Top: J.Crew Peter Pan Collar Tee (sold out, similar blouse)
From Left, Earrings: Juliet & Co. Pearl Earrings ($21) Bag: IIIBeCa Moore Satchel ($188) Shoes: Marais USA Hyde Pump ($145) Necklace: Asos MultiChain Necklace ($21) Skirt: Kate Spade Jolie Skirt ($368 in yellow, in red $348)
From Right, Necklace: Rhinestone Spike Collar ($75) Bag: Cambridge Satchel Co. ($155) Shoes: Marais USA Tate Flat ($125) Shirt: Alice + Olivia Cowl Tank ($138) Jeans: Seven for All Mankind A-Pocket ($50)
For Casual Monday. If you have a skirt in a bold print, like the Kate Spade Above, it can be a challenge to find tops to wear with it. Most women end up with a basic white blouse or a simple crewneck sweater in a neutral color, so I thought that the Peter Pan tee, which has a bit of style on it’s own would be a good replacement. I like the way the shades of grey in the tee and the skirt coordinate.
If you’re digging the Peter Pan collar, Marc Jacobs made a blouse with a leather collar and ModCloth has one with an almost-art deco layered collar.
I chose pearl earrings to add a bit of lightness around the face and a gold collar necklace to frame the edges of the Peter Pan collar. I also selected ankle strap grey pumps with a chunky heel for some playfulness. And I added a red bag to tie the whole look together. If you like the bag but not the price, this red Lulu satchel from Nordy’s is just $42.
For the hair, I would put mine up in hot rollers, these Conair rollers are my fave. I’d then flip it upside down and spray it with some Elnett for volume. For the makeup, I would wear black eyeliner with a lightly flushed cheek and a red lip, currently loving my new NARS lip pencil.
For Casual Friday. The J.Crew top is approx. 24″ long. (I say approx. because the powers that be at J.Crew have apparently decided that length is no longer a critical clothing measurement that customers might want to know.) The Alice + Olivia silk shell is 27″ long. So the theory behind layering the blouses is that you will end up with a layer of contrasting lime silk sticking out from beneath the Peter Pan tee like a trim.
Electric lime green would not have been my first choice, but I wanted to be sure that the top I chose was longer than the J.Crew one. I would have preferred a pink or a cobalt. Also, I think choosing a silk or similar fabric is important so that you have the contrasting textures, but this is an idea that could be worked into any casual wardrobe.
I chose the necklace to be worn under the collar with the detail peeking out in the front. I selected a green bag to help pull in the lime green top and make the outfit complete. If you want a cheaper green crossbody satchel, Modcloth has one for under-$75. And I finished off the look with a simple grey flat. (If bows aren’t your thing, try these wedges from DSW for $46.)
For the hair, I would probably pull mine up into a side ponytail or a braid. For the makeup, I would wear some contrasting grey shadows and black liner. I would probably try a sheer berry lipstain. And if I was feeling bold, British Racing Green on my fingernails, but only in a more relaxed office.
I see you've recommended Modcloth – I'm curious to know what you're experience with them has been? I recently bought two dresses and a blouse that are in some of their higher price points and was shocked at how cheap the materials and poor the construction were.
Some girls would look very cool in this. I would just look like I was trying to hard and wound up missing the mark.
@ Megan R re: Modcloth- does anyone else feel this way about approximately 40% of the stuff at Anthropologie?
Megan R.: I only buy their cheap stuff, in my opinion, that's why they exist. I've purchased one skirt and one bag from them and had good luck, as least as good as I've had at H&M.
Ella: Anthro's quality has really gone down since 2009. and if their shirts and sweaters get any shorter, they're going to be worn as cropped tops.
Also, nothing ticks me off than when a retailer goes from not using models, and thus having Polyvore friendly items, to using models. You'll see very little Anthro on the blog as a result.
For the casual Friday…I'm totally not understanding/getting the purpose of these two necklines???? If the purpose is supposed to be for a layering effect – maybe a simple tee that would fall below the peter pan collared shirt/sweater? I'm not the expert. It just looks a little confusing to me. That's just my two cents.
CReed: You're right, a simple neckline would have been better. My primary concern was length, and there were not a lot of choices for longer shirts in brighter colors. But I own this Alice top in the yellow and I've worn it under a couple of sweaters, it lays pretty flat, but not perfectly flat.
I really don't understand the idea of wearing a neckline like this with a necklace. Won't it look really busy? I can't picture how this would look put together and not very mismatched?
CB: It goes underneath, you won't even see it.
The peter-pan sweater is on sale now at the JCrew in Penn Quarter!