Elijah's take on the maxi dress

My older sister, along with celebs like Lauren Conrad and Angelina Jolie, is fond of long maxi dresses. Even though I hardly wear them, I can see their appeal--cool, summery, and unfussy. I recently came across this Elijah column dress that, while not a conventional maxi dress, still maintains an easy, relaxed fit. In a soft blend of cotton and silk, this creamy white dress is ultra comfortable. The ruched, asymmetrical one shoulder strap in pale blue gives the loose baby doll shape a bit of sass. It's the perfect dress for slipping on when you don't feel like assembling an outfit, but still want to appear effortlessly fashionable!

Wanted: a leather jacket

After watching Wanted over the weekend, I was inspired by the tough girl style of Angelina Jolie's character, Fox--heavy eyeliner, leather jackets, and tight pants (though in one scene, she also gracefully pulls off a feminine white dress while lying on the hood of a car and firing two guns). Any girl who wants to imitate that tough look needs a black leather jacket to kick start her outfit. While you can buy the exact one she wears in the movie off eBay (the sale will benefit charity PLAN!T NOW), chances are you don't have $7,100 to spare and might not be able to squeeze into Angelina's size extra small. That's why this S.W.O.R.D. Volterra leather jacket, at $748, is a great alternative. While Angelina's original jacket definitely has some cool details, like the asymmetrical zippers and shoulder detail, the Volterra motorcycle jacket maintains a simpler style in washed leather. I like the shorter, cropped hem, elbow patches, and the sleek collar and overall fit. I'm sure that after slipping it on, you'll effortlessly slip into Angelina's tough girl persona. If only it were that easy!

(Photo credit to AllMoviePhoto.com)