Something Borrowed

Welcome to When Off Duty. We love fashion, but we're in our mid-20s and chose to follow our passions career-wise, so we can't afford what we see in the pages of Vogue and Lucky (yet). Because we are on a budget, we invest in classic staple pieces and get creative with the rest. In our inaugural post (yay!), we are showcasing how to re-purpose different items in your wardrobe.

Here, J is wearing an over-sized men's shirt from Goodwill as a dress. We love menswear as a trend, but because wearing shirts as dresses makes for a short hemline (shocker!), make sure to get a big size to avoid looking like, well, a harlot. J is also wearing a fitted leather jacket--one of her staples--to add structure to the look. The popped collar, while criticized by many as a relic of preppy days past, also elevates the style. Without it, she would look like a confused Puritan. Finally, a must for pulling off this look is the high boot due to the receding hemline of the dress/shirt (but keep those over-the-knee black stiletto boots in the hotel room with Richard Gere...for now).  On a hot summer day, try substituting a mid-calf gladiator sandal. For accessories, a feminine statement necklace is a must.

C is wearing a souvenir scarf bought from a street vendor in Paris a couple years back (and yes, we realize how incredibly pretentious that sounds. I studied abroad, ok?). With a strapless look like this, the shoulder blades and clavicles are a focal point, so wear your hair up in a chignon (again, pretentious. We're aware. Sorry not sorry). Even though the top is busy, mixing delicate patterns makes things interesting. We love these polka dot fancy pants, but let's be real...we love ALL fancy pants. So much. You'll get sick of them. You could also pair this busy top with jeans or a solid color fancy pant (navy--basic, black--getting there, cobalt--bold). These peep toe nude heels add a neutral retro vibe that makes C feel like Audrey Hepburn riding through the streets of Paris on a Vespa...which J says is 'basic' but LET ME LIVE! Anyway, stay minimal with those accessories because the patterns are very busy, honey.

On J:
Dress: Man's shirt from Goodwill
Jacket: Forever 21
Necklace: Anthropologie
Boots: Forever 21
Shades and Earrings: Banana Republic

On C:
Top: Scarf from Paris
Pants: Banana Republic
Heels: Michael Kors
Earrings: Kate Spade

Keep it classy,

J & C


Burning questions? Fashion advice? Lonely on a Friday night? Email us at whenoffduty@gmail.com.