Mz Savvy Style Loves Athens ~ Encore ~ The LBD

There are wardrobe staples that every girl needs in her closet ~ dark wash jeans, two button down shirts, ballet flats, nude heels, cardigans, two to three pairs of tailored pants, boyfriend jeans, two skirts, simple t-shirts for layering, classic trench coat, basic accessories, black heeled knee boots, brown riding boots, wellies, jacket or blazer, black pumps and a LBD (little black dress).  As a personal stylist the wardrobe staples are the things that I focus on first when working with a client and then build out the rest of her wardrobe around them.

I'm always on the hunt for the perfect wardrobe staples to recommend to my clients and this LBD or little black dress is one that I'd love to have in my closet!  It's fit and flare styling is flattering on anyone as is the jersey fabric it's made of, the detailing of the cutouts around the neckline and hem ads interest without being overwhelming and...it has pockets, which is always a plus in my book!  When you are looking for a little black dress look for one that can easily be dressed up or down depending on the accessories you pair with it.  In this look I styled the LBD for a night out with a cool statement necklace, a lace-up heel, a graphic clutch and of course, a red lip!

What I'm Wearing ~

LBD: Susana Monaco c/o Encore Athens 

(more LBD's here and here)

Statement Necklace: Boho Gal c/o Encore Athens

Graphic Clutch: BCBGeneration c/o Encore Athens

Lace-up Cage Sandals (one of spring's hottest trends): BCBGeneration via T.J.Maxx

(similar here, here and here and this leopard print pair is at the top of my wish list!)

Red Lip: L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in True Red

Have you entered my giveaway yet?  It's easy to do and who wouldn't want to win a great spring outfit or a $200 Encore gift card?  Enter here ~


a Rafflecopter giveaway

XO Mz Savvy Style

Linking up with Friday's Fab Favorites, Monday Mingle, Funday Monday, Mix It Monday's, Trend Spin Linkup and Style Sessions

Mz Savvy Style Loves Athens ~ Encore ~ Leather Joggers for Spring

I love joggers especially a great leather (or faux leather) pair (proof here and here) so when I spotted these by Line & Dot on my styling day at Encore I knew they would be the base to one of my outfit choices.  They are buttery soft and not heavy at all so they are perfect for the winter to spring transition period or to wear well on into spring especially when paired with a cute tank like the one I'm wearing.  I really love the drawstring waist detail which adds a little something when you do a front-tuck with your shirt.  Speaking of the front-tuck ~ did you know this makes you appear slimmer and your legs look longer than letting your shirt hang out or tucking it in all the way around?  Try it for yourself and see what you think.

Joggers: Line & Dot via Encore (I'd LOVE this white pair!!)

Tank: French Connection via Encore

Shoes: Anne Michelle (they kind of came home with me!) via Encore

Bag, Necklace & Earrings: Encore exclusive

Have you entered my Encore giveaway yet??  Up for grabs is your choice of the outfit I wore in this post or a $200 Encore gift card!!  Either one you choose is a win!  Enter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway And don't forget that I'm hosting a Sip, Shop and Style at Encore in Athens on Thursday, April 10th from 6-9pm! Sweets and sips from Chic Sweets, awesome giveaways though out the night, the latest in spring fashion, shoes and accessories and styling by yours truly! Come join me! 

XO Mz Savvy Style


Linking up with Random Wednesday, The Pleated Poppy and Working Girl With Style

Mz Savvy Style Loves Athens ~ Encore and My First Ever Giveaway!!

I've got some really exciting things to share with you!!  All this week and into next I will be featuring Encore, one of my favorite shops in Athens (actually one of my favorite shops anywhere), in my blog series "Mz Savvy Style Loves Athens" and I will be showing you some of the hottest in spring fashion from the store.  I am also teaming up with Encore to do my first ever blog giveaway!  Encore and I will be giving one lucky Mz Savvy Style reader their choice of either the outfit featured in today's post or a $200.00 Encore gift card to purchase anything from the store!  Y'all, I wish I could enter ~ it's a good one!!  And...that's not all!!  I am hosting a Sip and Shop at Encore on Thursday, April 10th from 6-9pm!  There will be sweets and sips by Chic Sweets, exclusive after-hours shopping and a 20% discount, AWESOME giveaways though-out the night, styling tips by yours truly and the latest in spring clothing, shoes and accessories!  If you are anywhere near Athens I'd love for you to come out and sip, shop and style with me!!

If you follow my blog or Instagram you know how much I love Athens.  A few months ago I decided to feature my beautiful little town and some of it's shops in a series I'm calling "Mz Savvy Style Loves Athens".  I started my series last month with Agora Vintage.  If you missed any of the Agora Vintage posts you can see them here, here and here.  This week and into next I will be featuring Encore, a women's clothing and accessories boutique located on East Clayton Street in the heart of downtown Athens.  Encore has been providing the Athens area fashionistas with the latest clothes, jewelry, shoes and accessories since 1980.  Just because Encore is located in a college town doesn't mean you have to be in college to shop there.  Encore has something for everyone ~ from the tween to teen, college girl to the working girl and for the 40 something and beyond girls like me.  They also offer a items in a wide range of prices.  There really is something for everyone!  I think that's why it's one of my favorite places to shop, I can go in there and find the perfect thing for myself, for my girls, for my mom or for a friend!  

Today's outfit totally says "spring"!!  I wish the weather was saying the same thing the day I shot these pics!  It was freezing outside at the time so I kept the photo taking to inside the store which is ok because it's such a large, beautiful store it created a great backdrop!  I love the look of tailored shorts and a great nude heel.  It makes the leg look long and lean.  These tailored, floral shorts are by Line & Dot which is one of the featured lines at Encore and of which I am a huge fan!  Their clothes are on trend without being too trendy, tailored without being stuffy and classic without being boring! The fabric, cut and quality are top notch too.  I think three out of the five outfits I styled for this series have at least one Line & Dot item in them.

What I'm Wearing ~ Floral Shorts: Line & Dot (dress version here) | Peplum Top: Susana Monaco | Bag: BCBGeneration (on super sale at Encore!) | Necklace: Boho Gal | Bracelets and Earrings: Encore exclusive | Sandals: Sam Edelman (I'm thinking I will own them soon! They are the perfect spring/summer go-to shoes. Similar here, loving this metallic version and these wedges are so fun for a casual spring shoe!

All items are currently in stock and available at Encore.  You can call the store at 706-354-8826, like/message them on Facebook, visit their website or visit the store at 186 East Clayton Street, Athens, Georgia!  And of course you can come shop at Encore with me on April 10th!

Now for the giveaway!!  It starts today and will run though the morning of my shopping party, Thursday, April 10th.  The winner can choose either the outfit (Line & Dot shorts and Susana Monaco peplum top) or a $200 Encore gift card!  Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Linking up with Monday Mingle, Funday Monday, Mix it Monday, Trend Spin Linkup and Style Sessions

Spring Shoes

Happy First Day of Spring, everyone!! The weather decided to cooperate and celebrate spring's arrival with sunshine and 70 degree temps here in Georgia. It's about 20 degrees warmer that it was yesterday. I hope it's not just another tease but a sign of the way things are going to be for a month or three! Spring and warmer weather make me crave all things spring fashion and one of the super hot trends this season is caged sandals. Basically caged sandals are super strappy. I'm slightly obsessed, especially with the lace-up and knee high gladiator versions. Of course these leopard beauties are at the top of my must-have-for-spring wish list!

Which ones are your favorites?

XO Mz Savvy Style

Transitions and Trends

Even though spring officially starts tomorrow the weather in Georgia is still in major transition.  The last few days have been like the dead of winter ~ cold and rainy.  I'm over it.  I spent some time this week at one of my favorite Athens shops, Encore, styling some spring outfits for an upcoming blog collaboration and it really got me in the mood for warmer weather!!  Shorts and dresses and tanks with toe baring shoes!  Come on spring!  But until the temps rise and stay that way my wardrobe will continue to be in transition ~ which means layers.  Today I wore a turquoise moto jacket with faded, deconstructed skinny jeans, a thin snow leopard sweater and the newest addition to my shoe family, black lace-up cage sandals, which I bought for my spring go-to shoes.  Every piece is currently a trend too.  I'm glad faded jeans are making a comeback for spring.  They seem more spring-ish than dark denim, don't you think?

What I'm Wearing ~ Jacket: Walmart years ago!! (I'm loving this ombre moto jacket and I have a hot pink one on my wish list) | Sweater: Old Navy (old) | Jeans: Old Navy | Sandals: BCBGeneration via T.J.Maxx (similar versions from Nine West and Jessica Simpson) | Bag: Kate Spade (Nordstrom, almost identical version here) | Necklace: Fab'rik Athens last year (I'm totally obsessed with this one from Bauble Bar)

Speaking of my collaboration with Encore...next week I will start a series of posts with spring outfits I styled at Encore and along with the posts I will be doing my first ever giveaway!!  Woo hoo!! I'm super excited!! Stay tuned because you are going to want to be in on this!!  And that's not all...for you in the Athens/Atlanta area, I'm hosting an exclusive after hours shopping party at Encore on Thursday, April 10th and you are all invited!!  There will be a 20% discount, tons of cute spring clothes, sweet treats, giveaways and styling tips by yours truly!  It's going to be so much fun!!  Mark your calendars and come shop with me!!

XO Mz Savvy Style

Linking up with Random Wednesday, The Pleated Poppy and Working Girl With Style

Estée Lauder, Macy's and Lilly Pulitzer

Hey Friends!

Do you love makeup? Do you love Lilly Pulitzer? Well if you answered "yes" to either or both of these questions you are in luck because Estée Lauder and Macy's have teamed up with Lilly Pulitzer to offer an exclusive gift with purchase until this Sunday March 23rd!  Choose a free 7-Pc. gift with any $35 Estée Lauder purchase through Macy's.com.  The free gift with purchase includes makeup valued at $120 and a one-of-a-kind Lilly Pulitzer cosmetic bag available only through Macy’s.  Nothing says "spring" better than Lilly!  You can even customize your free gift based on which color of cosmetics you prefer ~ subtle or bold. 

Even more exciting is that Estée Lauder has launched a new skincare and foundation calculator, a great tool to help you find your ideal product. I know finding the right products is something I always struggle with. After a short interactive quiz, the calculator helps you identify the perfect product(s) for your skincare and beauty needs and you are all set!  Try out the skincare finder here and the foundation finder here.

Estée Lauder, Macy's, Lilly Pulitzer, free makeup and makeup bag and an easy way to find out what best suits you?  Sounds pretty great to me!

Shop for your free gift here

XO Mz Savvy Style

I was not compensated for this post ~ I just like to share fun stuff with my readers! Enjoy!

Green and Boucle

I love, love, love the color green ~ especially kelly green ~ but for some reason I don't have much of it in my closet.  The shoes and top I'm wearing today plus two cardigans, earrings and a pair of jeans are about the extent of my kelly green wardrobe.  I'm not sure why that is...but I think it needs to be remedied!

Boucle jackets are a different story.  I have several and I'm always on the hunt for a few more like this one I saw the other day in the window of Juicy Couture.  Boucle jackets are so versatile, you can dress them up with a dress or skirt or dress them down with skinny jeans or boyfriend jeans, which is my favorite way to wear them.  You can pretty much wear them year round but I tend to get the most wear out of my boucle jackets in the fall and spring.  They are the perfect "I need an outer layer but not something heavy" jacket.  Plus I always feel a little "Coco" when I'm wearing one and doesn't every girl love to feel a little "Coco"?

(Sorry about the quality of these pictures...It's been raining for two days which makes it hard to get good pictures! I was standing under the awning of the garage so I didn't get wet but the lighting was terrible!)

What I'm Wearing ~ Jacket: Charming Charlie's last year (similar here and here) | Top: Entourage Athens (old, similar here and I love this sleeveless version) | Pants: Old Navy (very old! Similar here and here) | Pumps: Qupid (old, spend here and save here) | St. Patrick's Necklaces: Party City

XO Mz Savvy Style

More green for my closet and yours ~

More Boucle I'm loving ~

Linking up with Monday Mingle, Funday Monday, Mix It Monday's, What I Wore Sunday, Trend Spin Linkup and Style Sessions

ModCloth Uniquely You

ModCloth Uniquely You by mzsavvystyle 

Spring is quickly on it's way and once the temps begin to rise above 60 degrees I start craving pretty spring clothes...especially dresses since most of the winter I opt to wear pants and leggings.  ModCloth has a wonderful selection of spring dresses ~ all very retro inspired and very ladylike.  I've got several on my spring wardrobe wish list!

(Linking Up With Working Girl With Style)

XO Mz Savvy Style

Shoreline Memories Dress | Spritz A Wonderful Life Bag | On The Bright Foot Heel | Retro Rosie Earrings | Works Wonderland Bracelet Set (2) | Beach Who You Are Hat 

More pretty dresses I'm craving this season...

OOTD

When I saw this t-shirt on Instagram I knew I had to have it!  #OOTD IS every fashion blogger's favorite hashtag!  Each month Whitney of the blog I Wore Yoga Pants To Work designs a t-shirt of the month and makes it available for purchase on her blog and Instagram.  Each shirt is only available while supplies last so I placed my order the minute this one came on my news feed!  I decided to wear it with my favorite jeans and a lightweight leopard bomber jacket.  Perfect for the winter to spring transition.

What I'm Wearing ~ #OOTD Graphic T-shirt: Whitney of I Wore Yoga Pants To Work (no longer available but I'm LOVING this one from Piperlime and this one from Sincerely, Jules | Bomber Jacket: Forever 21 | Jeans: Blank Denim via Private Gallery Athens | Booties: Fab'rik (no longer available, similar here and they are on sale! | Bag: Vintage Coach via Agora Vintage (similar in British Tan here and I'm loving this gorgeous red bag from Rebecca Minkoff

Have you started your winter to spring wardrobe transition?

XO Mz Savvy Style

Linking up with Monday Mingle, Funday Monday, Mix It Mondays,  Random Wednesday, The Pleated Poppy, Style Sessions and Trend Spin Link Up