Mixing and Matching

Men tend to have it easy in the workplace. A man could buy two or three suits, and a ton of different shirts and ties, and be set for two weeks without looking like a repeat (maybe I'm oversimplifying, but that's sure what it feels like).

Well, women can do it to an extent, too. It's definitely different, but there's some basic principals to make some things stretch.

For example, I wear the skirt in this picture a lot.



I like the fit, I like the length, black goes with everything, it makes me happy.

It's part of a suit I purchased a while back.

I also love this jacket. I got it from Nordstromrack.com, and got it for a heckuva good deal. Probably due, in some part, to the fact that the matching skirt had already sold out.

Just because you have a suit, though, you don't have to wear those pieces together all the time. If the material itself is similar enough and the styles don't clash, you can mix the suits up a bit and make more looks than you'd originally counted on.

And I tell you this because I never used to realize this. I wasn't kidding in an earlier post when I said I tend to get very matchy-matchy. That applied everywhere. If things match you must keep them together because the established pattern is aaaallllll and just be protected! But I finally started experimenting and holy cow the world didn't end and I even got compliments!!!

Would I put a ponte knit jacket with a cotton skirt? Nope. Would I have put this jacket, with its pleated detail at the waist with a chevron patterned sweater skirt? Nope. But do I care that I don't have the skirt that matches this jacket? Nopety nope! I now realize I have options! [cue jazz hands]

Now, all of you who knew this already may roll your eyes at me at your leisure.

I'm still calling this a personal victory.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad