Style Secrets: Luxurious Lounge Lizard

“I think I’ve discovered the secret to life – you just hang around until you get used to it.”
Charles M. Schulz
Let’s be honest now, shall we? Blustery weather, or simply a case of being stir crazy and lazy, oftentimes leaves us susceptible to temporarily forgetting our stylish side. Please don’t get defensive my loves - remember the proverb, “A shut mouth catches no flies”; therefore, purse your shimmering Sugared Almond-shaded pucker for just one more moment if you will, and hear me out. There is absolutely no harm in lounging about your humble abode sans makeup; but the au natural look stops there!

I understand your current predicament, dolls. You are home, you are alone, and you are expecting no visitors aside from a wayward cat or two scratching at your front door; thus, why not accouter yourself in the circa-1995 coffee-stained t-shirt you can’t help but to adore, or perhaps allow your bottom-half to proudly display a pair of sweats sporting tattered hemlines and a nearly invisible hole in the knee? The plain and simple answer is…we are what we wear.

Darlings, take it from someone who knows, it is absolutely impossible for one to feel fabulous, or get her creative juices flowing if she is taking style cues from her less-than-perfect alter ego whom has no qualms about playing the role of style slob for the afternoon. Lounging, if you will, is an art; something that takes skill to be done correctly – especially in terms of dress. After all, there is no guarantee that a cute boy won’t pop in for a visit at a moment’s notice; and when he does, you are going to look like a superstar, for you are about to be transformed into a luxurious lounge lizard!

♥G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S Before you so much as attempt to morph your lounge look from lethargic to lavish, you must put yourself into the proper mindset. Yes, I know it sounds slightly “out there,” but a posh perspective will make you feel all the more glamorous on your quest for luxurious lounge lizard satisfaction. Think Veronica Lake regaling in the comforts of a cherry wood chaise longue, dressed in a floor-length silk gown, her flaxen hair cascading into the perfect peek-a-boo over her right eye; or imagine yourself trading places with the likes of Rita Hayworth, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, or Brigitte Bardot. Channeling classic, Old Hollywood Glamour is exactly the inspiration you need to empower yourself, and your lounge attire.

♥The Slouch Effect Perhaps you were unaware of this kitty cats; but sometimes the slouchiest styles are the ones which convey the most subtle seductiveness. Obviously you want to remain completely comfortable while hanging around; but that does not mean that you must slip on the oversized sweatshirt from your father’s alma mater – a piece which has most definitely seen better days, and swallows your body whole, creating a look synonymous with that of a potato sack. You want a slouchy shape which shows off your sassy silhouette without constricting your movements or creating discomfort; therefore dolmans, off the shoulder tops, and relaxed tees are precisely what the doctor ordered.

“I am so busy doing nothing…that the idea of doing anything – which as you know, always leads to something – cuts into the nothing and then forces me to have to drop everything.”
Jerry Seinfeld
Dolls if there is one thing, and one thing only that I must force you to do, it is to overlook the slightly boxy construction. Oversized tops possess the ability to actualize an alluring aesthetic which serves to make one look lean, lithe, and sylphlike – three characteristics that add a kick of sauciness to your upper-half, and up the ante of your lazy day style. A cut that falls below the derriere and is fashioned with banding at the hemline like L.A.M.B.’s Tie Dye Top, shows off your shape and establishes a very put-together look; whereas a composition that hits at the hip and lacks a banded fit around the waist, such as LnA’s Loose Cropped Tee, is viewed as being more free-spirited and bohemian given its less rigid architecture. Regardless of your favored formation, both harbor the ability to get the job done, and make you look marvelous through and through!

♥Stretch It Out! Darlings given the fact that you are looking to spend the day stretching out and luxuriating in true lazy, lounge euphoria, there is no better way to do so than with the assistance of leggings adorning your lower half.

Leggings are the piece de resistance of loungewear for your derriere for the sheer fact that they are thick enough to keep you as warm as a pint-sized puppy curled up in front of the fireplace during the winter months; yet adequately breathable to keep you cool no matter how high the temperatures rise once summer rolls around. As if that weren’t incentive enough, however, they ensure that you look chic, sleek, and c’est magnifique at all times; and truly balance out your entire attire. Remember, when it comes to style, balance is bliss; and as you are wearing an oversized top, the body-hugging aesthetic of leggings will establish the “even-steven” elegance you are looking to achieve.

“The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.”
Sydney J. Harris
Avoid cropped leggings which harbor the potential to cut your body in half, and look for pieces that reach the ankle. These will elongate your figure and keep you cozy all at once. Simple styles in blacks, navy blues, and grays, which are fabricated out of jersey knit like David Lerner’s Basic Leggings, are fundamentals for retaining fashionable finesse in the midst of relaxation. These hues can couple with any color of the rainbow and look stunning with each and every one; nevertheless, should you feel plagued with the desire to be a bit more playful around the bottom, look no further than a pair of leggings showcasing a pretty pattern like the marled knit seen upon Bop Basics’ Knit Leggings. Such a style allows one to release the wild child within, without forsaking refined resiliency; and really, who on earth can resist that?

