Happy Monday my loyal blogger fam, I hope you are all doing well and you had a fantastic weekend. I know it has been a while since my last post but my life has been pretty crazy this month and combined with my current cold that just won’t go away I have had a lot on my plate. Unfortunately I had to prioritize other things but I am back and things should be ramping up again next month. As always, thank you for your patience and love on this journey of mine.
For today’s post I have partnered with Catherines to share some trends for fall and a few of my favourite pieces from their new arrivals. They have so many great new arrivals that it was definitely hard to choose just one look! And while I am typically not a huge lover of the fall transition period because the heat is just too much for me, when I walked out the door this morning I definitely enjoyed feeling the cool crisp air and am looking forward to pulling out some more fall looks.
I am really excited about many of this fall’s trends and Catherines definitely has you covered. Whether you are looking for warm fall florals, monochromatic looks, rich vibrant blues, textures, patterns and layers or luxury fabrics, there is definitely something for everyone. I chose this look because I wanted to showcase something that was versatile and could be worn to the office or for play, just by changing out some accessories. This post features the office version of this look, if you want to see the play version you will have to make sure you watch my Instagram account for the reveal.
This post is also a symbolic one for me because I am about to start a new journey. I have been hinting at some big life change on Instagram and I can finally share that I quit my job and accepted a new position with a different firm! This was an extremely hard decision for me as I wasn’t looking to switch firms but I was approached by a number of head hunters this summer and it was like it was a sign that it was time to do something different. I was raised with a traditional baby boomer mentality in that you stay with one employer for as long as possible and loyalty is everything. As a result I have never really learned to put myself first. But when you are surrounded with a team full of millennial’s like I am who see things totally different you start to question your beliefs. It wasn’t about being unhappy or being treated poorly but it was about taking advantage of a better and different opportunity.
I also think as women we have a natural tendency to not be as aggressive when it comes to our careers. And to be honest, I never considered myself to be like that until I did some serious self reflection. The guilt I had over leaving was something I really struggled with and it wasn’t until a couple of my closet friends pointed out that there was nothing to feel guilty about that I was able to let it go. I encourage all of you to embrace new things when it comes to fashion but I want to encourage you to do the same in all aspects of your life. I really looking forward to this next phase of my career and I am proud for taking a chance on me.
One thing that is very exciting about my new position is that I am going back to a more business casual work environment. I did some soul searching while I was going through this process and I realized that I have let my style go at the office. I really struggled to dress for a more conservative environment and as a result I kind of just gave up. I stopped wearing accessories, I kept to a core group of outfits that were appropriate and my hair has lived in a bun for months. I promised myself that for the new job I am going to put more effort into my office style again. This outfit was one of the first looks that I styled with my renewed purpose for feeling and looking good.
A dress is my go to piece to wear on any given day because it is such a simple way to look put together with minimal effort. I was immediately drawn to this dress because of the bold vibrant print that has an ethnic vibe to it. The warm rich colours scream fall and I loved that it brought more tans and browns to the look than what I would normally choose. I love the look of a wrap dress because it accentuates my waist and creates a great shape from head to toe. But I have to be honest and say I really do love a faux wrap dress even more. You get the look without the pain of having to tie it properly etc.
The midi length and the 3/4 sleeves are perfect choices for me, particularly for fall. And I really love the slit cuff like detail on the sleeves. It provides visual interest and is also practical if you ever worry about the arm being too tight. I am wearing a 4x in this dress which is a 30/32. I wasn’t sure how much of a straight cut it would be so I purposely sized up but I could have definitely gone with the 3x. If you are an apple shape I would definitely recommend sticking to your normal size or consider sizing down.
With the cooler weather I definitely love to layer looks so that I can be ready for any changes in temperature. I decided to go for a more casual alternative to your traditional blazer with this suede jacket in this light taupe colour. This jacket is super lightweight so it doesn’t add any extra bulk and it has a classic shape with clean lines and an open colour. The neutral colour doesn’t compete with the bold print of the dress.
I like pieces that are stylish and practical. So when I saw that this jacket had knit side panels I knew it was a winner. The knit side panels allow the jacket to have some give and that provides you with a better fit. And the fact that they are on the side makes it pretty inconspicuous from an aesthetic perspective. The sleeves were a little long which is a pretty common problem for me but I just rolled them up which just gives it a little more casual vibe. I would also just push them up as another alternative.
I got the 5x in this jacket which is a 34/36. I do find that Catherines sizes tend to run small for me in general because of my waist hip differential and in comparison to other brands so I will often size up. With jackets I am always concerned about my hips so I definitely did so here. But surprisingly this jacket was actually quite generous, I had more than enough room to do it up with ease so ideally I would have gotten the 4x. But now I will be able to layer a bulky sweater underneath it.
To keep the entire look on the more business casual side I paired it with these light grey booties that are also from Catherines. Don’t be afraid to mix your neutrals! I am wearing the size 9W in these and I was super impressed with the fit. And can you see that cushion in the heel bed? It is honestly so comfortable, I couldn’t believe how much walking I could do in these given my knee issues. And they are easy to get on and off which is an added bonus in my books. To accessorize I chose this metallic bracelets from Catherines, statement earrings from my collection in teal and my classic burgundy Coach satchel.
Well I officially have my first fall look on the books and I am super excited to use it as a jumping off point for my new career adventure. Catherines is definitely one of my top recommendations for finding great work options that are fun, practical and trendy. But above all I will always appreciate their commitment to offering a true extended size range. And don’t forget to stay tuned to see how I take this dress to the perfect casual look!
This post was sponsored in partnership with Catherines but all opinions are my own. There are also some affiliate links in this post which I may earn a small commission from. They help me maintain my blog and social media accounts so I can continue to provide you with quality content.
Special thanks to Rebecca of Rebecca Northcott Photography for capturing these images and bringing my vision to life.
Dress by CATHERINES | Jacket by CATHERINES | Booties by CATHERINES | Bracelets by CATHERINES | Earrings by LANE BRYANT (alternative here) | Bag by COACH (alternative here) |
