Tag Archives: dressed up casual

Casual Friday Style for Winter

Lady in Violet, a Houston based Fashion Blogger styles a Casual Friday outfit for winter including a black ribbed knit sweater and flared jeans.

Houston Fashion Blogger wears a JCrew black ribbed knit sweater with the Vera Bradley sagebrush satchel in mesa brown.

Lady in Violet, a Houston style blogger wears a casual Friday office outfit with flared jeans and a black sweater.

Karen Rock, a Houston based fashion blogger wears a casual winter outfit including a black fitted sweater and bootcut jeans with heels.

Lady in Violet, a Houston fashion blogger carries a brown satchel tote bag for work.

Houston Fashion Blogger styles a casual Friday outfit for the winter season.

Lady in Violet, a Houston Fashion Blogger styles a casual weekend outfit for date night with jeans.

Houston Fashion Blogger shared what to wear with a fitted black sweater for casual Friday at work.

Lady in Violet, a Houston style blogger shares what to wear with flared bootcut jeans to work.

Karen Rock the Houston fashion blogger behind Lady in Violet wears a casual Friday office outfit for winter including a black sweater, flared jeans and lace up heels.

Happy Friday!!  I am so ready for the weekend.  I’m headed to a little Galentine’s Happy Hour with some of my gal pals tonight.  One of my friends got engaged last weekend, and I am ready to see that ring in person!

I am closing out the winter outfit inspiration on the blog today with this casual outfit filled with closet staples.  A black crewneck fitted sweater is a must have in my closet.  It works with everything from distressed jeans and sneakers to flared jeans and heels for a casual look, and a pencil skirt or slacks for the office.   I love the ribbed knit ones because they usually have a little stretch to them.   Skinny jeans are my go to, but sometimes I like to mix it up with a wide boot cut or flared leg jean.  I think it makes this outfit look a little more professional.  It could easily work in the office and be the perfect casual Friday outfit for winter.

For shoes, I went with my office wear favorite the black lace up heel.  I love the look of a pointy toe peeking through the bottom of the jeans.  Flared jeans are also a great way to disguise wearing socks and boots in winter when you just want warm feet.

Ya’ll have a great weekend, and meet me back here next week as we start styling some pretty Spring looks!!  See you then and thanks for stopping by!

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How to Wear Over the Knee Boots When You’re Short

Houston Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet styles a winter outfit idea featuring a purple sweater, white jeans, and over the knee boots. Click through for outfit details.

Houston Fashion Blogger Karen Rock styles a casual winter outfit including a turtleneck sweater with white skinny jeans and otk boots. Click through for outfit details.

Houston Style Blogger Lady in Violet shows how to wear over the knee boots when you're short. Click through for outfit details.

Houston Fashion Blogger wears a casual winter outfit including a purple fitted sweater with white jeans and taupe over the knee boots. Click through for outfit details.

Petite Fashion Bloggers shares how to wear over the knee boots when you're short.

Houston Fashion Blogger styles winter outfits featuring over the knee boots, lightweight sweaters, and skinny jeans. Click through for outfit details.

Houston Blogger wears a casual brunch outfit featuring a purple sweater with white jeans and taupe otk boots. Click through for outfit details.

Houston Fashion Blogger wears a winter outfit idea featuring a lightweight sweater, white skinny jeans and over the knee boots. Click through for outfit details.

When the over the knee boots trend first started, my original thought was I’m 5’3 those boots will swallow my legs.  This thought however didn’t stop me from pinning all the outfits with them.  I decided to buy an affordable pair and give the trend a go.  I found this pair on clearance over a year ago, and the brand no longer ships to the US.  A similar pair that does ship here is linked, but I couldn’t find one with the under $100 price tag like my pair.  Since I purchased mine, I have learned what works and doesn’t work for my petite frame.  I wanted to share a little bit about what I learned on how to wear over the knee boots when you’re short.

For starters, aim for the top of the boot to come no more than about 2-3 inches above your knee.  Some item descriptions will list shaft height which is the length from bottom of your foot to the top of the boot. Since I do lots of online shopping, I will pull out a measuring tape before purchasing most boots to ensure the shaft will not be too high.

For my outfit, I leave my tunics in the closet and opt for something that falls just below my waist.  I want to have a good amount of jean showing to create that illusion that my legs are a little longer.  I find fitted tops work best to keep proportions in check.  If you do want an oversized top, I would make sure the length is still on the shorter side or even a high/low hemline.

Over the knee boots look adorable with dresses in early Spring.   For my petite friends, make sure a little skin shows between the boots and the bottom of the dress.  I think 2-3 inches is a good amount, but be sure this doesn’t make the dress too short.  You don’t want a light breeze to catch you off guard.  Dresses with the high low hemline work perfect for us short girls to make sure we still get enough coverage in the back while still having a little skin show in the front.

I chose a taupe color over black because I thought the neutral color choice would work better for creating an elongated look.   Now that I have owned and styled this pair a bit, I feel a darker pair like black would still work with these same tips.

If you have been thinking about giving this trend a go, keep your eyes on the sales.  When sandals and wedges hit the stores soon, many OTK boots will start to get marked down.  It will be a great time to buy without spending $200+ for a really nice pair of boots.  Ya’ll have a good weekend and thanks for stopping by!

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How to Create a Layered Outfit

Houston Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet styles a winter outfit idea featuring a plaid blouse layered under a black sweater with skinny jeans. Click through for outfit details.

Houston Style Blogger shares how to create a layered outfit for winter weather. Ciick through for outfit details.

Houston Fashion Blogger wears a buffalo plaid top with a black sweater and skinny jeans. Click through for outfit details.

Houston fashion blogger Lady in Violet shares tips to create a layered outfit with a plaid shirt and sweater. Click through for outfit details.

Houston Fashion Blogger wears a weekend casual outfit with jeans, heels, and a sweater. Click through for details.

Houston Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet styles a winter weekend outfit idea including a jcrew sweater and old navy plaid shirt.

Houston Fashion Blogger styles outfit ideas with skinny jeans for women in winter. Click through for more info.

Houston Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet styles a winter outfit idea for casual Friday at the office featuring a black sweater with a red plaid shirt. Click through for outfit details.

This time of year I tend to get a bit bored with my closet.  I’m somewhat patiently awaiting the arrival of spring dresses and sandals in stores and trying to pull a few different outfits out of my closet to get me through the few cold days we have left.  Some days putting an outfit together is all about looking in my closet and putting new items together.

I wanted to share an easy winter outfit idea featuring items that you may already have in your closet.  Winter is the perfect time to add on the layers.  This look comes together with three closet basics – a plaid shirt, solid color sweater, and skinny jeans.  Adding a layer to peek out underneath your sweater is such an easy way to create a new outfit out of some of your basic sweaters.    With a button up blouse, I like to roll the sleeves back to allow the cuff detail for a little added bonus to the look.

If you don’t have a plaid to pair with it, you can also use solid color tops or another fun print like florals.  Another idea is to reverse the look and pair a long solid color top underneath a printed sweater.  The layering possibilities can be endless, and it is all waiting for you in your closet.  When trying to pick what to pair together, look for similar colors or color schemes.  This look was easy red and black plaid with a black sweater.   If I had say a green and navy plaid, I might pair with a beige sweater.  A light blue and white might pair with dark blue sweater.

You can also play with your color mixing and try combos like burgundy and mustard yellow or dark pink partnered with navy.  It’s all about playing around and finding a color combination you love.  Toss on your favorite pair of jeans and heels, and you are ready to go.  I hope this helps inspire a few more outfit ideas for you this winter.  Thanks for stopping by today!

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The Sweater Coat aka My New Long Cardigan

Houston Fashion Blogger wears a striped sweater coat with distressed jeans and lace up heels for a winter weekend outfit. Click through for outfit details.

Houston Style Blogger Lady in Violet styles a winter sweater coat outfit with distressed jeans and a long silver pendant necklace. Click through for outfit details.

Karen Rock of Lady in Violet shares what to wear with lace up heels for a winter outfit idea. Click through for outfit information.

Houston Fashion Blogger styles a winter weekend outfit featuring a striped long sweater coat with distressed skinny jeans. Click through for outfit details.

Houston Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet wears Baublebar statement earrings with a Nordstrom coat for a cute winter outfit. Click through for outfit details.

Texas Fashion Blogger Karen Rock styles a long striped coat for winter weekend brunch outfit with jeans. Click through for outfit information.

Houston Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet wears silver bracelets and carries the Marc by Marc Jacobs preppy hobo bag in purple. Click through for outfit information.

Houston Style Blogger Lady in Violet wears a long striped sweater coat for a winter weekend brunch outfit. Click through for outfit details.

Karen Rock of Lady in Violet shares what to wear with distressed jeans in cold winter months. Click through for outfit details.

Houston Fashion blogger Karen Rock wears a winter outfit including a striped sweater coat with distressed jeans and black lace up heels. Click through for outfit details.

Just when I thought I had enough long cardigans, I stumbled upon this gorgeous sweater coat.  It’s called a sweater coat, so totally different than a long cardigan right?!?!  The structure of this coat helps create a polished and professional look, but the sweater knit material makes it oh so soft and cozy. Also, it has pockets!  I loved the gray and black stripe to add a simple neutral print to any look.  I paired it with distressed jeans and one of my favorite white blouses for a dressed up casual look perfect for brunch or a casual dinner date.  For work, toss this coat over a simple black dress to instantly create a super polished office-friendly winter look.

I went with heels for this look, because I am petite.  Whenever I wear a longer coat, I feel the addition of the heels helps with proportion balance.  This look would easily work with a cute pair of flats too.  You could choose shoes in a fun color like teal or pink to add a little colorful personality to the outfit. This outfit is just missing that brunch mimosa!

Thank you for taking some time out of you week to stop by and visit. I hope you have a wonderful long weekend!  I have 2 books to read and lots of fun blogging things to work on including a little something new I have been working on.  I’m a perfectionist, so I ‘m not going to tell you about it until it’s all pretty and ready.  I can tell you I’m really excited about it, and I am hoping to be able to share one day next week!!  Stay tuned and Happy Friday!

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