Tag Archives: work outfits

Hello 2021! | My Goal Setting Process

winter work outfit | dark blue long sleeve blouse | gold navy jacquard skirt | Petite Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

fall work outfit | blue silk blouse | gold navy flared skirt | Houston Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

workwear | navy gold midi skirt | nude colored heels | Texas Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

fall work wear | dark blue keyhole top | jacquard midi skirt | Petite Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet

| OUTFIT DETAILS |
c/o Long Sleeve Blue Blouse | c/o Jacquard Midi Skirt | Similar Heels | Gold Earrings | c/o Bead Bracelet

Hello 2021!! Like for many of you, 2020 was a crazy roller coaster of year filled with plenty of ups and downs.  The year started with Covid canceling my social life and finding me confined to my small one bedroom apartment, then lead to the purchase of my amazing home.  At the end of summer, I hit another low when my father unexpectedly passed away.  But, I ended the year on the high of getting engaged.  After of year of extreme highs and lows, I was excited to get away for a bit by spending the last week of 2020 in a small town in Northeast Texas visiting some of Steve’s family. I took a break from blogging, focused on being in the present moment, and came home ready to kickstart a new year.

I usually spend New Year’s Day laying out my goals for the year, setting up my blog calendar, and brainstorming new ideas and posts.  Since we were out of town, I decided to wait until my first 3-day weekend of the year.  I spent most of yesterday thinking up lots of new content ideas and starting my yearly goals.

GOAL SETTING PROCESS

I love love love setting goals! I make yearly and monthly goals which help me stay on track, stay motivated, and keep me moving forward.  My goal setting process is pretty simple.  I’m sharing it below in case you are looking to set yourself up for success this year.  I usually do this process twice – once for my personal goals and one for my blog goals.

  1. SET 3-5 ATTAINABLE YEARLY GOALS AND 1-2 BIG DREAM GOALS
    I think about what I hope to accomplish this year and set a few goals that I know with a little work and determination that I can achieve by the end of the year.  I also like to set one or two big dream goals.  These are items that I’m okay if I don’t achieve, but I want to work towards with my baby goals.
  2.  SET 3-5 ACTIONABLE GOALS EACH MONTH TO HELP REACH ATTAINABLE YEARLY GOALS
    At the start of each month, I write down a few goals for each month that I would like to focus on and that are actionable.  I make them simple, easy, and short.  I usually keep them posted somewhere visible like on the fridge, bathroom mirror or at my desk.  These goals are things that will put me on track to achieving some of my yearly goals.For example, if my yearly goal is to improve overall health, a monthly goal might be to eat 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.  The next month, my goal might be to do yoga 3 times a week.  My hope is that the goal I set month one becomes a healthy habit, and I add to it each month.  By the end of the year, I will have built 12 new healthy habits that will improve my overall health.
  3. SET1-2 ACTIONABLE GOALS EACH MONTH TO HELP REACH BIG DREAM GOALS
    I use the same idea as in step 2 with these goals being steps moving me towards those big dream goals.
  4.  REVISIT AND REVISE MONTHLY AND YEARLY GOALS AS NEEDED
    My goals for the year may change as the year progresses and life changes.  I like to keep the option open to mix things up if needed.  This doesn’t mean cancel a goal because it’s hard or not going how I want it too.  It just means I give myself the flexibility to be adaptable to the changing circumstances of life.

If you are looking to set some new goals for 2021, I hope this process will help you out! With my blog goals in mind, I’m including a quick reader survey below.  One of my goals this year is to grow and expand the topics covered on the blog.  This is where you can help me out by letting me know what you want to see more of, what you love, and other things that help me plan out my content for the year.  I really appreciate you taking the time to fill out the survey!

wedding guest outfit | high neckl blue blouse | gold navy jacquard midi skirt | Houston Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet

wedding guest outfit | high neckl blue blouse | gold navy jacquard midi skirt | Houston Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet

work attire for women | long sleeve dark blue blouse | blue gold flared skirt | Petite Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

work wear for petite women | gold jacquard midi skirt | nude colored heels | Houston Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

professional work outfit | long sleeve blue blouse | gold navy printed skirt | Texas Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

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Six Ways to Wear a Brown Midi Dress

I’m so excited to share this beautiful brown floral midi dress!  It’s a great work dress and can be styled a few different ways.  Some of the outfits involve simple swaps like a shoe color change or adding a layer.

