Work Wardrobe

Although this may seem a bit off given my fashion history on the blog, when I'm teaching, I wear dress pants once or twice a week. I've never posted any outfits involving them because I usually feel like they are lazy and uninspired, but I'm trying to making my outfits more interesting with small details, not just crazy tights and layers, so here is my first attempt. I feel like this outfit is quite Erin.

I actually really like these pants. They're flattering, comfortable, and endlessly useful. I bought them in the summer of 2007 when I realized that I was weeks away from having an internship in London that may require some business casual clothing and panicked when I realized I had none. And that's the thing about nice dress pants: they still look nice and they are as in style now as they were then.

The pants are absolutely not the focal point of this outfit, though. That distinction goes to this amazing shirt I recently bought at Anthropologie. It has a lot going on by itself, but I thinks its drape is so lovely and the black at the bottom suits itself to my pants so well that it felt like a great combo for teaching. I tried to keep the rest of the outfit's details subtle, but also fun. This shirt is, after all, fun. I wore my maroon tweed flats (not pictures because I'm still getting used to the new tripod and because it was cold! And snowing! And windy! And cold snow was blowing in my face!) and gray cardigan because I didn't want to add any extra colors to the outfit.
This cardigan, as you can see in the collective detail shot below, has small hearts cut out of it, which makes it the most twee and adorable thing I own. My beautiful diamond necklace (thanks Dad!) fit the neckline well, and I couldn't resist adding a brooch. A serious accessory for dress pants with just enough whimsy to match the fun shirt.

Pants: The Loft, hemmed (I'm not that short, but I do have an aversion to heels)

Shirt: Anthropologie

Cardigan: Basement of Topshop, London

Brooch: Golden Nugget Flea Market, New Jersey

Necklace: Gifted, Dad

Shoes: Gifted, Doug, Aeropostale

A great workday success that easily became a great post-workday success by exchanging the dress pants for dark jeans and the flats for black boots. xoxo Anna Rae