Boyfriend Pants: Day to Night

Many of you have heard of the boyfriend jean. These are defined as loose fitting, rolled up, comfortable, worn and torn jeans that could have very well been pulled out of your man's closet and thrown on. They are also the inspiration for my post today.

(Photos by Yvonne Ho)

Pants - Laundry by Shelli Segal (Winners); Peplum top - Zara; Blazer - H&M; Belt - Loft 82; Pumps - Nine West; Necklaces - Tiffany & Co.,Swarowski (Gifts); Watch - Bulova (Gift); Cuff and Earings - Unknown

I bought these bright red pants one lunch hour in a frenzy and after I wore them for the first time, realized that I didn't really like how they fit. They were too long, not nicely fitted and reminded me of old lady slacks.  I came home disappointed about buying them in such a haste, but was determined to style them differently so that I would want to wear them again. This is where the boyfriend jean came into play. I thought, if ill fitting, baggy jeans could be made to look stylish, why couldn't a pair of work pants? All I had to do was roll the legs up a couple of times and the frumpy old lady pants transformed into trendy work pants! I added a neutral coloured blazer and a couple doses of animal print to complete the look.

Another great thing about these pants is how easily you can dress them down. If you want to transform them from day to night, simply add a denim jacket and any kind of clutch. Another animal print? Why not!

Denim Jacket - Only (Urban); Clutch - Nine West

HAIR INSPIRATION:

What I Wore: AGA Refinery Party

Every few months the Art Gallery of Alberta plays host to various late night Refinery Parties themed around current AGA exhibitions and featuring projects by local artists. The theme this past weekend had to do with film, light and projections so attendees were encouraged to wear all white. The inside of the gallery turned into a giant projection screen, including the guests.

(Photos by Yvonne Ho)

Jeans - Jacob; Cami - Dex (The Bay); Blazer - BCBG; Blue Suede Shoes - Aldo; Clutch - Nine West; Necklace - Garbo (The Bay); Ring - Gift

My outfit of choice revolved around these white jeans as I was extremely happy to have an excuse to wear them in winter! Pairing them with the white blazer was a no brainer, and I opted for cobalt blue accesories. Where I had trouble though, was finding pieces that were the same shade of white.  Unlike all black ensembles, all white get-ups don't quite look right when the whites are all different types of shades. There is also the see-through issue to worry about with all white, however if you go with thick fabrics and lining, you should be able to avoid any mishaps in that department.

Highlights of the night...

Getting all dolled up with my girlfriends.

Participating in the light exhibits.

Checking out the art.

Mingling with the crowd.

Meeting the lovely  Janis of  Dress Me Dearly

Refinery fashion highlights...

Mother/daughter duo...can you guess which is which??

NOT in white, but a leather suit and pompadour always gets you a mention on CMB!

Channeling Cruela de Vil.

Another lovely lady rocking the white!

CMB’s Best and Worst – 2013 Grammy’s

BEST

Rihanna in Alaia

All photos via JustJared.com

This is a great dress on Rihanna. It’s less risqué than many of her other award show choices but still has some Rihanna-esque details (sheer cutouts and amazing scarlet colour). I also prefer her with this long, ombre hairstyle.

Kelly Clarkson in Leila Shams

Kelly didn’t actually wear this dress to the Grammy show but instead to the after party.  The black details look great against the purple colour and the black panels on the side are very flattering to her curvy figure.

Kaley Cuoco in Amen tuxedo jacket, Langston tank, Bird leather pants and Giuseppe Zanotti pumps

I like the fact that Kaley decided to go casual for the occasion, which is completely appropriate for the Grammy awards. The intricate gold sequin details add a bit of interest to an otherwise boring black blazer. I’m a big fan of the leather pants and pumps as well. Giuseppe Zannotti shoes have been showing up all over the red carpets. They may even be the new Louboutins?!

WORST

Katy Perry in Gucci

I am usually a huge fan of mint green and long sleeved dresses but that humungous cutout and feathery gemstones are really distracting. If Mr. Gucci had done away with those and left the dress as is, she would probably be one of my best dressed.

Miranda Lambert in unknown

For some reason, young, female country singers gravitate towards sparkles, sequins and sheer, sometimes all combined together. Miranda is no exception during her Grammy performance. There is just too much of that going on here and the dress is unflatteringly short for her.

Kimbra in Jaime Lee Major

Major props to her for wearing this daring dress. It just doesn’t suit my fancy. At all. 

Do you agree or disagree? Leave me a comment and let me know!

CMB Spotlight: Karina

It's about that time again for another CMB Spotlight!

