First, take a look at the Ella Moss Abigail Ruffle V Neck dress which features a silk fabric that is lined with a rayon/spandex fabric lining. From top to bottom, the dress starts at top with a ruffle around the v neck and collar. It also features an empire waist along with 4 pearl shaped black buttons leading to the empire waist shaped by a tie around the waist. We love the ruffle which is one of this season’s biggest fashion trends.  This dress is certainly dressy enough for special occasions and can also be casual enough to wear out on a date or to the theater.  Of course, this dress is currently on sale at Vintage Fringe and best of all is $99.

Next consider another adorable Vintage Fringe dress by designer Ella Moss, the Blaire Widesleeve Crew Dress.  The Blaire dress features pleats on the shoulders and a button keyhole in front.  It also features color blocking with a contrasting color stripe in the center around the waist and a contrasting hem in the same contrast color. This Ella Moss dress is available at Vintage Fringe in Admiral (Navy) with White contrast details at the hem and around the waist or Lemonade (Yellow) with Grey for contrast. The bottom of the dress is also tapered so it is longer at the center and just a bit above the knee on the sides.  Again, it is currently on sale at Vintage Fringe for $99.

Another cute summer dress is the Velvet by Graham and Spencer Martha dress.  This short dress is loaded with lots of feminine details like the empire waist, the gathered bustline, and boat neckline this tunic length top or short dress will be a great addition to your wardrobe and is made from a great wearable jersey cotton fabric.  This dress also looks great with leggings which gives this dress added versatility.   This dress is currently on sale for $65 at Vintage Fringe.

Finally, another fabulous ruffle dress by designer Splendid which features a fabulous modal jersey fabric.  The Modal Jersey Scoop Neck  Dress features a racerback and ruffles around the collar and shoulders.  This dress is a perfect casual, comfy dress and is available at Vintage Fringe for $99.  It is also available in Black and Mud (Light brown) which gives you more options.  This dress looks awesome with boots and can also be belted depending on your personal preferences.

As you can see there are a number of great options for dresses under $100 if you just look for them and also watch for great sales.

Be wary of too much of the same color.  It is best to have outfits that pull good contrasting colors in so that it looks more natural.  As a rule of thumb, consider the color wheel and don’t pair too many strong colors together simultaneously.  You start out with your basic blacks and whites.  Black is the basic starting point for any wardrobe.  Black goes with just about everything although I do try and steer clear of pairing black with navy blue, yellow and orange.  Navy just shouldn’t go with black unless it is actually part of the pattern or print.  Otherwise, I would try and avoid a solid navy top and solid black pants.  As an example, the Boyfriend Buttonup Top by Splendid pairs navy and black together and it works really well.  Black and yellow just screams bumble bee and then black and orange just screams pumpkin or Halloween.  The next color I would weave in is a good navy blue outfit, brown, and a good grey outfit if grey is a color that suits your skintone.  These colors are a bit more neutral than black in terms of pairing with other colors and grey goes with just about any color if paired well and navy looks great with some pinks, greens, yellows, and some reds although you want to steer clear of too much navy and red unless it is the 4^th of July.

These color options are just the starting point for how to start creating a great outfit, but you with this foundation you can then incorporate other colors.  Assuming you are dressing up for work, a business meeting or another event then you will want to keep in mind a few other rules of thumb as well.  I suggest adding in lighter colors for tops to add contrast to darker pants.  Some people like to wear solid black or all one color outfits, and I just think they get monotonous.  You will want to include pops of other color for accent and style to your outfit.  Stripes or patterns are a great way to break up solid colors and still keep in the same color family.   A good example of pairing pieces in similar colors would be wearing the Odora top by Velvet by Graham and Spencer with a grey pencil skirt like the Sintia Pencil skirt over a grey tank top with the Odora top in Botanica a lime green or in white to help lighten up the outfit.  Of course to complete the outfit you will want to include great accessories like a good belt, gorgeous earrings and a chunky necklace.

Creating an Outfit is really not that complicated if you start with a basic foundation and then work into incorporating other splurge colors or pieces to complement your foundational wardrobe.

