Black Pants for Work: High-Waisted Trousers

I've featured this suit on the blog before here and here, but it really is one of my favorites.  

Pants:  The Limited (old)
Blazer:  The Limited (old)

Blouse:  The Limited (Available here)

As much as I enjoy skinny pants and jeans, I love the elegance that wide leg trousers have.  Wide leg trousers are making a major comeback for spring, and I'm hoping to find another pair.  The high waist and tie belt add a little flair.

I've featured this suit in vintage-inspired looks before, but today I took the suit in a more contemporary direction with a modern dot print blouse, gold horn necklaces, and open-toe booties.

Boots:  Target (Available here)

Clutch:  Vintage

The red clutch adds a fun pop of color.

Necklaces:  The Limited and Target (Available here)

Are you a fan of wide leg trousers?

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

Singin' the Blues: Black and Navy

Singin' the Blues Week wraps up with one of my favorite color combinations - black and navy!

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

I'll wear just about any shade of navy with black, but the lighter shade of this top works best with black.

Blouse:  Outback Red by The Limited
Boots:  Payless (old)
Satchel:  The Limited

Gold jewelry adds a touch of lightness to this dark outfit (silver would work well too).

Bracelet:  LOFT (Available here)
Necklace:  The Limited (old)

Do you like mixing black and navy?

For this blouse in another look, see here.

Ode to the Black Suit

I know that most people don't find suits very fashionable or comfortable, but I love them...especially when they are fitted and come in black like this one here.

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

Blouse:  New York & Company

Mixed with a houndstooth bow blouse and pumps, the suit is classic but has a chicness to it.

Heels:  Target
Purse:  New York & Company

Ring:  Earthbound Trading Co.

I always love adding an edgy touch or two to my work looks.  Here, I added a silver knuckle ring for a simple but bold statement.  A black suit offers virtually limitless fashion possibilities.

Earrings:  Target

A few of my favorite black suit looks from the blog archives:

Tuxedo Redux

Suited Up

The Dark Side of the Sun

Neutral Sophistication

Channeling Chanel

Gaga for Lady Gaga

Graphic Flow

Do you like black suits?

For this blazer in another look, see here.
For this blouse in other looks, see here, here, here, here, and here.

The Dark Side of the Sun

Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! 

Pants:  The Limited Black Collection (old)
Blazer:  The Limited Black Collection (old) (Similar here)

Today's look is the epitome of my style - simple black, somewhat androgynous pieces, mixed with a few unique or trendier touches.  

To mix the look up and give the outfit a sexier and cooler vibe, I added in an on-trend cropped bustier top and neon yellow pumps. 

Top:  Target (Similar here)
Shoes:  Target (Available here)

Belt:  Express Men (old) + older buckle
Clutch:  Target (Similar here)

Finishing off this look, I added a sun-buckled belt, bangles, and crystal dangly earrings.  

I love the little pops of yellow on the top and the pumps which bring it out.  The silver sun is cool in contrast to the warm golds, oranges, and yellows that typically make me think of sunlight. 

Earrings:  Prabal Gurung for Target
Bracelets:  Express and The Limited

In astronomy, the dark side of the sun refers to the area of the sun that we don't usually see.  Here, it refers to the cooler/darker color combination and a side of me you don't usually see.

In a continued effort towards complete self-love and self-acceptance, I find myself reaching for pieces that only a few months ago would have been outside of my comfort zone.  As much as I loved the midriff trend, I wasn't sure it was for me. 

I'm 35, and I wore cropped tops back in my early twenties.  Was I too old to wear this trend again? 

I also don't have the same tummy that I did in my twenties.  Was I simply too fat to wear the trend?

At the end of the day, my love of fashion has won out against any self-doubt.  My artistic spirit has conquered my critical one. 

To paraphrase Neil Armstrong, that's one small step for womankind, one giant leap for this woman.   :-)

More looks with this blazer here, here, here, here, here, and here.
To see matching skirt in other looks, see here and here.

Spring 2013 Fashion Preview: Stripes

Happy Monday, everyone!

Blouse:  New York & Company (Available here)
Blazer:  The Limited Black Collection (Similar here)

This week I will be featuring my favorite picks from the Spring 2013 runway shows.

I love designer fashion straight from the catwalks, but like most people, I don't have the budget for it.  Designer fashion is often inspirational and certainly helps determine what we all see in our neighborhood stores and mall chains each season.

Trends keep fashion fun and help keep your wardrobe new and interesting, but great style is definitely not about being a slave to trends.  For me, great style is about incorporating trends into one's wardrobe in a way that suits one's own personal style, lifestyle, body type, and budget. 

One thing I have noticed about the trends over the last year or so is that most of the major runway trends have been extremely wearable.  For example, one of the major trends on Spring 2013 runways was stripes.  Stripes are super easy to wear.  

Don't believe the hype that curvy or petite girls can't wear stripes.  Wearing stripes is all about getting the right fit and proportions.  Diagonal and chevron stripes are almost always lengthening and thinning.  Narrow to medium horizontal stripes can be very flattering to all figures.  I've already featured a few of my favorite striped looks off of the runways here.

This spring, many designers took stripes in new directions or used stripes in creative ways.  For me, the most innovative was definitely Marc Jacobs who showed a variety of striped dresses, suits, and tunics.

Marc Jacobs Spring 2013 look
Source:  www.style.com

Other favorite striped looks from the Spring 2013 runways:

Jonathan Saunders look
Source:  www.thefashionspot.com

Michael Kors Spring 2013 look
Source:  www.style.com

I am not a winter girl, so even though it's only January, I am ready for spring fashion!

