On one pair of shoes. But… I’ve been looking for a pair of comfortable, stylish, REALLY comfortable, walk around all day in the city kind of comfortable, did I mention comfortable(?) flats and I think I may have found them. Kenneth Cole’s Gentle Souls collection. Tomorrow, they face the -walk around my office all day in them because I can’t walk around outside if I don’t know if I want to keep them yet- test. I’ll keep you posted on if they pass…
Kinda Dead Poets Societyesque except with a green blazer instead of blue? How fun is this blazer? Even more fun that it was a gift from Talbots (thank you!). It all started with an invite I got last month to the Talbots Fall 2010 preview. Unfortunately I was on vacation then so I was unable to attend. For a great writeup of the event though, check out Marielle’s post on Preppy with a Twist.
To be honest, I’m not sure I’ve ever bought anything at Talbots; it’s always had that mom-look to me, but when I got the preview event email, I headed over to their site and browsed around… and was pleasantly surprised by the bright pops of color, sleek business casual work cuts, fun jackets and even some less than traditional takes on suits. And, the prices aren’t bad (and this is me talking, people).
Anyways, a few weeks after the event, I got a lovely email telling me Talbots wanted to gift me something from their spring collection (how cool?) and this green blazer is what I chose. I can’t wait to pair it with some crisp white pants and a ruffled top come May. For now, I went the schoolgirl meets corporate chic route. I have to say even that although I love the jacket, I was expecting it to be a bit brighter green, like a St. Patty’s Day kelly green. I’ll just have to brighten it with sparkly jewelry and colorful scarves!
When the temperature fluctuates between oh say 85 and 55 any given week. This particular day (like 2 weeks ago… yes, that’s how far behind I am on blogging), it was 85 degrees but I dressed more for a cooler 65. This is why springtime is all about layering at the office: jackets that can be taken off when you hit the rooftop bar after work! Yes, my purple cami is waiting to come out!
black and white jacket - Nine West on sale at Macy’s bought as a whole suit - $85
pants - Minnie pant from J.Crew - bought full price until they split and I got them sale price $10 off - $75
purple cami - Banana, on sale - $15
red flowered silk scarf - mom
shoes - Nine West, on sale - $40
I may be taking business casual Friday a little too far here looking like I’m either on my way to an 80s dance club or something but there’s something corporate about it right? The black skirt…. maybe? Whatever, I like it.
blue sweater - Express, on clearance - $10-20?
black skirt - Banana outlet, on sale - $30
belt - HousingWorks recently - $3
red shoes - Nine West, on sale - $40
I bet I scared you bad cuz it’s been so long since you’ve seen me… Aside from my sinful Good Friday in Atlantic city and super late nights in the office, you haven’t missed much (except maybe some really cute spring outfits I’ve managed to pull together despite my otherwise chaotic existence). Oh, and I went outlet shopping. Sigh, nothing makes a gal like me feel better then some outlets.
New clothes alert!
navy and white skirt - Banana outlet, on sale - $40
creamsicle and shite striped oxford - J. Crew outlet - $25
nude fishnets - PayHalf - $3
nude flats - Nine West, on sale - $30
I was really excited about the outfit I put together yesterday. It started with a whole black and slightly off-white combo with color in the scarf and the belt picking up the brown in the scarf. Different for me all these browns and blacks and things but I was very pleased with myself.
First, I really like the way the patterns in the cardi and scarf play off each other, along with the slight stripe in the hose. They clash-match, which is fun and springy. When I first started this blog I’m not sure I ever would have ever paired a brown belt with an outfit like this but I’m glad I’m pushing my own boundaries now!
