Loop Looks

Cardigan – The Limited (similar) | Top – The Limited (similar) | Pants – Ann Taylor (similar in black & white) (similar in navy) | Shoes – Sole Society (similar) |Necklace – JF&A Show (similar)

This week I’ve been feeling rather uninspired. Then I remembered I hadn’t worn these navy lace pants since November and knew I wanted to wear them this week! But then I couldn’t figure out what to wear with them. Purple cardigan? Okay. Lighter purple shirt? Okay. Oh! Purple bubble necklace! Got it!

Still, I think my husband had to take about 100 photos of this outfit to get two that I liked. Not sure if it was the outfit, my (lack of) posing skills, or the angle of where he was standing, but it just wasn’t happening for me.

So these are the two I liked the best. And even then I don’t love them. But, I do love the purple paired with the navy. Such a fun color combination! I’m also hoping to wear these pants a bit more this spring since I bought them right at the tail end of cropped pants season last year. What colors would you like to see with them?

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Dress – The Limited (similar) | Cardigan – The Limited (similar) | Scarf – JF&A Show (similar) | Shoes – Nine West (similar)

It’s so cliché to say that a little black dress is a closet staple, but there’s a reason it gets said over and over again. A black sheath dress is incredibly easy to accessorize.  I’ve featured this dress three other times on my blog and it’s also the dress I’m wearing in my blog “logo”!

Wish you had a black sheath dress in your closet?  Here are a few that I think would fit the bill. Yes, the price on these might be sticker shock for some people, but if you think about the cost in terms of cost-per-wear you will get a lot of wear out of a dress like this if you work and it won’t go out of style. So it might be something you want to spend a bit more on. Still can’t stomach the price tag? Check out stores like TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, Ross, Beal’s or Burlington Coat Factory.  All typically carry a large assortment of dresses and I bet you’ll find something!

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Cardigan – Nordstrom Rack (similar under $25) | Shirt – Gap (similar under $15) | Pants – Gap (similar under $25) | Boots – Ciao Bella via DSW (similar for $55) | Scarf – JF&A Trade Show (similar under $15)

It’s Friday!!!  Who’s excited???  This girl right here. After a really long week at work I needed to celebrate Friday by wearing something comfy yet put-together for work. I know you can’t really tell from the photo, but these are NOT leggings. They’re actually skinny dress pants. But they’re comfy like jeans so they’re really a win-win situation.

Flat boots, a boyfriend cardigan that covers my butt, and a soft scarf round out my casual Friday outfit. For many people there’s no way this would fly in the office, but I recently read somewhere that you should take your cues from your boss. If your boss wears it then consider it fair game (caveat: your boss wears embroidered sweatshirts. Please don’t wear those to the office). And my boss has worn outfits almost exactly like this so I’m in the clear!

Speaking of being in the clear, I’m still attempting to stick to my goal of giving you all budget-friendly options for items you might need to round out your closet. And in this week’s edition I give you this entire outfit for $128.62 including the boots!

So, if your Friday needs a pick-me-up, throw on a comfy but cute outfit. And if you don’t have one, then use the links above to partake in some retail therapy. I won’t judge.

P.S. I mentioned that I was going to trapeze class last night. Well, I learned a new trick (called a set whip). Here are some photos:

Linking up with Two Thirty Five Designs

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Scarf – Target (similar for $10) | Cardigan – Nordstrom Rack (similar) | Top – Target (similar and only $15!) | Pants – The Limited (similar) | Shoes – Nine West (similar)

One of the first style blogs I started reading was Jill’s Good Life for Less.  At the time she was putting together outfit ideas for people who contacted her and asked for her help. She was nice enough to share many of those outfits with her readers. One outfit with a black blazer, gray slacks, and a purple scarf caught my eye. And, I admit, I spent the next year looking for slate gray dress pants.

Until it hit me – practice what you preach! Okay, so I don’t have dark gray pants. But I do have light gray pants so why not go with that? Duh, Erin.  And, yes, I have a black blazer but sticking with the inspiration not recreation vibe, I decided I wanted to be a bit more casual today and tossed on the cardigan instead. Sometimes you just can’t deal with a blazer, you know? Especially when the only thing on my calendar for today is a coworker’s birthday and more trapeze classes!

