Remember our fun with S.W.A.P. on Fashion Fridays? I love when we’ve got a goal in our shopping outing!
Well, I have a friend recently bemoaning her fashion dilemma. She usually wore a lot of dresses as her base for work outfits. She works in a business casual environment. And she has a penchant for heels.
But… she just had knee surgery.
This means she’s not comfortable with wearing dresses right now as the knee is healing. Heels are out the window for some number of months. Plus, she’s shorter than me so worries about pants dwarfing her frame with flats. She’s looking for polished casual.
Without buying an entire new wardrobe, she has every intention of returning to her closet, she needs a few items to get her through the next couple of months.
Buy a couple of pairs of fitted ankle pants. It works well on short frames, and if they’re narrowly tailored then they won’t overwhelm a smaller frame. AND, big bonus, they look great with flats.
They are literally everywhere – I just got the most adorable pink pair from Banana Republic. Now, if she plans to revert entirely to dresses, then select pairs in neutral colors, but if this will be another ongoing style for her, then feel free to select a few bold colors too (I have a black pair but I also have mustard, bright blue, red, and now pink)!
One word: Flats. I typically buy zany fun prints or colors, but these flats have to mix and match with an assortment of outfits. So look at comfy (but sturdy) ballet flats in a neutral color – preferably a tan or gray because it mixes easier with blacks and navys than black or navy flats will. I love these Bellini ones from DSW for $50 because they are sturdier than most but still sleek with a cute detail.
Use existing dress toppers to business-up the outfit. Sharp cardigans and blazers already in her wardrobe polish of a simple outfit for work, and allow for versatility when the bottoms will largely stay the same.
Also, use any longer skirts already in the closet, as they can be paired with a fitted sweater and flats for a super cute but professional look. Don’t universally eliminate skirts with dresses because of surgery.
How about you? What’s your fashion dilemma – we’re need a few new episodes of S.W.A.P. for the blog?
Photos courtesy of: HelloGorgBlog, Boden, TheDiaryofaDebutante, and Styleoholic