In Spades

Style... in abundance

Balloon Sleeved Spring Dress

Simon Miller Combat BootsGanni balloon sleeve dressNecklace // Dress (different print) // Sunglasses (similar) // Bag // Boots

As I said last week, I have spring dresses on the brain.

While summer dresses tend to be sleeveless and itty bitty, spring dresses have so much more versatility.  With tons of fabric, length and sleeve options, they are the perfect transitional wardrobe piece.

Style tip: pair your spring dress with boots while the weather is still cool.  Swap boots for sandals once summer hits.

This Ganni dress is from last season, but the brand remakes this same silhouette in different fabrics each year.  The balloon sleeves have so much personality.  Plus, it’s the most comfortable thing ever.

I paired mine with my best shoe purchase of 2020.  Seriously these boots are everything.  Throw on a pair of combat or Chelsea boots to complete your perfect spring look.

 

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How to Mix High and Low Fashion

Balenciaga Triple S Balenciaga Triple S

Blazer (similar) // Tank // Necklace // Pants (similar) // Bag // Gucci sunglasses (similar) // Sneakers

If you’ve seen my YouTube review of these Balenciaga Triple S sneakers, you know I had been coveting them for years before purchasing (on sale). Pro tip: if you love the look but not the price tag, check out the under $80 pair below.

When it comes to fashion, my philosophy has always been to mix high and low.  I do this by investing in shoes and handbags and pairing them with more affordable, sustainable brands.

Some of my fave sustainable, affordable brands are Everlane, Naadam and Cuyana.  Read more about them here.

While there is no right or wrong way to mix high and low, I recommend investing in pieces with evergreen sizing – handbags, shoes and jewelry.  While your feet can get bigger during pregnancy, these three categories typically never get too big or too small.  Plus, the craftsmanship that goes into them is more complex than basic clothing items, making the added spend worth it.

What is your philosophy on mixing high and low?  Do you tend to invest in bags and shoes or something else?

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Spring Fashion Trend: Loafers & Monochrome

Prada gold chain loafers Prada gold chain loafers Acne Studios cardiganAcne Studios cardigan // Demy Lee sweater // Club Monaco pants
Baublebar necklaces // Sunglasses // Prada loafers

What’s your biggest fashion weakness?  Mine is undoubtedly shoes.

I scored these Prada loafers during Nordstrom’s designer sale and they are just the right amount of librarian chic.  Paired with a monochrome look, they transition beautifully from crisp weather to spring fashion.

As the temps get warmer, what are you gravitating towards?  Elevated loungewear and spring’s denim trends are still at the top of my list, but I’m looking forward to breaking out some breezy dresses.

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Denim & Disco Shoes

SLVRLAKE Dakota CrosbySLVRLAKE Dakota CrosbyA.L.C. sweater (similar here) // Jeans // Platforms // Bag // Sunglasses

Sometimes you just need to throw on a pair of disco shoes.

Earlier this week we shot some photos for the blog.  It’s been a looooong time since we did a proper photoshoot and I have to be honest… I had a really hard time figuring out what I wanted to shoot.  That’s not to say I haven’t purchased anything new to feature.  While it’s been mostly workout gear, I have added some jeans to my closet.

It was more the feeling of “what’s the point?”  I so desperately want to put on a ridiculous outfit and GO somewhere.  Meet up with people.  But because that day still seems decently far off, traipsing around in something fun felt a little like cheating.  A tease.  My babies knew they wouldn’t get to bask in the sartorial splendor of a crowd.  They’d have to settle for quiet admiration – party of 1.

Thankfully, I quickly got over my pity party and put on the damn shoes.  There’s nothing like a pair of metallic platforms to put you right again.

Wearing them with one of my favorite pairs of jeans, a gorgeous sweater I’ve owned forever but never shared, and pillowy metallic goodness (it felt SO good to actually carry a handbag again).

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Spring Denim Trends

If you’ve been reading In Spades for a while, you know I talk about denim a lot.  So of course we have to discuss Spring’s Denim Trends.

As Millennials noted in the press this past week, skinny jeans are out.  Do I really think so?  No.  But I’ve long been a supporter of straight leg, barrel leg, and wide leg jeans and haven’t worn a true skinny myself in quite some time.

Here are three of my favorite Spring Denim Trends for 2021.

Light Wash

This is my favorite of the three.  Not only does it have a throwback vibe (I secretly adore acid washed jeans) but the light palette makes these a super versatile option.

It’s easy to make a stretchy jean or a 100% cotton jean look awesome in a light wash.  Lighter washes are easier to dye, so you can find super affordable pairs that look expensive.  On the flip side, a dark wash is difficult to dye, so it’s easy to spot the difference between affordable and designer.

Tapered

AGOLDE Jamie Jeans

These include barrel leg, balloon leg, and “slim” leg jeans – anything that gets narrower at the hem.

What I love about them is that they are all cropped.  You need a cropped length to be able to see the tapered detail.  That makes them awesome to pair with any kind of shoe – heels or flats.

You want 100% cotton for this type of leg.  They’re meant to be broken in and roughed up, so anything with stretch doesn’t work IMO.

90’s Inspired

Pangaia cropped t-shirt

These include wide leg, flare leg and longer hem styles.  They look best with sneakers, boots or a block heel.

I also prefer these to be 100% cotton.  The relaxed vibe doesn’t really work when the denim contains stretch.