Manic Monday: The Jumper Dress

School girl looks can go cliché very quickly, and I personally am not down for trying to dress like a sexualized child. 

Dress:  Eloquii (Available here)

That said, borrowed-from-the-girls jumpers are a huge trend this fall.  Thankfully, this trend is more about sophisticated and streamlined dressing, and it's definitely not juvenile.

Blouse:  Who What Wear X Target (Available here)

Shoes:  New Look Wide Fit

I spotted this jumper-style dress while perusing the Eloquii site, and I instantly saw its potential for easy work style.  By pairing the jumper with a bow blouse and booties, I had a great work look that I know will get me through fall and winter.

Clutch:  ASOS

The faux fur clutch adds a fun touch to the more serious look and also gives the outfit even more of cool weather feel.

Glasses:  Valentino

Have you seen this fall's jumper trend?  What do you think?

Playing with Proportions

Happy Sunday!!

For today's look, I wanted to play with proportions a bit, pairing a cropped sweater with a longer button down top.  Layering a longer top under a crop top is a great way to make your crop tops more versatile and to make them suitable for work.  

Skirt:  The Limited

Sweater:  eloquii (Available here)

I would have loved some leopard print booties with this look, but since I didn't have any, I tried two different shoe options.

For the first look, I paired my faux leather pencil skirt with black booties.

Booties:  Target

Blouse:  The Limited (Available here)

Purse:  Express

I added my leopard print coat to get the pop of print that I wanted.

Coat:  Old Navy Petites

Necklace:  Ann Taylor

For the second look, I went with leopard print heels.  The pumps make the outfit a little more office-ready. 

Heels:  Target

I really love the comfort of booties though, and I've been looking for some leopard print ones for a while.  I think if I can find a pair that works for me that they will be a great addition to my shoe wardrobe.

Do you layer crop tops? Which styling do you prefer?

For this skirt in other looks, see here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

For this top in other looks, see here and here.

Neutrals for Work and Play

Today, I'm featuring a look I wore last summer and never got around to posting on the blog.

Dress:  Target (old)

Black and tan are a perfect neutral color combination.  Changing the jacket and purse take this outfit from work to play. 

Blazer:  The Limited (Similar here)
Bag:  New York & Company

Clutch:  Target (old)

The statement necklace is fun for day or night.  With simple, neutral pieces, the necklace is allowed to really stand out as a feature piece.

Necklace:  The Limited (old)
Shoes:  Target

Rings:  The Limited and local jewelry show

 Fun back details add a cool twist for evening.

Jacket:  Torrid

Do you like changing up a work look for evening?  How do you go from day to night?

For this dress in another look, see here.
For the cropped blazer in other looks, see here, here, and here.
For the suit blazer in other looks, see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

12 Days of Holiday: Festive for Work

Today starts my holiday fashion series.  I have twelve days of holiday looks planned.  

Dress:  LOFT Petites (last year) (Similar here)
Blazer:  The Limited (Available here)

Hopefully, my outfits will give you ideas for a range of holiday events, from fabulous parties to running errands to New Year's Eve rocking.

Today's outfit is a recent attempt to incorporate a little holiday glitz and glam into a work look.  The red dress is made more festive with a velvet sparkly belt and faux leather lapel blazer.

Belt:  LOFT (Available here)
Tights:  New York & Company (Available here)

Clutch:  The Limited (Available here)
Boots:  Fergalicious by Fergie (Available here)

I think this is a perfect day-to-night look or would look great for a work holiday party.

Bangles:  LOFT (Available here and here)

How do you transition work looks for evening holiday celebrations?

For this dress styled differently, see here, here, and here.

Cozy Day to Night

Happy Monday, everyone!

Hope you all had a great weekend.  I spent the past weekend getting some much needed R&R; 'twas a blissfully lazy time.  :-)

Sweater:  Target (Available here)

Camisole:  LOFT (Available here)
Belt:  Torrid (Sold out on-line; May be available in stores)

As pictured, today's look works well for evening, but this outfit is actually a tweak on a recent work look.  I wore this same outfit to work last week, but changed the accessories a bit to make the look more modest and conservative for work.  

For work, I paired the outfit with ankle booties and a classic work tote.  More importantly, I moved the belt down to the waist to create a blouson-y and less cleavage-y look.

Tuxedo stripe pants:  The Limited (Similar here)

Shoes:  Target (Available here)
Clutch:  Target

Whether for work or play, this outfit is super comfortable, which is becoming more and more of a requisite in my book!

Cuff:  Express
Earrings:  Target

How important is comfort to you in choosing a look?

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

Tuxedo Styling

As much as I love embellishments, sometimes the simplicity of a simple tuxedo or suit is all you really need.

The tuxedo jacket and tuxedo striped pants create the look for which I was going.  

Blazer:  The Limited (Similar here and here)

Pants:  The Limited (No longer available on-line, see here)
Tank:  Target (Available here)

The simple knit tank keeps the suit from looking too evening.

Purse:  Express (Available here)
Heels:  Target (Available here)

To maintain the daytime look, I kept the jewelry simple and chose daytime shoes and handbag.

Bow earrings:  The Limited (old) (Similar here)

What is your personal style??  Casual? Business? Preppy? Bohemian? Evening?

Day to Night Fashion - Weekend Edition

Hi everyone!

