Click Here For More Information or To Buy These and Other Color Block Dresses

Color Blocking has been around for decades but it really was not until Spring 2011 that it has really taken off. If you remember, most of the colors used for this look have been quite bright and bold but now for Fall 2011, the colors are are deeper and darker shades. There are lots of reds, browns, earthy, and jewel tone colors.

While you can easily take a top and wear it with a different color bottom and perhaps a third color belt or scarf there are many great items that are also color blocked already. One of the best ways to find these items is in dresses. There are so many great color blocked dresses ranging from casual to more formal.

One of the first dresses that caught my eye was the Thread Social Colorblock Turtleneck Dress. This dress had a very 1960s mod look to it. This long sleeve dropwaist dress has a grey cotton turtleneck top and a colorblock silk skirt. While the dress may be a little to short to wear for work, this is a great dress to wear for a get together with friends.

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If you are wanting a great color block dress that is more appropriate for work, there are plenty of those to choose from. There are two in particular that I love a lot. The first is the Joseph Van Colorblock Dress. This dress is a long sleeve lined crepe dress. The top of the dress is white with red sleeves and the skirt part is a solid black. The length is office appropriate and it is perfect to wear for an after work get together as well. Wear this dress with a pair or black or red heels and your outfit is complete.

The other dress that grabs my attention is the Alice + Olivia Short Chloe Coloblock Dress. This dress is a gorgeous brown and cream dress and comes with a detachable narrow gold belt. This is a great dress that is comfortable as well as fashionable.

Click the links at the top or bottom of the page to buy these or other great color block dresses

Moving on to dresses that are perfect to an evening party or formal get together the choices for color block dresses are practically endless. One of my favorite is  the Herve Leger Colorblock Dress.  Like most of the other great Herve Leger dresses, this is a form fitting banded dress. A gorgeous shade of green with blue and black, this dress will have all eyes on you this holiday season or whenever you wear it.

Another great colorblock dress that will show off your figure is the Pencey Colorblock Cutout Dress. This dress is available in pink/ burgundy (pictured) as well as blue/aqua. While both are great color combinations, the pink and burgundy dress is a bit more fall like. Keep in mind you will have to not be self conscious when wearing this dress because of the exposure at the waist.

Though not as form fitting, but equally if not more gorgeous than the previous two dresses, the Matthew Williamson Paneled Mini Dress is a great colorblock dress. This red, pink, and black dress has a array of materials and textures on this dress. You will definitely get a lot of attention when wearing this dress.

Click the top or bottom link for these and other colorblock dresses

No matter the occasion make sure that you have some sort of color block dress to wear this season. You can find so many that have the colors combined for you already or mix and match colors on your own.

Click Here For More Information or To Buy These and Other Color Block Dresses

Alice + Olivia was launched in 2002 by Stacey Bendet because Stacey was struggling to find the perfect flattering form fitting pants. Over the years the brand has grown from pants to a full ready to wear line including outerwear and dresses. Over time the Alice + Olivia brand has expanded into categories from work clothes to casual wear meant for layering.  In 2008 Alice + Olivia expanded again with the creation of a children’s line of clothing.

The signature item from Alice + Olivia are the Stacey Pants. These pants are a staple in every collection with colors and styles being updated based on the trends for that season. The Stacey pants range from cropped pants for spring and summer, pants with a slight flare that are great for work or fun,  and Stacey Flare Jeans which are perfect for when you want the comfort of jeans but in a more polished, dressed up manner.

Alice + Olivia Stacey Flare Pants

Other signature items from Alice + Olivia are the variety of goddess dresses. These one shoulder dresses come in both sleeveless as well as a single long sleeve style. The One Shoulder Goddess Dress is made from jersey and has ruching and silk-chiffon  overlays. These dresses come in solid basic colors like black, white, and grey. The Sleeveless One Shoulder Goddess Dress is similar in material and style to the one with a single long sleeve but the colors are brighter and bolder and even come in a tie-dye pattern. Both versions of this dress are perfect for parties when you want to stand out in a different style dress than most others.

Alice + Olivia One Shoulder Goddess Dress

In 2011 Alice + Olivia expanded into the world of footwear with an alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet line of shoes as well as collaboration for the even popular brand of casual shoes, Keds. Alice + Olivia even created a line of shoes for Payless.

The limited edition Alice + Olivia for Keds were released in Spring 2011 and sold out quickly.   The classic laceless slip-on Keds Champion style sneakers were updated from the basic canvas to ones that are adorned with glitter sequins in black, white, silver, and gold.

Just like the clothing, Alice + Olivia shoes range from ones appropriate for fun to those made for work. The shoes come in many styles as well, flats, heels, and sandals. The first collection of shoes debuted in Spring 2011 and had great sequin  and animal print flats, open toe booties, and heels. Polka dots and stripes were also popular patterns for these shoes and of course there were solid color shoes as well.

