Dressing Devin: Wrapped in Chains

I have had a stressful past couple of months, so I am really excited about seeing some of my favorite bands in concert over the next couple of weeks. The bands are rock and metal, so to celebrate I decided to feature a look that takes that vibe, tones it down a little, and makes it more mainstream accessible.

I'm going to start with the dress, because I kind of can't contain my excitement over it. Kaleidoscope Boutique is a stunning Philadelphia shop with all of my style but none of my budget. If you were a rock star living in Philadelphia, this is where you would shop. But I've seen price tags up into the thousands, so normally I venture in only to drool and stumble around pining over every item I see.

But one beautiful day this past winter, my now-roommate and I journeyed into the cold on a snow day from work (yes, those happen and it's a beautiful thing), and I found this dress on the sale rack. On the price tag marked $190 was the most gorgeous sight I'd ever seen: 70% off. The opportunity to own not only a really, really freaking cool dress, but one from my favorite boutique in Philadelphia, was too good to pass up (even if it was still a bit of a splurge). And so my dress and I went on our way to live happily ever after together.

I mean, I have to start with the chains. THE CHAINS. The back of this dress is to die for. That hard metal right against bare skin is so sexy yet punk all at once that it just gives off confidence and nothing short of perfection. The scooped neckline in front is just low enough to be interesting, but keeps it tasteful considering the exposed back and shorter hemline - it's a casual sexy. The handkerchief hem is something I normally stray far, far away from, as all it does is remind me of the early 2000's (that's not a good thing). However, I thought it actually added to the cool, laid back, "I don't care" vibe that the dress gives off. With a straight hem, it would look too put together. This hem makes the dress more detailed but also more effortless. Lastly, the pattern is subtle enough to not overwhelm given all the other elements, but super pleasing to the eye with the brushstroke-esque lines leading right into a beautifully intricate design.

I kept my eye and lip makeup dark to go with the overall feel of the outfit

I have always loved incorporating edgier elements into my outfits. A lot of my wardrobe is made up of punk and rock elements, such as leather, studs, spikes, and - of course - black. When I dress with a more punk vibe, the resulting feeling of empowerment is so addicting - hence why I've never given it up, despite my trending toward more classic pieces as I get older. The main way I've melded these interests of mine is to become pickier with my choices when I come across these punk elements. I make sure that what I buy is done really well and not kitschy or cheap looking, especially since this type of look has become pretty popular recently and spikes and studs and leather accents can be found in almost any store you look.

My necklace and earrings brought out the gunmetal hardware in the jacket | I normally wouldn't wear them together as they are both large, but for the rocker effect I liked the over-accessorized look

For example, take the jacket I'm wearing. I saw it on the rack and immediately knew it was a must-have piece. It is faux leather, but it doesn't have that cheap, shiny, common look that a lot of fake leather jackets have. The color blocking is perfection, and the choice of cream rather than white gives it a pricier appearance. This is helped by the hardware being a gunmetal color rather than bright silver, which can cheapen a look if not done well. The end result is a really cool jacket that tons of women would feel great wearing - I know I do - for a steal: $20 at Ross

Speaking of Ross, it's time for the boots.

Another great find at Ross for around $25

Over the knee boots are tricky, including these. Pair them with the wrong thing, and you can look really cheap and like you're trying too hard. I've found that simple is better. Choose one focus piece for your outfit other than the boots, and use the boots to frame it. In this case, the dress is the focus piece, and the large chunks of black on the jacket and the black of the boots create borders that direct your eye right at it. For other outfits, I often will wear these boots with a pair of unique pants, such as a leopard or snake print, but then just wear a simple black sweater, once again framing the focal point of the pants. Just a little tip I've picked up over the years.

This is a look that I really like. I've been trending toward crisper, more delicate looks in my daily life lately, but I really find that nothing makes me feel quite the same as dressing darker and edgier. It backs you up, puts power in your step, and makes you feel like you can take on the world - a feeling worthy of any woman.