one minute makeover

The Spring 2012 runways were awash with striking hues of mint green — and after perusing the Fab Community, it looks like you guys are getting in on the trend, too. Designers like Tory Burch, Vera Wang, and Rodarte all showed a fresh seafoam shade, offering a pretty, unexpected new hue to play around with for the season. We love how these street stylers have put their own spin on mint, and we can all agree it's a perfect look for Spring. See below for some of our editors' tips on how to inject a minty fresh burst to your look.

• Obviously adding a dash of mint will perk up any of your neutral basics, but don't be afraid to pair the cool hue with another bright, like yellow, pink, or orange.
• Keep in mind that mint (like all brights) will draw instant attention to the part of your body you're wearing it on. Want to highlight your legs? Go for a pair of skinny mint pants or pencil skirt. If you'd rather keep the focus on your face, opt for a pretty mint-hued sweater or silky blouse.
• Don't underestimate the power of accessories. If you're feeling timid about trying the mint trend, just pick up a seafoam-colored clutch, statement necklace, or pretty pair of flats.

Photos courtesy of ppfgirl, Smileforstyle, and StefaniSterjovski

As we transition from chunky Winter layers to lighter Spring iterations, it's the optimal time to mix things up literally. And the best part? There's no shopping spree required — a quick trip to the back of your closet will suffice. This week's wardrobe revamp pairs the slick with the laid-back; the bottom line is to keep the material mashup fresh and funky. Amp up your mix-and-match quotient with a little jean-inspired styling trick: wear your denim and leather together.

• By juxtaposing your tried-and-true denim jacket with super luxe pieces, you're creating a diversified textural effect. Jean material exudes a casual vibe, while leather maintains a classic cool look, no matter what. It's an easy way of striking an effortless balance between dressed up and not trying too hard.
• How many ways can you style this duo? Let us count the ways. From a leather-and-khaki trench coat to a jean jacket-leather sheath combo, we love that there's flexibility in pairing the two materials together. For a totally on-point Spring look, pair a chambray button-up with a leather pleated skirt. It's ladylike, edgy, and can be worn from day-to-night.
• To ensure you're ready for whatever Spring temps are thrown your way, layer your leather and denim accordingly. A leather jacket will add just the right amount of chic factor to a jean ensemble on chillier days, but once the warmer weather hits, a sweet leather pencil skirt and denim topper will provide the perfect climate-friendly ensemble.

Photos courtesy of Brunetteblogging, Gm2239, and Postgradchic

After perusing the Fab community, it was evident that many of you are feeling the pleated skirt trend this season. Consider it your new go-to piece: whether you opt for supershort, calf-length, or full-on maxi, a pleated skirt is a great transitional look regardless of your age or height and always manages to look pretty and ladylike, no matter what you pair it with. See below for some editors' tips on how to master the pleated skirt trend.

• The best thing about a pleated skirt is its ability to be worn day or night — you can make it office-appropriate with a silk blouse, blazer, and pointy-toe pumps, then amp things up for evening with a leather jacket and hot pair of heels.
• Concerned about color choice? If you're more of a classic, no-fuss kind of girl, stick to a pleated skirt in a go-with-everything shade like white, cream, or black — this will look totally timeless and make it easy for you to jazz it up with a printed blouse or colorful accessories. If you're into brighter hues, you can go for a skirt in a fun color like hot pink, teal, or yellow — just make sure you temper the bold shade with a neutral top.
• Don't be afraid to rock your pleats with a striped tee (stripes are pretty much a neutral, as far as we're concerned) — even though the lines may be going in different directions, it'll result in an effortless, I-just-threw-this-on Parisian look. In the same vein, a pleated skirt with ballerina flats looks très chic as well.

