Wouldn’t you agree lace is a girl’s best friend? Lace makes everything more beautiful and stylish. I have begun an obsession with lace; I just love it! Lace in every shade of color is by far the edgiest ladylike look for a young woman. First off, I personally like “light” color clothing with the pastels and Easter color theme. I like that natural feeling white lace brings to me, and also how it makes a good day time, Spring/Summer picnic look. I’m usually known to not wear dark colors, but black lace just looks so elegant and edgy for nighttime parties and events. This past year, I purchased a black long sleeve lace top from Forever 21 and I really love it. I’ve received many compliments on my top, which has lace floral designs. I usually wear it over a tank top under obviously, because it is see-through. I would say lace is a definite must-have for a girl who wants to be a trend-setter. Seeing the images below, lace can be worn through the seasons, short tops or long sleeves. I really like both of these tops, but I'd prefer the ivory, white lace because I’m more into the “light, pastel” colors. But that’s just my opinion. What about you? Which do you prefer?

Butterfly Lace Crop Top in Black, forever21.com, $13.80

Sheer Lace Top in Taupe, forever21.com, $19.80

Besides my clear obsession with laced tops, I have a stronger passion for laced flats. I like to think that flats bring on the cuteness and elegance of a young woman. Wearing flats just makes me feel the need to dance around in them, it makes me feel as light as a feather. A few months ago, I bought these pair of black lace flats online and I adore them. Of course, when you wear brand new shoes you must break into them. The first day I wore these, I came prepared and bandaged up my ankle area to prevent any blisters. Now, I wear these flats out every time I’m out. Depending on how I’m feeling, I usually like to wear my black lace top along with these flats to match, or just a plain top or blouse with my black blazer. Anything goes with flats, really, especially skinny dark skins. Similarly, white, ivory lace flats are just as adorable. It reminds me of weddings and how the bride is all dressed in white. Lace is really the fashion trend in style at the moment, and I’d say every girl should own something with lace. So, for you girls out there, try to find some cute, elegant lace wear!

Gabriella Rocha Dejoie Black Flats, 6pm.com, $23.60

Call It Spring "Troxler" Flats, jcpenney.com, $35

I'm sure that by now you've heard of StyleMint.  It has been mentioned a few times by other Babblers, but nobody has done an in depth review of it.

I was really excited when I first heard about StyleMint because the concept behind it made so much sense -- it is the idea of providing customers with that perfect t-shirt that can be worn with anything.  Given that I've often struggled to find basic t-shirts that fit me that way I want, I was definitely intrigued.

Newbury, StyleMint, $29.99

Camden Colorblock, StyleMint, $29.99

Upon further investigation, I learned that StyleMint is like a club.  You become a member and then pay $29.99 a month (which is equal to one credit).  This credit can then be cashed in for a product.  You can keep that credit for up to a year, but you can't accumulate more than five credits at a time.  Each credit will get you a t-shirt (with free shipping and returns).  There are a few items on their site, such as sweaters and cardigans, that cost more than one credit.

Now, you're not absolutely locked into paying every month.  You have until the fifth day of the month to log onto StyleMint and click 'skip month.'  Do this and you're not charged (so you don't receive any credits).  If you don't do this, your credit card will be charged $29.99 (and you accumulate one credit).  You do have the option to buy more than one shirt a month.  In fact, you can make a purchase at any time (you don't need a credit to do so, you can simply pay with a credit card the way you normally would when shopping online).

There are new styles every month so you don't have to worry about getting bored with their merchandise.  They also try to help you find the styles you want.  When you first join you take a style quiz and then get suggestions about what t-shirts you might like.  Each month your updated suggestions appear at the top of your "showroom."

Courtesy: StyleMint

Courtesy: StyleMint

I've now placed two orders with StyleMint and here's my opinion:

Their products are of very good quality.  Both of the shirts I bought are very comfortable.  I did run into issues with their fit.  Their crewcut t-shirts seem to run true to size, but their others shirts run pretty large (at least with the ones I ordered - and a few quick searches showed that this is true for others also).

After I ordered a shirt, I realized I had ordered it in the wrong size.  By the time I could get ahold of a StyleMint representative, the order had already been processed so they couldn't change it.  However, they did put an order in for that shirt in my correct size and did not charge my credit card.  They simply told me to email them when I got the shirt in the incorrect size and that I would be emailed back a return label.  (I don't know if the fact that I wasn't charged was a mistake or company policy - but either way, if I did not return the one shirt, I'm sure I would have been eventually charged for it).

Their website is a little hard to navigate.  There were other shirts available that were not recommended for me, but I couldn't easily find them.  I had to google "StyleMint" and the name of the shirt  (for example, "Life is a Mountain Not a Beach") in order to find the link to the shirt.  And the only reason I knew about this shirt at all is that is was on the StyeMint homepage.  It would be ideal if there was a way to see absolutely every shirt available - not just the ones recommended for me.

