two New Year's Eve outfit ideas

In case you need some last minute ideas for what to wear tonight (and tomorrow will have some ideas for New Year's Day ON New Year's Day - mindblowing, I know), here are two a wee-bit-more-than-casual looks, incorporating skirts and tights.

This first look is a black sweater layered over a black dress, with some purple tights for a little pizzazz. I added a polka dot heart scarf, booties, and a purple headband to pull it all together. This would be a great look if you're not into wearing sequins - monochromatic, with a bit of fun color thrown in.

sweater: American Eagle

dress: thrifted (Target)

tights: ???

scarf: c/o Aéropostale

booties: Old Navy

But if you ARE into wearing sequins...

And if you want to be festive in sequins, but tend to get cold like yours truly, try wearing a sweater with your sequins. It's a fun juxtaposition - snazzy party-ready sequins with a warm sweater and boots. And, as an added bonus, this look incorporates ALL OF THE textures: cable-knit sweater, sequins, tights, leather boots, peacoat, and curly strawberry-blonde hair (some of my favorite things!). 

sweater: Old Navy

skirt: Lauren Conrad via Kohl's

tights: Old Navy

boots: The Frye Company via Nordstrom

coat: Old Navy

bag: TJ Maxx

black, purple & gray

  

Again with the dark colors. It's just so easy to wear darks in the winter. Especially gray - one of my favorites. I added some color and texture with my tights, and a bit more with my necklace and boots. I tend to like to wear basic pieces, and then throw in a little something different - like purple patterned tights, or a bright necklace, or...both?

Merry Christmas Eve eve!

sweater: thrifted (J. Crew)

necklace: Kohl's

skirt: from a friend

tights: I don't remember...

boots: The Frye Company via Nordstrom

purple + blue

It's difficult to see in these pictures, but my shirt, sweater, and vest are different colors. The shirt and vest are navy blue, and the cardigan is dark purple. I think this is the first time I've paired these two dark colors together, and I like the dark, mysterious & wintery look that resulted.

There are obviously many ways to pair colors - complementary, analogous, and warm & cool colors. And then there's wearing colors that are the same saturation - dark blue and dark purple. mint and baby pink. mustard and burnt orange. You can pull off any color combination, as long as the colors are the same "depth." It makes a look more cohesive and intentional, instead of "I got dressed in the dark." Not to say that you CAN'T pair different color saturations (and you should!) but sometimes the best color combinations come from neighboring colors on the color wheel, but in the same tone.

Really, though - try it sometime: deep jewel tones, pastels, navy and purple, forest green and deep red (Christmas colors!), and let me know how it turns out.

shirt: thrifted (Target)

cardigan: Ann Taylor

vest: Old Navy

jeans: thrifted (Old Navy)

shoes: DSW

necklace: from my Grandmother

number 6 of 7

from the Mr:

"I liked the style when I looked at these shoes in the closet and couldn’t remember if I had ever seen her wear them. I think she’s had them for a long time, so I thought it was time they saw the light of day again."

These heeled loafers. These have been around for a long time, as well – freshman or sophomore year of high school? I’m never brave enough to get rid of them, and clunky stacked heels are coming back, right? RIGHT?!

And they’re brown leather.

And almost perfectly (genuinely) distressed.

And they make me a wee bit taller.

I just never know what to wear them with…so I tried out bootcut jeans and gingham. Not a complete miss. But not a complete hit – I didn’t sink the Battleship…any ideas for next time?

shirt: Kohl's

jeans: thrifted (Old Navy)

belt: American Eagle

shoes: MIA

number 3 of 7

from the Mr:

"I wasn’t sure if I could recall her ever wearing this belt, so I thought it might be fun to pick an outfit based on a belt rather, than the larger pieces. "

The focal point here is the belt. It came with a plaid patchwork mini skirt I got ages ago (still have it…), and it wraps around my hips twice – don’t think I’m super skinny, the belt is SUPER long. So, I put it on “backwards” and looped it enough so that the plaid patchwork showed, once I half-tucked my merlot v-neck in.

This was a tough day– our sweet Cali girl passed. Now every time I wear something pictured here, I think of her even more than I already do – it's very odd to come home to only one wrinkley pup, when you're used to two.

Do you remember what you wore on important/special occasions or specific days?

I definitely do.

shirt: Target

scarf: gift

belt: American Eagle

jeans: Aéropostale

flats: WalMart

kid's section

 

 

 

 

I wore both of these outfits in the same day. One for work – the purple blouse and Bermuda shorts, definitely not the flouncy skater skirt. And the other (the skirt & vest) for a double date with friends. We had dinner and drinks, and then hit up Sports Authority, where I snagged some new running shorts (from the kids section…it pays to be short - stuff from the kids section is always cheaper).

Oh, and then more drinks.*

*Just had to solidify my adult-ness after having admitted to shopping in the kids section…

 top:

purple blouse: Eddie Bauer

Bermuda shorts: Old Navy

wedges: thrifted (Steve Madden)

 bottom:

tank: Forever21

vest: thrifted (Levi’s)

skirt: from a friend via Urban Outfitters

sandals: Target

brights. done right.

These colors are something I would have NEVER thought to pair together. I can't quite remember how they both ended up on my body on the same day - maybe it was dark in my closet? Maybe I felt like wearing bright colors all at once? Maybe I remember coloring with purple and green crayons all throughout elementary school? But I do know that later in the day, or possibly the next day, I saw someone on Instagram wearing a purpley shirt with minty-green pants, so I thought "Hey, it ain't so bad! I might be on to something here..."

So, as newly minted expert on wearing brights together, don't feel like you have to wear neutrals on top with bright pants - you can wear brights, prints, stripes, pineapples, lace, a bikini top, a neon construction vest - whatever you want. And when someone tells you it looks great, just smile and say "Oh thank you!"

Oh oh, and the Broncos have another pre-season game today! I got a new Broncos t-shirt last week that I'm dying to wear. Not that I'm a die-hard football fan, but it is neat when your team makes it to the Super Bowl. It is NOT neat when they lose...

shirt: Kohl's

pants: from a friend

shoes: Payless