Hooks the Look

Grid Dress: Up Down All-Around

Sometimes you find yourself in a store, looking through the racks when an item seems to just call out at you like this gray grid dress did for me. Like the botanical print tunic I wrote about last week, this dress was also purchased on Black Friday at Loft Factory Store. The dress’s classic style and the simple yet bold grid pattern are a winning combination that give it the versatility to fit in at work, at play, or when having fun.

Dressed Up For Work

In Up Down All-Around, I usually share my work look first so that is what you see below. No matter the occasion, I nearly always wear a jacket or a cardigan and this is especially true for work. I opted for my light gray knit moto style jacket which, coincidently, I bought at the same Loft Factory Store last Spring.


Dress – Loft Factory Store, not sold on-line (option 1, option 2); Jacket – Loft Factory Store, not sold on-line (similar, another option); Shoes – Aldo, thrifted (similar style, another option); Purse – Maxx, thrifted (option 1, another choice)

My tights have a subtle grid pattern but on the diagonal and my footwear choice for this look was inspired by last month’s Color My World featured color combination of gray and brown.  I like how this shade of brown stands out against the gray and yet helps to balance out the details.

Dressed Down For Play

At first glance, my gray grid dress seemed a natural for professional attire but could I make it work out of the office as well? Mixing patterns in unusual ways, like plaid-on-plaid, is a great trick for creating a unique look that is fun and perhaps a bit funky. While not exactly a plaid, the grid pattern is “plaid adjacent” so pairing it with a green plaid fringed scarf might be one of those “not sure what you did here, but I like it” looks.


Sweater – Merona, exact (comes in 9 colors); Scarf – Charming Charlie (similar, option with pom-poms); Boots – Sophie17, Off Broadway Shoes (similar look, another option)

Add a cozy waffle knit cardigan with heavier weight knit tights and winter weather-ready boots and the gray grid dress is ready for fun and games (or maybe some holiday shopping).

Dressed For Fun

A faux-fur collar cardigan and a bit of sparkle make this dress ready for something special like a gallery opening party or a girls’ night out (and why not both?). And if the night includes spending time with two other bloggers, it’s all the better.

This cardigan was one of my thrift shopping spree finds from last September and the gray suede boots have been in my closet for years.


Cardigan – no label, thrifted (similar look, another option); Boots – Chinese Laundry, old; Snake skin purse – no label, Poshmark (similar look, another option)

If you read last week’s post then you know about artist and blogger Anne Bray’s Fashion Rainbow exhibit and you also know that I am one of the muses for her blogger portraits (second row, far right behind us in the photo below). Another thing you know from reading last week’s post is that along with the opening party for the exhibit, there was a mini bloggers’ meet up which consisted of Anne, myself, and Michelle from Shelbee On The Edge. You can read about part of our time together in last week’s post. On Saturday, Michelle and her friend Amy spent the earlier part of the day shopping in Santa Monica and then they met up with a high school friend of Amy’s in Venice. Later in the evening, the three of us met up at the gallery for the official opening party of the Fashion Rainbow exhibit.

Michelle, me, Anne

We were hungry afterward so we grabbed a bite to eat and Amy’s friend met up with us for a drink. I can’t remember the last time I had a girls’ night out like that and I had a great time getting to know these wonderful women.

Me, Michelle, Amy’s friend Jen, Amy

Let’s Wrap This Up

Now, onto the Fine-Whatever link up for this week. My featured contributor from last week’s post is Amy (not the same one from above), the creative force behind Amy’s Creative Pursuits. Amy is a fifty-something lifestyle blogger that writes about paper-crafting, gardening, decorating, fashion, and travel with an occasional recipe thrown in every now and then. The look Amy shared in the post she added to the link up is so rockin’ and so fun.

Has clothing ever spoken to you and what did it say? How do you maximize on the “cost per wear” of an item? What items in your wardrobe are doing double or triple duty taking on work, play, and/or fun?

Let’s connect! Subscribe, tweet, follow, friend, love, pin, stumble … all options are available and waiting for you. I look forward to hearing from you. And don’t forget to add a post or two to the link up.

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41 Comments

    • Rena Post Author

      Christina, thank you for the compliment and for the descriptive color name of marsala for the brown accessories.

    • Rena Post Author

      You are most welcome, Amy, and I’m glad that you like the dress. Thank you for the compliment.

