in my closet

JMU is a really involved campus which means two things: 1. we are all probably members of at least one organization and 2. these organizations usually have multiple social events. I know my organization is holding their formal this coming weekend in Baltimore, and with Spring at JMU comes a plethora of formals to attend.

Problem is, college budget = limited money for dresses. While everyone wishes they could honor their inner celeb and buy a new dress for every event, that's just not realistic. That's where the beauty of accessorizing comes in to play. Just changing your accessories that you wear with a dress can make all the difference. For example, I took my favorite LBD (little black dress) that I purchased for just $5 at the Salvation Army and paired it with different accessories to give the dress a completely different vibe.

Look #1: Classic

Honestly, who doesn't want to channel Jackie O.? This look keeps the LBD simple and demure with pearls and peep toe shoes with a bow accent.

[dress, thrifted; shoes, Target; jewelry, grandmother's]

Look #2: Glam

While diamonds may be a girl's best friend, gold ain't too bad either. Try pairing your LBD with bold, yet simple gold accents for an eye-catching look.

[dress, thrifted; shoes, Sears; all jewelry, thrifted]

Look #3: Edgy

Need to dress up but want to go a little outside of the box? Try adding what might be seen as more "informal" jewelry and shoes in a bright coordinating color. The result? Carefree, edgy chic.

[dress, thrifted; shoes, thrifted; necklace, Rue21; belt, UO]

So next time you think about throwing $50+ out the window for another dress, take another look in your closet and see what you can do! What formals are you guys going to and what are your favorite formal looks?

xo, Meaghan