Vintage Bling
Tag Archives: Ann Taylor
Ladylike in Lace and a Hint of Mint
Good morning! I’m sorry for the radio silence this week – I was in Ohio for a few days and spent every waking hour meeting with wedding vendors, trying on dresses, and basically wrapped up in a frenzy of pink, lace, and sugar. LOTS of sugar 🙂
Anyways, my dress selection (details of which will remain a secret, thank you very much), inspired me to wear the lace jacket above. I love the sweet ivory lace and flowers on the corner placket. It feels very bride – inspired, but with the pairings above I’ve actually worn it to work as well. I love that it can go with lots of colors and styles; black, pink, mint, gold…the list is kind of endless.
Thanks for reading! Details below if you’d like to shop the post.
Jacket: Forever 21 (old, similar here | Mint top: Forever 21 |Pearls: borrowed from my mom, similar here | Skirt: Ann Taylor | Shoes: Saks Fifth Avenue Black Label, similar here | Earrings: Forever 21 | Bag: Louis Vuitton
Cool Lime
Happy Monday! Â M and I had a perfect lazy Sunday, complete with this cool lime look I sported. Â I don’t usually wear jeans (especially jean cutoff shorts), but it seemed to fit the low-key weekend we were after. Â I hope your weekend was as relaxing as ours. Â What is your favorite lazy day outfit?
Thanks for reading, have a great day xoxo!
Shop the post!
Top: Ann Taylor | DIY Jean Shorts: Citizens of Humanity | Purse: Kate Spade | Sunnies: Cole Haan | Shoes: J.Crew Factory (on sale and an extra 50% off!)
Follow along!
TGIF / Instagram Shopping Snaps with My iPhone
A few Instagram and iPhone snaps from a sunny Friday afternoon shopping on the Plaza…
{A cheerful ensemble for my afternoon shopping spree}
{Happiest place on Earth (sorry Disney)}
{Admiring these colorful clothes at kate spade}
{These kate spade shades? Â Sofab}
{Wedding shoe option #1. Decisions, decisions}
{Note to self: if you’re less than 5 feet tall, you probably can’t wear maxi dresses}
{Love this chair in the Ann Taylor fitting room}
{Channeling Audrey…}
{Amazing vintage Chanel @HallsKC}
{New berry handbags are already here. Â Can’t wait for fall!}
{Wedding shoe option #2}
{I ❤ Halls}
{Cooling off with salted caramel fro yo after a long afternoon of shopping in the summer sun}
{Happy Summer!}
Like what you see? Â Follow along on Instagram or bloglovin’!
Weekend Chic at the Art Museum
I love wearing bright, fun colors, especially in the spring. Regardless of the trend; pink, navy, green, orange, etc, all top my wardrobe choices. I also love when I can find pieces in fun colors that pull double duty for work and the weekend. While I couldn’t wear the polka dot pants to work (bummer!), the pink sweater and button up combo go great with my navy suit from BCBG. The pink shoes with orange toes top if off as long as I don’t have anything too serious on my calendar, otherwise, I’ll don black pumps with a patent black cap toe.
Color is one trend that is easy to mix in to your work wardrobe. Find versatile pieces like thin sweaters, cardigans, and silk blouses that are solids in the latest colors. You’ll find that these go great with jeans, suits, skirts, blazers, dresses….the list seriously goes on!
White blouse: Ann Taylor
Sweater: J. Crew
Pants: J. Crew
Heels: Kate Spade
Purse: Kate Spade
Sunglasses: Kate Spade
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful weekend!
Work Chic: Little Black Dress
Happy Thursday! Today I’ll be starting a feature on one of my key office staples: the little black dress. Not only does this dress (which is now celebrating its five year anniversary in my closet, yay!) go with almost everything for work, it’s easy to dress up for a work dinner or drinks after work. Just changing out the top, adding different shoes or accessories, and swapping out my handbag works wonders. Plus, it’s so versatile, I love packing it when I travel for work since it can be worn so many different ways.
I’ll be posting new outfits with this dress for both work and after-work events, make sure to check back for more ideas!