I picked this dress out for our Christmas photos.  We took our photo on the stairs of our new house, and I knew the brown and earthtone shades of the print would compliment the light wood color of our stairs.  This midi dress is a shift dress style.  On my petite frame, I preferred adding a belt so the volume did not overwhelm my short frame.  If you are taller, you may be able to pull of the volume without a belt.  The belt also helps create a defined waist no matter your height.

SIX WAYS TO WEAR A BROWN MIDI DRESS

WITH BLACK BELT & BOOTS

I love love love the contrast of the black boots and belt against the fall colors in this dress.  Since the black is such a strong contrast, it creates the look of slimmer waist better than the other belt colors.  The black contrast also helps add a bit of edge to the look.

fall outfit | brown floral midi dress | black suede tall boots | Petite Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

brown floral midi dress | similar boots | black belt | c/osimilar bead bracelets | earrings

WITH LIGHT TAN BOOTS & BELT

Another color choice is to pair this dress with a color in the dress like the light tan of my boots and belt.  It adds a lightness to the overall look and really highlights the lighter shades in the print.

fall outfits | brown pleated midi dress | light tan suede boots | Texas Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet

brown midi dress | similar boots | similar belt | c/o similar bead bracelets | earrings

WITH BROWN HEELS & BELT

My brown belt and heels are the perfect compliment to the brown shade in this dress.   I wore this outfi for our Christmas photo.  While the light tan pulled out the lighter shades in the dress, the brown really highlights the brown background of the print.

fall work outfits | long brown paisley print dress | brown belt | Petite Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

brown floral midi dress | brown heels | brown belt | c/o similar bracelets | earrings

WITH LONG CARDIGAN & BOOTIES

If you need an outer layer option for this dress, a long cardigan in a complimentary color is a great choice.  Choose a cardigan that is either found in the print or compliments it.  The earthtones in the print worked well with the olive green in my cardigan.  Beige/ivory or rose pink would also work really well with this print.

winter outfit | olive green long cardigan | midi dress | booties | Texas Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

long cardigan | midi dress |booties | similar belt

WITH BLACK LEATHER JACKET & HEELS

To add a little more edge to the dress and really play up the contrast from the first look, a black leather jacket is another outer layer option.  If you want a more monochromatic look, a brown jacket would work too.

fall outfit | midi shift dress | black leather jacket | Houston Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

similar leather jacket | brown floral midi dress | black heelsearrings

WITH BLACK BOOTIES

This final look showcases how this dress look by itself with no belt or jacket.  With all the volume in the dress, my petite frame definitely needs a heeled shoe.  Neutral colored heels would be a great option here.  I loved the edginess my black booties added to the dress.

fall outfit | anthropologie leandra midi dress | black booties | Petite Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet

brown floral midi dress | similar booties | c/o similar bead bracelets | earrings

Which outfit is your favorite?

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fall work outfits | ways to wear a brown midi dress | petite style blogger lady in violet

Nine Ways to Wear a Cow Print Top

Maybe it’s because I’m a Texas girl, but I’m really loving this cow print blouse.  It’s so right up my style alley being black and white. The print is fun and different, but also has a chic and sophisticated vibe. I’ve come up with a good variety of ways to wear a cow print top from casual, going out, western inspired (of course!), and even a little work wear.

This top is completely sheer, so you do need to pair a cami underneath it.  I opted to wear a black one, but you could also wear a white or ivory one which will lighten up the top a little.  It also has a tie neck line which I’ve showcased multiple ways to style as well.  It’s a versatile detail that you can use to change up the look of your top.

NINE WAYS TO WEAR A COW PRINT TOP

ALL BLACK OUTFIT

I’m starting with the always chic all black ensemble.  It really helps the print of the top pop.

For the tie neck portion, I tucked the long strings into my cami to create the look of an open v-neck.  You can also tie them to the cami straps to help them stay hidden.

fall outfit | cow print top | black knee high boots | Petite Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet

cow print blouse | black jeans | belt | leather boots | c/o necklace | earrings

BLACK JEANS & BROWN HEELS

Another option for this top and a black jean combo is to add in some brown.  A brown belt and shoes add the perfect contrasting pop of color.  The brown and cow print also give me a tiny hint of a western feel.

