Loop Looks

Blazer – The Limited (similar) | Shirt – The Limited (similar) | Jeans – The Limited (similar) | Earrings – Macy’s | Bracelet – JF & A Show (similar) | Shoes – Gabriella Rocha via 6pm.com (similar)

On the last day of the Mutually Inspired Series I decided to glam it up. Jen scored an adorable sequined top in a clothing swap and toned it down for work with a gray cardigan and jeans.

I don’t  own a gray cardigan so I decided to wear my gray blazer instead. Add a pair of heels, my new favorite jeans (after you all told me how amazing they looked on Monday) and simple earrings and I have an outfit for the office! Okay, it might not fly if your office is uber-conservative, but it definitely works for mine. I love the idea of wearing sequins during the day and I think the key is to keep them in softer colors like gray, pink, or white.

Also, please excuse me while I go on a slight rant. This shirt is sequined. Not “sequenced”. Or “sequence”. Or anything other than sequined or sequin. I see it misspelled all the time, particularly on Poshmark (<—click for proof), and it drives me batty!

Anyway, with that, Jen and I have reached the end of our week of showcasing our interpretations of one another’s outfits.  However, I had so much fun and have so many more ideas that I have a feeling we’ll be doing this again.  Or, if you’re a style blogger out there who wants to get in on the series, let me know! It would be great fun to have you!

P.S. I’ll be in Phoenix for part of next week for work. Apologies if posting gets a little sporadic.

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Jacket – ZARA (similar) | Turtleneck – Express (similar) | Skirt – Banana Republic Outlet (similar) | Tights – Banana Republic (similar) | Boots – Cole Haan (similar) | Bracelet – House of Gemmes (only $9.99!) | Necklace – JC Penney (similar)

Welcome to another week!  Have I got some treats for you. A shining sun, a new photo location, a new camera (!!) and two fun challenges for the day.

The first is the usual Inspiration Monday from Two Birds.  They chose a simple gray and black look for today.

Source

Of course, as comfy as this look is, I can’t very well wear it to work.  So I broke out two of my trusty wardrobe staples: my gray turtleneck and my black pencil skirt.  Dress those up with a statement necklace, some patterned tights, and heeled boots and you have a simple but sophisticated outfit for work.  Oh, and add a (faux) leather jacket and you have even more of a fun vibe.  Right?

The second challenge is the Take One and Pass It On remix from Sarah’s Real Life.  The idea is you take one item from Day 1 and wear it again in a new way on Day 2.  Then another item from Day 2 and wear it on Day 3.  And so on.  Lots of ladies have committed to doing this for the entire month of February but I decided on just one week.

So, which piece from today’s outfit do you think you’ll see tomorrow?  Leave your guess in the comments!

P.S.  If you don’t follow me on Twitter you missed out on my daring trapeze exploits from Friday night.  So, I’ll post the video below.  And when my husband tweets “6th try” he means it took him six tries to upload the video.  This was only my third time on the trapeze.

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Turtleneck – H&M (really old)| Skirt – The Limited (similar)| Tights – Walmart (really, really old) | Shoes – Gabriella Rocha via 6pm.com (similar) | Necklace – JF&A Show (similar)

Remember when I posted about wearing a sequined skirt to the office…but then it didn’t happen?  Well, today’s the day!  I actually swapped out the cardigan for this turtleneck sweater even though the weather is abnormally warm today.  I just wanted to wear gray and blush and I don’t own a gray cardigan.  Wearing the sequined skirt with something other than black takes the sparkle down a notch and makes it less New Year’s Eve and more day at the office.

My husband told me this outfit was “boring”.  Um, it has sequins!  And sparkle!  And shine!  How could it be boring?  What do you think?  Boring or no?  Would you wear sequins like this to work?

P.S.  I apologize if the title of this post got that horrible Rhiana song stuck in your head.  I can never change the radio station fast enough and I always get the worst earworm when it comes on.  Ugh.

P.P.S Don’t forget to enter the giveaways over at Frills for Thrills!  We could be jewelry rack twinsies!

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Sweater – Express (similar) | Pants – The Limited (similar) | Necklace – JC Penney | Drop Earrings – c/o Anjolee | Shoes – Gabriella Rocha via 6pm.com (similar) | Bracelet – JF & A Tradeshow (similar)

Apologies for the incredibly boring background.  I suppose it just adds to the gray theme I’ve got going on.  I had every intention of taking photos outside but I just couldn’t bring myself to strip off my coat and gloves and deal with the tripod since it’s currently below freezing out there.

I know, I know, Katie at An Alaskan Weredork is laughing at me right now.  I’m just not as hardcore as she is.  Yet.  Maybe in a few weeks!

This outfit is essentially the same as this one but with a gray sweater instead of a red one.  Okay, I also swapped out the jewelry and the shoes for other items to go with the shades of gray theme.  So, which one do you prefer? Red and gray or shades of gray?

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Cardigan – Target (similar) | Skirt – The Limited (similar) | Booties – Liz Claiborne via DSW (similar) | Necklace – The Limited (similar)

There are several ways you can use an inspiration photo.  For example, here’s today’s Inspiration Monday picture from Two Birds:

Leona Lewis

You could choose to go with the shape of or the items in the outfit.  A dress with a longer coat or cardigan and a scarf.  You could choose to go with with the patterns and mix several small patterns and include some plaid or something with a bird pattern.  Or you could do what I did and go with the colors of the outfit.  A brownish burgundy faux leather skirt mirrors the color of Leona’s dress.  A gray scarf echoes her adorable printed scarf.  And an oatmeal colored cardigan takes the place of her tan trench coat.

All of this to say that when you see a celebrity photo and think, “I wish I had her wardrobe!” you might be able to get closer than you think with items you already own.

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Turtleneck – Express (similar) | Skirt – The Limited | Tights – Walmart (similar)| Shoes – Gabriella Rocha via 6pm.com (similar) | Necklace – JC Penney

Funny story about these tights.  Last week a reader (Hi, Aparna!) asked me where I got these tights.  “Target!  Merona brand!” I answered confidently.

When I got home and changed I quick looked at the tag.

Does anyone remember Kathie Lee Gifford?   Yeah, she kind of dropped off the radar in the late 1990s.  Before that she had a line of clothes at Walmart.

Which means that these tights are at least 10 years old, if not older.  In fact, I’m pretty sure there are photos of me wearing them in high school if I think about it hard enough.

Say what you will about Kathie Lee and her Walmart line, but these tights have certainly held up.

Thanks again to my guest photographer, Molly from A Foreign Land!

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Blazer – Forever 21 | Sweater – Old Navy | Pants – Gap | Booties – Liz Claiborne via DSW

It’s Monday and you know what that means!  Another Inspiration Monday from Two Birds Boutique!

The outfit they chose for today’s inspiration is absolutely adorable.  I wish I could have worn an exact copy of it to work.

Rachel Bilson

Sadly, jeans on Mondays are frowned upon so I had to wear something else.  Also, I don’t have an navy blazer.  Yet.

So, I took my cues from the individual pieces of the outfit. A gray sweater with a design on it.  A blazer in the blue family.  And, yes, I have on ankle boots although because they blend into my pants it’s difficult to tell.

However, I love Rachel’s look so much that it’s definitely going to stay on my Outfit Inspiration board for a future casual outfit look this fall and winter.

Would you wear Rachel’s outfit?  How would you interpret it?

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Cardigan – Target

Tank top & Necklace – The Limited

Skirt – Banana Republic Outlet

Hose – Target

Shoes – Tahari/TJ Maxx

Apparently peplum is all the rage right now.  I didn’t know this when I bought this cardigan on the clearance rack at the end of last year.  I guess I was ahead of the trend for once!

This cardigan is actually just an open cardigan.  No button or zipper.  But I found I was fussing with it too much this morning so I decided to improvise.  Don’t have a button or a nice pin?  Use an earring!  Yes, that’s a stud earring holding my cardigan closed.  Pretty ingenious, huh?

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Dress – Classiques Entier/Nordstrom Rack

Belt – The Limited

Shoes – Tahari/TJ Maxx

Long Earrings – ???

Can we just talk about the weather for a second? It’s been in the 70s and 80s in Chicago and I have no idea what to wear!  It’s March, for Pete’s sake!  My summer clothes feel too exposed and my winter wear feels too stuffy.

So, I’m wearing what I consider to be one of my “winter” dresses.  It’s wool.  It’s lined.  But it’s short and it’s sleeveless.  I can throw a black cardigan on over the top if I need to.  Or I can bare my arms.  I’ve also worn it with black textured hose and a wide black belt.  So, it’s a pretty versatile dress.

You may notice I’m not wearing a necklace.  I don’t usually wear one with this dress because I don’t want it to compete with the ruffles and the zipper of the neckline.  But maybe I just don’t have the right necklace.

Would you wear a necklace with this dress?  What do you wear when it’s abnormally warm outside?

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Jacket – Express via MJRSales.com (still available!  Search for “famous mall brand sequin moto jacket”)

Shirt – Georgiou

Belt & Jeans – The Limited

Necklace – Jeans & A Cute Top Shop

Boots – Liz Claiborne/DSW

I was going to a wine tasting at someone’s house and wanted to look casual yet fun.  I saw this jacket originally on J’s Everyday Fashion and fell in love with it.  It was so impractical yet I couldn’t stop thinking about it.  But then when she wore it this way I thought, hey, maybe I could do that!  So this was my attempt.  I think it turned out really well!

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