Carly Cais

(chiffon blouse with collar pulled into vest sleeves, Bluefly.com Priorities Navy Gabardine Boyfriend Vest, DIY multi-chain necklace, handmade rings, buckled cuff, necklace worn as bracelet, tie-dye skinny jeans, studded stretch bracelet, wedge-heel multi-buckled boots, studded flap handbag)

Fall '09 is all about a study in contrasts: hard and soft, light and dark, flirty and businesslike, girly meets edgy, structured undone by irreverence. A boyfriend vest is the ultimate layering piece for cooler weather, but its unisex silhouette demands something light and feminine, such as a tiered chiffon blouse.

Even though pairing the vest with some jeans (as in the item description!) felt like a bit of a cop-out, this vest needs to be balanced out by something slim-fitting (and a little sexy) on the bottom. Tie-dye jeans may be seen as Fashion Risk, but they're currently on-trend (and on celebs and fashionistas from coast to coast!). I love how the blotchy, nebulous pattern mimics the Fall leaves.

The red lip is back this season - and so I chose an fiery red to play off the blue of the vest and jeans.

Studded jewelry and accessories are also in opposition with each other: mixed metals (silver and gold) and shapes (squares and circles; pointy and flat) pair and complement. Buckled wedge booties complete the look and lend it an urban edge.

*Styling Tip: If you feel like you've fallen into an accessory rut, try wearing your jewelry in an unexpected way to reinvent your look! Here, I've wound a necklace around my wrist to become a zippered multistrand bracelet [right hand, partially hidden by bag handles], and placed a stretchy cuff bracelet over my jeans at the ankle [left leg]. (The banklet is born!)

Thanks for looking and I'd love to have your vote on StyleList.com!

See Carly's Chic Steals blog here.