For the tie neck, I opted to tie a bow just at the base of the v-neck.  I love how it creates a fun necklace type detail to the top.

fall outfit | black white print blouse | black skinny jeans | Texas Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

long sleeve blouse | black jeans | brown belt | brown heels | similar bangle | earrings

WITH BLUE JEANS & TALL BROWN BOOTS

This outfit was my most western inspired.  I originally though about showcasing this with cowboy boots, but I wanted to show how the look would work with a more popular style boot.  My tall brown boots have a weathered look for the perfect fall outfit combo with a hint of that western vibe.

western inspired outfit | cow print blouse | brown knee high boots | Casual Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

cow print top | blue jeans | similar boots | brown belt | c/o necklace | earrings

WITH BLUE JEANS & BROWN MULES

Many of the details of this top give it a more dressed up feel, but you can easily make this top more casual with a cuffed pair of blue jeans and brown mules or booties.

casual outfit | black cow print top | brown mules | Houston Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

black and white top | skinny jeans | similar brown mules |similar bangle | earrings

WITH GRAY JEANS & PINK FLATS

If you for an outfit with no western references, opt for gray jeans and pop of color.  When you think that this is really just a black and white top, gray is a great jean choice for a chic casual outfit.  I also love adding in a pop of color with my shoes.

casual outfit | gray skinny jeans | dark pink flats | Petite Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

cow print top | similar gray jeans | similar pink flats | necklace | earrings

WITH BOOTCUT/FLARED JEANS & HEELS

Looking for a casual office look?  Tuck this top into a pair of dark blue flared or bootcut jeans.  In an earlier look, I paired my tan heels and brown belt together.  The brown stops the eye at the waist and can help break up a monochromatic outfit.  For this one, I wanted a smooth look  and didn’t want the eye stopping at the waist.  I chose the black to blend in more, but I still have my pop of color in the shoe.  You could also choose a pair of black heels.

fall outfit | long sleeve cow print top | dark blue flared jeans | Petite Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet

long sleeve blouse | flared jeans | tan heels | black belt | earrings

WITH A LEATHER SKIRT & BOOTIES

This one has a little western inspiration for a date night or girl’s night out.  It’s cow print, it’s brown leather, and it’s my favorite western inspired black booties.  This combo is perfect when you want western inspired not full on cowgirl.

fall date night outfit | tan leather skirt | black booties | Texas Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet

black and white blouse | similar skirt | similar booties | c/o necklace | earrings

WITH A PENCIL SKIRT

I was so torn on which pencil skirt to wear with this top because it look great with all of them!  If you are looking to add some fun to your work look, a pop of color is a great choice.  To keep the more professional look, you could also do a black or gray pencil skirt.  For the chic work to happy hour look, this top with a black leather pencil skirt is a fabulous combo!

For the office, I tied the tie neck closed to create a mock turtleneck look to the top.  This style is fun for work to happy hour. Tie it up for work and untie it to transition to happy hour or an after work event.

workwear | pink pencil skirt | tie neck blouse | American Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

tie neck top | similar pencil skirt | black heels | similar bangle

WITH JEAN SHORTS & BOOTIES

Another western inspired outfit idea! I wore this one a few weeks ago.  I really wanted to wear this top, but it was too warm for jeans during the day.  A pair of cutoff jean shorts was the perfect answer.  I’ve been loving my pair as a warm fall alternative to jeans.

warm fall outfit | cow print top | black cutoff jean shorts | houston fashion blogger lady in violet

cow print top | black shorts | similar booties | belt | earrings | c/o necklace | c/o crossbody purse

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nine ways to wear a cow print top | fall outfit ideas | petite fashion blogger lady in violet

Six Ways to Wear a Pleated Midi Skirt

When I wore this pleated midi skirt a few weeks ago, someone mentioned having the skirt and not being able to come up with outfit ideas for it.  The only idea they had was to tuck in a fitted top and pair with heels.  I knew I had to turn this skirt into a multi-outfit post then and there.  A pleated midi skirt is way more versatile then I sometimes think it gets credit for.  With a few simple swaps, you can take this skirt from the office to weekends to your next special event.

