I know it is spring and I should probably be posting lots of florals and pastels as most style bloggers are, but I always have been one to march to the beat of my own fashion drum so the springy prints are coming, but not just yet. I found a gorgeous belt while thrifting and I wanted to create an outfit around it that was dramatic and high glam, yet very affordable. The jumping board for this look was this photo on Pinterest.

In fashion, you can never go wrong with black. It’s slimming and looks great with anything you put with it. For a luxe look, black and gold exude glam, the accessories are what make this outfit stand out. There were several ways I could go with the styling, copying the inspiration, how I would style it without the blazer, and just one just for fun.

The inspiration outfit is an easy look to copy, a long belted blazer with a formal/flashy skirt. I love mixing styles like this. Belting blazers is not a new thing, doing it with longer or chunkier jackets is a really cute trend. Try to choose a belt width that does not cover the pockets for a more tailored look.

To keep it affordable, I thrifted all the pieces except for the ruffled shirt which I purchased from Amazon last year, the black gold-tipped boots which were also purchased last year from NBC for $19, and the black aviator-style sunglasses were from a discount store in the mall where everything is $8 or less.

As I love to show, great style does not have to be expensive, especially when you purchase well-made pieces that you can wear for decades, like this Ann Taylor double-breasted blazer I have had for over 20 years, it’s a timeless thrifted treasure that will never go out of my style. If you don’t own a black blazer, it’s a must have closet staple. You can thrift them easily for $5-10 and it will go with so many things. The $3 black and gold vintage Russini tie, and the quilted designer purse were great thrifted finds I have had for years. The Aldo strappy heels were like new and a great $14.99 score. The jeweled belt is one of my new favorite purchases at $4.49, the skirts came in at $3.99 each, one a beautiful lace mermaid style and one with tulle tiers. Not feathers like the photo, but I will be on the lookout for one of those for sure lol.

It’s that time of year when it may be too warm to wear a blazer all day. This is an easy fix by just transferring the belt to the skirt.

I adore ties and love how they can bring in a dash of color. Wearing a tie on a high neck ruffle shirt, and tucking it into a belt, is not something you see often, which is my favorite type of style trick lol. The stripe pattern in the tie gave the solid black top a little gold pop when paired with the jeweled belt.

The masculine tie (and double breasted jacket) is softened by the ruffles on the shirt, which add a feminine compliment to the ruffle of the mermaid skirt

Normally, I would go with a bold color in the shoe and accessories, but I wanted to tone down the formality of the skirt with a more monochromatic look so the gold would be the focus. The gold buckles on the shoes are now noticeable since the gold accents are all pulling together.

Here you can see the side and the back of this adorable skirt. There are so many things to wear with such a flattering cut, I am sure you will see it again in the future.

Don’t be afraid to take “formal” pieces and incorporate them into office wear, favorite pieces are meant to be worn, don’t wait for a special occasion, just wear it, the fashion police will get over it I promise lol.

The aviator sunglasses are typically for a more casual outfit, which helps to tone down the look to make it seem less formal. The purse fits right in with the gold chain and emblem detail

A plain belt, no tie, and a less obvious shoe would tone this down even further, but since I like dramatic outfits I would wear this to the office as is without hesitation. This would be a great outfit for office to evening plans.

Just changing the shoes and into the tiered skirt gives the blazer another look, a Stevie Knicks formal Gyspy look lol. The inspo skirt is similar as it is tiered and full. I honestly prefer the mermaid skirt look but depending on the occasion the tulle skirt works too. That’s the great thing about black pieces, you can mix and match them so many ways.

Blessings,

Eden