Black Pants for Work 2: The Jumpsuit

Sometimes black pants aren't really black pants, but a whole jumpsuit.  I've been loving this knit jumpsuit for its easiness and versatility.

Jumpsuit:  Torrid

While my favorite way of wearing it is to dress it up for evening, I find that it is also really easy to make it work ready by adding professional touches like a blazer and pumps.

Blazer:  The Limited
Pumps:  Target

Bracelet and Scarf:  The Limited

I've playing around with different mixes of colors lately, so for today's look, I decided to add a red belt and tote to the light blue blazer.  The glen plaid scarf adds a conservative print and a warm touch to the look, which is perfect since it was snowing here much of last week!!

Tote and Belt:  The Limited

Earrings:  Gift (old)

If you work in a professional/business setting, do you wear jumpsuits for work?  How do you make them appropriate?

To catch other black pants looks from this series, see here and here.
For my first series on black pants for work, see here, here, here, here, and here.

For the blazer in other looks, see here, here, here, here, here, and here.
For the jumpsuit in other looks, see here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Black Pants for Work 2: Monochromatic Ruffles

Happy Friday!!

Today', I'm continuing my series on black pants for work with simple black skinny pants.  If you missed yesterday's post, you can catch it here.

Over the last few years, skinny jeans and pants have become a new classic shape for pants, and I love the streamlined feel that they create.

Jacket:  Eloquii (Available here)

 

Pants:  The Limited Petites (Available here)

For work earlier this week, I paired the skinnies with a black and white ruffled peplum jacket.  The jacket has a statement feel with its simple color palette and large ruffle.  The basic pants allow the jacket to take center stage, and the fitted shape on the legs accentuates curves. 

I kept the entire outfit monochromatic by adding a black and white tote and coordinating earrings.

Purse:  Target

Earrings:  trendylittlepieces and Target (Similar here and Available here)

I wore booties for comfort and a little added warmth, but I do think a simple pump would have elongated the leg more and added to the streamlined feel of this look.

Boots:  Target

Cuff:  New York & Company

I will say though that simple looks like this are sometimes my favorite.  Easy and chic in their simplicity, they really make the woman wearing the outfit stand out rather than the other way around!

For more looks from my first black pants for work series, see here, here, here, here, and here.

Black Pants for Work 2: Sailor Stripes

I've been working long hours lately which means I haven't been able to get a lot of blog photos in and the ones I've been doing have mostly been at night, which means the quality isn't as great as I'd like.


Pants:  New York & Company (Sold out on-line; may be available in stores)

Cami:  The Limited

That said, I did want to share with you some recent office looks.  Black pants are a workwear staple, and I love finding new cuts and accents for black pants and coming up with different ways to wear them.

Blazer:  Outback Red by The Limited

Earrings:  House of Harlow 1960 (WON! from giveaway at Economy of Style)

Boots:  Target

When cold winter weather hits, it can be hard to find the motivation to get very creative with work looks.  Black pants always look great, and since they go with everything, it is easy to change up your look without having to put forth a ton of effort.

Last year, I offered up my first "Black Pants for Work" series with the following posts:
Subtle Details
High-Waisted Trousers  
Teal and Brocade
I Adore Me
Modern Tuxedo

Since I've been living in black pants lately, I figured why not do it again?

Satchel:  The Limited

Today's look has a spring nautical inspiration - sailor pants, a striped tank, and red. While the look has a spring feel, it's warm enough for winter wear.

Wide leg pants are coming back big for spring, so these are right on trend while still having a very classic feel.

How do you make your black pants feel fresh for work?

For the tank in other looks, see here, here, and here.
For the blazer in other looks, see here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Nod to Mod

I apologize for being MIA the last several days.  Too much going on and not enough time!!!

I've got several ideas planned for spring posts coming within the next month or two, but right now, I'm feeling a little uninspired in the fashion department.  It's still cold, and I am feeling bored with all my clothes right now (and yes, I'm being incredibly whiny and self-indulgent).  

