Wide striped sweater dresses have the tendency to read “I’m in high school and I want to wear a dress, but not really dress, so this striped sweater frock is my happy medium- worn with my rebellious and beat up jean jacket and my black chucks.” While that look is great for weekend exploration, it’s awkward and bizarre for an adult in her early 30s who needs to look super important and inspiring during her next business meeting.
So if the jean jacket and chucks look isn’t appropriate for your office, how do you dress up this collegiate staple? It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3- because people like things in 3s and so do search engines. I really want to start singing school house rock, but does anyone even remember school house rock anymore?
Add a Contrasting Pattern
Add a little sass to those stripes by pairing the dress with a fun patterned scarf. For this look I used a similar colored plaid scarf that I picked up from the dollar spot at Target. The dollar spot is my special fashion magic place. For some reason there is always something special nested in those little wire metal bins, and this scarf was definitely a mega steal.
Bust Out Those Heels
Or in my case wedges, because wedges are less of the foot devil than a stiletto… and more of a sex kitten surprise than a ballet flat. They are the middle ground of business shoes. They manage to capture both sex appeal and foot pain prevention in one sassy leather foot casing. Truthfully speaking, heels elevate the look and add a nice visual dissonance. The key fashion is to create contrast and to make to unexpected things work. A good pair of heels with an athletic striped dress is that little bit of contrast and intrigue that just works.
Rock Rosy Cheeks and Red Lips
Making this look sing really takes only a little bit of extra prep commitment. To show that this is not just another casual striped dress, top the dress with some bright lipstick. Be Bold. The addition of a little painted pucker is what makes this style. It’s like you approached the dress and never saw it as anything else than an adult, business lady, sexy yet work appropriate outfit. The lipstick wasn’t a need- it was a natural reaction to how boss lady fantastic you look.
Shop this look
Ready to throw away those varsity blues, step away from a where’s waldo costume gone bad, and join the ranks of ladies who rock dem rows like queens? Here’s where you can get the items featured in this look.
- Striped sweater dress: Forever 21-
- Scarf: Target Dollar Spot ( in-store only)
- Wedges: Cole Hann last season, but I like this alternative
- Red Lip: Loc matte lip pencil in “Wildest Dreams”
