Color of the Moment: Navy

Posted in Fashion, Style, Trends by topknotsandpolkadots

One color that I just can’t get enough of this summer is navy blue. Whether you’re going for a sweet & nautical look with a navy striped sweater or a dark & sultry look with a navy jumpsuit, this hue is hitting it out of the park this season. Navy goes with absolutely everything, it’s flattering on everyone, and it’s a great alternative to black for the warmer months. I kind of consider navy as black’s friendlier sister.

Another great thing about navy is that it’s the perfect color to transition from summer to fall. I know, I know, we aren’t ready to talk about fall yet — but around this point in the summer I try to stop buying such summery clothes and focus on getting more transitional pieces. Yes that neon floral skater skirt is adorable now, but am I going to be wearing it past Labor Day? Probs not.

I’m not trying to say navy is the new black (nothing ever will be), I’m just saying it’s close. Check out some of my favorite navy picks below!

Where to find:

What colors have you been craving recently?

(image source: womenfashionistas.blogspot.com, withlovefromkat.com, carolina-prep.tumblr.com, sheinside.com, pinterest)

23Jul2014

Rainbow Fish

Posted in Charleston, Fashion, Style by topknotsandpolkadots

So let’s talk about this dress. A few weeks ago I was casually stalking blonde beauty Courtney Kerr, when I stumbled upon an Instagram photo that sent me into an investigative frenzy. Although I don’t usually buy items I see on the social media accounts of celebrities, I needed the dress Courtney was wearing and I needed it now. Anyway, after Detective TK&PD did a little digging, the maxi was tracked down at an adorable boutique in Texas. I swear if there was such a thing as a PI for clothing & accessories, I would be a millionaire. Turns out, they had ONE left, it was a size small, and the rest is history.

When it came to styling this magical maxi, I kept accessories simple since the dress itself has so much going on. My go-to gold jewelry, a black studded bag, and strappy black wedges. For a little pop of color to go along with the dress, I went with a bright coral/peach from Essie’s neon collection called ‘Serial Shopper’ — how appropriate!

I had been dying to wear my dress for weeks, but I knew this outfit couldn’t be wasted on just any occasion. Finally, I received an invitation to an EventHaus event at the SC Aquarium, and I knew it was time. It was dressy, but not too dressy, the colors would stand out wonderfully inside the venue, and *hopefully* no one else would wear the same thing — unless Courtney Kerr decided to show up. It ended up being the perfect piece to wear that night, and has inspired me to find numerous other gems on Instagram.

{ My best impression of Rainbow Fish. }

Click here to browse all the amazing pieces at Jul’s Boutique!
Plan your next event or wedding at the SC Aquarium here!
Learn more about EventHaus here!

Photos by Jordan Zarwel

16Jul2014

Trend Watch: Tropical Print

Posted in Fashion, Style, Trends by topknotsandpolkadots

One of the biggest trends of this season is tropical print everything. A fun, summery spin on classic floral (also huge right now), tropical print has been everywhere from the runway to Forever 21. If you can get past your dad’s old Hawaiian shirts and cheesy beach motel decor from the 90s, this will be your favorite fad of the summer. Something about it just makes me want to lay in a hammock on an island somewhere and sip a piña colada out of a coconut. Can’t you just hear the steel drums? Just me? K.

Ready to dive in to this trend like it’s the infinity pool at your Caribbean resort? Try it with a statement piece like a romper, skirt, or high-waisted pants. If you’re a little more hesitant, test it out with accessories first, such as jewelry, shoes, or your iPhone case. Another way to ease into the island-inspired trend is to rock a pineapple print. Pineapples are all over the place this summer and I’m not mad about it. Try this fruity fad with some of the pieces pictured above, such as the adorable clutch or fun crop top.

So let’s pretend that back-to-school commercials aren’t already on and rock this warm-weather trend until the leaves change. Except leaves don’t really change in Charleston, awk.

Want to browse more tropical print items? Stores such as Asos, Topshop, H&M, and Nasty Gal are all about the “just-got-back-from-vacay” look right now — so much so that it was hard to even narrow it down to my selection above!

4Jul2014

Happy Independence Day!

