Workwear: Double-breasted top and black pants

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Whether you leave the house to go to work or not, we all have need of a professionally styled outfit at times, right? And pieces that do double-duty–like this double-breasted top–work for both professional and casual occasions.

I love blazers as much as the next person. I wore them a lot in my professional career as that was the standard in my job. I still wear them for professional meetings, etc., but tend to style them now with denim and colored jeans. So when I find an alternative that still looks businesslike, I’m all in. And this double-breasted top that came in a recent Trunk Club was too good to pass up.

The double-breasted top

Tops like this are such a classic. And being a classic style means you can wear it for years to come. The neutral colors in the pattern–grey, black, and tan–on an ivory background make it easy to style many ways. For this outfit, I kept it classic for a clean professional look.

double breasted top and black pants

Double-breasted top

The pattern, described as a “foulard,” is a small-scale pattern with geometric shapes in a repeated pattern. It is traditionally used in classic or tailored pieces. And I think that describes this top perfectly.
double breasted top and black pants
The beauty of a top like this is that it can take the place of a blazer. When the Autumn weather is still warm it can be challenging to wear a blouse and blazer combination and still keep cool. So for me, it was the perfect top to wear in my work with a local high school. I wanted to look professional but sometimes the “suits,” as administrators are sometimes called, can be seen as intimidating. This top was the perfect compromise.
double breasted top and black pants
Now, classic doesn’t have to mean boring. This top would look equally amazing with jeans or a denim skirt and over-the-knee boots, don’t you think? Or black jeans and booties, of course.

The double-breasted top outfit

For the rest of the outfit, I also kept it simple. Black slacks are so safe and so flattering. The trick is to find the best fitting black pants you can find and buy more than one pair. Like black jeans or even blue jeans, black slacks are a wardrobe essential. If you have to pay a little more to find a pair that fits well, splurge and pick them up. This is one of the basic pieces that you should expect to pay a bit more for as you will definitely get your money’s worth.
The slacks I am styling here are from Talbots and are several years old. They are a    knit that they are still making and you can find them here. Talbots was often my go-to shop for work clothing and definitely for slacks as they carry sized that fit, from petite to plus.
Finally, the shoes must be comfortable to stand on your feet all day. But stylish enough to look professional. These suede slingbacks are low enough for comfort, but stylish enough for your work environment. They come in six colors, including navy, which can be hard to find.
The bag is an absolutely gorgeous blush pink leather by ALL SAINTS. It’s quite pricey, but if you like leather bags, you might like this one. The color is beautiful and serves as a neutral.
Simple jewelry completed the professional look. A cute necklace doubled and gold hoops were enough in the jewelry department and complemented to gold buttons on the top.

The final touch–the drape jacket

My Trunk Club stylist also included this draped jacket. When I felt the soft fabric, I was hooked! It is a gorgeous fabric that looks like suede but is so soft and cuddly, I just had to have it.
double breasted top and black pants
In the online store, it received rave reviews. The jacket comes in three colors and is perfect for fall.
double breasted top and black pants
I hope this post has inspired you to try something different besides your blazer outfit. This double-breasted top is the perfect alternative!
Thanks for stopping by today. Wishing you a wonderful day!

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Darlene

      October 2, 2018 at 9:06 am

      Hi Nancy,
      Yes, it’s traditional, yet fun, isn’t it? Such a great alternative to a heavy jacket or blazer. I love to hear your comments since you are such a fashionista yourself!

      xx Darlene

      Reply

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