What I Wore: Week of Work Travel

You may have noticed on Instagram that I was traveling recently in Belgium and Germany. Unlike my recent trip to Rome (posts here) I decided to check a bag. And while I'm an expert packer, with fall temps upon us, I just didn't want to wear the same thing the entire trip. So here you go...a week of work what I wore. 

Left: Zara cape (similar), Zara scarf (similar), J. Crew Pixie Pant
Zara suede boots (similar), Black turtleneck sweater
Right: Zara cape, Zara suede boots, J. Crew Pixie Pant,
Uniqlo cashmere crewneck, Brooks Brothers non-iron shirt 

Left: Zara vest, Black turtleneck sweater, Ann Taylor Loft skirt (similar)
Zara suede boots
Right: Banana Republic dress (old), Shoshanna coat (old), Zara scarf, Stuart Weitzman black suede booties (old)

Left: Vince Camuto dress, Spanx tights, Black patent wedges
Right, Trina Turk dress and jacket, Spanx tights, Stuart Weitzman booties

Left: Tahari leather jacket (old from Gilt), J.Crew Pixie Pants,
Brooks Brothers shirt, Uniqlo cashmere crewneck
Right: Brooks Brothers shirt, C. Wonder peplum top (old),
Classiques Entier dress trousers, Cole Haan pumps

What I Wore: Shorts at work? Say what?

I wore shorts to work and I liked it.

A quick trip to Nordstrom Rack a few weeks ago resulted in some awesome finds for warm and cold weather (outfit posts to come once it actually changes seasons here in D.C. on the other items). Included in my bounty was a pair of Theory suiting shorts. While I was a little hesitant to break out shorts at work, I decided to go for it last Friday. And I must say, I think it worked.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't approve of shorts at work...(she says as she shares a picture of herself wearing them). We'll put these in what my mom would call the "culotte" category. I actually had to stand with one leg out so you could tell these are shorts. And they are made from suiting material and appropriately go below my knee cap. We'll consider these the unicorn of work-appropriate shorts. Want to try the style next summer? You can get the shorts in black or navy (like mine) on super sale. I double unicorn dare you. 

What I Wore: Vest 2.0

You may remember a few weeks ago I blogged about the vest trend for summer. And in said post I said I wasn't sure I could pull off the sleeveless look at work....well, I lied. I wasn't feeling my plain sheath dress and thought why not add my black Zara vest (similar here, here and here). 

Zara vest - Trina Turk dress (similar) - Halogen
shoes (here) - Danielle Nicole bag (here)

I liked it so much I did it again a few days later. 

H & M scuba dress (similar) - Zara vest
Calvin Klein shoes - History + Industry necklace

What does this teach us...don't be afraid to try new things. You never know what might work. 

What I Wore: Perfect Pieces

I recently shared with you the awesome maxi dress I found at Ann Taylor Loft and mentioned that I picked up a few other items on crazy sale. I finally got around to wearing them and know you're probably going to want to add these perfect pieces to your closet. 

This striped long pencil skirt is pretty much like wearing sweats it's that comfortable. And I thought I got a steal paying $25, but it's now $20. For work or play you can't go wrong. It's going to be a replacement for this skirt that is starting to show just how well-loved it is. 

And I seriously don't want to take off this striped summer softened shirt. It's the perfect fit and the perfect length, and you know I'm a sucker for blue and white stripes. It has Friday casual written all over it and is 30% off.  

After finding these perfect pieces, I'm definitely going to shop Loft more often. 

What I Wore to Work: Dressed in a Vest

Anna of  See (Anna) Jane recently inspired me with this instagram post to shop my own closet and break out my summer-friendly vests.

While I'm not sure I could pull off the sleeveless look at work, I'm on a mission to wear the black Zara vest I have like hers and my sleeveless trench. While I know I've worn it since, the last time this baby made an appearance on the blog was back in 2012! 

For my commute to work I paired it with some Nike kicks (I might have to revive this look for the weekend)...

Changing to the Halogen Clarette Wedges for something more work appropriate. Here are some options if you're looking to invest in a vest for your own wardrobe. 

