For this outfit I wanted to create a shapely 1950's silhouette, but this cropped cardigan doesn't fit quite tightly enough by itself for me to get the shape I wanted. However, when I added the wide elastic belt I was able to pinch the excess volume together at the back and give the cardigan that trim, fitted look I was going for. This cardigan also looks adorable when buttoned only at the neck and allowed to drape open, but that's a completely different shape for a different outfit. I like how the busy print of the dress sort of downplays all the fancy jeweled detailing at the top of the cardigan. Again, this could look completely different if I paired it with a simple black dress and really let the sparkly accents be the star. Here I've made it into a more casual look by pairing the gray cardigan with other neutrals and allowing it to get lost among the pattern, but I could easily go in a dressier direction if I created more contrast and used only solids instead of that busy print.
Incidentally, this was the office version of the outfit I posted yesterday; as you can see, only the tights, socks and boots carried forward into the evening ensemble. Sometimes I'll create a daytime outfit specifically meant to transition straight into evening, but often by the time I get home from work I'm really ready to put something else on, no matter how comfortable or cute my daytime outfit might be. Anyway, every good show needs at least one costume change!
Cardigan: a gift from my auntDress: All Saints
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Socks: Sock Dreams
Boots: Bronx