Let's hear it for the boys.

Lately I have seen a lot of female shoppers dipping into the men's section of the store to take a peek at the shirts. A few have been brave enough to purchase menswear. And why not? What is more versatile for early September than a lightweight buttondown? Too hot for a jacket? Can't find the right cardigan? Get creative. Tuck it, tie it, belt it. The buttondown is the catch-all of clothing.

In the picture above, you've got my picks. A navy plaid Martin+Osa on the left, and the classic men's blue stripe Brooks Brothers on the right.

And then I styled them for the ladies:

Brooches are my favorite accessory for Fall. I want to cover everything in them: coats, hats, shirts, belts. They add feminine charm and a bit of quirkiness to any ensemble. I'd add some brogues and socks to the left, ballet flats or structured heels on the right.

So run to your boyfriend's, husband's, or brother's closet and try it out.* Just don't tell them that I sent you.

*Or be safe and stop in to the store to stock up.

Here's what you get.

It's an exciting day over here at Ambiance. We are running a Groupon, allowing Pittsburghers to purchase a coupon for $25 to get $50 in the store.

So that begs the question: What can you get for $50? A lot at Ambiance. To the left you'll see my look. Let me break it down. The sequin top is $22, the lightwash wideleg jeans are on sale for $15, the faux-pearl necklace is on sale for $10. The total ringing in at $47. I've still got three bucks for the small latte.

You may not all be sequins in the summer girls like myself, so I'd love to see what you can do. Send me your photos, comments, inspirations, and ideas to ambianceboutique@gmail.com.

And don't forget to getcha Groupon today!

With love from Ambiance,
Bridgette in Lawrenceville

How to wear it.

August is tricky. Dog days are here, but fall fashion is flooding my inbox. It is my opinion that the days of having two separate closets for winter and summer clothing are over.* Our mothers have always done it, but it seems tedious and wasteful to have a bunch of one hit wonders in storage for half of the year.

This is how I'd make it work all year. I took two summer dresses and thought about how I would wear them two months from today.

The first dress is red cotton, on sale for $17.50. The second dress is a blue silk Rebecca Taylor, on sale for $51. Add brown tights to the first look, black tights to the second. Voila! You're set.

*You can keep your heavy coat closet. That's okay.