If you’ve been reading my blog, you’ll know that I’m a fan of fashion juxtapositions. I love mixing vintage with modern, girly with masculine and sweet with tough. Here’s yet another example and it has to do with studs. Back in the ’80s when studs were hugely popular (remember Madonna and her studded black leather jackets?), I never ventured into that rock ‘n roll territory. I was too much of a goody two shoes to adorn myself in such tough leather and studs. It would have felt too costume-y for me.
But I’ve since learned that I can incorporate the rocker look in small doses and in doing so can up the “cool” quotient of any of my more feminine pieces (and Lord knows I have a ton of them!)
This entry is about mixing studs, and spikes with sweet pieces like lace, skirts and dresses. The first outfit is something I wore to work today. It all started with my new H&M find, this navy lace top which I found for about $30. I brought it home thinking, I could easily wear it now this summer, and transition it into fall because of the darker color.
I paired it with this red skirt which is actually half of a Calvin Klein suit (always think about your suits as being separates for increased wearability!) and being that I was wearing red, it seemed perfect to pull out these studded red ballerina flats to match.
The Zara flats have this cute Chanel-like chained ankle strap that makes everyone take a second look. I had 2 co-workers today try to figure out whether I was wearing ankle bracelets or whether the strap was part of my shoe.
Do you see what I mean though about balancing out the girly lace with the edgier studs? It gives the outfit a little more interest than say, if I were to wear a pair of red pumps; don’t you think?
That necklace is my mom’s btw. I make a point to steal something from her closet every time I visit 
Okay and now to the 2nd sweet studded outfit. This one was also something that I wore to work (last week). And this time I mixed a vintage lace sheath with a more modern Patrizia Pepe black blazer while again contrasting the girly lace with spiked belt and shoes.
Sorry the photo is a bit grainy due to the bad lighting but you get the picture (pun intended). Below, you’ll see a close-up of my spiked accessories. Hopefully, if you didn’t think you could do the punk look, you’ll agree that it is highly do-able in small doses.
You wouldn’t normally think to wear spikes with lace but I think these pictures prove that the contrast works! 
By the way, I’ve been thinking about selling this Chanel leather purse. So if you want it, make me an offer I can’t refuse! It’s in great shape!
By the way, if you’re noticing what looks like Scotch tape on one of my eyebrows, that is surgical tape. Instead of getting stitches, you can sometimes use this new surgical, breathable, waterproof tape to adhere two parts of cut-open skin. Thank God for it because I’m a huge crybaby when it comes to pain and needles! Okay, so you’re wondering what happened to me… I’m sorely embarrassed to say that I was retarded enough to walk straight into a street sign. Yea, and as if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, I now have to repeatedly re-tell the stupid story of how I was so fixated on the going out of business -last day sale that I walked myself straight into a pole. (blush)
I truly am a fashion victim.
This is my Sinclaire trench coat from Saks Fifth Avenue. I wore it out with a detachable fur stole also from Saks.
The back bow is what makes this trench coat so special.
studded headband
This is a navy halter dress by Rebecca Taylor that I bought at Bergdorf Goodman years ago. I love wearing it in the summer but also can easily transition it for the cooler months as shown in an earlier post here.
I winterized the dress by adding tights in a fun contrasting color. Can you believe I purchased them at the dollar store??
The shoes are BCBG and the green purse is vintage (stolen from my mom’s closet)
The blazer is Forever 21 ladies. My co-worker thought it was Marc by Marc Jacobs.
