Less is more ...

I have to pay homage to The Man Repeller for bringing her crazy sense of style that has inspired it's own home in the fashion world. For those of you who are unfamiliar with her cult following, I'm referencing "the arm party." This has made your jewelry choices more important than your outfit choices.

While I have a huge appreciation for accessories and LOVE sending the jewelry gods into a system overload ... sometimes less is more.

Gap belt / Tibi dress / Sam Edelman sandals / 

Giorgio Armani lipstick / Rebecca Minkoff hobo

Simplistic style is harder to achieve than participating in a trend. Trends are bottled and packaged with instructions written on the bottle. Simplicity is something you can not purchase right off the shelf.

I'll give you a few tips on how to create your niche in this category. Start with a basic dress that has a special detail or flare to its design. For example, the Tibi waffle-knit I featured above. It looks like a pretty plain day dress, however it has a very lux fabric and a beautiful full A-line skirt. Keep it simple with the accessories but make sure that they have a common theme. I chose a brown woven belt that matched a pair of brown flat sandals.

For a handbag you may think you want to pair your outfit with an accent bag, to add a pop. Don't do this. This is a common mistake made my many a fashionista. Remember, less is more. You'll end up looking like you're trying to hard and the key to having style is looking effortless. Choose a handbag that blends your look together.

I did add a bit of drama with a red lip - because who doesn't love a little lip colour fun! And voila! You have just created an instant chic outfit with no bells and whistles.