St Johns Town Center™

One of the things about Spring that I get MOST excited about (besides the beach, of course!) is the chance to bring out color pops!  And this Spring, I am smitten over lime!  While you may not want to invest in an entire expensive wardrobe of bright green separates, a great way to play with color and freshen up your look is with detail pops. You can add a splash of color through accessories, shorts, shoes.. anywhere!  This trend is a really great way to test some new colors without ditching your existing closet. 

So why lime? I love lime because its fresh for Spring and goes with almost EVERY coloring - blonde, brunette, auburns, pale, tan, dark skin - a very flattering, easy go-to color for a flash of spunk!

The most important thing to remember when experimenting with color pop is to be mindful of what you pair it with - for Spring, I like to use splashes of color to jazz up neutrals.  Try embellishing a simple nude cap-sleeve dress with a flirty jeweled necklace. Or pair your favorite jeans and white top with a new handbag.

If you're looking for something other than accessories, some neon lime shorts with a simple white top is a breezy beach look!  Anthropologie has some great neon inspired cardigans and sweaters that would pair perfectly with a dark neutral pencil skirt for a flirty work look.  And when you've mastered the lime color pop, don't forget to help the men out in your life with some fresh colors for their wardrobe, too! Try Express' fitted polos - they come in some amazing colors that you'll even want to steal! 

Don't forget that the most important component of style is health and wellness! Remember to stay hydrated while out color pop shopping with a super cute and trendy water bottle! Lululemon has some flashy bottles to introduce color to your healthy lifestlye! 

Lime Inspiration Board Links: (1) Kirsten Patchwork Lace Shirt Dress BCBGMAXAZRIA (2) Neon Stone Necklace J. Crew (3) Neon Boston Bag Forever 21 (4) AE Colored Denim Midi Short American Eagle (5) Lateral Neon Cardigan Anthropologie

Pull out your hard hats!  Strap on your tool belt!  In honor of the new Nordstrom and Phase III expansion to the St Johns Town Center, I am spotlighting fashion a la construction wear! However, don't go yanking on your work boots yet.. this is construction wear done chic! 

With pockets for all the necessities - lip gloss, credit card, iPhone.. wait.. you didn't think I meant nails and hammers did you?! - the cargo pant, is ready to help you ditch the handbag for the day! Lighten up in these easy and breezy Cargo Poplin Overdye pants by True Religion. Light weight and stylish, these are perfect for summer evenings at the park or beach!  To avoid the frump that cargo pants can sometimes conjure, make sure you pair them with colorful wedges or strappy heeled sandals. And keep the tight/loose rule in mind: If one is loose, make the other tight. Meaning - because cargo pants are a looser pant in style, make sure you wear them with a tighter shirt - I recommend something simple but chic like a cute cami or ribbed tank.

Every contractor knows the importance of protecting the feet, making the work boot one of the most essential components of construction wear.. and one I love to borrow!  I really like Steve Madden's Troopa Boot  because it comes in some fun and funky colors!  Perfect with some high waist denim shorts or cute floral shorties, there's a boot color for every mood! OK.. so.. you may not see construction crews wearing mint boots while building the new Nordstrom, but that doesn't mean we can't borrow the look! 

Keep your essentials near while remaining hands free with a tool belt - stylized! I like American Eagle's AEO Belt Bag best, its simple and unassuming while still adding character and texture to your outfit. I recommend wearing a belt bag with something slightly flashy - you don't want your bag to steal the show! Strap your bag over some denim shorts or skinnies and throw on a flowy floral cami.  A looser, longer top will hang over your belt bag a little, and conceal it from being such a strong focus for the eye. A little mystery never hurt a bag! 

Ok.. so this one may be cheating.. but everyone needs to protect this summer! Whether you're lounging by the pool, shopping through the St Johns Town Center, or putting a roof on Phase III, your skin deserves to be taken care of! I love Kiehl's Vital Sun Protection. It's relatively inexpensive, light weight, and long lasting. There is virtually no scent, and the bottle is androgynous.  Kiehl's is mostly known for their great line of men's skincare, so this is something that you and your man can share! Kiehl's can be found in Dillard's or Blue Mercury! 

