Fall Work Style

Sweater Blazer (similar styles here and here) and Tee - J.Crew Factory / Jeans (these are maternity - perfect for first & second trimesters and the only maternity jeans I've liked so far) - Everly Grey / Loafers (or a tasseled version!) - Gentle Souls / Bag (I bought this in Paris!) - Sezane / Watch - Wristology

Work style isn't something I share a lot of here, especially now that I rarely dress up for work! But I have a big conference coming up next week so I've been thinking a bit about what to pack. I actually wore this exact combo to work a couple weeks ago when I had to give a big presentation, and felt perfectly put together and confident while still comfortable. Here's the pieces you need to pull it together: 

The Sweater Blazer 

I've always had a hard time with jackets, as most of them aren't quite cut right for my body type, and honestly traditional blazers usually aren't that comfortable! Enter the sweater blazer. I grabbed it on a whim when making some returns, and I am so happy I did! It adds the polish of a blazer, but the fit and comfort of a cardigan. Just a note that this one does have a full collar but no matter how much I try to press it down, it always ends up popping up a little like in these photos. This version is a little more expensive but looks like it wouldn't have the same problem, and this one with buttons is a cute option too. 

The Striped Tee

Striped tee shirts are definitely the heroes of my wardrobe. They're just a little more detailed and fun than a plain tee, and seemingly go with everything - skirts, jackets, sweaters, vests, you name it! I love this one for the flattering fit and the slight boatneck that doesn't actually show my bra straps. Plus the sleeves are actually long enough for me! Definitely size up though, they tend to shrink a little in the wash. 

Pro tip: Pull just a hint of your tee sleeve out of the bottom of the cardigan sleeves - it makes it look like you put a little more thought into your outfit and adds some fun detail. 

The Jeans 

If jeans are appropriate for your workplace, look for a pair that are dark wash with no holes or distressing. Skinny jeans are great, or boot cut/straight cut if you prefer those. Just avoid jeggings that really obviously look like jeggings - I'm talking skin-tight, slightly shiny, or missing pockets. If you can't get away with jeans at work, you can easily replace these with a pair of skinny dress pants. 

The Loafers

Comfy flats are a must for me at work - my feet are really sensitive and I typically can't get away with heels for more than a few hours, especially commuting to downtown Chicago! These have a cushy insole and are soft, comfortable leather. Plus the loafer style is polished but still fun for fall! 

Add in a few accessories like a polished work tote and simple jewelry, and you're good to go! 

In other news, it looks like fall is finally here! Jeff and I were dawdling before heading out to take these photos, and looked up at 7pm and realized it was already dusk!! If you look in the background of these photos you can see the yellow from the street lamps. Looking forward to fall weather over here, but definitely not to it getting dark so early!

Sweater Blazer (similar styles here and here) and Tee - J.Crew Factory / Jeans (these are maternity - perfect for first & second trimesters and the only maternity jeans I've liked so far) - Everly Grey / Loafers (or a tasseled version!) - Gentle Souls / Bag (I bought this in Paris!) - Sezane / Watch - Wristology

Follow along with everything Kristina does via Bloglovin!

The Perfect Work Dress (and Sale at Loft!!)

Dress - LOFT / Coat (similar here, with toggles here) - J. Crew Factory / Bag - Tory Burch / Booties (on sale here, more sizes here) - TOMs 

I currently have this problem, where I never ever dress up for work. Seriously, I think they maybe only draw the line at booty shorts (although yes, I have seen women in those in the office before - ummm...). I used to work in a business casual environment, but over the years my work wardrobe has been pared down to one pair of dress pants, ponte pants that I hope don't look too much like leggings, and a couple of blouses that I've now owned for upwards of five years. It's getting sad in there.

And the problem is, is that sometimes I do have to dress up. There will be a big presentation or an event that necessitates business casual, and I just don't have anything that I want to wear.

Enter: the work-ready dress. You guys, isn't she a beaut? My mom bought it for me for my birthday (yet another way this blog has come in handy, because she saw it on one of my Friday Finds posts!) and I think it's love - here's why:

1. The pattern
Work wear often equates to boring in my book, so I love that this is a "professional" pattern - perfect for the workplace!

