Much Love, illy: How To with Color.

Hello, friends! My name is Ilene of Much Love, illy. I am super stoked to be posting my very post over here on The Delightful Dozen - and today I am very excited to chat it up on the on-going trend of color. Anyone that knows me or has visited my part of blog world knows my mad obsession over color. 

So of course, with pops of bright color being an ongoing trend from previous fashion and current seasons, I am over the moon about the many ways one can incorporate color into their every day wardrobe. I also get a lot of questions from readers who love the color trend but don't know how to make the brave move of including color into their outfits. Here are a few suggestions of how to slowly make the mood to include color without feeling color-shy:

Start small. Include small pops of color - and this could be done in so many ways. You could select a pop of cherry red to your nails or a brighter shade of red lipstick. Statement necklaces or chunky colorful rings bring a loud shout out without feeling over the top - or add a neon clutch to add that punch of color without you feeling self-conscious about it! And remember take baby steps. Take it an accessory at a time till you are comfortable with moving up the scale.

Take it up a notch with matching accessories and wardrobe pieces. Feeling a little bit braver? Start trying to match brightly colored pieces. Loving the colored denim trend? Find a pair and match it to a large statement necklace. Or match a top with shoes. You can be safer by keeping colors identical - but wanna mix it up a bit? Keep colors in the same color family but find pieces in a variety of shades to keep colors more fluid.

Add color to your make-up. A trick to including a lot of color to your make-up without feeling like a clown is to keep the entire outfit within neutral shades. Notice in the above photo  that I'm wearing a light brown sweater and underneath that is a white shirt. I also passed the lipstick that day and used a lip balm. I also would suggest using a nude lipstick to compliment the bright blue eye-shadow. I would reverse this if you decide to do a bright lipstick and keep the eye makeup neutral.

Keep it neutral then BAH-BAM! Like the make-up suggestion, keep the entire outfit neutral and then add that POP with something neon. In this outfit, I kept the flats neutral and the jeans loose and relaxed. Then neon yellow isn't as intimidating because it's not competing with other bright colors. 

And that's a wrap! For all those color-shy friends, I hope I was able to inspire you to make a little step forward to add that pop of color to your winter wardrobe now so that you can explode with color come spring! And for those that are color-obsessed like me, what are your suggestions for color wardrobe additions? Please share - we'd love to hear your thoughts! Happy Thursday, friends! xo.

Pretty, Pretty, Pleats

Hello lovely ladies (and gents), Kikelomo from Style from {9 to 5} here, and I am quite excited to share my first article as a member of the Delightful Dozen!

As a lover of classic and ultra-feminine clothing pieces, two sartorial staples in my wardrobe are pleated skirts and bow blouses. Since Terra from Stylish White Female recently shared a creatively stylish piece on blouses that tie, I will highlight the versatility of pleated skirts.

Pleated skirts come in many varieties, with the most common styles being accordion , knife, and box pleats. These varieties certainly lend themselves to being greatly versatile, which means that they can be dressed up or down, depending on your personal preference.

So here are some tips for personalizing your pleats:

Belt It: Update classic accordion pleats with a wide, eye-catching belt. A belt will add visual interest to your overall look, and also serves to define the waist and provides structure to an otherwise flimsy garment.

Go Bold: Further add personality into your look by adding a bold top, sexy patterned tights, or lively shoes. A pleated skirt in a solid color will offset a large scale print, while still producing a well-balanced look, that is still full of impact. Polka dots, houndstooth, chevron, or an ikat print are lovely current trends to pair with a pleated skirt.

Unusual Fabric: The easiest way to infuse new life into an old classic is to use an unexpected fabric. A fun metallic or foil print is perfect for a night out on the town; an intricate jacquard or rich brocade skirt lends an air of formality, suitable for a formal event such as a wedding or business environment; a flowing chiffon or soft silk can be either formal, spiced up with heels, or dressed down with cute flats and a simple t-shirt.

Another Layer: In my personal style journey, I've found that one of the simplest, but most effective ways to finish a look is to don a blazer, jacket, or a cardigan. Whether your aim is to look formal or casual, fabulous is all in the details.

Style & Pepper: Closet Confessions

Image of Charity D'Amato's gorgeous closet via Design*Sponge

Today, let's talk about a little something that can be a major point of excitement, stress, inspiration AND frustration in our homes: CLOSETS!  

Most of us have at least some little corner of a house/room/dresser/winnebago that we keep our beloved wardrobes, and I've seen quite a fair share in my day to day work.   I'm always fascinated by how different people arrange and manage their things, and I love picking up little tips and tricks from real-life clients and around the web, that provide fun and helpful organiztional ideas. 

Our recent downsize means that my wardrobe has been gradually getting smaller and smaller by the week (you can shop for the goodies that have got to go HERE) but I'm always up for a little re-organization, so check a few of my favorite recent creative solutions below!

Image of the Brinson's bright bedroom via Design*Sponge

1.  Use unconventional items or pieces of furniture for storage.  I use this particular trick all the time... My shoes and accessories are in an armoire meant for a dining room (just like the top photo), my dirty laundry gets tossed in a giant plastic beach bag, my out-of-season clothes hibernate in suitcases in the family room, and my jewelry hangs on a found piece of driftwood! (Here's my step-buy-step DIY on how to make your own.)

