Category Archives: Dress Up Dress Down

Different ways to wear the same thing.

July 26, 2011 · 5:50 am

Dress Up, Dress Down: Maxi Dress

Getting bang for my buck is important, and so is packing light. I took a look at a maxi dress in my closet and decided to dress it up and down to see how many looks I could create. By adding different pieces with this dress, I stretch my fashion dollar but I also lighten my suitcase. If you’re going away for a long weekend, a dress like this could keep you going for days. Throw in a pair of jeans, some white capris, and you’ll be mixing and matching like a pro.

I’ll start with the dress. It’s light cotton, was under $30, and is a great poolside dress or beach coverup.

Dress: Fred Meyer’s
Clutch: Crystalyn Kae
Sunglasses: Target
Sandals: Naturalizer

For an afternoon of sightseeing or shopping, pick one of the colors in the dress and find a T-shirt in that shade. I tucked the top of the dress into the waistband, which gave me less bulk under my top and added length to my now-skirt.

T-shirt: H&M
Bag: Shiraleah
Earrings: Claire’s
Shoes: Urban Outfitters

Time for lunch? Find another color in the dress and pick a tank top and blazer to match. The light cotton blazer is great for summer. It’s cool in air-conditioned restaurants. Eating on a patio? Ditch the blazer and rock the tank.

Blazer: Forever 21
Tank: Charlotte Ruche
Necklace: Santa Fe street vendor
Belt: Roxy
Shoes: Payless

Fancy dinner in a dress from Freddy’s? You bet! I added a wrap for a more elegant look. Choose your shoes and accessories to fit the venue.

Wrap: Michael Stars
Earrings: Claire’s
Purse: Shiraleah
Shoes: Payless

Most of the items I used to change the look of the maxi dress are very affordable. The lunchtime heels were on sale for $3 at Payless. The blazer was $20. The T-shirt was $5. With all of these pieces (and jeans and a pair of capris), you’d have loads of mixable options for travel. How would you style a maxi?

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Tagged as blazer, dress, fashion, maxi dress, style, thrifty

April 26, 2011 · 8:22 am

Polka-dot Jovovich: Five New Ways

About three weeks ago I styled my black and beige Jovovich-Hawk dress from Target’s Go International Designer Collective. I wasn’t totally thrilled with it. The boots were a bit schlumpy, the blue tights were too Avatar. It wasn’t horrible, but didn’t love what I’d done with the outfit. And if you don’t love an outfit, your whole day might be thrown off.

Instead of giving up (I’m too stubborn for that), I thought I’d try to redeem myself. So today, I’m sharing five new options with you—including a couple of unbelted looks (which I’d previously said wouldn’t work).

This is probably my favorite variation: I added a red patent belt, black tights, and high-heel Oxford’s. I wore this to work.

red belt

Dress: Jovovich-Hawk for Target
Belt: Thrifted
Tights: Ross Dress for Less
Shoes: Seychelles

Next, I boldly removed the belt. I thought this would look sort of tent-like, and I guess it does, but not in a bad way. This is a very comfortable option; the lack of belt really changes the look of the outfit. I’d wear it to work this way too, or to lunch with friends.

no belt

Then, I replaced the tights with leggings and added bright red ballet flats. This is much more casual, but extremely comfortable. I feel a bit like a French mime, but I’m not sure why. I’m having a hard time pin-pointing it. I’d wear this on a Saturday to run errands and buy groceries.

red shoes

Tights: Newport News
Shoes: Payless

Back to the belt. I chose a plain black elastic belt. I removed the leggings and tried a bare-legged look with faux-suede boots. I’d wear this to dinner or dancing. For me, bare legs and a short shirt wouldn’t work at work.

tan boots

Belt: Thrifted
Boots: Wanted

Finally, I traded the boots for open-toed shoes. I added an orange clutch to see how else I could use a splash of color. I’ll wear this to dinner when the weather improves. It’s summer but not too summer-y, if you know what I mean. I wanted to see if I could style this dress for various seasons and occasions. And I’m happy with my new options. What do you think? How would you style this?