What I Wore to Work: Hospital Gown What?

I was in need of a little wardrobe pick-me-up, so you'll be seeing an uptick of "What I Wore" posts. Starting with my favorite buy - this shirtdress from Madewell. When it arrived, Dr. B asked if I thought my "hospital gown" was work appropriate? I confirmed indeed it was. 

I debuted my medical fashion Friday at work and got several compliments, validating what I already knew. This dress is going to be the perfect, versatile summer staple. I commuted in my new Miu Miu smoking shoes that I picked up on our trip to Sun Valley at Consign Design. 

And switched into a pair of Stuart Weitzman wedges for the day. Add three Angela Caputi bracelets and the Danielle Nicole Eva Satchel  and I had myself an outfit. 

If this is hospital gown fashion, I'm all for it. In fact, I'm wearing it tonight to see Taylor Swift in concert!

What I Wore: Maxxinista

A few weeks ago before meeting some friends for dinner, I popped into T.J.Maxx in Georgetown. Growing up, when we did our annual pilgrimage from Sun Valley to Seattle (yes, we had to drive that far) for school shopping, we always started there first. We learned the thrill of a good bargain at a young age from my mom, and it's still my adrenaline of choice today. 

To the important stuff. I picked up two awesome finds in the designer section for crazy good deals. First, I'm normally not a shorts girl. I've had varicose veins since I was a teenager and knee-length dresses are typically my go-to in the summer months. But these Helmut Lang shorts at the bargain price of $30 were too good to pass up. I took them out for a spin this weekend when it was 100 degrees and shorts were the only way to go. 

Helmut Lang Shorts (on sale at Nordstrom Rack), Mar y
Sol basket tote, Stuart Weitzman Alex Sandal, Everyly
Tank Top from Mimi & Red (old)

But it's not all about play clothes. The MOST PERFECT-FITTING Tory Burch trouser chinos in Navy were another steal at $40. I've searched all over the interwebs to see if I can find them in other colors. I'm seriously contemplating giving them to a tailor to make a pattern so I can get some other pairs made in different fabric. 

Tory Burch Trousers, Zara peplum top (old), Manolo
Blahnik Striped Pumps (old)

On a side note, I'm so glad I chose the wedding shoes I did. I love wearing them to work knowing that they're the same shoes I said "I do," in. And they truly are striped perfection. Definitely getting a great ROI on my cost per wear. 

What I Wore...Dress for Your Day

It's Katie! And I'm back with another outfit post (two in one week!). When I first started my job three years ago, it was an interesting adjustment to being allowed to wear jeans on Fridays. In fact, I was sort of against it. Fast forward, and I've fully embraced the idea. When it comes to a dress code, I believe in "dress for your day." Obviously if I have meetings with people from outside of my organization or they'll be in our office space, I dress accordingly. But sometimes on Fridays it's just me and my work (aka catching up from the insanity of the week). And it's really nice to have the option to wear more casual attire.



Last Friday was one of those days. Friend and fellow blogger Holly of The Glossy Lemon recently wore this J. Crew Popover, and I knew it would be a great, loose-fitting top for those nasty, humid D.C. summer days (and it even comes in tall). Paired with white jeans and Cole Haan oxfords (similar here, here, and here), I was ready to get stuff done.

What I Wore to Work

On the same shopping trip mentioned in last week's What I Wore, I also made a quick pit stop at H & M to look for an opportunity to spend an old merchandise credit. 20 items later, I came away with one winner - this sleeveless dress (still available). 

Despite the neoprene-like fabric, it looks much more expensive than it was. The pattern has a very Prabal Gurung-like feel to me. While it's definitely a more body-concious fit, for me a sheath is probably one of my most favorite and figure-flattering looks. The fabric also has a spanx-like quality to it...always positive. As with most H & M pieces, I bought a size up from my regular size. For my tall friends, the length on this is perfection! This was $50 well spent. 

