Everyday, I see hundreds of ladies travelling to work, wearing outfits that could very well be call the "uniform" of the working population in India. A shirt and trousers is what qualifies as formal wear, leaving little room for a woman to indulge in her feminine side.Blame it on the Valentine's day paraphernalia around, I seem to be putting together increasingly feminine outfits recently and today's outfit is just a little nod in the direction of what office wear should be. You don't need to sacrifice your femininity in order to look chic and put together. Haven't you seen those fabulous ladies on Suits that define power dressing? Well, I'm nowhere near close to them in any respect, but I still feel this is an outfit that would work well in many situations. A bright skirt, simple top and minimal accessories with pulled back hair make it a look you can replicate with most of the things you have in your wardrobe.
Frilled Top: Rs. 250, Quikr
Ribbed Skirt: Rs. 490, Forever 21
Nude Pumps: Rs. 600, Hill Road, Bandra
Bag: Gift from Cousin
Earrings: Rs. 500, Ethnic Store in Malad
Total Outfit Cost: Rs. 1840, which is about £18.
Photo Credits: Sneha Mahimane Photography
Also, in case the pictures above weren't proof enough, I've finally got a photographer!! Her name is Sneha Mahimane and she's an absolute delight and can you believe it, she found me through the blog!! I love how this blog has helped me make new friends and I'm truly grateful for every single person who helps make it better everyday. Talking about the shoot, she was amazing to shoot with and while I'm still extremely camera shy and end up making the most ridiculous faces, she was patient enough to tolerate all this till we managed to get some rather nice shots! You have to check out her page and follow her for more pretty pictures!!
Tips to wear Ruffles/Frills to work:
- Ruffles are extremely distinct and feminine by nature, so if your clothing item has loud ruffles, try to pair it with a more severe piece to make it more work appropriate.
- Don't wear something that has big ruffles all over to avoid the you know, cupacke with icing look.
- Pair a structured pair of trousers (or a skirt like the one in this post) with a ruffled top to get a balanced look
- Keep the accessories minimal, this applies to most office outfits as you don't want to be distracted by jingling pieces while working.
- If you are uncomfortable with wearing ruffles, wear a blazer with the top to add structure to your look.
- Wearing a ruffled skirt to work is fine, but only if you manage to pair it with the right pieces, so as to avoid the tiered wedding cake look. Be careful, if the skirt has big ruffles, then the look can descend into juvenile very quickly. Its better to stick with a little but of ruffle at the end or small accents.
- Finally, don't be afraid to experiment! You may need a few tries to find the perfect piece that balances work and off duty! Till then, keep trying!!
