Nothing really new to see here, you guys. You can never go wrong by mixing neutrals (burgundy is totally a neutral) – at least, not without a lot of effort. And, really, who has time for that kind of effort? You all know my beloved camel hair coat, which I have worn approximately exactly 106 times since buying it a year ago. Let’s see what’s going on under it.
sans coatleopard print ftw
My top is a McQueen-esque feather (?) print AllSaints top I found at consignment for $18, and my pants are from American Eagle because they make the most comfortable high rise jeggings under $50. (Technically, they’re $50, but let’s not quibble.) The cardigan I picked up at Winners, and I love this style because it’s basically a fancy blanket. A fancy blanket I can wear to work. The shoes are leopard print and … enough said. And, of course, we have my trusty MbMJ Mag, which is a bag all-star. Not a bad line-up all around, come to think of it.
Blazer, Aritzia; top & pants, J. Crew Factory; necklace, BR; shoes, Manolo Blahnik (thrifted); bag, Marc Jacobs (via eBay)
Personal style at the office can certainly seem like a complex conundrum of messages and subtexts and politics, but at the same time it can be pretty straightforward. If you find a “uniform” (or two, or three) that works for you, it can be very simple indeed. For me, a “uniform” works if it checks off the following boxes: (a) it feels comfortable, (b) it makes me feel confident, (c) it makes me feel at least a tiny bit excited about the day ahead (even on the worst days), and (d) it fits my office dress code. Can’t forget that last one, sigh.
My blah, blah, blahs aside, this was a pretty solid outfit. I finally found some dressier tanks at J. Crew Factory, and bought one in white, blush, and black ($10 a piece, totally worth it). As much as I love my prints, a solid colour top is sometimes just the ticket.
green for the win!things are looking up … up, I tell you
Tomorrow is the last day to submit your Office Style #OOTD to EverywearYEG for a chance to be featured in next Tuesday’s (October 6) spread in the Edmonton Journal. I was thrilled to be asked to help “curate” this theme, and I have been having a lot of fun checking out everyone’s amazing office style on Instagram. Hey, it’s not too late to wow me, so come and join in the fun!
I bought this cropped jacket, from now-defunct Canadian retailer Tristan (previously Tristan & Iseult), back in early 2010 from a local consignment store. I remembered seeing it at the mall, at least a couple of years previously, and lusting over it and its matching skirt. Alas, it was too expensive for my budget at the time, so I was thrilled to find it for a more manageable price ($32) secondhand. (Too bad I never found the skirt as well. Sad face.) It’s a beautiful piece – the detail work is quite impressive, and it looks expensive – and I always get compliments on it when I wear it.
The truth is, I haven’t worn it very often in the last 5 (almost 6!) years because the cropped silhouette never seemed to lend itself to my wardrobe. Here are a few of my attempts:
2011 / 2012 / 2013
However, I held on to it through the years (even when it didn’t fit) because it always felt like a “special” piece to me. And now, I’m determined to find new ways to wear it. Well, this first effort is not exactly new … it’s just the same jacket + dress combo, except with a different dress. I’ll wait to blow your socks off with my creative styling till next time. (All the LOLs, but let’s roll with it.)
Speaking of the dress, this is the Tahari number I mentioned in my last thrifting post. It’s a very nice dress for all of the $8 I spent on it. It does have this weird tie thing at the back:
back/waist tie detail
At first, I thought it was super cool because you can adjust the waist tighter or looser depending on mood, size of lunch, etc. However, I quickly realized that if I use the last snaps (I.e. tightest “setting”), they immediately un-snap as soon as I bend down or make any similar movements. So, I’m stuck using the middle snaps, which makes the dress quite loose through the waist – admittedly, not the biggest problem as the dress still has some definition to it. I’ve debated having it tailored, but it doesn’t seem worth it; I think I’ll keep it as is, as insurance against weight fluctuations.
