Monthly Archives: February 2020
How to Dress Down a Velvet Blazer
I tend to be the friend who dresses a little extra. When a gathering call for something casual, I’m probably going to find a way to and in something extra, fancy, a good statement maker. I love finding pieces that I can dress up or down. One of my favorite pieces to dress down is a blazer. The graphic tee and blazer trend caught on in the past few years, and I love it. I think this trend is popular for the more traditional material stye for blazers. So today, I’m sharing some of the ways I dress down those special fabrics with how to dress down a velvet blazer. These tips could also work for materials like sequins, tweed, and jacquard.
First, let’s talk about this teal green velvet blazer. It was an amazing sale find!! Every January, local boutiques in Houston gather at a convention center for one big epic sale. A local sorority alum group organizes it and a portion of proceeds benefit a charity. A girlfriend and I have made it a tradition of going because you can score some amazing deals like this jacket. It retails for close to $400, and I got it for $75. The color is gorgeous, it fits like a glove, and I can’t walk away from a great velvet blazer that’s under $100. (FYI – I didn’t find it online for that amazing price, but I did find it on sale!)
Normally pieces like this one are on the pricier side which is why I like to find many ways to style them. This jacket is going to be great to pair with dresses, suits, and jumpsuits for events and holiday parties, but I wanted to make this jacket work for more than just parties. So how do I dress down a velvet blazer into a chic and effortless outfit…
- Pair with a solid t-shirt in a complimentary color. Black and white or ivory are easy choices for this combo. If you like to color mix, you can try mixing in another color. For this teal, I think lighter pastel colors would work beautifully. For the more adventurous style gals, you can also pair a graphic tee underneath your blazer.
- Add simple jewelry pieces. The jacket is going to be the statement maker on a casual outfit, so keep your jewelry minimal and simple. I opted for my classic gold stud earrings and a short necklace.
- Opt for blue jeans. Black and white jeans can sometimes make a look appear a little dressier, so opt for more casual blue colors or distressed jeans.
- Pair with a casual flat. My normal route for dressy casual looks is to add in a heel. This jacket has a very dressy look. So to keep this look more weekend casual, I opted for a pair of flats to keep my look from being too dressy casual. You could opt for a neutral flat or sneaker. I thought the leopard print complimented the color and style of the jacket, so I decided to add it in. The fun print also helps add to the dressed down feel of the look.
These few simple styling tips can have you looking fabulous and casual for brunch with your gal pals in no time. If you try out this look and share on Instagram, I would love if you could tag me (@karenkocich) in your story or post so I can check it out. I love seeing how you take the looks I share and use them to inspire your wardrobe and outfits.
| OUTFIT DETAILS |
Velvet Blazer | Similar White Tee | Skinny Jeans | Leopard Print Flats | c/o Backpack Purse | Similar Earrings | Gold Necklace
Photography By: LA Photography
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How to Wear a Sweater and Mini Skirt
Boxy sweaters and mini skirts are such a fun outfit combo for fall and winter. It’s great for date night or grabbing dinner with friends. I will even wear different versions of this look to work. If you are looking to give this combo a try this season, I wanted to share a few of my top tips on how to wear a sweater and mini skirt combo.
- Choose a boxy cropped or shorter sweater. I look for sweaters that will come 1-2 inches past the waist of the sweater. If your sweater is too long, it will hide your skirt and make it look extra mini. A boxy or slightly oversized fit will also help balance out the look of a more fitted mini skirt.
- Add a small front tuck to your sweater. I think a front tuck can help show off the skirt a little more and give a little definition to the waist line. For us petite gals, it also helps add a little length to our look. I usually tuck the front in right at my belly button and then fold the sides under. One of my sides come undone in this pic from the wind, and I didn’t realize it until after we finished shooting the outfit.
- Add the right accessories. With the sweater and mini skirt combo, I like to add in prints and textures with my skirt and sweater. Plaid is a great print to pair with knits during colder weather. A long pendant necklace is the perfect accessory over a solid color sweater, and tall boots will complete the look and help keeps your legs warm.
Now as for this outfit, the blue sweater was inspired by the pantone color of the year, classic blue. Whenever the pantone color hits, I love scrolling through new releases to see how this color is incorporated. My sweater comes in a few color options, but the bright neon blue was the perfect color to wear now and into spring. This sweater is thick, but lightweight. It’s going to be perfect to wear with shorts or white jeans on cool Spring evenings.
