What to Wear: Pearls

{Still mad itchy. But now with a hangover too! Rob and I went out last night to Danny Coyle’s and our favorite Ethiopian restaurant with some out-of-town co-workers.}

A basic, classic strand of pearls can be surprisingly hard to wear. Here is Shannon’s request:

My husband bought me a stand of pearls (18″, I think) for a wedding gift & I can’t figure out how to wear them. They feel a bit too grandma/ mega prepster/ “Emily Gilmore” housewifey when I put them on, so they have yet to make it out of the house. Is there a way to layer them with other necklaces to make it less dowdy? Pair them with edgier tops to play up the contrast? I wish I could just rock them with confidence…they are what they are after all!

Layering pearls with other necklaces is a fun way to give them a bit of a “punk” edge. You can also try using a bracelet between the clasps to make them appear longer. My suggestion is to wear them to work with an outfit that is classic with a twist:

Top – I love the dark purple color of this jersey top from FCUK. Of course, they only have black and gray available online. Purple must be in the stores only. The pearls will fit nicely with the cowl neck.
Trousers – A pair of wool herringbone trousers is so nice for work in the winter.
Pumps – T-strap in a dark brown patent from Linea Paolo.
Purse – Can you believe this candy apple hobo from Anthro is only $168?
Jacket– A modern little corduroy zip up from Tulle (their sizes run really small, order two up).
Earrings – To match.

It’s a little “Emily Gilmore” but with a splash of “EmilyStyle” to bring it into the 21st century.