I...must...have...this...dress...

I'm really loving this blouse-skirt combo dress. It's so effortlessly chic and funky, I'm thinking I must have it! Oh, and there are dozens more dresses just as cute as this one at another great retro-inspired store called Shabby Apple.

Gondola, $84

Motown Madness

I'm obsessed with Cee Lo's newest hit song "Forget You" (or if you'd prefer the actually title, "F**k You"). I'm a huge fan of the great Motown groups of the 60s, and this song totally reminds me of that musical style, but with a great new modern twist to it.

So, after watching the video about a million times (okay, so it was more like ten), I finally thought, hey, I need to do a blog post on Motown fashions. You know what I'm talking about -- the matching glamor gowns and tight shift dresses that all the great girl groups of the 60s wore. Well, here's my take on those looks with a modern twist. And I must say, the best online store for a modern twist on these looks is ModCloth. They've got a huge -- I mean HUGE -- selection of dresses that run the gamut of retro styles and all are at really reasonable prices.

Major Scale Dress, $74.99; Ad Agency Dress, $47.99

 Ebullient and Flow Dress, $52.99; Sea Lily Dress, $109.99

Dare to be Different

I guess you could say I'm on a self-improvement kick. My last post was about finding ones' unique self through their clothing, and now this post is expanding on that idea. I don't mean to get all self-helpy on you, but I'm just trying to live the message. And to live the message means to own what you believe and to share it with others. So, that's my goal -- own it and share it.

Dare to be different; explore a different side of yourself and have fun doing it.  That's pretty much the point of fashion, right? And the easiest way to experiment with that daring side? Well, with shoes, of course. No matter your waist size, bust size, thigh size or shoe size, every woman can find a pair of shoes that lets them be whoever they want to be. So, go forth, and dare to find out who you are or who you want to be, and let that woman be as different and unique as she deserves to be.

And may these designer and bargain looks be an inspiration to all:

 Designer Look

Giuseppe Zanotti Chiffon Flower Sandal, $695; Jimmy Choo Snake & Mesh Bootie, $1095; Mui Mui Buckled 3-Tone D'Orsay, $850.

Bargain Look

 Michael Antonio Tanno, $54; Naughty Monkey Hot Tequila, $79; Mix No. 6 Tulip Sandal, $39.95.

Uniquely Me

I often think about how my clothes reflect my personality. And sometimes I wonder if I'm influencing my style or if it's the other way around. I don't know if one is better than the other, but either way is okay.  We all inject our personalities in what we wear, and sometimes we wear things to help us become someone we want to be. And, in that sense, I use fashion to bridge my own gap between oddness and normalcy.  I feel like who I really am is someone who doesn't take fashion too seriously -- who likes to mix things up, show a little skin and not be afraid to try something different. But, who I end up looking like is someone who does care about fashion -- who is a little more buttoned-up, demure and cautious.

I guess what I need to come to realize is that the two styles of me aren't mutually exclusive. I can embrace both and find common ground. That's the great thing about fashion -- the boundaries are far and wide. And, here are two examples that exemplify this notion. One is a little sexy and whimsical, while still being demure, and the other is a classic silhouette, but made of denim making it deliciously daring.

 

Anthropologie, Land of Springs Dress, $118 

 $118; Talbots, Bardot Dress, $159