Ah green. The color of trees. And money.
And really, really cute clothes.

Everywhere I turn there they are, just staring me in the face. The clothes and accessories come in every shade and every style. From mini-dresses to bags, kelly green to army green to sage green, feminine to boyish – green is everywhere and green is cute. And now, green is cheap!

Green is also a great transitional color that complements your gorgeous summer coloring now and works well into the dreary days of Fall. Who doesn’t love a green lightweight sweater-dress with tan flat sandals now and paired with chestnut boots later? No one with good style, that’s who.

So here are some of my favorite budget friendly green pieces for you!

Top Row, Left to Right: Zipper Dress – Lulus.com, $34; Lock and Key Necklace – Lulus.com, $16; Open Back Dress – Lulus.com, $38; Belted Dress – Forever 21, $16.90; Shoulder Bag – Forever 21, $26.80;
Bottom Row, Left to Right: Purse – Urban Outfitters, $68; Beaded Top – Lulus.com, $29; Skinny Cargo Pants – Express, $59.90; Pocket Dress – Target, $24.99; Boat Neck Sweater Dress – Old Navy, $34.50

Whether you only buy the necessities or find any and every excuse to purchase a new outfit (Friend’s birthday? Job interview? Your favorite idol contestant moved on to Hollywood?), there is one staple we can all agree is essential to a complete wardrobe: jeans.

And while we all have our favorite pair that are fraying at the bottom and growing holes in the crotch (thank you, thighs that rub together!), it’s inevitable that there is a growing stack of denim in the bottom of our closet.

We might not be able to explain our denim obsession, but it is completely necessary to have jeans in a variety of colors, washes and cuts. You have to have your skinny jeans to tuck into boots, your boot-cut to wear with your converse and cropped for flip flops in warmer months. Not to mention the dark wash for a dressier vibe and the distressed for casual ensembles

So its no surprise that what I am totally craving right now is, you guessed it, a new pair of jeans. The style I must add to the pile? A pair of embellished skinnys.

Embellishment is popping up everywhere this season; it’s dressing up t-shirts, pea coats and motorcycle boots. And now I must have it on my thighs. The perfect pair? Shopbop’s Custom Denim Skinny Jean with Studs by Earnest Sewn.

They are black denim, which instantly makes them nightlife appropriate (and different from any other jean I have in my closet). And the studs running down the right leg add a dose of tough sophistication. Pull them on with a white tank and a leather jacket for an effortless bad girl vibe, or balance the modern studs with romantic accessories like a floral scarf and delicate jewelry.

Of course these jeans will now be my go-to staple for a night-out ensemble, but they can also be toned down and worn to class (with an embellished floral tank, long cardigan and flats).

When I save up enough cash, I’ll be rockin’ these bad boys all over campus. Yeah, it may take awhile considering the steep price tag, but when I think about all the different ways I can wear them (and how hot I’ll look doin’ it), it’s a price I’m ready to pay.

End of story.

[Do you ever feel like you can’t pull something off? Have trendy pieces in your closet that you would never have the courage to actually wear out? Well take those pieces out, shake off the dust, and continue reading!

In this series, I will choose a different piece that can be difficult to incorporate into an outfit and give you ideas on how to wear it. If there’s anything you would like to read about in the future, please leave a comment!]

Is anyone else getting tired of skinny jeans? I mean they look great on people like Kate Moss and Nicole Richie, but for those of us without personal trainers rocking skinny jeans can make one feel a little self-conscious. If you feel more comfortable with a wider pant (something a little more forgiving of that 3 a.m. Chinese food feast), then I suggest my current favorite style: wide leg jeans.

Wide leg jeans are just as trendy as skinny jeans right now, but they flatter a wider variety of body shapes. The difference between a wide leg pant and a pant that is wide at the bottom (i.e. flared denim), is that they fall from the hips instead of the knee break. To me, this makes them seem a bit more dressed up than other pant styles because most dress pants are constructed similarly. However, wide leg jeans are definitely still appropriate for class or a night out.

If you are just purchasing your first pair of trouser or wide leg jeans, you are probably wondering what to wear with them. There are two keys to rocking wide leg denim:

1)Wear a fitted top. Too often I see people make the mistake of wearing a baby doll or other wide top with their wide leg denim and the result is: WIDE. This does not necessarily mean that you have to wear something skin tight, but you should put on a slimmer top to help balance out the wideness of your jeans. The tank on the left, from Abercrombie ,is an example of a shirt you should not wear with wide leg jeans, while the Arden B top on the right would be perfect.

2) Watch your hemlines. Perfect tailoring will make any pair of jeans look amazing, but it is especially important for wide leg pants. The hem of your jeans should just skim the floor to create a long and lean look. This means that you won’t be able to wear the same pair of wide leg jeans with your heels and ballet flats – you have to commit to one (PLEASE – no cuffing!).

My favorite brand for wide leg jeans is 7 For All Mankind. Both pairs are super comfortable and stretchy. For a high waist, try the Ginger style (left). If you prefer a lower waistline try the Dojo style (right). Both are available at Nordstrom.

This pair of jeans from American Eagle is also really cute (for only $50!). The best part is that it comes in Long, Regular, Short, and X-Long styles so you might be able to skip the tailor!

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