Black Pants for Work: Teal and Brocade

Today's black pants look is a little bit of a cheat - they have a gold brocade print that definitely separates them from basic black pants.

When I bought these pants, I knew that I wanted to think of ways to wear them for day as well as evening.  As much as I love evening fashion, realistically, I spend much more of my life in work and casual clothes.  To get more use value out of these pants, I have been brainstorming some ideas of how to make these pants work-appropriate.

Pants:  LOFT Petites (Available in average length here)

Sweater:  The Limited (Sold out on-line; Similar here)

This outfit is different than looks I would normally pick, and I admit it was a little outside of my comfort zone.  I don't wear a ton of sweaters, and pairing the preppier top half with the brocade pants was a pairing I wouldn't normally consider.  

Button-down top:  The Limited (Available here)

Heels:  Target (Available here)

In the end though, I loved this outfit and felt great in it all day.  The crew neck sweater in a pretty color layered over the button down shirt gives the pants a much more casual feel, while the classic black pumps keep the outfit professional.

All in all, I was quite happy with this look.

Bangle:  Target (old)

Tote:  The Limited

Would you wear brocade pants for the office?

For these pants in another outfit, see here.
For the button-down shirt in another look, see here.

Fashion Favorites: Black Blazers, 20 Ways!

I finish out my series on fashion favorites with the absolute favorite part of my wardrobe - my collection of black blazers.  They are such a staple and work with just about everything.

While I love all of my black blazers, my classic suit jacket and my cropped tuxedo blazer get the most rotation.

I mostly wear the cropped jacket with skirts and dresses as the proportion is a perfect topper for dressier looks.  The faux leather lapel adds a cool modern detail, and the cropped shape works very well on petite frames.

With Black Skirts:

See more (Clockwise from left:  here, here, and here)

With a peplum top:

Adventures in Traveling:  NYC

With a tulle skirt:

Ballerina Fantasies

With pretty black and white dresses:

See more:  (Clockwise from left here, here, and here)

With lingerie-inspired details:

Fall 2013 Fashion Trends:  Lingerie-Inspired Clothing

A classic black blazer is only slightly more versatile.  I've worn this blazer with everything from black trousers (as an actual suit) to animal prints to jeans.

As a suit:

Suited Up

With fun black pants and neon prints:

See more (Left: here and Right: here)

With dresses and animal prints:

See more (Left: here and Right: here)

With colored pants:

See more (Left: here and Right: here)

With graphic black and white prints and neon pink pumps:

See more (Left: here and Right: here)

With lots of color:

Brocade and Lollipop Red

With jeans:

Eyelet and Denim

Are you a fan of black blazers?  Share a look with your favorite black blazer on Facebook!

Fashion Favorites: 4 Prints, 13 Ways

Prints add fun and interest to neutrals and other solids.  Mixed prints can be tricky to pull off, but when done well, mixed prints make for a unique look.

Here's a look back at some of the ways I've worn my favorite printed pieces.


Printed Skirt:

A is for A-line

Hello Yellow

Skirt Week:  Lady In Waiting

Floral Blazer:

Stripes Week:  Print-Tastic

Flower Child

Leopard Sweatshirt:

Skirt Week:  Grrrrrrl Power

Fall 2013 Fashion Trends:  The Luxe Sweatshirt

Go Bold, Go Casual

Foulard Blazer:

Crying Foulard

Foulard Me Once

Foulard Me Once

Pajama Party

Foulard and Gold Details

Are you a fan of prints?  Do you prefer wearing prints with solids or other prints?

Fashion Favorites: Coral Blouse, 5 Ways

Happy Monday, and welcome to Fashion Favorites - shirt edition! :-)

It was actually hard for me to come up with a post that featured a blouse that I have worn in a variety of ways and numerous times.  I am admittedly most fickle about tops - I grow tired of them quickly, and I tend to sell or give away blouses much more frequently than I do other items in my wardrobe.

That said, I really like this coral blouse.  I wouldn't have categorized it as one of my top favorites, but I have actually worn it in a bigger variety of ways than many of my aesthetic faves.  For that reason, it is is definitely a fashion favorite - a simple blouse in a fabulous color that works with all my neutrals and mixes well with other colors too!

Here's how I've worn the blouse on the blog:

Rock-N-Roll with Tie-Dye Denim:

Fit to be Tie-Dyed

With Neon Primaries:

Make It Pop

With Teal Brocade and Black:

Brocade and Lollipop Red

With White Denim for Summer Travel Chic:

Adventures in Traveling:  Plymouth, MA and Middletown, NY

With Neutrals For a Safari-Inspired Work Look:

Pop of Coral

A great color can give a blouse a ton of wardrobe mileage.  Coral is flattering for many skin tones, and a simple blouse like this works well for work or play.

Do you have a favorite easy-to-style blouse?

Fashion Favorites: White Blazer, 6 Ways

Blazers are a major staple in my closet, and this white blazer is one of my favorites.
This white blazer has a slightly cropped shape, making it flattering for petite figures.  I love this particular blazer with pants, dresses, or skirts, making it super versatile.

Here are some of the ways I've worn it:

With an LBD for work

The Essential LBD

With a heart print blouse and ballet flats

Hearts Afire

Springy with a green pencil skirt and floral

Spring To It

With faux leather for warm weather edge

What's Black and White (and a little red) All Over?

With soft blue and greys for an easy-going evening look

Blue & Neutrals

With red and black for a graphic pop

Red Pants, White Jacket

Are you a fan of white blazers?

Fashion Favorites: Sheer Maxi Skirt, 3 Ways

One of my favorite, most comfortable skirts is this sheer maxi.  At first glance, skirts like these may seem difficult to wear; however, I have found this skirt to be rather versatile. 

The skirt looks best with crop tops or tucked in blouses to accentuate the waist and balance the flowy fit of the skirt. 

The sheer style of this maxi makes it particularly great for curvy petites.  The sheer maxi doesn't overpower petite frames, and the mini skirt under-layer shows off curvy legs and creates a lengthening effect.

I just think it's a fun skirt and am looking forward to wearing it again once the weather warms up a bit, possibly with some printed tights layered underneath.

Here are three ways I've styled my sheer maxi skirt:


Date Night Maxi

Skirt Week:  Drama Queen

St. Louis Magazine Honors The City's Most Stylish

Do you like sheer maxi skirts?  How would you wear one?

Similar skirt available here and here.

Fashion Favorites: Red Pants 7 Ways

While black pants will always be my favorite, red pants make a fun and confident statement. 

Looking over the ways I've worn my red pants over the last year, I find that I usually pair them with other neutrals.  I opt for modern graphics and cat prints to complement the bold red.

Here are some of the ways I've worn my red pants over the last year:

Mod Squad

Go Bold, Go Casual

Put On Your Dancing Shoes

Going Bold in the Workplace

Urban Safari

Stripes Week:  Red-y for Work

12 Days of Holiday:  Cozy Days

Would you wear red pants, and how would you pair them?

For similar pants, see here and here.