Cheryl Shops

How many leopard-print skirts is too many? Asking for a friend. And by a friend, I mean me. Actually, don't answer that question. This most recent acquisition is my fourth leopard-print skirt—I have a short one, a midi one, and a green knee-length one—and I swear, it's totally different than the other three. For one, it's bias-cut, so it has a slip-skirt look. For another, it has a more cheetah-like print than the others. But most importantly, I love it and I will certainly wear it, so who cares. Here's how I wore it to work last week.




Full disclosure: this skirt is a knockoff of the Realisation Par skirt, which you've likely seen all over Instagram. The real thing is silk and $180; mine is rayon and $60—and since it's from the Gap, you should be able to get it for half that. I probably could have sprung for the real thing, but I'm trying to watch my spending at the moment, and I'm actually quite happy with my version (which is blessedly machine washable). This skirt works with everything from a T-shirt and sandals to a blazer and heels, as I've styled it here; I'm really looking forward to wearing it with a cozy sweater and boots in the winter. One thing to note—I literally bought this skirt a week ago and this exact print is already sold out, however they still have it in a (slightly more traditional) leopard print. It runs true to size—I'm in a small.



I am lucky in that I work in a creative field and don't need to dress up for the office, however I feel better when I do. And most days, I wear a blazer—it makes anything I'm wearing feel just that much more pulled together. I also like the contrast of the tailored, almost masculine shape with the soft, feminine silhouette of the skirt. A black blazer is one of the best investments you can make; buy the nicest one you can afford and wear it with everything. This one is several years old and from Theory; I've linked a very similar open-front style below.



I layered in a chambray shirt (you last saw this one with split-hem pants) because I didn't want this outfit to look too polished—it lends the look a hint of casualness. This particular shirt is a bit oversized, so I knotted it at my waist to give it a little shape and contrast. In other words, you don't want a long shirt with a long blazer and a long skirt. And because the skirt has an elastic waistband, it would look not so great tucked in. The shirt runs true to size; I'm in a small.

I featured these shoes in one of my Nordstrom sale posts back in July; they went to 60% off a few weeks ago, so I snapped up a pair—and so did everyone else, because they're mostly sold out at this point. These are by Dansko, and I'd been resisting them for awhile, because while comfortable shoes are a must for me, I've been a little skittish about going into full "comfort shoes" territory. That said, I thought these were actually really cute, and a great transitional shoe with the peep toe and all. And yes, they're really freaking comfortable, although if you have high arches like I do, they might get a little snug in the instep toward the end of the day. These also seem to run a tad big—I randomly have a lot of room at the heel, but I kept the pair I ordered anyway, in my usual 8.5.



And it's funny, I carry this Allsaints tote bag every day and this is the first time I'm featuring it here. For my work bag, I tend toward something big, sturdy, and practical—this one can fit my laptop, my lunch, and all my necessities. But it looks chic and slightly luxe too. I've even been using it when I travel. As far as everyday bags go, it's a wise investment.


OUTFIT DETAILS: Theory blazer (similar here) | Madewell chambray shirt | Gap skirt | Allsaints Voltaire tote | Dansko shoes | Miansai bracelet