Glen Plaid Jumpsuit for Work

November 5, 2018 by Virginia 20 Comments

Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would have come up with as many ways to wear this glen plaid jumpsuit as I have! Today I hope to inspire you to either A) try a jumpsuit or B) try some glen plaid at work.

It’s easy to find a piece to feature on the blog that is a statement item. I can show you how to wear it one way that makes for a good picture and then be done with it. But, that’s not my thing. I don’t have endless cash to buy items that I will only wear once and I can’t handle wearing the same outfit, the same way every time. Don’t get me wrong – that’s fine for other people but my creative side would cry out for variety!

I was so skeptical about jumpsuits because I assumed they were just a one-and-done look. That may be true for some jumpsuits, but this one has surprised me in the variety of ways I can wear it. Some of it has to do with the jumpsuit itself and some of it has to do with the pattern of the fabric.

**This post has affiliate links, which means that if you click and/or make a purchase using the links, I will make a small commission at no cost to you. For more information, please see my privacy policy.

Variation on a Glen Plaid Jumpsuit for Work

When I wrote about this jumpsuit the first time, I layered it over a collared shirt (collared bodysuit, actually). Since the collared shirt made for such a classic work look, this time I wanted to try to wear it with more of a casual flavor. However, I quickly found that I didn’t love the look of it with rounded-neck tops. The cut of the jumpsuit paired with a rounded neck top made a giant white-space triangle over the chest. The v-neck tee was the perfect way to add a more casual element and keep it from feeling like there was way too much blank white space at the neck.

I talked more about this jumpsuit in the first post, but just as a reminder, the fabric is very soft, stretchy and thick, making it very comfortable. The down-side of it being comfortable is I find myself having to keep from slouching and getting too comfortable. That ends up looking anything but flattering, since the fabric is not “holding me in.” So, I added a Gucci belt dupe* and my trusty navy blazer to create a waist, should I forget and get unflattering-ly comfortable. 🙂

See this post about why I think every teacher/professional needs a Navy Blazer.

This jumpsuit keeps selling out but I found a ton of other great glen plaid jumpsuits for you – all sizes and multiple price points. You can find them in the widget below.

* this belt now has a very strange warning on it on Amazon. However, this is the exact belt I ordered. It came quickly, just as ordered.

Try Some Glen Plaid:

Have you noticed how much glen plaid there is around this year? It’s all over. At first I thought, what in the world would I wear it with? However, it’s been surprisingly versatile. I’ve paired it with whites, blacks, blues, cognac, and I can see it with reds and yellows too. The fact that the plaid is made up of tiny strands of different colors makes it so that sometimes it comes out looking like a solid brown and other times it picks up the tiny elements of red or black to complement the other colors you are wearing.

If you’re not quite ready to try a jumpsuit, try these options instead. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how versatile it can be.

So what do you think? Are you ready to try a jumpsuit or some glen plaid? Now’s the time!

Get the Look:

Jumpsuit, Forever21. (similar above)
V-neck Tee, Forever21.
Navy Blazer, Ann Taylor (old). SIMILAR
Cognac Sandals, Ross (old). Similar 1 | 2
Gucci Belt Dupe, Amazon.
MK Watch, Areatrends.com. Exact HERE (on sale!)
Layered Drop Necklace, Forever21. Similar style HERE

For more work outfit inspiration, go HERE! Thanks so much for stopping by!

~Virginia

Patriotic Outfit for 4th of July Celebrations

July 3, 2017 by Virginia 17 Comments

Happy 4th of July friends! Man, I gotta tell ya. There is NOTHING like experiencing the fourth of July in New England! As a Social Studies (particularly a Government) teacher, I get especially geeky about how historical everything is in this area. I shot these photos of my patriotic outfit after we celebrated “Freedom Sabbath” and decked out our local church in red, white and blue! Everyone dressed up in their own patriotic colors and we celebrated the freedom we have in Christ, along with the freedom we have to worship. What’s crazy awesome is that my church is over 300 years old and Sam Ward (Governor of Rhode Island, delegate to the Continental Congress, and one of the founders of Brown University) was a member of our Congregation! He died of smallpox during the Continental Congress, only three months before the Declaration of Independence was signed. Be still my little historical heart!

