Radical New Direction

I thought I was taking my look in a radical new direction yesterday with these cowboy boots, but since no one at work said jack about them I suppose they're really not that big a departure from my usual sartorial menu. To me though, they are unlike anything I've ever owned; in fact, even a year ago I'd never have imagined myself wearing a pair of cowboy boots, let alone obsessing about finding a pair as I have been for the last couple of months. I scored this well-worn pair from eBay; I don't much like the look of new cowboy boots, but I've really warmed up to the look of beat up ones. These are a soft gray leather with subtle brown, cream, and purple stitching, which makes them pretty versatile.

The tunic top is new from the Red Dress Shoppe. I originally tried this outfit without the skirt underneath, and though the tunic is certainly long enough to wear as a dress, it somehow just didn't strike me as being work-appropriate that way. Amazing how that meager inch and a half of skirt peeking out under the hem can make such a big difference. To me it really isn't about the length of the tunic, because I have other dresses that are this short; it's more the combination of the short length with the babydoll cut that make it look too youthful for me to wear as a dress, at least at work. Perhaps with the right styling I could overcome this effect, but for now I like it just fine as a top.

Hat: Monsoon
Sweater: La Redoute
Tunic: Red Dress Shoppe
Skirt: Anthropologie
Tights: American Apparel
Boots: vintage Morgan