Weekend vs Work Wardrobes

How has everyones week been so far? Mine has been extremely busy! Between work, gym, and other various commitments I have been flat out! The other night, I was lucky enough to go see a friends band play at a local pub! They were actually quite good, and very entertaining to watch!

As the venue was quite low key and grungy, and it was a cold night, I channelled my inner uni student and dressed quite casually, in jeans and a knit. I've never been a band tshirt kinda gal! :)

Here is a Quick snapshot of what I wore:

What do you guys wear to gigs? So hard to dress for: not exactly the ideal platform for that Prada bag!

Why is it that celebrities always look so put together at gigs! I wish I had that effortlessly cool look that they manage to nail, looking like they just rolled out of bed and woke up like a rock god. Those Bitches!

In other news, this is what I wore to work today:

As you can see, my work wardrobe style and my weekend casual style is vastly different!

What do you wear to gigs? Let me know your ideal gig outfit below!

What To: Wear To Work?

Working in a corporate environment, creativity, expression, and flair in dressing can often be heavily restricted in regards to womens fashion.

The way I would like to dress is often at severe odds with what is expected and required for the office. In my mind, a cross between the ladies on Lipstick Jungle, Cashmere Mafia, and Sex and the City (ie my idea of power corporate dressing- anyone remember what Lucy Liu used to wear to work?!) conveys that perfect mix of professional and fun. However, in my office, I would not only look out of place and way over the top, but probably wouldn't be taken seriously in my position either.

The Lipstick Jungle girls rug up on the way to work!

 

The Cashmere Mafia girls are big on belted waists.
The thought of dressing in a black suit and white shirt every day is severly depressing, but while every magazine hypes up the importance of accesories to "Add Interest" to a basic work outfit, the sheer monotomy of this approach makes me want to cry.

This is what I wish I could wear to work, vs, What I actually wore to work (yawn!).

Can you guess which outfit I wore!?

So I'm making up my own rules and tips, and hopefully this can inspire me to be a bit more interesting in my work outfits:
WHAT TO BUY.

When buying something for work, making sure that it is an item that I can wear casually also when styled differently. For example, a pretty print blouse looks professional with a black pencil skirt, but can also look casual when paired underneath with jeans, boots and a fur gillet.
ONE INTEREST POINT ONLY.
If wearing an amazing pair of decorative pumps, keep every other piece in the outfit simple. Yes, that means no other prints, colours, or designs. PLAIN is the name of the game. That outlandish piece is risque enough.

ACCESSORIZE!
Shoes, Jewellery, Scarves, Belts, Handbags etc. in fun prints, colours, textures, and seasonal trend styles can update a work look and allow you to keep wearing the basics you already own whilst maintaining professionalism.

UTILIZE CLASSIC SHAPES.
A crazy skirt mightnt be appropriate, but a bright green pencil skirt with a white shirt allows modesty, whilst the green lifts the outfit. In other words, if you keep the shape professional and classic, you have some more leeway in appropriateness level to experiment with fun colours and prints.

KEEP UNCONVENTIONAL SHAPES NEUTRAL.

If you want to wear something in an unusual shape or design, ie a frilly top or something very fussy, keep the colour in one solid block colour, in a neutral shade ie black white beige navy etc. Again, keep it paired with other basic pieces and let the design of the piece be the focus.

APPROPRIATENESS.

Yes, that fun stuff might be acceptable in the office. In client meetings or out on site, not so much. Pick and choose wisely when to push the boundaries and when to play it safe.

FITTING IN.

Yes, be an individual. But if everyone else is doing twin sets and pearls, and you're doing funky 70s prints, not only may you be seen as not fitting in with the culture, but oblivious to some of the required standards. Noone wears twin sets without good cause!
OBVIOUS NO NO's.No: Short Skirts, Lots of Cleavage, Midriffs, Sneakers, Flatforms, Nightclub makeup, Fake tacky jewellery etc. Shaking up the rules doesn't give you the opportunity to ignore the clearly Unacceptable.