Despite being only one and a quarter mile and a mere few minutes, the Kentucky Derby is still one of the most well attended and well publicized sporting events in the United States.  Held every first Saturday in May, the Kentucky Derby has spawned into a week long festival filled with fun and campy parades, contests, and events! However, one of the most famous aspects of the Derby is not the horses or the mint juleps, not the roses or the betting, but rather the amazing array of crazy hats and bright attire that can be seen all over Churchill Downs! 

This May 4th, the St Johns Town Center is throwing a party to honor the Kentucky Derby and showcase the race! Starting at 5PM, its hats on for the Kentucky Derby! Filled with specials, champagne toasts, fashion shows, and contests - the St Johns Town Center is all about hats and horses! 

Kentucky Derby style is a fantastic way to try out some very new and very bold looks, as the theme of the event is all about having fun and expressing your inner sillyness in a classic and time honored way. An easy go-to for Derby style is mixed prints! Don't be afraid to pair floral shorts with a striped top or a gingham dress with a polka dot cardigan - you can never be too flashy for the derby! 

Soma Intimates has some GREAT dresses in all lengths and cuts! This black bandeau dress with cheery white dots is perfect for that classic Derby look (left). And while you're out trying on dresses for your party look, scope out some things to pick up May 4th. Soma is having a special Derby party deal of $20 off a $100 purchase! Try throwing a bright, patterned cardigan with this dress for some mis-matched derby style (right). Gap has some great ones and they're also running a Derby special, only during the party, for 25% off one regular priced item. Can't beat style, horses, AND deals! Where's my mint julep?

For the guys, now is the time to stretch out your color comfort zone! Go casual-chic in a button-down, tie, and pants but with a custom color flair. Throw in some pastels or brightly colored ties with Khakis. Or go all out and grab a Derby-perfect seersucker jacket. Brooks Brothers has some great men's patterned jackets - in plaids, stripes, and solids. They also have an amazing collection of pastel pants that would be a great way to dress up for the Derby!  And remember to stop by Brooks Brothers during the Derby party, they're having a secret sale and you won't want to miss it :)

And for Derby women's style - we can't forget the hats! Brooks Brothers has a great collection of Derby hats in lots of colors and styles, some already Derby-glammed with florals and adornments, like this coral Wide Brim Straw Circle hat (left). If you want to go a little more self-expression, dress up floppy brim hat from Target (right). I think this could use some over abundant glitter and plastic horses, no? Remember.. nothing can be too crazy for the Derby! Show off your outlandish hats in Private Gallery during the party and get $5 off. And make sure you enter the hat contest for a chance at some great prizes! 

There are going to be many more deals, specials, contests, and fun at the St Johns Town Center's Kentucky Derby Party so make sure you stop by and check it out from 5PM to 9PM on May 4, 2013!  I'd love to meet you and your crazy hats! :)

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If you've come to this blog from another city or mall, unfortunately the deals listed above are only for the St Johns Town Center location during the Kentucky Derby Party, but that doesn't mean you can't dress up and hit the town in your own Derby style! 

Cobalt.  That rich, vibrant blue. It echoes the deep ocean and mirrors the afternoon sky. It shines like a sapphire and glistens in gorgeous glassware. Its also one of the hardest colors to wear. Not for lack of cobalt's beauty in textile, but because it can be a difficult color to match. Unlike traditional blue denim, cobalt is not a neutral; however with careful pairing, this intense blue can be a beautiful look for all skin and color tones - and is definitely a color you should look to incorporate this Summer. 

Although cobalt's intensity makes it a little less versatile than other shades of blue, with some simple and easy rules of thumb you can rock the color with no problem! American Eagle has a really great, all purpose short that comes in a great shade of cobalt. Bottoms are a great way to introduce a new color into your wardrobe because they're a little more forgiving to match than tops. And a great way to start is with ultra simple neutrals. The obvious neutral shades are black, white, and grey - and these would look amazing with the bright cobalt shorts, but an overlooked more trending neutral is soft rose pink. The juxtaposition of subtle pink with the vibrancy of cobalt is a striking look. Try pairing this Metallic Dot Chiffon Cami, also from American Eagle, with your cobalt bottoms. You could try the same look with some cobalt skinnies for a sleeker look - True Religion hits on the spot with their Natural Big T Super T Jean, and it looks just great with those black and butter pumps. 

