Ladylike CosmoPrep

34 Comments

• ATLynn replied 10 years ago

  Looks great!  I like the chambray shirt as a nod to casual Friday, even though you look anything but casual.   Smart casual has invaded my lifestyle to the point where if I know I'm telecommuting on Friday, I'll turn Thursday into Jeans Day for work.   Always with sharp shoes and a topper so it looks pulled together, but still a stretch.  I do work in an IT/Creative space, so we can get away with quite a bit.  

• Nebraskim replied 10 years ago

  What a great look. I dress like this and in my uber casual work site, this is considered Dressed Up. I don't own an actual suit, or fancy party clothes, because I never need them. Smart casual works for me because I can mix in pieces from my non-work life in fun ways.

• Aquamarine replied 10 years ago

  You look great! I understand the no-denim rule because it is a slippery slope, but I can never figure out why a type of fabric is essentially off limits when so much depends on the styling, quality, etc. of said fabric.

• replied 10 years ago

  Great job working in that denim!

• Joy replied 10 years ago

  This is a great way to dress up denim. I love the pearls with this and the flow of your pants.

• El Cee replied 10 years ago

  You look beautiful. The chambray and tan is such a great color combo. I do believe that chambray is not necessarily the same as denim in its overall look... especially how you have styled it here. It is very sophisticated and office appropriate. The pearls give it a dressier vibe. Love this look!!!

• Jaime replied 10 years ago

  You look great. No experience stretching the rules - all my former offices were very informal and now I work at home.

• Suz replied 10 years ago

  You can't go wrong when you add pearls! And I love a great chambray shirt. Feels so nice and looks great. 

• Day Vies replied 10 years ago

  ATLynn - I think you are on to something with the "smart casual" moniker. (I know it's been around a minute but I've begun to realize that it's not interchangeable with business casual the way many people have chosen to interpret it.) Business casual seems to have turned into a step up from slouchy sweats for about 40% of people working in business casual offices. Some how regardless of fit or fabrication if it's black brown or gray it's "dressy".  I don't think smart casual overlooks those details.

  Nebraskim - that has been my style goal all this year -- I have wanted to completely integrate my wardrobe so that something like a top, skirt, or cardigan that I would wear to work could also go shopping on the weekend.

  Aquamarine - your question hits right on the point of this post. No fabric is truly off limits provided that it's paired with other pieces to either dress it up or down depending on the general nature of the fabric. In this case denim -- most fabrications are overly distressed and the organic feel makes it more casual than say a wool crepe.

  ElCee -- yep the point of my "mess of pearls" was to dress up the chambray or at least distract from the fact that essentially I'm wearing a denim shirt.

• Transcona Shannon replied 10 years ago

  Well done in dressing up the chambray DV! I think this totally works.

• Liz A. replied 10 years ago

  Totally have!  Sometimes I sneak in a black jean here or there.  Is that top from Old Navy?  If so, we are twins.

• Beth Ann replied 10 years ago

  Wardrobe integration?  Weekend/Workwear cross-pollination and full hyrbridization?  Yes and Yes!  You've been doing this brilliantly all year.  I think this way for travel, but am still compartmentalizing my work wear.

  Chambray is a beautiful fabric and color near your face, and suits your preppy self!

• Beth Ann replied 10 years ago

  P.S.  I "glam prep" a style?  "Cause I think you have it!

• karymk replied 10 years ago

  You look sharp but still appropriately casual.  Nice!

• Amy replied 10 years ago

  You look lovely. i really like this color combination and the pearls are a great touch. this outfit would totally pass muster in my office, but we do have casual fridays here.

  I wore a faux fur vest to the office a couple of times. It was not very "corporate" looking, but I wasn't sent home. Ladies have been sent home for wearing tops that are too low cut though. I've never been tempted to push that boundary :)

  I always thought denim and chambray were considered casual because they were developed for people who needed clothes to hold up to hard physical labor. So, I'm not sold on the idea that styling can make all fabrics appropriate for any situation.

• MsMary replied 10 years ago

  That is super fab!

  The one and only hard-and-fast rule I have for myself is "no denim or chambray at the office," but I swear, this outfit is enough to tempt me to break that rule...

• AviaMariah replied 10 years ago

  You look great!  I work in a business, very casual environment.  No jeans except on Fridays but I have worn white jeans on no-jean days.  I'm not sure the guys I work with would even notice.  :)

• Nebraskim replied 10 years ago

  I've thought about this all morning. Today I am wearing a new (and long-sought for and finally found) black denim skirt, which I paired with a button-down black and tan striped blouse and a green jacket. I think the dealbreaker with denim is often the color.....if it's blue, then it's a no-go, but if it's the fabric of denim in any other color, there's not an issue. I love the cut of denim jackets, and have them in white, blue, yellow and a brick color. All of denim fabric but the colors allow me to wear them at my admittedly casual workplace. I also often wear my blue denim jacket (in dark wash, from Gap) over dresses or other non-denim skirts or pants. No one has an issue with this. I have an adorable denim-like pencil skirt from Talbot's that I think is pretty professional looking and I would wear to a conference or something where I'm representing my company.