♥Knit Wit Cardigans are the Wonderbra of the world of outerwear. They are a wear-with-all type of accoutrement that snuggle about your body in a way that gives new meaning to Madonna’s 1985 hit single Dress You Up. In fact, to be completely truthful, while an angel receives their wings each time a bell rings, whenever someone slips their arms into the sleeves of a cushy cardigan, they are enveloped into a universe full of affection, warmth, and earnestness; hence the reason why a cardigan is a necessity on your quest for luxurious lounge attire.

Kitty cats, I’m sure that your closet is bursting at the seams with charming cardigans that will work wonders at keeping you a mix of cozy and classy; the key to remember, however, is that you want something completely oversized. Fitted cardigans, while absolutely ambrosial when worn out on a hot date with the cute boy down the street who asked you out via a sentimental mix tape, are too confining when lounging. A piece which bridges the gap between chunky knit and ravishing robe is what should be in your mind’s eye.

“Relaxation means releasing all concern and tension and letting the natural order of life flow through one’s being.”
Donald Curtis
Forgo floor-sweeping designs. While these possess the potential to make one feel like a starlet, they also open the door for dramatic disasters of the ungraceful variety that will make you feel clumsy rather than comely. The perfect pieces are those that fall right below the bottom, like Splendid’s Lurex Rugby Cardigan, or grace your upper to middle thigh, such as Mink Pink’s Chain Mail Draped Cardigan. And, when in doubt, simply raid the closet of the boyfriend – it seems they always have something perfect lurking inside!

♥Footloose You may have a shoe collection that rivals that of Imelda Marcos; but when indoors, unless you are a true diva, it is unlikely that you are displaying these pretties upon your tootsies. It was Dean Koontz who once said, “Bunny slippers remind me of who I am. You can’t get a swelled head if you wear bunny slippers. You can’t lose your sense of perspective and start acting like a star or a rich lady if you keep on wearing bunny slippers. Besides, bunny slippers give me confidence because they’re so jaunty. They make a statement; they say, ‘Nothing the world does to me can ever get me so far down that I can’t be silly and frivolous’…” Perhaps truer words have never been spoken.

Darlings, you could be a celebrity of epic proportions, a model strutting her stuff on the catwalk day in and day out, or merely the fashion adoring doll that you already are; regardless, everyone needs a bit of time to slip off their stilettos, and stuff their feet into cozy goodness.

“Who among us hasn’t envied a cat’s ability to ignore the cares of daily life and to relax completely?”
Karen Brademeyer
Kitschy slippers are a tongue-in-cheek way to allow your frisky side to cast a spirited wink to your wardrobe; a sophisticated approach to adding a splash of whimsy to your lounge style. It’s true, bunny slippers will leave quite a lasting impression upon beholders; but if you feel that they are slightly too childlike for your personal tastes you are still able to provide your posh paws with a well-deserved rest…simply do it in a more high-fashion way!

Flats of all formations are just as fabulous indoors as they are while trotting about town. Moccasins like Frye’s Reagan Campus Driver Flats or UGG Australia’s Dakota Shearling Moccasins distribute a dapper touch to your lounge look du jour courtesy of their vintage aesthetic; ballerinas such as Maloles’ Georges Suede Ballet Flats with Gold Studs or Jeffrey Campbell’s Jewel G Ballet Flats sprinkle a touch of girly glamour upon your appearance via feminine embellishments; and oxford architectures like Joie’s Louie Louie Wingtip Flats without Laces or American Apparel’s Hannah Shoe radiate a dash of retro pizzazz to your haut monde duds thanks to perforations and seam detailing. Of course, if slippers aren’t your cup of tea, you can always enlist the assistance of cute socks, like American Apparel’s Unisex Colored Knee Stripe. Just make sure to keep those tootsies toasty!

♥For Your Listening Pleasure Don’t play coy with me my loves; I know exactly what you are doing right now. Your eyes are dancing about the room, searching for a cozy nook to take up residence in for an afternoon of lounging. Stop; don’t move a muscle! A day of relaxation is utterly incomplete without a few tunes to lull you into a luxurious trance; thus, a petite playlist to get your lounging party started!

♥Always for You - The Album Leaf
♥Kiss of Life - Friendly Fires
♥Hello Brooklyn - All Time Low
♥Breakfast in NYC - Oppenheimer
♥Microphone - Coconut Records
♥Don’t You Evah - Spoon
♥Coast of Carolina - Telekinesis
♥When You Were Young - The Killers
♥Seventeen Candles - The Pink Spiders
♥Dressed to Kill - Landon Pigg

"A cheerful frame of mind, reinforced by relaxation…is the medicine that puts all ghosts of fear on the run.”
George Matthew Adams


Fashionably yours!


Thanks to We ♥ It, Shopbop, and Tumblr for the pictures.


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