Courtesy: StyleMint

Life Is a Mountain, Not A Beach Tee, StyleMint, $29.99

Honestly, the only thing that really annoys me about StyleMint is the "club" aspect.  I don't see why it couldn't operate like a regular store.  Although I have placed two orders with them, it hasn't been from credits that I've accumulated.  I 'skip' every month because I don't want to have to worry about having a credit that I have to hurry up and spend before it expires.  StyleMint claims its prices are so low for what they offer because it takes out the middleman (the retail stores), but I don't see what that has to do with their club format.

Overall though, I do like StyleMint.  Their shirts are nice enough that I probably will shop with them again.

No...Is a Full Sentence Tee, StyleMint, $29.99

I've always loved hunting through thrift stores and digging through discount bins looking for old stuff to pass off as trendy vintage style. Growing up, my mom often took me to thrift stores to find me the cutest, silliest little-kid clothes, and while I no longer go there for purple leggings and plaid pink jumpers, I never gave up the sport entirely. Much of my closet still comes from Goodwill, or the Salvation Army, but because fashion so often circles back on itself (and vintage is always in), the humble origins of my outfits are always a surprise to people. After all, if you do it right, a twenty dollar outfit from Goodwill can look like the retro fashion of Modcloth or the throwback styles of Urban Outfitters. Fashion tends to look back and pick up again what was in-style a decade ago, and then update it for today. So while stores in shopping malls are filled with pieces meant to look like you dug them out of the back of your aunt's closet, thrift stores are bursting with similar(and authentic!) retro cloths just begging to be appropriated into some fashion forward or (or backward -- it's really the same thing, after all) wardrobe.

Take, for example, the oversized blazer. A few years ago these shoulder-padded numbers were considered one of the Great Mistakes of the 1980s (after, of course, "Mr. Mister" and the Iran Contra affair, respectively), and as such, the thrift stores have been chock full of them for years. But lo and behold, they're leaping back onto the scene!

Rihanna rockin' it in black silk.
Courtesy: rihannadaily.com

It takes a certain amount of confidence, of course, to pull this look off, as the stuck-somewhere-between-one-and-20-years-ago haters will surely take notice. But I personally love this look because of its casual disregard for the soft curves and sweet edges which characterize so much of women’s fashion, and its absolute refusal to appropriate menswear to flatter a woman's body more traditionally. It's not a woman's version of a blazer. It's just a blazer on a woman. And it looks mad primo.

Another one of my favorites (for absolutely opposite reasons) is the maxi skirt. Though whoever came up with that name needs to take a little lesson on psychological word association, whoever brought it back on the fashion scene has my thanks! I've always loved the elongating quality and free-spirited texture of floor length skirts, so you can imagine my joy when I started seeing them in the windows of stores and around the ankles of young women. But while American Apparel mannequins started sporting them only a year or so ago, they've been on the racks at thrift stores for ages at a fifth of the price. You can find bohemian styles and more city chic varieties among the other (often admittedly regrettable) skirts in Goodwill easier than you can find them in more expensive stores, as long as you're willing to do a little digging.

Courtesy: Opium Poppies

So my advice is this: if you want to be ahead of the curve and also save some serious dough, pick up some interesting pieces from a thrift store and be one of the first (of this generation, at least) to make it work in 2012.

Alber Elbaz

Monsieur Elbaz is my top favorite designer. The head creative director behind the French house of Lanvin, Mister Elbaz has caught my attention from the get go and I can remember his collections as being the first to inspire me and want me to be a designer. His creative capacities to combine colour, flow and structure are mind-blowing. His Spring 2011 RTW collection combined all three creative components and brought them together to create a seamless and breathtaking collection. It is personally my favorite collection of his. My favorite piece and the one outfit I would like to source to spark my interest in designing came from this label and line. That fact that my favorite model was chosen to grace the runway just added to the awe. This one shoulder belted pimento-red silk pleated dress captures the essence of his collection. I love the flow of this dress. It’s so effortless I believe anybody would look gorgeous in this dress. I love this dress so much that it made it onto my computer wallpaper to forever remind me of the designer I have come to appreciate so much. Elbaz once said “My dream was to be a doctor, I don’t have to give you a Tylenol to feel good, I’ll give you a red dress and you’ll feel marvelous.” This is that red dress, and even though I can’t wear it, it still makes me feel marvelous. That is why Alber Elbaz is my favorite designer, he makes me feel marvelous all the time.

Lanvin Spring 2011 RTW
Courtesy: Marcio Madeira/firstVIEW

Jonathan Saunders

I first stumbled upon British designer, Jonathan Saunders as I was lazily browsing through one of Elle’s magazines. He particularly stuck in my mind not only because of his designs but also because of his last name, due to the comedic duo of Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. So I guess in a way I should thank them for leading me to my second favorite designer out there. Saunders has a way with colour and simplicity that strikes you in such a bold way it will never make you forget. I also believe he is a master of patterns. The way his patterns sit and interact on his dresses are so effortless and so mesmerizing. His Spring 2011 collection was the first of his that I saw. I was immediately blown away by how simple everything was yet how detailed it all must be. From then on out I’ve been following his collections and he has never let me down. He continually amazes me with his vibrant colour choice along with his bold choice of pattern mixing and his talent for making everything look effortless.