Dress: Banana Republic
Wrap: Ann Taylor
Shoes: Tory Burch
Bag: Kate Spade
Necklace: J. Crew
Office Chic: Lady in Red
Good morning! Â I love dressing in classic, glam pieces. Â This outfit was inspired after a weekend of watching old movies – I seriously love fashion from the 1950’s and 60’s; the clothes are so timeless and chic. Â I decided to pair a classic red skirt with cheetah pumps for an glam/retro moment appropriate for the office. Â During the day, I wore the wrap top over the tank top (we can’t wear sleeveless tops to work), and then I took it off at 5 for dinner and drinks with friends.
While the red skirt and the cheetah shoes were bold, the skirt was modest enough to keep the look professional, and I balanced it out with neutral tops, jewelry, and my bag. Â I have two fashion mantras I follow: the first being find the focal point in your outfit and work around that (in this case, the shoes were my focal point and I kept everything else neutral/devoid of print but with some textured layers for interest), and the second from Coco Chanel herself, which is to look in the mirror right before you leave your house and remove one thing. Â In this case, I removed a chunky gold bracelet. Â I decided I had enough going on with the shoes, the necklace, and the red skirt/lips, and I didn’t need anything else distracting from the real focal point of the outfit.
Blouse: Kate Spade
Wrap: Ann Taylor
Skirt: J. Crew No. 2 Pencil Skirt
Shoes: Sole Society
Necklace: J. Crew
Purse: Louis Vuitton
Sunglasses: Kate Spade
Office Chic: Welcome!
Outfit details:
Suit: Ann Taylor (old)
Blouse: Kate Spade
Pearls: Macy’s
Shoes: Black Saks Fifth Avenue
Laptop Bag: Longchamp Le Pliage
Welcome and thanks for visiting live chicly! This site has been a fun distraction for me as I navigate a climbing the corporate ladder, wrapping up my MBA, and planning my wedding (with a long-distance relationship, to boot). Even though life can get hectic, it’s always more manageable when you know you look good, and that’s what this blog is for — inspiration for cute work ensembles that can carry you from the boardroom to happy hour or a three hour MBA class, as well as ideas on how to transition office attire to more casual weekend outfits. I’ll also feature other fun ideas on fitness, wedding planning (my own!), and living chic in general.
Other stats…
How old are you?
I’m 27.
Where do you work?
I’m an Executive Director for a healthcare company.
Where are you based?
I split time between St. Louis and Kansas City mainly, and travel all over the U.S. for work.
How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style is a blend of classic and traditional pieces with fun trends in colors and accessories. I love preppy and feminine looks, and draw on fashion inspirations, characters, and brands like Audrey Hepburn, Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl, J. Crew, Ralph Lauren, and Kate Spade.
What recommendations do you have for building a professional wardrobe?
First, study what successful women at your company are wearing. While they may have a more mature style, the level of professionalism they demonstrate will guide your choices. This will help you elevate your position and dress for the position you want, not the position you have. Even if everyone your age is wearing casual and trendy clothes, if the execs are in suits, follow their lead.
Next, figure out who your style inspirations are and see how they wear looks that are similar with the type of clothes appropriate at your office. See what silhouettes they wear, the trends they try, and the accessories they invest in. Decide what you like and want to incorporate in some way.
Third, select key pieces that are timeless and well-made. They will last you a lifetime and interchange with trendier pieces season after season. If you have a more professional office environment, buy a couple nice suits in black, navy, and gray. If your office is more casual, buy some tailored blazers and pencil skirts (I love the J. Crew #2 Pencil Skirts).
Finally, it all comes down to fit. If your clothes are gorgeous but too small/big, you won’t achieve the look you are going for. Find a good tailor and make sure your cuffs and hems are at a length that flatter you and show you pay attention to detail. There is nothing worse than a $1000 suit that has too-long sleeves or is uncomfortable to wear because it doesn’t fit.
Why did you decide to create a blog?
I love reading fashion blogs and realized I missed having a creative outlet where I could share something similar. Also, good professional clothes for women are hard to find and put together in chic looks, and I wanted to share my experience “living chicly” with other women so they can look as great at work as they do on the weekend!
Thanks again for visiting live chicly. I’m excited to connect and collaborate. Enjoy!
live chicly 