The Malina V Neck Tie Dress is a great mid-calf length dress that is so versatile.  It is part of Velvet’s baby jersey collection so made of super soft jersey cotton which allows you the flexibility of wearing it to casual functions as well as dressing it up with accessories for dressier occasions.  Personally, I love the tie at the base of the v neckline for added detail.  The dress also features an empire waist giving it added detail. It is a basic black which never hurts and has long sleeves and of course it is a mid-calf length.  Designer Velvet by Graham and Spencer is known for their great use of cottons, but they also feature a slinky rayon collection which is a rayon blend for a dressier look.

Velvet’s Chapel dress features a Spanish tile pattern currently available in black or red with a v neckline.  This dress is fitted and the fabric is a rayon and lycra blend which gives it just the right amount of cling.  The pattern is really a standout and looks extremely classy on.  Of course most importantly, this dress also features a longer length with the mid-calf length which we greatly appreciate.

The sister version of this dress is the Anais V Neck dress again by designer Velvet by Graham and Spencer.  This dress is a similar style, but it is a solid color and is available in eggplant a deep purple color with a hint of blue.  Again this dress is fitted and features a rayon lycra blend giving it cling.

As you can see, each of these dresses gives you a distinctive look and is a great mid-calf length option for your wardrobe.  Another alternative to a mid-calf length dress is a longer or mid-calf skirt.  The mid-calf length skirts are very popular this season.  We love the Lija skirt as a great flared skirt that hits past the knee.   Another way to add length to a dress look is to wear leggings underneath.

There really are a variety of possibilities and options for mid-calf length dresses and when you mix in the option of longer length skirts or combined with leggings finding possible dress options is much more accessible.  Of course it is also easy to find maxi dresses which are the ultimate in long length if it is simply the long length you are after.  In either case, these dresses are great additions to any wardrobe and are versatile pieces that will last you for many more seasons to come.

You will want to find whatever style of peasant tops that work best with your style and body type, but at Vintage Fringe our theme for shopping is to find ways to incorporate and blend the vintage with the modern when shopping for anything vintage style.  Of course we typically shop for new clothing which is what we carry at our site and that is often the easiest vintage style clothing to find when shopping online, but if you are looking for true vintage peasant tops you can certainly find lots of vintage elements in such pieces.

One reason why we love the look of peasant tops right now is that they fit in so well with the great look of tunic length tops and leggings.  Finding tunic length peasant tops is really not that difficult and we love the look of the Keelin Squareneck Lace top by designer Velvet by Graham and Spencer.  This longer length top features a loose fit and a retro square neckline accented with lace trim.  We love the puff sleeves and the gathered elastic near the hem for added flare.   This top is long enough that it would pair perfectly with leggings or with a cute pencil skirt for spring and summer.

Another great peasant top style is the Celestine Boatneck top by designer Ella Moss.  This loose fitting top is sheer and looks great over tank tops for added accent.  With a ruffle around the neckline and elastic at the base of the sleeves, this top is super feminine and still has that vintage style to it.  The Celestine Boatneck also features a tie around the neckline that can be tied or worn loose depending on your personal preference.  The fabric also features a contrasting star pattern for added detail.  This top is available in both a Pink and a Green color which also bring some great vivid vintage style into play.

As you can see, peasant tops really do come in a variety of styles and there is not really a concrete one peasant style.  We love the look of the looser fit over a tighter fitting tank or leggings for added contrast to your outfit.  Best of all, the peasant top really is a distinctive way to incorporate your own style into your wardrobe as there really isn’t a cookie cutter peasant top style.  They also typically are so feminine that they are great statement pieces for both casual and special occasions so in the current economy they are a great piece to include knowing that you won’t feel guilty because this top will last you for many seasons to come.

A great example of the mixed fabric top which includes silk is the Ocelot Print silk and cotton top by Splendid.  This top features a boatneck line, short sleeves and an empire waist that leads to a contrasting loose Ocelot pattern on silk with elements of olive green and lipstick red.   This top is easy to wear and is also machine washable which is always a plus when you’re dealing with silks.  It is certainly a distinctive and feminine top that is sure to become a statement piece in your spring / summer wardrobe.

