PLAYING DRESS UP :: WHAT TO WEAR ON NEW YEAR'S EVE

Good morning, Everyone! Hope you are enjoying your weekend! I would like to start by announcing the winner of PANDORA International Giveaway. Congrats to Iuliana Rosu from Pink Wish,  I hope you love your PANDORA Holiday 2014 bracelet and charms as much as I do! 

With December 31st just around the corner, I wanted to take this opportunity to present two looks I styled to wear on New Year's Eve. Why two, you ask? Well, if you read my blog on regular basis, you may have noticed my style varies from very feminine to slightly masculine, with a bit of an edge. Though these styles may belong to completely different sides of the scale, somehow both of them reflect different aspects of my personality and find a way to co-exist quite harmoniously and in some ways to even complement each other. Funny thing is that I never really know which of these two I'll be inclined to wear, sometimes I get up in the morning and can't wait to wear my girliest dress and other times, I am all about sharp tailoring and edgy accessories. 

As I was thinking about what I'll be wearing for New Year's Eve, I came up with an idea to style two looks which reflect both sides of my personality. So, I hope you enjoy!

The first of two looks, appeals of course to my feminine side. As you may have noticed, I love a fabulous full-skirted dress, and this leather and tulle perfection is one of my current favorites! Though there are infinite possibilities of styling this dress, I really wanted to make it the focal point of this look, which is why I opted for a simple pair of black pumps and a matte satin clutch. Finishing touch, jewelry of course!:) Because no outfit, especially a Holiday one, can be complete without the appropriate jewelry. Take this one for example, a pair of sparkling leaves earrings ( another recent gift from Emil ), layered statement rings and my beloved PANDORA bracelets and charms, transform this outfit from basic to chic. In terms of layering, because this is such a dressy look, I really wasn't afraid to pile on the jewels! So, I went with a full arm party consisting of layered bracelets and rings in mixed metals as well as a pair of dangling earrings. 

The second outfit, appeals more to my masculine side, the side that loves tailored pieces like blazers, trousers and apparently bow ties:) The idea to create this look came from my obsession with Marlene Dietrich, who famously made a tuxedo part of a woman's wardrobe. I've been dreaming about creating this look for ages, so when I came across this velvet tuxedo blazer, I knew the time has finally come:)! Once again, the main idea behind this outfit involved keeping the attention on the blazer and matching bow tie, which is why I decided to go with a pair of very simple black trousers and suede pumps. To continue with the masculine, slightly edgier vibe, I opted for a pair of PANDORA stud earrings, layered band-style rings ( an early Christmas present to myself ) and a few beaded bracelets and bangles with charms. Finally, to add just a touch of femininity, I added a pretty crystal and pearl clutch, which I think looks quite stunning with all the sparkling jewels. 

So, what do you guys think? Which outfit do you like more? 

Look 1: PANDORA Holiday 2014 collection bangle, Sparkling Leaves earrings, Galaxy clear charm, Wishing Star charm, Starry Heart charm, sparkling braids ring, sparkling leaves ring, symbol of love ring | PANDORA Essence collection bracelet, essence beaded bracelet & double strand bracelet, Creativity charm, Dignity charm, Intuition charm, Sensitivity charm | Nha Knank Leda leather & tulle strapless dress | Samantha Wills Fate's Venture clutch  | Jimmy Choo Anouk suede pumps 

Look 2: PANDORA Holiday 2014 collection bangle, Cosmic Stars earrings, Inspiration within ring, Galaxy clear charm, Wishing Star charm & Starry Heart charm | PANDORA Essence collection bracelet, essence beaded bracelet & double strand bracelet, Creativity charm, Dignity charm, Intuition charm, Sensitivity charm | Saint Laurent velvet bow tie | J CREW Collection velvet shawl-collar tuxedo blazer & Campbell capri pant in bi-stretch wool | Tasha Crystal Swirl clutch { similar here } | Jimmy Choo Anouk suede pumps 

Thank you for reading

& Keep On Smiling,

LOVE, 

Annabelle 

IN THE MOOD TO CELEBRATE...

Good morning, Everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Well, it's here! The Holiday Party season has officially began! Kinda sneaks up on you, doesn't it! At least it did for me and Emil when we received our invite to a Holiday bash thrown by one of our best friends this weekend. 

Personally, I love the Winter Holidays! There is something absolutely magical in the air, somehow everyone seems just a little happier, the lights shine brighter, music fills the air and I feel as if I am walking on air most of the time. Oh, and the Holiday parties! Honestly, the parties have got to be the best part of this magical season! I guess I am a big kid at heart, but nothing puts me in the mood to celebrate quite like Christmas trees and music, mistletoes and those striped candy canes:) 

 

Of course, as I mentioned before, the Holiday Season tends to sneak up on me, party invites arrive last minute, which usually results in sheer panic about what to wear. Usually, but not this year! Kind of proud moment for me:) This year, I decided to stock up on a few Holiday Party must-haves well in advance. 