  Edited: A friend who used to teach at a middle school, said the teachers voted to not wear denim to try to look professional and earn respect from the kids. This turned into a mess because some teachers then started wearing super sloppy looks (think khaki cargo capri pants with flip flops or yoga pants) but justified it by saying "but it's not denim, so thus, professional." Part of the issue with denim is that some people wear deeply distressed denim, or pants with way too low a rise, or just way too embellished. Denim becomes the scapegoat for a wider issue regarding fit and appropriateness.

• Von replied 10 years ago

  I think it's good to dip your feet in the water if you don't know the dress code and atmosphere just yet. It's best to take a visual survey first before locking yourself in to be the person that is "always so dressed up". Because once you get locked into that place, your first casual outfit is going to drop jaws (regardless of whomever else wears casual). 

  My office is all over the place -- part of the department dresses in tennis shoes, jeans, casual at best - and the other part, my part dress more on the business side.  No one ever said NOT to wear denim on my side, so I skirt the line by wearing dark denim and making it look super dressy (but only 1X per week, usually the day I think most people will be in meetings). 

  As far as chambray shirts...in my book, they don't count!

• carter replied 10 years ago

  A chambray shirt with pearls...I love that! I'll be copying that one for sure.

• kkards replied 10 years ago

  i'm wearing printed twill pants today, that's my story and i'm sticking to it (the label says denim, but denim is not allowed in my office, and really isn't denim just a kind of twill?)

  anyway, you look fab as always. love the chambray!

• Angie replied 10 years ago

  The chambray works beautifully with the light camel suit. The pearls add a stunning bright touch. You look wonderful as always, DV. xo

• catgirl replied 10 years ago

  You bring so much class to everything you wear - I don't even think this qualifies as denim as styled here!

• Caro in Oz replied 10 years ago

  Denim or no denim you are so gorgeous I can't stand it :)

• Karie replied 10 years ago

  The chambray shirt looks wonderful paired with the pearls and the tan outfit. I don't work in an office, I work in a school, but overall I am saddened by the way some teachers dress. Very sloppy and anything goes. I have worked with teachers that wear velour sweat pants outfits and jeans with holes (not distressed fashionable holes, either). And that's not even for "casual Friday!"

• TraceyLiz65 replied 10 years ago

  Looking Fab as usual!  

• MsMaven replied 10 years ago

  Actually I think you look quite dressy.  I admit that my concept of dressy is skewed by living in Silicon Valley.  I love camel and and chambray.

• Day Vies replied 10 years ago

  Liz - yes we're twins it's from old navy 

  Beth Ann - If "glam prep" isn't a style it is now. I think it's perfect :-)! 

  Amy - I think at least trying is a challenge I'm willing to take on. 

  Nebraskim - I agree with your thoughts on Denim. It shouldn't be discounted because it's generally distressed -- there are some dressier fabrications. You're right that you have to leave it off mostly if you want most people to get the memo that they need to up their style quotient. 

  Kkards  -- If you say it's "twill" then it's just denim-like twill ;-) 

  Karie -- I hear what you're saying. It's rather difficult for me to view a person as a trained professional when they look like a hobo. 

• Mochi replied 10 years ago

  The pearls give you that leeway, LOL. Seriously, chambray looks fine to my eye, and the whole thing balances and works that magic you always seem to pull out of a hat!

• Robidi replied 10 years ago

  Great outfit!  I love the pearls with the chambray :)

• Neel replied 10 years ago

  Way to go DayVies!!  A dressy way to bend the rules ;)

• replied 10 years ago

  This is such a great outfit on you Day Vies! I love the texture that the chambray shirt brings to it, and the juxtaposition of the pearls next to it. This just wouldn't be the same if you switched out the chambray shirt for a light blue poplin, ya know? Besides, rules are made for people who don't know how to dress like this, so you're excluded. :D

• Thistle replied 10 years ago

  YLF!!  Such a gorgeous and lovely outfit!

  Hmmm, I wear white denim trousers (that don't look like jeans at all!) all the time on a non-Friday. But then, so hard to find trousers thick enough in white that couldn't be considered denim with the high cotton count. Still, I figure the pockets are covered by my top, so no one can tell they are jeans! 

• JulieJohn replied 10 years ago

  Well, hello gorgeous!

  I don't have time to read the other comments, but I just had to say I love the fit of your trousers. I am learning (the hard way) that my curvy legs look best when the thigh area is more fitted, like yours. If not, they always make me look swamped (plus I'm 5'0"). I tried on a pair of "bootcuts" yesterday but the thighs were loose and I looked totally frumpy. Seems like legs look good with a nipped-in waist, just like torsos! So I'm loving this fit on you, and taking copious notes, counselor!