Two Ways: Splendid Mint Striped Tee
Feb 23, 2012
Top:
From the Left, Necklace: Kate Spade Triple Row Chain ($99) Bag: Dooney Large Pocket Satchel ($298) Shoes: Bandolino Caresse Boot ($112) Shirt: White Button Down ($30) Jeans: Roxanne Skinny Jeans ($169)
From the Right, Bracelets: Tryste Callie Bangles ($48) Bag: Zara Patent Leather Shopper ($50) Shoes: Dolce Vita Sachi Sandal ($149) Scarf: LoveQuotes Scarf ($88) Jeans: Seven Skinny Jeans ($159)
Winter Casual Friday. Mint is very big for spring, as are all pastels. I, personally, can barely stomach pastels. So when I found this top, which I like, I decided to add it to a casual attire set.
Layering a striped tee over a white button up is a good way to keep your casual Friday attire work-appropriate. I also like a dark wash skinny jean for work or a dark wash trouser jean, but the deeper color just feels more professional. Add a necklace for a bit of glamour, a coordinating handbag and a pair of basic flat boots to finish off the look.
You can button the top button or leave it undone, that’s a personal preference. Given that the tee is a 3/4 length and the shirt is a full length sleeve, I would recommend rolling the sleeve.
For hair, this is a casual outfit, so down and natural or a simple ponytail would be best. For the makeup, I’d stick with a light coat of rose gloss on the lips, a pink cheek and fresh looking skin. That means under-eye concealer and highlighter applied sparingly to the cheekbones.
Spring Casual Friday. I like white denim in the warm weather months. Unlike white chinos, they have some structure to them, which makes them feel a little more professional to me. Also, while I like skinny jeans, if you don’t there are some great bootcut and trouser cut pairs for sale. If you want to skip the jeans entirely, I would recommend white suiting pants with lining. Lining is critical.
I like to wear scarves to pull an outfit together. For this ensemble, I added an ivory LoveQuotes scarf. And to jazz it up, I added a cool stack of bangle bracelets.
The shoes and bag for this outfit are very simple. I love the metal detail on the sandals, and I like that they come up high on the foot for comfort. The bag is a simple shopper that’s great for travel, errands or the work day.
For the hair, I would recommend wearing it up. I think that when wearing a scarf, pulling the hair up is usually the white choice. For the makeup, I would recommend a sheer, bright lipgloss and a gold or warm copper wash of eyeshadow. I’d also apply a hint of bronzer.
My love for Splendid knows no bounds, so thank you Belle for showing me a way I can wear this to the office!
love love these two outfits! casual & put together
As much as I hate D&B, I LOVE that green bag!
Belle, I was surprised to see the shoe selection for the spring set. Don't you think it seems a bit flip-floppy? I know you said casual, but isn't the shoe TOO casual? I'd love to hear your thoughts on why you choose the shoe.
KC – could you elaborate on your love for Splendid? More than $50 for a t-shirt is extremely expensive by my standards. What makes them so great?
BN, I was thinking the same thing. I don't know that I would have reacted to anyone else wearing them for a casual Friday if your office is relatively casual, but personally I probably wouldn't wear shoes like that to the office – they're just a bit too… I don't know… barefoot for me 🙂
BN and Norwegianette: For my office it would be fine, but if you're uncomfortable with it, try a cognac flat or a wedge. I think these are better than flip flops or basic sandals because of the metal and structure, but it's up to you if it's good for your office.