Photos courtesy of Adoretoadorn, Halliekw, and Nusophisticate

What better way to keep your outfits fresh than a quick peek to the back of your closet? No shopping spree necessary. Chances are, you've been harboring some hidden wardrobe treasures, just begging to be added to your Spring '12 lineup. To kick-start the reinvention process, we've called upon our savvy community and expert fashion editors to breathe new life into the stylish wares we already own. This one-minute makeover is quick, budget-friendly, and packs a bold punch: boast your brightest prints.

• Rule of thumb this Spring? The bolder, the better. After seeing wildly fun versions on the runways of Erdem, Prabal Gurung, Peter Som, and Jason Wu, we know that a great graphic print is versatile. Style a colorful floral blouse paired with a slick leather skirt for a more evening feel or go daytime polish in cropped kaleidoscope-hued pants with a casual button-up.
• Because these prints are louder than most, feel free to play around with the pattern dynamic. Translation: mix-and-match. Try florals with stripes, bright graphics with polka dots, or all of the above — we think the vibrancy effect gives ample opportunity for experimentation in the more off-the-cuff style combination department.
• For the girlie girl fashionista, pair Peter Pan-collared blouses, lace texture, and sweet accessories for a feminine juxtaposition. For the tougher style setter, try a leather moto-inspired jacket, a leopard-print skinny belt, and retro Converse for an edgier approach.

Photos courtesy of MimisMuneca, CBLadyàlamode, and TheFancyTeacup

We're constantly looking to reinvent the way in which we style our most beloved items of clothing — that is, without having to endure the consequences of a costly shopping spree. By combing through the arsenal of chic Fab community looks and tapping into our editors' fashion prowess, we've whipped up an easy way to soup up your wardrobe with just a quick trip to the back of your closet. Today, let's go bold and vibrant: mix-and-match cool color combos.

• The best part about colorblocking is, hands down, its endless potential for fun, playful, and totally unexpected color matchups. This may be a good time to brush up on the ol' color wheel. Some of our favorite complementary pairings are: minty green with bright tangerine, deep violet with saffron yellow, and neon pink with crimson red.
• Use these color combos to emphasize your shape and your strong knowledge of silhouette proportions. We love seeing contrasted hues against a long-short hem or in the mix of soft vs. hard structural edges.
• To execute this look, it takes almost no effort at all. Find your favorite colorful pieces and pair 'em up. The effect is striking, but super simple to achieve. Whether it's a colorblocked sweater-and-jeans combo or a sweet juxtaposition of a bold dress over opaque tights, it's a zippy way to spice up a look.

Photos courtesy of Smileforstyle, BrittandWhit, and Erikets

Get the look of love just by reinventing your personal wardrobe wheel. Sure, you can splurge on lacy lingerie or a skintight cocktail dress, but for an everyday spruce-up, utilizing what you already have in the back of your closet will certainly make do. We've tapped our stylish community and chic editors to breathe new life into well-loved pieces — and this time around, we're making a serious case for shades of pink and red. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, we're in a sweet state-of-mind: just up your pink (and red) lady quotient.

• Don't go the cheesy route with your pretty pinks — make them pop in subtle ways. Try a pastel-hued peplum skirt, dusty salmon pink skinny jean, or a soft pleated maxi skirt.
• 'Tis the season to accentuate your shape. Opt for form-flattering cuts in even sexier hues of crimson red. Whether it be a zippered pencil skirt or a fiery sheer blouse, it's easy to create a sexy mood just with the right attention to detail and color.
• If you're not a total girlie girl, that's OK. Go ultra-feminine with sweet accessories: fuchsia platform heels, rich magenta earrings, a pale pink clutch, or a bold red fedora. Never underestimate the aphrodisiac effect of a well-executed element of style.

Photos courtesy of JustPatience, Megan Zietz, and Style Extraordinaire

Challenge yourself — take a wardrobe staple and transform it into something totally new. As much as we adore a good shopping spree, it's also great to reinvent the styling wheel with pieces you already own and love. Let's venture to the back of our closets and see what we can whip up with a little help from our favorite accessories, sweaters, and color combos. For today's quick makeover revamp: press "refresh" on your denim dress code.