Jonathan Saunders Fall 2011 RTW
Courtesy: Matteo Volta/IMAXtree

Elie Saab

I think that Elie Saab is one of many lesser known designers that deserve more attention. I don't remember how I stumbled upon Mr. Saab, but I am so grateful that I did.  He is a master of the art of the structured silhouette. His designs are impeccable and are a cross between structural rigidity and ethereal flow. While his designs are better suited for a more sophisticated type of power woman each outfit is clean cut. His outfits can be seen traipsing up and down the red carpet or stepping out of an elevator ready to conquer the world. His designs are not for the faint hearted and that's what I like about him. Each and every one of his designs is bold and speaks for themselves, so if you can't stand up for yourself, his dress will do the talking.

Elie Saab Spring 2012 RTW
Courtesy: Matteo Volta/IMAXtree

Prabal Gurung

Runner up for the 2010 CFDA/Vogue fund award and a relative newcomer to the fashion scene, Prabal Gurung is no amateur though. With his new line out and his computer generated prints, he's ready to make it big. His purple tee is going to be a hot commodity this season. For sure. I first came upon Prabal Gurung while I was flitting through the pages of Vogue magazine and I was reading the article for the CFDA finalists. Even in that one photograph of him and his design I was immediately captured. I wasn't quite sure what it was about him or that design but I was hooked. This season is all about computer generated floral prints and Gurung is not going to be left behind in the dust. Nearly every line this season features some sort of floral print and Gurung's line is no different. His line featured deep purples and orchid lips on the models, his line was the hot gossip and I bet he's going to be the hot gossip for years to come.

Prabal Gurung Spring/Summer 2012
Courtesy: Marcio Madeira/firstView

Riccardo Tisci

Now head creative director of Givenchy, Riccardo Tisci has come up with some amazing collections not only in the Ready-To-Wear realm, but also in the Haute Couture world. I would have to say he is my favorite Haute Couturier. He’s experimental without the insanity that sometimes accompanies Haute Couture. He’s brash and bold in a subtle way. His Resort 2012 line incorporated a type of arm sweater that would leave the midriff bare. I thought it was so ingenious and creative. The line also featured a mix of safari-like utility and fluorescent floral symmetry, flush with deep, vibrant colours. The line is so fresh and invigorating. His Spring 2011 Haute Couture line featured giant headpieces and different prints with Asian ties. The amount of effort put into each piece is staggering. Each piece is artwork and creates this sense of awe within me. I want to create full sized posters of each photo and hang them in my apartment. The man is pure genius and every piece is so well executed. If you don’t believe me, check out his work and I’ll let his clothes speak for themselves.

Givenchy Spring/Summer 2011
Courtesy: Givenchy

Givenchy Resort 2012
Courtesy: Givenchy

Ever since I've come to school in Rhode Island, I have been introduced to all the wonderful things that this small state has to offer. Did you know that an Awful Awful is a milkshake, and not something, well, awful? Besides food, I have also been inspired by many of the local brands and designers. In the Ocean State, it’s all about anchors, nautical stripes, and accessories. Other than Roger Williams defying the puritans in Massachusetts in the 1600s, one of the greatest gifts that Rhode Island has given to the nation is Alex and Ani.

Courtesy: Alex and Ani

According to their website, Alex and Ani was founded in 2004 by Carolyn Rafaelian, who named the brand after her first two daughters. They are based in Newport, Rhode Island, and their flagship store in Newport is amazing. Although today they have expanded their brand to include vintage pieces and menswear, the staples are still their classic bangles, necklaces, and rings. Their mission statement defines that the purpose of the jewelry is to “adorn the body, enlighten the mind, and empower the spirit.” Alex and Ani is all about positive energy.They became a sensation overnight, and were spotted on many celebrities.

Selena Gomez wearing Alex and Ani.

Ashley Tisdale wearing Alex and Ani.

Although they carry a wide variety of product lines, my favorite line is their classic bangles. The muted colors and simple design go with any outfit. The single charm bracelets are perfect for layering with their embellished bangles, and the charms are meaningful and artfully designed. They make for perfect gifts (in the $20-$40 price range), and you can choose between Russian Gold and Russian Silver, which is gold or silver with a chic tarnished look. The bracelets that I wear are:

Initial Expandable Wire Bangle “K” Alex and Ani, $24

Sea Shell Wire Expandable Bracelet, Alex and Ani, $28

Newport Charm Expandable Wire Bangle, Alex and Ani, $38

I mix and match the gold and silver pieces together, and I often layer them on top of my tortoise shell watch (see my article on watches for that one). Here are some more cute ways to layer them:

Courtesy: stylehive.com

Courtesy: fashiondynamite.com

The best part about Alex and Ani is that you can wear one bracelet, or you can wear ten. They are perfect for a subtle piece of sparkle or as a statement. I am looking forward to trying out some of their other items, like their rings, but for now, I'm looking to expand my collection, and maybe get my hands on some of their beaded bracelets. Luckily, if there isn't an Alex and Ani store near you, lots of gift store and jewelry retailers carry their line of bracelets, or you can check out their website. So, next time you need a little but of positive energy, slip on one of Rhode Island's pride and joys.