Dress Up, Dress Down: White Jeans

I’m Jean White, so I find it humorous to write about white jeans. The first time I did a vanity search for myself with my married name (c’mon, we’ve all done it: you’ve gone to a search engine and typed your name), instead of finding me, all I saw was a page full of pictures of white jeans. I can’t complain. It’s harder for potential employers to find incriminating photos of me among all those pants (I kid—there are no incriminating photos of me).

Sometimes I want to go from work to social events and I don’t want to change outfits. Here’s what I did recently. I’ll start with the social look.

I love this top—It’s a Selma Karaca. She’s a New York-based designer and sews strips of fabric into amazing tops and dresses. I bought it in a boutique in Seattle that recently closed.

Top: Selma Karaca
Jeans: Lucky Brand
Boots: Bass
Clutch: Clothing exchange
Necklace as bracelet: Mary Kay

The top is too low-cut for work, so I flipped it around and put the scoop in the back. Then I added a coordinating cardigan. I wrapped an orange scarf around my neck and off I went. In the evening, before happy hour, I removed the cardigan and flipped the shirt around again.

Cardigan: Thrifted
Scarf: NYC street vendor

On days like this, I put my essentials in a clutch and throw the clutch into a laptop bag. That way I have everything I need for evening and can still go to work looking like a professional.

Do you have any tips for day-to-evening wear?

Here’s the poem of the day, in honor of National Poetry Month:

The Leaves like Women interchange
by Emily Dickinson

The Leaves like Women interchange
Exclusive Confidence —
Somewhat of nods and somewhat
Portentous inference.

The Parties in both cases
Enjoining secrecy —
Inviolable compact
To notoriety.