orange clutch and tan shoes

Clutch: Shiraleah
Shoes: Aerosoles

Here’s a poem to celebrate spring and National Poetry Month:

Spring is like a perhaps hand
by e. e. cummings

Spring is like a perhaps hand
(which comes carefully
out of Nowhere)arranging
a window,into which people look(while
people stare
arranging and changing placing
carefully there a strange
thing and a known thing here)and

changing everything carefully

spring is like a perhaps
Hand in a window
(carefully to
and from moving New and
Old things,while
people stare carefully
moving a perhaps
fraction of flower here placing
an inch of air there)and

without breaking anything.

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Filed under Dress Up Dress Down, Fashion

Tagged as dress, fashion, Jovovich-Hawk, polka dots, remixer, style, Target

April 20, 2011 · 10:02 am

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.

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Tagged as fashion, remixer, Selma Karaca, style, white jeans

April 8, 2011 · 1:03 am

Blue Chai T-Back: Target Dress #4

This Richard Chai design is the fourth and final Target dress from the mini-spree I had a few weeks ago (and it’s also a GO International Designer Collective piece). It’s a great alternative to the Little Black Dress. Meet the Little Blue Dress.

I wanted to make sure I could change the look of this dress and wear it to a variety of functions, as well as in different seasons. First, I paired it with silver shoes, a pewter clutch and silver jewelry. I’d wear this to a fancy dinner, a wedding, or a New Year’s Eve event.

Dress: Richard Chai
Clutch: Victoria’s Secret
Shoes: Steve Madden
Bracelet: Gifted
Necklace: Fred Meyer’s
Earrings: Target

Next, I swapped out the silver shoes for a nude pair and threw on a bright orange scarf. This would be a nice dinner dress or something I could wear to the symphony.

Scarf: Street vendor in NYC
Shoes: Nine West

Finally, I thought about girls’ night out and how I could get a little funky with this dress. I added a black satin blazer, a golden-baubled necklace, and tan faux suede boots with a kitten heel. I’m carrying a flashy, bronze hobo bag too, to make this more fun and less formal. I swapped out the silver-tone earrings for a gold version.

Blazer: Bebe (thrifted)
Earrings: Target
Necklace: Mary Kay
Bag: Thrifted
Boots: Rampage

Here’s a thrifty tip: I found the Bebe blazer at Goodwill for $8 but it’s a size 2 (and I’m not). Because of its length and shape I realized this would work as a coat. I can’t button it up, but let’s keep that between you and me.

The total for the first outfit was $65; the second was $105; the third was also $105. Obviously I bought the dress only once so all the pieces you see here total $275. Proof that you can look like a million for much less.

I love the detailing on the deep blue dress

Mixing textures and colors makes the outfit less formal

Don’t forget that April in National Poetry Month. To celebrate, here’s a fitting poem:

A Blue Dress

A lady
in a
blue dress

caught
a tear
on the end
of her finger
returned it
to her eyes

and smiled.

~ Heather burns

To see the other dresses, and how I styled them, see:

Spots: Jovovich
Stripes: Thakoon
Floral: Jovovich

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Filed under Dress Up Dress Down, Fashion, Hot and Cold, Thrifty

Tagged as dress, fashion, poetry, remixer, Richard Chai, Target

April 5, 2011 · 9:02 am

Thakoon Dress: Three New Ways

I recently took up a challenge from Cute and Little, and became part of her Color Brigade. Seeing her colorful outfits inspired me to restyle my Thakoon dress a few new ways. One-piece dressing is oh-so-simple, but I run the risk of same-old, same old. Plus, I want to get multiple looks out of each piece I have in my closet to stretch my shopping dollar.

First, I got colorful. I added a multi-colored necklace, an orange clutch, and yellow shoes. Head-to-toe color-blocking. Perfect for summer. I’d wear this to dinner on a patio or to a summer art walk.

