Purple Week, Day Four: Purple Thwarted

The end of Purple Week is nigh, and today's outfit is regrettably sedate. I was planning to wear some awesome aqua-hued pants with it so that there would be like an aqua + yellow + purple trifecta happening, but it turns out that I'm still a smidge too pudgy to fit into my aqua pants at the moment. Hmmmph. So boring ol' "accommodate those love handles" jeans it is.

top, f21

cami, j.crew

jeans, gap

sandals, lauren by ralph lauren

Move along now, not much to see here. I'm getting sleepy just looking at these pictures of my outfit. YAWN. But tune in tomorrow for my Friday send-off to Purple Week!

And now, your much more exciting purple outfits!

Jenn of Complex Cardigans is wearing my favorite yellow + purple color combination here. The skinny little belt, shorts, and zebra flats add some personality and fun to this ensemble, and I can just imagine wearing something similar when I'm out and about! Also, I'm fairly certain I need a cardigan in this exact shade now.

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I've been following goldenmean's blog for quite some time, so I can personally vouch for the fact that she is always putting together really fun and girly outfits! I'm always in awe of how fun all of her outfits always look... She went all the way with her purple outfit, throwing in awesome purple wedges and purple hair. Love!

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Tomorrow's the last installment of Purple Week, so if you have an outfit you'd like featured, send it in to me before 5 p.m. Friday at amy.kelinda@gmail.com!

Purple Week, Day Three: Purple + Aqua

We're halfway through Purple Week and today I'm sporting a different shade of purple. This hue leans more towards the red end of the purple spectrum rather than the blue end. I got the idea to pair it with my aqua top after doing laundry and seeing them neatly folded on top of one another. It just kind of clicked in my head, like, "Hey! That could work!"

Don't you just love off-the-cuff inspiration? Sometimes that's where the best ideas come from!

top, h&m

cardigan, j.crew

skirt, j.crew outlet

heels, j.crew collection

belt, j.crew

Yeesh, I'm all J.Crew-ed out today and I didn't even notice until now! I guess that just goes to show that J.Crew looks great when worn with more J.Crew. That's probably part of their ingenious plan to take over my closet.

And now, your takes on Purple Week!

Julie of Julie of All Trades is back with a sweet plummy dress! I love the kerchief tied around her neck, too -- very chic! It takes the dress from basic to just a wee bit funky, which is in no way a bad thing.

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Purple doesn't have to end with just your clothes, it can go all the way down to your toes! (That rhyme was unintentional, but I'll take it.) 'Tia from Fat and Fierce is rocking some seriously purple heels, paired with a pink button-down. Pink and purple just makes my inner little girl squeal!

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Proving that purple can come in all shades, here's Jen (Vintageglammz) and her mauve-y dress! This is just layered perfection -- I love the tights, boots, and that incredible trench. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous...

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Angela (Notes from the Dressing Room) is incredibly bold when it comes to her fashion choices, and I just love it. For instance, take her outfit here. That is a bright shirt, and a bright skirt, and a fun patterned cardigan, and she wears it so well!

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Want to join in the fun? Send me your pictures to amy.kelinda@gmail.com!

Purple Week, Day Two: purple + stripes

I told ya'll that I'd try out the "stripes + purple" combination for myself this week, thanks to AppGal's inspiration from yesterday. And here it is! And with purple Barney-hued pants, no less. I find that the "normal" pattern of stripes helps to tone down the loud-ness of the colored denim.

top, j.crew

cami, cotton on

stretchy whiskered skinny jeans, f21

flats, j.crew

The photos may show otherwise thanks to some wonky color balance issues (this is the first time I've noticed the colors not matching up to real life so dramatically), but trust me, these are some purple pants. Check out the Forever 21 website product link up there to see a truer representation of what color it is.

My only complaint about these pants is that either these pants stretch out a lot during the day, or I dropped two sizes while whittling away at my desk. While I prefer to believe the latter is true, I'm pretty sure the true culprit is the former. So while these pants feel like they run small initially, they'll stretch out quiiiiite a bit during the day, which makes finding the right size understandably perplexing. I'd go with your regular size.

Now here are your lovely purple outfits:

Here's Noelle's (beautygirl24) awesome magenta ensemble -- how lovely is that flowy top? I love how it's balanced out with the skinny jeans and bold accessories. Really, can I have that clutch?

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Kristin (Lovely Apidae) has on an incredible retro-style purple blouse. It has bib detailing and teeny tiny polka dots? I'm sold! I love how feminine it is too, especially with those glasses and tattoo! The cool camera doesn't hurt, either.

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You all know I'm a sucker for prints, and Mariah's (Mind of Mister) funky printed skirt makes me want to find something paisley-patterned for my closet, stat. The classic purple sweater is the perfect counterbalance to the busy print -- wearing something solid is one of my favorite ways to tone down an otherwise too-crazy print.

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A cute, girly dress is always welcome, and Ashley's (Ashley Getting Dressed) is no exception. I love the wee little flower print, and I covet her side hair twist, too. Something for me to try to emulate? Hmmmm...

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Dea (the Dea Diaries) is back with another adorable purple outfit! The pretty floral skirt and white top just screams summer, don't you think? And I mean the good parts about summer, too, like going to the pool, lighting up the BBQ, and lots of lemonade. Yeah... that's the life...

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Another return purple-r, here's ADC (A Daily Checklist) with Round Two! That skirt is just darling, and hey, we're stripes + purple twins today! Great minds think alike!

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Want to join in on Purple Week? Send in your photos to amy.kelinda@gmail.com!

welcome to purple week!

Welcome to Purple Week here at kelinda.KELINDA! I'll be wearing something featuring my favorite grapey hue every day of the week, and I'll also be featuring all of the lovely purple-y outfits you all have sent in to me. After all, the more purple love during Purple Week, the merrier!

To kick things off this afternoon until I update again this evening with my own purple OOTD, here's Boyfriend, rocking a manly purple shirt from this past weekend:


And just so you guys don't miss me too much from now until 7 p.m., here I am giving you all The Crazy Face to tide you over:


Now, here are your Purple Week ensembles!

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If you've ever read Tara K's Mix and Match Fashion (which you should!), you'd find out pretty quick that this stylish lady knows a thing or two about awesome color and pattern pairings. Here, she's sporting a perfect summer outfit, and in one of my favorite color combos, too -- purple + yellow!

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This outfit from Lisa of respect the shoes showcases the reasons why I love her style: the unexpectedness of the orange, gray, yellow, burgundy, green, and purple colorblocking, the sassiness of the outfit, and the incredible way she always pulls it off with such aplomb. Teach me!

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You better believe that I'm going to take a page from AppGal's (Musings on the Mountain) outfit here and do my own "stripes + purple" pairing this week! This look is so fun and flirty, and the swishy skirt just makes me smile.

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Dea here of the Dea Diaries is always cute as a button. I mean, look at the fun ruffles, and the romantic yellow-tipped skirt! I want it all... and throw in that gorgeous bag while you're at it, too, please.

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This is why I love reader submissions -- I just discovered a new blogger to follow! Aili from Jane Squared sent this in and I just love how lady-like this is. The soft purple and green is such a wonderful pairing, and something I never thought of doing before. Ah, you gotta love inspiration...

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Go show ADC some love over at A Daily Checklist -- she has such a feminine eye to outfits that I just adore. I mean, look at that yellow pencil skirt. Just look at it. Is it not the perfect thing to wear with the almost-lavender cardigan? I want it. It needs to be in my closet.

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I don't know what I like more about this picture -- the big, rolling clouds in the blue sky, or that festive purple-printed skirt on gorgeous Julie (Julie of All Trades)! I know I always appreciate a fun print when I see one, and also, I am digging the crossbody bag. Heck yes.

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Want to send me your own (or another) purple outfit for Purple Week? Email it to me at amy.kelinda@gmail.com

BREAKING THE RULES WEEK: TIGHTS + SANDALS

Hello all to the final day of Breaking the Rules Week. It's been a blast, and I definitely will be doing another feature that you guys can participate in again soon (once I think of a brand spanking new theme)!

Let's dive right in to our final rule: Never wear tights with sandals. So without further ado, here's my brazen sin against today's sartorial commandment:

Now, I definitely don't advocate donning tights with flip-flops or anything (because really, how is that even possible?) (toe tights?) (eww), but tights with a nice substantial "sandal" can definitely work. I got these wedge sandals from Macy's a while back during one of their insane sales. I've unfortunately worn them only twice before the weather turned cold, so imagine how surprised I was when I ended up loving the way they look with tights!

The key to making sandals work with tights is to make sure that you choose a sandal with some weight to it. These have thick straps and a solid construction, which lends itself to looking appropriately cold-weather when paired with tights. Flimsier, more whimsical sandals may look too summery to work. Since mine are clearly sandals too, I paired them with matching black tights to downplay the sandal-ness. I can see the same method working on espadrilles, too!

And now, your wonderful outfits --

First up, we have Lisa's (Confessions of a Call Center Gal) rebellion against the rule. Before I even get to the sandals, I just want to tell Lisa that I pretty much want to swipe that skirt from her. Subtly shimmery and such a pretty silver color! I absolutely love it with the lilac-y cardigan, too. Lisa's sporting a nice sandal-style pump here, which has that necessary weight and heft we mentioned earlier in the thick straps, suede material, and square heel. It's definitely a chic look that proves open-toed (and open-sided) sandals can come out to play even when it's gray outside!


Next up, we have Felicity's (oh my my, oh) fashionable shunning of fashion rules. Her sandal is essentially a classic peep-toe black pump, which I absolutely believe can be worn with tights in every which manner and still look amazing. Felicity's blue tights work well to heighten the quirky factor of wearing open-toed shoes in the winter, and it brings a level of edge to an otherwise already sleek and elegant outfit. I adore the look of the belted cardigan!


Finally, we have Jen (Vintageglammz) rocking an awesome sandals with tights outfit. I love her long-blazer-with-dress look, and the white tights are a nice touch. The entire ensemble has a preppy feel to it because of the plaid dress, blazer, and white tights, but the peep-toe pumps just add a bit of kick (get it? shoes? legs? kicking? nevermind). I can totally see Jen strolling around a prep school in this, garnering disapproving looks from the school marms because of the outfit's sassiness, haha! Amazing!

So what have we learned about making sandals work with tights so that you can get more wear out of them when the warmer temperatures have gone? Keep the sandals weighty with thick straps, a solid heel, and a substantial material. Also, if you want to downplay the fact that you are indeed rocking sandals with your tights, choose tights that match the color of your sandals.

Well, that wraps up Breaking the Rules Week. Have a great weekend, and I'll see you all Monday with our regularly scheduled programming!

BREAKING THE RULES WEEK: MONOCHROMATIC

It's the second to the last installment of Breaking the Rules Week, but we're not slowing down just yet! Today, we are breaking the old adage to never wear one color head to toe.

And here is my flagrant defiance of the anti-monochromatic fashion law:

Yeah, the shoddily drawn heart is there because I am ashamed of how pudgy I've gotten and I was committing some serious muffin-top crime in that photo. I changed into better fitting pants afterwards (still black) that solved the problem, but I didn't have enough time to snap new photos.

I didn't realize beforehand that I don't actually own any tops and bottoms in the same color, especially since I had already put my only navy blue skirt in the hamper. Thus, my only real option was to do a highly predictable all-black outfit. My apologies for a lack of creativity on my part, but I'm sure the following ladies more than make up for me!

First up, we have Sarah (That Damn Green Dress) wearing an awesome cinnamon-y outfit. All of the main pieces are J.Crew and she mentioned that dressing monochromatically with J.Crew is pretty easy -- as she said on her latest blog post (which features more amazing monochrome ensembles), "Emma Pillsbury's secret is revealed!" I really love what Sarah did with breaking up the single-color look with interesting details, like the ruffles on the cardigan, the jewelry, the shiny belt, and the shiny shoes.


Next, we have Heather (commonwealth girl) doing another take on the "wearing one color head to toe" rule -- wearing essentially the same color, but in different shades, which is a great way to pull any outfit together. She's donning one of my favorite shades from J.Crew, too: burnished olive! It doesn't surprise me that J.Crew is so prominent in this particular challenge, as one of the best things about J.Crew is their amazing color selection.


Finally, we have JG (Stuff Jewish Girls Like), sporting her very own blueberry-inspired outfit. But rather than looking like Violet from Willy Wonka-dom, she looks cute and polished! Different materials and textures break up JG's monochrome look, such as her skirt with button details and the wonderful seams on her shoes. In fact, I could hardly even tell that she was wearing all the same color when I first saw this!

[UPDATE]

Eeek! I accidentally left out a lovely blogger who sent in a monochrome outfit too. So here's AppGal (Musings on the Mountain) with a beautiful blue-hued look! I absolutely love how sleek she looks, and the top, cardigan, and skirt make this look like a great dress. In fact, if there were a dress out there that looked like this, I'd be all over it. Take note, retailers!


All in all, to make your monochromatic outfit work without looking like a Power Ranger, take a lesson from these gals: wear varying shades of the same color or break up the ensemble with interesting textures and details on the pieces you choose.

Join me tomorrow for the very last installment of Breaking the Rules Week -- wearing tights with sandals. Got a submission? Send it on over to amy.kelinda@gmail.com. See you all then!

BREAKING THE RULES WEEK: SPRING IN THE WINTER

Well, well, let's just get to it, shall we? It's Day 3 of Breaking the Rules Week here at ke.KE, and today's broken rule is: Never wear spring colors and prints when the weather is decidedly un-spring-like.

Here is my cheeky heedlessness of that unjust maxim (how many more ways can I write this sentence? MANY):



As long as you're warm, I don't see anything wrong with wearing spring prints and colors in the winter. After all, who couldn't use some bright springy colors and patterns to perk up those dreary gray wintry days? If you feel too odd wearing florals and vibrant hues in the winter, try adding some more autumn-y colored pieces to the outfit, like my black tights and burnt orange cardigan. This could help "winterize" any spring piece!

And now some fabulous winter-time spring looks from you guys --

First up, we have Tara (Mix and Match Fashion) with an outfit that makes me yearn for warm, sunshine-y days. The skirt is bold like wildflower fields in full bloom, but the rest of the colors are wonderfully wintry. That blue top and soft gray-lilac cardigan remind me of ice ponds and the color of the sky right before it snows, which are perfect to help "winterize" this otherwise spring-perfect outfit! Also, I love how her cuddly pup is in the background, checking out the passersby downstairs, haha!

Here we have Lisa (Respect the Shoes) sporting a vibrant spring green in the dead of winter. Seriously, how refreshing does this color look now that we haven't seen a single blade of green grass in months?! She topped it off with a warm blazer and snug boots, which works to not only keep her warm, but also to "winterize" the bright green color. I absolutely adore this, and Lisa, you look amazing in green.


Here, we have Allison (Smart and Sassy with Sprinkles) wearing a floral dress at a time when few flowers are in bloom. Still, looking at this ensemble, I don't think, "Why is she wearing a spring dress when it's barely breaking 10 degrees outside?" Instead, I just think, "AMAZING." Dark floral prints are absolutely fall and winter appropriate -- even more so than spring appropriate, in my opinion, despite them having flowers on them. Her jacket and scarf make it an even more cohesive cold-weather look, and I love the rock-and-roll edge this outfit has!


Next, here's JG (Stuff Jewish Girls Like) take on bringing springtime to winter. Her photo even sells that wonderful contrast between barren, snowy weather and a cheery spring ensemble! JG told me that she got this amazing See by Chloe dress for a scant $18 while thrifting -- $18, people. That is unheard of! I really love the colors JG has going on here -- the dark background of the dress, the yellow tights, and that awesome green cardigan all make this look so vibrant against the more muted colors of winter! How could you not smile if you passed her in the street?


And last but not least, we have Peggy (She Hath Done What She Could) wearing a deliciously punchy outfit! Really, these colors look almost good enough to eat, haha! Am I the only one who feels that way about certain colors? (anyone? anyone? no?) The blouse and skirt undoubtedly brighten up a cold morning, while the snuggly socks and boots keep it seasonally appropriate. And as always, I adore Peggy's loose curls. Envious.


So what have we learned about bringing spring into the winter time? Stay warm, think bright, tone down the vibrancy with some more autumn-y colors, and that cutting up 4 pounds of potatoes and celery root for a gratin is hard work without a mandoline.

Okay, that last part has nothing to do with anything, other than that it is true. My hands still ache.

Join me tomorrow for Day 4: wearing a single color head to toe. If you have an outfit for this, send it on over to amy.kelinda@gmail.com!