Outfits Not Just Clothes

 Apparently July 4th was the globally hottest day since a day in August of 2016. A hot summer is not the best conditions for outfitting, especially if you're in and out of AC. Putting together office appropriate looks has been challenging here as of late. I'm just not feeling very inspired, so I've turned toward some simple separates.  cardigan/bottoms-Banana Republic(similar here and here ), top- Gap , sunnies--Versace(similar here ), necklaces- Mejuri , flats- Allbirds Is this look setting the world on fire? No, climate change is taking care of that. But it's getting the job done, quite literally. I've worn this look to work at least once a week here as of late. The cardi and bottoms are both from Banana Republic and kind of create a "soft suit". I've had this cardigan for years and these drawstring linen pants were purchased in last summer's coastal-grandma craze. I've turned to mock-turtle tank tops versus standard tanks for the office. A ...

"suit"-J.Crew Factory(similar blazer here and "matching" culottes from Asos here ), shirt-Gap Menswear(similar here ), boots-Landsend(similar here ) Another fall-fantastic OOTD, this time with ALL of the plaids! Technically, the shirt is a check-print not a plaid, it's also a Men's medium to further play upon the androgynous suiting vibe. Fall is a great time to play with menswear-inspired looks and mixed prints. Technicality, the plaid in the blazer is not an exact match with these cropped trousers, but they work well together to create a "moment". Would I wear them together all the time? No, but in celebration of all this autumn & plaid this is a fun look. 

blazer/culottes-J.Crew(similar here and here ), shirt- Gap , heels-Ralph Lauren(similar here ), necklace- Le Tote Okay, while technically not a suit, these culottes and this blazer make one hell of a suiting statement, eh?! If you have similarly hued garments, like navy, it's okay if they don't match up perfectly as long as they are in different textures. Here the blazer is a wool blend, while the bottoms are silk (FYI two great materials for fall). I kept the texture party going with the pintucks on the bib of this popover shirt! FYI: Mixing up textures is also a great way to add some interest to a monochromatic outfit. 

blazer-Forever 21(similar here ), top- Sanctuary Clothing via Le Tote (similar here ), trousers-J.Crew(similar here ), necklace-Noir Luxe via Le Tote , rings- Jewel Mint , heels-Saks off Fifth(similar here ), sunnies- ViVI Technically, this isn't a suit as the blazer and trousers are from two different stores, but it acts like a modern alternative to the standard neutral, flared-leg, one-button blazer situation that many professional women default to: There's nothing wrong with this, it gets the job done, but it's kind of boring, right? Sure, on the model it comes off as crisp and bold, which is accomplished through photoshop and pinning any extra fabric, but IRL on a real woman this has the tendency to come off as ho-hum. And, while flared jeans are having a resurgence this season flared/boot-cut suit trousers read as early 00's. Not that I want to shame suit-wearing ladies, but I think it might be time to explore other silhou...

I've been thinking about a summer "suit" for a wedding I'm attending in August.  The standard dress route does have its conveniences, least of which is the better match for warm weather.  BUT, formal-ish dresses can be such a pain in the a** sometimes requiring shape wear or weird bras.  Plus, a wedding(and a Catholic one at that) is usually a 4 hour (minimum) affair and I think wearing pants would be way more comfortable then a tight, fitted dress.  So I've made a purchase from Zara . Ceramic Printed Blazer   Printed Trousers     These pieces were not shown together, so they may not actually match up, but it's a risk I'm willing to take.  Of course, wearing white at a wedding is no longer such a taboo, but I do have reservations about it.  So I also picked up these trousers: Printed Pajama Style Trousers     I'm thinking instead of having a matched trouser an...