I’m in a liminal phase right now, a.k.a., limbo. That’s the condensed definition. One of the upsides of being in this state of mind if looking at all of the in-between option, segueing perfectly into the color palette used for this look…

Navy, peach, charcoal, and seaweed, oh my. How would this kind of schizophrenic color combination ever work out you ask? Well. No really, ‘well,’ is the answer. The hues come together and pull off the latest look inspired by 3.1 Phillip Lim’s cropped trouser without batting a false shu uemura eyelash. See what I’m talking about and how to wear these cropped pants:

1. Two Tone Blazer- $89.99 (www.zara.com) | 2. 3.1 Phillip Lim Cropped Bootleg Trouser- was $350, now $175 (www.lagarconne.com) | 3. Oryany ‘Drew’ Convertible Tote- was $398, now $238.80 (www.bluefly.com) | 4. James Perse Jersey Tank- $65 (www.net-a-porter.com) | 5. Aldo ‘Darie’ Platform Pump- was $135, now $89.98 (www.aldoshoes.com) | 6. Gorjana ‘Taner’ Three Bar Gold Necklace- was $120, now $66 (www.couturecandy.com)

This look has colors that you wouldn’t naturally choose, well I wouldn’t naturally choose to go with one another. It’s not obvious and I take some of my inspiration from one of the masters of colorplay in fashion who goes by the name of Consuelo Castiglioni, the designer behind the label Marni. She has a way with making the unexpected not only work, but also look wearable.

Catwalk talk aside, this Lim trouser is a little style renaissance pant. It goes with anything you can throw at it. This time it’s worked into a more polished look for the office, meeting, or even if you just want to take something casual and pull it together a bit for day. The blazer from Zara is a personal favorite with the navy/black color combo being a slight nod to something more vintage. Layered under that is the James Perse tank top, a name I always go to for ridiculously comfortable basics that hold up. The Aldo pump and the seaweed Oryany convertible tote are where the playing comes in…Each brings a muted color to the equation and, in their own way, they pop while complementing the rest of what’s going on.

Finally, I kept the jewelry to a minimum with the Gorjana three bar, gold necklace. A good transition from day tonight on this would be pulling the blazer off your shoulders, adding a few more jewelry pieces like a statement ring, and switching to a neutral clutch that you kept cleverly stashed in your tote to accompany your cocktails.

See more of my hand-picked favorites and how to wear them here.