TARTAN BLAZER + GREEN SUEDE SHOES

For a Christmas shopping jaunt, I wanted to dress for the season and look like a smart shopper while I was at it. I’ve found that dressing well while looking for deals helps you get proper attention from sales associates in stores, so I always try to choose a look that will get me noticed but also show that I mean business when I’m spending my money.

To accomplish that goal, I thought this blazer and these shoes would do the trick – they are among my favorites, and I feel that they signal to sales associates that I am clued into style but take my role as a consumer very seriously. Yes, I definitely over-think these things, but I want to get exactly what I’m looking for at exactly the right price – always.

WHAT I WORE:

I bought this blazer at Banana Republic on super-sale at the end of last season, and the shoes were a steal from the Gilt Warehouse Sale last winter – Diane von Furstenburg for under $100. The scarf is my other favorite piece in this look. It’s a brand new Juicy Couture wrap I scored last month for $18 at Crossroads Trading Co in Los Angeles – the tags were still on!

My reason for pointing out where/when these items came from is to highlight that I bought them all at separate times and places over the last year or more, and each is rather distinct. But I felt confident buying each one because the colors are deep and neutral enough to be folded into my existing wardrobe. I knew I’d likely be able to pair them with various items I already had like the jeans and cream top {similar} – staples of my wardrobe you’ve likely seen before, as is the large taupe tote – it’s great for stashing small gifts while shopping!

WHY I WORE IT:

The choices I made for this look might be very obvious, but…

• The green shoes pick up the green of the tartan and were a unique way to match my footwear to another item I was wearing.
• Since the blazer and shoes were attention grabbing, I chose a neutral and casual canvas with the jeans and the cream top. The cream top also made the blazer and scarf pop, while calling on the cream elements of the scarf print
• The navy scarf was a convenient way to account for and match the navy on the blazer but also achieved one of my favorite style tricks – mixing patterns within matching color palettes.
• I could’ve gone either way with my handbag – black or brown – but I went for the taupe bag because I thought it would contrast the deep green and navy and complement the cream elements.
• Finally, I chose a pink gloss to polish up the look and to pick up the pink flowers of the scarf.
• Oh yeah – and the necklace! It added the punky element I always seek to have in each of my looks. I got this at a boutique in Virginia for under $20 last Christmas – it makes me feel tough while going for the bib necklace trend.

HOW TO WEAR IT YOURSELF: