My Work Style :: Silk Dress + Blush Blazer

July 11, 2017February 7, 20195min read

AllSaints Silk Dress c/o Clotheshorse Anonymous | Blush blazer (sold out; exact blazer in white, exact investment blazer) | Elle earrings | Black pumps (old, similar black pumps, investment black pumps) | Lipstick in Intense Nude

About a month ago, I took one of my best friends into an AllSaints store to show her the brand and their collection. I wanted to give her an idea of how my personal style is evolving and proving to be similar to their brand’s aesthetics. Is it a surprise that she fell in love? I wasn’t surprised at all. Obviously, I knew their pieces would be pricey, so I dreamed away while we perused their clothing racks. Here is a pic of their beautiful store here in Dallas:

#NeutralHeaven, right? Yeah, well, I also tried on one of their jackets (guess which color?) in their gorgeous dressing room too (Rach has the picture of me in the jacket):

I walked out of the store a little sad as their pieces are out of my price range (for now). Little did I know that I would find an AllSaints piece when I stopped in at Clotheshorse Anonymous a few weeks ago! To say that I was ecstatic is an understatement, haha! Once I envisioned that I could style it for winter as well (have I mentioned that I can’t wait for cooler weather to get here?), I knew it had to come home with me.

As my new dress hung on my door for a few days (I like to think about ways to style outfits this way), I wondered where I could wear it. Church? Duh. Just add a black cardigan and some flats. But what about work? Bam! I remembered this Balmain-inspired blush blazer from White House Black Market I got on super duper major sale that I had not worn yet because #HotTexasSummer.

I fell in love after I put this look together. It was like this blazer and this dress were made for each other! The blush from the blazer pulled out some of the blush in the print of the dress (Sidenote: Lydia, thank you for inspiring me with your style!)

My work style has evolved a lot over the years. Since I work in a professional environment, I tend to leans towards dressing business casual, meaning trousers (it’s freezing at the office), flats and a nice top. My work style used to be a lot dressier and incredibly bright and colorful early on at my 9-6, but now, I’m on the neutral side of the color spectrum and you know what? I’m very happy! I feel like at this time in my life, I’m starting to find my personal style and have made several fashion rules for myself when it comes to my (work) style:

Comfort is a must.

It’s pointless if your outfit is not comfortable! Is it really worth it even if the outfit is pretty? For me, the answer is a big fat nope! I’m not going to buy a lot of pieces that I can only wear on weekends. If I can double the piece for work, I’m game. Can I add layers and still stay warm at the office? Yes? Then it’s a winner! If I can’t (I’m looking at you, off-the-shoulder everything!), it’s out of the question. If I have to tug at it, adjust it or even think if my outfit is looking funny after a few hours, it’s game over. When it doesn’t pass my “arm test,” it’s definitely over! Comfort is not just a must, but it’s just common sense!
Layers are key.

I really dislike sleeveless pieces for the mere fact that it means I’ll have to layer. However, if I really love the top or dress, sometimes adding another layer like a cardigan, vest or blazer really amps up my outfit and finishes my look. Since I’m all about polished looks now, I’ll definitely make an exception with sleeveless pieces.
Fashion is meant to be fun and expressive.

My last fashion rule is to have fun and explore my personal style! I love doing this for work, church and special events/trips since I tend to be more casual on the weekends. Considering I’m currently dressing on the edge of “comfortable yet professional,” today’s look would definitely turn heads at the office because I’ll get, “What’s the occasion?” questions and that’s not a bad thing at all. As long as my pieces are “10s” (meaning I love them, not just like them), I know my wardrobe represents my own style!

I love that I’m stepping out of my style zone more lately. I’m finding that I’m loving shades of neutrals, nudes, grey, black and whites. Mixing high street with high end is definitely what I love to do too. I’ve also found that I like the polished look. A lot. Feeling “finished” gives me so much more of a confidence boost!

Did I mention that I love my partner, Clotheshorse Anonymous? If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have found this treasure of a dress! ::content sigh::

SHOP THE LOOK:

If you’re in the Dallas area, stop by Clotheshorse Anonymous and see if you can find something to add to your closet! If you’re not in the area, check out their website! Don’t ever count out consignment shops because you never know what you’re going to find! Let me tell you, I’ve been #winning like crazy these last couple of months at their store! Great quality pieces for great prices? Winner, winner chicken dinner!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed today’s post because I had so much fun styling this look! Stay tuned for more!