I adore the look of 50’s and 60’s plastic and glass beaded necklaces. This style of vintage jewelry appeals to me in fun colours like turquoise, red, green and yellow, but white really speaks to me too.

This type of jewelry aesthetic adds a great casual sense of humour to an outfit, whereas pearls, which have a vintage flavor too, feel a lot stricter and dressier. Pearls are a lot more buttoned-up. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons I’m so fond of wearing pearls since I’m in tune with my serious and strict side.

Vintage white beaded necklaces can be your fun, carefree and casual alternative to pearls. Imagine them with breezy Summer dresses and bold patterned tops. Very fab.

Etsy has a wonderful assortment that’s cheap as chips. There are long and short strands, single and double strands, and a good variety of bead sizes too.

Yesterday I mentioned that I like my denim shirt best when it’s matched with dressy items, like a dressy skirt. To quote one of our readers: “I like the sound of the flop-proof casual outfits, but it’s the contrast between dressier items and the denim shirt that makes my heart beat faster”. My sentiments exactly.

As a humble salute to the incomparable Audrey, I’ve taken one of the dressiest items in my closet and paired it with a denim shirt. How’s THAT for dressing down a formal item of clothing.

My vintage inspired ball gown has a fitted bodice and tulle skirt lining so the only way that I could make the pairing work was by knotting the the front ends of the denim shirt and scrunching the sleeves in true retro 50’s style. I add a vintage handbag, black fishnets and the usual classic pile of pearls. But I kept on my modern specs and watch, and threw in silver wedge, sling-back sandals.

This is definitely a more daring way to wear a denim shirt. I expect it to be an acquired taste. But I really appreciate the contrast between luxurious and rugged items so it works for me, especially if it means that I get to wear my ball gown more often.

The dress code of this outfit is a little blurry. Dressy smart casual or creative cocktail would probably be my guess.

These “Voyage” sandals might not knock your socks off right now, but wait till you pop them onto your feet. Absolutely heavenly. They are lightweight, soft, fairly structured, feminine and hands down the most comfortable pair of sandals I have EVER had on my extremely fussy feet.

The elastic ankle strap is genius because it hits below the ankle, which is a flattering position for all ankle types. It also stretches as you stride. The toe strap isn’t quite as stretchy but it’s also forgiving, which means that wider feet and feet with bunions should also try this style. And the fabulously low wedge heel adds just enough height, while the balls of your feet rejoice with relief. No strap digging, rubbing or clucking noises.

These sandals are available in equally versatile metallic and black. I bought the metallic and needed to size down half a size. They are a no-brainer paired with skirts, dresses and walk shorts, but I like them even better with leggings, cigarette pants and skinnies.

I was so, so, so smitten with the comfort level of these inexpensive sandals that I almost bought two pairs right away. Then I remembered that I live in Seattle. It’s going to be months before it’s warm enough to wear these out around here, but when temperatures start to soar I’ll have very happy feet.

Wearing a denim shirt casually is pretty straight forward because that’s how we expect to wear it. Match it up with non-denim casual bottoms, add a few accessories and you’re good to go.  Flop proof.

But I like my denim shirt best when it’s matched with dressy items. That way I’m dressing the denim shirt up AND dressing the rest of the ensemble down. This is also a great way to stretch the wear of dressy pieces in your wardrobe.

So over the next couple of days I’m going to push the boundaries with some unexpected denim shirt ensembles. I enjoy the contrast that this creates. The interpretation feels new and fresh compared to the way I wore denim shirts back in the 90’s.

For this particular outfit I’ve matched a Gap denim shirt with a fancy sparkly cream skirt, casual studded belt and dressy baubles. I pop the collar and scrunch up the sleeves for extra textural interest. A black camisole picks up the black of the booties and fishnet hose. I tend to feel naked without a pop of colour, but a citron wristlet does the trick.

I wear this outfit on a normal work day, adding a coat, trench or jacket when it’s chilly outside. It might be too dressy for some, but it totally works for me. I guess it’s a smart casual outfit because of the denim element, but in my line of work I’m allowed to break the rules so it will pass for creative business casual.