Dots on Dots

polkadotsandmint_1 In the spirit of full disclosure, and as a follow-up to my post earlier this week, I think it's important to note that I shot this outfit a couple of weeks ago with every intention of sharing it the same week, and well... that didn't happen. I have a section on my calendar dedicated to scheduling blog content, and this particular post has been shifted on that calendar probably at least five times. Serious blogging fail.

In the same vein, I'd like to say that save for a couple of events and meetings I've had in the past couple of weeks, it's been awhile since I've felt put together or particularly stylish. So at the moment, it would be safe to consider this more of an "aspirational style post" than a clear representation of what I've been wearing on a daily basis.

We got the keys to our new apartment last week and though the big move is tomorrow (!), we've started moving a few things over to make the process a little easier. So half of my closet is already at the new place, with no particular attention paid to what lives where - I'm not totally sure where my head was at when I decided to do that split. Couple that with the fact that life has been exceptionally busy, and because I work from home for the most part, it's pretty easy to fall back on my uniform of boyfriend jeans and a tee, and not always in a particularly "cute" way. We're talking function and comfort over fashion, and it's not really something I'm proud of.

Through this process of purging in preparation for the move and also taking a bit of a break from my own personal styling, I've really started to pay attention to those pieces in my closet that I reach for time and time again, the pieces that define my personal style. Midi skirts are one such item, leaving me feeling pretty and feminine thanks to the flattering, ladylike silhouette, a pop of colour or print is usually part of the equation, and I usually top it all off with a dash of sparkle and add a little edge with a leather jacket or strappy black flats. I'm all about those details and an unexpected twist.

This outfit has all the elements, and as someone who's aesthetic tends to include a mix of clean black and white design elements with a hint of the more whimsical, I love the bold, contrasting polka dots with the pastel mint jacket that's also a nod to the 60s. And statement earrings. Nothing tops off an outfit like a good piece of statement jewellery. If you need more proof, I loved this post over on the J.Crew blog.