Another demonstration of great blends of fabrics including silks is the Modal Jersey Short Sleeve Top featuring silk fabric for contrast around the neckline.  A great example of casual meets upscale, this top is comfortable and the modal jersey fabric is ultra luxurious.  This top also includes a fitted waistband at the base of the top and a great pleating from the center of the neckline.

Splendid has made several tops with silk accents such as the Modal Jersey with Silk Cotton Voile short sleeve scoop neck top with buttons.  This top features an adorable puff sleeve that is gathered down the side of the sleeve.  The top of course has other details like buttons in the center of the top and the silk cotton voile around the neckline.  We also love the bright colors in light pink or blurple which is a combination color of blue and purple.

Finally, a discussion about great combination silk tops would be incomplete without discussing almost all of the AlixK line.  Designer AlixK uses a great blended fabric which is a combination of cotton and silk blended into the entire weave of the fabric.  Their signature hallmark is adding great embellishments such as embroidery to their wonderful pieces.  My favorite piece for spring or summer is the AlixK Cappy short sleeve turtleneck top.  Their turtlenecks are sewn gathered so they don’t flop around or require constant adjustment like so many turtlenecks do.  This top works great year round as it looks great under a blazer or standalone in warmer weather.

As you can see, the silk is a great accent and a great way to add a bit of extra detail to your favorite spring and summer tops.  Best of all, each of these pieces is machine washable so you don’t live in fear the entire time you are wearing your silk top.  These great options are of course the tip of the iceburg when it comes to combination silk tops or finding great silk accents.  Of course,  we hope that you will agree that wearing 100% silk tops is totally overrated and the variety of textures and fabrics add to the depth and distinction of these great tops.

Mixed pattern fashion is certainly not for everyone.  However, if you are feeling like stepping out in a bold way or are looking to make a fashion statement, then consider a few simple rules of thumb when selecting your patterns.  In our opinion, mixing patterns only works when you keep in mind one piece can be bold, but the other piece should be subtle.  Typically, offsetting bold patterns with solids or simple, subtle patterns can be a great way to truly incorporate your own fashion style in a bold way.   The more you can use solid colors as complements the better.   Also, be sure to avoid the cardinal rule of mixing patterns with colors that clash.

One of our favorite lines that incorporate a variety of patterns in elegant, feminine ways is Sweet Pea by Stacy Frati.  She uses lots of bold, bright patterns and offsets or complements them with accenting solid colors for trim or lining underneath.  Consider the Tie Short Dress by Sweet Pea.  This dress features a bold fuscia pink and brown floral pattern.  For contrast, she uses solid brown for the ties at the waist and in the bodice and around the neckline.  The effect of incorporating the contrast is that it helps to add a bit of simplicity to the bold pattern which helps create a more elegant, feminine look.

Consider also branching out into bolder colors and mixing them with non-traditional base colors like navy or brown.  For example, we love the look of brown with navy.  Of course you want the right shades to make it work, but these are colors we would never have thought pair well together, but we fell in love with the Annabelle top by designer AlixK which features a warm clay brown fabric accented with embroidered flowers in navy.  It looks stunning.  We also mix solid navy tops with reds, greens, corals, and greys.

When you’re trying to mix in different patterns with solid colors consider wearing accenting colored tank tops under patterned tops.  As an example, in the winter we wear navy or black long sleeve tops under the Cotton Stripe Tie Cardigan by Splendid.  Similarly, you could also wear a long Kelisha tank top by designer Velvet by Graham and Spencer under the Variegated Stripe Loose Jersey Dress for contrast.

In short, when you are exercising your creative licenses with your wardrobe planning and if you feel like stepping out in a bold patterned look, be sure to offset patterns with solid colors as much as possible.  Be sure to stay within the realm of colors that work together and beware of mixing patterns with colors that clash.  Doubling patterns is not for the faint at heart, so whatever look you create be sure to wear it with confidence and make sure that you do feel confident enough to wear it.  There is nothing worse than wearing an outfit that you feel embarrassed to be seen in once you step out of the house.

