Black & White

Happy spring, everyone!

In today's entry, I'm featuring the outfit I wore for Easter, which also happened to be my mom's birthday. This outfit focuses primarily around two items: a pleated horizontal stripe dress from Banana Republic and a graphic pair of white and black pumps by the brand Tildon, purchased at Nordstrom (both are still available for purchase at their respective websites).

        

Since my mom so very rightfully did not want to cook (and more importantly clean) on her birthday, we went out to brunch after church. Brunch reads chic. Granted, this isn't always true in practice (raise your hand if most Sundays you're only trying to get a Bloody Mary in order to stop shaking), but in theory? Chic. So while I'm normally all about the pastel Easter colors and soft chiffon, I wanted to mix it up and go for something a little less expected.

To accomplish this, I stuck to a bold color (or lack thereof) palette of black and white in a graphic print. The sharply defined stripes certainly diverged from your typical florals and lace. To make it a little more casual and playful, I added pops of color with the yellow belt and my bright red lipstick. Even my eye makeup was kept mostly black and white, with just a subtle light brown shadow in the crease for depth. I was initially going to do my hair in a slicked back ballerina bun, but my curls just wanted to do their own thing and I went with it. While the first option would have added a more high fashion edge to the look, the loose curls kept the overall effect from getting too cold and stiff and brought a laid back touch to an ensemble that had the potential to get harsh. The overall result was fresh and flirty.

The miracle dress at work

I adored this dress from the moment I saw it hanging on the rack. First off, the construction is excellent. The fabric is quite thick and it's lined, adding the structure a piece with bold pleats like this requires. Then there are the pleats themselves, which are the selling point on the dress for me. They make it girly and whimsical, create the perfect shape for your body, and add the blocks of solid color that are necessary if you don't want to go cross eyed from the print mixing. That said, since it is balanced by the pleats, the print mixing is another fantastic aspect of this number. The smart use of two different size stripes frame the central panel, giving a slimming effect (impressive to do with a horizontal stripe) that is much more subtle than the popular "miracle" dress that was all the rage a few years ago (see thumbnail). I like pairing it with my little yellow belt to make it playful and add some lightness in the color, but the great construction makes it cinch you in either way.

This dress makes me feel expensive, it makes me feel girly with the right amount of sexy, and it makes me feel different. This is a good dress.

Necessary sassy side angle

Exposed back zipper outlined in black adds contrast and emphasizes the symmetry of the dress

And then...the shoes.

Bow down to greatness

They're amazing. The graphic black and white in a shiny patent gives this shoe almost a menswear inspired vibe, but the sexy pointed toe and the heel (which is a nice tapered shape rather than a stiletto) make sure there is nothing manly about it. A great bonus is that they're comfortable! There is an elastic band that connects the two black flaps (it's hidden underneath the white material), making this shoe a slip on. Then the ankle strap secures the shoe in place and adds a delicate detail that introduces a little more femininity. The second I saw these I knew I had to have them, and they're surprisingly versatile. Easy to dress up and make pretty, dress down for more of a put together punk vibe (who knew that was a thing, right?), and they're work appropriate. Overall, great purchase.

And in case you were wondering, the birthday girl was quite fierce herself. She too rocked a black and white ensemble, which you'll see below (I promise you this was not coordinated, these things just happen when you share fashion genes), and please take a look at the heels she was wearing. Respect:

Everyone's mom needs to dress like this

Sunday was a great day, made even better by the boost that wearing an outfit you love can give you. The best part: spending the day with a very happy birthday momma. If anyone deserves to smile, she does!

~ Devin