Pink on Pink

I just got this new pink knit moto jacket. I've been looking for a light pink jacket all year - ever since Pantone announced that it was the color of the year along with light blue.  I've tried on several, but nothing was a keeper until I found this one.  It's knit, so it is comfy like a cardigan.  The crop fit usually works well on my frame, and it comes in petites so it's not too long in the sleeves for me.  I also like how the moto detailing keeps this soft color from looking too sweet.  I wore a blouse under the jacket in a dustier pink, that has an attached tie.  I tried it on first with a blouse in a more perfect match, but again I thought it was too sweet.  I thought this darker pink helped ground the outfit and looked a more professional.

I paired it with a navy skirt, which is a wardrobe staple for me.  I wear my all the time.  It pairs so nicely with so many colors, and always looks classic and put together.  I recently had to retire my often worn navy pencil skirt, but not before I replaced it with this one. My last skirt was getting too big, yay! That's my favorite reason to replace something. 

I found this new navy skirt to be very comfortable, with soft fabric and just the right amount of stretch.  I wear skirts all the time, but sometimes I have trouble with them either riding up, or shifting around while I walk.  Some skirts are all over the place, and some stay where they are supposed to be.  I don't think it is determined by fit because I have both lose and tight skirts that do both.  Anyway, this skirt stays put!  I noticed that the lining is reversed.  Usually the silky side of the lining faces inward, but on this skirt the silky side of the lining is facing the skirt.  Maybe that has something to do with it.  If you're in need of a navy skirt try this one this one.

On my feet are my Ivanka Trump T-strap pink pumps.  I got them earlier this year at DSW (previously styled here.)  I have a couple of pairs of her shoes (like these) and I've found them all to be cute, comfortable, and reasonably priced. I can't find these exact shoes still available, but I linked to a similar pair below.

Pink Knit Moto Jacket - White House Black Market (Exact)

Tie Blouse - Max Mara (mine is old but here's a similar one with a longer more up-to-date tie)

Navy Skirt - T Tahari (exact)

Pink Pumps - Ivanka Trump (mine are sold out but here's a similar pair)

 

 

Charity - I use affiliate links in this blog.  That means each time you click on a link to a product I get a few cents, even if you don't purchase anything.  I have a full time job and I keep this blog purely for fun.  All proceeds I make here I donate to charity, so please click away and know it's for a great cause! Also, please tell me what your favorite charities are in the comments.  I will donate to the ones that are most popular. Many thanks!

Black and White and Bold All Over

I love how black and white is effortlessly chic in any situation.  Here, I'm in my the little white dress I just got from Nordstrom via Trunk Club  (styled before here). This time I topped it with a black pin stripe blazer with short sleeves. I just buttoned the middle button and added a belt over the blazer. I've found that while models can pull off the belted blazer look effortlessly, I can only manage it with fitted blazers that are intended to be belted like this one!

The blazer is the top half of a two piece suit. I used to hang my suits in sets in my closet.  I always kept the blazer with the skirt or pants it came with.  About a year ago I tried separating my suits so I have just the blazers with all of my blazers and the skirt with my other skirts, etc.  I found that by doing that I found other ways to wear the pieces separately; giving me more unique outfits and more mileage out of my existing wardrobe.  It's been a great trick.

 

 

White Dress - Classiques Entier, available here it comes in four colors, regular and petite

Blazer - Tahari ASL (old)

Booties - Tahari (old)

 

I've had these black and white booties for many years; long before booties were all the rage and became trendy to wear with skirts and dresses. I still think they look better with Capri pants, trousers, or jeans, but I figured I'd give the trend a go.  I think booties with skirts work better on women with super skinny calves or really long legs.  I need that extra couple inches of skin to help elongate my legs!

 

 

Charity - I use affiliate links in this blog.  That means each time you click on a link to a product I get a few cents, even if you don't purchase anything.  I have a full time job and I keep this blog purely for fun.  All proceeds I make here I donate to charity, so please click away and know it's for a great cause! Also, please tell me what your favorite charities are in the comments.  I will donate to the ones that are most popular. Many thanks!

Little White Dress

Every one is familiar with the "little black dress."  It's a wardrobe staple that is appropriate for just about any occasion.  Lately though, the little white dress has become just as popular. 

Hallie over at Corals + Cognac just did a great post on how to wear a little white dress five ways. Her post just happened to coincide with my latest Trunk Club delivery that included none other than a little white dress.  Hallie's post made me decide to keep it, so here's my first attempt at the now ubiquitous little white dress.

This dress is that wonderful ponte knit that looks professional, but stretches like a t-shirt and doesn't loose its shape.  Lucky for me it comes in comes in petites too, so it hits at mid-knee without alterations (I'm 5'3" for reference).  It's from Nordstrom via Trunk Club available here. (Read about my fun with Trunk Club here and here).

My coral blazer is a linen blend, so it's cool enough to wear all summer, but doesn't wrinkle like linen.  I got it last year at White House Black Market along with these shoes and belt.

Here are a couple of other go anywhere white dresses:
Jackie O Dress  - I've read lot's of good reviews about this dress and it comes in several colors

Tahari Dress - One of my "go to" brands

Blush Two Ways

Yesterday, my delightful colleague, Kelsey, wore a fabulous blush blazer to work.  I happened to be wearing a blush dress. As we joked about getting the "pink" memo and confided how we hope blush continues to be on trend in the business professional wardrobe for many more seasons, she kindly let me take a picture of her awesome outfit to share with you. 

