Outfit Of The Day (Winter Fuzzy Florals)

First things first.  If I were a rich old lady, I would TOTALLY wear the following dresses to....well.  I don't  know exactly where but it'd be somewhere that's a little dull and unfun and needs a dose of fabulousness, right? 

I mean, I understand why celebs get gussied up for awards shows and wear these sorts of gowns, it's because if they didn't then Rachel Zoe would be banana-bananas-less, but I personally like to get fancy when I have a boring day to get through.  It adds a little bit of  oomph and spice.

  For example, I would wear this on my daily  afternoon trek to get the mail at the end of the block:

(elie saab spring couture 2011 via style.com)

And then I would change into this to go to the dentist, obviously, as the sheer texture would help hide those accidental spit stains:

(elie saab spring couture 2011 via style.com)

And this little number would be perfect for when I have to get the oil changed in my car:

 (valentino spring couture 2011 via style.com)

But only because (as ya'll probably already know) sitting in those rock hard chairs in the waiting room of the car place can get surprisingly uncomfortable in a long gown.  Right?  Right.

On to the more important things here- it is hot here today. Hot, you guys, HOT!

It definitely doesn't help that, due to constant low grade fevers, I have an inner furnace permanently set to around 101°F at all times so I am always toasty hot. Any chance that I have to shirk a few layers and not be riddled with that awful bit of annoying under-the-boob boob-sweat at some point throughout the day (which is the worst kind of sweat there is - surpasses labiomental fold sweat, even) (WHICH ISN'T WHAT YOU THINK IT IS) (AND IT'S NOT THAT, EITHER), I go for it--which is what I did today.

I am sure this outfit would be just dandy with dark brown tights too, for those of you living in areas where it's still chilly, and I am also wearing a shorter skirt since I don't have anywhere "professional" to be today. Oh ho, readers, we have a rebel!  

But this does remind me of an often-seen lament around the fashion blogosphere regarding skirt lengths that I've been meaning to discuss--how to rock shorter skirts in an office setting. 

This can be tricky.  Anything above your knee, in my opinion, is too short for a professional office setting.  But if you have a shorter skirt or dress that you're dying to wear to work, as long as it isn't embellished in sequins and old wine stains from that wild night out two weekends ago of course, never discount the magical powers of layering a slip underneath to give it an added few inches of length. 

Slips are often given the unfortunate reputation of being dowdy and they definitely don't have to be! I will often use something like this skirt from ASOS under sundresses and dresses with a looser fit, and with  calf-length skirts coming back in style something like this skirt at Urban Outfitters might work well too, as long as it flows with the shape and the color of the too-short dress or skirt you're wearing. And (of course!) both Free People and Anthropologie are two more retailers that typically have lots of pretty skirt-and-slip layering options.  I will often layer an a-line skirt under a sundress to make the lower part poof out more, and pencil skirts can look insta-pretty with a touch of lace peeking out at the hem.

Just make sure to stick with skirts and slips that have a nice weight to them, with a bit of lace or ruffles at the bottom so it adds something to what you're already wearing.  Try this look with something thin and plain and you run the risk of looking like you couldn't find the right size in the Maidenform section of your local Kohl's, ouch.

It really just takes a bit of trying and experimentation, and you might even already have something in your closet that works.  Go for it, girls!

On to my outfit.  My wireless remote's batteries are dying, so you get a few pics today of me making faces. Nothing unusual to see here folks, move along:

 Cardigan: J Crew Mixed Tape Cardigan in bronzed twig (similar style here) (and here)

Scarf (worn as a shawl): Express (similar style here) (and here)

Belt: Old J Crew (similar style here) (and here)

Dress: Old Charlotte Russe (similar style here) (and here)

Necklace: Etsy (from secondlookjewelry - more styles here)

Ring: Kate Spade (similar style here)

Boots: Prada Harness Booties (buy them here) (similar style here) (these would work well too + take 25% off and get free shipping with code "CHEERS")

Bag: Chloe Paraty in Rosewood (similar style here) (great option here for $60!) (and here)