Ruffle Dresses In The Office: Printed And Plain with Purple Balenciaga Work

Like anyone with a large wardrobe, there are many different factors that come into play when picking what to wear. Mood, planned activities, weather... however the only reason I wore these dresses was because I saw them hanging in my wardrobe and realised I hadn't worn them in a while! They are sleeveless, but it was easy to layer them up for cold mornings.

While both of these dresses look different, they are exactly the same style with a ruffled neckline, sheer top layer with opaque lining, and an elasticated waist. Because one is printed and one is plain, they look like two completely different dresses.

What I wore:

Jacket: Barkins beige trench coat 
Earring: Jeanswest Evy dangly earring
Scarf: Louis Vuitton monogram shawl in bleu
Dress: Jeanswest ruffle neckline animal print dress
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs black logo plaque ballet flats
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

While this dress does have a lot going on - it's a busy animal print, with a lot of ruffles on top - it never feels overpowering. The neutral colours make it really easy to accessorise. I went with some bright colours, picking the blue Louis Vuitton scarf and the purple Balenciaga work bag for another touch of colour.

While it is spring, when I wore this a few weeks ago it was still quite cold in the mornings, so my cosy trench coat and some fleece lined tights were much needed additions for my early morning commute.

As I wonder every time I wear this dress, I'm not sure why I don't wear it more often! It's a beautiful piece and got me a few compliments through the work day.


Last worn: camel trench, dangly earrings, Louis Vuitton shawl, animal print ruffle dress, Marc Jacobs ballet flats, Balenciaga purple work bag.

Other ways to wear: camel trench and burgundy pants, Louis Vuitton shawl and black pencil skirt outfit, animal print ruffle dress and blazer, Marc Jacobs ballet flats and sheath dress, Balenciaga purple work bag.

Perfect for pregnancy: camel trench in first trimester, printed dress hiding 4 month baby bump.

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What's In My Bag: Balenciaga Work Edition

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What I wore:

Jacket: Jeanswest Monica Mac coat in Indigo
Scarf: navy bird print scarf
Dress: Jeanswest deep pink ruffle neckline dress (updated version)
Shoes: Walnut Melbourne 'Ava' black lizard ballet flats (also available in silver)
Bag: Balenciaga raisin purple 2009 giant silver G21 hardware work bag

Why I wore it:

This dress is just as bold as the one in the first outfit, although it's due to the colour rather than the print. It's a lovely plain dress, a very berry toned pink so it looks more red here, but it looks more pink in other photos. I wouldn't ordinarily go with a purple bag for a red dress, but felt this reddish pink was pink enough that I could wear the combo. I've worn this dress with another purple bag before too.

The only downside to this outfit was that I realised on the way to work that the 'I think I've forgotten something' feeling I have most mornings I go to work was actually valid. I'd left my cardigan behind at home. Since we moved to 'hot desking' at work, I don't have a permanent desk or a desk drawer to stash a cardigan in and have to take one to work each day. I ended up taking my scarf off and tying it into a kind of kimono as I needed my shoulders covered for a few meetings. I figured a strange cover up was better than no cover up, plus the air con was particularly cold that day. It may also have felt colder because I was coming down with the bug the boys had.

So while I liked this outfit when I put it on in the morning, the lack of a cosy layer to cover up the sleeveless design and feeling a little unwell meant I wasn't too happy with it in the end!


Last worn: navy macintosh, bird print scarf, berry ruffle neckline dress, Walnut Melbourne flats, Balenciaga work bag (above).

Other ways to wear: navy macintosh and colourful pants, bird print scarf and stripes, berry ruffle neckline dress and LV speedy, Walnut Melbourne flats and skinny jeans, Balenciaga work bag.

Perfect for pregnancy: Walnut Melbourne flats in second trimester.

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Ruffle Dresses Under $50:

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How You Can Wear It:

Ruffle dresses are perfect for a business casual workplace. A bright colour or print makes it a fun change from a classic black pencil skirt. Just make sure to bring something to cover up with in meetings or to battle the office air-con, particularly if your dress is sleeveless like these 😂


Linking up with Trend Spin, Turning Heads, Confident Twosday, Style Sessions, Fashion Frenzy, Style On The Daily, Fashion Files, Chic and Stylish.

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