Remember, when you see an outfit you like, try first to see if you already have items similar to it in your closet. They may not be exact but I bet in many cases you were drawn to that outfit because you like those colors or styles. And if you already like them, you probably already own something like it!

Linking up with Texas Lovebirds

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Dress – The Limited (similar)(similar) | Boots – Cole Haan (similar)

By now you probably all know my rule of three: wearing three things makes your outfits look more put-together.  However, I’m breaking my own rule today and wearing just this simple purple dress.  And why, exactly, am I doing that?

I’ve actually had an outfit with a similar purple dress saved on my computer for at least a year and I recently uploaded it to Pinterest.  Then I was in The Limited this past weekend with some friends.  I saw this dress on the final sale rack but decided that it probably wouldn’t look good on me.  Too shapeless, perhaps.  But Kelsey tried it on and fell in love with it…but it was too short on her!  Someone else try it on, she pleaded!  It needs a good home!  So, on it went.  And in love I fell.

The design on the neckline gives it enough interest that I felt as though a necklace would be competing with it.  So I went with bigger earrings and my usual black boots and kept the dress plain and simple.

Every so often, simple is good.

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Blouse – Alfani via Macy’s | Skirt – The Limited | Boots – Liz Claiborne via DSW | Necklace – Macy’s

It’s another Inspiration Monday from Two Birds! Today’s inspiration photo includes a blouse, a pleated skirt and boots.

Source

Since I only own one skirt that is A. work appropriate and B. not a pencil skirt I went with a black and purple color scheme as opposed to black and brown.

I’m also not super jazzed about the booties with the skirt so in order to feel more comfortable I’m swapping out the boots for regular ol’ pumps.

Which shoe do you prefer?  How would you interpret this outfit with items from your closet?

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Pants, Top & Cardigan – The Limited | Shoes – Anne Klein via Bergner’s | Earrings – gift

I don’t really have much to say about this outfit.  I’ve been at a conference for the past three days and my brain is fried.  Also, while taking this photo the wind blew my camera off the table I had it propped on and now it’s acting funny.

Sigh.  Some days just aren’t your day, you know?

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Cardigan, Top & Skirt – The Limited | Belt – Target | Necklace – Macy’s | Shoes – Anne Klein via Bergner’s

You know what’s funny about this skirt?  When I bought it I honestly didn’t really think about what I would wear with it.  But already I’ve found that lots of things in my closet match it perfectly!  Like this cardigan.  I did not buy them at the same time but I realized this morning that they go together as if they were purchased as a set.

I tossed on the leopard print belt to break up the sea of purple and immediately got compliments on it when I was in the elevator on my way to my office.  An unexpected pattern or color in an accessory can really catch people’s eye!  In a good way, of course.

Also, I’m getting my hair cut tonight for the first time in…um…a long time.  I have no idea what to do with it.  Suggestions are welcome!

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Cardigan – The Limited | Top – The Limited | Skirt – Nordstrom Rack | Shoes – Tahari via TJ Maxx

I know, I know.  I just wore this skirt last week.  But, hey, one of my goals is to show you how to wear the items you have in different ways.  Which means wearing things I own lots of times!

Last week I wore this skirt with black.  That’s a safe pairing.  Black and white skirt with a black top?  Of course.  I’ve also worn it with pink. But, really, it could go with all kinds of colors.  So, I’ll wear it over and over again.

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Top – THML via Stitch Fix | Skirt – The Limited | Belt – The Limited | Necklace – Overstock.com | Shoes – Tahari via TJ Maxx

I recently ordered this skirt from The Limited when they were having an extra 40% off all their already marked-down items.  I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about pleats considering I carry most of my weight in my hips.

I’m still not sure how I feel about it but I do love that it’s way out of the box in terms of what I normally wear.  This outfit feels very frilly and feminine and I’m usually a bit more tailored.  I think I’ll hang onto the skirt and see how else I’m inspired to wear it.

Also, don’t forget that tomorrow is You Pick Wednesday!  Send your questions and suggestions to looplooks@gmail.com!

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