Tibi Lady Liberty Sweater

This gorgeous intarsia sweater is a part of Tibi’s New York City inspired pre-fall 2013 collection:

It was the last look of the show, which I loved in its entirety. Brittany Adams of Style.com said it best when she noted the brands commitment to wearable clothing: “Amy Smilovic has been playing her cards right at Tibi for the past several seasons. Having shifted her focus from party frocks to clean basics, her business is now doing better than ever…You don’t need to be fashion mad—or have a superstar’s budget, either—to appreciate these clothes.”

Smilovic said “it’s important to show people how we would wear something,” which I think they did successfully. The minimalist, street styling worked perfectly with the theme of the show, and though I can’t pick favorites, because the entire collection was so perfect, here are three notably great looks:

Photos: Style.com

I love the middle look, not only because of the letterman jacket (how hip,) but because the lines in the sweater were inspired by a subway map…and seriously, who doesn’t love a clever sweater? But the most fabulous were the shoes. There was a strappy and a bootie…two of my favorites:

They are both so now, and chic, and simple. Love them!

I couldn’t resist styling the Lady Liberty sweater myself. If I were a rich girl (cue Gwen Stefani song in your head) this is how I would wear it:

TIBI sweater / DOLCE & GABBANA jeans / CHLOÉ coat / MANOLO BLAHNIK heels / YVES SAINT LAURENT bag

I really love white coats, like this one by DKNY. They allow you to really play with your accessories and colors. This look would not have worked with a different colored coat. The bag and shoes would have looked ridiculous against anything other than white, but because the rest of the outfit is relatively simple (emphasis on relatively,) it works.

The shoes remind me of a cab, but not in an obvious way. If TAXI was written on the side of them then it would be cheesy. But because they’re Manolo’s, also very New York (thank you Carrie Bradshaw,) and have clean lines, they add some fun and a pop of color. The purple YSL adds even more color and is complementary to yellow. I’m obsessed from head to pointed toe.

Printed Pants

Printed pants are great for throwing a chic outfit together in a hurry. All you need is a basic top and some accessories to look like a trendsetter. Here’s one of my favorite looks for printed pants:

MOSCHINO pants / VIONNET top / ALEJANDRO INGELMO booties / MARC JACOBS bag / BALENCIAGA watch / ALEXIS BITTAR earrings / JENNIFER MEYER ring / KAREN WALKER sunglasses

The graffiti printed Moschino pants add urban flair. I paired them with a simple, chic top and some edgy booties to keep that cool girl vibe flowing throughout. When wearing a print it’s advised to play off of the colors within it for only one accessory…if that. You can stay safe and keep everything neutral, but a pop of color can be a nice way to break up the outfit.  Just be sure to keep the rest neutral or you could end up looking like you skipped the mirror.  (By the way, I’m absolutely obsessed with this Balenciaga watch…but who wouldn’t be?  So amazing.)

If this look is too downtown for your taste, don’t fret.  Printed pants can be done in pretty much any style.  Here’s a more uptown version:

PRABAL GURUNG pants / JUNYA WATANABE sweater / WALTER STEIGER pumps / VINTAGE CHANEL bag / ZADIG & VOLTAIRE cuff / HAIDER ACKERMANN scarf / HOUSE OF HARLOW sunglasses / OASIS earrings

Simply amazing. Zoe Saldana wore these pants to the fall 2012 Prabal Gurung runway show.  They are from the spring 2012 RTW collection and stole my heart the moment I saw them.

Zoe opted to wear them with the ankle zipped open to show off her Nicholas Kirkwood for Prabal Gurung pumps.  She paired the pants with a turquoise blazer from the same collection and looked oh so fabulous. Perfect amount of class with a little bit of edge.

If you’re more of a bohemian girl, you’ll love this look:

YVES SAINT LAURENT pants / ACNE denim blazer / TOPSHOP top / L.A.M.B. shoes / 3.1 PHILLIP LIM bag / IRENE NEURWIRTH earrings / RAY-BAN aviators

I do realize I use the term “bohemian” loosely considering these are $2000 pants, but even rich girls need some hippie style in their repertoire, no?  Pairing loose pants with a crop top is a good way to avoid swimming in fabric.  Adding a denim blazer (a more polished play on the denim shirt) is a great way to transition this outfit from day to night.

Here is a more affordable version of the printed pant look:

RIVER ISLAND pants $47 / WAREHOUSE top $37 / ZARA clutch $30 / RIVER ISLAND pumps $85 / TOPSHOP earrings $10 / WEEKDAY rings $10 / NIXON watch $68 / DOROTHY PERKINS belt  $8 / JACK MARTIN sunglasses $13

Again, I picked up the color from the pant with the clutch and put two trends together: printed pants and neon. This outfit comes to a total of $308 dollars with nothing costing over $100.  Proof that you can still be chic on a budget.