My Week in Fashion: Thursday

My interest in improving my personal style was strongly influenced by the television show What Not to Wear, in which stylists and hosts Stacy London and Clinton Kelly ambushed an ordinary person who had been nominated by their friends due to their lack of fashion sense, and then teach them how to create a wardrobe that works for their body and personality. One of the frequent comments was that you shouldn't look sloppy or shabby, even when you're just running errands or (as my mom used to call it) "banging around the house." 

Today was a banging around the house day for me, and although I don't consider myself to be sloppily or shabbily dressed, Stacy and Clinton would probably not be overly excited about my look. 

Please forgive the presence of the cat. He really, REALLY wanted to "help."

The pieces in this outfit include athletic leggings, a short-sleeve print top, and slip-on shoes. 

These basic black yoga leggings are $20 from Amazon. I love the high waist, which minimizes a visible waistband line if I happen to wear a narrower top, and I also love that they have low side pockets that are large enough to hold a cell phone and low enough that they're easy to access even if I pair them with a tunic top. (I only wear them to work with a much longer top than this one.) This particular pair is just a little bit short on me, so I tend to wear them with ankle booties or full-length boots, but they're not so short that I can't pair them with flats now and then.

This top is a workhorse that I wear all the time, paired with anything from a long, straight skirt to jeans, to flared yoga pants, to navy dress pants, to shorts. I got it at Amazon for $18 a few years ago, and although this particular print is no longer available, they carry a variety of similar styles, such as the one above, for $25. I like the three-button detail, the low scoop neckline, and the flared but not overly full body. It's a nice length with jeans or dress pants, when I like to wear slightly shorter styles. And the sleeves have a little flare to them, which looks a little dressier than plain t-shirt type sleeves. 

As I've mentioned, I have some difficulty finding shoes that fit me well and are comfortable, and I can no longer wear high heels, so I love finding cute, fun shoes that are also comfortable. These leopard-print slip-ons by Dr. Scholl came from Amazon for $60, but this style is no longer available; however, they do have a cute alligator print version that's a bargain at only $35, but is not available in wide widths. I love a pop of animal print, so I wear these shoes frequently with monochromatic outfits, especially blacks and browns, as well as with black pants and an animal print top (of which I own several). 

But, wait! I am going to Ladies' Night at my husband's Masonic Lodge this evening, so you get a double dose of fashion today. Here's look #2:

The black boots are the same as Tuesday's outfit, and the dress is a Roz & Ali fit-and-flare from Dress Barn, which they no longer carry. Luckily, fit and flare styles continue to be popular, so you can find them all over, with various hem lengths, various sleeve lengths and styles, and details such as keyhole openings, notch fronts, and belts. It's a flattering style for every figure, and you can dress it up or dress it down for many types of occasions. I recommend it as a basic style to keep in your wardrobe for those times when you're not sure what to wear, because it's always a winner!