Destructed White POW: Soft mixed prints and rips Manic Monday

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Outfit Mission Statement: Make those destructed jeans professional with a classy blazer, color colors, and a sophisticated print mix

Manic Monday outfits are easy career clothes to throw on for manic Mondays. This Monday we focus on creating a soft, pretty work outfit. The POW (Piece of the Week) is the cabi Spring 2016 of Destructed Slim Boyfriend jeans. White jeans, destructed or not, give you a nice base for highlighting soft colors and fabrics, such as the grays and yellows here in silk and a soft knit. The soft colors pop against white, especially an antique white, giving you a nice opportunity to wear those light, feminine garments. The white also is a nice base for mixing prints, as it does not compete with the prints. Of course, the destructed jeans need to be mixed with more professional pieces to make the average of the outfit appropriate for business casual. Often my Monday looks will not include jackets (I save those for the more professional Wednesday outfits), but more casual, easy pieces. But, if you are wearing destructed jeans to work, a jacket add a nice professional balance.  I went with a soft jacket that has almost a sweater texture and feel, so it is almost like a cardigan. With the soft woven jacket, silk blouse, and super soft jeans, this outfit is more comfortable than PJs, keeping an easy feel to your Manic Monday!

Tips:

  • To balance the casual edge of the destructed jeans, wear a professional jacket
  • Mix soft feminine colors with the destructed jeans to further tone them down for work
  • Use the white jeans (or pants) as a base to show off lighter, softer colors
  • When mixing prints, especially prints of the same colors, make one of your main garments a white
  • Consider the rules for mixing prints, such as differing the size of the print and fabric
  • Do consider mixing yellow and gray, especially for work—I LOVE this combo (I’m even planning to paint my kitchen in yellow and gray)
  • To keep a professional feel to the outfit, wear jewelry in the same color scheme, especially any statement pieces (such as this lovely necklace)
  • Work with a limited palette to make the overall outfit feel more professional, such as the white, grey, and yellow palette here (with some subtle gold)
  • Remember you can replace white pants or regular white jeans here for the destructed jeans for a more professional look or if your workplace does not allow ripped jeans (mine does not)

 

Outfit Breakdown:

 

If you want the jeans, contact your cabi stylist ASAP! The season has closed, but she may still be able to help you with samples or access to the retired season pieces. If you do not have a stylist, please contact me in the comments or via email, reach out to my (Joni Allen via email or phone: 770 502-5243 [call or text]), or find a cabi stylist near you. Or, consider these alternatives:

 

 

Related Posts:

  1. Destructed White POW: Working It Professional, High-End, Destructed Wednesday posted July 13, 2016: Mix high-end, sophisticated pieces with your destructed jean for a rich, yet edgy, boardroom look
  2. Margherita POW: Easy Professionalism Manic Monday posted May 16, 2016: For an easy-to-throw on Monday outfit, grab your favorite sundress and then add a jacket, simple matching jewelry, and comfy shoes
  3. Plume POW: Manic Pretty Strong Monday posted April 04, 2016: Mix a military-inspired jacket with skinny jeans and a feminine top for a strong, pretty, casual, yet professional work look

Plus, for other Manic Monday easy, professional outfits, check out the other posts!

Destructed White: It’s Terrific Being Green Thursday

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Outfit Mission Statement: Mix solid colors and play brights off white for pop of polished fun!

TTT Thursday outfits are Trendy, Transitional, and/or Terrific—in other words my choice. It can be whatever other outfit ideas the garment gave me. It may be something very trendy, transitional, terrific, or something else. The POW (Piece of the Week) is the cabi Spring 2016 Destructed Slim Boyfriend jeans. This week I focus on two—trendy and terrific. Bright colors are a trend and this jellybean green is certainly bright! Paired with these white jeans it even pops more. I added a few more trends—nautical navy stripes, denim-on-denim, and eyelets—all things that are very in. But, the real reason I choose this outfit is I love the top and blazer—the colors and style of both is fabulous. I wanted to show them off, and what better way than with two neutrals—a white and a navy?

The jacket was one of the first items I bought from cabi this season. I adore it. It’s a great lighter summer weight, but heavy enough it could work year round (at least in Georgia). The sleeves roll up nicely for the modern look. And it has these great bow details on the pockets (check it out on the cabi site, none of my pictures do it justice). Every time I wear this jacket I get multiple compliments.

The eyelet blouse is also a great piece. I love eyelets to begin with. But I really like how the eyelet pattern here is more modern and not the more feminine patterns I normally see—it’s almost a puzzle type of pattern. I also love the wide, forgiving shape of it. The wider straps are also nice—they easily cover bra straps, making this a great layering piece.

I combined them both with some favorite pieces—this fun bug necklace; my preppy, nautical stripe clutch; and these great espadrille wedges; plus, of course, these edgy jeans! The result is a fun, surprising, and very “me” outfit.

