Comfy Work Wear

I'm always looking for ways to change up my work wear. 

Yesterday for work, I played with older pieces in my wardrobe to create a super comfortable work look that managed to also look very professional.  The skirt and jacket are both knit!

Skirt:  Target Petites

Jacket:  Labworks for Target Petites

I love how the peplum cut of the blazer works with the asymmetrical hemline of the skirt. 

Clutch:  Vintage

Top:  Ann Taylor Petites

To add a bit more fun to this look, I added a fringe top and mint nails for a pop of color.

Ring:  Earthbound Trading Company

Shoes:  Target (old)

I love how the pieces all work together, and have personality while still being subtle enough for work.

Earrings:  The Limited (Available here)

And of course, a black and white palette is always a favorite!  :-)

How do you change up your work clothes?  Are you a fan of fringe?

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

Ready for Tea

Hope you're having a great week!

Today, I bring you yesterday's work look. 

Skirt:  eShakti (Similar here)

Camisole:  LOFT Petites (Similar here)

I apologize for the wrinkles, but I snapped these at the end of the work day.  Cotton is so breathable and great for hot sticky summers, but wrinkles are definitely a hazard.
Tea-length skirts are the big hemline trend this season, but I wasn't sure if this hem length would work for me at 4'9."  I decided to give this trend a try with a two-piece set from eShakti that I previously featured on the blog here.

Clutch:  Vintage

Blazer:  Forever 21+

While I do prefer a mini or maxi length for me, it's fun to step outside of my comfort zone with a new length. 

Tea-length skirts can make petite girls look shorter.  While I don't really mind looking short, I do find an elongating look to be more flattering.  To this end, I opted for an all-black look.  The solid color block from head to toe keeps the look more streamlined.  The cropped jacket help balance the proportions of the fuller long skirt.  

Booties:  Target (Available here)

Rings:  Torrid (Available in silver here)
Bracelets:  The Limited and New York & Company (Available here and sold out on-line)

Earrings:  Torrid

The heeled booties add height to create more of an elongating effect to the tea length.  A basic heel would be more visually lengthening, but I loved the idea of adding ankle booties and edgier jewelry to make this look feel the most like me.

Would you wear a tea-length skirt?

For the blazer in another look, see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Black for Spring: Aztec Print and Fringe

It's back to an all black look today.  I personally love an all black look for evening and don't see why anyone should stop wearing it in the spring and summer.

Pants:  Target (old)
Fringe top:  Wet Seal (Sold out on-line; See here)

Again, the key to incorporating so much black into the warmer seasons is to keep the fabrics lightweight and to add prints or other design elements that are more typically associated with spring and summer.

The sheer top and lightweight pants are perfect for warm weather.  Fringe is a MAJOR trend for spring 2014, and the print on the top has an easy summer feel.

Ring:  Shoxie.com (Similar here)

My blog profile pic notwithstanding, I'm not someone who likes showing a lot of midriff, but the fringe makes tummy baring a little easier here.  It's covered while not concealing.

For my own comfort level, I would pair a black or beige tank underneath this top as I did here.

Heels:  Target (Available here)

For those of you who are a little more daring, the top looks great with just a bra as well.

Clutch:  Vintage

 A red clutch and sparkly jeweled bangle from Ixora Boutique add fun pops of color!

Bangle:  Ixora Boutique (Currently sold out; See here)

Necklace:  Ixora Boutique (Currently sold out; See here)

 Do you plan on taking part in the fringe trend for spring?  Would you wear a sheer top?

For this top in another look, see here.
For these pants in other outfits, see here, here, here, and here.

Seafoam and Red

Happy Saturday!!  Hope you're all staying warm through this harsh winter!

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

All this winter weather has made me long for spring more than ever, and today's look features one of my favorite spring colors - seafoam!  The floaty chiffon of this blouse also lends a spring vibe while the blazer adds structure that keeps the look work-ready.

Clutch:  Vintage

Blazer:  The Limited (Similar here)

Red and seafoam is one of my favorite color combinations, so I added a red clutch and bangle to add another fun pop of color.

The color blocked pants and black blazer ground all the color and keep the outfit winter ready.

Heels:  Target (Available here)

Bangle:  The Limited (old)

Are you a fan of seafoam and red as a color combination?

For these pants in another outfit, see here.
For this blazer in other looks, see here, here, here, and here.

Kiss and Tell

I just wanted to extend a big thank you (and cyber-kiss) to everyone who voted for me for the St. Louis Fashion Blog Awards.  I'm so honored to be nominated and am excited to hear the results tonight at the awards presentation!

