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Fall Date Night Outfit: Ruffle Blouse + Black Jeans

Hello, friends. Happy FriYAY! Today I’m sharing a fall date night outfit with a gorgeous red ruffle blouse I picked up at White House Black Market last weekend.

I actually wore this exact outfit to an anniversary party last Saturday night, but I didn’t get a chance to photograph it till this week. I was immediately drawn to this vivid color and these incredible split bell sleeves.

I also really like the ruffle detail on the front of the top. I don’t usually wear tops that add volume in that area, but this one seems to work okay.

When I post tops with bell sleeves, I always get asked how practical they are for working and eating. I had no problem with these. I think having that slit really helps them not get in the way because when I’d reach for food or serve myself from the buffet, they split and kind of fall back and out of the way. I still had to be aware of them, and I was careful, but they didn’t get messy at all.

Also, one reviewer on the WHBM website said the sleeves do not get in the way if you have an office job. (I love reading the website reviews. There’s usually a lot of great info to be found in there, but I do take them with a grain of salt. Some people just want to complain.)

I paired this blouse with black jeans, but it’s also cute with blue jeans, and you could also do white, although I probably wouldn’t do this color blouse with white jeans this time of year. I’m all for wearing white after Labor Day, but I like it to look intentionally fall and that combo seems more spring-like to me. You could also swap out the jeans for pants and wear this to the office.

For size reference, I have this blouse in a 6 and it’s just right so I’d say it runs true to size, or if in between, size down. It also comes in petite sizes.

Also, they’re calling it red on the website, but it’s got a lot of purple in it. It’s more of  berry red. I think it’s showing lighter in my pictures than it really is.

This often happens with pinks and purples, I’ve noticed. I’ve tried fixing it in Lightroom, but I can’t seem to get it to show the way it looks to me in person, but it’s definitely deeper than it looks here. Either way, it’s a gorgeous color.

I also purchased my jewelry at White House Black Market. They always have the perfect pieces to go with their tops and dresses, and I get suckered in.

How fun is this choker with hoop drop? I also picked up these black onyx drop earrings to go with it.

This blouse is longer in the back, and it has a pretty ladder trim detail along shoulders. I don’t love how it shows my bra strap, though. Next time I might try a strapless.

If you’re looking for a strapless bra that is actually comfortable, I highly recommend this one. It’s been a total game changer for me, and I’ve heard the same from a lot of JLS readers.

These black jeans are the ones I wear all the time. They’re the ones that slide down but I keep wearing them because I like how they look and I haven’t tried very hard to find a pair I like better.

For size reference, I have the 29, which is consistent with the sizing advice on the Nordstrom website. Evidently these run small.

Even though they tend to slide down, they don’t bag out. In fact, they hold their shape really well, and I like the 29″ inseam for wearing with heels and ballet flats. It’s a little more tricky with ankle boots.

To finish the look, I carried a black clutch and wore black suede d’orsay pumps with an ankle strap.

I love a d’orsay pump. It simply doesn’t get more flattering than that. Plus the ankle strap on this pair helps them stay on my feet, which is always a plus. I have a hard time finding pumps I don’t walk out of. These are Lucky Brand from last year so I’ll link up a few similar styles below.

blouse // jeans (option) // similar shoes // clutch c/o (option) // necklace // earrings // watch

And it’s Friday, so that means linkup day! If you have a fashion blog, I’d love for you to join us. If you’re here for your weekly dose of style inspiration, you’ll find plenty of that here. Have a beautiful weekend!

Fashion Friday


Be sure to visit Cyndi and see the fall outfit she’s styling today.

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84 Responses

  1. Very pretty outfit!   I’m glad you said the blouse is red because it looks magenta on my iPad.  Since the redesign of your site, I have noticed that in the email, the photo is distorted.  You look stretched out, like a Gumby toy.
    Enjoy Paul being off today!  Our temps are going back up, forcing me to turn the AC back on.  Come on Fall!

      1. It shows stretched on my screen too but only the first picture before you click to view post.  You look REALLY skinny.  🙂  I use yahoo.  The color of the blouse looks fushia on my screen.  Great outfit.  You look great and LOVE that necklace.  