As I said in this post, I adore the 4th of July. Some of it could be because I grew up in the Midwest where we celebrated our freedom as a community (with fireworks!) and a lot of it probably (yes, definitely) has to do with being a Government teacher for ten years. Even though I’m no longer teaching government, there will always be something special for me about red, white and blue!

In recent years, patriotism in our country has suffered. I’m not here to lecture on this or to excuse our country for the things we’ve done that are wrong, but there is something to be said for our having freedom as a foundational principle. We have our issues with freedom at home, for sure, but I taught Comparative Government. We studied places where bloggers were blacklisted, journalists murdered, and people jailed or murdered for practicing their own religious beliefs. Call me old-fashioned, but I am thankful that freedom is “in our blood” as a country and true patriots will love their country enough to fight to keep it that way. I’m a patriot (don’t worry Seattleites, not that kind of Patriot!) and so on the 4th of July I don’t just celebrate being able to barbecue in the backyard (though I do love that…) but the kind of country that is willing to stand up against tyranny today as in 1776, at home as we have done abroad.

The photo of the canon above was taken across the street from our house. Our whole town decks out for the 4th of July, with bunting on every public building and the streets downtown lined with flags. Last week, we had a Summer Pops Concert in our local park and at the end, when the orchestra played the National Anthem, the entire place (over 1,000 people) stood and sang the national anthem together. It was moving. Patriotism is not dead in New England and I’m proud to be part of this kind of community!

Enjoy your holiday with family and friends, experiencing the freedom we have to do so! Most of the items I’m wearing in this patriotic outfit are from previous seasons, but they are classics to have in any closet and some of you may even have versions of these already. If you’re still trying to think of a patriotic outfit to wear tomorrow, pull out a blue top and some white shorts or skinny jeans. Then, grab some patriotic ribbon and use that as the finishing touch! That’s what I did! My trick to tying in more of a color (in this case, red) to an outfit is to wear it as a lipstick and add a ribbon to your hair! Try it!

Happy 4th of July! Thanks for visiting! (Check out this post or this post if you need more outfit inspiration!)

*This post does contain affiliate links, which means that if you click and/or make a purchase through these links, I may make a small commission. For more information, see my privacy policy. Thank you for supporting the retailers that make this blog possible.

Get this Patriotic Outfit Look:

Blue Lace Peplum Top, Forever 21 (0ld). Similar | Similar | Similar
White Skinny Ankle Jeans, LOFT (old). Same Brand | Similar under $50
Red Ankle Pumps, DSW (old). Almost Exact | Very Similar
Ribbon as headband, Walmart.
Crystal Statement Necklace, Shinymix.com (old). 40% off at Shinymix through the 4th with code: July4
Ray Ban Original Aviators, Rewards Points! (also here)
Stila’s All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso, Sephora.
Corley Earrings, c/o Kenda Scott. Also here.
Baublebar Ice Lateral Ring, Baublebar (old).
Rachel Double Ring, c/o Kendra Scott (old). Similar.
Michael Kors Two-Tone Darci Watch, Areatrends.com. Also here

Style Resolutions for 2017

January 30, 2017 by Virginia Evans 11 Comments

Navy Blazer and Square Scarf with Striped Dress for Work

Work Outfit Inspiration - Add a Silk Scarf and Navy Blazer to Striped Bodycon

Striped Bodycon Dress with Blazer and Square scarf for the office

Navy Blazer, Two-Tone Watch, Gold Fringe Earrings and Silk Scarf Office Fashion

Make Striped Bodycon Dress Work Appropriate by adding a navy Blazer

Work Outfit: Navy Blazer and Slik Patterned Scarf over a Striped Bodycon Dress

Hello all! Boy have these last few weeks been a blur! In December I accepted a Long-Term Sub position for a US History class and between reminding myself of the content, learning about my new students, adjusting to a different kind of learner than I’m used to and working hard to earn their respect I somehow had to figure out what was on their Midterm and make sure they were prepared for it! Midterms end today so I’m very thankful that things will slow down a little that but that just means I have to be ready to start a new unit with them! Eeek!

