I am absolutely loving these pointy-toe flats from DV by Dolce Vita.

Dolce Vita has long been one of my lust-after shoe brands, but is a bit on the pricey side.

DV by Dolce Vita is much more affordable and has some adorable shoe options, like this!

Every woman should own a great pair of pointy-toe flats, as they look amazing with many different outfits. My favorite pairing? Slightly slouchy skinny jeans and a faux-fur vest.

Do you have any pointy-toe flat favs?

When I told my sister I was buying a romper, she laughed in my face. I don’t blame her! I was initially very anti-romper, thinking they looked like toddler clothing or diapers remixed into adult wear. Awkward!

Rompers are a love it or hate it trend, but the four rompers above are undeniably cute and relatively inexpensive.

Will you be buying or wearing a romper this summer?

From left: Silence & Noise knot front gray jumper ; Ecote printed floral halter jumper ; Buffalo black twill romper ; Silence & Noise white romper

Maybe it’s the hint of Valentine’s Day chocolates still laying around stores, but there’s something about red and pink that really catch my eye. Accessories, pants, coats: everything looks better in these fun, flirty colors.

1. Delias has expanded their denim/pants collection to include 37” inseams and I couldn’t be more excited! I like the bold red color of these skinny jeans, but keep the rest of your outfit simple. An oatmeal or khaki-colored trenchcoat, some simple flats or boots and wooden or neutral jewelry would be best.
2. I like the zigzag print on this scarf.
3. Bold colors and satin go together like peanut butter and jelly.
4. Bright-colored lingerie is fun to wear underneath more serious clothing. No one needs to know you’re breaking dress code under your banker suit!
5. If you’re still scared of color, start out with a dark red or maroon to ease into it. This dress is a good example of a more subdued red shade.
6. Versions of these red shoes are popping up in every store. Pick up a pair!
7. Turtleneck dresses are a safe choice for work, but also translate really well for going out at night. You can dress this one up or down just by changing your shoes, tights or jewelry.
8. These slouchy red boots are to die for.
9. Babydoll dresses can be hard to pull off, but the trick is to make sure you buy a size (or couple sizes) smaller than you’d usually wear.
10. Stock up on lots of skinny belts in bold colors like red, pink and yellow to add pizazz to your basic t-shirts and dresses.
11. Although winter is winding down in a month or so, keeping a three-quarter-length sleeve coat on hand is smart, at least until the end of April. The nights are chilly and there’s nothing worse than being cold while trying to have a good time!
12. Red sunglasses make me happy each time I put them on. Try a pair like this for a quick pick-me-up while walking outside!
13. My favorite item listed here is this adorable dress. Even the buttons are cute.
14. Every girl–and I do mean every girl–needs a pair of red platform pumps.

What color do you prefer for spring fashion: red or pink?

Part of my rationalization for not being more creative is because I know I’m going to put a coat over everything I wear. If that’s the case, why bother trying?

Well, I should bother because there are lots of fantastic (and warm) winter style options.

1. Wear this adorable toggle sweater over a long-sleeved shirt, with skinny jeans, boots and a bright scarf.
2. Most waterproof and practical winter boots are fairly ugly. However, this cute pair from Target has a tie back so you can tighten the top around your jeans (preventing snow from wetting your socks). They also have a subtle wedge heel, which will glam up your outfit a couple notches.
3. This newsboy hat has a Blair Waldorf-like bow on the side.
4. Fingerless gloves are really practical: it’s easier to drive, text and open your chapstick. These have a cool military-inspired look.
5. Shawl-collar cardigans are chic and so comfortable. They look best with a more fitted look on the bottom (either jeans or a pencil skirt, for instance) and really interesting oversized jewelry.
6. If you have the moxie to try out a funky, faux-fur hat, by all means, wear one like this!
7. A traditional holiday sweater like this looks good with more modern pairings. I would try it with dark leggings, flat-soled boots and a great pair of earrings.
8. I would really like to open these Nine West boots on Christmas morning. I can’t lie: I love them.
9. Wear a spin on the traditional Ugg boot style with these cuffed sweater boots.
10. I really like these London Fog boots: they have a little wedge and are fur-lined on the inside.
11. When it comes to scarves, you can’t go wrong with plaid.

