The Lady Olive

“OOOH, shiny!” is my general reaction to most anything that sparkles.

Is there something in our DNA that makes us drawn to shiny objects? Surely we can trace this to the survival of the fittest/Evolutionary Theory.

I’ll save that research paper for another day, plus my MLA skills are rusty. Sorry, Darwin.

But really, I am loving all of the shiny clothing that is so big this season!  In addition to metallic everything, I am also a fan of the new (to me) concept of wearing booties with pencil skirts to work.  I gave it a shot yesterday and felt that it was a success as I was the recipient of no evil stares or dirty looks.

My friend’s outfit this weekend inspired me to write this post and try out a different look.  With her golden blonde hair, she was a vision is grey and black. With no pops of color (aside from a dark red mani) and no prints, her look was loaded with texture and looked so effortlessly cool. Hey M, if you are reading, you’re welcome for the compliments.

I have made it my mission to recreate her monochromatic look for both work and play.

I started with a bit of inspiration:

Metallics/Greys/Blacks/Neutrals

Both of these outfits with booties are incredibly chic for the office and beyond! I am really digging the color combination of burgundy and pink found via The Classy Cubicle.

In this set, I have merged these two looks for a grey/metallic/bootie smorgasbord!

For Work:

This skirt from Ann Taylor combines both leopard print and shine for a classy, yet on-trend look. Here is a similar look if you’re not into animal prints. To keep the outfit professional but fashion forward, I would wear a grey or silver silk blouse, such as this one by Equipment. You can sometimes find this label at Marshall’s and TJ Maxx!

For Play:

Really for play, for day, drinks, brunch, dinner, errands – you can wear this in so many settings. I got these pants on clearance at my local Michael Kors.  They are super flattering and the zippers add a hint of edge. This sweater by Mango (sold via ASOS) looks comfortable but definitely not sloppy. Cable knit sweaters are also a huge trend this season.  Why not wear one that shimmers!?

To top off both looks, throw on a cozy infinity scarf. This one from target is adorable, and only $20!

And the boots, oh these boots. With a modern pointed toe, buckled straps and flash of snake skin on the heel, they are the perfect addition to pencil skirts and denim alike. At $209, these are more of an investment, but I can imagine these boots with hundreds of outfits!

What do you guys think about these metallic, monochromatic looks? You don’t always need color to make a lasting impression!

And in case you missed my last post, I will be at Pisces tonight for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fundraiser. I hope to see you there!

xo-

The Lady Olive