Down Time

Here's an outfit that I wore for an entirely casual day of grocery & Christmas shopping, but I still felt put together. I understand that it's not always reasonable to dress UP, but there is a way to dress down and still look polished. To that end, I recommend blending a few different textures/materials with dimensional items [e.g. leather + tweed + cotton + buckles + crystals + pinstripes + beading + buttons + sequins] to achieve a look that says, "I'm casual, but in case of an impromptu lunch date, I won't look like I was just roused from a nap on the couch in my sweats to participate!"


On another note, let me say that I really appreciate a great pair of jeans-- but in a way that allows me to explore other options for pants and come back to jeans with a fresh outlook! Even though I love them, I get bored of my jeans after a while. There are so many options for pants, so I like to have fun with the variety and I always come back to my faithful dark-washed denim with a cleansed style palate. 

cropped leather jacket [American Rag]
coral v-neck [Gap]
navy sequined cami [Old Navy]
striped wide leg trousers [Gap]
pointed toe bronze heels [$7 at WalMart!!]

I still can't get over that it's December and roses are in full bloom, the sun still feels warm, and I almost got too hot in that jacket! Ah, welcome to California!

Enjoying my wonderfully wear-able outfit.

14K gold hearts [gift from Pixlers]
Swarovski crystal french wires [gift from Mom & Dad] 

The jacket picks up the tones in the button detail
from the pants. Coral acts as the pop of color.

A hint of sequins provides subtle sparkle--also
goes perfectly with the multi-colored earrings.