I’m always checking out Chicwish’s new skirt options. It’s one of my favorite places for trendy and cute skirts. I could not resist this cute plaid one when I saw it. For colder days, I can pair it with sweaters. For warmer fall and winter days, this will pair perfectly with a fitted black tee or turtleneck similar to this previous outfit. It’s a mini design and the lining on the inside is a pair of shorts. I didn’t realize this until I went to put them on. It’s kind of a nice feature to have for a short skirt.
My weekend was pretty busy, but also super relaxing. I enjoyed a nice dinner with some of my boyfriend’s friends and family on Friday. The weather was perfect for enjoying a glass of wine outside. I had a pretty chill Saturday night and finally watched Taylor Swift’s new documentary on Netflix. I’m a big fan of her music, and it was pretty cool seeing an inside peek at her life. On Sunday, my bff and I went out to brunch for a little catch up session. We went to this yummy restaurant that I love, and she had not been to yet. Overall, it was good recharge for the week ahead. I hope your weekend went well, and you have a fabulous week ahead!
| OUTFIT DETAILS |
Blue Sweater | c/o Plaid Mini Skirt | Black Suede Boots | c/o Leather Backpack | Silver Long Pendant Necklace | Silver Drop Earrings
Photography By: LA Photography
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Galentine’s Day Outfit | Red & Pink Bow Sweater
Closing out our week long celebration of Valentine’s Day here on the blog with the cutest red and pink bow sweater, perfect to wear in a Galentine’s Day outfit or for casual Friday at work. Valentine’s Day is not just about celebrating with your special someone. It’s also a great reason to gather up your gal pals and celebrate friendship. My friends and I will usually plan a brunch, dinner, or happy hour on one of the days surrounding February 14th.
Galentine’s Day events tend to be more casual to dressy casual, so no need for full on date night outfits. I like to go for something dressy casual. Metallic heels add a little fancy to my look, jeans keep it casual, and the adorable bow detail on this sweater keep it festive. This red and pink bow sweater would also be great to wear to work with a pencil or pleated midi skirt. You could make this look even more casual with a pair of distressed jeans and white sneakers.
In case you missed it, I shared the perfect red and pink date night outfit earlier this week and rounded up all the hearts from clothing to accessories to gift ideas. Be sure to check them out as you start prepping for Valentine’s Day. We are only one week away friends.
Hope ya’ll have a fabulous weekend and thank you so much for stopping by this week!
| OUTFIT DETAILS |
Red & Pink Bow Sweater | Black Skinny Jeans | Similar Red Heels | c/o Tassel Hoop Earrings | Black Clutch
Photography By: LA Photography
SHOP THE LOOK
Heart Accessories & Clothing for Valentine’s Day
| HEART ACCESSORIES DETAILS |
Brown Sunglasses | Initial Necklace | Pink Earrings | Hair Pin Duo | Scarf | Silver Earrings | Gold Earrings | Black Sunglasses | Silver Ring | Red Heart Purse | Double Heart Necklace | Straw Heart Purse | Makeup Bag | Pearl Hair Pin | Pink Flats
| HEART CLOTHING DETAILS |
Black Blouse | White Sleeveless Top | Black & White Sweater | Pink & Gray Socks | No Show Socks | Navy Sweater | Gray Jogger Pants | Leggings | PJ Set
When I was originally planning out my Valentine’s content for the week, I couldn’t decide between a gift guide or sharing all the cute heart clothing I had been seeing online. So I decided to combine them and do a roundup of heart accessories and clothing that would be great gift ideas and also work if you are looking to add something to your Valentine’s Day look.
I’ve been crushing on both heart prints and star prints lately. February and Valentine’s Day has brought massive amounts of all things heart inspired into the stores. I picked out a few sweaters and tops that would be perfect for date night, girls’ night out, or to wear to work. If your plans for the big day include a cozy night in, I found a few cozy items like jogger pants, a pj set, and some cute heart socks.
If you are looking to buy a Valentine’s Day gift for a friend or just add a small touch to your look for the day, a heart accessory will be perfect! Hair pins are growing in popularity and are an easy way to add some heart festiveness to your outfit. I included a few other jewelry items like heart necklaces and earrings that have a simple effortless feel but still a little holiday spirit.
If you want to go bold, try the heart sunglasses, a heart shaped bag, bright colorful statement earrings or even heart flats (these come in multiple colors too). Heart accessories are an easy way to add a little Valentine’s Day spirit to your outfit. I also think the heart print is going to stick around past February, so you can get some good use out of these throughout the year.
What’s your favorite heart item?