Image via Simple Decor

2.  Use metal bookends to keep your purses from slouching over onto each other.  The fancy shelving above would be a dream for your accessories, but metal bookends like these do the trick just fine and don't cost very much money at all.

Image of Rachel's storage solution via The Glitter Guide

3. Creating extra storage space out of utilitarian pieces and then making them pretty.  There are so many places that sell generic closet organization systems (Ikea, Home Depot, Target, etc.), and if you're like me, you may have a random collection of bins and racks floating about.  I have pretty strong feelings about matching hangers (these are my favorite!), but there are ways in which you can disguise those mismatched boxes and dry cleaner bags with a thoughtfully placed curtain or some fabric!

I hope you can use some of these helpful ideas in your own abodes, and feel free to share your own clever closet tips in the comments!!!

12 Delightful Things

Welcome to another edition of 12 Delightful Things! Enjoy!

1. Let's face it: many of the gals in the DD are animal lovers, but we seem to have a shared affinity for kittens... that's why Style & Pepper thought she'd share this adorable origami cat bookmark tutorial!

2. Delightfully Tacky is craving a pair of these awesome high waisted capris from Pin Up Girl Clothing.

3. A new user of the iPhone, Blonde Bedhead has been searching for the perfect case and... it sold out! So here is another one from the Brooklyn Bakery Store! (Bahaha, sorry. Her link was broken.)

4. Selective Potential wants to find a cute, vintage globe for her new apartment.

5. SWF thinks Keira from A Pretty Penny has the most wonderful ideas for simple decorations. Seasonal flowers encased in upside-down wine glasses being used as candlesticks? Perfect.

6. Much Love, illy adores polka dots and thinks this Shopbop dress should find its way to her closet STAT! Perfect to layer with for the colder days of winter, but of course just right for the days of spring (just around the corner - eek!)

7. There's no reason your phone shouldn't be dressed as smartly as its owner, and Style from {9 to 5} loves this fun Kate Spade iPhone cover.

8. Realizing she lacked any sporty footwear, Kansas Couture recently purchased some classic hi-top sneakers.

9. This chocolate mousse has been floating over M Loves M's head ever since she saw it on A Cup of Jo!

10. This iPhone case from photojojo has The Dainty Squid drooling! Who doesn't want their phone to look like a cute camera? Plus - you actually get to use the shutter button to to take pictures. How sweet is that?

11. Here's Looking at Me, Kid hopes she and Phil will someday be as awesome as this couple!

February Music Monday

Blonde Bedhead - Cubism Dream by Local Natives

SWF - Holy Holy by Wye Oak

M Loves M - 1901 by Birdy (Phoenix cover)

Selective Potential - Young Blood by The Naked and Famous

Kansas Couture - Most Wanted by Cults

Blue Collar Catwalk - Love the Way You Walk Away by Blitzen Trapper

Much Love, illy - Two Birds by Regina Spektor

Style from {9 to 5} - Flaws and All by Beyonce

Delightfully Tacky - Livin' in a New World by The Roots

The Dainty Squid - Settle Down by Kimbra

Here's Looking at me, Kid - You Send Me by Sam Cooke

I'M WITH THE BAND

Happy Friday!  It's Kyla from Blue Collar Catwalk.  I can't believe I'm posting as part of the Delightful Dozen!  So exciting!

As my first post, I thought it seemed appropriate to highlight the one thing in my wardrobe that I may never outgrow.  The one thing that bridges all seasons and adds the perfect personal touch to all styles.  The band tee.

Needless to say, my favorite band tees are from actual concert experiences, but I'm no snob, so the right reproduction will suit me just the same.  I work in a business casual environment and love working a band tee into a work outfit every now and again.  It's certainly not for everyone, but here's how this music-lover makes it work.

Pair it with a pencil skirt. 

This is my most recent acquisition.  My most favorite band AND a roller skate?!  Why, hello, lover.  The bright color happens to be spot on for this year's coral craze, and was the perfect pop to a grey knit jacket and black knit pencil skirt.

Top it with a blazer.

Bright colors certainly don't hurt either.  I'm not much of suit girl, or do I have a need for a suit.  But the tailored blazer and casual tee combo is a sure-fire way to take your musical muse to work.

Pair it with something equally rock and roll.

What could be more rock and roll than sequins or leopard print?  Granted, these two looks are a little more night on the town and less work appropriate, but they're fun and stylish nonetheless.  Bonus points for baseball tees!

Tuck it in!

Just because it's a t-shirt doesn't mean it has to be big a baggy and worn over your bottoms.  Take the edge off the rock and roll vibe by tucking it in to slim-fitting basics.

Do you have a secret love that's more Walk This Way than runway?

How do you fit it into your everyday style?

Lee & Birch Ruffled Cardigan Giveaway!

Hey, Delightful Readers! We are giving away this so-cute Lee & Birch coral ruffled flowers cardigan just in time for Valentine's Day! It's a size medium. If you're interested, just leave a comment below with your Valentine's Day plans. ♥

(Styled by Selective Potential, A Thought is the Blossom and Adored Austin)