  2. You look amazing in that color…red or berry or pink….I know what you mean about the colors looking different. On my Pantone post this week, I talked about the trouble my daughter had with the skirt I was wearing. The color just didn’t look true to what the actual skirt looked like. She fixed it so it was pretty close, but she gave me an education in how the camera sees things versus how our eyes see things. It was a good learning experience. Great outfit, Jo-Lynne! Have a great weekend! – Amy
    https://stylingrannymama.com/

    1. Yeah, I complain to Paul all the time and he gives me that same lecture. LOL. I get it, but it is still annoying. It was that way with the burgundy cardigan earlier this week. I brought the dumb thing down to the computer and we could NOT get it to match. And then he keeps saying everyone else sees it differently on their computers than it looks on mine anyway. Blergh!!

  3. I love this whole outfit. I also love WHBM. I am going to the Mall and I will be getting this! I wanted to also say what a Great Job you are doing!

  4. Love this! I have a bridal shower to attend this weekend and this is a great inspiration outfit. The color does look magenta but they are calling it red plum which makes perfect sense. Either way it’s a gorgeous color amd the details make it worth the price and… it come in petite ???? You look amazing in this outfit and so does your skin. No signs of sun damage coming though on our end. Enjoy your weekend. 

  5. I use RF reverse and have seen noticeable results. I too am 45 and it seems as though the age spots have gotten so much worse in the last year or so. I’ve noticed with consistent use they have faded or disappeared. Love your blog!!

    1. I use Reverse in the morning and Redefine at night and I am very pleased with the way it makes my skin look and feel. The only downside is that the Reverse products don’t have sunscreen and comes with a separate sunscreen that I do not care for – it is very heavy. This means that I end up with products from the regimes that I don’t use Redefine day cream and Reverse sunscreen. However, the results have offset this for me.

  6. Love the outfit! If you are worried about chemicals in your products, I would def switch! I use and sell Pure Haven and I love their skincare line and our products have a great price point, especially when comparing to other organic products. Why would you want all those cancer causing chemicals? Once I found out about how little regulation there is and that most companies just care about the money they make, I always check the ingredients! Don’t fall for the “all natural”. It’s all about the ingredients!

  7. Such a nice color( looks like a magenta on my iPad too) which looks good on you????. The sleeves just scream drama!!! Love it.
    Have a great weekend

  8. Hello Jo-Lynn,

    I’ve been following your fashion blog for about a year now and so appreciate how helpful it is!  I am finding it much easier to create a style that is more current but also feels like my own.  Thank you!

    I do feel a need to make a comment about tanning.  I was diagnosed with melanoma at age 58, and had no family history and really never “tanned” intentionally.  I wasn’t good about using sunscreen all the time, but never sought to tan.  I just want to make sure that people understand that the incidence of melanoma is increasing dramatically, and it is not the same as the basal cell cancers that so many people have cut off with no problem.  Melanoma metastasizes and is a killer.  Melanoma happens from UV light, so there is no safe tan, including from tanning beds.

    Thank you for the opportunity to share this critical information.

  9. Love your choices of clothes. I am 50 and had the same issue with sunspots and freckles. I have been using R&F Reverse in the AM and Redefine in the PM for 2 years. Definitely could see I difference! 

  10. Just beautiful Jo-Lynne. The reason why the ruffle works for you is because the neckline is open. I myself, like you, have a substantial “pair”. Love seeing you in a more open neckline (scoop or V). Sooo flattering. I stay away from any top that is a crew or turtle neck because I feel I look too chesty. You look stunning. Beautiful lady!

  11. That is such a pretty, flattering outfit.  Great color on you and your hair is especially pretty.  I recently started reading your blog and I enjoy it very much.  You give thorough descriptions of your outfits, fit, advice, etc. and inject enough of your personal life and personality to make it interesting.  Some blogs just post a few pictures and links.    Enjoy your long weekend  😉    

  12. You look stunning today, Jo-Lynne! That blouse has gorgeous details and the necklace and earrings you chose are perfect. Have a great weekend!

  13. Love the outfit! That blouse is beautiful and looks great with the black jeans and shoes. Just went to Nordstrom’s for a bra fitting and purchased that exact strapless which you had recommended in the past. The sales associate was wonderful. I need the strapless for my daughter’s wedding in a few weeks – keeping fingers crossed that it’s comfy for the whole day!

  14. This is a wonderful date night outfit but it totally works for so many different things, office wear, lunch date, drinks with friends, church. I love WHBM but we don’t have it here in Canada so I always stop in when I get a chance to.

  15. Great look on you! I agree with everyone’s comments about it being your color! I was using R&F until it started breaking me out and making a place where I had a pre-cancerous place removed very red. I used it for about 6 weeks and noticed the break out and decided to try again after about a month, but after a couple weeks I broke out again. I am using the Reverse and haven’t noticed much difference. I am very fair and tried to tan when I was young with no protection. I always burned. I finally was able to get a tan in tanning beds, but after having the place on my face, I quit them. I did use a protection with them. Now I have wrinkles and age spots, but I am 70 years old and in good health and I am who I am and thankful for my health!

    1. That’s a good attitude. 🙂 I used to tan when I was younger, but I try to be more careful now. Still, it seems like every year at least once I burn my chest unintentionally – not even at the pool or beach, just wearing a v-neck shirt and being outside for a few hours. Now I put my daily facial sunscreen on all the way down my neck and chest to try to avoid that, but the damage has been done, and it comes out more and more each year. I also am noticing sun spots and freckles on my face coming out more, and I think it’s from tanning when I was much younger b/c I always wear sunscreen now. I guess there’s only so much we can do! I was hoping the Reverse might help a bit.

  16. Pretty blouse and great color on you! I have a gift card to WHBM that I need to spend…..maybe I’ll venture over there this weekend to try it on and then I’ll buy it through your link so you get the credit. ???? Did it come in any other colors? 

    I thought about you this afternoon. I stopped at Nordstrom after work to return some shoes and went upstairs to look around (haven’t been in there since July at the start of the half-yearly sale). Well, I had such a hard time finding anything I waned to try on…..the fabrics seem really cheap (although the price tags are still high), and many of the styles look so strange. I saw a gray sweatshirt with ruffles across the chest, cold shoulders, and a plaid sewn-in shirt tail hanging out from the bottom of it AND striped piping along the sleeves. Omg! It had waaaay too much going on and I literally laughed out loud. A woman shopping near me made a comment too about how it looked like that one was sewn together with all the scraps that were left on the sewing room floor! ????

    I can’t decide if it’s just Nordstrom right now or if maybe fashion is at a crossroads or we are all being held in fashion limbo. Hmmmm…… Maybe I should look at what’s being shown at New York Fashion Week?? Maybe I’m the outlier?! 

    So, anyway, THANKS FOR SEARCHING “OUTSIDE THE BOX” for us as far as cute, wearable clothing such as today’s outfit. It must be frustrating for you too since this is your business to share what’s out there with us, your followers. 

    Have a great date night and weekend! ????

    1. No, the blouse didn’t come in other colors, but WHBM has a lot of pretty things right now.

      I do think fashion is at some sort of crossroads. There’s a lot of weird stuff out there, lol! I do better shopping online b/c I don’t have to weed thru all the ugly stuff. Ha! That said, I feel like I’m due for a trip to the mall to peruse the racks b/c I always find different things. I think with Nordstrom, you really have to know which departments to shop. You may already know that if you’ve been a regular shopper, but I talk to friends who try to go there and they always leave overwhelmed. I used to hate department store shopping but now that I know the store and understand the departments, it isn’t so bad. For a while I was finding it hard to find cute things, but I feel like there’s more right now. Or maybe not… considering that most of what I’ve been styling has sold out and I haven’t felt excited to order new stuff. I do like all the pretty bell sleeves and things but there are only so many a person wants.

      1. I agree about WHBM having some pretty things right now. I saw your pretty blouse but the color didn’t look as good on me as on you. It’s a great color for brunettes. ????

        I used to think I knew every nook and cranny in the Nordstrom store but in the last year or so I haven’t shopped in-store much and the departments have changed a bit and even the way clothes are displayed is different. I have noticed that their stores vary from city to city though and some are better organized than others. I’m actually close to three different Nordstroms so I do have options, but now that I’m back to work my time is limited which is why I LOVE following your blog and shopping online. 

  17. You had asked about R+F Reverse vs Redefine. I started using Redefine about 2 years ago. I switched to Reverse this summer and am thrilled that I did. I really love my results. My skin looks brighter. I also stated using the hydration serum about two weeks ago and love it. I do ‘t need a night cream – just the reverse regimen and serum. Have a great weekend!

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