Over the knee socks have been showing up all over the place. It turns out that they can be much more versatile than you might think. They’ve been popping up on hipsters and prepsters, the very young and the more sophisticated. Depending on how you style them and which socks you choose, they can add a grunge sensibility or a clean and proper look to an outfit. I’ve been tempted to style them in an updated version of the classic school girl look. This is a somewhat daunting task in that my goal is to make the look work appropriate and not super Lolita-esque. Admittedly, if you work in a conservative office, this probably wouldn’t work, but for many of us 9 to 5ers, this look is fair game.
The plaid blazer is great because it has that classic school uniform sensibility, but it’s done in a very sophisticated way. I added a white blouse with details that kept it from looking too much like a uniform. This shirt is very grown up, and would be a great staple in any girl’s work wardrobe. I chose a skirt that is dark and has just a little bit of pleating. You want to avoid a skirt that has the very traditional “Catholic school girl” larger pleating because you risk coming off looking too costumey. For this same reason, I chose to steer clear of a plaid skirt and opted instead for the plaid blazer. You could do this look just as well without any plaid at all, of course. Next I added the over the knee socks in a textured gray. I like the gray because it’s a slightly unexpected and softer shade for this look. I used a cute pair of flats as the finishing touch. Heels would look too tarty, so you’d want to avoid them. A lace-up oxford would work quite well here. For a couple of fun accessories, I threw in a charm bracelet and a classic initial necklace. I chose the black and white bag becuase I liked the strong graphic look and thought it would really pop against the rest of the outfit.
If the socks aren’t for you, you could do the same look with a thick opaque pair of tights instead. All of these items are from Forever 21 and are available on their website.
Each year I find it so unbelievable that just when you start to work your way into a Summer groove, the new Fall merchandise starts to hit stores. It is kind of a surreal feeling to begin seeing all of the beautiful Fall wares when you know it’s 100 degrees outside. The Fall season is kind of the darling of the fashion world, so the items are particulary lust-worthy. I find myself buying one or two items here and there and rationalizing the purchases by telling myself that spreading the purchases out over a longer period of time will somehow lessen the financial impact. Once I’ve purchased a great new Fall item, I refuse to let it languish in my closet for the next few months. My task is to figure out how to make the item appropriate for the warmer months.
Pants can be a great transitional purchase because, although we love our dresses, skirts and shorts, we never really stop wearing pants altogether. Last year the jodhpur had a bit of a moment in the spotlight. This Fall I think jodphur-style pants, along with numerous variations on the trouser, will be an important trend. Luckily, you can work these pants into your summer wardrobe very easily. Above, I’ve shown a pair of panelled trousers from Topshop with a ruffly chiffon sleevless shirt, also from Topshop. The shoes are from BCBGirl and they come in a few different colors. The short sleeved leather jacket is also from Topshop and would be a great thing to have in those over air conditioned restaurants and theaters.
What Fall items are you excited about? Have you begun purchasing Fall pieces?
It’s time for another installment of “what to wear to work this summer”. When it’s hot and sticky outside, there is really nothing better than a nice, light dress. Dresses are so uncomplicated and breezy. For very little effort, you get a super polished look. However, if you’ve ever worn a dress to a typical office building on a hot summer day, you know that those places are notoriously over air conditioned. My solution is to wear a tissue thin cardigan or maybe a cute jacket over my dress. This combination serves the dual purpose of keeping you from getting hypothermia in your office AND keeping you a little more covered for the work day so that you’ll be office appropriate. When the work day is done, remove the outer layer, and head out to meet your girlfriends or date. You’ll look smashing without an ounce of added effort!
Dresses from left to right Topshop, F21, F21, Topshop. Sweaters - J Crew, Charlotte Russe, Miu Miu, Topshop jacket. Shoes - Marni, Tophshop, Steve Madden, F21
Cheap and chic indeed. Both of these looks are from Forever 21. There are a couple of trends represented here. The first look has a hint of the safari look with the belted jacket and ikat-ish print. I think those heels are super fab too! The second look has the dress with the painterly pattern, which of course, is another big trend. I love that both of these looks are very summery and could go from work straight to dinner and drinks.
The latest Go International line has hit Target stores. This one hails from Rogan. Rogan Gregory is known for using eco-friendly materials, but of course, the usual wares are not sold at budget-friendly prices. I was happily surprised to see that the Target line does include items made from eco-friendly organic cotton and flax linens. Check the tags though, because this doesn’t apply to all of the items.
There are some cute and quite wearable items included:
Cute and versatile shirt dress at $39.99
A great linen wrap dress for summer work wear at $45
Probably my favorite. I love a t-shirt dress. There is nothing easier during the hot summer.
Since about 80 bajillion people have seen Iron Man, according to the box office numbers anyway, I think I can talk about one of the movie’s characters with the confidence that many of you will have seen the movie, and will therefore, know what I’m talking about. Virginia “Pepper” Potts is played by Gwyneth Paltrow. Her character is the assistant to Tony Stark, or Iron Man, as he is known in some circles. Ew, I know, you didn’t come here for the comedy. Pepper’s wardrobe in the movie reminded me of why I began my torrid love affair with the color black in the first place. Throughout the movie, she is smartly clad in black variations of a suit. Although most us aren’t blessed with the figure that Gwyneth has, the look is easy for anyone to pull off. So, the next time you’re deliberating about work wear, think of Pepper Potts.
Here is a still from the movie:
Very simple and very chic. The black pencil skirt (or a similar black knee-length skirt) is a wardrobe staple for the average working woman. It so versatile and quite flattering. The key for most women is to keep it at knee length and to be sure that it’s not too tight. You’ll know it’s too tight if you see ripples right across the hip and thigh area. The jacket here has an interesting cut and she has added a little color by putting a turquoise-ish top underneath. The standout here is the fantastic pair of shoes she’s wearing. I know that some offices don’t allow open shoes of this type, but there are lots of closed toe options that would work well.
Here are a couple of ideas:
The jacket, skirt and blouse are from Forever 21. This is a great way to get in on the sheer trend without losing your job for indeceny. You can wear a sheer blouse under a jacket. You might, of course, want to add a cami too. The sandals are from Forever 21 as well. This is an affordable facsimile of Pepper’s great ankle strap heels. The closed toe shoe is from Alloy. The bag is Chanel.
