APART STYLE Review and Giveaway! 3/15

I admit it: One of my favorite things to do is spend time online looking for some of the best new fashion finds. I have actually been known to make style "wish lists", often containing items that are worth more than my right arm from makers like Chanel, Christian Audigier, and even Vera Wang. (Hey, a gal can dream, right?!)

While I know I will never realistically own that Herve Leger dress I love so much that sells for $1690.00, I can look for similar styling for a fraction of the price. After all, the red carpet isn't affordable for real women. I have found several awesome brands that offer high-fashion, quality  pieces at prices that won't have you filing for bankruptcy after a spur of the moment shopping spree!

One of my favorite new discoveries is APART STYLE. What makes APART so unique? For one, this is a brand that has been incredibly successful overseas longer than I have been alive! According to my preteen son, I am ancient at the ripe old age of 30. Well, Apart has been around since 1977, so obviously, they're quite the fixture in the fashion world. Trends come and go, (I have a closet full of Ed Hardy clothing and handbags that are now collecting dust that will attest to that fact ) but Apart has remained a constant. There is a good reason for this, too! The folks at Apart have a simple philosophy when it comes to fashion: You never have to sacrifice quality for stand-out style and craftsmanship. Not just a clothing brand, but a style-conscious state-of-mind. A reminder that fashion should feel good and shopping should always be fun and empowering. Apart provides a new one-stop source for women who love contemporary fashion, trends and styling their own looks, but still need to dress for their everyday lives.

One of the things I love the most about Apart is that they offer so many different choices, from classy and demure to bold and vibrant, and everything in-between. They provide clothing suitable for most any occasion, whether formal or casual. As a matter of fact, I have my eye on their Sequined Halter Dress for an imformal wedding gown when my husband and I renew our vows and finally have a "real" wedding later this year! For everyday wear, Apart has a huge selection of pants, tops, tunics, sweaters and casual dresses that are absolutely stunning. I especially love their edgier offerings such as their Shredded Leggings. Totally my style, and would be great paired with a cute top and heels for a more casual date night!

The folks at Apart pay close attention to the latest trends and celebrity styles, and they make these very styles affordable enough for the average woman to enjoy. One particular piece that stood out to me is the Seychelle Day Dress, since I distinctly recall Kourtney Kardashian wearing something very similar on an episode of Kourtney and Kim Take New York. (Yes, I am a closet Kardashian addict. Don't judge.)

But my favorite thing about Apart totally appeals to my vanity, or what little of it I have left! Yep, I am completely lacking in the self-esteem department, but that's something I am working on. Anyway, if you wear, say, a size 8 like me in conventional sizes, when you purchase from Apart, you'd order a 6! That's right! Apart sizing is much more "friendly" than most brands. I wear a size 8 dress (since I have some boobage going on) but I can comfortably order a 6. Jeans? Even better! I wear a 6 and can order a 4! I know where I will be getting ALL of my pants from now on, since this is probably the only way I could EVER say I am a size 4!

Here are some of my top picks from Apart. Get a napkin, you just may start drooling!

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LOVE these jeans!

This metallic top is perfect for a day out with the girls!

Sexy red dress. Enough said!

This is so similar to a dress featured on the Kardashians!

Simple glamour!

I received the gorgeous Ruched Sheath Dress from Apart for my review. The first thing I noticed about this dress is how beautifully packaged it was. It was in an attractive pink gift box complete with a black satin ribbon! It was so well-presented that I almost didn't want to open the box! The dress itself was even wrapped in colorful tissue paper, which was a nice added touch. Once I opened the box, I was immediately impressed by the soft, luxurious fabric and the noticeably high quality of construction. The feel alone of this dress screamed luxury, and I couldn't wait to put it on!

The dress also fit very well, as the Apart sizing charts are incredibly accurate. The ruching was quite flattering, and I love the cowl neck design. (Yes, that's ruching you see and not my gut! This ruching actually extends from the waist area down the length of the dress.) The dress is very comfortable and easy to move in, and would even look great with a cute jacket or blazer. This dress is absolutely wonderful, and would make the perfect little black dress for any cocktail parties or even a nice dinner out with your spouse. I should also mention that this garment is machine washable! With 2 toddlers in the house, this is super-important to me, since you never know when messes will happen.

The only thing I wasn't crazy about was that it didn't completely hide my lower belly pooch that resulted from 3 cesareans. From the side, since this dress is very fitted, you could definitely detect it. However, add some Spanx and all is remedied! This says nothing about the wonderful quality of the garment, though. I fully blame 3 pregnancies! I wish I had foreseen this issue and had chosen something else with a looser fit around the waist. Oh well, lesson learned. Until I finally get a tummy tuck, I will avoid similar styling or just add shapewear underneath to smooth out my "wobbly bits."

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Overall, I am loving Apart. They have some of the cutest clothing I have seen in a long time, and all are relatively affordable. Even their more formal dresses are under $300! And the quality? Amazing! I have a huge Apart Wish List and I know I will be adding more of these stylish pieces to my wardrobe soon!

BUY IT:

You can check out the awesomeness that is Apart Style on their website.

You can also follow Apart on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest products and promotions!

WIN IT!

I am thrilled to announce that the awesome folks over at Apart will be offering one of my lucky readers the garment of their choice! (Up to $130)  How awesome is that?!

Please use this easy Rafflecopter form to enter.


This giveaway is open to US residents 18+ until 12:00AM on March 15, 2012. No PO Boxes. Winner will be drawn using Rafflecopter's Random Number Generator. All entries will be verified, so play fair! I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This contest is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. Thanks for entering, and Good Luck!

***Disclosure: I received a complimentary sample to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

a Rafflecopter giveaway