Consider the Erin Sequin Long Sleeve Wrap Top by Velvet by Graham and Spencer.  This is a gorgeous top with a sophisticated and elegant sequin pattern on your classic black deep v neck top.  The sequins are all over so this top is probably a little too dressy to wear to the office or out running errands, but looks awesome if you are trying to attract a little attention on a night out on the town or at a holiday party.  The fit is comfortable and this top in classic black looks hot with boots and even dare we say jeans.  This is a great example of the top that has the ability to be dressed up or down and this top is certainly at the high end in terms of use of sequins.

Alternatively the Scoop Neck Sequin Top by Collective Concepts also uses contrasting colors of sequins to adorn this Olive Green scoop neck top. Here the design is limited to the shoulders and a beautiful classy pattern that gives this basic top an added flair.  The shoulder detail is just enough to give turn this top into a great statement piece for your closet. Certainly this sequin top can be worn casually with just about anything, but yet the use of sequins really does help to dress up this top and give it a bit of extra attention and sparkle.

Sequin tops may not be the top you want to wear every single day, but they are great ways to insert a little variety and feminine touch to your wardrobe.  You’ll find a variety of large sequins or smaller sequins and sequins in a variety of colors.  Of course this year metallic colors are very popular too. You may even find little touches like sequin belts or earrings that can spice up your wardrobe too.  No matter how you decide to insert a little sparkle into your wardrobe rest assured in knowing that this isn’t a flash trend that will be gone tomorrow and that classic sequins will certainly be a stylish way to add more feminine touches to your wardrobe.  If nothing else a little bit of sequins can help turn a basic top into a statement piece for your closet for years to come.

Petal Miscellany Necklace by Anthropologie

If earrings are more your style, then you will love the Hatchling Earring. The soft pink/peach quartz wrapped in gold is so delicate, but also makes a statement. I really like the two extra little charms that hang off, they add more dimension and help these earring really stand out.

Hatchling Earrings by Anthropologie

And lastly, any girl that is looking for statement piece, a conversation piece, or just a gorgeous cuff, then look no further then the Teak Treasure Cuff. It is available with green, red, or purple stone center and the polished, carved wood is so beautfiful. What a great accent this cuff would be!

Teak Treasure Cuff

How do you feel about the stone jewlery craze?? Love it or leave it? Let me know and have a great weekend!

Nicole Scherzinger

To really rock this trend this winter, make sure you sure a light color sparkle eye shadow right under your brow, and then two darker tones closer to your lash line. False lashes really give this look even more wow power.

Smoky Bronze Glittery Eye Makeup

Sparkle eye make up is available at all price points, so just hit up your local make up spot and give it a go. If you are the department store kind of gal, then please check out the Dior 5-Color Eyeshadow Holiday 2010. This palette has 5 shades that work perfectly together to give you a great holiday look.

Dior 5-Color Eyeshadow Holiday 2010

And here is a model showing just one of the many options available with this palette:

Model in Dior 5-Color Eyeshadow Holiday 2010

Now get out there and sparkle ladies! Enjoy all your holiday events and be sure to look your best with designer fashion from Vintage Fringe and sparkle eye make up:)

Drew Barrymore's multi-toned hair

Another great trend for fall hair, is long layers. This of course looks best on long hair, like Vanessa Hudgens,  and can really add movement and volume, which in my book is a good thing.

Long layers on Vanessa Hudgens

If you are looking for something bold and hot, then try the trend of red hair. Red really can look good on most people, just be careful with what shade you choose for your skin tone. I also love an auburn shade for a less drastic, but still sizzling look. 

Christina Hendricks with her stunning red hair

One last fall hair trend to change up your look is bangs. I would say trying a heavier, long bang that can be split down the middle, or worn to the side to give you options. Katy Perry has a great bang and although these are a bit of a commitment, they are worth it and are sure to make a statement.

Katy Perry's rockin bangs

Which hair trend are you most likely to try?? I think I might be crazy and do bangs and ombre!