1 Little Black Dress (LBD), 3 Styles: Dress it up or Dress it Down

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

Though signature pieces are great, it is really important to have versatile pieces in your wardrobe. We as a people  are very busy. Sometimes we don't have time to change our outfits so that they are more suitable for the given environment. This is why I invest in accessories and add-ons, while the staples of my wardrobe are simple clean pieces. 

I bought this black dress because I found a great blazer (pictured below) at a thrift-store. I wanted a dress with a leather detail so that it would complement the stylish collar of the blazer. I love that this dress has a nice classy material on top and that the full skirt is a separate material.

Below I will show this same dress in three different styles: casual, classy, and professional; with just adding new pieces or taking them away:

                      Classy

For this look I just added a lime-green belt.

           
        Casual

I added an over-sized olive houndstooth jacket to give the dress a casual look.

        Professional

To take this sassy, relatively short dress to the professional level I added a great gray blazer. I love this blazer with its collar detail and the three-tiered frills.

I feel as if I can wear this dress to class, a casual lunch, and a night out on the town by using simply adding pieces or accessories. This dress is great in very setting!

How do you manage days when your schedule is packed and you don't have the time or energy to put another ensemble together?

Please be a part of the conversation, leave a comment!

New Trend Alert: Chevron!

I have noticed that the chevron pattern has gotten really popular in the last few months. I see the pattern everywhere; especially in pants, dresses, and decorative rugs.  I see this pattern used for bell-bottom or wide-legged pants a lot these days. The wavy pattern is very reminiscent of the 70s, and yes bell-bottoms are back, just in a looser lighter more beachwear way. Can't you just imagine a classy mature woman sitting on the beach with chevron patterned loose bell-bottoms, a big hat, and big sunglasses, enjoying a cold beverage? I can!

From what I gathered, the pattern is most popular when there is a dichromatic color scheme, often white and another color, and when the zig-zag lines run horizontally instead of vertically.

www.ordress.com

 Personally, when I first saw the pattern used in bell-bottomed pants I was little skeptical, but I have since boarded the chevron bandwagon. The pattern is zany, fun, and bold! I like the idea of a black and white chevron dress that is cinched at the waist with a bright belt. While I have grown to like the pattern, especially in home decor, I do have my reservations. I do not like when the lines are to wide or when many different colors are used in one pattern. I also think that the zig-zag patterns makes it diifcult to introduce other patterns.

www.modcloth.com

 Overall, I am a fan of chevron as long as it is kept simple.

What do you think of chevron? 

Would you wear it? Do you prefer when the pattern is modified or when it is the classic pattern? Do you like multiple colors or just two. Please share!