Fashion Myth: Embellishment Is Only For Evening

An all-sequin dress, maybe. A tank top covered in Swarovski crystals, sure. But don’t be too quick to discount the virtues of subtler, less sparkly embellishment as a part of your daytime wardrobe.

Prairie New York, maker of the two tops above, knows how to do versatile embellishment right. Yeah yeah, you could just pair either of these with dark jeans or a miniskirt and call it a night. But wood, coral, beads or (a very few well-placed) rhinestones can add depth and interest to an otherwise humdrum work outfit: The Column Top (left, $161) would look great with a black pencil skirt and white cardigan. And under a black blazer, the Ruched Top (right, $169) is the definition of professional-cool.