• Layer your denim in ladylike ways. Pair it with a sweet angora crew-neck sweater, tuck it into a colorful pleated chiffon skirt, or wear it over a long flowy maxi dress.
• Cinch your denim top at the waist. By adding a textured, embellished, or bold belt, you're not only injecting a cool accessory into the mix, you're also adding extra shape and dynamic to your silhouette. Let's put some stock into the saying, "if you got it, flaunt it."
• Top your denim blouse off with chunky, flirty jewelry. Let it peek out from under the collar, drape it at alternating lengths, have fun with it. We think a pop of metallic sparkle is a playful way to dress up your denim without having to do much work at all.

Photos courtesy of Thriftjuice, Postgradchic, and CBladyàlamode

Brighten up your style outlook with a little help from your tried-and-true wardrobe (read: no shopping sprees necessary). By digging into the back of your closet and breathing new life into old favorites, we think you can turn a new styling leaf. And what better way to kick the Winter blues than reinvigorating your sunniest pieces and accessories. Today's 60-second revamp? Go vibrant with yellow accents.

• Don't just stick to yellow clothing — this pop of color applies to all spectrums of the styling wheel. Whether it be saffron-tinged fringe or a neon lemon-hued saddlebag, these yellow details are unexpectedly cool.
• With brighter colors, you can experiment with wilder color-complementary pairings. Try a canary yellow skinny jean with a purple cable-knit sweater or an amber pastel silk blouse against a navy blue cardigan for starters.
• Find the texture in your yellows. From printed honey-colored earrings to funkier, puckered citrine-wash sweaters, this vibrant hue looks great with most skin tones and is super versatile in its styling capabilities.

Photos courtesy of Sealedwithglitter, The Fancy Teacup, and MimisMuneca

Just because it's cold outside doesn't mean you can't take matters into your own hands — heat up your look with some seriously bright hues. By breathing new life into well-loved clothing items, you don't have to worry about breaking the bank to fulfill your styling needs. Today's 60-second revamp? Bring back Summer's colors, but give it a Winter whirl: don neon jeans for a seasonal pop.

• Channel an unexpected polished vibe with these vibrant tones. Wear a neutral cable-knit sweater over a collared shirt, and for bonus points, add a diamante choker, too. Or pair your colorful jeans with a nautical-inspired blazer. You can play up multiple style personalities in one go.
• Have fun with your shoe choice. Whether you throw on some equally wild pumps or opt for a knee-high boot, a bright pant will complement even the boldest accessories.
• Since your jeans are a big statement all on their own, don't feel pressured to go overboard in other styling departments. Simple layers and subtle jewelry offer up a soft juxtaposition to their louder counterpart.

Photos courtesy of Wear It Both Ways, Paricoleini, and Rach1023

Your 2012 mantra may be "out with the old, in with the new," but we think there's something to be said for recycled treasures. Case in point: today's one-minute makeover pulls from what you already have in the back of your closet and breathes new life into a tried-and-true wardrobe piece. We're feeling the (faux) fur vibe, so if you've got it, flaunt it: style yourself with a flash of fur.

• Don't just opt for a traditional fur coat — get creative with trapper hats, plush collars, vests, and subtle lining.
• Add texture to any ensemble instantly. The natural color variations of fur — black, brown, gray, white, and more — make for a dynamic burst of movement and layering. Try a long fur vest with a button-up top, cable-knit sweater, and dark skinny jeans for an updated silhouette.
• By injecting a bit of fur into your look, you've upped your glam factor a couple notches. The luxe material is an easy way to dress up a daytime look or transform a pretty evening ensemble into old Hollywood red-carpet-worthy.
• Bottom line: it's cold outside and a little fur can go a long way. Cozy up with a faux fur jacket, a colorful fur cossack, or a pair of fur-lined mittens. Any way you spin it, this furry tip will help you survive the Winter months.

Source: CBladyàlamode, Borrowfromtheboys, and Ava Drake