Shiny Happy

After a few weeks of (increasingly boring) casual dressing, I finally get to break out the fancy again! The regular performance season resumed last Friday and with it all the best reasons to wear pencil skirts and, that's right, sequins. Many argue about the place of sequins in the workplace, but my workplace is no office and this sequined top is no pushover.

Sequined top - Banana Republic / Pencil skirt - Simply Be / Black tights - LOFT /
Black heels - BBCG (eBayed) / Belt - Talbots

Oh, and it's yet another Banana Republic steal. I'm getting so good at this I can barely stand it! To be honest, I normally wouldn't even go for such a bedazzled top, but I loved the cut (elbow sleeves! wide scoop neck!) - not to mention the price ($30!) - so I couldn't really think of an excuse to not take it home with me. I loved it just with the jeans I tried it on with, so I knew wearing it with nearly any of my pencil skirts would be even more fabulous.

Handbag - Furla Carmen Shopper Grande Handbag (via BBOS)

I went for quiet class with a black pencil skirt, but for fear of being too fancy, I added colorful coral accessories in some hopes to bring it down just a notch. I really love the outfit, though. I just love being able to dress up, period.

Necklace - Anthropologie / Ring - Banana Republic (eBayed) / Earrings - The Limited

Sequins & Sparkles

First of all, I'm really sorry for the picture quality. Not only am I still waiting for a new camera, Bob is also out of town on business, and therefore so is his iPhone (with which we've been taking pictures in the interim). So it's back to my crappy Nikon Coolpix for today - I simply had to participate in today's EBEW "Sequins and Sparkles" challenge!

Cardi - LOFT / Sequin tank - LOFT / Pencil skirt - Lane Bryant /
Tights - Simply Vera (Kohl's) / Sandals - Banana Republic

Thought I don't own too much sparkle, when the challenge was announced I knew this sequined delight would be the top I would wear. It fits so nice and is just the prettiest winter white/cream color that makes it perfect around the holiday season. (I did, in fact, toy with wearing it with my new ASOS lurex stripe skirt for New Year's.) I love the raw edge of the always-flattering scoop neckline, too. In keeping with my near-obsession for all combinations of cream and grey, I went for a grey ponte pencil skirt and grey herringbone tights, a cream cardi in a slightly lighter color (I love the tonal variation of the two together), and {gasp} open toed camel sandals. I don't always love the look of tights + sandals on me, but I really like it here. Ties everything together.

Believe it or not (and I sure didn't), I hadn't yet worn the pencil skirt. I've worn the olive and black versions a few times now, but when I went to pull this one out of the closet, it still had the tags on. Craziness! I just love these skirts though. The wide waistband makes tucking in shirts actually possible and the material is so forgiving that I don't have to worry about much else.

Leather Ostrich Embossed Metal Bar Clutch - ASOS

Like my new clutch? I sure do! Bobby bought it for me as an early birthday present. =) I'd been looking for the perfect caramelly envelope clutch for months, and then I found this one also at ASOS, priced so right and ostrich-embossed! (You're rockin' my world, ASOS!) Of all the textures of leather, ostrich is unquestionably my favorite. Good job, Bobby. =)

Ring - Banana Republic / Earrings - Anthropolgoie

Cropped Rotation

Ever heard of Casual Tuesday? No? Oh well. Today was Casual Tuesday for me. Tomorrow will be Casual Wednesday, etc. and so on. I can't believe what a light week I have ahead of me! I could get used to this... (Probably shouldn't though!)

Olive cropped jacket - Maurices / Burgundy sequin bib top - LOFT / Flare leg denim - Lane Bryant /
Boots - Laundry by Chinese Laundry (Famous Footwear)

I've worn a variation of this outfit before, and it was the need to change into a more casual outfit later that night that beget the version I've (re-)worn today. I didn't blog about the change that night, but I was certainly excited to wear/blog about it again! No better time than Casual Tuesday, eh? I would have NEVER thought to wear the top and jacket together, but I'm pretty much in love with the combinations of olive and burgundy, sequins and military.

This cropped military jacket has definitely become a wardrobe workhorse for me, though. Whenever I need a casual topper, this is probably my most grabbed item.

Earrings - Dress Barn

You'll notice some new lighting! I pulled a floor lamp out of the office in the living room to balance the already existing light. My face is definitely more in focus, but hello whitewash! Back to the light source drawing board, at least until outside pictures become an option again!

Back to Basics

For all the time I spent knocking my initial outfit idea in yesterday's post, it's somewhat of a wonder that I ended up wearing it today! (I did warn you, however!) I guess it was just one of those days where I had to be presentable but I didn't want to try too hard. Ever have one of those days? Methinks you can see it in my face, too. =7

Dark blue blazer - The Limited / Sequin bib top - LOFT / Beige wide-leg pants - NY & Co. /
Metallic burgundy pumps - Charles by Charles David (via Zappos)

It is what it is - a reliable ensemble of blazer + wide leg pants + embellished top. Nothing too fancy or even creative, but I do think the sequined neckline adds a nice touch. Its color palette of navy and burgundy is one I always love, too, and is what inspired the outfit idea in the first place. The only thing I'd change is the round toe shoe - I think it makes my legs look wider and stumpier than they are. But, hoping to add a little more pizazz to the ensemble, I chose them for their metallic burgundy color and left it at that.

Handbag - Tano "Homemade Cake" in Bordeaux

Really, it all just comes down to great jewelry. =) The ring is the second one I recently scored from eBay, which is actually just a replacement of one I received as a Christmas gift from my sister last year, but recently lost. I'm so very glad it popped up on eBay, because it is one of my all-time favorites!

Earrings - LOFT / Flower ring - Banana Republic (eBayed)

As I was only at work for a few hours today, I ended up swapping out the pants for some jeans and the blazer for a military green cropped jacket (which you've seen often) as soon as I got home. I didn't get any pictures, but I totally loved the casual remix, not to mention the pairings of olive and burgundy, sequins and military. I plan to wear it again for a casual work day (and subsequent blog post) soon!

Happy New Years!

Happy New Year's everyone! Cheers!!