Building a wardrobe of versatile neutrals makes sense: Mixing and matching pieces is easy and clothing is less likely to look dated. But a closet full of blacks, browns, beiges and khakis hardly makes for inspired dressing. To brighten up your look without splurging on a whole new color scheme, take a cue from Glamour Magazine and change up your shoes. In this post, they advocate brightly colored shoes with cocktail dresses. But why stop there? An electric blue heel would look wonderful peeking out from beneath the hem of your black pants at work, or a pair of hot pink flats could jazz up your jeans and white tee. Colored shoes are a no-fail way to liven up your look. Here are five inspired choices, all less than $100.

rsvp Hart Heels (above)

Guess Beautifi Sandal

Sam Edelman Delancey Flat

Michael Antonio Mavis Pump

Franco Sarto Now Pumps

–Becky Ellis

Magic Marker Makeup Fun $19

My three-year old son is really into drawing these days.  He loves crayons and coloring, but is partial to markers, so that he can sketch out a Picasso-like drawing on paper and the occasional playroom wall (no worries here, I buy the Crayola Washable ones). He loves holding the marker in his hands and squeals in excitetment when the nubby pen dispenses color on the paper in a flick of the wrist.  

I’ve been channeling my inner three-year-old too, but my canvas is my face, and my marker is makeup. What spurred this coloring obsession? Josie Maran, the former model-turned-organic-makeup-maven, recently launched a marker-type cheek-and-lip stain that makes makeup application effortless and fun.  The longwearing two-in-one  is chemical-free and has extra pigment, so that one swipe gives you a fast flush of tint (build color by going over it a few times). I love a multi-tasker like this, but  I’m crazy about the magic marker packaging that looks like my son’s Crayola, and fits easily into my purse for quick touch-ups during the day. Plus, the recyclable stick is planet-friendly, so I don’t feel guilty for tossing it when the color runs out. Just proves that adults can have fun with markers too.

Pantone Salt & Pepper Mills by Typhoon

Imagine my joy when I stumbled across these fabulous salt and pepper mills by Typhoon! The maker of stylish kitchen and cookware accessories teamed up with the world-renowned color specialist Pantone to create these chic spice mills in five high-fashion colors. You can choose from 40 different fixed settings to grind pepper, salt, spices–and even coffee–effortlessly, from fine to coarse. Each mill is sold separately and costs less than $30 each. What a great way to spice up your food AND your kitchen!

So many products are inspired by and named after lollipops. Their bright colors bring out the kid in everyone. Check out these lollipop-themed items on SHOP.com!

BUY Just Cavali lollipop skirt pencil skirt, Saks Fifth Avenue

BUY Juicy Couture lollipop boyshorts

BUY Alivar lollipop chairs 

BUY lollipop lamp

BUY rawhide lollipops for your dog

BUY lollipop print baby blanket

This season, color experts it’s trendy to get inspired by your locality. Ideas can come from a variety of sources – everything from seashells and driftwood on a nearby beach to colorful produce at a farmer’s market to a snow-swept ski slope. “The colors of our neighborhood landscape and architecture help to build our unique definitions of local,” says Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams. It’s about celebrating where you are and becoming one with your surroundings.

Shades of grassy and yellow greens, water and sky blues and natural materials like sand and wood are beautiful building blocks for a spring color palette. If you’re like me, painting swaths of color on your walls can work in measured doses. Then add colorful decorative accents that let you to change the look of a room by season, or by mood.