It started with a pair of shoes… A pair of high-heeled caged shoes in a blush color to be exact. I spotted these high heels by INC International Concepts at Macy’s last week and was overcome with that special tingly shoe feeling — you know, the one where you know you have to get a particular pair of shoes in your life.
INC International Concepts Rammee High Heel Sandal, $109
But I’m getting a little ahead of myself… This story actually starts a month ago. I woke up one morning, opened my closet doors to pick out my clothes for the day, and realized that everything I own is gray or black. Not that there’s anything wrong with those colors. Black is always chic, and gray effectively hides the tabby cat fur. But I came to the realization that I just don’t want to be clad in black and gray from head to toe right now.
Spring is coming, and I feel like bright colors! Like a blooming garden with flowers all over the place and rainbows and a teal pegasus soaring across the sky. It’s time to update my clothing garden/game and I’ve been looking for floral pieces that both match these shoes and also work with things I already have in my closet.
What do you think of this floral peplum jacket?
Macy’s INC International Concepts Floral-Print Peplum Scuba Jacket, $99.50
A silver zipper adds some edge.
A closeup of the peplum!
I love the different shades of pink and how they vary from soft blush to intense hot pink. I think the peplum also gives it a very ladylike sweetness, while the zipper gives it a bit of an edge. It’s also pretty versatile. I dressed it down here with a pair of ripped boyfriend jeans and a white tee, but I think it would also look super cute with a gray pencil skirt, or perhaps on top of a white flowing dress… Or maybe with a pair of mint green skinnies, because there is a little mint green in the pattern.
I’m affectionately referring to these tapered printed soft pants as my Blanche Devereaux pants because, hello! — Blanche would have totally rocked these in the Golden Girls era, and they still look good. They’re like an updated version. They’ve got that draping, hugs-your-curves-in-all-the-right-ways vibe to ‘em.
Macy’s INC International Concepts Tapered Printed Soft Pants, $69.50
Drawstring details…
A closer look at the print.
I really like this print because it goes with most of the black pieces in my closet. It’s may be not quite as sweet as the peplum jacket is, but I can play off the black in the print and pair it with a black top and/or my black leather jacket.
Here I’m wearing the shoes again, but I think it would also look cute with a pair of black high heels.
Pink and gray — my two favorite colors when I was in fourth grade, and they’re still one of my favorite color combos now, which is why I was drawn to this floral-print pencil skirt. I kept it casual, pairing it with a hot pink tee and a slouchy gray cardigan.
Macy’s INC International Concepts Floral-Print Pencil Skirt, $79.50
Another look at the details on the cage shoes.
The shoes and skirt!
One of the great things about florals is that they’re easy to dress up or down, and even if you feel like they might be too loud for you, you can always ground them with a darker top or bottom. Most importantly, starting with a floral print moves you in some way, like, when you see it, you think, “Oh! I like that combo,” or, “I like that pattern.”
You just have to find something that speaks to you (or whispers) and then just think about how it would work with some of the pieces in your closet. Do you have a black T-shirt that would go with it? Or a white one? Florals might seem limiting sometimes, but they’re not. The possibilities are endlessly blooming.
The floral pieces I’m wearing here are available now from Macy’s INC International Concepts.
Sponsored by Macy’s