Monday Outfit: Casual Color for Summer

Last week’s outfit was extremely colorful, a mix of bold pastels. This week’s outfit is colorful, but in a more subdued, professional way. It’s the kind of outfit that feels fresh and sophisticate, but still playful.

Leandra Medine, aka. The Man Repeller, has a very avant garde style. It’s usually not for me. But this outfit is easy to replicate with pieces that fit easily into the professional wardrobe. I love the play of colors and proportion. Let’s recreate it.

The Pants. The anchor of the outfit. The green holds the rest together. The pants in the photo are obviously culottes (which are big again this year, a 2019 throwback), but this is not a style that works on my body, so I swapped it for a pair of wide leggings MM LaFleur pants. If you need a less expensive pair, Nordstrom Rack has you covered.

If you like a brighter green, these Ann Taylor pants are the way to go. Not feeling the vibrant green hue? You could easily swap in a pair of olive pants for a multi-season look. Plus-size? Try these Eloquii pants in forest green.

The Shirt. A near perfect match for the inspo photo, this Alex Mill shirt has a voluminous shape, the angular sleeve, and a hemline that looks good tucked or untucked. It’s a great shirt for casual or professional wear. If you want something more professional, I recommend this silk Vince top from Nordstrom Rack. If you don’t want to worry about whether to tuck or not to tuck, the Trapunto Shirt from Tuckernuck is amazing.

The Shoes. Obviously, a tasseled high heeled isn’t appropriate for my life. But to blend in an unexpected element, I chose these leopard print Loeffler Randall sandals. For a more professional option, I like these tortoise flats. Whatever shoe you pick, I would keep it in the dark brown family. A richer color like cognac would bring in too much red. A black would be too stark. A softer, darker brown, like espresso or chocolate, is the way to go.

The Bag. This Lo & Sons Trinity laptop bag is a top five purchase of the decade. Yes, you read that right, the decade. It has incredible structure and is uber functional. It also comes in a smaller size if you prefer to pack a bit lighter. It is not to be missed. There are frequent sales, so wait for one.

Prefer a cooler, more casual bag? This Veronica Beard bucket tote is awesome. I love the sleek shape.

Accessories. The jewelry needed a natural element. This wooden bracelet from COS brings in the outdoors in a chic, subtle way. It also ties into the brown int the shoes. It’s currently on sale for $50 and is perfect for summer dressing.

I also chose these double Canal Hoops from Mignonne Gavigan. I love the shape. It’s a little bit bold, but in a wearable way.

Styling. For me, this is a hair up look. Wearing the hair piled in a slightly messy updo makes the look feel a bit more professional, while preserving the undone quality. The makeup should be on the neutral side with a rosy cheek and sheer lip color. If you want to go a bit more bold with the makeup, a red lip would also work.

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