And we're back! I am so excited to bring you another edition of Working Women Wednesday after the great reception of last week's post. This has already turned out to be a really fun project, and I'm glad you guys are enjoying it, too.
Dressing for work is really the common thread of sartorial "writers block" that bonds us fashionable and professional young women together. Date night? No problem - give me an LBD and send me out the door. Brunch with the crew? Please - show me to my boyfriend jeans and brogues. It's dressing for the days that just keep coming - the occasions that don't feel like occasions - that causes so much grief.
To overcome this mentality on say... a dreary, mid-February, 45-degree Tuesday morning circa 8:45 a.m., I have to trick myself a little bit. It's sometimes necessary for me to invent a reason to add that extra gold chain or to wear my chunky heels instead of beat up riding boots. Need a few Ideas? Here are some occasions I sometimes employ to motivate myself out of my jeggings and into a high-waisted skirt:
- Takie yourself out for a coffee around 11 a.m. and will yourself to wink at a stranger.
- Decide to out-dress your co-workers just because you can.
- Wear something amazing you know someone will compliment you on, just to boost your confidence for a bit.
- Make a lunch date with a friend who works nearby, or one of your co-workers (even if it's just in the office cafeteria).
- Make happy hour plans for after work.
- Imagine that today may be the day you bup into your soulmate on the subway platform...
You get the what I mean. It's all about pulling a little motivation from somewhere within, and having the little dashes of spice you need available and at the ready in your closet.
All that being said, today's Working Women Wednesday features the lovely Ingrid, and one of her easy, breezy, go-to looks. It's simple, comfortable, and the perfect blank canvas to gussy up with a little somethin' somethin'...
Collective Concepts long sleeve tee; Joe's 'Honey' jeans; Frye motorcycle boots.
How great does she look? A perfectly slouchy tee, uber-flattering boot-cut jeans and classic, forever Frye boots - it's a can't-miss combination. Ingrid said this of her look:
"I absolutely love throwing on a flow-y shirt and running to work with some jeans and a cute pair of heels or boots. This is an alright look for any typical Friday in the office but I would love to jazz it up a bit so that I continue to wear comfort with a bit more flair."
Aha, flair! I love flair, we know this. If over-accessorizing were an Olympic sport, I would be a 2012 gold medal contender. But we're not talking about me, or about over-accessorizing. What Ingrid needs, and can oh-so-easily achieve here is a few additional elements to give this look a little more character.
What I'm envisioning here is just layering over the perfect basics she already has; keeping the comfort level high, and maybe switching up the shoes as desired. The first look, based around a boyfriend blazer, adds major polish and doesn't compromise comfort. A cozy snood is like a necklace that keeps you warm, and a hidden-wedge bootie gives you hight without the implied fanciness of a blatent heel.
The second look is built around the chic and colorful addition of a wine-hued open vest, with shortie cowboy boots (a go-to of mine) and fierce gold spike earrings. A vest is easy, too, because you can layer yet another sweater over it, or just your jacket, without too much bulk. I can imagine the earrings adding just the right amount of shimmer when Ingrid rocks her low side braid.
Lastly, I picked a cool, structured vest with unexpected cut-outs in back. With layers of ladylike pearls and demure-but-fun animal print flats, the combination is sophisticated but youthful, and a way to stand apart from the masses without making a spectacle of yourself in the office.
To wrap things up, I'll try and summarize what all this means in the end, and in your closet: Layering and amazing accessories are the keys to updating a basic look, or a look you feel like you've worn a-million-and-one times. You don't need a lot. Especially if you're seated at a desk most of the day, you'll probably find that weighing yourself down with chandelier earrings and an armful of bangles may drive you bonkers before you make it out for that 11 a.m. coffee.
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