Two Ways: Campaigning in Jeans

Aug 14, 2012

 

Jeans: AG The Ballad ($172)

From Left, Earrings: Giles and Brother Hoops ($90) Bag: Brahmin Phoebe Bag ($295) Shoes: Halogen Karlie Flats ($110) Necklace: House of Harlow Abalone Necklace ($80) Top: Derek Lam Pintuck Blouse ($425)

From Right, Earrings: Wendy Mink Amethyst Studs ($62) Bracelet: Alexa’s Purple Bangle ($19) Bag: Kooba Barkley Bag ($360) Shoes: TOMS Ballet Flats ($74) Coat: Club Monaco Emma Trench ($298) Scarf: Love Quotes Scarf ($83) Top: Boden Hamptons Tee ($38)

Polyvore Set Here.

For Late Summer.  Making full-length denim work for summer can be difficult, but when you’re spending your days in an air-conditioned campaign office with a bunch of men who like the temperature somewhere between brisk and hypothermia, jeans are your savior. 

To make these jeans work for the August/September time period, I paired them with a structure peasant blouse (less expensive option, here) to give it a breezy, summertime feel.  I then added this long pendant from House of Harlow to continue the subtle 70s-throwback feel.  I own this pendant, and I love it.  It lifts simple blouses and dresses with its brilliant color palette and statement size.

As for the rest of the accessories, I added a cool hoop earring, a cobalt blue bag to coordinate with the necklace (similar color crossbody for under-$100) and a cool pair of ankle strap flats.  I wanted to keep my toes covered for this look, but if I could have found a brown Huarache sandal with closed-toe, I would have chosen that instead.

For the hair, I recommend wearing it down in waves or up in a twisted, imperfect updo.  For the makeup, I like to keep it simple on the trail with a bit of eyeliner, some pink gloss and a pink blush to perk up your cheeks.  And don’t forget the under-eye concealer.

For the Autumn.  Dressing in layers is critical when campaigning in the fall season.  You may be knocking on doors outside or phone banking in a conference room or attending a campaign event, and you may do all of this in  the same day. 

This look layers a mid-weight tee with long sleeves under a light scarf and a medium-weight trench coat.  I love the scoop neck on the t-shirt, so flattering, and the ivory-metallic scarf is a versatile color choice.  As for the trench, I tried this one on a few days ago and was very impressed by how tailored and expensive it looked.  If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought it cost two or three times its cost.  (Need a cheaper trench?  Try this sub-$200 London Fog trench.)

As for the shoes, campaign shoes need to be comfortable.  Really comfortable.  So these ballet flat TOMS are a neutral, utilitarian choice for women who will be on their feet all day.  Sometimes you need to find a choice that, while not faux pas, caters to your activity more than your sense of style.

The accessories I chose are a mix of purples.  These unobtrusive pieces add a bit of color to the otherwise monotone outfit.  I like how the mauve Kooba bag pairs with the amethyst studs and the mixed-media bangle set.

For the hair, I would wear it up.  When I’m traveling for work or on the trail, I’d rather sleep than wash my hair in the morning, so dry shampoo and a curly updo are my saviors.  Again, simple makeup with a berry-stained lip for a bit of color.

Three Ways

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  1. Love it. I recently acquired a similar dangling necklace. In the store it didn't look terribly special and I didn't realize until I was home and tried it with different outfit possibilities how versatile it is.

  2. MIchelle says:

    Does anyone know how the sizing runs at Boden? I'm loving the shirt featured here and some of the sweaters on the site, but I don't want to have to order and return.

    Bonus! Found out that if you use the code AF26 at checkout you get 10% off and free shipping.

  3. Michelle says:

    Oop! Typo, the coupon code is actually AF29.

  4. Rudy says:

    Hahaha, have you ever even canvassed before? I like the idea, but if you can knock doors in this, you're not working hard enough.

  5. M says:

    Haha, agree with Rudy – late summer + canvassing = NO LONG SLEEVES, no matter how light the fabric, and I would definitely go with more comfortable shoes.Layering is best to accommodate varying temps throughout the day, but when you are going door to door in the afternoon, you need as much breeze as you can get… also, you'll probably get blisters in tennis shoes. This is very cute, but definitely not practical!

  6. Kelly says:

    Ha. Rudy. I thought the same.

  7. judy says:

    Belle get out of your rut! I feel like we've seen these outfits a million times on this blog!

  8. Kaylee says:

    Michelle, I generally wear a size smaller in Boden clothes than in clothes from stores like Banana, J. Crew, etc. I'm typically an 8 at Banana and a 6 at Boden.

    The only exception I've found is in the suiting pieces. For those, I typically wear an 8, so the same size I wear in Banana clothes. But, for things like the tee featured here and sweaters, I'd recommend going down a size.

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