What do you like to wear when the weather turns cold?

To wear

From top left: Skull Bib, Raised by Wolves onesie, iPoo onesie, cute baby shoes, My Mom is Hotter than Yours onesie, and My Daddy Rocks onesie.

To Cuddle

From top left: Ludic the Woollyhoodwink, Billy the Tuff Bunny, Drunk Underwear Man (I wonder why its no longer for sale…?), and Bop’N Beep.

To Watch

From top left: Flights of Fancy Mobile and Moo Cow Mobile.

To Read

From top left: The Baby Owner’s Manual and The Baby Owner’s Maintenance Log, great introduction books for techie parents. Baby Fix My Car and Baby Mix Me a Drink, great educational books for your baby to learn how to do something useful for their parents

I’ve created an outfit that plays into a few of my current favorites:

1. Bold use of color
2. Whimsical, slightly vintage-looking touches
3. Birds!

Besides all this, the absolute best thing about this outfit is that every piece is available at Forever 21 online.

1. This whimsical blouse has a gorgeous colored print. The pairing of a flowy shirt with shorts gives a good proportion and silhouette.
2. The organic wood appearance of this bird necklace is perfect matched with vintage-looking attire.
3. I’m loving linen or cotton shorts for summer. The high temperatures this week will be in the upper 90’s, so you can see why shorts have become such an attractive option! This pair is classy, not trashy, and the fabric is versatile enough to be worn with many different tops.
4. Keeping with the bird theme, use this oversized tote to carry your books, magazines and other kitsch.
5. The color of these sandals is absolutely perfect: not too bright, not too dark. The eyelet detail is also timely, since I’ve been reading that eyelet is becoming more prominent again.

See you next time!

• Etsy.com

Etsy.com is addictive. With hundreds of thousands of items, you are literally guaranteed to find multiple things you absolutely musthave. Luckily, almost everything on etsy.com is quite affordable.

My favorite things to buy on Etsy include jewelry, vintage clothing and paper-related products. Most of these things are either re-worked new pieces (like American Apparel shirts with appliques) or created from scratch/by hand.

When buying jewelry from Etsy, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you are buying a genuine pearl necklace for around $20, contact the seller for a guarantee. Although it may be vintage and being re-sold for a steal, you want to make sure you aren’t buying something cheap or poorly made. There are so many quality sellers on Etsy that there’s no excuse for something that may fall apart or not live up to your expectations.

Keep an eye out for really unique items. One of my favorite things I’ve found on Etsy were bracelets with letters all over them made with different fonts…sort of an jewelry-themed ode to typography, if you will. The seller is taking a hiatus right now, but keep an eye on her shop space. You’ll want to pick one of these up when she starts producing them again!

Vintage clothing/items are another good thing to look for. There are plenty of home items and trinkets to be found at a steal of a price, and there is some very good vintage clothing. Just keep digging until you find a seller you like and then bookmark it!

The great thing about Etsy is that you are dealing with real people, not a large corporation. If you become a regular buyer, you can start a dialogue with the seller and maybe get alerts to new items before anyone else.

• Alloy.com

Don’t be put off by appearances: Alloy may seem like your average teeny-bopper clothing site, but it’s actually a fantastic resource for reasonably-priced cute clothing and has an amazing denim selection that every woman should look at.

I always give Alloy a rave review when people ask me where I got my pants or jeans. They carry every size imaginable. Many of their pants go up into the high-20’s plus sizes — and they also carry petite and long inseams. We’re talking long, long inseams: up to 37”, which happens to be the inseam I buy.

Some tips: look for stylish, fashion-forward clothing, not necessarily the stuff that’s marketed directly at the teen audience. Stay away from anything too cheap-looking.

As far as jeans are concerned, make sure you consult the size guide, because Alloy primarily goes by Juniors sizing, which means you may have to buy up a couple sizes from what you normally wear.

