Disguised
And there I am, standing in front of my closet doing the whole 'I have no clothes', 'wish I had this, that or the other thing' song and dance in my head. I'm finally drawn to a cobalt blue piece hanging in my closet: a dress (worn here). Feeling a bit unconventional, I disguised the dress as a skirt with a crew neck cardigan. Even with this simple trick to give the dress a new life, something was still missing.
Patterns and textures are an easy way to up the ante on any outfit. The knit tights and shiny gold snake-print smoking slippers eliminated the simplicity of this two piece outfit. A mixed media necklace jazzed up the neckline of the cardigan and highlighted the blue hue. The mix of gems added the right amount of sparkle for the office. How do you de-simplify your outfits? (p.s. it was snowing while taking pics!)
Outfit Details:
Cardigan: Banana Republic, $39.75. I purchased this right around Christmas time. Funny though, that there are no cream colored cardigans online at BR at the mo. For a similar look, I recommend J.Crew Factory's Clare Cardigan in Champagne currently on sale for $34.50.
Deco Strand Necklace: Bauble Bar, $38. Lucky me, I got this as a bday gift from a very stylish friend.
Dress: Aqua from Bloomingdale's, $38. I purchased this dress during a Friends & Family event, but can't recall how long ago. Aqua is one of my favorite brands carried by Bloomingdale's because they always have on-trend pieces at reasonable price points.For now, this fit & flare dress at The Limited is an exact match (minus the sleeves), $98 (buy one get one 50% off). Since it's sleeveless, it will layer well with a cardigan over it.
Pave Stone Link Bracelet: Target, $19.99.
Rings: (1) The 'R' initial ring is from Lou Lou, $10. This ring is not available online. As a substitute, I found this alphabet ring on Etsy, (2) Knot Midi Ring: The Fashion Truck on Main, $6. If you don't get a chance to visit the store or truck, this Forever21 sweet bow midi ring is a great alternative at $2.80; and (3) Gold band was a gift from my dad. I love Bauble Bar's gold classic cigar band as an alternate, $36.
Tights: Marshalls, $Gift. One of my favorite places to buy tights is at The Limited. They always have a great selection of print and knit tights. Right now, buy one and get the second pair 50% off.
Smoking Slippers: B Atwood from TJ Maxx, $49 on clearance! This was a Christmas gift from my mom but I got her to spill the beans. They are on sale online at Brian Atwood for $149. If that is still too steep for you, these may fit the bill: (1) Dillard's: Gianni Bini Harvey Snake Smoking Slippers, $47.99.
[nggallery id=95]