Lovely Patty

I spend a fair amount of my life fantasizing about having my own "What Not to Wear" -style TV show. Whenever I get to style my friends' closets or purge their wardrobes, I get to live out the fantasy a little. In this case, it was less of a "what not to wear" and more of a "you look awesome please wear this" scenario. My style partner in crime (the lovely and oh-so-stylish Raina) and I teamed up to style Patty's wardrobe, and what you'll see in this post is a little taste of the results. Having a gorgeous subject with an uh-mazing wardrobe made it all the more fun.

These looks can be easily recreated, and if you're curious about any of the pieces, submit a comment and I'll do my best to tell you what they are and where you can find them. If you take anything away from this, let it be that sometimes you have just what you need in your closet; you might just need a rainy Thursday night and a couple of girlfriends to take it that extra mile.

(Oh, and I apologize in advance, my camera was apparently not focusing properly and these pictures are a little blurry.)

I'm starting out with this look, because frankly, Patty looks gorgeous! In case you have a short attention span and don't have the patience to make it to the bottom of the post, I didn't want you to miss out on this! This simple black blazer paired with a v-neck white tee and a stunning necklace creates an efforlessly cool and chic day or night look. The necklace gives it that extra pizazz, which turns an otherwise plain sort of look fabulous! Also notice the nude wedge--an all-around staple this season.

Don't be afraid to mix patterns, in fact, I encourage it (Mondo Guerra, anyone!??!). A of my colleagues that solicit fashion advice fall victim to owning an entire wardrobe of solids. If you're terrified of pattern, then start small: purchase a blouse with small polka dots (like the one seen here), or buy a sweater with stripes. If you're feeling more adventurous, try a boldly patterned skirt or a floral dress, which can easily be paired with a cardigan to make it office appropriate. Check out how fabulous this polka dot and plaid combination looks!

This blouse is unbelievably multi-functional. I love this look--leaving the tie down and pairing it with a chunky sweater and a wide-leg trouser. The fun shoe sets off the outfit, but a simple black or grey pair would look great too.

A new trend that I'm starting to see is layering cardigans. I love this short-sleeved grey cardigan over the rose pink one. This is a fun look to get us through the cold until spring!

This gorgeous peasant blouse offers a lot of different looks, and mixing up the accessories and shoes can keep the look fresh.





Again, a statement necklace can really spice up an outfit.  

Shorts are completely en vogue right now, so pair them with a wedge or a platform heel for a hot date outfit.

Downplay a dress with a great belt and a cardigan to make it great for day wear (and for climates like San Francisco, layering a cardigan means you might actually get to wear a sundress more than twice a year).

This is one of my favorite outfits! I feel like she should be drinking Cuba Libres in Havana. Salud! 

Pairing a cropped leather jacket over a sweater looks effortlessly cool. Black leather is great, but a cognac or brown shade is so modern.

And now , a testament to Patty's ridiculously awesome taste in shoes--a pair of incredible Chloe boots. I have such major boot envy I can't see straight. Patty even let me try them on (conveniently, we wear the same size shoe). What can I say? HEAVEN.