I recently purchased this chevron stripe blouse.  I love the bright orange color of the stripes.  It's great now under a suit, but I am looking forward to pairing it with pencil skirts, white pants, and boyfriend jeans for spring.

Pants: The Limited Black Collection (Similar here)
Satchel:  The Limited (Available here)

Shoes: Target (old)
Earrings:  World Market (old)
Cuff:  New York & Company

Do you like the stripe trend for spring?  Do you have your sights set on any spring fashion yet?

The Yin and Yang of Dressing

Hi Everyone!!

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

As I have discussed previously, I love the look of women in well-fitting suits and traditional menswear fabrics and styles.  

As much as I like dresses, lace, and other "feminine" clothing, there's something about a woman in a tuxedo or suit that I find much more provocative.  

A woman's natural curves, no matter how slight, balance out the "masculine" presence of the suit creating a look that is ultra-powerful, in my opinion.  It's a look that feels complete in that it mixes the hard and soft, "masculine" and "feminine" - the entirety of each of us as human beings.

Today I was inspired by the Helmut Newton photograph, "Le Smoking."  

Le Smoking - Photo by Helmut Newton (1966)

My version adds some 2012 touches - faux leather details on blazer, burgundy patent leather pumps - while keeping the androgynous feel.

Blouse:  New York & Company (Sold out online; see here)
Shoes:  Target (Available here)
Belt:  The Limited

See this great blog post for more discussion on the history and gender-bending impact of the women's suit and tuxedo:  http://monicadmurgia.com/tag/le-smoking/.

Birthday Suit

Blazer:  Ann Taylor Petites (Available here)
Pants:  The Limited (Available here)

What did you think I meant?  ;-D

Hope you all had a fabulous day!  Today is my birthday, and I wanted a special look that really captured the essence of my personal style.

Blouse:  Ann Taylor Petites (Available here)
Tank:  The Limited (Available here)
Necklace:  The Limited

The man treated me to a black velvet suit and this lovely green blouse for my birthday.  

The entire velvet suit seemed much too formal for the workplace, so I decided to skip the velvet pants and paired the velvet blazer with simple skinny black pants.

Purse:  Express (Available here)
Shoes:  Target

Velvet is probably my favorite fabric.  I just find it so sensual and sexy.

I remember seeing velvet suits by Tom Ford for Gucci in a magazine back in 1996.  I was a college student who was just starting to get out of her grunge phase.  

I was so enamored with the Gucci suits.  I loved the strong look of the women walking down the runway in this traditionally masculine look.

A 2012 Gucci velvet look:

Gucci Velvet Tuxedo Suit, Source: Saks Fifth Avenue

A velvet suit is so perfect for more formal occasions. I would definitely wear the full suit for a work holiday party.  I would also wear with the suit with a slinky top for a special date night.

Would you wear a velvet suit?

Fine and Dandy

Today I was Inspired by menswear. I pulled my vest from the back of my closet and paired it with my favorite black suit.  

Suit:  The Limited Black Collection (Similar pants here; Similar vest here; Similar blazer here)

I have worn vests off and on since junior high school. I have never stopped liking them, but for some reason, I find my vest to be an occasional piece that I only put out a few times a year.

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

I love the look of traditionally masculine looks, like this three piece suit, on women.  The polkadot scarf, worn like a necktie, adds a slightly quirky touch.  It also helped conceal cleavage during work hours.

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

Menswear inspired fashion was very popular on fall runways, so this outfit feels right on trend but very "me" at the same time.

Lest the look be too masculine, I wore my hair down and threw on a cuff to give it that feminine mix.

Cuff:  The Limited
Tote:  New York & Company (Similar here)

Do you have items in your wardrobe of which you don't want to let go, but that you don't wear too often?

Do you like the menswear look on women? 

Leather or Not

Hi everyone!

Today I decided to wear my new blazer purchased from my September Wish List.  I love the faux leather sleeves and pocket detail.  

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

The high-waist and wider leg of the pant gives a subtle nod to the 70s, while the jacket shape and faux leather details keep the look modern.

Blouse:  The Limited
Belt:  The Limited

Leather is such a major trend this fall (See here).  Thankfully, vegan alternatives abound, so it's easy to find plenty of great pieces using faux leather.  I love the use of mixed materials in this blazer.  The woven fabric moves better than (faux) leather, and I think it makes the blazer more work appropriate than an all leather blazer might be.

Do you plan on nabbing any leather pieces this fall?  How would you rock them?

Tried and True

Hey everyone!

Today, I didn't have an outfit planned out, so in a pinch, I chose my favorite black suit.

Trousers:  The Limited Black Collection (Similar here)
Blazer:  The Limited Black Collection (Similar here)
Purse:  New York & Company (Similar here)

I really do think a black suit is a wonderful staple in my closet.

I could wear this suit twice a week and be happy.  It's completely professional and classic, but it can be styled in a myriad of ways, and because it's black, it's easy to give the suit a slight touch of moody glamour.

Today, I chose an ivory silky cowl neck top to pair with it.  A cowl neck is just as flattering as a v-neck, but adds a little more design and dimension to a top.  The flowers on this top look like a charcoal drawing, which is so gorgeous.  Seriously, I don't think the pictures do this blouse justice.

Blouse:  The Limited (old)
Earrings:  Target (old)

The only downside of this top (and being so petite) is that the print goes down the full length of the blouse, but the blouse is much too long to wear without tucking.  I'm literally losing half of this blouse's lovely print by tucking.  :-(

Bracelet:  Target (old)
Belt:  The Limited

For more on why I love suits (especially this black one), see here.

Do you have any favorite tried and true wardrobe staples?