Urban Outfitters' Silence & Noise Textured Knit Skater Dress comes in a gorgeous cobalt, that would be a great Spring/Summer addition to your closet! An easy way to accessorize cobalt is to think of ways to warm the vividly cool blue up. Break out your golds and bronzes for jewelry accessory or wrap with a butter yellow or lime inspired scarf. Private Gallery's Striped Infinity Scarf comes in a pretty chartreuse that would look great with the UO dress! 

Don't forget to accessorize with cobalt! Louis Vuitton has added the color to their current collection in subtle interior and button pops that make for a stylish surprise! Doesn't the signature LV tan look great accented with cobalt in this Marie Wallet? Love it! Or wear a little cobalt on your wrist with Coach's Zebra Turnlock bracelet! 

So what's your take on cobalt? Is it something you're willing to try? Are you already rocking the color? Share with me what your favorite cobalt look! 

As a kid, my dress up phase consisted more of pretending I was a puppy than a princess. Trudging around on all fours, I used my mom's eyeliner to draw whiskers on my cheeks and a dot on my nose. Flash forward to college where I avoided the parties involving a theme - is it required, I always asked? Post college, I was relieved to be excused from occasions where I'd have to don a costume. Don't get me wrong - I love fashion - but a theme? A costume? The pressure is all too much. For me, fashion is very fleeting - what I feel good in now. What's in style this moment. What makes me different immediately. Costumes and planning and themes.. just takes the surprise out of entering a party in something unexpected. 

So imagine my chagrin when I learned an upcoming party I am attending was proudly hosting a theme. Ugh. A theme? I thought for sure I was past such pressures! Alas, I will not allow myself to sit this one out - so there I will be.. dressed a la 1970s. 

Luckily for me, 1970s is a great theme. Way preferred to most other decades and leagues above "anything but clothes" or "tacky prom". My mind is already running with style options.. do I go "hippy" of the early 70s or "disco" of the late? Should I just dress as a Village Person? What would John Travolta do? So all of this costume theme planning really got me thinking of modern, stylish ways to incorporate the free spirit of the 1970s.. 

One of the best ways to capture the ease and breeze of the 1970s is through fringe. Free moving and organic, fringe was a staple in the 70s era of non conformity. And what better way to style fringe than through a vest! Quite possibly the greatest piece of layering gleaned from the 70s. Buckle has the greatest collection of vests that I've ever seen. Everything ranging from sweater-inspired vests to denim to sparkle - they truly have something for everyone. These fringed vests were some of my favorites! And just marvel at that variety! All three of these vests are fringed, yet have such very different looks to them! 

For some reason, when I think of "gogo boots" the only color that comes to mind is white. And while I don't necessarily advocate bringing back knee high platform boots, there is something to be said for the other famous shoe style of the 1970s: the wedge. Great for summer, when you're outside in the warmer weather on uneven ground and ultra versatile for nearly every outfit, wedges are a fabulous take away from the 70s! Steve Madden has my favorite collection of wedged sandals. For the purposes of this post, I am going to focus on white - but Steve Madden has great wedges in all colors and patterns. So go crazy with them and make sure you select a color that fits your style and wardrobe best!

For the party I'm attending, I've decided to go more "hippy" than "disco".. so that makes head pieces ultra relevant. Luckily for me Urban Outfitters has the best selection of amazing hair accessories! From floral to chain to classic wrap, they have everything! The head piece is probably the most exciting component of dressing for the 70s to me. I just can't decide which style to go for.. I really love them all. 

There are many more styles and trends from the 1970s.. these are just some of my favorites to incorporate on an on-going basis! Summer always brings out an element of throwback - and the 70s seems like the perfect landing spot for 2013. Are there any looks from the 70s you love? Or suggestions for my party attire? Comment me!