Two big trends for this summer are ruffles and off-the-shoulder silhouettes. We are seeing them everywhere from pretty dresses to casual tops as they lend a romantic vibe to warm weather dressing.

How to Wear Ruffles

Admittedly, ruffles aren't always the easiest thing to wear. When experimenting, start with smaller scale ruffles and and work your way up. You want them to be focal point of your outfit. If you are wearing ruffles on top, opt for plain, fitted bottom to balance them out. 

Play It Neutral

What drew me to this floral top from Zara is that while it incorporated a lot of summer's style trends (ruffles, florals, off-the-shoulder) it still had a neutral palette. It's very soft, easy to wear, and didn't make a huge statement. The ruffles seemed to blend in with the blouse and the one open shoulder felt very feminine. 

Pro tip: When playing with trends, try neutral colors. They are easier to wear and pair well with other items in your closet.

Let Ruffles Be The Accessory

A well-placed ruffle can do the job of statement jewelry, like a necklace, big earrings or an eye catching bag. I like to refer to it as an accessory built into the look. Given the volume of the top, everything else can me minimal. All you need to add a simple bracelet or stud earrings and your outfit is compete. In this case I paired a fun leather and stone bracelet from Banana Republic in matching tones.

Stay Stylish,
M&K

Photos by Kelsey Johnson