So couple of days back, I was at Palladium… trying to shop for Mr. Wolf, when I chanced upon this really classy, black-n-white, double-trouble sorta blouse at ZARA! I’m calling it double trouble because it gives you the illusion of being two garments (a white button-down shirt and a very formal sort-of cropped top…) but it’s actually one single piece! And of course, the compulsive shopper in me just had to buy it!
Now this is an extremely formal looking piece (was even stacked in the ‘formals’ section of the store) and so the first instinct would be to naturally think of it as work-wear… or in fact, more like, ‘meeting’ wear!! But once I got home and looked at it again, I realized that it was actually the most perfect Monday to Sunday blouse ever!
So here are 3 looks that I’ve put together: (1) For formal meetings (quite obvious) (2) For the Friday night Party after work 😉 (3) For a casual weekend out 🙂
Look 1: Power Dressing at Work
Here I’ve paired my ‘double trouble’ top with a formal black skirt, black heels, a large tan leather bag and my little solitaire pendant for goodluck! The white part of the shirt gives the outfit a very ‘office-y’ feel… and black-n-white is, of course, the classic ‘boardroom dressing’ combination. Oh and the specs… just to give it that all serious, ‘no one messes with me’ feel! LoL! (even if you don’t have a weak eyesight, getting a nice frame with plain anti-reflective lenses isn’t a bad idea at all! )
Heels (from Charles & Keith, here) add a powerful statement and give the body posture… they also naturally make sure that your steps are more certain (coz clumsiness in heels could lead to much bigger disasters) and hence, you look and feel more confident. (On a normal day, I’d have preferred pumps with this outfit… but today, we have an after-work party to attend! ;))
I’m using a large size leather bag from FabIndia here, because large bags not only make a statement, but they also accommodate your laptop, folders, a snack, make-up, a change.. Or any other accessories that you might need for the party after work.
Look 2: After Work Party
So now that you’ve rocked at the meeting, it’s time to let your hair down (literally) and rock the dance floor…
I’ve simply tucked in the white shirt-part of my top and added a statement steam-punk hand accessory. By tucking in the white part, the black-on-black suddenly gives it a very ‘night party’ look! Almost as good as the LBD!
I’ve ditched the large bag for a classic Louis Vuitton clutch (you could just leave it in your car or back in office), and voila! A brighter shade of lipstick and you’re all set for the party…! (And you could also add a pair of large earrings / danglers to complete the look!)
Look 3: Weekend fun
Now don’t let the formal cuts and fabric fool you… this top is most fun when worn with torn jeans and blingy silver sneakers! Honestly, I had the most fun wearing this outfit and it does look funky, yet very very classy!
To add to the funk, I’ve thrown in some colourful rings that I bought in Goa this time, and these heavy traditional Chinese silver bangles that I bought in Singapore.
The reflector glasses from Aldo Accessories and my Boo’s cap from SuperDry kinda just act like the cherry on top! 🙂
