DRESS DOWN THOSE DRESS PANTS

Ahh, having a pair of dress pants you love...a very rare and beautiful and almost non-existent thing.  You've heard of pancake butt right? That is what dress pants do to my butt. It's the pockets, it's generally the weird waistbands that hit on the widest part of the hips...it's the devil in disguise: THE DRESS PANT.

But after years and years of shunning the classic dress pant from my wardrobe and navigating the business casual with other tactics, I've always had this strange desire to face my fears again..I CAN'T LET DRESS PANTS BULLY ME FOREVER!

And then a magic moment, after too many hours of working in a resale clothing shop it just happened, I found something. Something I could even deem somewhat flattering on my stick of a body.  I don't know when these pants were on the racks at H&M but they definitely have some modern features I like like the skinnier leg, higher waist, and front zips at the ankle.  Sometimes people don't think dress pants really go out of style...but my god have I seen some horrifying wide-legged trousers and pinstripes in my young life already.

Playing dress-up is easy and also really boring. So today I decided to post a look that dresses down these dress pants! (Obviously I'm very into this idea of mixing dressy/casual pieces lately).

Anything sporty is a good idea if you're trying to make an outfit less up-tight and more effortless (the little half tuck of a button-down will also give some ease to your look).  To balance out the two sides of the coin with this look opt for a third element...i suggest punk-inspired because dress pants are very punk. I went for some cheetah print creepers.

THE CASUAL MIX

 Lately I've been very into mixing casual items with dressy pieces, and I advise you to give it a shot! In this post today I'll tell you how I've gone about it, and in general, how to construct outfits thoughtfully and successfully:

 I'm really enjoying my new job working in a resale clothing shop...when I'm given the task to dress mannequins for display it's like I'm given the world's largest closet to stand in and choose from..all of the items are different...and sometimes it feels impossible to even begin to focus.  In my own closet the numbers are less substantial, but present a fun challenge all the same.  Creating something new from an existing wardrobe is exciting, and honestly sometimes more thrilling than adding new pieces to it.  I think the best way to start constructing an outfit is by picking one piece you really want...dedicate your outfit around it and know where you (or your model/mannequin) are going in it.  Today I picked this "ancient" Arcade Fire, Neon Bible T-shirt.  It's nice and graphic and as a slimmer fit it's easier to work with dressier items and I knew I wanted to look somewhat dressed up for work today.

Step two for this look was a bottom...although I tend to drift from the task at hand and go straight for shoes...creating the core for your outfit is the best way to add to it.  Pairing this khaki skater skirt with the t-shirt felt right, and in a cotton fabric it didn't feel too over-the-top (*be sure to make sure your textures and fabrics make sense because if they contrast too much the pieces will just be confusing unless you are willing to REALLY own it).  Knowing from previous outfit constructing in my wardrobe, I knew I liked to wear my black knee-high socks with this skirt...and for the unpredictable weather here they were a nice way to balance weather that's "not too hot & not too cold." I finished the look with my beat up grey Docs that echo back to the grungey idea of a band tee and the skater cut of a skirt.