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

Blazer:  The Limited (Similar here)
Clutch:  Vintage

My almost daily bombardment of requests for your vote is over.  Asking for your vote everyday was not always an easy thing to do.  Doing so felt obnoxious, self-serving, and needy, qualities I generally dislike, and I certainly hope no one was put off by my frequent reminders.

At the same time, I have learned some very important lessons over the last year or so:

1)  You don't usually get what you want unless you ask for it.

2)  People aren't inclined to believe in you and help you work towards your goals if you don't  first show that you believe in yourself.

3)  You have to be your biggest cheerleader.

Heels:  Target (Available in other colors here)

Bold, gutsy, self-assured people often get further in life.  It is not because those people have more education, are more attractive, or are smarter.  It's that those people create excitement in others.  They make people stand up and take notice. 

The daring to show your self to the world is not an innate quality.  While it may naturally come easier for some than others, I definitely believe it's possible to develop these characteristics through affirmative efforts.

I'm s.l...o....w....l.......y learning to become one of those people, but it is a daily conscious process for me to remember to put myself out there and to garner the courage to actually do it. 

Women are often socialized in this culture to not take up a lot of "space", to put others' needs and wants before their own, and to not ask for or demand too much from others.  

Through a lot of reflection on my life, I realize that I was taught these lessons in many ways, lessons that cripple many women from realizing their full personal and social potential.

Asking for what you want, saying "Hey, I'm out here, and I'm fabulous...Notice me" feels "ballsy" because it IS.  So many of us, women particularly, have been taught that doing this is arrogant, selfish, and needy.  

It is not.  

Bracelet:  The Limited

We all have something unique to contribute, and it's in recognizing our own potential and uniqueness that we make ourselves useful to others.  Asking others to take notice of us in a direct way shows confidence.  It shows that we believe in ourselves and the skills, talents, and ideas that we can contribute.  It makes people remember your name and makes them WANT to take a chance on you!

Do you ask for what you want?  Do you like kiss/lip prints?

Shake N' Shimmy

Hope you've all had a great weekend. Today marks the end of Black and White week!

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

I finish this week off with a summer evening shorts look.  The outfit features geometric print shorts and my fun fringe top.  I'm usually not a very big fan of shorts, but I fell in love with the bold print of these.

Fringe top:  Ann Taylor Petites
Clutch:  Vintage

I added neon pink and red accessories to finish off the look and to add some fun pops of color.

Shoes:  Target (Available here)

Hope you all enjoyed some of my favorite black and white looks this week!  I'll be back soon with lots of color!!

Necklace (worn as bracelet):  The Limited

To see this top styled differently, see here, here, and here.

For more on spring's black and white trend, see here.
For more on spring's shorts trend, see here.

For more on the history of fringe, see here.

Casual Monday!

Jeans:  Torrid (Available here)
Blouse:  The Limited (Sold out on-line; may be available in some stores)

Today is the St. Louis Cardinals' season home opener, so we had a casual day at my job.

I decided to wear my new stiletto skinny jeans from Torrid and mixed them with a red and navy printed top.  The ankle-zip jeans are just a tad too long, but I'm hoping they'll shrink up a bit.  

Blazer:  The Limited
Tote:  The Limited

I was hunting for for a pair of distressed jeans, but I couldn't find any that I liked.  Most factory-distressed jeans are overdone, in my opinion.  I am planning on giving these a DIY-distressing job but decided to wear them today before they get too casual for work.

Necklace:  Vintage Judith Leiber
Clutch:  Vintage 1980s

For work, I added a red blazer to dress the look up a bit and to show support for the Redbirds.

I'm not much of a professional sports fan, but I decided to take the opportunity for another day of casual at work.

Heels:  Target (old)

Hope you all had a great day!!

Do you like sports?

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

Going Bold in the Workplace

Today, I paired my red pants with a geometric print tunic.  I toned down the look for work by adding a navy blazer. 

Blouse:  The Limited (No longer available on-line; May be available in stores)
Blazer:  The Limited (Available here)

Bright colors and bold prints are great, but wearing too much of either in a more conservative work place can be tricky.  Mixing bold colors and prints with neutrals in classic shapes, like this navy blazer, is a great way to show confidence and sass without being too extreme.

Pants:  The Limited (Available here)
Heels:  Target (Available in other colors here)

Snake bracelet:  eBay (Similar here)
Necklace:  The Limited (No longer on-line; May be available in stores)

A delicate necklace, stud earrings, and a statement bracelet accentuate the look but don't go too bold.

Earrings:  The Limited (No longer available on-line; may be available in stores)
Clutch:  Vintage

Do you like wearing bold prints and colors to work?  How does your workplace dress code affect your fashion choices?

To see these red pants styled differently, see here and here.
To see this blouse styled differently, see here and here.
To see this blazer styled differently, see here, here, and here.