This edition features a fellow young professional, but has a bit of a twist. Karina is a teacher by day and a custom jewelry maker by night. She also happens to be four and a half months pregnant! Instead of rummaging through her closet to pick out an outfit to feature her in, she asked me to help her shop for some new items.

Karina was looking to spice up her wardrobe with some hip and trendy pieces that were also professional enough to wear to work.  She also wanted items that could be worn as her belly grew and things that could be worn after the baby is born, when she returns to her normal size. She wasn't asking for much, really.

Although this seemed like it might be a daunting task, it was actually easier than I thought, partly because Karina was game to try on whatever I gave her. It was also easy because of the fads out there right now.  Lately, the stores have been filled with flowy blouses, loose blazers, leggings and oversize sweaters.

ONE

The first outfit I have Karina in is one of those flowy blouses, in a soft mint colour. I added a leopard print belt cinched above the belly which added that hint of trendiness that she was looking for.

Blouse - Aritzia; Tank - RW&Co.; Belt - Sears; Leggings, Booties and Jewelry - Karina's own

TWO

Outfit number two consists of a cobalt blue blazer, a simple white tank underneath and a bright coloured clutch.

Blazer - Aritzia; Tank - RW&Co.; Clutch and Cuff - Mine; Leggings  Booties and all other Jewelry - Karina's own

For more information on Karina's custom made, Rox On jewelry visit her website HERE and her Blog HERE.

What is your work dress code? Teachers are professional and are therefore supposed to dress professional.  I do strive to adhere to this dress code but considering I have to teach phys. ed to 37 grade one and two students everyday I still have to find clothes that are practical.

What are some challenges that you have encountered being pregnant and dressing for the workplace? Comfort! It's hard to find that balance between being comfortable and fashionable.  Some days when I'm not feeling my best I tend to choose outfits that make me feel cozy but maybe aren't the most stylish.  Finding clothes that can do both of these things is a major challenge. 

What is one thing that you learned about dressing for work during your shopping trip with Joanna? I learned that adding little things to an outfit like a belt or a layered sweater can really change a look.  Adding these things can also make it look like you spent way more time putting together a great outfit than you actually did!

What was your favourite piece that you bought on your shopping trip and why? My blue Aritzia blazer! I usually play it safe in the colour department so when Joanna suggested this beautiful blazer I was a little leary. But after seeing how well it fit and having Joanna go over the endless outfit possibilities I was sold.  I love it! 

Anything else you want to share? Joanna really helped me step out of my confort zone and opened me up to different styles and colours in my wardrobe.  She was so patient and spent the time finding clothes that not only looked good on me but that would grow with me over the next few months.

Thank you Karina for letting me do my thing and being so easy-going about it!

Credits - Photo's by Yvonne Ho. Styling and makeup by yours truly.

The Higher The Heel, The Closer to God?

Those that know me, know just how much I love wearing high heels! I wear them in all types of climates. Rain, shine, snow, fog, hail, you name it, I've got heels on. I also sometimes accidentally inappropriately wear them to places where flip flops or running shoes may have been a better option. Oops. 

The pressing question is then, how high is too high for work? I would be extremely happy if I could wear these beauties to work...

Images via favim.com and Pinterest

However the practical and professional side of me knows that these would probably be a better choice.

Images via rebeccaminkoff.com and freepeople.com

Ladies, save those sky high heels for the weekend if...

1) the heel is higher than 4 inches

2) you can't walk a full block in them without wobbling

3) the platform is higher than 1 inch

4) they are any kind of sandal (peep toes are okay)

5) they resemble something a pole dancer would wear

That being said, don't be afraid to wear heels that...
1) are bright colours
2) are an animal print
3) have ankle straps
4) are wedges
5) have capped toes
6) are metallic
7) make you feel like you can conquer the world!

Side Striped

I hope this fad sticks around for a while. I am really digging these tuxedo pants with the stripe down the sides.

(Photos by Yvonne Ho)

Tuxedo pants - Cynthia Rowley (Winners); Blouse - Dynamite; Shoes - Nine West; Belt - Smart Set; Ring - Gift; Watch - Michael Kors; Bracelet - Unknown

What a great idea incorporating the characteristics of the most formal type of pant (tuxedo) into a more casual version. These are perfect for the office. The neutral grey colour allows for the easy pairing of colours.  I opted for a light pink blouse but would also wear these with bright florescents. Again, I am a big fan of tucking just the front of your blouse in but would suggest tucking a blouse in all the way for a more formal workplace. I also think a pair of hot pink or leopard print pumps would look fabulous with these pants, if you want to be a tad more daring at work. 

Hair Inspiration

Images via UsMagazine