Totes Profesh

There are certain styles of dress I gravitate toward. When I saw this plaid babydoll at a rummage sale, I knew immediately I was keeping it. The trick for me, though, is styling babydolls in a way that still looks professional. Here's what I did:

Styling babydolls can be tough. I feel like they can either look childish and juvenile, or veer into "sexy schoolgirl" territory, neither of which feels office-appropriate. Here's what I was tempted to do, but didn't:

The red hairbow, daisy necklace and Mary Jane heels are a natural fit for this plaid dress. But the overall effect is not exactly what I'd call "professional."

By removing the hairbow, replacing the flower necklace with a string of freshwater pearls, and swapping gray booties for the Mary Janes, I tried to make this outfit look a little more grown-up. What do you think — which look would you choose, and why?

As a side note, I had to take pictures from a slightly different perspective, because this is what I found in the place where I usually set up my camera:

I didn't have the heart to disturb him.

Pearl necklace: Gift

Plaid babydoll: Rummage sale

Gray leggings: TJ Maxx

Gray booties: Thrifted

Total cost to me: About $10