2. The length
As a tall girl over here, I always have a hard time finding dresses or skirts that are long enough on me. I'm past the days of sneaking into the office with a skirt that barely goes past my finger tips and hoping no one says anything. Let's face it, longer just is more professional.

3. The fabric
In looking at the dress online, I figured it would be a thin material like what you would find in a blouse, but it's actually thicker with a tiny bit of stretch. Which means no worrying about undergarment lines, no showing every little body imperfection to the world. It's super flattering, and while I haven't packed it yet, it seems like it wouldn't get wrinkles in my suitcase - perfect for business travel!

Okay, I think I'm good on talking about this dress now ;) BUT I wanted to let you know that Loft is currently running a sale on everything - you can take 40% off everything with code NEWNOW, plus free shipping on orders over $50 (which never happens at Loft!) and double points for cardholders.

And their spring arrivals are so good right now!! Loft can be pretty hit or miss for me in that sometimes they pick a trend and go way too far with it - I remember basically hating all of their fall and winter collections this year. But now I want everything - this dress, this dress, this skirt, and these pants are currently en route to my house (supposed to be delivered tomorrow - I'll try and do a try-on sesh on Instastories Friday night), and I'm holding myself back from buying more! Here are my picks:

Dress - LOFT / Coat (similar here, with toggles here) - J. Crew Factory / Bag - Tory Burch / Booties (on sale here, more sizes here) - TOMs 

Follow along with everything Kristina does via Bloglovin!

OTK Boots for Work

Sweater - J. Crew Factory / Jeans - Gap / Boots - Kaitlyn Pan / Coat (similar color, similar leather detailing) - Marc New York / Bag - Tory Burch / Necklace (similar) - BaubleBar / Watch - Wristology

In case you were curious, it turns out there is a subtle way to wear OTK boots - pair them with black jeans! As opposed to leather leggings, my black jeans blend with the texture of the boots, which definitely tones them down a bit. In case you were wondering whether or not you could wear OTK boots to work because they can come off a little too sexy, this is definitely the answer!

I actually wore this to work and then to a little date night - last week Jeff and I went to see Les Miserables! This has been the month of theater for us because now we've been twice, and I really don't remember the last time we went to see a show. A production is currently swinging through Chicago, and while I found some of the staging odd I thought all of the actors were phenominal - especially Eponine! I also decided that if I were able to play any character in the show on Broadway, I'd definitely pick Enjolras. Not only does he get some great songs, but he also gets to strut around the stage waving a flag and has an epic death. I'd just have to figure out how you're supposed to pronounce his name...

Before the show, we went to dinner at The Kitchen out on the river. There's such a pretty view from the dining room as the sun goes down! The Kitchen is actually a special restaurant for our family, although I can't think if there's a reason besides that my cousin met her husband when they both worked there. We actually had my grandma's 90th birthday party (two days before our wedding!) there too. The food is always spot on, and last week was no exception.

Before I go, I just wanted to share a little housekeeping - I'm currently completely buried at work thanks to our big annual conference coming up next week, so content might be sporadic for the next week. I say "might" with the hope that I will get some stuff scheduled, but I usually have all of my posts scheduled a week in advance and am currently scrambling to get this written before my self-imposed publishing deadline and have nothing in my drafts pile, so I'm anticipating a bit of a struggle. You can always catch me on Instagram to see what I'm up to - see you around!

Follow along with everything Kristina does via Bloglovin!

Big Girl Pants

Dress (currently on final sale, fits TTS - until 10am today take an extra 50% off with code FLASH!) - LOFT / Bag - Rebecca Minkoff / Heels (similar block heels here and here) - Sole Society / Necklace - Stella & Dot / Earrings - Sugarfix by BaubleBar

I don't know about you, but I've been working in a casual office space for so long now that being asked to dress up throws me into a tizzy. (Did I just use the word tizzy?!) But seriously though. I manage to get myself dressed every other day of the week with no problem, and am usually more dressed up than everyone around me. But ask me to find something business casual in my closet and I freak out.

The main problem is those dress pants. I mean, really you guys, the only pair I have and like I bought over five years ago and are a skinny black pant. So really, they're basically a pair of leggings. (I think it's actually this pair, but mine seriously are from 2012 so who knows if they've changed something.)

As soon as I look past the dress pants option, I always end up realizing I have a closet full of things that would work for business wear, including this adorable dress I snagged on final sale at LOFT. Normally I wouldn't advise buying things on final sale online, because duh, you're stuck with whatever you buy even if it doesn't fit. But I had actually tried this particular dress on in a different size a month or two ago, so I was pretty confident that it would work. Winner winner chicken dinner. If you really want this dress, I keep seeing sizes pop in and out of stock - I'm wearing a 12 here (my normal dress size at LOFT) and would say it fits pretty TTS for a shift dress.

So what did I have to dress up for? At the last minute, my boss asked me to step in for him and give a presentation at a conference last week! Now, I actually did a lot of theater in high school so I like performing, but public speaking is a whole different animal. It's one of those things I don't think I'll ever feel fully prepared for, but I went up and did it anyway, and you know what? Once you start talking, it's not so scary anymore! Oh, and it helped that the session I gave was only for about 75 people ;) And to the sweet reader I met at the conference, thanks for saying hi! It was so fun to meet you!!

Dress (currently on final sale, fits TTS - until 10am today take an extra 50% off with code FLASH!) - LOFT / Bag - Rebecca Minkoff / Heels (similar block heels here and here) - Sole Society / Necklace - Stella & Dot / Earrings - Sugarfix by BaubleBar

Linking up with Trend Spin Linkup.

Follow along with everything Kristina does via Bloglovin!

A Little Ruffle

Shirt - Banana Republic / Jeans - Old Navy / Sandals - Dolce Vita / Bag - Rebecca Minkoff / Necklace - Stella & Dot / Bracelet - Michael Kors

I've been super into fun sleeves lately (ahem, ahem) so when I saw this top I basically had to have it. I must have waited a little too long (because I can't handle buying something that isn't on sale) and by the time I went to buy it the regular size must have been sold out because I accidentally bought a petite! I'm 5'9" so you'd think a petite wouldn't work on me, but I'm also really short waisted so it actually worked on me. I figured out that I was short waisted for the first time when I was in middle school and my friends were talking about how they could never imagine wearing high-waisted jeans because if their jeans covered their belly buttons they would "like, die." But all of my jeans, even low-rise, always covered my belly button! I was in middle school though, so I said that I would "totally die" too while nervously pulling down my shirt. Now though, I can proudly admit that I'm a short person on the top and a really tall person on the bottom ;)

Shop the post:

Previously on KDTI - white denim:

 

Linking up with Style Me Wednesday, Mix It Monday, Style Sessions, Confident Twosday.

Follow along with everything Kristina does via Google Friend Connect or Bloglovin!

A Little More Lavender & White

Blouse - Banana Republic / Skirt (similar) and Bag (similar) - Ann Taylor / Heels (similar) - Sole Society / Necklace - J. Crew Factory

It turns out that besides my blue & pink obsession, I'm also really into lavender and white (ahem). It's such a pretty color combination that I wear it year after year. This shell actually has a pretty lazer-cut pattern on the bottom bottom so I've previously only worn it with pants and shorts, but I realized how versatile it can be when tucked into a skirt for work. My company doesn't have a dress code for the office so I usually keep things pretty casual, but it's fun to dress up a little every once and a while.

I bought this skirt last year when I found it on super-sale, and while I probably didn't need another white skirt (I think I have five or six in my closet!) this one has actually gotten a lot of use - thanks to the shape its great for work, date night, or a wedding or baby shower. This particular skirt is no longer in stores, but I linked up a couple of similar skirts below:

Shop the post:

Previously on KDTI - more lavender and white skirts:

 

Linking up with Summer Style, Friday Fab Favorites, Style Me Wednesday, Weekend Wear, Flashback Friday.

Follow along with everything Kristina does via Google Friend Connect or Bloglovin!