 

Doesn't she look fantastic and professional! Her lovely lace skirt and blouse are from Ann Taylor.  I first started seeing lace skirts last fall, but this was the first time I had seen someone wearing one in a business setting, and it is lovely.  When they first came out I was concerned that lace might be too feminine for a business setting, but after seeing Kelsey's outfit, I realized how wrong I was.  She looked beautiful and feminine but completely professional at the same time. Nailed it!

 

She perfectly paired the neutral lace skirt with nude shoes and a blush blazer. She purchased her blazer at TJMaxx.  I love shawl collars on blazers, and they can be hard to find.  I've been on the hunt for a blush blazer like this for some time, but still haven't found a keeper yet.  I do have a blush skirt, though.  I might barrow Kelsey's color pallet, but switch the skirt and blazer.  I could combine my blush skirt with a white blouse and a neutral blazer...stay tuned!

 

 

My blush pink outfit was this Tahari dress that my Trunk Club stylist sent me (previously worn without blazer).  I paired it with a navy blazer with a stand up collar and ruffled lapel from White House Black Market.  I could have worn my nude heels like Kelsey, but chose my Ivanka Trump blush pink heels instead.

 

Charity - I use affiliate links in this blog.  That means each time you click on a link to a product I get a few cents, even if you don't purchase anything.  I have a full time job and I keep this blog purely for fun.  All proceeds I make here I donate to charity, so please click away and know it's for a great cause! Also, please tell me what your favorite charities are in the comments.  I will donate to the ones that are most popular. Many thanks!

A Summer Dress

Today I wore this light pink dress by Tahari. It has pockets! I had no idea how fun it is to have pockets in work clothes until today! I usually keep my pants' pockets sewn up so they lay flat, so it was new for me.

This was such an easy outfit. I'll have to find more dresses that I can wear to work without a blazer. I probably would never have picked this dress out, but my stylist from Trunk Club sent it. Tahari is one of my favorite brands, so I kept it even though I wasn't sure at first. I've actually put it on in the morning a several times before, but always changed into something else. I kept trying to wear a blazer with it before, but now that it's well into summer I felt alright wearing it on its own, and I got a lot of compliments from my colleagues.

Another reason I kept it on today is I wanted to wear these new shoes! They match perfectly! I just got the shoes a few days ago from DSW. They are by Ivanka Trump. This is my 3rd pair of her shoes and they are all eye catching and comfortable.

When I got back to the office this afternoon I set my purse on my desk for some reason. I usually put it in a drawer. My collguege spotted it and started gushing over it. I've always thought that everyone needs at least one Chanel purse, so last year I finally splurged. It's never made it into heavy rotation because it's a purse that generally takes two hands to get anything into or out of. It is so elegant though, and goes with everything! 

Outfit Formula: Formal Suit Made Casual

The matching skirt and blazer tends to be the most formal and traditional outfit formula, but when done in Searsucker, it's emidiately a bit more casual while still professional, and perfect for a Houston summer.  This seersucker suit is from Tahari, and the white shell is White House Black Market. Paired with an orange Michael Kors purse and these brown embossed Prada peep-toe heels, you have a great summer work outfit.

 

Prada shoes are often the most comfortable shoes I own. These brown embossed leather ones were a little loose in the heel and sometimes I would walk out of them. I added some heel cushions and now they fit great.

Outfit Formula: Matching Blouse and Shoes

Do you ever use formulas to get dressed?  I do. Here are some of the formulas I use most often for office outfits:

1) Matching skirt and blazer with contrasting blouse - this is your most traditional formula.  It is the most similar to a man's power suit where your blouse becomes synonymous with his tie.

2) Matching skirt and blouse with contrasting blazer

3) Matching blouse and blazer with contrasting skirt

4) Matching blouse and statement shoes with any combination of skirt and blazer

I use one of first three formulas when I'm pressed for time or when I have important meetings, because they are easy to put together and always look smart. 

When I'm I feeling creative or want to have a little more fun, like today, I'll use #4! 
Today I wore this black and white striped skirt with a pink blouse and matching statement strappy sandals. 

My skirt is from White House Black Market, the blouse is from Stitch Fix, the Shoes are Kelly and Katie from DSW.  My necklace is white topaz that I got in Sri Lanka (you can read about that trip in my Travel Blog). 

Here's a close up of the blazer.  It is by Elie Tahari, and has these wonderful ribbon details to really make it much more than your ordinary black blazer.

And these shoes are so fun!  They are by Kelly & Katie which is a private label brand created by DSW. They have enough elastic in the strap that I can get them on without having to unbuckle them which is convenient.  They are very comfortable except for a small spot on the top strap that rubbed against the top of my foot.  I actually just put a piece of tape under the strap and the problem was solved.

Outfit of the Day

Today I wore this black jersey knit T Tahari wrap dress, J Crew camel blazer, and these black and camel t-strap Ivanka Trump pumps. Do you like black and camel together?

I'm still working through my closet using my Stylebook Closet App (see my post about it here ). My list of items "never logged to calendar" is still pretty long, but I'm on a mission!