Dress: Thakoon
Clutch: Shiraleah
Necklace: Something Silver
Shoes: Aerosoles

Next, I ditched the open-toed shoes for caramel-colored, faux suede, kitten-heel boots. I added an aqua scarf and orange tights. I could easily wear this bare-legged with the boots. Either way, this isn’t an outfit for shrinking violets. I’d wear it out to dinner or to a show.

Scarf: Street vendor in Toronto
Tights: Target
Boots: Rampage

Finally, I added a denim jacket and swapped out the boots for purple shoes—just to see how wild I could get without entering into clown territory. I’d wear this to a concert or out with my friends. The added pieces mean I can take this from summer to fall.

I’m glad my cat interrupted the photo shoot. She made me realize a few things: Mixing patterns and colors does work; you can wear white shoes in winter; fur looks best on animals. Rock what yer mama gave you, Alice!

Jacket: Betsey Johnson (thrifted)
Shoes: Aerosoles

I took the Color Brigade Challenge:

Finally, in honor of National Poetry Month, here’s a poem by William Blake:

The Tiger

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water’d heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

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Filed under Dress Up Dress Down, Fashion, Hot and Cold, Thrifty

Tagged as dress, fashion, style, Target, Thakoon, thrifty fashion

March 13, 2011 · 9:27 pm

Dress Up, Dress Down: 80s Asymmetrical

Back by popular demand! I’ve got another outfit to show you dressed up and down.

Admittedly, I’m starting with a very casual dress: an asymmetrical collared, gray cotton jersey that I found on the deep discount rack in the JC Penney’s junior department. I didn’t have high hopes but for $7, it was worth a shot.

I wore the dress to Target this morning because they just brought back their designer collective and I wanted to be comfortable grabbing dresses off the rack and running around the store in a state of euphoria. I didn’t want to wear pants because that would slow down the trying-on process. I matched my tights to a skinny belt and wore my stompin’ boots. I feel like I can take on the world in them.

Dress: JC Penney’s
Belt: Steve Madden (via Nordstrom Rack)
Tights: Hue
Umbrella: Gifted
Boots: Hot Topic

When I got back from Target (with four amazing dresses!) my husband invited me to happy hour. I decided to “pretty things up” a bit, so I swapped out the G.I. Jane boots for something equally fun but slightly more polished (like I mentioned, this is a really casual dress; I’m not going to wear it with pumps—although, I bet a patent pump in bright yellow or hot pink would work and add to the 80’s vibe. Sadly, I don’t own a pair). I grabbed a faux leather zipper clutch, and away I went. By the way, if you’re ever at Wild Ginger in Bellevue, I recommend the peach bellini and tofu satay. Yum!

Dress: JC Penney’s
Belt: Thrifted
Tights: Hue
Clutch: Boutique in Pittsburg
Boots: John Fluvog

How do you dress things up or down? What accessories make you feel pulled together?

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Tagged as 1980s, dress, fashion

March 12, 2011 · 12:21 am

Dress Up, Dress Down: Nine West Wrap

I’d like to start sharing ideas about how to make the same pieces look different. It’s important for me to get a lot of use out of the clothes I buy. Part of what makes something versatile to me is if I can wear it several ways and dress something up or down to suit the occasion.

Here’s the first installment of Dress Up, Dress Down: My thrifted Nine West faux wrap dress. I found this dress for $20 at Crossroads Trading Company in Seattle. I love the mix of coral, teal, and white. It’s a busy pattern but it seems so beachy, color-wise. I wore it to work with Rampage faux suede kitten-heel boots.

Dress: Nine West (thrifted)
Camisole: Papaya
Necklace: Fremont Sunday Market vendor
Tights: Nordstrom
Boots: Rampage

When I got home from work, I needed to walk my dog. I was comfortable, but the boots weren’t going to be practical at the dog park. Plus, it was getting cold. So I added a scarf and jacket and swapped out the high-heel boots for lug-sole boots.