Alice + Olivia Lila Platform Sandals

Alice + Olivia is a relatively new brand when compared to other popular brands but they are making a mark on the fashion world and I expect to see more great clothing, shoes, and accessories from them in the future.

Peplum shirts are ones that have a flared ruffle attached to the waist of the shirt and are a good way to make an ordinarily basic shirt more stylish.

The Alice + Olivia Ella Striped Peplum Tee is a silk black and white striped tee shirt with peplum waist. The peplum waist on its own creates a definition at the waist but this shirt takes it a step further by adding a yellow belt as part of the shirt which really draws attention to your waistline. The color also makes this shirt stand out even more than it would have on its own and starts you off in the right direction for a color blocking look. Unfinished edges at the cap sleeves make this shirt look less formal. You can wear this shirt with shorts or a somewhat fitted skirt.

For more information or to buy please click the link or picture below.

Alice + Olivia Ella Striped Peplum Tee

If you are unsure about the stripes and colored belt there is also a solid white version of this shirt available.
Alice + Olivia Ella White Peplum Tee

When it comes to getting dressed up, it is sometimes hard to find an outfit that will allow you to stand out in a crowd but at the same time dressed correctly for the occasion. Of course you can try to find an interesting print or cut to a dress or skirt but even that is becoming more mainstream. A unique way to show off your individuality is with a feather skirt or dress. These items of clothes are not something that most people are going to naturally gravitate to at a store so there is very minimal chance of seeing multiple feather clothing wherever you go.

When buying a feather skirt or dress there are a few things to keep in mind in terms of ensuring that you are looking sophisticated and in fashion as opposed to a fashion disaster. You want to make sure that the feathers on the clothing are not creating too much volume, making you appear larger. You also want to make sure that if the skirt is voluminous, that the top you choose is sleek and balances out the outfit. You also want to keep your footwear to a simple shoe, not to take away from the focus of the outfit, the feathers.

The Guess Feather Skirt is a great skirt if you are looking for something short and sexy. This skirt is a multi layered tulle and feather skirt with a metallic and sequin embroidered waistband. This is the perfect skirt to wear for late afternoon or evening drinks with friends or any non formal event. Since this skirt is so detailed you will pant to pair it with a simple white tank top or shirt. For shoes you can wear a black or color high heeled shoe or sandal.

GUESS Feather Skirt

Another fun and not so formal skirt is the Alice + Olivia Kae Feather Skirt. This is a silk skirt with a leopard print pattern, frayed edges, and feather trim. The color scheme of this skirt is shades of browns so it is perfect for the spring / summer 2011 trend of neutrals and naturals. An elastic waist makes this a comfortable skirt for the warm and hot weather. This skirt will even be great in the fall or winter worn with tights. You can wear this skirt with so many shirt colors, either picking up on the colors from the skirt, or a black or white shirt. I would stick with a solid color shoe so that it does not compete with the detailing in the skirt.

Alice + Olivia Kae Feather Skirt

If you are in need a of a formal dress this spring or summer and want something that is unique in color and texture, you should consider the Sue Wong Strapless Dress with Ostrich Feathers. A gorgeous periwinkle color this cocktail dress is visually stimulating with a ruched bodice, beads and crystals at the waist and hem, and small thin dyed ostrich feathers at the skirt area. Since this is a strapless dress you should put your jewelry emphasis on a statement necklace or earrings. For shoes, you should keep them neutral or black unless you can find the exact periwinkle shade of shoes to match the dress.

Sue Wong Strapless Dress with Ostrich Feathers

Not all feather dresses are adorned at the skirt area. The Mark & James by Badgley Mischka Feather Bustier Mini Dress has feather detailing at the chest area and the bottom is a simple pleated skirt. In addition to the feathers at the top, there are gorgeous crystals on it. This is a great dress that you can wear a bright and colorful pair of shoes with if you choose to do so, or keep it refined with black shoes. Another great thing about this dress is that it is appropriate year round so you will get a lot of use out of it.

Mark & James by Badgley Mischka  Feather Bustier Mini Dress

While I think that all of the above feather skirts and dresses are great, my favorite would have to be the Sue Wong Dress. I love the color as well as all of the detailing. Now I just need the prefect place to wear it to.

While warm weather makes many  want to wear dresses and skirts there are times when you may want to wear pants or even shorts. There are others who prefer a pant over a skirt or dress all the time. The problem though with pants, especially at the height of summer, is that it is so hot that pants can be uncomfortable to wear. The solution for this problem is a cropped  leg pant.

Khaki pants should be a staple in everyone’s closet but many Khakis are big and baggy and not fashionable and stylish.  The Club Monaco Renay Cropped Pants are a simple basic yet stylish  pant that can be worn with almost anything. Though they are called Khaki they are more of a peachy pink beige color.

