design+style: Friday photos

Praise the lord, it's Friday. If only we all didn't have to work and it was wine time all day long. I just read a new post at my girlfriends new blog Magnolia Gray and now I'm feeling like I need to be beside a pool sipping a cocktail..... bah! If only.

But I digress. I can't sit here all day and dream of what I could be doing (I should be thinking of all the work I SHOULD be doing!). And so it's to this week's photos we go.

Speaking of all things Summery, check out the always stunning Blake Lively on the set of Gossip Girl earlier this week. Does this chick not have the best wardrobe in the world? (although I can't tell if this is Blake or Serena but either way, I wouldn't be complaining).

Today Fabsugar is asking which outfit is Audrey's best from the premiere's of Coco Avant Chanel. Frankly, who can choose? This girl doesn't put a foot wrong. Not to mention she looks and is named after my ultimate style icon, Ms Hepburn herself! Buuuut.... if I had to pick, I must say, the gorgeous navy blue & white number (far left) is my kinda dress. Classic but just a little bit edgy.

You've got to give it to Lauren Conrad. She no longer has a hit TV show but she still manages to get her lovely mug in magazines, on websites and all over everything else at least once a day. Even when someone ELSE is taking photos of her for her line of necklaces for charity, she gets splashed all over the net. Why did I pick this shot today though you ask (as it is a little bland). Well, because somehow LC makes a plain white singlet, black jeans and silver necklace look good.

Continuing on from my post on Monday about my outfit last week, I thought I might put together what I've got on today. After trapsing around Westfield Chermside last night on the look out for a little something to quench my shopping thirst, I came across the cutest pair of black "fashion cargo" pants in Dotti. Similar to the navy blue pair I picked up in Witchery a few months back, I just couldn't go past the price - $69.95. They're a great cut and look good with both heels and flats. I teamed them today with a loose white racer back singlet (which I also picked up last night in Witchery), a black horn pendant I've had for what feels like a decade (but still gets comments every time I wear it), black peep toe heels and a little red Country Road cropped cardigan to keep me warm in the office.

I've every intention of wearing the pants out to drinks with a friend who's back from the UK tomorrow night but instead of the peep toes and red cardigan, I've decided to try and find a pair of gladiator heels. I don't know if anyone else has this problem but for me, heels with a

nkle straps of any kind just don't work on my legs (ie. they make me look like I've got tree trunks and body builders calves). However, when worn with pants rather than a dress or skirt, the problem seems to be avoided. And there's no doubt about it - the only reason the harem/fashion cargo pant look with the tapered ankle is back is to show off the over the top shoes that are all the rage.

I'm hoping I might get away with a reasonably cheap pair however as I don't know how long this look will last..... while the tapered ankle pant is likely something that will stick around, you can only wear so many gladiator heels before you get sick of all that embelishment.

In the mean time though, to avoid spending more than $100 on something I may live to regret buying, I've found a few styles in Payless, Famous and Barkins that get the look without the price tag. These two from Payless (right) are just $79.95 - and seriously, is anyone going to be that close to them to notice where they're from? Not likely.

New season items have also come through at Barkins and would be worth a look-see, check out the Boyd and Jacob styles, both just $59.95.