What I Wore to Work: Consign Design Find

Regan wasn't the only one who scored at Consign Design during our recent trip home. I found a great dress for work and was introduced to a new brand (no pun intended) - Nue by Shani. When I pulled the dress from the rack I thought, "cute work dress," but when I put it on, I realized it had a little something special. Nue by Shani dresses have an inner layer of compression fabric - think built-in Spanx. It's crazy comfortable and slimming all at the same time! Done and done. 

I paired the dress with the Irene Wood necklace I got from my favorite things party. 

I have a feeling this won't be my last Nue by Shani dress (You can often find them on ideeli, Zullily and other flash sites). Here are a few currently available that you might like to add to your work wardrobe. 

Colorblock Ottoman Knit Sheath

Black and Ivory Stripe Sheath

Black Faux Leather Peplum

Azure Blue and Brown Colorblock

Peplum

High Neckline Knee Length

What I Wore to Work - Old Navy Stripes

Before we left for Sun Valley, I was perusing the web and found myself on Old Navy looking for fun summer tops. While I didn't find the lightweight, eyelet top I'm in search of, I did strike gold...or navy and white stripes, which are pretty much the same as gold in my book. 

This boatneck fitted top looks (and feels) much more expensive than its $18 price tag. The one I have on in this picture is a tall, which has a bit more of a tunic look (I ended up returning and ordering the regular fit). Between the shirred shoulders and exposed zipper in the back, the shirt is long on little, cute details - making it perfect for work or play. I like it so much I also ordered it in black and white (it runs true to size). It's also sold in a pink stripe and bright pink. 

I know I'm going to get more than my $18 out of these shirts. 

Reporting Back - ASOS Addiction

I promised I'd report back on my 5-dress ASOS spending spree. The winner? The dress I thought I was taking the biggest gamble on - the wiggle dress in border wallpaper print. The fit isn't perfect, I might have it taken in in the waist (I'm holding it in this picture), but I'm kind of obsessed. The length and pattern are right up my alley. 

So much so, that I ordered this one too. Now I just need to track down the belt they styled it with. 

ASOS, I'm kind of your new biggest fan. 

Trina Time

I've been a fan of Trina Turk for years. Her line is full of great patterns, bright colors, and signature prints. You aren't wearing TT if you want to go unnoticed. I recently picked up this multi-colored print long sleeve dress (on sale). It's great for the weekend or work, with or without tights, and heels or boots. Last week I wore it to work on a snowy day. 

Add a necklace (similar) and I was ready to go. 

Here are some of my favorite current Trina Turk pieces.

Flagimi Dress

Firecracker Dress

Gallery Top and Pencil Me in Skirt

Kinder Top

Sniper Top and Pistol Trouser

And you can never go wrong with her swimwear (I've often seen it at TJ Maxx).

Summer of Love Twist Bandeau & Shirred Hipster

Mayan Bandeu & Surf Hipster

What I Wore - Black and White Stripes

Remember when I found this skirt by Baily 44 at TJMaxx?

I've gotten a ton of wear out of it...at home in Idaho before the wedding, work, and play. Pair it with a simple colored top and I'm good to go (and, of course, add my Angela Caputi bracelets). 

Many of you have sent me notes about wanting to find the same skirt. And while I haven't been able to track it down, here's a similar option from Old Navy, nonetheless! And it's only $20!

Splurge v. Save + What I Wore

Silk blouses are a great staple in any wardrobe. They can be dressed up or down and have a clean and polished look. When it comes to finding the right one the J. Crew Blythe blouse is definitely a winner.

It comes in an array of colors and is moderately priced at $110. Right now you can get select colors on sale for $59.99. 

The Equipment Signature Blouse is another great option, but is on the high-end at $208. Equipment really knows how to use great textiles...so one could be worth the splurge for just the right piece.

But, if you're looking to try out the style and don't want to commit, the Old Navy Roll-Cuff blouse is a great alternative. And as low as $22.50, you really can't go wrong, even if you only wear it for one season. I recently used a 20% coupon to buy two - one in bright nite and the other in minty fresh. Here's how I wore them to work.

Do you have a favorite silk blouse?

P.S. Don't forget you have until the end of the month to save 10% at Serena Italian Imports using the code "fallcardicouture"!