Club Monaco Renay Cropped Pants

Though they are not a true nautical pant, the Cut 25 Cropped Pant has that feel due to the color and the buttons. These pants are a comfortable slouchy pant that features a jersey inset. These pant are the perfect balance of a slim fit and a wide leg pant.

Cut 25 Cropped Pants with Elastic Waistband

A wide leg pant is not a simple buy. You need to be careful if you are not tall because a wide leg cropped pant can easily make you look shorter and wider than you are so this style pant is really best for women who are medium to tall stature. If you want to wear a wide leg pant the Diane von Furstenberg Bananarama pants are a great choice. These pants are pleated palazzo pants in a great Anthracite color.

Diane von Furstenberg Bananarama Pants

Cargo pants have been around for many seasons now and there is not a lot of change to them from one season to the next so they have become a true staple for the closet. There are a lot of different styles of cropped cargo pants from loose and baggy to slim and fitted and everything in between. There are even a lot of pants that are designed to be worn full length or can be rolled up to make them a cropped pant.

Joie Montgomery Cargo Pants

Haute Hippie Cargo Pants

Alice + Olivia Cropped Cargo Pants

Cropped pants for the most part will work for all shapes and sizes but keep in mind that if you are petite that the wider style cropped pants will make you appear shorter than you really are. Enjoy the summer wearing cropped pants knowing that you are comfortable and in style wearing them.

Alice + Olivia Clothing is a mix of sophistication and eclecticism. The clothes have a modern meets vintage feel to them that are of the highest of quality. When you wear Alice + Olivia know that the clothes are flattering and enhancing so you will look your best always.

Animal Print clothes have been popular for a while and the Spring/Summer 2011 Alice + Olivia Collection includes some great leopard print dresses, shirts, skirts, and a trench coat. All of the leopard print items are unique and very wearable. Even if you normally shy away from this print, you may be a convert after viewing these great Alice + Olivia Leopard Prints.

The Alice + Olivia Kelley One Shoulder Tie Dress in Leopard is a neutral dress with shades of brown and has an asymmetrical one shoulder and hemline. A great light weight silk dress and I love the oversized bow on the shoulder.

Alice + Olivia Kelley Leopard One Shoulder Dress

If you want a more fitted leopard print dress, the Alice + Olivia Nicole Fitter Dress is a great pick. This dress has a square neck and a mesh panel at the back of the dress. I love the look of the model with the bright green shoes with the dress. It just proves that you do not need to stick with a neutral color palette even with such a busy pattern.

Alice + Olivia Nicola Fitted Dress with Exposed Zip in Leopard Print

The Alice  +  Olivia Brazil Button Down Blouse is a sheer button down leopard blouse with a large fold down collar and french cuff sleeves. The back of this 6 button blouse has knife pleats. You can keep it casual with a pair of shorts but you can also wear it under a business suit to make your look more fashionable.

Alice + Olivia Brazil Button Down Blouse

The Alice + Olivia Kae Leopard Print Feather Skirt truly embodies the eclectic sophisticated look Alice + Olivia is known  for. This is a multi layer elastic waist skirt with ruching, frayed layers, and is trimmed with feathers. This is not a skirt for the timid.

Alice And Olivia Leopard Print Feather Skirt

My favorite leopard print Alice + Olivia piece of clothing is the Leopard Pleat Back Trench Coat. I love a pattern trench coat to begin with and the leopard print is great to pep up any outfit. I love the mix of patterns the model is wearing with the animal print over a floral print.

Alice + Olivia Klein Pleat Back Trench in Leopard Print

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Alice + Olivia was first launched by Stacey Bendet in 2002 and has been successful ever since. The brand offers beautifully made vintage styled clothing that has been the it brand for many of their followers. The clothing line concentrates in form fitting clothing that both flatters and enhances.

This spring and summer Alice and Olivia has come out with some of the most spectacular ruffle and maxi skirts and dresses that you are sure to fall in love with . Lets take a look of some of the hottest styles for this year.

Alice + Olivia Leighton ruffle v neck skirt is so perfect. A fine mix of boho and chic.  This dress features a v neck along , that is sleeveless and draped. The top features wonderful ruffles all the way up. This is so gorgeous that I cannot resist it.

Alice + Olivia Leighton Ruffle V Neck Dress

Alice + Olivia Daisy v neck dress is much like the Leighton but much more subdue. This dress is fab and perfect for just about any occasion. Look at the fine details of this dress. I love it.

Alice + Olivia Daisy Ruffle V Neck Dress

Alice + Olivia Faux Wrap dress. This is light and airy. Features a faux wrap look and pleats. This v neck silk dress is adorable.

Alice + Olivia Faux Wrap Drape Dress

Alice + Olivia Jeanie Bustier Dress. This leather and silk chiffon dress is a mix of boho and style. This is a young styled dress with a wonderful pleated multi layered skirt

Alice + Olivia Jeanie Bustier Dress

This is just a small example of what makes Alice and Olivia so hot. If you have not taken the time please check out their whole collection.