The Luxe Craving Andante Necklace

A couple of weeks ago I won my first blog giveaway! Stephanie from Inherited Jeans was giving away this stunning Andante necklace from Luxe Craving. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to have it. The necklace is absolutely gorgeous and is a perfect match to a previous J.Crew piece. What I also love about it is that at only $40, it is affordable for the average girl living on a budget. One of the requirements to enter the giveaway was to tell Stephanie how you would style the necklace. It was easy to come up with many different ways to style this necklace. For my submission, I ended up going with a simple and casual look - a basic white tee with bright colored denim. I wanted to let the necklace to do the talking.

Needless to say, I was thrilled when my package arrived! I love this necklace so much already that I want to purchase it in the mint color as well (it also comes in red)! Even though the necklace is a little "blingy", it very versatile and can easily be incorporated in your everyday attire. Here are a few of the ways I plan to style this necklace in my everyday casual and work attire, including the look that I envisioned during the giveaway:

Outfit #1: 

J.Crew Chambray Shirt (see similar chambray options in this post) / Loft Floral Skirt / 

Target Merona Yellow Chiffon Crossbody / J.Crew Gold Bangle Set / J.Crew Emery Flat 

Outfit #2:

 J.Crew Factory Stripe Boatneck Tee (similar at JCPenney) / Gap Skinny Mini Skimmer Khakis / 

Target Le Mer Triple Wrap Watch / Tory Burch Caroline Flat 

Outfit #3: 

Target Mossimo Denim Jacket / Target Merona V-Neck Tee / Rebecca Minkoff Floral Mini MAC  / 

 Loft Color Pop Skinny Jeans / J.Crew Factory Classic Crystal Bracelet / 

Gap Printed Pointy Toe Flats (similar at Target and Madewell)

Outfit #1: 
J.Crew Factory Tailored Boy Blazer / J.Crew Factory Polka Dot Popover (similar at Forever 21) / Loft Marisa Tapered Straight Leg Pants  /
Target Mossimo Flap Satchel Bag / Nine West Pumps / Marc by Marc Jacobs Henry Watch
Outfit #2:
Banana Republic Fitted Shirt / J.Crew Factory Frayed Tweed Jacket / BR Monogram Pleated Crop / Zara Everyday Shopper Tote  / 
Michael Kors Twist Runway Watch / Asos Scala High Heels 

It was hard to narrow down the ways that I could style this necklace! If you've been reading my blog or following me on Instagram, you probably know that I like to have a balance between affordable pieces and expensive pieces in my everyday look. I accomplish this with a good watch, a nice pair of shoes, a classic blazer or a handbag. I usually have one to two expensive pieces in my attire and then offset that with more affordable pieces.  This is what I have done with my outfits above.  I think the balance is important in creating a quality look without breaking the bank. There are certain pieces that are worth the investment and then others that are not.  The balance between the two creates a look that appears to be more high end than it really may be. Also, if you've been following me, you know that I very rarely buy items at full price, which is a key strategy for the budget fashionista in achieving any desired look for less.  The Luxe Craving Andante necklace is one of those pieces that looks much more expensive than it really is, and I am excited to incorporate it into my everyday attire.  

Thank you to Stephanie and Luxe Craving for the amazing giveaway!

How would you style the Andante necklace?