Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Teacher Style: Black Skirt Inspiration

Lauren suggested I offer some ways to dress down my teacher looks. I think that's a great idea! I don't know about your work place, but mine fully supports casual Friday. Everyone else loves jeans. I'll be honest: I love dressing down some of my favorite skirts even if everyone at work asks me why I'm "so dressed up." The weekends provide me enough opportunities to wear jeans and dress down. I want to buddy up next to my skirts as much as possible during the week. Going to work is a great excuse, no? :) I couldn't come up with a good casual look for yesterday's khaki skirt, but I definitely found one for today's black skirt.

How many of you have to go from work and get right on the road to travel somewhere else for the weekend? Often, my husband and I visit our friends in New York. Sometimes, we don't have time to stop at our place first, and we have to hit the road immediately. If you find yourself in this same boat (car?), dress down a skirt that you can rewear on/remix for a day trip the next day at wherever your destination might be! Or, if you're going out that night, dress down the skirt at work and bring heels and a statement necklace to dress it up for a night out!

I apologize for my lack of hilarity in these posts, but I'm a woman on a serious mission, which distracts me from my usual antics. Fear not, dear readers, I have some lovely bloopers up my sleeve that I plan to share this weekend. You're welcome in advance.
The Skirt: LOFT (dressier one) / Elle (more casual, cotton one)
Options: exact Elle skirtsimilar jersey LOFT skirtpretty black eyelet from LOFT
Note: Looks 1-4 are pulled from the archives and feature my dressier black skirt from LOFT
Looks 5-9 are new and feature my more casual black skirt by Elle (via Kohl's).
It's really hard to dress down the pleated, chiffon skirt from LOFT, so I hunted for a fabric I felt transitioned easily to more casual OR dressy wear. This Elle one fits the bill.

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Look 1: colored top + neutral blazer/cardigan + neutral shoes + big belt
(Don't have a pink top? No big deal. Wear ANY OTHER COLOR. It's a black skirt. Every color goes with it. Apparently, even navy goes with black these days. You might try adding your pop of color in a necklace or pair of shoes instead.)
 (Top: The Limited / Blazer: Forever 21 / Heels: Naturalizer / Belt: Came with dress)


Look 2: Printed blouse + colored shoes + belt 
(Yeah, I go back to brunette every now and then. Do not be alarmed. No matter how frightening my face actually looks here. I look a little like a leprechaun. You might choose black shoes instead of colored ones like mine. Or, try some gold flats so that there's a pot of gold at the end of your legs.)
 (Necklace & Top: New York & Co. / Belt: Target / Shoes: ModCloth)


Look 3: striped top + neutral cardigan + colored shoes
(No colored shoes? Try a colored necklace or belt instead!)
 (Top: Marshall's / Heels: Apt 9 via Kohl's / Cardigan: Old Navy)


Look 4: lace top + neutral belt + neutral shoes + feminine jewelry
(I thought the cognac was unexpected, which made me love it. Also, I wish my hair would cooperate like that right now.)
 (Top: The Limited / Belt: New York & Co? / Heels: Me Too via DSW / Necklace: Target)


Look 5: white button up + neutral shoes + statement necklace
(Feel free to add a pop of color in your shoes or jewelry!)
 (Top: LOFT / Heels: J.Crew Factory / Earrings: Francesca's)


Look 6: Printed button up + colored cardigan/blazer + metallic shoes
(This shirt makes me realize how much I wish I had a cobalt blue cardigan.)
(Cardigan: Express / Top: LOFT / Flats: Audrey Brooke via DSW)


Look 7: black tank + black belt + black shoes + white (or a colored) blazer
(I totally tricked my mom into thinking this was a dress. HAHA! It is not. It is a black tank tucked into a black skirt and belted. How wonderfully devious. I told Mom this is my "take names and kick butt" outfit.)
 (Top: White House Black Market / Shoes: J. Crew Factory / Blazer: LOFT)


Look 8: colored cardigan + patterned blouse + neutral shoes and belt
(Any colored cardigan will work. I just love red, black, and white together.)
 (Cardigan: The Limited / Blouse: White House Black Market / Heels: J.Crew Factory / Belt: Target)


Look 9 (casual Friday!): colored tee + denim vest + pendant necklace + sneakers
(I love these shoes. Everyone who hangs out on this blog often knows how much I love them. I love the pop of color the shirt provides. I am wearing a pendant necklace, but you can't see it very well in this particular picture. If you can't do casual Friday, swap the sneaks for flats and the vest for a cardigan. Easy peezy, lemon squeezy as my co-teacher always says.) 
(Top: LOFT / Vest: Lauren Conrad / Shoes: Converse)

Items Remixed In Future Looks This Week:
Tops
* Bird print blouse
* Lace top (I used two different lace tops, but I could've used the same)
* Black tank
* Polka dot blouse
* White button up
* Orange top

Cardigans/Blazer
* Yellow cardigan
* Red cardigan

Shoes
* Gold flats
* Black wedges
* Converse

Accessories
* Statement necklace
* Big black belt
* Gold belt

9 comments:

  1. Teacher clothes! I'm equally excited and depressed about the fact that in less than two weeks I'll be teaching again and wearing my dressy clothes. Why is summer already ending???? So many cute looks here.

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  2. See I need more skirts in this shape. Pencil skirts are always riding up on me, so I easily get frustrated with them. Love all these options, somehow you are making me excited to go back to work haha.

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  3. i love that you made professional dressing fun. it makes it far less daunting, haha

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  4. #1 and 4 are my favorites -- va va voom! After reading your comment about the cobalt blue cardigan, I went to my blog to check how I've worn my blue cardigan, and holy cow, it's been over a year since I wore it last! what?! Maybe it's just too dark of a blue? Maybe this is all a sign that I can give it up? I wish there were a magic button to sisterhood of the traveling pants any item of your choice. I'd do it for the cardigan. Also, you're making me seriously consider getting those JCF wedges. You get so much wear out of them, and they are so versatile!

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  5. Is it even possible that I like today's looks even better than yesterday's? I have been hunting for a black pleated/flowy skirt. This makes me want to renew my mission.

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  6. What a great feature. I love all the looks you created with the ever-versatile a-line black skirt.

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  7. Can you make a few copies of these perfect black skirts you have? Ok thanks!

    Maybe I'm just too picky but finding a great black skirt (that is not of the pencil variety) is so difficult. Your pleated skirt is the perfect length for everyday wear and could easily be dressed up even fancier. Your new casual one (yay for finding one you like!) has a nice flow about it. It's all kinds of pretty.

    I love your casual Friday outfit. I think my Converse will be in the next red skirt pairing :)

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    1. *copies for me I mean. You know, in case I didn't make that clear enough ;)

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  8. YES! Look #8!! I love black, white, and red together as well (our wedding colors, haha). I actually don't even own a black skirt right now, because I haven't been able to find one that I like. Your Elle skirt is EXACTLY what I have been looking for, though, so I may need to see if our Kohl's has it (or something like it). They'd be so perfect for work! I, too, love dressing down skirts...but you already knew that! When Kevin and I go out of town for the weekends to visit friends or family, we often leave immediately after work as well, so there's no time to change, so I like casual-yet-work-appropriate outfits that will be comfortable for the car :)

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