casual fancy

What is the best way to remain comfortable in a pencil skirt? Wear a cotton t-shirt. And flats. ESSENTIAL. Don’t forget to wear a statement necklace to elevate your t-shirt to the level of your pencil skirt.

I find that lately, instead of wearing a really nice piece (or nice pieces), I find myself trying to dress up more casual pieces. For example: a t-shirt and a pencil skirt, instead of a button-up or blouse with the skirt. I do that when it comes to church, seeing my mama, work, or any occasion, really. What is it?? Why do I insist on dressing up casual pieces instead of just wearing nice and dressy pieces? Anybody know? Bueller?

striped shirt: GAP

black pencil skirt: Target

statement necklace: WalMart

leopard flats: c/o Aéropostale

bully leopard

You guys. This might be one of my favorite outfits ever (EVER). Why have I never paired a favorite tee with a leopard print pencil skirt before??

This outfit struck the right balance of dressy and casual, fun and serious (like that line from Talladega Nights "I like to think of Jesus in a tuxedo t-shirt. It says I'm serious, but I like to party."), comfortable and not-so-comfortable. I'm already devising other graphic tees and pencil skirts to pair up together. Sadly, I think my sandals are goners until next summer. *sigh*

bulldog tee: J CREW Factory

leopard print pencil skirt: thrifted (Target)

beaded sandals: Kohl's

Rocksbox number three

Kendra Scott Tessa Stud Earrings in Chalcedony

Gorjana Vista Cuff in Gold

Perry Street Flora Crystal Necklace

This is third set of goodies I received from Rocksbox to borrow. I hung onto it for quite a while, because I LOVED this necklace. I have a similar statement necklace, but it’s rather cheap. And compared to this beauty, it pales. It looks cheap. And tacky.

But this. THIS necklace is my jewelry spirit animal. I can’t tell you how many compliments I received when I wore it – from coworkers, from girlfriends, from a lady at a wine bar. It looks great dressed up (see it with pleats and polka dots here), and just as great with a plain tee. It adds a bit of glam to an otherwise casual look, and also serves to elevate and even out a fancier (more fancy? fancy-er?) look. I liked the necklace and earrings, however, the necklace was by far my favorite – I’m still debating making it mine…

Use code sweetbananiexoxo for a free month of jewelry rental at Rocksbox.com!

fancy pants

These shorts are pretty fancy. And let me tell you why.

They're a nice, light chambray material, and they happen to straddle that delicate line between dark-dark blue and black. Midnight, if you will.

They're a nice length - not Daisy Dukes, but not flashback-to-the-90s-long. Incredibly appropriate for Mother's Day Brunch (not for me though - it's supposed to snow on Sunday. gross.), but cool enough you could wear them out with friends and not get made fun of.

The cut and fit of them is similar to dress pants, but without the length (oooobviously). So what I've just described is essentially the perfect pair of shorts. Unless, of course, you're going for a Daisy Duke look, or want to wear hot pink shorts, or shorts with anchors...and then, by all means, these are not the perfect pair of shorts for that occasion.

Oh oh - and another reason why these shorts are great: I got them on super sale at an Ann Taylor outlet with a funny cousin of mine last fall. I've been saving them for this spring, and I''m so glad I snatched them up for $5 when I saw them on a brisk October day in Minnesota.

teal tunic: Target

shorts: Ann Taylor Outlet

scarf: Lilly Pulitzer for Target

metallic wedges: thrifted (ELLE)

headband: Lilly Pulitzer for Target

linking up with:

I do DeClaire // Classy Yet Trendy

Shopping My Closet // The Farmer's Wife

wine colored

I picked up this wine colored pencil skirt on a whim, on sale, at J. Crew Factory on New Year's Day. And I can't believe how much it goes with. Really. It's filling the hole of a black pencil skirt in my closet just perfectly. Hard to believe, I know, but it's true. It's such a nice, rich, merlot/wine/plum color that it adds just a little something extra to anything I wear it with, more so than a black pencil skirt would do, which makes me thankful I picked it up instead of a different color.

And based on yesterday's outfit (here), I guess you could say that I like this color combination of wine/merlot/plum/berry with black. And, you wouldn't be incorrect with that statement.

shirt: Charlotte Russe

skirt: J. Crew Factory

polka dot tights: Target

booties: Old Navy

faux leather jacket: Target

fancy

When your best friend has a birthday, and invites you out for margaritas at your favorite margarita place, you might wear something like this. Or you might wear something like this for a fun party, or a nice date. Or your own birthday celebration at above-mentioned margarita place.

You might especially wear something like this if you hadn't taken your new skirt out for a test drive yet, and/or your new polka dot tights were burning a hole in your dresser drawer.

I kept it simple up top with a white v-neck tee, and fancy on the bottom, with a bow skirt, polka dot tights, and suede magenta wedges.

And we had a splendid time celebrating my friend.

So much fun, we didn't even get a picture of the two of us :/

shirt: WalMart

skirt: c/o Aéropostale

similar: Solid Pucker Skirt / Chevron Jacquard Pleated Skirt

tights: Target

wedges: ALDO