Posted in Fashion, Style, Trends by topknotsandpolkadots

For my 4th of July ensemble, I chose a subtly patriotic look. I found this gem of a dress at J.C. Penney of all places — I stumbled upon their website about a month ago and it turns out Nicole Miller makes a killer line for them. This dress has a super flattering shape, fun side cutouts, and kind of reminds me of a kaleidoscope/fireworks aka the print is awesome. I finished off the look with a little white quilted bag (obsessed with the tassel), patriotic aviators, and my go-to wedges. As for jewelry, I got lost the other day and found myself at Claire’s (long story), where I found these adorable diamond-shaped studs — why did I ever stop going to Claire’s?? I also wore my starfish cuff, a studded bracelet, and fingers full of rings. Last but not least, I’ve been really into white nails this summer which were perfect for the 4th, and red lips were also a must. Hope y’all have a safe & happy 4th!

2Jul2014

My Go-To Summer Style

Posted in Fashion, Style, Trends by topknotsandpolkadots

During the summer, I want to be comfortable yet chic while also trying to stay cool — a challenging task in steamy Charleston. It’s also crucial to curate outfits that can easily transition from work (since I’m officially old and don’t have summer vacations anymore) to happy hour and beyond. I’ve noticed a pattern in my summer wardrobe selections that I’ve decided is my “go-to summer style” — meaning I pretty much wear different variations of the same outfit every day. This outfit combination, or algorithm if you will (#math), creates a quick & easy outfit every time.

I start out with a comfy maxi dress (bonus points if it’s printed), then throw on a chambray shirt for the work day. To finish off the look, I slip on some wedges or flats, my go-to jewelry, simple sunglasses, and a classic clutch or crossbody bag. In this example, I chose a colorful patterned maxi, a tied chambray top, tan wedges, gold jewelry, aviators, and my trusty gold clutch. For a little bit of a fun edge, I went with my shark tooth studs, green mirrored aviators, and lavender nails. Lastly, I did a quick dutch braid to keep my hair out of my face which spiced up the look even more. Check out my summer style below!

What’s your go-to style for the summertime?

1Jul2014

What To Wear On July 4th

Posted in Fashion, Style, Trends by topknotsandpolkadots

The 4th of July is THIS weekend, people, so it’s definitely not too soon to be planning your outfit(s). Similar to your Memorial Day ensemble, you want to look patriotic but not over-the-top, adorable yet effortless, and totally unique at the same time. Usually my WTW posts have several outfit options based on what your plans are, but I feel like we’re all pretty much on the same page for Independence Day. Day drinking in a friend’s backyard or out on the boat/beach/pool, followed by a night out — if you can wake up from your mid-afternoon Budweiser/sunburn induced coma-nap, that is.

Because we all basically do the same thing on the 4th, I created outfits based on the look you’re going for. So whether you want to wErQ a new trend, go with a classic all-American girl feel, or anything in between, I gotchu.

White Hot Trendsetter

This outfit combines a few major trends in a completely effortless, breezy way that says “oh I just threw this on in five minutes” (even if it took you 2 hours to get ready). I’m a huge sucker for the “all white everything” look, so I picked a casual white crochet halter dress and white, metal-plated sandals. Head-to-toe white is v huge for summer, as are metallics — so putting them together is pretty much magical. I topped off the outfit with blue mirrored sunnies, a floral crossbody, midi rings, and red lips. This look combines a bunch of super trendy pieces, but in a way that doesn’t look like you’re trying way too hard. It’s also just patriotic enough (but not Uncle Sam status), making it a good option for those who want to be subtly festive.

Playful & Fun

This look is perfect for a backyard BBQ with your frandz — it’s cute, trendy and fun, and not overly patriotic. I started off the look with overall shorts, which are everywhere right now, then paired them with a cropped crochet bustier and adorable red bow flats. To accessorize, I went with heart-shaped sunnies, summery lemon wedge earrings, and red nails.

Classic Americana

If you’re going for total all-American girl, this is the look for you. Throw on a vintage Coca-Cola tank, find some flag cutoffs on Etsy (or DIY your own with my quick & easy tutorial here!), then top it off with a red bandana headband, tortoiseshell clubmasters, and these trendy, white slip-on sandals. This easy outfit is ideal for day drinking, bar crawling, worn overtop of your swimsuit at a pool party — you name it. Cue Tom Petty.

Glam Firecracker

This is a great look if you’re skipping the daytime activities and want a sexier outfit for a night on the town. I found this red hot romper that’s perfect for the 4th, then paired it with nude cutout heels and a bedazzled clutch. As for accessories, I chose deep blue drop earrings, a rose gold snake ring (that I need immediately), festive nail polish, and navy blue eyeliner that will pop against the red romper amazingly.

Preppy Chic

If you’re looking to take the more classic/preppy route, I’m in love with this mismatched prints ensemble. If it looks familiar, it’s because I took a similar outfit from my Memorial Day post and amped it up with a more summertime vibe. I just can’t get enough of this chambray top and felt the need to use it again — this time with red and white striped shorts and tan wedges. To top it off, I went with good old fashioned aviators, a simple crossbody bag, nautical knot studs, a classic gold watch, and bright white nails.

Which look is your favorite? Comment below!

26Jun2014

DIY American Flag Cutoffs

Posted in DIY, Fashion, Style, Trends by topknotsandpolkadots

Looking for the perfect denim cutoffs to wear on the 4th of July/cheer on USA soccer in the World Cup/just to live in this summer? Don’t buy it, DIY it! (I’m the most annoying person ever). Cheesiness aside, American flag shorts are all over the place on Pinterest, Etsy, and at all our favorite stores. The problem is, the cute ones can get a little pricey and the more affordable ones are fugly. Classic.

After countless hours on Etsy trying to decide which ones I wanted, I decided that these were probably v easy to make. I’m kind of a professional at finding ~~90’s mom jeans~~ vintage jorts at thrift stores, so I went to Goodwill and found a great high waisted pair, cut up a cheap flag (sorry America), and sewed them on. The whole process didn’t take more than a couple hours and I spent about $10 total. Sounds pretty doable, right?

I made these shorts last summer pre-TK&PD, so unfortunately I didn’t take intricate step-by-step photos of the crafting process. HOWEVER, I do have several pictures of how cute they are — and I’ll give you foolproof directions to create your own pair. If I can do this, anyone can.

How to Make American Flag Cutoffs:

Find some cute vintage shorts/jeans at your local thrift shop. Bonus points for Levis. If yours are awkward mom length like mine were, use some good scissors to cut them to the right length. If you don’t feel confident in your Daisy Duke making skillz, follow this tutorial from my frenemy, Lauren Conrad. Can’t find any good shorts? Use your favorite pair and just cut off the flag patches when you’re over it.
Wash & dry your shorts FIRST to get them all frayed and sassy. You can even use a little razor blade to distress the shorts to your liking — I made a couple subtle tears and frayed up the pockets a bit.
Buy a cheap American flag at CVS/Michaels/a fabric store/literally wherever you can find one. This is the part I struggled with. I searched high and low for weeks, then finally just used one of those little fabric flags on a stick that you can wave (is there a better name for those??) and it worked out perfectly.
Lay the flag on top of your shorts and use a pencil to outline the edges of the pockets. Make sure you’re completely in the stars section for the left pocket and completely in the stripes section for the right pocket.
Use sharp scissors to cut out the patches along the pencil lines you just made.
Flip the patches over so the pencil lines are against the shorts. Use a few pins to secure the patches in place right on top of the pockets.
Grab a needle and thread — I used red thread to make it stand out and then did kind of exaggerated stitches since it was going to be conspicuous anyway.
Sew the patches onto the pockets of your cutoffs. Make sure you don’t sew the pockets closed unless you dgaf.
If you accidentally cut the patches too big or need to touch up an uneven cutting job (me), you can always trim/clean up the edges with some little scissors.
Viola! You are now the most patriotic girl at the party.

Not only do you now have the cutest shorts evaaa, you also get to spend your money on more important things, like alcohol. Best of all, when people compliment them (which they will), you get to say you made them (insert hair flip emoji here). Eat your heart out, Etsy.

Happy crafting!
xx Chloe

Still not sure about your Independence Day outfit? Stay tuned…

TopKnots & PolkaDots

exploring a new city & my fashion sense along the way.

Color of the Moment: Navy

Rainbow Fish

Trend Watch: Tropical Print

Happy Independence Day!

My Go-To Summer Style

What To Wear On July 4th

DIY American Flag Cutoffs

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