It's hard to dress professionally in the winter when you are in a coat and boots all day long. I fell into a major rut of wearing black ponte pants or jeans with a sweater under a coat, and with the same 2 or 3 pair of chunkier boots ALL WINTER LONG. You know how it goes: it's cold, dark, and cold . And under a coat, a blazer is too bulky and unnecessary , a blouse is often too chilly, and so sweater it is. Yuck.
Spring seems to have sprung in the Prairies where I live (your Northern Midwest equivalent) and I'm vowing to dress more professionally for work and to put together "real" outfits now. Over the winter I was (and still am) fighting mightily with a huge weight increase (at least 2 sizes) and resisted spending money on anything fitted and well , nice. I guess hoping that I could return to my former size before too much longer. I can't really continue wearing the same unfitted pieces in order to hide my body - it just doesn't ring true to who I am and how I like to dress. I used to dress extremely professionally for every work occasion (to the point where I was relentlessly teased for it) and only in summer off days would I relax that dress code. I kind of miss that. I like standing out in work situations - and making it clear I'm not the customer or student

So I bit the bullet and bought a cheap suit. Haha - it fits well and I like the cut, and it suits the budget right now, pun intended . Off to call on a couple of clients today - snow is pretty much gone so I can finally wear shoes! And no coat! Pants are cropped, and it's still too chilly for bare ankles, so I have on microfishents with the pumps. Tried to be mindful of picking a shoe with a higher vamp to help close in the pant gap (YLF lesson) Am I the only one who secretly loves a good suit, some high heeled pumps, and extra lipstick ?

cheap suit - Ellen Tracy (Hudson Bay)
not cheap sleeveless t - Tiger of Sweden
necklace - Sarah Pacini
earrings - Jen Ellis
shoes - Fluevog (newish and a little out of my style comfort zone...Fluevog usually being too artsy /kooky for me but loving these for their pointy toe , textured panels and high heel)

Anyone else breaking out of a too-casual winter rut?

and btw - how in heck do you hold your phone to take pics so it's not right in front of your body and blocking all the details? I can't quite get this.