A Dressy Outfit with a Minimalist Top
Quote of the day: “The eloquent man is he who is no beautiful speaker, but who is inwardly drunk with a certain belief.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
This quote spoke to me because there are times I feel like that’s me in a nutshell. I know many people blog because they are writers and love to write. Yet that is not me. I love clothes. And putting together outfits. Even when they don’t always hit the mark for fabulousness. It’s still such a creative and fun activity for me.
Part of the fun of clothes and styling is the fact that so many pieces can be combined in different ways. Personally, even I get stuck in ruts that certain items are for certain occasions, or this color is for a particular season only. So these experiments with the blog are so helpful to push me out of my comfort zone.
We styled our exact same minimalist top shown here in a casual look first. In this post, we wanted to see how they’d dress up. We were actually celebrating Mother’s Day (a week late because of all of our crazy schedules) in downtown Golden, Colorado. It certainly used to be a cowboy town, and it’s also the home of Coors Brewery!
As an aside, I was honored to be featured on Sixty + Me in a couple of Fashion After 50 segments on her You-Tube Channel. I used to write article for Margaret when I had free time for her Sixty + Me Community. I don’t add to her site any more, yet my articles are still there if you are interested. I included the video below if you’d like to watch it. Beware—my mouth takes up almost the entire screen. You can tell I was excited to do these interviews!!
Jodie’s (50+) Outfit
Skirt: Renato Tucci-thrifted (similar here)~~Blazer: Renato Tucci-thrifted (similar here)~~Top-it’s really a dress: Alya (similar here)~~Shoes: Kenneth Cole-thrifted (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)~~Purse: Aldo (here)
Why I Wore This Outfit
Trust me when I say, I never thought I’d wear this skirt and jacket together. It came from a thrift store, and the owner of the store, didn’t even have it on the floor to sell. It’s supposedly made by an Italian designer and the owner wasn’t sure she wanted to get rid of it. But when she offered it to me for only $20, I figured I would wear the pieces separately and still get my money’s worth.
And I have. I’ve worn the skirt alone and the blazer by itself more than just these times I’m showing you. And it wasn’t until we showcased our suits a couple of weeks ago, did I ever consider the idea of wearing these pieces at the same time.
How You Could Change This Outfit
Obviously you could split up this suit and wear the pieces by themselves, like I have in the past. A solid pink skirt would give you the same overall look, or a darker blazer would break things up.
Needless to say, if you enjoy the idea of a matching suit like this, you could stick with some pink flats for those who don’t wear heels.
What Makes this Work
Maybe you don’t agree that this outfit works? The fact is there is a ton of floral in your face with this look. That’s exactly why I kept all the other pieces very plain and only wore small earrings. I almost wish I’d worn my white booties with it, to add in a modern vibe in case it looks frumpy to you.
Interesting Tidbit
Maybe you didn’t even realize it, but this is the same dress from our previous post styled as a top. I love the idea of this trick when you have a short, straight dress and are trying to change things up.
Nancy’s (60+) Outfit
Pants: Chicos (here)~~Jacket: (similar here)~~Top: Vero Moda (similar here)~~Shoes: Nine West (similar here)~~Necklace: (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)~~Purse: (similar here)
Why Nancy Wore This Outfit
Nancy has been loving the color pink in almost everything lately. Ever since we had our colors analyzed, she feels comfortable choosing this color because it looks so wonderful on her.
These pants are the Traveler’s Brand by Chicos, and are one of Nancy’s favorite pairs. They don’t wrinkle, so they always look fabulous. And the length and silhouette is so flattering on her. She laughs that she wears these shoes constantly, but that’s because they work with so many outfits! Isn’t that the characteristic of a wonderful purchase?
How You Could Change This Outfit
Depending on where you live, you may not need such a heavy shawl, although sometimes the stores and restaurants are super chilly inside. There are certainly more lightweight versions, that are quite a steal, even at Walmart.
Yet, I do know that heels are not easy for everyone to wear. If you are one of those women that prefers flats, then you can still find fun floral shoes. Yet a black flat would be a popular option too.
What Makes this Work
Black pants are certainly the popular choice for getting dressed up. I’m sure most of us realize you can’t go wrong with the perfect black pants for any occasion. Yet Nancy has added in a modern item with the pink choker top, and some fun print with the shoes. It’s an easy recipe for success.
Interesting Tidbit
Nancy’s heart necklace is actually reversible. The way it is showing today, is with the black & white face. Yet the other side is red, which makes the necklace super versatile for traveling. I’ve seen other necklaces like this and think that’s just the best idea ever.
Charlotte’s (80+) Outfit
Skirt: Mom made it (similar here)~~Jacket: Mom made it (similar here)~~Top: Jennifer Lopez (similar here)~~Shoes: Nine West (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)~~Purse: Liz Claiborne (similar here)
Why Charlotte Wore This Outfit
My mom always reverts to dresses and skirts for a special event or occasion. Along with the fact that she loves the idea of a monochromatic outfit any chance she gets.
Therefore she chose to wear a skirt that has the same colors of the top. Since the pink choker top is sleeveless, she also added the jacket. The entire outfit has an overall muted, neutral theme which looks very polished.
How You Could Change This Outfit
If you wanted to make this outfit a little more casual, then you could easily substitute a pink jean jacket. You’d still be recreating the subdued look and still be somewhat dressy in a skirt, but the jacket could casualize it.
And if a skirt is not your item of choice, then a pair of pink pants would look fabulous. That would give you that column of color under the jacket and still be very springy.
What Makes this Work
Many women I talk to don’t love to stand out in a crowd, so a muted neutral look fits the bill perfectly.
Interesting Tidbit
My mom made both the skirt and jacket herself. The skirt material is from some fabric that her neighbor passed onto her. It’s amazing that much of the fabric my mom acquires is handed down to her because people know that she will actually use it for something. It’s no different than the pink, plaid material we showcased on the blog. That material had been given to her in the past too.
Tips & Tricks
If you are more of a minimalist with your style, then I think these choker tops are perfect for you. Because of the material at the neckline, you don’t look “naked” if you don’t want to wear a necklace.
Another plus is if you have any extra skin or wrinkles in this area of your body, this is a great camouflage. Trust me when I say that this neckline could be everything you never knew you needed.
The Facts
If you liked any of these photos, it would help me if you pinned them to your own Pinterest board. It’s one way that others can see our outfits.
Even if you wouldn’t consider purchasing your clothing online, it can be helpful to look through my links to see what is available! It certainly doesn’t hurt my feelings, if you click on them but don’t like them. Just so you know, one of the ways I make money from this blog is through these linked items.
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What else could you wear with your minimalist top and still look somewhat dressy? I think there are a wide range of options, and I scouted out a few below.
