closet essentials / the lbd

emma (from inspire and instyle) and i are so excited to make our closet essentials series a regular column! in case you missed our first looks- we each styled a pencil skirt two ways- you can find the post here and here. this week we decided to show you how to style a little black dress. the lbd is a closet essential because it can come in so many different forms suited for every personality. i went with a dressier dress, while emma styled hers more casually.

for my look i drew inspiration from the lady who made the lbd an icon- audrey hepburn. in breakfast at tiffany's she showed how an awesome dress can be styled simply and still be a jaw-dropper. my dress is vintage- i went through a huge antique store phase in high school and collected tons of vintage dresses. this is the one that reminds me most of audrey- i wear it every year on her birthday. i am a person that tends to overdress and over-accessorize, so it was a little hard for me to not add too much to this statement piece. i kind of love that it doesn't need much though- the white detailing and black buttons give it the oomph it needs. i wore my new bcbg (via marshalls) pointy heels, and kate spade orange earrings. i stole my headband from my sister (pretty sure it was forever 21- my hair was disgusting and needed to be covered up). my purse is also vintage. this outfit is simple yet professional. i would wear it for a meeting, wedding, or church. 

I am a shameless Kim Kardashian fan. I can't explain it but every time I see her on tv or see her on the cover of a magazine at Target, it's like a force takes over my body and I am instantly absorbed. She is just fascinating to me...and I can't help it, people!! My outfit is inspired by the great Kim K. and a laid-back look she put together while taking baby North to the doctor with Kanye. She rocked some Minnetonkas, and if Kim K. says they're chic, I say they're chic. The simple black drop waist dress is from Forever21 and the chunky knit cardigan is from Lucky. The Minnetonkas have been stashed away in the closet for years, but were originally purchased from Nordstrom. I paired this casual look with some classic sunglasses (a golden find at Hobby Lobby) and my usual collection of arm candy.