Missy’s pick: MIA

Musicians have always been looked to as trendsetters, but some set the bar higher than others by playing double-duty, acting as both a musical artist and a fashion icon. One of my favorite artists who performs this double-duty is MIA.

Known for her rebellious attitude and lyrics, MIA has a personal style to match. MIA’s style is a metamorphosis of the 1960s tree hugging hippies and the leather-clad glam rockers of the 1980s.

She likes to take certain characteristics from the hippie counterculture such as layered accessories, unkempt hair and paisley prints and fuse them with the 80’s rock characteristics such as animal print, leather and ripped band tees to formulate a style all her own.

To achieve a style similar to MIA’s, take any vintage band tee and cut the neck to make it slightly slouchier. To maintain a certain level of comfort, choose a pair of bold printed pants and a pair of flats that compliments them. Lastly, throw on an oversized cardigan and add layers of accessories and a loud lip color. But, whatever you do, just make sure you don’t look too laden in gold and silver or somebody just may try to “take yah mon-aye.”

—Missy 

Flame Stitched Cardigan: Maurice’s, $36.00
Pink Leather Bracelet: Maurice’s, $14.00
Rhinestone Bracelet: Maurice’s, $12.00
Brown/Silver Circular Ring: Maurice’s, $10.00
Fleur Del Lis Ring: Maurice’s, $10.00
Red Stone Necklace: Maurice’s, $14.00
Purse Charm Necklace: Maurice’s, $16.00
Hoop Earrings with Charms: Maurice’s, $12.00

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The Grammys are known for celebrities dressed in outlandish ensembles, but the risks taken Sunday night completely missed the mark, with too many of our favorite stars failing miserably. For every stunning look seen on the red carpet (and sadly there weren’t many), there were a handful of absolute wardrobe disasters. Here’s how we broke down our best and worst dressed stars of the night:

BEST DRESSED

Carrie Underwood – Ivory is the standout shade on the red carpet this awards season

Kings of Leon

Bruno Mars

Rhianna

Adam Levine – This unconventional striped shirt/checked pocket square combo is funky yet sophisticated

WORST DRESSED

Fergie – The color is dead on, but honestly, granny panties?

Robyn – Flatforms, an oversized T-shirt and a poorly fitted satin skirt … enough said

Nadeea

Nicki Minaj – The fact that this is Versace is devastating

—Karen Zapp and Ashley Jaros

Photos courtesy of MCT

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Have something you think deserves a shout out on Editor’s Pick? Leave it in the comments section, then check back next week to see if it made the cut!

We’ve had a pretty weak winter so far, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t had to wear our layers and pea coats. I don’t know about you, but for me that means a lot of black and white. Spring is on its way, and this year I’m vowing to mix it up with some bright, standout pieces.

The first piece I’m absolutely obsessed with is this Adia Kibur Silver & Neon Chain Link Necklace. It’s pricey at $144, but looks so fun! Granted, I doubt many of us want to shell out nearly $150 for a necklace, but I can’t find a suitable cheap alternative — if you find one, leave it in the comment section below! I also found this neon and chain bracelet, also by Adia Kibur, for a much more affordable $42!

I’m hoping chain link necklaces are going to become more popular this spring. Shefinds.com did a feature on chain link necklaces for spring, so they have an even larger selection (although none are much cheaper).

Some of my other picks are these H&M neon jeans for only $24.95. H&M happens to be one of my favorite stores, and these pants come in pink, yellow, green, orange and blue. They also come in a snakeskin pattern, but I’ve never been a fan of snakeskin.

Following this solid-neon trend is Urban Outfitters’ Neon Open Weave Scarf. These lightweight scarves are only $24 and come in neon green and pink. Although winter months are usually scarf weather, I have some lightweight ones that I wear year round. You can never have too many scarves, right?

My next pick is also from Urban Outfitters. The BB Dakota Gail Printed Tank is a little pricey at $69, but it’s really bright, fun and the perfect way to standout this spring. I love wearing loud tank tops with my solid black maxi skirt during spring, and I think this could be a really great pick. It’s usually pretty easy to find colorful, standout tanks as the weather gets warmer, so give them a try!

My final, probably simplest way, to stand out this spring is through your sunglasses. I absolutely love my bright red Ray Bans, and the company has taken the original Wayfarer and turned it into a fun pattern with these multicolor shades. Again, they are $160, but mine have lasted me four years so far, and are worth every penny. However, sunglasses are another item that every store carries, so finding a fun, inexpensive pair should be no problem.

These are just a few of the ways I hope to standout this spring. How do you transition your wardrobe from winter to spring? Leave me a comment below and see if your suggestions make it to our next Editor’s Pick!

—Lindsy

Photo: J Brand jeans courtesy of J Brand/MCT

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