Bringing Soft Neutrals into Fall

When the weather turns cold, it’s so easy to wear nothing but black and white.  But a woman cannot live on black alone.  So how about an easy outfit with soft neutrals and animal print?

Carolee Cultured Pearl and Silver Earrings ($40) // J.Crew Balloon Sleeve Turtleneck ($98) // J.Crew d’Orsay Snake Pumps ($228) // Urban Originals Vegan Leather Satchel ($88) // Reiss Fluted Hem Skirt ($295)

I love the bright white in the inspiration photo, but more muted colors work better for most women.  After all, if you have kids, you commute, or you share office space, ivory might be as close as you can get to white.

Skirt.  I love the fluted hem on this ivory Reiss skirt.  It’s so feminine and pretty; a nice alternative to a pencil skirt.  I also like this high-waisted pencil from Express and this Uniqlo pleated skirt.  I like the slightly longer midi length because you can wear it with heels or over tall boots for a chic, cold-weather look.

Sweater. This J.Crew turtleneck sweater is a lot of fun, with slightly exaggerated balloon sleeve.  If you’re looking for something sleeker, try this Everlane cashmere turtleneck sweater.  Plus-Size?  Try this Neiman Marcus sweater.

Shoes. I do love a snakeskin pump.  They just add such a stylish texture to black, grey, or white (off-white) pieces.  I know they’re not for everyone, but if you’re on the fence, go to a store, and try on a pair to make the final decision.

Looking for something a bit cheaper?  Try these Sam Edelman Telsa snake heel or these $45 snake slingbacks from Dorothy Perkins.

Accessories. I chose these earrings for the mix of grey and silver metal.  I usually choose pearls when wearing white or ivory, so for this ivory and grey ensemble, I decided on a grey pearl.  For something in just metal, try these under-$50 teardrop earrings that are just too slick for words.

We’ve seen this Urban Originals bag before, so I’ll let that post speak for itself.  If you’d like another shape, try this Botkier hobo bag or this Chelsea28 bag with a metal top handle and crossbody strap.

Makeup and Hair. For this outfit, I would probably wear my hair down.  Usually with a turtleneck, I wear it up, but this outfit could be a bit matronly with a bun.  So it needs your hair worn down, maybe with a light, uneven wave for texture and bit of wildness.

For the makeup, I would wear my favorite NARS Purple Rain nail polish.  I would also wear a dark purple eyeliner for a bit of color.

What I like about this outfit is that it has a relaxed chic to it.  The skirt and sweater seems like it should be casual, but the longer, heavy skirt and sweater feels dressier.  This is a great outfit for days when you want to look nice but not too dressed up, or when you need to dress up but still be casual.

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