What I Wore to Work: Pattern

(I'm a bit behind posting on this challenge, but this blog is primarily for my own amusement and self-reflection, so I'm just going to post anyway.) For the third week of my February challenge, I focused on incorporating pattern into my work outfits. On the whole, I really like how these outfits turned out. Forcing myself to wear at least one pattered item every day helped me to see that while I sometimes felt out of sorts with lots of pattern (c.f. Monday) incorporating some subtle patterns could make my outfits interesting without sacrificing my own sense of style.

Monday

 skirt: Target | blouse: J.Crew Factory | cardigan: Target | tights: ?? | boots: Ralph Lauren via DSW | necklace: gift | earrings: Dina Varano

During the whole day I felt terribly out of sorts in this outfit. I knew I was going for pattern, so I went for it. Looking at this photo, though, it wasn't that bad. I did follow the cardinal rule of pattern mixing -- keep it all in one palette -- so it's not too outlandish, though on that somewhat uncomfortable I decided that I'd keep my patterns on subtle side the rest of the week.

Tuesday

 turtleneck: Land's End | scarf: LOFT | trousers: Ann Taylor via consignment | boots: Ralph Lauren

Ah, that's more like it! This is a pretty standard outfit for me, but the stripes are a nice touch and even though you can't really tell there's a big pattern on the scarf (two poppy-colored circles on a blush background with a black border). 

Wednesday

 blouse: Ann Taylor Factory | sweater: Ann Taylor Factory | trousers: Michael Kors via Marshalls | shoes: Nine West

Another subtle incorporation of prints for a bit of visual interest in what could be a pretty one-note outfit. I like mixing black and navy; the layering this outfit makes that combination seem more "I planned this" and less "I got dressed in the dark."

Thursday

 dress: Banana Republic Factory | tights: J.Crew | shoes: Franco Sarto via DSW | earrings: gift

So this pattern isn't exactly subtle, but this dress never lets me down. The cut is flattering, the fabric is comfortable, and the print is big and bold without being de trop. In the spirit of "pattern week," I wore it with my leopard print shoes for the first time and quite liked the result.

Friday

 blouse: J.Crew Factory | sweater: Target | trousers: JCP via consignment | shoes: Banana Republic

Same top as on Monday, but it doesn't have to compete with other patterns in this look. This outfit feels very much in line with where my style is headed with its black/white/camel/red color palette, simple shapes, and a bit of visual interest from the color and pattern without going overboard.

What I learned...
I like pattern. I like basics (turtleneck, button-up) with simple patterns (stripes, dots) to mix with my solids and I like big fancy patterns on statement pieces. I like subtle pattern mixing, but combinations that are too bold make me a little nervous. I especially like the way that patterns prevent outfits from looking stark or severe, something I worry about given my proclivity to dark colors and solids. I'm going to continue to add patterned pieces to my wardrobe and to mix them into my outfits.