Black for Spring: Ready for the Beach

Hope you all have had a great weekend!

Dress:  Babooshka Boutique (Available here)

Tonight I finish my series on how to incorporate black into your spring and summer wardrobes with a maxi dress that also doubles perfectly as a swimsuit cover.

It was less than 40 degrees today while I was taking these pics, so it is nowhere near swimsuit season in my part of the world.  But, for those of you who live in warmer climates or who are planning a spring vacay, this maxi dress is a great piece.

Swimsuit:  Torrid (Similar here) 
Sandals:  Target (Similar here and here)

Hat:  Target (Similar here and here)

This dress looks great with shorts or leggings underneath for easy lounge or street wear, but I love how it looks as a cover-up! 

It might be too cold here for a swim, but when warm weather finally hits, this girl will be READY!!!  ;-D

Necklace:  Ixora Boutique (No longer available on-line; see here) 
Sunglasses:  Prescription

Would you wear an oversized maxi for the beach or pool?

For the swimsuit in another post, see here.

Second Time's a Charm

Hope you're all having a great Saturday!

Today, I styled my ivory lace dress with a black jacket and wedge sandals.

Dress:  LOFT (Available here)
Jacket:  LOFT Petites (Available in average sizes here)

Shoes:  Target (Similar here)

I added in a few pops of color with the jade ring and yellow bag.  I really like how the bag, bangles, and shoes help tie the ivory and black together to create a more cohesive look.

Purse:  Target (Available here)

The first time I wore this dress, I added a green jacket and yellow sandals (see here).  I liked the color combo but wasn't fond of the overall look. 

Bracelets:  Target, Express, The Limited
Jade ring:  Vintage (Similar here)

I think this outfit works much better!

Printed Shorts in Redbook!!!

Today I bring you exciting news that I have been anxiously waiting to share! 

In April, I was contacted by Redbook magazine about being featured in an upcoming issue of the magazine.  I was told that I needed an image wearing printed shorts for their August 2013's "Real Style" feature. 

I sent in several images in a few different printed shorts outfits, and this is the one they chose:

Shorts:  The Limited (No longer available; Similar here)
Blouse:  The Limited (Available here)

Page 77, August 2013 issue, courtesy of Redbook Magazine

 The runners-up here and below:

This one and the one below were my favorites!!

Blazer:  The Limited
Clutch:  The Limited

Heels:  Target (Available here)
Bracelets:  Target

Peplum top:  Forenza by The Limited
Blazer:  The Limited (Available here)

Earrings:  Target
Bracelets:  Target, The Limited

I am so over the moon about being contacted by Redbook.  While I would be excited about any national feature, I love that Redbook takes a very affirmative approach to including women of various shapes, sizes, and ethnic identities in their magazine.  It's an honor to be included in a magazine that appreciates the diversity of female beauty.  In my opinion, women's magazines, including Redbook, have a long way to go towards full inclusion, but Redbook stands as a shining example that the tide is changing.  It's so fulfilling to be part of their trailblazing efforts!

It's also ironic that the feature was on shorts - I have just started to break out of my shorts-phobia.  Shorts would not have been my first choice for my first major feature, but in the end, I think it was perfect! So many women that I know hate shorts and refuse to wear them because they don't think they're flattering or they are embarrassed of their thighs.  Not too long ago, I was one of those women! 

If you like the look of shorts but have been held back by self-doubt, it's time to challenge those fears and rock those legs!!!    :-D

For the ivory blazer in other looks, see here, here, and here.
For the peplum top in other looks, see here.
For the navy blazer in other looks, see here, here, here, and here.

Sun and Sky

Hi everyone!

Hope you all had a great day!  Things are pretty frenzied at work right now, so I'm doing my best to squeeze in new blog posts.

Pants:  The Limited (Sold out in blue; Available in navy and black here)
Blouse:  The Limited (Available here)

Today's featured look is inspired by the summer sky and sun.

I paired blue pants with an off-white blouse and white blazer.  I added a yellow clutch for a pop of sunny color.