Anyway, this first month of 2017 is almost over and I haven’t even gotten to share with you my Style Resolutions for 2017! Bonobos reached out to me to ask what my style resolutions were for 2017 and it really got me thinking about what my “fashion goals” are for this year. I realized that a lot of my resolutions for this year have to do with changes that took place in 2016!

Resolution 1: Get Creative with What’s Already In My Closet

Leaving my teaching job of ten years and moving to Rhode Island last year meant I went from a predictable income with seniority pay to the unpredictable income of substitute teaching with reduced pay and benefits. My fashion budget has been drastically reduced as a result. But, that’s just means I have to get creative! Today’s outfit is a great example of this!

Especially now that I’m working again, I’ve been trying to work with the items in my closet to combine them in new work-appropriate ways. I love how this combination worked out! When you fill your closet with basics like this striped bodycon dress or this navy blazer, it’s simple and fun to mix and match how you wear it! (see two other ways I wore this striped dress here and here) This year I want to mix and match more so that even if my clothing budget isn’t large I still feel like I’m wearing something new!

Resolution 2: Play Around with Pattern Mixing

I have done this a little this year, mixing polka dots or leopard with stripes. In today’s outfit I mixed stripes with the patterned silk scarf. Krista does this a lot and she has inspired me to mix in new patterns! I resolve to move beyond stripes!

Resolution 3: Save for More Investment Pieces

Some of my favorite clothing or accessory items that have stood the test of time have been the ones that I’ve had to save money to purchase. I may pay more for them up front but they last and I don’t have to replace them for years. My first pair of expensive pumps (I was horrified to pay $90 for them!! hehe) lasted through 8 years of teaching and I wore them multiple times a week! I have gone through multiple inexpensive watches until I finally saved up and bought this watch this year. In the time that my previous watch had already gotten scratched and turned colors, this one still looks pristine. That being said, whether it’s a pair of great heels or a purse that is going to last for years, I want to save up for one or two investment pieces this year that will stand the test of time.

Resolution 4: Try Something Different

Most of us have certain preferences and our closet reflects that. My closet has a whole lot of American Eagle skinny jeans and pink and orange (and striped!) tops. This year I want to try something different – new brands, different colors, more patterns, who knows! (If only women’s pants had as many color options as these Bonobos Chinos have!)

Well friends, those are my Style Resolutions for 2017! What are yours? I would love to have you share them with me in the comments below!

Get the Look:

Since I was reusing what I already have in my closet for this post, few of these originals are in stock right now. However, I did find you a number of similar options so that if you’re missing any of these key pieces you can grab one for yourself now! Your closet will thank you!

*Clicking on links in this post may result in a commission for More to Mrs. E

Striped Midi Dress, Ross. Almost exact Striped Midi Bodycon Dress. More in widget below.
Navy Blazer, Ann Taylor. Similar Navy Blazer. Also, an investment option (watch for their sales!)
Silk Scarf, TJMaxx. I’ve added an assortment of Silk Scarves in the widget below.
Navy Suede Slingback Pumps, DSW. Similar Suede Slingbacks and another pair of Navy Suede Pumps
Geo Fringe Earrings, NY and Company. Most similar Gold Fringe Earrings. More in widget below.
Tory Burch 3 Strand Logo Bracelet, Tradesy.
Baublebar Crystal Mason Ring, Nordstrom. (also here and here)
Michael Kors Two-Tone Darci Watch, Areatrends.com
Two-Tone Cable Bracelets, Zulily. Similar in widget below.
MG Collection Structured Cognac Purse, Amazon. Similar Print Bag. Similar Cognac Bag.

Clickable Outfit Widget: