Friday, September 3, 2010

All That Glitters...

...Is not always gold. But it can be sequins! (Or taffeta, but try to stay away from anything that you would make a horrendous bridesmaid dress out of. Word to the wise, brides-to-be...us single ladies you choose as your bridesmaids can do NOTHING beautiful with bubble-gum pink taffeta, so stay away...for our sake. Please. Thanks.)

Apparently we have ventured into a culture where wearing something that shines and shimmers like a disco mirror-ball  is acceptable for every day wear...and I think I kinda like it! I'm not saying that when you look at someone's shirt you should see your reflection in it, but there is something to be said about adding a little panache to your ho-hum everyday uniform.The key is NOT to overdue it, especially at work; you do not want to look like your a hop, step and a jump away from a La-Loca-Lindsay-Lohan-fiasco at some club, you know what I'm sayin?

Cardigans, tank-tops, headbands and belts are all making glimmering appearances in everyday woman's-wear, and it's totally refreshing. Pairing some of the lighter, more shimmery pieces of clothing with heavier fall accents will make your work outfit look chic and immaculate.

Here are some cute options, and how to wear them:

This J. Crew Tank (which comes in two colors) is perfect to wear with a  darker cardigan buttoned over it. To keep it tame enough for work, button your cardigan from the neck down, and leave a pizza-slice-shape of the sequin top exposed; this way, you have the conservativeness of the office setting while still having the shine. And you'll be totally tzniut. DO NOT, under any circumstances wear a kiki-riki shirt underneath a sequin tank-top--it's just wrong. A Blazer? Yes. A bolero? Sure, why not. A three-quarter sleeve, spandex shirt underneath--no. Not even a little bit.


 
Buy me!  Although this is $495, so maybe don't buy me, but look for something like me at another store that is not outrageously priced.

If you're not feeling the full on shimmer of this type of look, embellishments are the perfect way to add that pizzazz without being so brazen. Try a sweater like this from The Loft. (Buy it here) Pair this with a cute pencil skirt for work, or drape it over your favorite black Shabbat dress, and you will look stellar.

Another material that can add subtle shine is brocade. Not iridescent,  but still shimmery, brocade adds a great touch to an outfit; BUT it can be on the fancier side, so try and tame those pieces down, or save it for weddings and bar-mitzvahs.

Shimmery skirts and dresses are almost exclusively for parties, so I would stay away from them for the office, but a nice belt or headband with sequins is a total fashion do for your workday. Here are some other glitzy pieces that make for a glamorous office outfit: 

This Forever21 tank top would look simply adorbs underneath a navy cardigan.

If you like yellow, and don't care about showing a little elbow (although it is still pretty tzniut), then this top from Forever21 is also cute tucked into a black pencil skirt.

This fabulous belt from Urban Outfitters will be the perfect accent to a plain outfit, without being too risque.

So my little divas, make like the sun and shine. 

D