Pops of Color

Posted by Jalisa on May 07, 2014 under Dressed Up Casual

Hey Girlies,

For this week's work outfit, I went for a nice and refreshing look, which I feel would be appropriate for a variety of work environments and settings. As many of you know, cobalt blue was a huge trend in the fall. This pairing shows how you could easily transition the color from the cooler months to the warmer. I chose to pair it with white and pink, but you could select a variety of colors, depending on how bold and vibrant you want the outfit to be, such as: yellow, emerald, purple, red, or multicolored accessories in a floral print.

What I love most about this dress is that it's lace, which is timeless and can be worn not just at work, but weddings, baby showers, christening/baby dedications, birthday parties, you name it! I was even thinking about styling it in a way that reveals only the bottom portion of the dress, as if I'm only wearing a laced skirt; I'll most likely do this in the fall with a larger sweater, to add a casual element to it.

In this case, the white blazer adds that light and fresh feel, mainly because it's white and that's what this color tends to do, which is why it's most commonly worn during the warmer months, although I feel the whole no white after labor day rule is one of those rules in fashion meant to be broken. I also love the shape of the blazer because it provides a visual shrinkage of the midsection and when you wear a waist belt underneath, the waist and stomach appear much smaller ;)

When I purchased this dress, it was a size too big, but not so drastic where it was noticeable and a waist belt couldn't fix, which brings me to a point I'd like to make about dresses with a similar silhouette. Dresses that have a very basic shape, with no curves or enhancements built in, a waist belt is a must, regardless of your body shape. I recorded a video on selecting the best waist belts for your body shape (watch HERE), to guide you in which styles you should choose from and work with.