Under $100: Printed Pants

Photo Credits: Phillip Lim Spring 2012 collection, via blogs.joinsmsn; via ASOS

If you've been at all hesitant to try the bold print pants trend, now's the tine to turn your uncertainty into confidence, and embrace this fun and festive spring/summer trend.

At budget-friendly prices (all the picks below are under $100), you can treat yourself to these fabulous bold print pants without damaging your wallet:

Forever21 Spotted High Rise Pants, under $20

ASOS Cropped Pants in Pink Floral Rose Print, around $60 (pictured below)

Topshop Morph Native Joggers, $70

Will you take the plunge and try this trend? How would you style printed pants?

Parisian Chic

Photo Credit: Garance Dore, via Haute Design

Reed Krakoff bag, photographed by Garance Dore.

ELEGANT and REFINED. See more of the photos here.

YS Look of the Week

Photo Credit: via Style Bistro

Model Doutzen Kroes looks white hot in a Versace gown from the Fall 2012 collection.

What do you think of this look?

Spotlight on: Baby Phat Maxi Skirt

Zig Zag Lace Up Feather Maxi c/o Babyphat

A maxi skirt in a vibrant print, like this Baby Phat zig zag lace up feather maxi, will spice up your summer wardrobe! The feather detail on the side makes it all the more special and boho chic. It's fun & definitely budget-friendly at under $50.

This maxi skirt is so perfect for summer. I tried pairing it with a simple white t-shirt, glittering gold clutch, and some leather high-heeled sandals.

How would you style this Baby Phat zig zag maxi skirt?

Runway Retrospective

Hey Sophisticates, Cristina from Fuji Files here! With our three day weekend quickly approaching my mind is on quick weekend getaways! So who better to to feature this week than the jet-set designer himself, Michael Kors!

Photo Credit: vogue.com

The Michael Kors Spring 2011 collection is everything I would like to wear for a summer vacation! Easy tank dresses, flowing maxi skirts, perfect T-shirts and simple sandals. Such a realistically wearable collection that we can all take a few tips from this long weekend!

Find more fashion inspiration on Cristina's international design and style blog, Fuji Files. And, remember to look for her Runway Retrospective column here on Young Sophisticates!

Inspiring Interiors

Photo Credit: ELLE DECOR via bedroom-a.com

Maybe I've been watching too many episodes of Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis (that show is hilarious & features the interior designer's signature contemporary design aesthetic - I suggest you set your DVR), but I have stylish living spaces on my mind.

I'm leaning towards sleek, light-filled rooms, lots of white with a pop of color (red!) and including a few interesting details (like the gold frames above the bed). How chic!

How about you? What inspires you at the moment in terms of decor and design?

Fancy Finds: Summer Staples

The weather is finally starting to heat up in New York, which has me rather excited for a summer of beach trips, strolls in the park, BBQs, festivals, outdoor dining, and much more.

Most of all, I'm excited to ditch the leather jacket and boots I've been sporting the past few months, and trade them in for sun dresses, sandals, and bikinis. With Memorial Day officially kicking off the summer season next weekend, here are a few summer-inspired pieces to give you inspiration for your long weekend getaway or staycation. I'm heading west to California and couldn't be more excited! Enjoy!

Citizens of Humanity floral shorts. Steven by Steve Madden beaded gladiators. Chloe bikini. Dolce Vita white flat sandals. TopShop peplum dress. Rebecca Minkoff flats. Top Shop orange maxi dress. Elizabeth and James flats. Karen Walker sunglasses. J.Crew straw hat

Gather more style inspiration from Natalie's blog, Fashion I Fancy. Natalie's column, Fancy Finds, offers fashion and shopping ideas for a wide range of occasions, trends, and more. Remember to look for her column here on YS!

Look for Less: Brass Coffee Table

Hello Sophisticates! It's Marche' from #eyecandy, here with another Look for Less column! A few months ago I purchased a low cost coffee table as sort of a stand-in until I found one I really loved for my living room. My temporary coffee table is dark and large and has me craving a smaller, lighter version. I've always loved brass tables like the one pictured in this room in the Beaux Arts Mansion in St. Louis. I'm thinking it will be the perfect replacement for me and maybe a great addition for you.

You can find a similar table in various finishes. From stainless steel to gold leaf, there are plenty of options. I love this table from Layla Grace (pictured below). This iron table is gorgeous with its antique gold finish and cocktail height. The height is more versatile than a coffee table because it complements several different kinds of seating, from sofas to taller chairs. The narrow width of the table also allows you to use it in even the smallest of spaces!

Image Credits: via decorpad; via layla grace

If you love the metallic finish of brass but want a more contemporary color, you could scoop up ZGallerie's Cosmopolitan Coffee Table. This is the perfect option for the girl who loves a more modern look. You also don't have to go the traditional route. Two accent tables placed side by side will also do the trick. Crate & Barrel's Jules Accent Tables would make a perfect pair. You'll save over $100 by purchasing the set! If you get tired of using them in front of your seating, move around and use them as end tables! I love versatile furniture.

Any one of these options will be a chic option for your living room or sitting area!

Get more of Marche's tips on interior design, fashion and more at her fabulous blog,#eyecandy. And, remember to look for her interior design column here on Young Sophisticates!

YS Look of the Week

Photo Credit: via The Hollywood Gossip

Kate Middleton looks stunning and ultra-chic in a Roland Mouret gown with sparkling heels.

Get the Look: Floral Print Chair

Photo Credit: Interior Design by Angie Hranowsky via LonnyMag

Inspired by this luxe and lovely room featured in LonnyMag, we're loving floral print chairs.

While we know that dual matching floral benches, like the ones pictured above, might not fit in a small space, try adding a floral upholstered chair in your living room or bedroom.

Get the look with this Anthropologie floral chair (pictured at right) - it's youthful, easygoing, and a tad bit bohemian (in that perfect vintage way).

Covered in fresh and fun prints, floral chairs and benches seem fresh and fun, and especially appropriate during spring and summer.

Go in a more "new Traditional" direction with this Anthropologie Grafton chair -- the shape of the chair is all traditional, evoking almost a Louis XV shape, but the embroidered flowers on the upholstery give it a relevant twist.

Both the chairs are Anthro picks and expensive (a girl can always admire the finer things)-- that's because they were just too cute not to pass along to you. But, like I always say, don't be afraid to use what you have.

DIY'ers, think about giving new life to an old chair by reupholstering in a contemporary, floral fabric.

What do you think about this look? Love it or leave it?

Spotlight on: James Nares for Coach

Photo Credit: via Coach

Artist James Nares has created the coolest totes around, in a new collaboration with Coach.

The artist's dramatic brushstroke paintings can now be part of your closet (who wouldn't want to carry such a striking tote to complete any off duty look?) --- see the entire collection here.

Simplicity

Photo Credit: via olsensanonymous

Sometimes, less is more.

Simple silhouettes, monochromatic dresses --- the Olsens always seem to get it right.

Runway Retrospective

As the host and subject of this year's Met Gala exhibition, Miuccia Prada is well and truly the woman of the hour, so it was only fitting that she star in today's Runway Retrospective as well! Cristina here with a collection (from a few seasons back) that has me yearning for a trip to the beach: Prada Spring 2010 RTW.

Photo Credit: vogue.com

Prada's rendition of beach attire consists of screen printed day coats and short shorts, and crystal embellished white dresses. No, I don't typically wear these items on a trip to the ocean, but those candy-colored sunglasses are something I could really get behind! This grown up version of pig tails that are low and loose with a deep side part has me reconsidering this 'do for the first time in 15 years!

Find more fashion inspiration on Cristina's international design and style blog, Fuji Files. And, remember to look for her Runway Retrospective column here on Young Sophisticates!

YS Look of the Week: Met Gala

Photo Credit: via the fashion patrol

Cate Blanchett looks radiant wearing an Alexander McQueen Fall 2012 gown with dramatic black feathers and an ostrich hem; this is definitely my favorite Met Gala red carpet look.

Who do you think was the best dressed at the Met Gala?

Decor Inspiration

Designed by Kerri Russel and Shane Deary

Hi Sophisticates! Viv here with the fourth installment of Decor Inspiration. I've always believed that the kitchen is the center of a home. Do you agree?

Whenever K and I host a dinner party we find that people love to conglomerate in the kitchen. It's very curious, but it always holds true (in my opinion). For this reason I love the idea of having a casual dining nook right next to the kitchen. These spaces are a perfect example of the contemporary, cozy feel I want in my own kitchen.

Designed by Steven Gambrel

Designed by Joseph Abatti

Designed by Nate Berkus

Viv shares her thoughts on fashion, style, design and food on her beautiful blog, Fashion Truffles. And, remember to look for her Decor Inspiration column here on Young Sophisticates.

Look for Less: Modern Office

Photo Credit: interior design by Mary McGee Interiors, via lh6

Hello Sophisticates! It's Marche' from #eyecandy with the Look for Less! My idea of fun never includes working from home; but, it's inevitable! So, a chic office is a must for those late nights when you're burning the midnight oil. Recently this office (shown above), designed by Mary McGee Interiors, caught my eye.

As you all know, I am a sucker for anything white and lacquered, especially a desk. Lucite furniture is also high on my lust list. Both pieces are the foundation of this gorgeous office.

The desk pictured is the famous Parsons Desk from West Elm. I have always adored this desk and it would certainly be an excellent investment for $349. I recently discovered the Josephine Desk from World Market. It has the modern white lacquer finish but is more affordable and has more detail than the Parsons Desk!

