Manic Monday: Spring Transitioning

As the weather starts transitioning to spring, I'm starting to think about wearing more color.  I've been wearing a lot of black lately, but I have also been trying to incorporate more bright colors and pastels.  One of my favorite ways to transition my wardrobe is by taking a cold weather staple, faux leather, and adding spring-like touches such as a pretty coral blouse and turquoise jewelry.

Skirt:  Eloquii (Available here)

This outfit could easily be worn a lot of different places, but by pairing it with a large clutch and simple pumps, it is work-ready. 

Bracelet:  Purchased from jewelry vendor

I would possibly add a blazer depending on how cold it was or if I needed to up the professional appearance of the outfit.

Blouse:  Target Petites

Necklace:  eBay

Heels:  Target

Clutch:  Target

Glasses:  Valentino

Leather, real or faux, can be a great staple for work, even in more conservative office settings.

Would you wear leather for work?  How do you transition your wardrobe for spring?

For the blouse in other looks, see here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Leopard in Transition

For today's look, I decided to style my leopard print dress for an easy transitional work look.

Dress:  The Limited (Similar here)

Bare legs and nude booties keep the look cool for the warm temperatures. 

The leopard print and violet purple bag add autumnal touches.

Cardigan:  LOFT Petites (old)

Booties:  Target (Available here)

My office at work is always cold so I added my trusty boyfriend cardigan for a soft look that would also keep me warm.

Purse:  Target (Similar here and here)

Necklace:  The Limited

Adding fall prints and colors to warm-weather silhouettes is one of my favorite ways to transition my look from summer to fall.

Bracelet:  Ann Taylor (Available here)

How do you transition your wardrobe for changing seasons?

P.S.  Voting is still open for the St. Louis Fashion Blog Awards.  Style Cassentials is up for three awards, including Blog of the Year!  Check out all the bloggers of Saint Louis Fashion Week, check out the events, and cast your votes here!!

For this dress in other looks, see here and here.
For the cardigan in other looks, see here, here, here, here, and here.

Vintage Floral

Happy Monday!

Dress:  RoseGal (Available here)

Hope you had a great weekend!  It has been really hot over here in my neck of the woods, but I'm super excited about fall fashion.

I've been trying to incorporate fall pieces into my wardrobe while not burning up in the heat.

Booties:  Target (Available here)

This dress is breezy enough for the current temperatures, but the darker florals will work well into fall.

Purse:  Target (Similar here)

Bangle:  Ann Taylor (Available here)

If this dress looks familiar, it's because I featured in my fall floral dress round-up.  I decided to order it, and I do really like the floral print.  It's definitely not a print that I would normally reach for, but I love the vintage floral vibe.  This dress runs a bit on the small side in the bust area, but overall, I enjoy the easy, almost trapeze fit.

It's not a dress that will show off your shape, but it is very comfortable!

Are you a fan of dark floral prints?  Any fall trends you're looking forward to???

Bzzzz...Black and Yellow Aren't Just For Bumblebees!!

There are certain color combinations that somewhere along the way I learned weren't okay for everyday wear.  Some combinations are associated with holidays (red and green; red, white, and blue; black and orange). 

Some get associated with other things...like bees.

Dress:  Eva Mendes for New York & Company

Well, like all rules in fashion, these rules about color deserve to be broken!

For work yesterday, I decided to pair my bright yellow dress with leopard heels. 


Heels:  Target (Available here)
Purse:  Express

What looks better with leopard than black?  So, I threw on a black blazer and added a black purse.

Blazer:  The Limited Black Collection (Similar here)
Rings:  Torrid

Necklace:  Ann Taylor (Available here)

While the weather outside is hot and sticky, my mind is on fall fashion, so pairing a lightweight dress and bare legs with leopard and faux croc is a way to incorporate some fall staples without melting in the heat (because I am that sweet, y'all...LOL).


The necklace and heels help tie the look together, and all in all, I'm really digging this combination.  I should wear yellow and black more often!  :-D

Bracelets:  Target and Ann Taylor

Are you a fan of yellow paired with black?  What are some of your favorite color combinations?

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

How To Wear Fall Florals NOW!

I know most of you are probably way into summer mode, but for some reason, I can't resist thinking about fall fashion!

Dress: LOFT (Available here)

We are having a mild summer this year, and the temperatures have been in the low 80s Fahrenheit all week.  With it not being so hot, I have been enjoying adding little tastes of fall fashion into my work wear. 

Today's look is certainly lightweight enough for summer temps, but the color palette of the floral print has a distinctly fall feel.

Booties:  Target (Available here)

Clutch:  The Limited

I plan on wearing this dress well into fall/winter with tights and boots, but for now, I decided to give it an easier summer vibe with the addition of light accessories.  The beige booties and yellow clutch keep the look from feeling too heavy for summer, while the teal nail polish gives me another taste of fall.

Bracelet:  Ann Taylor (Available here)

Earrings:  Torrid

A belt would look great with this dress, and I plan on wearing one with it next time.  Today though, I wanted to preserve the lightness of the dress by skipping a belt.

In the past I haven't worn a ton of floral prints, but they are starting to grow on me more, especially darker florals like the ones on this print.  They are also expected to be a big trend this fall. 

Are you thinking about fall fashion yet at all?  Are you a fan of wearing florals?

P.S.  I'm thinking about getting this dress hemmed to right at the knee but I can't decide.  What do you think?

Styling for the Changing Seasons

Happy Saturday!

Hope your weekend is off to a great start!  Today, I'm back with a little workplace fashion.  

Dress:  The Limited

I wore this dress during the winter with a faux leather jacket, tights, and boots.  When warmer weather hit, I lost the tights, added sandals, and opted for a cropped 3/4 sleeve jacket. 

It was a little chilly in the office, so I brought along the ivory wrap (tied to my bag) for extra warmth during the day.

Jacket:  Forever 21+

Sandals:  Target (old)

I added blue and silver bangles to bring out the blue colorblocking on the dress.

Bracelets:  Target, LOFT, Express

While I usually purchase clothing out of desire for a particular piece, I also try to be mindful of how each item I buy can be worn in various ways and in multiple seasons.  I can think of at about a half dozen ways to style this dress for work and weekends, so for me, this dress was a worthwhile purchase.

Satchel:  Target (Available here)
Scarf:  ??? (about 20 years old)

Do you factor in versatility into your clothing purchase decisions?  What are some ways you transition pieces from season to season?

For this dress in another look, see here.
For this jacket in other looks, see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Transitioning to Spring

I'm still wearing dark suits and familiar favorites to get me through the winter, but, even though it is going to be less than 10 degrees Fahrenheit here tonight, I have faith that spring will EVENTUALLY get here. 

While it can't happen soon enough, I'm doing some planning - trying to come up with some new transitional outfits that will get me through unpredictable spring weather in the Midwest. 

Skirt and top:  Target

Jacket:  The Limited

I've added my heavy faux leather quilted jacket and ankle boots to a spring/summer outfit from last year for a mix that will keep me warm enough while still sartorially celebrating nature's re-birth with bare legs and pops of sunny yellow.

Necklace:  Shoxie.com (Available here)
Bracelets (left):  LOFT
Bracelets (right):  The Limited, LOFT

Clutch:  The Limited (Available here)

Boots:  Fergalicious by Fergie (Available here)

How do you transition your wardrobe from winter to spring?


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