One dress... two ways

J and I are headed down to Texas in a few weeks for a big Southern wedding; we're really looking forward to celebrating the big day with our friends.  What I was not looking forward to was finding an outfit for it - I've been spending a LOT of money lately, so I decided if I was going to get a dress for the wedding, I might as well pick something that I can wear multiple times, for multiple occassions.  One day a few weeks ago, I had an exhausting day at work .. and since Banana is (conveniently) on the way home from work, I decided to swing by and see what they had.  I found this beautiful, classic black dress, with satin piping along the stomach. 

Flannel Sheath Dress, $152

I think Banana should hire me to model this little number, because it fits me like a glove!  The picture above, from their site, doesn't really do it justice - but I am sure you can see the classic lines and the piping detail, despite the iffy photography.

For the wedding:  Because it is a night time wedding, I wanted to liven the outfit up a little.  I found this necklace at Anthropologie that would add a lot of sparkle, without standing out too much. 

Million Strand Necklace, $58

I picked a pair of black shoes because I didn't want to take away from the attention that the necklace will bring up to the face, and although I picked black, I still wanted to pick something interesting.  I haven't decided if they are "the pair" ... especially because they're almost as much as the dress.  These shoes are pretty cute though, and I like how the strand detail mimics the piping on the dress.  Also, the "tough" leather on the shoe contrasts perfectly with the satin piping on the dress.

Jayleen, Nine West, $149

Since it could be a little chilly at night, I would just drape a simple black wrap around my shoulders - here is a super cheap one from Forever 21.

Gauzy Fashion Scarf, $5.50

For work: Since the dress is sleeveless, and I know that shoulders are frowned upon in most offices (and it is cold  in most offices) I knew I needed to find something to cover up my arms/shoulders.  I have a lot of cardigans, but I think that might be a little boring with this dress.  I found this adorable little tweed jacket and think it easily work with the classic style of the dress.

Bethany Tweed Jacket, Forever 21, $27.80

This jacket would probably be long enough that it would cover up the piping, but that's okay because there is nice detail on the coat.  This could also be worn with pants or a pencil skirt - so I think it is a good, versatile piece for your wardrobe.

I decided to carry on the classic theme here with a cute shoe from Forever21.  I'm not crazy about the oxford wing tip flat women's shoes that have been popular in the past year, so I really like how this shoe is a tad "menswear" but still gets the femine feel from the big stiletto heel.

Suedette Lace Up Pump, $24.80

I would wear a pair of sheer black tights with this outfit to round out the look.  A few small accessories - maybe a pair of earrings or a ring would be nice, suttle detail for this outfit. 

I hope this post can inspire you to make multiple outfits out of a piece you thought was only for one occassion!