Pants:  The Limited
Blouse:  The Limited (Available here)

With work extra busy and life on overdrive in many ways, I find myself reaching for what is easy - which for me is black pants, black pants, and more black pants.  You'll be seeing a lot of them over the next few weeks because, well, that is what I've been wearing! :-D

Today's look plays with my favorite color combo of black and white.  The stripes feel on-trend for spring as graphic black and white continues to be a major concept on spring runways.  I think it's time to stop calling this look a trend - seriously has it ever really gone out of style?

I like this look because it feels a little 60s mod while still resonating in 2014.

Blazer:  The Limited (Available here)
Boots:  Target (Available here)

Purse:  The Limited
Necklace:  The Limited (No longer available on-line; see here)

For work, I used the larger white bag, but I also thought it would be fun to play with graphics by adding a polka dot clutch.

Clutch:  The Limited (Similar here)

What trends or styles are you looking forward to for spring?  Do you ever get in fashion ruts??

For these pants in other looks, see here, here, here, and here.

Black Pants for Work: I Adore Me

Black Pants Week continues with my go-to for work, evening, and weekends - black skinny pants.  Skinny pants are perfect with flats, heels, or boots.  The gold studs on the ankle of these pants add a style detail that sets this pair apart.

Pants:  The Limited (Sold out on-line)
Blouse:  The Limited (Available here)

One of the beauties of black pants is that they provide a blank canvas - you can add pair just about anything with them.  My favorite way to style them is to lighten them up with soft blouses and colored blazers as I did here.

When I first spotted this blazer, I was pulled in by the pale blue color (a color I didn't already have in my wardrobe) and by the ruching on the sleeves which makes it perfect for pushing jacket sleeves up.

Blazer:  The Limited (Available here)

Then I saw the lining which said "Adore Me," and I thought, "Well, that's pretty needy, isn't it?"  And why is a jacket from my favorite store promoting the idea that women should look to others for approval? 

Then, I found a deeper meaning. 

The lining is on the inside of the jacket.  I came to the conclusion that while it may not have been the intent of The Limited, the words "adore me" on the inside of the jacket is a message to self, a reminder to the wearer to adore the many wonderful things about themselves.  

Necklace:  The Limited (Available here)

Is my body good enough?  Am I smart enough?  Am I a good enough parent?  Is my outfit stylish enough?  Do I look young enough?  Am I competent enough at my job? 

Sometimes, it is easy to feel like we are simply not enough.


We are so often told by our culture that our best may not be or is not enough.  As women, we are so often taught that we must be superwomen who can take on the board room, the kitchen, and the bedroom without breaking a sweat.  We are told that we must be skinny AND curvy AND have gravity-defying breasts.  We are told that we must be experienced sexually and always sexually available while remaining virginal and "innocent" - child-like even.  We are told to break the glass ceiling in the workplace but to feel guilty about leaving our children with babysitters and day cares. 

So often, culture and society fail women.  They fail us by teaching us that we are not worthy, that our best is not enough.  Feeling fully confident in ourselves can be a constant struggle because the media, politicians, and especially corporations are constantly telling us otherwise.

Unfortunately, insecurity sells.

It's up to us to reject the messages with which we are bombarded.  That is a difficult process, but daily affirmations are one way of converting those negative messages into positive ones.

Bracelets:  Target, Claire's

I've documented some of my body image struggles here on the blog, but I haven't spent as much time talking about how I've mostly overcome them.

Learning to love myself was and is an on-going process.  One thing that has helped is learning to change the voice in my head.

Look in the mirror - instead of criticizing yourself (as I was always prone to do), find something about yourself that you love.  

Force yourself (if necessary) to say the words out loud:

"My ______ is beautiful.  I am beautiful."
"I provide/teach my children _________.  I am a good parent."
"I _________ this at work last week.  I am great at my job."

It may seem silly at first, but when you tell yourself the words out loud, it starts to change the energy around you.  When you keep doing this, your words become less forced - it becomes second-nature to think positively and confidently about yourself.

We're all going to have our not so confident days.  That's human nature and a product of cultural sensitization to the messages that constantly tell us we aren't __________ enough.  Reminding ourselves that we are good enough helps us combat those negative feelings.

And with that, I return to my jacket with its reminder to give myself the affirmations I deserve (that we all deserve).  

I ADORE ME! 

In a month centered around love - take the time to love yourself!

Boots:  Fergalicious by Fergie (Available here)
Satchel:  The Limited (old)

Do you give yourself any affirmations or have other strategies of boosting your confidence when you're having a "not ________ enough" day?

For this blouse in another look, see here.
For these pants in other looks, see here, here, and here.

P.S.  Click here to check out my newest post for The Curvy Fashionista featuring petite plus-size styling options for your Valentine's Day look (Most of the styles are available in petite, plus size, and misses/straight sizing as well).

Spring 2013 Fashion Preview: Color-palooza!

The mercury may be in the teens, but I am having a major case of spring fever, so today, I mixed last spring's bubblegum pink blazer with a mint top.

Jacket:  The Limited (Similar here and here)
Top:  New York & Company (Available here)

Pants:  The Limited (Similar here)
Heels:  Target (old)

Color is always popular on Spring runways, and this spring is no exception.

Emerald is the color of the year, but spring's major color trends include all of the following:

Spring 2013 Color Trends,
Source:  www.pantone.com

I'm particularly loving the primary shades of poppy, lemon, and blue.

One of the big color trends for spring was a monochromatic color statement:

Gucci Spring 2013 look
Source:  www.harpersbazaar.com

I don't see myself in quite so much of one color, but I would definitely rock a dress with a matching jacket such as the look below.

I'm in LOVE with this seafoam green look from Donna Karan!  I love the soft muted color and the floaty feel.

Donna Karan Spring 2013 look
Source:  www.fashionista.com

More of my favorite colorful looks from the Spring runways:

Diane Von Furstenburg Spring 2013 look
Source:  www.dvf.com

Diane Von Furstenburg Spring 2013 look
Source:  www.dvf.com

Do you like to wear a lot of color in the Spring?  Would you wear a colorful monochromatic look?

Workaday Elegance

Happy Thursday!!

Blouse:  LOFT Petites (Available here)
Blazer:  Gap (old) (Similar: here)

Today, I paired my outfit around this lace peplum top.  I added wide leg trousers and a black velvet peplum jacket for an elegant vintage-inspired look.

I kept the accessories minimal to let the shapes and textures of this outfit be the show.

Pants:  Express Editor wide leg trousers (old) (Similar here)

Jacket:  Back view

Shoes:  Target (old)
Tote:  The Limited (Similar here)

For more on the peplum and lace trends, see here

Casual Festive

Hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable Thanksgiving!

I wanted a comfortable outfit that was somewhat casual, but festive.

This is what I came up with:

Blouse:  The Limited (Available here)
Jeans:  Target (Available here)

I realize I wear a lot of black - I can't fight it; I just really like it!

Heels:  Target

This outfit is a little different for me as I almost always wear layers, even in the summer time.  It was a warm Thanksgiving this year, so I decided to skip the extra layer of a cardigan or blazer.

I accessoried with a bold cocktail ring with purple stones, but let the embellishments on the top speak for themselves.

Ring:  The Limited (old)

Do you have a basic formula for dressing with which you tend to stick?  For me it's pants or jeans, a blouse, blazer or cardigan - usually in shades of black and white.
 
Hope you're having a great Friday!!

Golden Girl

I realized today that I have inadvertently worn black pants everyday this week.  I do admit that I am a black pants addict.  I collect black pants like some people collect coins or baseball cards.  Even so, I usually try to mix up my style a little more.

Pants:  The Limited (Similar: The Limited )
Patent Heels:  Target

It has definitely been a transition getting back to work after my vacay, so it's not surprising that I have been resorting to trusty favorites.  Do you have any clothing crutches?

Top (Available at The Limited)

Today, I've mixed my black pants with a gold lace peplum-style top that I recently featured on my blog (See here).  Besides lace and peplums, this top also features another major trend for fall - gold.

Bow earrings:  The Limited (Similar:  The Limited)

Bangles:  Target, Claire's The Limited

Lace can look a little too matronly, in my opinion.  The slimmer cut of the pants work best here to keep the top from looking too mature. 

Cardigan:  LOFT Petites

I added the boyfriend cardigan for warmth in the office.  Do you layer for summer air conditioning?