I went to a Cheap Trick concert this week. I like a lot of their songs, and I had a huge crush on the lead singer (Robin Zander) when I was young. It was a really fun concert! It was also fun to get dressed for it because I don’t go to a lot of concerts.

I don’t know what I was trying to do with my hands. Whatever it was, it wasn’t quite working, was it? LOL

The pieces I wore are ones that I pull from my closet over and over again. Here they are:

Vince Camuto Denim Jacket, Free shipping and free returns. $99. Finding the right denim jacket can be tricky. If they are cut too large, they will make you look bulky. I love this one from Vince Camuto because it’s fitted and not too long. By layering a longer T-shirt or tank under the jacket, you make your top half look longer (great for short-waisted women) and slimmer (great for anyone). The top I was wearing under my jacket is actually a ruffled minidress I saw at Forever 21. I wore it bunched up a bit, and it hid the croissantummy I developed in Paris last week. A black ribbed tank from Old Navy (they’re about $8 each) works great too, or there are a multitude of tanks out there with spandex in them to hide a muffin top. This jacket comes in white too, great with bright denim for summer!

Skinny Camo pants. Free shipping and free returns. $48. These are the pants I was actually wearing at the concert. I loooooove them. Normally I wouldn’t wear moto boots (see below) with the camo pants, but I was going for a rocker chick look. I have been wearing them with ballet flats, a long cardigan and a scarf. In the summer, I will wear the pants with a striped sailor shirt or a T-shirt with a collar. (If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know that I love to juxtapose hard and soft or feminine and edgy).

SoftWalk Motocycle Boots. Free shipping and free returns. $148.95. I was very iffy about buying motorcycle boots because that’s not my typical style, but I find that I wear them ALL the time! I wore them a lot in Paris last week, and they were perfect for the beer scum floor at the concert last week. I’ve worn them with a long maxidress, skinny jeans, shorts and tights, etc.

Top Shop Spike Bracelets. Free shipping and free returns. 5 for $30. My wrists are very skinny, so I wear a men’s watch and a couple bracelets to hide them. I would break these bracelets up and wear them at different times with other bracelets in my jewelry box. These would be great with a pearl bracelet (say it with me: juxtaposition) or mixed with other silver and gold link bracelets.

Vince Camuto Leather Bracelets. Free shipping and free returns. $58 each. I got the leather cuff I’m wearing at a store in Paris for 10 euros, but I think the ones below are totally chic and a great price. Depending on how you want to wear them, you can make them look rocker or more sophisticated. I would wear some thin link bracelets with them to add to the look.

Bonnie Jonas Mixed Chain Necklace. Free shipping and free returns. $38. What an amazing price for this really interesting necklace!!! I love it!

Here are some tips for how to dress cool without trying too hard:

• Pick easy pieces that don’t look overworked (a plain jean jacket vs. a studded jean jacket).
• Make sure everything fits you perfectly (this is a very, very underrated part of looking chic!!!).
• Jewelry pulls the look together but don’t wear anything too match-matchy. It should look like you’ve thrown it all together quickly, even if you didn’t.
• Wear pieces that are an updated version of a classic (like my camo pants in a skinny silhouette.
• Jewelry doesn’t have to cost a lot, but it shouldn’t look cheap. I mix real and fake together, a trick I learned from reading about Coco Chanel.
• Leather instantly adds a touch of cool to an outfit. In the summer, a leather bracelet is tres chic. It’s usually more comfortable to wear than a metal bracelet, and the price is usually better than for other jewelry.

If you’re a Cheap Trick fan too, here are a couple pix from the concert.

Hard to tell what Robin Zander looks like because he had a hat on that covered his eyes

We were really close to the stage!

This is a terrible photo, but I think the background colors would make a great silk print. I can’t help but relate everything to fashion!

xoxo

Illysia