MyShingle Fashion: Purple Pleats
Pleats can be tricky, but in general, I’m a fan. They’re a great way to add interest to an article of clothing and a polished touch to an outfit. So I picked out a lovely purple pleated dress for today’s outfit, and created the ensemble around it. In fact, today’s entire outfit can be found at Nordstrom. It’s a little pricier than my recent outfits have been, so may not be ideal for newly minted associates trying to expand their professional wardrobes while sticking to a budget. Or, on the other hand, it may be a great splurge, as the outfit is made up of versatile pieces.
Here’s what I came up with for today:
Adrianna Papell Pleated Dress in Mulberry ………. $98
Halogen Single Button Jacket in Grey ………. $84.90
Calvin Klein Dolly Pointed Toe Pump ………. $69.90
Marc by Marc Jacobs Necklace ………. $58
The dress is pictured here in blue, but the only color is mulberry, so I ‘shopped it together so you can get a sense of the color. It’s a medium purple, with pleats and a flattering shape, and, of course, it hits at the knee like any office or court-appropriate dress.
I paired it with a grey blazer. I feel like a slightly lighter grey would have been better, but this works just fine. It’s a simple single button, nothing fancy, and I’ve always loved the way grey and purple look together.
I threw in a pair of black shoes, because I don’t like grey shoes (just a personal quirk), and I thought these CK ones were darling.
To tie in the black with the whole look, I picked this Marc Jacobs necklace. Yes, it’s a heart. Yes, heart jewelry is generally what middle school boys give to middle school girls in hopes of making out behind the bleachers at some point. Or, I don’t know. I certainly wasn’t making out behind the bleachers in middle school. I was reading The Grapes of Wrath! That’s not depressing at allll.
Anyway, er, excessive self-disclosure aside, yes, heart jewelry can be a little on the twee side (twee as in whimsy without wit) but I like this necklace. It’s cute, it’s black, and it just kind of works. Plus, it’s got red and pink bits and I like that with the purple dress. Matchy-enough without being ridiculous.
I’m a big fan of dresses like this – that create a sleek, flattering hourglass shape with the nipped in waist and interest added up top (with pleats, ruffles, wrap, various textures, whatever the case may be) – and I’ll make an attempt to feature more of them soon.