The shoes are another good section on Alloy. They copy designer looks at a really great price (usually less than $30), so give that a look.

Any question about jeans or pants? Let me know…I’m a veritable expert by now.

Check back next time to see my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE online shopping site. See ya!

Like I mentioned in my previous “Get the Lucky Look” post, Lucky magazine is a great source for hunting out new trends and styles to incorporate into your own wardrobe. The only problem with Lucky? Most of the clothing featured is way out of my price range. $250 for a blouse? $400 for a casual dress? I don’t think so!

Instead, I like to see what Lucky staffers wear to the office each day—and then find inexpensive ways to copy their outfits or styles. They’re in the fashion magazine industry, so I think “Cute Outfit of the Day” is a fairly reliable source for fashionable and creative style ideas.

Here’s some of the outfits that caught my eye recently–and ways to recreate them for much, much less.

Jenny Kang, Fashion Assistant

Jenny’s wearing a mix of high and low-end clothing: H&M, American Apparel and Chloe brands are all incorporated into her outfit. I like the casual-chic look of this, and you could wear flats or Chucks instead of heels for a more weekend-friendly version.

Jenny wore a three-quarter length sleeved white blazer with her outfit, but for the warm weather ahead, I prefer this Forever 21 short-sleeved version. The price is unbelievable: less than $16! This gray tee from Urban Outfitters adds a neutral base to the outfit, and I like the extra length on it, which gives a good proportion to the whole outfit. Skinny jeans are a must–and if you don’t have a dark wash pair already, these Truck brand skinnies from Alloy.com come in petite, regular and long inseams, as well as multiple washes and colors. These Madden Girl wedge heels have a little bit of a retro flair to them, but in case CutesyGirl runs out of your size, these 70’s-inspired Target wedges will also do the trick. For a last bit of flair, throw on a purple scarf: either this one from Forever 21, or this multi-colored one from Urban Outfitters.

Ann Brady, Associate Fashion Editor

I really like the way Ann has added equestrian-inspired pieces (like her boots and jacket) to what would otherwise be a casual outfit. The jacket, made of rich, supple and expensive leather, adds a classy touch, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a leather (or faux leather) jacket in stores right now. I’ve tweaked what Ann’s wearing just a bit, to make it more spring-friendly.

One of the cornerstone pieces of Ann’s outfit are her flat, brown boots. I like these from Urban Outfitters, although they are a little pricey. If you want a cheaper version, these boots from Forever 21 will also do nicely. Forever 21 makes a good pair of skinny jeans (my sister owns several) for less than $30. Pair them with this red belt from Target. On top, you could go two routes: either wear a brown leather bomber, like this one from Urban Outfitters, like Ann did, or try something a little different, like this wool bomber sweater.

Desiree Marr, Fashion News Contributor

Desiree’s outfit has a look that I often try to emulate: muted colors, feminine touches and a trendy bit here-and-there, like her platform boots.

Start off your outfit with a pair of black opaque tights, like these. Add a dress in a muted color palette, but with an interesting pattern, like this one from Urban Outfitters. Don’t worry if the dress has spaghetti straps or is sleeveless, because you’ll be adding a layer. Add some platform boots, like these from Urban, and a cardigan layer. I like this one from Forever 21 because of the preppy look, which would add a twist to the overall look, or this one from Lux that’s a perfect length for wearing over a dress. If you don’t feel like wearing the platform boots I mentioned, try these ankle boots by Isaac Mizrahi for Target.

Alexandra Willinger, Editorial Assistant

Alexandra looks cool and casual, dressed like I think a young Parisian would as she sat an outdoor cafe drinking cafe au lait. Maybe it’s the stripes, or maybe it’s the all-black look, but I’m definitely getting a European-girl vibe.

Leggings, like these from Urban, are perfect for tucking into boots. This striped long-sleeved shirt from Forever 21 is only–and you won’t believe this–$7.50. A sweater vest over the striped shirt and flat, buckle-accented boots complete the ensemble. Throw a bag over your shoulder, grab a coffee and you’re good to go.