My Sunday Best: A Pinch of Flowers and a Dash of Rock ‘N' Roll

This article is a continuation of my “Dress for Success ”series.

A few standard pieces of a professional wardrobe are shift dresses, blazers, pencil skirts, dress-shirts/ blouses and flats. Having many variations of each item will make it significantly easier for you to get-up-and-go while still feeling and looking professional. Also, these pieces are very versatile,  your ensemble can be either very dressy or casual depending on how you pair them.

 

 In this segment I chose to pair a floral print shift dress with a blazer, belt, and flats. The dress is very cute, it is cream with a continuous blue floral print that persists throughout the entire garment. Now usually a dress like this would seem too bright for the professional world, which is why I chose to pair it with a darker blazer.  I love this blazer! For the thrifters out there, I got this blazer from a local goodwill. It's great that the color is not solid. And of course let's not forget about the lines! The navy lines on the blazer are so attractive to me. Such defined lines make me feel professional, sexy, and chic.

I chose to show two different belts: one black, wide, and punk and the second thin and lime green. I wore a belt because of the print of the dress, if the print goes uninterrupted it can be a bit overwhelming. I felt that a belt was the best way to really showcase the print. Also, belts are a great way to accentuate your waistline and to give shape to a shift dress. I like the black belt, because it gives a different dimension to the outfit. It takes an ensemble that is quite safe and dainty and gives it edge. I chose the lime green belt because it takes the somber blues to a new level. I knew that the print and the blazer would really stand out with a bright belt. I picked silver flats to wear with the black belt because I felt that silver would not overwhelm the other elements of the outfit, the silver flats blend well with the rest of the outfit.

Do you have pieces in your wardrobe that you consider professional staples?

What do you think about wearing bright clothing or colors in a professional setting?

Please share what you think!

Law School Looks: Oh No, White After Labor Day!

When we enter into a professional setting, we often feel the need to leave our youthful looks behind. However, I believe that this is not necessary. My general rule of thumb is to include both conservative elements and fun/adventurous elements when operating in a professional setting. That is one of the reasons that I really like this dress. The black and white combination is very classy and clean. The form is reminiscent of the '60s with the simple lines, loose bodice, cinched waist, and full skirt, and collar. A few special elements of this particular dress's form is that the flowing skirt is pleated and the black trim is very effective at both highlighting and contrasting.

Then, there is the wonderfully whimsical pattern with the mint colored birds wearing top-hats, the water-like lines and swirls, and the small bird silhouette.

Accessories: I decided to wear turquoise earrings to complement the mint colored birds and black flats to stick with the classic black and white combination.

Oh No, White After Labor Day!
While his ensemble is very cute, I have violated one of the cardinal fashion rules of the United States: Don't wear white after labor day. What horror! But where does this steadfast and seemingly arbitrary rule come from? It is a common belief that this rule originated with the elite. Most people in the "olden" days wore dark clothes, because it was impractical to risk wearing light colored clothes that would be ruined by the ordinary drudgery of the day. However, the wealthy members of society rocked white clothing throughout the summer while vacationing at their summer homes. Labor Day is often seen as the day that signals the last day of summer. Thus, out with summer, out with white. This rule became a good way to distinguish those that were in (part of polite society) from those that were out.

While this is a big fashion faux pas in the U.S., there were many fashionistas before me that pushed back against this rule; one example is Coco Chanel. Coco Chanel wore white year-around. Bronwyn Cosgrave, the author of The Complete History of Costume and Fashion: From Ancient Egypt to the Present Day, said that "Fashion rules are meant to be broken by those that can pull it off." I completely agree.

So what do you think, did I pull it off?

References:
http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1920684,00.html

Law School Looks: Thrift-store Treasures

Hello all,

Unconventional Chic has been on hiatus for the past few weeks due to my recent move to Los Angeles and the commencement of my law school career. I have spent the last few weeks getting acclimated, but I'm back!!!!

Law School signifies a big change in my life. At this point I really feel as if I have entered into the realm of adulthood, and that is why I have made it my mission to dress accordingly. Dressing professionally makes me feel more confident in my abilities as a law student and future professional. But don't get me wrong, cute, fun, sexy, and chic are not out the window. For Law School my style is professional with an edge.

Originally, when I was picking out an outfit for class I was going to go for a monochromatic ensemble. I decided against it because I figured that the purple would pop more with the white and black blazer. I also felt that the purple would do a great deal to liven up a relatively conservative atmosphere. Additionally,  it is a nice surprise when I take off the blazer and you see the purple panel at the back of the jacket.

Now let's break it down by piece. I love this blazer because it is fitted and it has the cool detail of the frilly trim around the wrists.The dress is a great color and the fitted top with the two black lines gives it both texture and dimension. The black flats play into the color scheme and add edge with the chains going up the middle of each foot. The pointed-toe is also a little more mature than the rounded toe. All-in-all the look is clean, well put together, and just a little daring.

Note for the thrifty: Both the blazer and dress were found at a local thrift store!!!

How do you feel about professional clothes? 

Do you think that they can be sexy and cool, but still appropriate for more conservative spaces? How do you take your style to the next level when dressing professionally?