White Hot Pants That Won’t Show Your Business

We all know the problem with white pants – they can get a little too “show and tell” *ifyaknowhatimean.

We want to look cool and crisp in their clean bright effortlessness, but we certainly don’t want our backside and Hello Kitty underwear on full display.

Thankfully, it’s possible to have great white pants without having to leave a room walking backwards. I’ve gathered four options from stores in West Town Mall to show you the different cuts and brands that give you comfortable coverage without cutting out the cute.

new york and company, the limited, ann taylor, white pants, how to wear white pants, the limited, fashion, summer fashion, knoxville fashion

Ann Taylor: These are actually eyelet pants, so they’ve got a great texture to them which will help mask any imperfections and panty lines. I also really like their relaxed look!

The Limited: For a more jean-like feel, go for these. With a skinnier silhouette they’ll play perfectly against billowy tops (or kimonos!).

New York & Co.: A long white pant is probably my favorite, and I can personally vouch for the greatness of New York & Company’s white pants. These would work in both the office and after hours with their slack-like shape. The material is heavy enough to give you coverage, but light enough to keep you cool.

White House Black Market: These are wrinkle resistant! AH! That’s so nice. And they’re the perfect length for showing off your cute summer shoes and pedicure!

If you’ve got your eye on a pair of white pants that aren’t in this list, I strongly advise you to read reviews. You’ll be able to learn a lot about the pants and whether or not to buy your size or not. Especially if you’re buying online, knowing if they run true to size really helps, and most of the time people leave that in the reviews.

For more on what’s trendy this season and whether or not you should incorporate it, check here, here and here!

Continue Reading

Why I Hate Talking About Trends

You’ll see me flinch when people start to talk about what the latest trends are.

This happens for one big reason, which I’ll get to in a second.

First I want to say that I’m going to be starting a series featuring a current trend. Because I realize people like to know what’s in style and they don’t always have the time to seek it out. I want to help you decipher what’s worth your money and what’s not. So some weeks I’ll show you how to incorporate it into your look and other weeks I’ll show you how to incorporate it into your trash can.

During my down time I don’t have my nose buried in Facebook, 9 times out of 10 I’m I’m reading other blogs, looking at the fashion magazines, catching up with fashion bloggers I follow on Instagram, or I’m reading the stream of emails I get everyday from big brands/stylists. I know what’s in style.

I just flinch when people start to talk about what’s “trending.”

Here’s why…*steps up to soapbox.

trends, what's in style, beauty blog, fashion blog, knoxville fashion blog, fashion blogger

My personal style mantra is if I like it then I’ll wear it. It doesn’t matter if it’s trendy or not. If it fits into my style aesthetic and makes me feel good when I have it on, then I’m sold. If the item happens to be on trend, so be it. Because of this I tend to either be wearing things after a trend has been around for a little while, or I’ll be into it before everyone else is.

Either way, doesn’t matter to me as long as I feel good in what I’m wearing.

What hurts me to hear is when people base their purchasing decisions on the latest item. I’m not kidding when I say I flinch when I hear people begrudgingly say, “well it’s popular right now, so I guess I’ll wear it.” I’d be more comfortable if they were scrapping their nails down a chalk board.

We can all thank the God above that I’ve learned to shut my mouth. However, I’ve also learned that my way of looking at style isn’t for everyone. Some people need to put away their cartoon cat sweaters and start caring about the latest trends.

Which brings me to the single most important word to remember when it comes to having great style: balance.

Balance is the key to all keys when it comes to what you wear.

An outfit made up entirely of what’s in style is going to not only be “out” within the next 10 minutes, but it’s going to look cheap and not showcase YOU one bit. On the other hand, incorporating a trendier item here and there will help keep you updated and fresh, and translates to the world that you’re current but still you.

So how do you know if a trend is worth buying into? You ask yourself these questions, and if you can honestly answer yes to all three then you’re not being a slave to fashion, you’re making fashion work for you…

1. Does the trend your considering flow with your style?

2. Is it age appropriate?

3. Do you absolutely love it for it and not just because it’s a trend?

If you can answer yes to all three questions, then great! Throw it in there. Mix it with your go-to pieces and translate YOU in a fresh new way!

Just please never ever never never wear something just because it’s in style.

I will pinch you so hard if I find out you are. So. Hard.

Continue Reading

The Lesson I learned From Colored Jeans

Don’t spend a lot of money on a trend unless you’ve first proven to yourself that it’s something you’ll love long term.

I bought my first pair of colored jeans back in 2011. They were very exciting to have, especially for someone who has an addiction to buying black (it’s an instant pop of color with these pants).
One thing I was careful to do was to never pay very much for them because I wasn’t sure if they were something I was going to love forever.


Over several months I purchased a total of 4 pairs (one pair of colored trousers, but I won’t count those). Each time I made sure to never pay more than $15 for them (in some cases they were less than $10). 

How do I feel about that decision now? Very very thankful. Because I (personally) am over them.
I wore them out when I had them, which means I got more than my moneys worth. Now I have no desire to put them on. I’m so thankful to not have $100 worth of clothes in my closet that I know I’m not going to wear again (most likely I will not, but if you catch me in a pair don’t point and shout. I’m only human).
If you’re looking to spend a lot of money on something that’s trendy, test its longevity first and buy the cheaper version. If you find that you really like it and if you think you’re going to feel that way for a long time, then invest in the more expensive version.

I know it ends up costing more in the long run, but $10 is a great insurance policy if you end up not liking what you would have spent $100 on.

It’s a lesson I learned from my colored jeans that I wanted to pass on to all of you.

Because everyday should be a spiffy day! :)

(Picture courtesy of hollyfurtick.com)

Continue Reading

Spring 2014 Nail Colors

Ready for some spring? Then check out these gorgeous spring nail colors…

I’ve got to admit, while I’m not a fan of pastels, any version of the color group in small doses (aka your nails) makes them seem a lot more chic and a lot less Easter egg. Especially when I pair petal pink nails with lots of black *grins.

As I mentioned pastels are kings of the color world this spring. A sky blue like this aptly named “Sky Nail” by Crabtree & Evelyn is a great option if you want to do something a little playful…

hot spring nail colors

If you’re looking to stay in the classic pink category then Crabtree also makes this gorgeous “Lady Slipper” which could add a beautiful sheen in just one coat or give you a little more depth of color with two.

hot spring nail colors

Coral is also a great way to go (and just happens to be the most universally flattering color). I think Essie’s version is spot on. It’s from their Resort Fling collection and is called “Alluring Coral Peach.”

hot spring nail colors

Finally, another great color category that’s both trendy and flattering are neutrals. Much like a nude shoe elongates your legs, so does nude nail polish elongate your fingers. If you want the illusion of long fingers, pop in at Clinique and pick up one of the colors from their nudes collection, and do it fast because it won’t be around for long.

nude nail polishes

Start stocking up on these gorgeous colors for spring and get yourself in the habit of having nice nails!

Continue Reading