 

Tips:

  • Play bright colors off white jeans to give the colors even more pop
  • For a different, yet together & polished look, try mixing solids colors or very large patterns (like the striped clutch)
  • Want compliments? Wear great pieces you love
  • Don’t be afraid to dress in bright colors and a couple of neutrals—you do not need patterns to have fun with color
  • When creating outfits that are very “you” look for favorite pieces and see if they work—don’t be afraid to experiment (at the very least you will probably love it)
  • Look for pieces with unique features and details—like the box pockets and eyelet pattern—for a distinctive look that will draw attention and make you feel like a million bucks
  • When your outfit is a mix of solid colors, consider adding a fun statement necklace to add visual interest
  • I’ve said it before, and will say it again—consider rolling the sleeves on your jackets for a modern touch (and it keeps you a bit cooler in the summer heat)

 

Outfit Breakdown:

 

 

 
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Related Posts:

 

  1. Plume POW: Whites Out Saturday posted April 16, 2016. Try out the whites trend by mixing various whites in one or more garments, your, shoes, and your accessories.
  2. Fall into Spring 4: Bring Your Navy Lace Forward into Spring and Summertime! Posted May 30, 2016
  3. Michelle POW: Flutter & Sea No Place Like Tuesday posted March 15, 2016. For a casual nautical look, limit the nautical, but add a flattering cardigan and white jeans for a comfortably on-trend and classic look.

And do not forget the other terrific TTT Thursday posts!

 

Bardot POW: Boho Southwestern Sparkly Princess Sunday Best

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Outfit Mission Statement: To dress denim up for a special occasion look, throw on the fancy—think tulle, sparkly gems, embroidered velvet, statement pieces, and amazing shoes

Sunday Best POW outfits are special occasion clothes for dinning, theater, opera, holiday parties, church, and other such occasions that need something special. The POW (Piece of the Week) is the cabi Spring 2016 Bardot Shirt. There are many ways to dress up a denim shirt. Check out Sparkling & Flannel Sunday Best for dressy look you can make work with a denim shirt (denim and a lace pencil would be Fab-u-lous!). One fun thing you can do is choose a very dressy skirt. Denim tends to dress things down a bit, so with very dressy bottoms, you can average somewhere dressy, but not overly dressy. Tulle can easily be very dressy. Add denim, and bam, nice special occasion look that does not go too far. Adding fancy, statement pieces as accessories ups the dressy too. Together, you can end up with a fun, sparkly, pretty special occasion look with a touch of boho. I love the tulle and denim combo. Opposites attract, right?

Tips:

  • When dressing up a denim shirt, feel free to go far on the dressy side for the rest of the pieces to average the perfect amount of dressy
  • Add special, striking, and/or fancy statement accessories to further emphasize the dressiness (or go the other way and add casual accessories [like cowgirl boots, a distressed leather bag, and rustic jewelry] and end up in a casual, fun look with a touch of princess)
  • Mix metals for a lighthearted touch that may also allow you to bring together pieces you might not otherwise consider
  • Consider tying the denim shirt in a knot at your waist to emphasize the waist and continue the lighthearted touch
  • Keep colors in the same general tones for a more put together look, such as the blues and greys I focus on here, making sure each element has at least one of these colors

Outfit:

 

Related Posts:

  1. Plaid POW: Sparkling & Flannel Sunday Best posted February 28, 2016. Turn flannel elegant by adding a dressy skirt and accessories.
  2. Plume POW: The Stylish Safari Princess Thursday posted April 14, 2016. For a trendy outfit with masculine and feminist touches, mix tulle and military/safari style.

 

Margherita POW: Easy Professionalism Manic Monday

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Margherita POW: Easy Professionalism Manic Monday

Outfit Mission Statement: For an easy-to-throw on Monday outfit, grab your favorite sundress and then add a jacket, simple matching jewelry, and comfy shoes

 

Manic Monday outfits are easy career clothes to throw on for manic Mondays. This Monday we focus on creating an easy, flowy work outfit. The POW (Piece of the Week) is the cabi Spring 2016 of Margherita Dress. Sundresses are so easy to dress up or down. To make it work for a casual day at the office, simply throw a light cardigan or blazer on and you are good to go—perfect for a manic Monday. For these manic Monday outfits I try to go really simple and easy—things that require little thought for the hazy Monday morning mind and are things you can pretty much throw on and run out the door and be comfortable throughout the day. This outfit is a great example of that, while maintaining a professional feel. Dresses are about as easy as it gets. Blazers are a quick and easy way to make an outfit look more professional. Put them together—easy professionalism! If you work in a more casual setting, you can go with a cardigan instead, perhaps modifying the White Out Over Navy Saturday outfit!

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