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Hopefully I am inspired to take another look in my wardrobe and find new ways of pairing some of my non work clothing and incorporating it into my work outfits, rather than spending more money on more work things that I cannot wear outside of work!

What do you wear to work!? How much do you spend on work clothes as opposed to casual clothes? What percentage of your wardrobe is work/casual/both!? Let me know below!

TOP 4 SHOE TRENDS: Choo vs Louboutin

Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin are two of the most well known high end brands for stilettos. Many women would sell their own mother to own a pair of the most desirable shoes seen on the likes of models, celebrities and fashionistas alike.

This season with shoe trends I have noticed that there are a few main themes in regards to fashionable footwear, those trends being:

TOP 4 SHOE TRENDS THIS WINTER
1. Sparkles, Glitter, and Shimmer: Anything shiny and metallic, perfect for those dressy occasions including weddings, cocktail parties, and other such formal events.

2. Animal Print: Usually leopard, but now including snake, croc zebra, and tiger prints. These cougar inspired leathers are the go to standout shoe for girls nights out, creating not only lasting impression, but grabbing the attention of anyone who walks past.

3. Wine Time: This is the colour of the season! Any shoe in wine, mulberry, raspberry, cranberry or burgundy tones rules this winter, reminding us of cozy nights and warm atmospheres!

4. Neutral: Patent, Suede, or Textured leathers look classic, fresh, and elegant in black, taupes, or beiges. These are the go to choice for work, and other casual events.


These trends are courtesy of Choo and Louboutin mainly, the question being, Which Designer Did It Better?! Which collection put forward hits the nail on the trend? See below for comparisons!

WINE AND LEOPARD:My top Jimmy Choo picks reflecting these trends include sky high heels and clutches.

My top Christian Louboutin picks reflecting the same trend:

SHIMMER AND SNAKE:Jimmy Choo's take on high shine and python snake:

And the comparing Louboutin collection:

MONOCHROME MADNESS:

Choo's focus on black and tan creates a stunning backdrop for a statement outfit:

Louboutins collection consisting of black and nudes is similar:

So as you can see, both designers have put their best foot forward, capturing the hearts and bank balances of women everywhere, with something to appeal to everyone!
Which collection do you prefer? Choo's or Louboutins?  Do you own anything from either designer?

Comment below!

Having a Moment: Jigsaw

Jigsaw is one store that is definitely on my shopping radar after having a little browse on their website! To me, they were always a bit more corporate or for the older lady, but looking at this seasons winter collection, I was surprised to find lots of garments that I liked and would easily wear! Maybe my tastes are changing, but the collection seems to be geared towards a younger generation this season! The prices are not, however, with an average blouse $200+. They are perfect for work and still dressy enough to pair with jeans for a drink out! I think I will be waiting for a sale, but their pieces look of a high quality and standard, with fabric and attention to detail high on the list.

See below my favourite picks from their website:

 This blue ruffle blouse captured my eye with its military style panels on each shoulder!

 This fur jacket would be lovely and warm in winter, great with a pair of jeans and long thigh high suede boots!

 The cute bow on the necklice adds interest to a rust coloured blouse. Would be great tucked into a pencil skirt.

 Fire engine red jackets never fail to catch wandering eyes! Va va voomm!

 Teal blue is quite the popular colour for this winter, and this structured jacket takes the edge off windy winter days!

 Love this blouse! Great with chunky gold costume jewellery and sky high stilettos for that cheeky first date drink at the bar!

 This casual blazer does equally well with jeans and riding boots, or a black shift dress and stilettos for work.

 Similar to the orange blouse, this deep maroon one takes me to a glass of red wine by the fireplace!

 This coat is the bees knees! No man can resist a siren in red!

This purple blouse is also great with chunky jewellery, but even smart and sophisticated underneath a suit!


Have you bought anything from Jigsaw before? How have you found the quality? What picks do you have from their Winder 2012 range, and have you bought it? Comment Below!