Category: fashion

Hottest topic at most offices right now? What to wear to the holiday party!

You want to get it right… professional, yet festive and a little more fun than what you’d normally wear. And, of course, if you’re going to shell out the cash for something new, you want it to serve several functions. After all, versatility is key!

Lands’ End has a number of things that would be perfect for a holiday office party or whatever special occasion you’ve got coming up this month.

My pick for a festive top is the Women’s Regular Cotton Cashmere Sequin V-neck Sweater:

I love the dark berry color pictured above, but it also comes in black, dark sand heather, pewter heather, avocado and dark grape. It’s made of Lands’ End’s signature fine gauge cotton with a bit of cashmere. The sequined V-neck adds some flair without revealing too much!

I paired that sweater with black Women’s Regular Ponté Demi Boot-cut Pants

I. Love. These. Pants. I love everything I’ve tried from the new Ponté Collection. The fabric has a polished, tailored look, but it is as comfortable as knit. The boot-cut pants are Fit 1, which is my personal favorite from Lands’ End, so they sit just below the waist. They really do look and feel great.

Complete the outfit with the Women’s Mid Heel Bombay Booties.

Booties are all the rage this year. Wear them with trousers, skinny jeans, or even skirts (although I must admit I have not yet tried to pull off that look!). These booties have a full-grain leather upper and a 2 1/2 inch heal. The sides have elastic and they slip on and off easily. They are seriously comfortable and seriously cute!

There you go – the eternal question of what to wear to the office party has been answered! And not only that, but these pieces are solid wardrobe staples. Visit LandsEnd.com for more!

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P.S. Lands’ End sent me this outfit, in case you were wondering.

I’m on a mission to make Lands’ End the go-to place for office wear for all of you! Last week, I showed you how to go from the office to after work kids’ activities, and today I’m talking about how to take Lands’ End looks from day to night. Because even moms get a night out every once in a while, right?!?

Here’s one outfit that would be perfect for work and a date night.

The mainstay in this outfit is the Women’s Regular Tweedy Ponté Skirt

I like this skirt a lot – in fact, I felt so good in it that it’s what I chose to wear to my thesis defense. It is a knit tweed so it’s extremely soft and comfortable. It has a curved silhouette that is flattering yet professional. Even better – it’s machine washable, which I was pleasantly surprised to find!

For work, I’d wear that skirt with a white Women’s Regular 3/4-sleeve No Iron Stretch Ruffle Front Shirt.

I love the detail on this shirt – the darts and the ruffles make for a really pulled-together look. I also have a thing for 3/4 length sleeves, so that was a bonus – and of course, the no-iron thing is key! You could wear it tucked in or with a thin black belt.

Add some Matte Tights…

…and slip on Women’s Emma Kitten Heel Ballet Shoes, and head out the door to work.

But wait! Headed out with the hubs?

Add the Women’s Regular Fine Gauge Supima Wrap Cardigan Sweater

A Women’s Silver Letter Pin for a little bling…

…and change the kitten heel ballets for the Women’s Elizabeth Mid Heel Boot With Buckle.

The cardigan is SO cozy, and a wrap design is always flattering to the waistline. It’s made from Supima, the most refined cotton grown in America, and is machine washable. I might have to get the camel colored one too.

The Elizabeth boots are wonderful too. I have the black, which are made with suede, but they also come in a calfskin espresso. The brushed metal buckle adds a nice touch and dresses them up just a bit more. They are pull ons, and have little elasticized slits (the website calls them gore) at the top, preventing what I like to call “boot muffin top.” Not that that’s ever happened to me. *ahem* These boots are super versatile and can be worn with anything – and as we all know, versatility is key!

And there you have it – a stylish, comfortable outfit that can go quickly from day to night. Love it!

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Lands’ End hooked me up with this outfit, but my love for it – and for them – is real.

A few months ago, I was getting ready for work and noticed that I had on head-to-toe Lands’ End clothing (which now that I think about it, happens a lot!). It crossed my mind that Lands’ End might not be the first place women think to look for professional wear, so I’ve made it my mission to change that! For the next few weeks, I’m going to be writing about the quality, value, and – most of all – versatility of Lands’ End clothing.

The key word in the last sentence was versatility. I rarely buy clothes that won’t serve a number of purposes, and when I’m shopping, I’m always thinking about how I could pair different pieces or accessories together to make things work for work, evenings, weekends, whatever. My clothes are like me – they need to multitask!

For you WOHMs out there, let me ask you – how often do you leave work and head directly home? If you’re like me, you’re often heading straight from the office to basketball practice, swim meets, piano lessons, etc., and usually I don’t want to wear exactly what I wore to work. (Read: I want to get comfortable!) Lands’ End makes it easy to switch out a few things and be ready to go.

Here’s an outfit I tried out recently that is perfect for going straight from work to kids’ activities (or a night out with the girls… we can dream, right?).

First of all – the staple piece: the Women’s Regular Cotton Rib Waist Cardigan Sweater.

I love this sweater – it is so cozy, and the front closures give it a more tailored, fitted look. The Women’s Woven Tab Belt is flexible and comfortable, and adds a polished look to the cardigan.

The white top in the picture above looks great, but I wanted to try something a little different. Did you know flannel is back in style? I’m sure I’m late to this party but let me tell you – I could not be happier about this trend. I’d estimate that I spent 83% of my high school years swathed in some sort of flannel.

Not a good look, my friends.

Thankfully, though, the huge, baggy, grunge-era shirts are not making a comeback (yet). Instead, we can get the same comforting feeling while looking great in the Flannel Ruffle Popover Shirt.

So, I paired that sweater, shirt and belt with the new Lands’ End Boot-cut Chino Pants in steel gray, and had a great outfit for work.

Let’s chat for a moment about the new chinos, shall we?

O.M.G. people, I love these things. LOVE THEM. The boot-cut version I have is Fit 1, which is a more modern fit that sits below the waist. They’re tapered to the knee and then have a slight flare. They look great and they are so comfortable. They also come in khaki, black and French walnut, and I am considering ordering three pairs in each color. They are that wonderful.

And did I mention Lands’ End will hem them for free? They’ll arrive the perfect length and ready to wear.

So – sweater, belt, blouse, chinos – all set for a day at work. Running to your kids’ play practice as soon as you get home? Un-belt/buckle the sweater, swap out the blouse for a Lightweight Cotton Modal Crew Top (I highly recommend them, I have 10 of them myself)…

And you’re ready to go!

Of course, you could change out of the chinos into your favorite jeans or leggings, but they are so comfortable you don’t need to. They are spectacular, people.

Lands’ End is my first choice for clothing for the office or wherever I’m going!

Help me plan for future posts – what are your wardrobe challenges?

P.S. If you haven’t entered Jenny’s latest Lands’ End Starfish Collection giveaway, now’s the time!

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Lands’ End provided me with the above outfit so I could check it out properly!