  4. Jess

    I can see why this caught you eye. I have always liked this pattern just don’t own it. Love the biight addition of the scarf and those cool boots in the first layered look, and really love the all grey look with the fur texture and different grey tones. Fab styling! I have plenty in my closet that I wear many different ways and love that dresses are so versatile.
    Have a great weekend Rena
    jess xx
    http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com

    • Rena Post Author

      Jess, thank you for the styling love. I think your fashion sense has been rubbing off on me as finding myself adding more dresses to my wardrobe when I had very few before.

  6. robjodiefilogomo

    I think that dress is perfect for any of the categories–kinda like our LBD. Maybe not the first thing you think of for play, but it worked fabulously!
    Of course the fur collar fun is my fave!!
    jodie
    http://www.jtouchofstyle.com

    • Rena Post Author

      Thanks, Jodie, that is a great observation and perhaps LGD (little gray dress) will become a thing. I’m glad you like my style spins although I had feared that the fur collar might have been a little out there.

    • Rena Post Author

      Thank you, Nancy, I’m glad that you like the dress and especially the “fun” look with the faux fur collar.

  8. Amy

    So versatile! I too like the plaid on plaid, I just don’t do it that often. I also need to wear more dresses. The fun cardigan was cute….and even better in person! So great to meet you!

    • Rena Post Author

      Thank you so much, Amy. It was great to meet you, too! You were so great to put up with all the blogger chatter.

  9. andreaswellnessnotes

    I can see why the dress spoke to you! It’s a great, time less pattern that’s truly versatile! Great looks! The monochromatic look is my favorite.

    And how fun that you got to have a mini blogger meetup!

    Thanks for the link up & have a wonderful weekend!

    Andrea
    Andrea’s Wellness Notes

    • Rena Post Author

      Andrea, thank you for the compliment. The all gray look seems to have been a big hit based on comments. The blogger meet up was fabulous and I’ve been thinking that we California gals should plan a West Coast meet up. What do you think?

    • Rena Post Author

      Thank you, Laurie. It was really nice to have met Michelle (aka Shelbee) in person.

  12. Melissa Convertino

    Grid dress are everywhere now! These are great options, my favorite is the one paired with plaid. I feel like plaid is a universal print that goes so well with different prints.
    Thank you for hosting, have a great weekend

    xo
    Mel

    • Rena Post Author

      Thank you, Melissa. I really liked the look with the plain scarf as well since I like seeing a mixing of patterns.

    • Rena Post Author

      Thank you, Emma. I’m glad you like the dress and the “fun” look with the faux fur collar.

  14. shelbeeontheedge1

    Rena, I love all 3 of these looks so much! Especially the one for play. I really like the the bright plaid scarf paired with the dress. And I am loving the girls’ night out photo! I feel like such a slacker on getting my LA post written. I was having issues getting the photos from the icloud sharing onto my computer. It took me about 2 hours to get them saved to my computer. Then once I was ready to get rolling on the post….BAM! I got slammed with the stomach bug that has been slowly making its way through my house. I thought it was going to pass me over because everyone else had it and I seemed fine. Ha! That’s what I get for thinking. I am finally up and out of bed and getting my bearings again! So my post will be coming this week! That is, if nothing else unexpected slams me.

    Shelbee
    http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com

    • Rena Post Author

      Thanks for the outfit love, Michelle, and I’m so sorry to hear about the bug that hit your family. I saw the FB post about Ralph but didn’t know that you all had it as well. On the photos, have you tried using an app for transferring/copying photos between a mobile device and laptop? I use one called TRANSFER and it’s easy peasy.

    • Rena Post Author

      Anna, thank you. The third look seems to be a big hit.

    • Rena Post Author

      I’m glad you like the dress as much as I do, Mary. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

  20. dawnlucy

    Fab classy dress, Rena! And I can’t believe I missed the posts about your blogger meet up! I need to go back and catch up once I have my grades done! Thanks for sharing with FFF!

    OXOX
    Dawn Lucy
    http://fashionshouldbefun.com

  21. Sheela Goh

    I am SO loving the grey cardigan with faux collar, Rena, SO SO SO me!!! And terribly jealous you got to meet Michelle 🙂

  22. Joi @InMyJoi

    I love this grid dress on you, my favorite is how you styled it for work with the oxblood pumps!!
    -inmyjoi.blogspot.com