Oh Chambray, How I Love You So

Button-Up: Levi’s (similar)
T-Shirt : H&M (similar)
Jeans : Forever 21
Boots : H&M (similar)

Here’s a little twist on the Canadian tuxedo. Just wearing denim on denim is fun, but it’s always nice to add a little extra visual interest. Here the stripes add that extra pop. I love how the brown accessories here take the outfit a little cowboy, but the stripes bring it back to the present.

I’ve gotten tons of wear out of this shirt, but it’s definitely stretched out a little over the past year. Or maybe I’ve just lost weight..haha yeah right. Either way I think I’m going to get it altered or try taking it in myself. I’ll let you know how it goes!

This outfit was part of my “9 Ways to Wear a Striped T-shirt” post. If you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to check it out.

Why Wear a Vest?

T-shirt : Target

Necklace : Forever 21 (similar)

Shorts : American Eagle (similar)

Vest : Unknown (similar)

Shoes : Kenneth Cole Reaction

For the longest time, I didn’t understand the appeal of vests. Especially the big puffy ones. Why would someone want the warmest part of their body warmer but not want to cover up their arms? It made no sense to me.

While I still don’t understand the appeal of thick bulky vests, I think the lighter ones are great layering pieces. Think of them like an airy cotton scarf: they  don’t offer much warmth, but they add an interesting detail to an outfit. While I’m still on the hunt for the perfect denim vest, I’m enjoying styling this crochet back vest in different ways.

It was in the mid-80s here yesterday, so I wanted an outfit that I wouldn’t melt in, but at the same time I didn’t want to just throw on a t-shirt and shorts. I think this was a great was a great compromise, and a perfect way to wear a vest.

Tip : Don’t overwork any outfit with a vest, especially if you’re using a vest with a lot of detail work like this one.Use it as the focal point of your outfit and then add a few other little pops.

I wish I’d gotten a good shot of the back of the vest, but it’s this really pretty crochet lace that really pops with the teal peaking out from underneath.

The Versatility of Button-Ups

Top : New York and Company (similar)
Skirt : Forever 21 (similar)
Tights : Target (similar)
Shoes : Unknown

A girl can never own too many button-ups. They’re a great way to elevate an ordinary outfit. I typically pair this skirt with a simple shirt, but this time I needed something a little more dressed up, and this outfit definitely fits the bill.

Tip : Take an outfit that you typically wear a plain t-shirt with, and switch it out with a button up of a matching color. The result will be a slightly different look, but a still perfectly matched pair.

You will notice that I’m wearing tights again, but don’t worry. The weather’s just fine and springy here in California. These were just taken when it was still a little colder and I just realized I hadn’t posted them yet.

 

Featured Fashion Link Roundup 4/21

I’m excited to inform you that Dress Up on a Cloudy Day has been featured once again on IFB’s weekly fashion roundup! This week one of my posts from my “How to Combine Colors” series has been featured. If you haven’t seen it already, I hope you take a moment to check out my featured post : “How to Combine Colors : Analogous Colors“, as well as the other post from the series : “How to Combine Colors : Complementary Colors“. Keep your eyes peeled for more tips on how to combine colors!

Make sure to also take the time to check out all of these other great posts in the roundup! Some of my personal favorites are Nothing to Wear’s post on hairstyling for beginners ( I’m definitely going to try to experiment with some of these in future posts), Fashion Moriarty’s post regarding “Are female politicians reduced to what they wear?“, and tips on how to achieve your creative goals by Celeste from Fashion is Evolution.

Featured Fashion Link Roundup

• Anna Lou Elliott: 3 ways to wear white: for day, night and work
• Attire Club: What We Can Learn From Superheroes
• Cosmolawitan: Dove: Empowering Women With Its Ad Campaigns
• Dress Up on a Cloudy Day: How to Combine Colors : Analogous Colors
• Fashion is Evolution: 4 Tips for Pushing Yourself to Achieve Your Creative Goals
• Fashion Moriarty: Are female politicians reduced to what they wear?
• Hey Mishka: 5 Globally Conscious Festive Accessories For Summer
• HH Designs: Glamping: My Overall Lack of Roughing It…
• Lara Lizard: Test : Are you the cutest creature of the social media? 
• Incognito: On how Man Repeller got me thinking about fashion in Japan
• Modestelle: Mercedes Benz Australia Review 2013-2014
• Mis Papelicos: My 6 Easy Steps to Happiness
• Nothing to wear: The Rookie Department: Hair Styling For Beginners 
• Runway to Style: 7 Style Guidelines To Look Your Best at Prom and More
• Style Bizarre: Blogging: How important is your location?
• The Curatorial: Vale Jewelry: Algorithms and Delicate Jewelry
• Undercover Dress Up: Interview with lolita icon Emilka P.
• We Are Ready Made: Irreverent Youth
• Wild Beauty World: War Paint
• Youth Savage: Fashion Blogging vs. the World

How to Combine Colors : Complementary Colors

Top : Forever 21 (similar)

Skirt : Macy’s (similar)

Scarf : Unknown (similar)

Shoes : Charlotte Russe

In art, you put two complementary colors next to each other to make them both appear more vivid, and this same technique easily translates over to fashion. Complementary colors are colors that are across from each other on the color wheel. Here I used the complementary colors yellow and purple in my outfit.

As complementary colors tend to really intense, I’d suggest to tend to the darker or lighter end of the color wedge for each color, and to also limit one of the colors to   an accent color like I did here.

My favorite complementary color combinations are turquoise and coral, mustard and purple, and cobalt and orange. I’d also suggest to avoid the pairing of red and green because it typically reads very Christmas, but other than that, feel free to experiment!

If you haven’t already, take a moment to check out part 1 of this series :

How to Combine Colors : Analogous Colors

How to Combine Colors : Analogous Colors

Top : Old Navy
Jeans : Forever 21
Shoes : Jessica Simpson (similar)

As the weather gets warmer, people tend towards brighter colors, and while colors are fun, they can sometimes be a little intimidating. But there’s no need to fear color. Picking colors that go together is really very simple, and with this color mixing series I hope to show you just that.

Putting together colorful outfits is easy when you have this powerful tool :

One trick to putting together colorful outfits is to use analogous colors : colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. In this outfit, I’m using the analogous colors blue and aqua.

You’ll notice that each color wedge of the wheel has a light, medium, and dark section.  Here I used the darker blue and the medium aqua, but I could have just as well switched those out for any of the other shades. Any of the colors within a wedge can be used interchangeably.

Tip : For something a little more subtle, you can wear a piece of clothing in one color, and add on accessories in a different but analogous color.

What are your favorite analogous color combinations?

Gold Isn’t So Bad After All

T-Shirt : Target
Necklace : Forever 21
Shorts : Similar Style / Similar Fit
Cardigan : Forever 21 (similar)
Shoes : Unknown

I’ve never been a gold person. Or at least I’ve never really wanted to be. I grew up being forced to wear big chunky gold earrings that would weigh down my earlobes to every Indian party I attended.

It always felt like I was wearing them to show them off, more than anything else. Today, I typically forgo wearing a lot of jewelry at Indian gatherings, but even looking around I sometimes feel like people wear the jewelry for the sake of wearing it. To say that “Hey look! I have enough money to buy expensive things”. Not that some of it isn’t gorgeous, and maybe the stuff that doesn’t strike me as appealing just doesn’t match my taste level, but whatever it may be, gold often leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

So when I saw this necklace, my first instinct was to look around to see if there was a similar style in a different tone metal. But when I found the same piece in a silver tone, it didn’t speak to me the same way this one did.

So I’ve decided to stop hating gold just because of the idea of it, and really give it a chance. I think what really sold this for me was the clean modern lines. It doesn’t look overdone and heavy. It just looks pretty.

Tip: Take some of the plain t-shirts that you have and dress them up with a unique statement necklace. Different necklaces suit different necklines, so just experiment and see what works with the pieces you have.

This necklace is the perfect accent to scoop neck tops because of the rounded shape. It almost looks like it’s part of the shirt itself, which I really like.

Transitioning into Spring : Colors and Sleeves

As you can see, the transition went well, and while I’ll probably be tweaking some stuff over the next few days, we’re pretty much good to go. So, let’s get to the good stuff!

Top: Old Navy
Pants: Unknown (similar)
Shoes: Rampage

While Mother Nature is still deciding whether to make it spring or stay in winter, my heart’s already firmly set on spring. So how do you embrace the season of spring when the weather is stuck in winter? Wear bright springy colors! This top is great because it has sleeves, but it’s not really thick and it features bright coral and pink colors, all of which make it the perfect winter/spring transition piece.

I paired it with some light airy cargo pants to protect my legs from the wind. So I can happily enjoy the bright sun when it decides to peek out, but not freeze because of the cold breeze.

Tip: Invest in some cheery colored warmer clothing to brighten up your mood on a overcast gloomy day.

What is your go-to “I wish it were spring already” outfit?

On California Casual and Changes

Top : Ember
Shorts : Forever 21
Shoes : Unknown

I could not resist this shirt when I saw it on the rack. There’s something just so fun about it, and I’ll be honest, I didn’t even know any words from the song other than this line, or I probably would have reconsidered buying it…well maybe, maybe not.

And pairing it with these shorts made a California casual outfit with a little edge, which I’m really loving.

But enough about clothes, there’s something else I’d like to discuss with you all today.

Over the next few days, there’s going to be some changes (for the better, I promise!), and I just wanted to give all of you amazing readers a heads up. I started out this blog because of my love for fashion, and my desire to share it, but never in my wildest dreams did I believe that it would grow this quickly. And that, my readers, is all thanks to you.

But as a result, I’ve also outgrown the limitations of my current hosting sooner than I expected. Over the next few days, I’ll be switching over to paid hosting that will give me more space and freedom.

To reduce some of that cost, I’ll also be affiliate linking to some of the products that I wear in my outfits. What this means for me is that if you like the clothing I wear and are interested in purchasing it, I might get a small commission.

Some of the links to clothing in my posts will be affiliate links, some will just be online shopping links. Ultimately, what this means for you is that you’ll be able to find the clothes I’m wearing and get them for yourself! The purpose of this post is to be up-front and honest with you, and to let you know that great things are still well on their way.

And so that’s my important news. I’m really excited about it all. It’ll be a lot more work on my end, but it’ll be so much fun. There might be a few hiccups in the next few days as a I transition, but rest assured all of your email subscriptions will seamlessly transfer. The site URL isn’t changing either, so chances are, you might not even notice! I’ll see you guys on the other side 😉

Using Color to Make Neutrals Pop

Sunglasses : Armani Exchange
Dress : Charlotte Russe
Shoes : Jessica Simpson

I normally pair this dress with wedges or sandals for an easy laid-back look, but I really wanted a reason to wear these bright blue shoes. The black and white dress is a great base that really allows these shoes to take front and center stage.

Cobalt is really one of my color crushes right now, and just like all the other cobalt blue pieces in my closet, these suede shoes go with almost anything.

Tip: Pick out bright shoes to go with a neutral outfit. While they might not match in the conventional sense, they look more visually interesting than a matching shoe.

As for the sunglasses, I normally don’t like the look of aviators on me, but these seem to be an exception. Something about their size and style makes them more wearable I think.