Back to work-a-day outfits

Wednesday, Jan. 2

• Black and cream herringbone wide-legged wool trousers from Anthropologie a few years ago - the only thing I have ever paid full price for at Anthro, but they have been my mainstay worky-but-quirky pants for three winters now. The left leg has sky blue piping down the side seam, and the waistband is made of cotton printed with circles and swirls in turquiose, green, yellow, pink, orange and cream on black. The front half-moon pockets (so the lining is visible) are lined in cotton with the same colorway but different pattern. Even the most conservatively dressed women I've worked with want to know where I got them;
• Sky blue, fine gauge, merino sweater with drapey, baby-cable knit turtleneck from Talbots. This was a gift about four years ago from my Grandmother-in-law, who is very Talbots while I am not, but I liked the color, it is warm but dressy, so I decided to work with it. It is neither body-skimming nor slouchy, but an indeterminate boxy shape that frumpifies me no matter how svelte I'm feeling otherwise, so I tend to wear it under a jacket for warmth and a pop of color;
• Vintage late 50's/early 60's wool jacket, boxy but with intent, collarless, straight 3/4 sleeves, in a divine sulphur yellow (you need a turtleneck or scarf to keep it from direct contact with your face, as the color can drain even my olive complexion to a pallor), with three saucer-like beige plastic buttons. This jacket was purchased in a set on EBay, that includes a full skirt and a slim, self-buckled belt in the sulphur wool, and a cream silk twill sheath printed with pink, teal and blue butterflies (the same silk lines the jacket) - you see, this was a spring wool! - which always remind me of my grandmother, the origianl GlamaRuth, whose signature motif was butterflies;
• Flat black Reiker ankle boots, recently re-discovered from storage, chic again and supremely comfortable;
• No jewelry. That jacket stands alone.

Thursday, Jan. 3

• This was a clean-up day at work, which meant we could go casual (an odd notion in an office that has no dress code but common sense, and clothing runs the gamut from suits to jeans depending on the person and what sort of meetings they have that day).
• Grey Mossimo for Target skinny jeans;
• Ochre American Apparel camisole (grey and yellow, in all of their various shades, is one of my favorite color combos)
• Robin's egg blue, slouchy, v-neck cashmere sweater, one of two (the other is slimmer and charcoal) I have from my aunt that she purchased in London in the 70's, and one of the best aruments for spending more on quality rather than succumbing to fast-fix fashion.
• Cream crocheted lace socks from sockdreams.com (I think they're called Zurich trouser socks),
• Rubber-soled pumpkin orange ballet flats (bound in orange and cream twill) from Royal Elastics;
• Wide silver ring belonging to my husband's great aunt, with a silver heart dangling from a rivet in the center;
• Self-made ammonite necklace hung from copper leather cord with 40's brass jewelry chain.