Tuesday's Work-Appropriate Clothing Item: Classiques Entier Herringbone Pants

Perhaps best for the upcoming spring, these unlined "dynamic herringbone" pants feature a wide, contoured waistband and cuffed trousers. The pants have a slight flare below the knee to create a boot-cut silhouette. I especially enjoy the row of three buttons at either hip. The pants come in the pictured color. Pair them with a dark sweater set or button-down shirt to create a classic business-casual look. They are made from polyester, rayon, and spandex. $168; find them here via Nordstrom.

Vegan On The Weekend: The Limited Sale

Last weekend I went to the mall the day after Christmas. Not the best idea ever, but it did lead me (and my shopping buddy) to The Limited. The Limited was, and still is, having a rather good sale on a variety of its clothing: legwear is 40% off (see available legwear here); pants are buy one get one 50% off; jewelry is buy two get one free; and a bunch of turtlenecks and other work-appropriate sweaters are reduced, drastically in some instances. The Limited is good for vegan fashion: many of the suits are made from cotton, polyester, and rayon blends, as are many of their sweaters. Here are some sale items of potential interest:

Forenza Shaker Cowl sweater: perhaps more for the weekend, or casual Fridays, this chunky sweater is made from 100% acrylic. It comes in the pictured "dark teal" and nine other colors, including the black that I purchased. I've worn the sweater a couple times -- it is very warm and comfortable. Great for cold weather. Originally $59.50, it is on sale for $14.99.

Printed Button Cowl top: continuing with the cowl neck, this top is perfect for putting underneath a full suit, perhaps black or a dark grey. The animal print is not too over-the-top, especially under a suit jacket, and will add a bit of flare to your outfit. The top is made from polyester and spandex. Originally $39.50, it is on sale for $14.99.

Ultra Pleated shirt: another top to put under your suit jacket to add a bit of modern flair to a plain suit. I like The Limited's description: "A crisp woven shirt need not be dull. Ours has oodles of pleats on the stand collar and neckline, giving it a polished look that works with or without a jacket." The shirt is made from cotton and spandex. It comes in the pictured "dark ivy green" (here) and "black and white stripe" (here). Originally $49.50, it is on sale for $19.99.

Basic Pencil Skirt: though billed as "basic," I'm not sure how basic this skirt really is: it has "waves of sheen" woven in, "creating hypnotic, undulating lines." However, it seems to hit perfectly at the knees, which is great for the office. The skirt is made from polyester and comes in the pictured black, which , conveniently, doesn't show the undulating, hypnotic lines. Originally $69.50, it is on sale for $39.99.

Vegan Purchase: Trousers From Talbots

On sale! A few days ago I shopped Talbots' after-Christmas sale and purchased a couple pairs (two different colors -- black and brown) of the same vegan (polyester, rayon, and spandex blend) bootcut trousers. They are great for more dressy business casual, and heavy enough that their lack of lining isn't that much of a concern in the winter. Originally $79, I got them for $37.49 each. I tried to find them online, but only came up with the below vegan sale items from Talbots, each very professional (and vegan) on its own:

Bi-stretch twill seamed pant: these are made from the same polyester, rayon, and spandex blend as the pants I purchased. However, I think they have a slightly higher waist and the leg-opening is much straighter. They come in the pictured "cool taupe" and 7 other colors. Originally $79, they are on sale for $26.24. Find all the colors and a variety of fits and lengths (regular, petite, woman, long) here.

Cable-knit turtleneck sweater: if you like the limited (light green, red, an orange-red, and the pictured pink) that Talbots has left, this turtleneck sweater might be a rather inexpensive way to complement a full dark suit. Made entirely from cotton, it is vegan. Originally $59, on sale for $33.74. Find the sweater in a variety of fits here.

Jewel-neck cardigan : made from a blend of cotton, nylon, and spandex, this cardigan would look nice over a collared shirt paired with slacks, or with a matching cami (find some on sale here). It is available in four rather neutral colors, including the pictured "pine cone." Originally $59, on sale for $29.99. Find it here in misses and petite sizes. And for a similar cardigan, but with a cable-knit and three-quarter length sleeves, see here.