INSPIRED BUY...the little black dress

this summer marks the commencement of the "wedding circuit" for my group of friends.  you know what that means- engagement parties, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, et cetera (read: lots of events that require fancy clothing).

in my closet i have plenty of casual and work appropriate dresses, but when it comes to more formal pieces it's slim pickens.

that said, knowing that the aforementioned events will be popping up left and right, i decided to start looking for fancier dresses.  the perfect place to begin my search: platform boutique in hoboken.

kurt greeted me as I walked in, and when i told him i was in need of a great party dress, he went to work.  i tend to gravitate towards bright colors and patterns, but he was able to help me think outside of the box.

he brought me a silk/chiffon black dress from gypsy 05 and when i slipped it on i fell in love.  it was the perfect amount of bohemian, sexy, dressy, and classic all in one...and i felt so comfortable in it.

i HAD to have it.

the dress was a little out of my price range (oops), so i've been on the lookout for inexpensive shoes and accessories to pair with it.  here's a look that would work for a summer cocktail party or engagement party, and all of the shoes/accessories combined are about $100:

1. aztec straw clutch - BCBGeneration (about $78)

2. lila silk ombre maxi dress - gypsy 05 (about $265)

3. wrapped stone ring - forever 21 (about $6)

4. gold sandals - forever 21 (about $13)

5. mermaid tears nail polish- o.p.i  (about $8)