Speaking of Holiday Party must-haves, if I had to name my top 5, a little black dress would be at the top of this list. Classic and timeless, a little black dress never goes out of style, but rather transforms according to current trends to feel fresh and new again. The sexy midi dress from Express I am wearing in today's post is one of my current favorites. I love the neckline and especially the fact that I can wear it off or on the shoulder. I also really like the midi length, which in my opinion gives this dress a much more sophisticated and polished vibe. Another positive aspect of the midi length is the fact that it makes this dress mush more versatile. I can wear it to a day time event paired with a sleek leather jacket and booties or dress it up with strappy heels and a cute clutch for night. And I don't know about you guys, but I definitely appreciate getting the most out of my Holiday staples:) 

What about you guys, what's on your Holiday must-have list? 

EXPRESS black surplice wrap ruched jersey midi dress | TOPSHOP Ghillie pumps - sold out { similar option here } | Emporio Armani messenger bag { similar here, also love this red option } | Movado Bold crystal accent watch | Coordinates Legend bracelet | Vita Fede rings  

Thank you for reading

& Keep On Smiling,

LOVE,
Annabelle 

LEATHER & LACE

Good morning and happy weekend, Everyone! I wanted to welcome the New Year by wearing my favorite shade of blue. I knew, I couldn't stay away from cobalt for too long:) I especially like the combination of cobalt and black, although I find it difficult to think of a color that doesn't look good with this particular shade of blue. My other weakness is formal dresses paired with leather (or suede) jackets.

I think, this combination helps to create an interesting feminine/masculine contrast for a particularly modern and fun look. What do you guys think of flirty dresses paired with tough-looking jackets? 

Style Stalker TLC dress | Club Monaco jacket - sold out { similar options here & here } | Valentino Punkouture rockstud pumps | Emporio Armani messenger bag | House of Harlow 1960 Sound Waves ring & cuff 

Thank you for reading

& Keep On Smiling,

LOVE,

Annabelle

HOLIDAY LUXE - LITTLE BLACK LACE

Good morning, Everyone! If you read my blog on regular basis, you know how I feel about little black dresses. One of my Holiday staples, I love the fact that you can style LBD in an infinite number of ways. Take today's outfit for example, I wanted to create a very polished, evening look so, I decided to take a classic approach, and paired my LBD with a sparkly clutch and statement jewelry.

Now, when it comes to styling an evening look, jewelry is definitely something I pay attention to the most. And for me, nothing says evening quite like a pair of statement earrings. The ones I am wearing in this post, are my absolute favorite pair at the moment! A big fan of Kendra Scott jewelry in general, I spotted them a few weeks ago and simply couldn't resist. Can you blame me?:) Bold, beautiful and stylish I think, they are an epitome of luxury. Pretty much a perfect statement piece, to add drama to any evening look! How about you guys, what is your favorite way of styling a little black dress? 

Kendra Scott long pave feather earrings in rock crystal { also love this style } | Keepsake The Label dress { similar option here & here } | Tasha Crystal Swirl clutch | BCBG belt { also love this one } | Aminah Abdul Jilil bow pump | Vogue sunglasses | Clinique nail polish in "Happy"

Thank you for reading

& Keep On Smiling,

LOVE,

Annabelle 

JEWEL TONES - #DRESSEDFOR #ROMANCE

Velvet tulip dress via Armani Exchange  | Banana Republic belted wool wrap coat { another option here } | Zara clutch | Cara Accessories jeweled and agate statement necklace { also loving this one & this one } | Giuseppe Zanotti pointed toe Frida pump { different color here } | Spider cuff - old { similar here } 

So excited and honored to team up with Armani Exchange for their new project #DressedFor. Since I am a hopeless romantic at heart, #DressedFor #Romance was a perfect fit. A huge fan of little black dresses, as soon as I spotted this A/X velvet tulip dress, I knew it was absolutely perfect. When it comes to LBDs, I always look for special details, such as interesting shapes or rich fabrics. So how could I resist the ultra rich velvet, side pockets and a full skirt, basically all of my favorite elements combined in the same dress:) 

The decision to pair the dress with this burgundy coat came last minute. You see, the necklace I'm wearing was a last minute present from Emil, and I just love the way the color of coat brings out burgundy elements of the necklace. Suppose this surprise gift was a perfect touch to complete my romantic look, though I always have romance in my heart when my sweet boy is by my side... After five years together, I want to say how lucky I am to be with such a kind, wonderful and caring person. Thank you, for being you:)

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Keep on smiling,

Love,

Annabelle