Recently Jeff and I celebrated his birthday (belatedly!) with a delicious dinner at Dishoom. While I knew I wanted to dress up for the evening, I’d recently purchased a statement necklace and velvet kimono which I was really keen to wear. This post is about how I put the outfit together, starting with those pieces.

Necklace: ASOS

There was something about this necklace that caught my eye when I first saw it. It’s just so striking! Because I was set on wearing it I made sure to pick a top that worked for it.

After trying on a few tops I decided that I think it looks best with a V neck. With a collar the choker gets lost, and depending on the height of a T-shirt’s collar it began to look a bit fussy and out of place.

Shirt: ASOS, similar

You may recognise this shirt from this summer fashion post, and when I knew I wanted a V neck for this outfit it made its way out of the closet! I chose the V neck because I love how it looks with statement necklaces, but any non-structured top would work with the skinny jeans and kimono look.

If it’s too cold to wear a vest top then a long or short sleeve loose-fitting (but not too oversized!) top would also look great. As would a crop top!

Jeans: All Saints

I was after a sleek silhouette with this outfit, so I reached for my high waisted All Saints skinny jeans. They fit me like a glove and go right up to my natural waist. And after a year of wear (and plenty of washes!) they haven’t lost their shape yet. I love how I feel in them, and they’re my go-to when I want to feel confident and like I look great.

Because I was wearing so much black I chose to turn the ankles on the jeans up twice to help break this up and make the outfit feel complete to me.

Belt: Boohoo

When I first bought the belt I wasn’t sure how often I’d wear it, but I’ve been finding that I just love wearing it with these high waisted jeans and a shirt tucked in! However, I’ve been limiting this look to once each week, alternating between workdays and weekends, so that it doesn’t get old too quickly.

Shoes: Dune, similar

To help make this outfit feel a bit more polished I put on these heeled ankle boots. This particular pair are another old favourite of mine, and are now a few years old. However, heeled ankle boots are a versatile creature, so any style would do.

Healed sandals or court shoes would also work well, but I opted for ankle boots because I find the sturdier heel easier to walk in and more comfortable.

Kimono: Oh My Love

Oh, the kimono! Of course I love drapey things (how many blog posts have I mentioned this in, recently?!), and I love how kimono jackets can help make an outfit feel that little bit more put together and smart while still being comfortable.

But, mostly, I love how they bring movement and swish and sway as I move!

How do you plan your outfits? I’d love to know! x