Photo Credit: via Mary McGee Interiors; via Amazon

Ghost chairs have become very popular for not only offices, but dining rooms and living rooms as well. I love lucite, and ghost chairs are so light and airy! Amazon offers Lexington Modern's Louis Ghost Chair (pictured above) for $149. However, Amazon's lucite chair offerings don't end there! You can purchase Sustainable Furniture Company's The Original Crystal Chiavari Chair for under $100! Chiavari chairs always add glamour to any space. The lucite material is a nice touch to such a classic chair!

With your lacquered white desk and ghost chair, you'll have the perfect start to a modern and chic office!

Get more of Marche's tips on interior design, fashion and more at her fabulous blog,#eyecandy. And, remember to look for her interior design column here on Young Sophisticates!

5 Questions with: Olivier Green

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Olivier Green

If you watched Season 9 of Project Runway, you already know Olivier Green and his cooly refined designs.

After competing on the show, Olivier Green (pictured above, with models at the Fall 2012 presentation) is now making a name for himself as a New York-based fashion designer, creating strong and chic pieces that you'll definitely want to add to your closet.

In this exclusive Q&A, Olivier Green talks about his latest collection, what inspires him, and what it's like to compete on Project Runway.

You competed in Season 9 of Project Runway. What was that experience like? Do you still keep in touch with any of the designers from your season?

Olivier Green: It was a very intense experience. I had just arrived in New York and suddenly I was put into this isolated environment where we work 16-20 hours a day for months. Of course, during the process, I learned tremendously about my potential and also from other designers. It's definitely a very special experience that I probably won't encounter in the future. Surprisingly I'm still in good relationships with many of the designers. I talk to Viktor regularly as he's in New York. I'm also in touch with Anthony, Laura, Bert... etc.

In five words or less, how would you describe your design aesthetic?

OG: Modern, Forward, Protective, Subtle and Empowering.

What was your inspiration for the fall 2012 collection?

OG: I was inspired by a futuristic fantasy. I thought how women would dress in their daily reaction with the modern lifestyle and our relation with the busy lifestyle and the tough environment.

Did you have a particular color palette in mind for the fall collection? What colors did you decide to work with?

OG: Yes, my color palette was a very cool shades of the night sky. Different tones of violets, indigo and metallic grays and blacks.

What kind of woman do you want to see wearing your clothes?

OG: When I start my design process I always imagine an intelligent and confident girl who works in a big city. She is perhaps in the creative industry, leading a busy lifestyle and enjoys being around people.

Fancy Finds: Derby Me Fancy

I'm happy to announce a fantastic new contributor to the blog: Natalie of Fashion I Fancy. Natalie's column, FANCY FINDS, will include fashion and shopping ideas that you're sure to love...

It's time to pull out those big hats and bright dresses for one of the fanciest sporting events of the year, the Kentucky Derby, or the "Run for the Roses," taking place this weekend.

While you may not be attending the actual Kentucky Derby, it's likely you're attending some sort of Derby themed party, where getting dressed to the nines and sipping on cocktails all day is a "must." Who doesn't love that? And let's be honest, who doesn't love a gent in a three piece
suit?! That's reason enough to dress to impress :) With all the bright colors and bold prints out right now, you're sure to find something fabulous to wear. But, if you're struggling for
inspiration, here are a few Derby themed pieces to help you out! Enjoy!

1) Topshop Dress 2) Pour La Victoire Wedge Pumps 3) Alice + Olivia Floral Dress 4) Zara heeled sandal 5) H&M Straw Hat 6) Max and Chloe Pearls 7) Loeffler Randall Pumps

8) Vintage Chanel Earrings

Gather more style inspiration from Natalie's blog, Fashion I Fancy. Natalie's column, Fancy Finds, offers fashion and shopping ideas for a wide range of occasions, trends, and more. Remember to look for her column here on YS!

Spotlight on: Katy Briscoe Home

Photo Credits: Courtesy of Katy Briscoe

Do you have a weakness for jewelry and a love of chic interiors? If your answer is YES!!, then rejoice: beautiful gemstones + luxe interiors have merged in a fabulous home line!

Katy Briscoe, a Texas-based jewelry designer, has branched out to designing a spectacular, not-to-be-missed home collection.

The lamps in this collection are absolutely gorgeous.

The lamp pictured above is: Brazilian Amethyst and Selenite Composite Specimen Lamp on Lucite Base with Black Silk Drum Shade and Celestial Quartz Finial, $3,500.

Designer Katy Briscoe (pictured at right) on her home collection: “I like to see a room of clean, modern architectural furniture with accent pieces in their pure, unstructured, and wild form. It brings a bit of the great outdoors inside to live with us."

Want to see more or buy the lamp pictured above? The lamps are available by order through Katy Briscoe (telephone: 713.662.9886) and Longoria Collection in Houston.