Blazer:  The Limited (old)
Shoes:  Target (old)

Clutch:  The Limited (Available here)
Necklace:  The Limited (Available here)

I added grey heels and silver and blue jewelry to finish off the look.

I love simple, streamlined looks like this for work during the summer.  The pieces are easy and comfortable, the colors light and airy.

Bracelets:  Target and The Limited

How do you make your work wardrobe more summer friendly?

To see these pants styled differently, see here, here, here, and here
To see this blouse in other looks, see here and here
For this blazer in other looks, see here, here, here, here, and here

Ruffles for Work

Ruffles were a huge trend on spring runways.  Many designers showed huge, exaggerated ruffles for a dramatic flair.

For today's look, I chose a more low-key version of this trend, pairing a ruffle-front tank with my work essentials.

Pants:  New York & Company Petites (Available here)
Blazer:  New York & Company Petites (Available here)

This ruffle top and pink blazer are ultra-feminine and almost too frothy and sweet for me.  I paired the blouse and blazer with more masculine trousers for a look that feels more balanced.

Blouse:  LOFT Petites (Available:  here)
Quartz Necklace:  Earthbound Trading Company (Similar here)

Shoes:  Target (old)

The windowpane check on the pants adds visual interest to the outfit but remains a subtle detail that doesn't overly compete with the ruffles.

The soft ruffle top and pink color help lighten the pants up and give them a more springy feel.  These pants definitely read more fall/winter to me, and I'm looking forward to pairing these pants with a leather or tweed jacket when the weather cools back off. 

Purse:  New York & Company (Similar here)

Do you like ruffles?

Spring Romance

Happy Friday, everyone!

Jacket:  Forenza  by The Limited (Available here)

Today's look is inspired by the colors of spring.    Before getting my ivory tulle skirt made, I bought this skirt off Etsy.  It's not as dramatic or as fun as the ivory skirt, but because it's not as fluffy, it's probably a little more wearable for everyday.

Skirt:  Etsy (Similar here)

I paired the aqua skirt with my blue moto jacket and added an ivory tank.

Earrings:  Gift
Tank:  The Limited (Sold out on-line; may be available in stores)

I really wasn't thrilled with the camel heels with this outfit.  I've been looking for a pair of metallic strappy heels that fit my feet for a couple of years now, and I wish I had some because they would definitely work much better with this look.

Clutch:  The Limited (old)
Bangles:  Target, The Limited, Express

That said, I still really like this outfit.  It's very soft, but the coral/gold clutch and biker jacket give the outfit a slightly harder edge. 

I hope you don't mind the prop today.  Taking pictures with the coral rose felt a little cheesy, but when I realized how perfectly this gorgeous rose matched my clutch, I couldn't resist.  :-)

Shoes:  Target (old)

Would you wear aqua, royal blue, and coral together?

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

In The Mood For Polka Dots

Today's look was definitely inspired by my mood.  I've been feeling a little uncharacteristically melancholy the last few days.  That feeling has made me gravitate towards black and darker colors.

Dress:  The Limited (Similar here)
Blazer:  Forever 21+ (Available here)

Usually, I am inclined to pair this dress with bright pops of color and play up the fun, feminine vibe of the dress.  Today, I wanted to give the dress a little more of an edgy, artsy feel.

I added one of my favorite necklaces, a bold cuff, and lace-up shoes.

Ring:  LOFT
Necklace:  The Limited (Similar here)

I paired the dress with my cropped tuxedo blazer.  I'm a naughty fashion blogger for wearing this jacket three times in two weeks, but I'm really loving it.  It's hard for me to find a cropped blazer that is actually short enough for my petite frame.  This one is perfect!  I'll be on the hunt for more 21" long blazers.

Cuff:  New York & Company
Shoes:  Target (old)

These shoes are full-on Monet (I watched "Clueless" last night :-)).  They look okay in the pictures, but they are so old and worn out.  I love these shoes, and I haven't found a shoe that I like enough to replace them yet.  These shoes are interesting and super comfortable - a combination that's very hard to find. 