Hope you had a lovely weekend.  Sorry that I haven't posted in a few days.  I was feeling under the weather, and I figured no one wanted to see me in my sweatpants and ratty t-shirts.  :-)

Today, I bring you the last installment of this week's series on day to night fashion.

Today,  I attended a kid's birthday party and ran some errands.  This is what I wore:

Tote:  The Limited
Shoes:  Target (Available here)
Bracelet:  The Limited (Available here)
Zodiac Rings:  H&M (Available in stores)

I kept the jewelry more simple with some silver rings, stud earrings, and a thin bracelet.  Ballet flats and a tote were functional for running errands.

For a casual Sunday night date night, I added some heels, bolder jewelry, and a clutch. 

Coated denim jeans:  Target (Available here) (Styled differently here)
Blouse:  The Limited
Cardigan:  Target Petites (Available here)

Earrings:  Target
Cuff:  New York & Company (Similar here)
Clutch:  The Limited
Shoes:  Target (old)

Hope you enjoyed my series on day to night fashion!

How do you transition your wardrobe from day to night?

Sweet and Salty

Happy Thursday!

I'm obsessed with faux leather this fall.  These pants are my first September wish list purchase.

Pants:  The Limited (Available here)
Top:  Torrid
Tote:  The Limited

The leather tuxedo stripe is cool, and I like that the pants are slim fit but not super skinny.

I paired these pants with a comfy crochet and sequin tank from summer and my pale pink blazer.

To bring the look together, I added a skull scarf.  The scarf is a total knock-off of Alexander McQueen's famous skull print scarf; however, unlike the hefty price tag of the McQueen scarf, I acquired this scarf for next to nothing.  

While I love a fabulous accessory and will occasionally splurge for a piece I love, I prefer inexpensive accessories to vary and update my wardrobe each season.

Zodiac rings:  H&M
Bracelet:  The Limited

I love how the faux leather and skulls add a salty touch to the sweet crochet of the top and pink of the blazer.

Blazer:  New York & Company (Available in black online here)
Scarf:  eBay (Available here)

To keep the look more professional at work, I used the scarf as a purse accessory rather than as a focal piece of the outfit.  

For evening, I could easily throw on the scarf to toughen (and warm) up the look.

Clutch:  Target (old)
Shoes:  Target (old)

The faux leather details and slim fit of the pants make these an easy day-to-night piece.  Switching out the work tote for a clutch and rocking the scarf, I'd wear this outfit to dinner, for drinks, or even a first date (if I were single, of course). 

Day-to-night Dress Up

Hi everyone,

Hope your weather is as lovely as ours has been here in the Midwest.  Today was gorgeous, and I celebrated this Wednesday with my favorite black dress made special with this awesome web necklace.

Dress:  Target (see styled here also)
Necklace:  The Limited (Available here)
Purse:  Express (Available here)

I love the artisan feel of this necklace and how well it works with the v-neck line of the dress.

Jacket:  The Limited (Available here)
Shoes:  Target (Available here)

The blue jacket and navy pumps don't "match" but I like the color range mix from the medium blue jacket to the black of the dress.  Mixing blues and blacks is popular for fall, but I have been semi-obsessed with this color combination since late spring.

An LBD is a no-brainer for day-to-evening work wear.  A black sheath is completely appropriate for the workplace, and the fitted shape with cool jewelry make it perfect for a night out.

Clutch:  Jason Wu for Target (Similar here)
Ring on right hand:  H&M (close-up here)
Earrings:  The Limited (Available here)

To make the look more evening, I added some sexier shoes and a clutch.  I took my hair down from its topknot, and voila - I was ready for an evening out in less than a minute!

I think this look would be perfect for a work-related dinner as it still looks professional, just more relaxed.

Shoes:  Target (old)

Getting the Right Fit

Finding clothes that fit off the rack is nearly impossible for the curvy petite woman.

Most of my clothes are altered, especially suit jackets.

AFTER

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

I love blazers for their structure and versatility, but without a good fit, they can look very sloppy.

BEFORE

When I bought this suit, the jacket's sleeves were too long, the arm holes too large,  and the shoulders too wide.  The pants were "short" fit, but they were also a bit too long.

While it's difficult to get a perfect fit without having an item made especially for you, a good tailor can get you close.

When purchasing a blazer, you should buy to fit the largest part of you.  Letting a jacket out is usually not as an option as manufacturers do not leave a lot of excess room in women's clothing.  Even if there's enough extra fabric, letting a jacket out may lead to unsightly holes depending on the color and fabric.

Bracelets:  The Limited (Available: here and here)

Ideally, if you can wear petites, do so as a petite jacket will be better proportioned all around, making the need for alterations fewer (and usually leading to a better fit after alterations).   

Now, my suit flatters my body and doesn't make me look like a kid playing dress up. :-)

Shirt:  The Limited

Extensive tailoring doesn't come cheap, so it's important to weigh the use value of the clothing item against the cost of getting it tailored.

A grey suit is classic, is functional for a conservative work place like mine, and is perfect for job interviews, so in my opinion (and for my life), it's worth it to invest in the tailoring.

Today, I paired my grey suit with a purple floral knit top that has a surprise back.

Lose the jacket, add some dangly earrings and a clutch, and you have a suitable (pun totally intended ;-D) look for an after-work dinner out.