Sizing note on the skirt featured in this post, I sized up two full sizes.  With a pleated skirt, I will often size up one.  I want the pleats to lay flat over my hips to create a more slimming look.  If they bend as sometimes happens in my regular size, it could create an illusion of a wider hip.  This skirt also runs small, so I went with two sizes up.  I also like the bit of extra room in the waist for tucking in tops.

Six Ways to Wear a Pleated Midi Skirt

WITH AN OVERSIZED CROPPED SWEATER

For the colder fall and winter months, pair your pleated midi skirt with a cozy oversized knit sweater.  Opt for a shorter sweater that will hit just a few inches below the waist of the skirt to maintain your proportions.  Pleated midi skirts tend to have a straight overall look with a slimmer top and long visible lines from the pleats.  A boxy top can help add balance to the look by adding volume.  For this neutral top, I added in a green stone necklace to help pull some of the color out of the skirt.

winter outfit | oversized cropped sweater | rainbow pleated midi skirt | Petite Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

similar sweater | pleated midi skirt | black heels | necklace | earrings

WITH A FITTED LONG SWEATER

Another sweater option is a fitted long sweater.  Your top should lay comfortably over the skirt and hit just below the hips.  This styling option will change up the look of your skirt and give it a more straight look and downplay some of the statement flare of the skirt.  I like how it creates the illusion that you may be wearing a dress.  With the longer top, I added in a long necklace just to add a little color and break up the top a little.

fall work outfit | black fitted sweater | colorful pleated long skirt | Affordable Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

black sweater | midi skirt | similar booties | similar necklace

WITH A COLORFUL SWEATER

With so many colors in this skirt, the easiest color choice would be a neutral like white, ivory, or black.  Don’t be afraid to play with color on this one.   For a multi-color skirt, wear a top that matches one of the colors in your skirt to bring out that color more.  Notice how the bright blue of my sweater really brings out the blue in the skirt.  If you’re skirt is a solid color, opt for a complimentary color.  I tend to match cool tones together or warm tones together.

winter work outfit | blue cropped sweater | multicolor pleated midi skirt | Houston Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

blue sweater | pleated skirt | black heels | layered necklace | earrings

WORK OUTFIT

All three of the previous outfits are office friendly, but I wanted to showcase a jacket outfit as well.  I know some more professional office have requirements related to needing more of a suit look.  For this longer skirt, I would also look to wear a longline blazer and one with a bit more of a fitted look.  As for the top underneath, you could go simple with a white cami or add in color like a dark green or dark violet color.

professional office outfit | black blazer jacket | long pleated skirt | Texas Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

similar blazer | white cami | midi skirt | nude colored heels | necklace | earrings

CASUAL OUTFIT

This skirt may have an all dressed up vibe, but you can easily make it work in a casual outfit by styling it with more casual pieces.  A denim jacket is one of my easiest tip for dressing down a look.  Booties are another great styling tip for creating a more casual look.  Since the skirt is lighter and long, I opted for a lighter shade bootie.  To add a little print mix fun, I paired this with a horizontal striped tank to contrast the vertical lines of the pleats.

casual fall outfit | denim jacket | pleated midi skirt | booties | Popular US Fashion Blog Lady in Violet

jean jacket | striped tank top | midi skirt | booties | c/o necklace

DATE NIGHT, HOLIDAY, OR WEDDING GUEST OUTFIT

What about special events?  Turn this skirt into the perfect holiday or wedding guest outfit by adding a fitted top with a high neckline or bodysuit.  My ruffle neck sleeveless sweater is one of my go to tops to dress up a look.  To make this outfit party friendly and not just another work look, I added in some fun statement earrings and my silver heels.

wedding guest outfit | rainbow pleated midi skirt | silver heels | Petite Fashion Blogger Lady in Violet

c/o black turtleneck |colorful skirt | silver heels | similar earrings | c/o beaded bracelets

Want more pleated skirt outfit inspiration? Check out these looks below!
Sweater + Skirt Combo
Denim Jacket + Skirt Combo
Tee + Skirt Combo

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six Ways to Wear a Pleated Midi Skirt | work outfits | fall fashion | Petite Fashion Blog Lady in Violet