellow zipper dress, Arden B $34.50 50s waitress dress, Mod Cloth $99.99 (Goes up to 2x!) purple trim dress, BCBG Max Azria at Bluefly $99 Bottom: maxi shirtdress, Anthropologie $178 olive military mini dress, Forever 21 $27.80 ...

This Week In Spring: We're excited the seasons are getting sunnier now so we've been shopping for the best spring dresses , floral finds , an affordable floral outfit , zipper jewelry to add some edge to the girly spring clothing, and a military trench cardigan to top it off when the winter chill tries to creep in. This Week In Reviews: We've got a film review of Coco Avant Chanel , a shopping review of Gaultier's Target Collection and a recap of this week's Project Runway . This Week In Your Opinion: What do you think of the formal styling tips for short hair ? Jael and I do no agree about this belt , what are your thoughts? What international experiences have impacted your personal style? See Our Complete Paris Fashion Week Coverage: Vivienne Westwood, Giambattista Valli, Costume National, Hussein Chalayan Christian Dior, Lanvin Alexander McQueen Gareth Pugh, Ann Demeulemeester, Rick Owens Chanel, Valentino Jean Paul Gaultier, Viktor & Rolf Bal...

Let me start this post by saying I am very upset by the goings on last night. I don't agree with the winner. I don't agree with the loser. I didn't agree with half of what the judges said. Not. Happy. Look, even Tim Gunn is concerned. (I did like that everyone used color, but I'm still angry). Last night technology met fashion when the designers were challenged to create their own textile rather than choosing a fabric from mood. They get to use their HP touch screen desktop (commercial alert!) to create their prints. Several the the designer have tried creating textiles by combining and layering fabrics to make a print. This is the perfect group to trust with this project. Jay was barely featured in the episode so I knew he was going to be the safe one. His print was vivid and his outfit looks kind of cool. I'm not totally sure about it. I didn't get to see the pieces that went into it. It was quite interesting though. Seth Aaron created an almost comic book ...

Project Design is our own friendly competition where we put together collection of independent designers for you to rate on your very own imaginary runway. I'm craving sunshine, spring and all things happy and warm. I wish I had more floral prints because they scream spring to me (and are the only kind of flowers that don't make me sneeze.) Which floral item make you bloom with the joy of spring? Peony Floral Wrap Skirt by BrookeCatherine Skinny ruffled scarf by ThongbaiTatong Tea dress by sohomode Floral Liberty Cotton Bralette by Hopeless Floral Ruffle Bandeau Top by brownbelly Audrey Swimsuit by FablesbyBarrie poll by twiigs.com

The Sunday the collection was released, I purchased the tattoo fish leggings, gingham corset and striped corset dress. It arrived the following Thursday, which is a pretty good shipping time from Minnesota to Indiana. The leggings fit perfectly around the hips and sit high on the waist, but they're a little long for 5'4". Since the collection is sized for juniors, I went up to a medium instead of the small I wear in women's. I was worried that the mesh would be itchy like the material Rodarte used, but they're quite comfortable. However, they may itch if you're prone to sweating. I'm tempted to get the blue dragon pair as well. The cups on the corset top are cut small, and I had to return it. If I'd simply gone up a size, it would have gapped and exposed me anyway. Returns at my local Target were no problem. The corset dress needs to be purchased to fit the chest, but if you're hippy like me, it will tug, bunch and ride lower down. However,...

Spring is bloom, the sun is shining. This has made me frenzied for anything floral. I'm not much of a floral girl usually. The only florals I have are more graphic flower prints than true florals. However, I want to try mixing florals. This looks lets me experiment without breaking the bank. Plus, each piece will mix nicely with non-floral items. I can picture the shirt with fishnet tights and a crisp blouse. The tights will look cute under a LBD. The tee will dress up my jeans. I can carry the clutch to any garden parties coming up this year and the shoes are just amazing. If I had them, I would wear them every day. $150 Challenge: Floral Frenzy by Fashion becca Fabulous featuring GUESS pumps Pictured: Rose Tee, Forever 21 $13.80 Floral Skirt, Forever 21 $17.80 Guess Floral Pump, Nordstrom $89.95 Floral Tattoo Tights, Forever 21 $6.80 Pink Ribbon Clutch, Windsor $22.90

Roommate, becca and I were sitting around last week discussing how travel has changed the way we dress. For me, a trip to Paris when I was seventeen woke me up to fashion. For becca, it was Italy in college. My roommate transformed from a tee and jeans girl to an explosion of quirky cute after a summer in Japan. poll by twiigs.com

Shop: Meet The Cat Why We Love It: I'm a sucker for jewelry crafted from non-traditional materials. Meet The Cat creates unique zipper and felt jewelry. Price Range: $32 - $130 More Info: Visit Meet The Cat's blog and website for more information and updates. Favorite Items: Fuchsia Zipper Circles Necklace $110 ; Black Silver Zipper Circles Necklace $108 ; Zipper Flower Ring $32 ; Red Circle Felt Necklace $69

And now, a word from our sponsor, William Wordsworth : Excerpt of "Written in Early Spring " ...Through primrose tufts, in that sweet bower, The periwinkle trailed its wreaths; And 'tis my faith that every flower Enjoys the air it breathes. The birds around me hopped and played, Their thoughts I cannot measure - But the least motion which they made It seemed a thrill of pleasure. The budding twigs spread out their fan To catch the breezy air; And I must think, do all I can, That there was pleasure there... Top: vibrant floral dress, Eliza J at Nordstrom $118 large print garden sheath, Target $39.99 pale strapless dress, Anthropologie $168 strapless yellow bubble dress, Urban Outfitters $58 butterfly print dress, Jessica Simpson at Macy's $88.99 Bottom: retro rose dress, BB Dakota at Fred Flare $72 teal and white sheath dress, Target $39.99 yellow eyelet dress, Fred Flare $64 red stripe strapless dress, Anthropologie $158 city garden scene dress, Anthropologie $168

I finally had a chance to Netflix Coco Avant Chanel ( Coco Before Chanel ) starring Audrey Tautou (of Amelie fame). The movie focused on Coco's life leading up to her first fashion show. As a poor, skinny orphan Coco grows up to find work as a seamstress by day and cabaret singer by night. Her "sister" is her partner if both endeavors until she meets a duke with whom she runs off. This leaves Coco to find a place to go and figure out how to make her life on her own. The story was intriguing, and Tautou's quiet performance captivated. We watched through the eyes of a young Coco as she studied the nun's habits in the orphanage and the clothing she frequently stole from the men in her life. She was a quick study as a seamstress. She took apart the men's clothing she found and refashioned it for herself. Learning to ride a horse side saddle became frustrating so she created pants. Every influence seemed to build within Coco. As she became more involved in the soci...

J ael Paris: First off, I love wearing big things around my waist, and this obi belt from Newport News gets bonus points for being reversible. becca: I also love wearing big things around my waist, but not this particular thing. While the red side is OK, this side--paired with the over-the-top tassels--looks like my great grandmother's curtains. Jael Paris: I'll admit the tassels are too much, but that could be easily fixed. The embroidered side makes me think of a belt from McQueen's Spring/Summer 2001 show. Not as cool, but certainly a viable alternative. becca: I get the inspiration, but I still don't like this print (still feels granny to me). Also, the tassels seem to be a major selling point and part of the reason this belt costs $50, which is far too much for an item that requires tossing the three sets of tassels that come with it. (Unless you have three curtains that each require different color tassels). Jael Paris: Well I'm clearly not going to be ab...

Fancy occasions evoke images of hair in long, romantic waves or chic updos, but what if you have a crop? It may be trendy and easy to style, but it doesn't exactly fit our culture's idea of sophistication. But there's no need to fear that upcoming wedding or school dance. My shorn head is full of ideas. Whenever I have a formal occasion, I change the texture of my hair. In college, I spent well over an hour straightening my long curls and pulling them up into the perfect ponytail. Now that I wear my hair short and straight everyday, I create texture with a curling iron and flip my bangs out for a date. It's not a chignon, but diverging from your daily look does say that you put extra effort into doing something special. Pink set an example at the Grammy's with her diamond pin. If you don't have time to switch up your hair or just don't like it a different way, buy a stunning clip or headband . Over-the-top sparkle can be dreamy and romantic with minimal mak...

It's warm. It's cold. It's warm. It's cold. It's refusing to make make up it's mind. The weather is crazy during this transition from winter to spring. Layering is the only way to dress to assure you'll be warm enough in the mornings and evenings, yet cool enough during the warm sunny days. Free People's Trench Cardigan could be the perfect layering piece. It's made of cotton and modal (!) so it's soft and comfortable. You'll be able to wear it like a trench coat or keep it on all day like a cuddly cardigan. It has military inspired, double-breasted buttons up the front for a crisp look or a removable sash to either tie it casually or cinch it in the back for a more figure flattering look. It even has pockets in case your hands get cold on a day you thought would be warm enough to leave your gloves behind. It costs $128, which isn't too bad considering this garment can work for all seasons (even summer has some cool nights). You can get ...

Who: Vivienne Westwood What it made us think of: Gypsy drag queen refugees who get more attractive with each drink. What we liked: shoes, bags, jackets, snug dresses, print and textural tights, knee socks, prints, the pickup skirt , gowns What we didn't: makeup mustaches, blanket coats, acid wash jeans, wtf styling Who: Giambattista Valli What it made us think of: Kim Novak, Queen of rugs and carpeting. What we liked: Texture, retro shapes, beige, pops of orange What we didn't: Odd sheer bits made dresses look like nighties. Some of the material was too rec-room shag. Who: Costume National What it made us think of: The Giambattista Valli show with a sleeker line. What we liked: texture, pops of orange, leather What we didn't: Again, rec-room shag. Who: Hussein Chalayan What it made us think of: Zoot suits, then people attacked by school photo backdrops. What we liked: This show was adventurous but with high wearability, especially if you miss the 90s. Image s...

Please excuse our lack of pretty summary images for this week. Jael Paris and I are recovering from fashion week. This Week In Shopping: becca discusses the neverending battle of pants shopping . We've found sunshine sandals , shoes for St. Patty's day , stunning hats on Etsy, spring wardrobe staples for $150 . We also went i n search of Seth Aaron's striped jacket from Project Runway . This Week In Your Opinion: We want to know what you think of this floral sock/boot , and this week's Project Runway results . We're almost done covering Paris Fashion Week, which means our fashion week coverage for this season will soon come to a close. Check out these videos from this season's shows. Paris Fashion Week Coverage So Far: Christian Dior, Lanvin Alexander McQueen Gareth Pugh, Ann Demeulemeester, Rick Owens Chanel, Valentino Jean Paul Gaultier, Viktor & Rolf Balmain, Pedro Lourenço, Karl Lagerfeld Anne Valérie Hash, Dries Van Noten, Elie Saab Miu Miu, S...

Comme des Garçons has never been a line that pleases the shopping obsessed bystander who responds to runway photos with "Who wears that?" This collection threw the fashion world's obsession with "flattering your figure" back at them with a high velocity pillow fight. The padded pieces had no regard for traditional shapes. Some looks seems to have odd pillowed growths while others added bulk to the front of the torso with no regard to breasts or abs. I don't quite get where designer Rei Kawakubo was going with this, but if I understood I'd probably be disappointed. Issey Miyake based this collection on geometric models of the universe. It started with seemingly random, colorful scarf-like garments and quickly switched gears to a stark black and white, geometric look then continued to build with color and texture--each pieces more intricate and stunning than that before it. I struggled to choose images and considered posting all of them here. In a time ...