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In honor of the upcoming holidays, I needed to go out and find an outfit I can wear to my holiday party. I didn’t find one, but I did find a great blouse unexpectedly from H&M. I had been to Banana Republic, one of my favorite stores to look for something work appropriate and pretty. Unfortunately, it was not to be. I did find some cute items, but not what I was looking for. Read on for a look at what I tried on and why went home with just one item of clothing…
As you can see from the picture above, I had a few shirts to try on, a dress and a skirt. I chose the polka dot shirt because, it’s polka dot. Hello. Who doesn’t love a polka dot pink top? It’s hard to discern the color of the clothing, but it’s dressing room lighting. You’d think by now they could give us some better lighting, right?
I also tried on this white fuzzy sweater. This was so very soft and very very hot. I always run a bit warmer than most other women, so this piece of clothing wasn’t for me. I would recommend it to women who freeze in their offices and wish they had a heater under their desk. Or even for the women who do have that heater under the desk! This will keep you toasty warm. Below I paired it with the black skirt. Unfortunately, you can’t tell that the pockets of the skirt are scalloped. That’s the entire reason I tried it on. I liked the skirt, but I wasn’t in love with it.
Next up was the dress. Oof. I should have gone for it in a bigger size. I don’t like the pooch around my tummy. Even if I wear Spanx or something, I don’t think I’d like it. And the color wasn’t doing much for me. If it had been in black, I might have liked it more. I did like the sleeves, the detail was different from most sleeves I’ve seen lately. The fact that the dress had pockets was also a major plus. Who doesn’t love a good pocket?
Here’s the polka dot shirt. It’s cute enough, but again, not cute enough to make me want to buy it. I’m just a very picky person, and my sister is more the ruffle gal, not me! 
Next up was the shirt I liked. It’s a lovely blue and these pictures don’t do it justice. The weight of the shirt is perfect, it’s silky, and perfect for work. I’m putting it on my Christmas list. Remember, I was out looking for an outfit that was appropriate for a work holiday party. This blouse felt more like everyday attire. It also had detailed cuffs.
Unsatisfied with the clothing choices at Banana, I went across the way to H&M. Yes, it’s cheaper and fast fashion, but sometimes that’s needed. I chose a number of different items, some of which were so hilarious and didn’t even fit, so I didn’t bother to take pictures of them. Here are the ones that I liked enough to capture.
This dress is navy blue. A dress might be a good idea for my holiday party, but not this one. It looks all prim and proper — almost Amish-like in the front, but…
Party in the back. Yup, just like a mullet. This dress would be perfect for someone who has less of a chest than I do. I don’t know how you’d manage a bra, I mean, that looks terrible in the picture above. I would try one of those “bra’s” you tape to your body, but I don’t think that would be enough to keep my girls up. Next!
This outfit was interesting. I paired the softest black turtleneck with this long skirt. I usually hate turtlenecks because they are too tight on my throat. This one was just right – not too tight, but also not too loose – it’s not a cowl neck. I wouldn’t get the skirt, though, it was very scratchy. I thought maybe putting tights under it would help, but I was worried that the skirt would snag the tights. That one was out too.
Keeping the turtleneck on, I paired it with a skirt I would never, ever pick up. I’m still not sure what convinced me to bring it to the fitting room, but I’m glad I did. I can’t find it on the H&M website, but this dress is very similar. I ended up not getting this skirt because it was just too long for me and felt a little too Grace Kelly for me.
Now, for the best of all. As I’ve said before, I’m not a fan of ruffles. It’s just not me. For some reason I picked up this blouse to try on.
See that smile? I love this top! I bought it. It’s not me, but for some reason I was drawn to it. It was only $29.99 which also spoke to my wallet. It looks like it could be designer, perhaps from Milly or Rebecca Taylor since it’s rather girly. I’m embracing my girly side now. It’s lightweight, especially for a long sleeved shirt. I even like the way it looks with my jeans. It will look great with a black pencil skirt or black cigarette pants, too. There are a number of different looks I can make with this blouse.
I didn’t end up finding an outfit for my work party, but I still have time. Rest assured, there will be a blog post when I find the right one. What do you guys think of the blouse I bought? Would you have bought any of the other items? If so, why?