I develop very little attachments to clothing, but I find it very hard to get rid of shoes.  It's hard for me to find comfortable heels that fit my tiny, wide feet.  These shoes are actually a little big, but they're so comfortable, I've gone through two pairs. 

While I often shell out considerable money for clothing pieces I love, I have typically gravitated towards inexpensive shoes.  If I can't find shoes that actually fit my feet, I figured why spend a lot of money on them?

Recently, I've been checking out some custom shoe web sites, like Shoes of Prey.  I'd like to have better fitting, more high-quality shoes, even if that means having a much more edited shoe wardrobe.   

Purse:  Express

Have any of you ever purchased custom-made shoes?  Were you pleased with the results?

To see this dress styled differently, see here.
For this blazer in other looks, see here, here, and here.

Simply Navy

I love the simplicity of today's look.  There's nothing overly special about any of the particular pieces, but the long block of navy just feels so streamlined and sophisticated.

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

Wrap top:  The Limited (Available here)
Purse:  The Limited

I do love my wrap-style tops, real or faux, and this one is super comfortable as the front is woven, but the back is modal knit.

Heels:  Target (Available here)
Necklace worn as a bracelet:  The Limited

I wore this outfit to work yesterday with the navy heels, but I also really like the neon yellow pumps.  The navy heels finish off the clean monochromatic look, but the yellow pumps add a fun and unexpected pop of color to this simple outfit.

Heels:  Target (Available in other colors here)
Tank:  Target (Available in assorted colors here)

 Monochromatic looks were a popular trend on spring's runways (see here).  While these looks were usually shown in bright colors, navy is a more toned-down way to wear the trend for the office.

Earrings:  The Limited (Available here)

Would you wear a monochromatic look?  Which shoes do you prefer?

For this blazer in other looks, see here, here, here, here, and here.
To see these pants styled differently, see here, here, here, and here.

Minty Fresh: Spring-ify your Workwear

Hi everyone!  Hope you all had a fabulous day!  The weather was beautiful today, and it finally feels like spring has sprung!

Jacket:  LOFT Petites (Available here)

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

For work, I paired a dark spearmint green blazer with black pants and a soft ivory blouse.  This is my favorite shade of green, and I just love how it managed to give a spring-y vibe to the black pants.

Earrings:  The Limited (Available here)

Tank:  Old Navy Petites (Similar here)
Tote: The Limited

My work wardrobe doesn't change much when the weather gets warmer.  I love my jackets, and chilly office air-conditioning usually makes layering necessary.

Necklace:  The Limited (Available here)

I do try to incorporate spring into my work wardrobe using these three criteria:

1.  Color - Adding in the bright colors helps your work wardrobe come alive with the colors of nature in the spring.

2.  Non-black neutrals - I love my black and don't completely give it up in the spring (e.g. my black pants), but adding in more whites, tan, taupe, soft grey, and navy can help a work wardrobe read more spring-like.

3.  Prints - I definitely tend to steer towards solids with interesting details, but when I do choose prints, I opt for florals, polka dots, and bold graphic prints during the spring.  Houndstooth and other plaids, pinstripes, and animal prints generally read for fall/winter.

Bracelet:  Target (old)
Shoes:  Target (old)

How do you change up your work wardrobe for spring?




 
  

Peony Power

Happy Thursday!

Pants:  The Limited (Available here)

Yesterday for work, I paired peony pink slim pants with a black and white top and cropped jacket.  

Blazer:  Forenza by The Limited (Available here)
Tote:  The Limited

Blouse:  The Limited (Available here)

I really love these pink pants.  They have cool ankle zips, and the color just makes me think of pretty spring flowers.

Bracelets:  The Limited

These pants were cropped/ankle length, but they were perfect as long pants for me.  I usually have to skip ankle-zip pants because they're too long and can't be altered, so I was excited to find these.

Shoes:  Target (old)

I added in a few additional pops of spring color with the yellow bangle and green nails. 

Hope you all have a great day!!