What I Wore Last Week, #2
Reflecting on what I wore and why over the last 7 days.
Last week consisted of mostly workwear, casual outfits, and one barbie inspired look. And navy. Lots of navy. Looking back, I realized that almost every day incorporated the classic color. Navy is a great alternative to black — it’s softer, transeasonal, and incredibly versatile. Read on below for the details on what I wore and why — I hope it gives you some inspiration for getting dressed this week and styling pieces from your own closet.
Monday 05.13.2024
Monday morning was grey and left me feeling uninspired on what to wear. So I stood in my closet and grabbed a pant that I always feel good wearing — my favorite navy trousers. Navy and tan is a classic combo, with heavy notes of nautical and preppy, especially when a stripe is involved. I wouldn’t typically wear a linen shirt to the office since the lightweight fabric leans more casual (the wrinkles), but the slim fit of the shirt feels more sophisticated and the stripes help camouflage the wrinkles. For the shoe choice, I mirrored the tan from the shirt in the shoe using the sandwich theory. The concept with this styling theory is that the top and shoes are “the bread of a sandwich”, while the middle part of the outfit is “the meat”. I don’t always follow this theory when getting dressed, but I do think it is a helpful when you’re feeling less inspired. I opted for the khaki olive trench instead of a tan because I wanted the subtle contrast against the other shades of tan. The woven leather of the ivory tote also added instant interest.
Tuesday 05.14.2024
These pants weren’t the best choice for a wet day since the long, flowy fit of the leg ends up dragging easily. I knew that, but still decided to wear them. Sometimes you just take the path of least resistance with getting dressed and hope you don’t regret it. Thankfully it didn’t really rain until after I got home that night. The outfit was simple, but I really liked the ribbing of the sweater, buttons along the sleeves, and the dramatic wide leg of the trouser. When I shared this outfit on my Instagram stories, a question came through my DMs…
This is a great question. I can also sometimes feel iffy on it. After thinking about it, I think the reason why I was less bothered about not wearing a belt with this outfit is because the front waist band is clean without a prominent zipper or button.
Wednesday 05.15.2024
My new Aureum Collective belt inspired Wednesday’s outfit. I thought an all black outfit styled against the contrasting leather and statement silver/pewter buckle would look chic. In the picture, the color of the belt looks closely matched to the color of the trench coat, but they’re more complimentary rather than matching (like a beige grey paired with a khaki olive). The black top is a knit, which is a comfortable, but dressier alternative to wearing a t-shirt to the office. The picture above really showcases how a mock croc bag can elevate an outfit. While I don’t recommend this specific one I have, I do think it is an incredibly chic and stylish option for a work tote.
A statement belt can make the outfit — how cool is the buckle? Since I just started wearing the belt, I’ll report back on how the metal wears overtime.
Thursday 05.16.2024
Thursday was 80 degrees and sunny, so I took the opportunity to ditch the pants and wear a dress. I rarely wear dresses to work since the office temperatures are so unpredictable, but I was excited to switch it up. I shared a reel discussing my dress options from this day and why I decided to wear the t-shirt dress. If you missed that, you can watch it here. Without the blazer, the t-shirt dress would be too casual for my office, but paired with the blazer and loafers, it fits a smart casual dress code. The burgundy tote and python shoe pair well with the navy, but also give added personality.
I was looking forward to Thursday night all week for a fun barbie themed cocktail party. I don’t have a lot of pink in my closet, so I knew I was going to have to buy something. This skirt was the first thing that came to mind. Luckily, since it’s from last season, I was able to find it for a major discount on The Real Real. I didn’t order it right away because I was unsure of my size. After trying Bernadette dresses on in New York last week, I felt pretty confident that the size was right. I ordered it on the train ride home and crossed my fingers that it would arrive in time. Needless to say, it did and it was perfect. It seems silly to have such joy over an item of clothing, but it is such an iconic piece that I will have in my closet forever. If you love it as much as I do, Bernadette has small sizes at full price or keep an eye out on TRR (this medium was listed yesterday). I paired with the masculine crisp, white button up (to contrast against the extremely feminine skirt) and a sleek sling back sandal.
Friday 05.17.2024
Like I said, navy was the color of the week. This sweater is lighter weight compared to the one I wore on Tuesday, plus it doesn’t have any ribbing or buttons. It has a contrasting white trim along the cuffs and neckline, plus a subtle v neckline in the back. I’m always looking for subtle details like that to elevate my basics. Whenever I wear denim to the office, I opt for a medium to dark wash. Light washes lean too casual, where as the dark wash feels more elevated and sophisticated. I used the sandwich theory again for choosing my shoes and belt, but chose the burgundy tote instead of my ivory woven leather tote to avoid feeling too matchy matchy.
Saturday 05.18.2024
Since I rely on the weekends for catching up on “blog work”, I always value ones that have no social plans. We stayed home all weekend except for a quick trip to the tailor. I had various outfit changes while shooting content, but when I left the house I was in black leggings, a black t-shirt, white sneakers, and a light rain jacket. This outfit also looks great if you swap in a white t-shirt (I’m pretty sure I wore that option recently too). I came across this tan rain jacket when I was walking through the Old Navy in Charlottesville a few months ago. I beelined to grab it off the rack. The contrasting white drawstrings are impactful and it looks way more expensive — Morgan Stewart is about to release an anorak that looks very similar. Since that one is likely to sell out, this under $50 option is an ideal alternative. While it is marketed as a rain jacket, I would reserve it for only light rain days.
Sunday 05.19.2024
Another day of shooting content and working on my phone. By the end of the day, I just wanted to wear something relaxed and comfortable, but not necessarily loungewear or leggings. A loose fitting denim is my alternative to that and I love this style from Agolde. The loose fit of the straight leg denim paired with the cropped cardigan and simple thong sandal gave me serious 90’s nostalgia. My hair is in need of a wash, so I threw this hat on to cover my greasy roots. I often get questions on if these sandals are comfortable — my standard answer of recent has been “they’re not necessarily comfortable, but also not uncomfortable”. But, I can tell they’re starting to wear in and become increasingly comfortable. I really like the simple silhouette, square toe, and thickness of the leather straps.
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Until next time,
Kelly
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