And of course, I’m a woman who owns only colorful coats… yes, my trench is bright red/orange/pink/whatever that color is.
black and white cardi - BJs - $15
silk scarf - HousingWorks with tags still on - $15
belt - Burlington Coat Factory - $15ish?
black skirt - Banana Outlet, on sale - $30 or so
hose - Daffy’s - $10
heels - Bandolino, on sale - $40
trench - DKNY from Filene’s Basement - $100
blue scarf - gift from a friend (but I was eyeing at the Grand Central market a few years ago before it was given to me so I know it was like $40)
As a discount shopper, good customer service isn’t necessarily a huge part of my shopping vocabulary. Finding a good bargain often means sacrificing things like orderly dressing rooms, helpful sales people (or any sales people at all), the ability to return a purchase… But when you go into the experience knowing these things, you feel ok about it. The older I get, sometimes I do crave service: a kind saleswoman to present items of various colors and sizes for me to step into and out of without leaving the dressing room, racks I can browse effortlessly sans crying babies and shoving grandmas… Well, I got a taste of great customer service, without having to pay an arm and a leg, today at J. Crew. Here’s my story:
Remember those J. Crew cigarette pants I bought a few weeks ago FULL PRICE for $85 or so? Well, on my way home from Utah, I noticed a two-inch rip in the crotch seem. I had only worn them 5 or so times so this was, of course, unacceptable.
Of course, the one thing I pay full price for falls apart. But… they are J. Crew so I had to give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe it was just a flaw in this particular pair. To the store I went, where they:
Now that’s great customer service. I completely got over the fact that they were ripped because I got a new pair AND $10 off the price I had paid. Customer retention 101. Go J. Crew.
I got a last minute invite to the IR Magazine Awards dinner last Wednesday night… the invitation said black tie optional. What does that mean? It means you can wear a long ballgown/dress if you’re a woman if you want to but cocktail attire is also appropriate. If you’re a man, both a suit or a tux work. Here’s how I evaluated the situation and determined what to wear
I went for the cocktail look and felt great and that’s the most important thing. There were women much more dressed up and women far less dressy so I felt perfect just in the middle. Here’s what I wore:
The separates aspect of this make it even a bit less formal than a cocktail dress, but I felt that the way I tied the color scheme together dressed it up a bit, with the nude lace/fishnet hose and pumps. I just wish the photos had come out a bit better.
ivory silk blouse - Dor d’lor in Hoboken - $40
black silk skirt - my mom’s from years ago!
patent leather belt - HousingWorks just the other day - $5
lace/striped/fishnet hose - Daffy’s - $10
pumps - Bandolino, on sale - $40
bracelets - several mix and matched
crocodile leather clutch - my mom’s bought somewhere in Asia years ago!
I missed you guys! Sorry I’ve been MIA again. First I was preparing like a madwoman to go on vacation, then I was on vacation and now that I’m back, it’s insanity trying to catch up!
A short and sweet trip synopsis, with a taste of what I wore thrown in. Jay and I spent 5 fabulous days skiing in Deer Valley and Park City, Utah. We dined out, slept in (sort of… or more like went to bed really early so that we could get up early to go skiing) and spent all days outdoors skiing in the gorgeous weather. I couldn’t have asked for a more relaxing amazing vacation.
I wore this to our fondue night. New shirt! It has a rose-shaped zipper detail just above the boob area. Super cool and I got it for like $40 on sale at some small boutique in SoHo.
black rose zipper shirt - SoHo boutique - $40, on sale
sage jacket - Filene’s basement ages ago - $40
gold studded belt - HousingWorks just the other day - $5!
black pants - J. Crew, Minnie pant - I have to say, they’re fantastic and go with just about anything even though I paid full price - $85
black boots - Nine West, on sale - $85
necklaces - random assortment
hair - priceless
This is taken at the famous Stein Eriksen lodge at Deer Valley, where I ate the most amazing duck. He’s pulling my dress up a bit with his arm, but you can still see how gorgeous it is right? Another beautiful and timeless gift from my mom! Phenomenal taste that woman has!
I can’t show you my vacation photos without a ski photo… here’s Jay and me on the lift. Ladies and gents, helmets are in because safety is in.
And unfortunately this time, we didn’t get to go up in one of these… but it’s on my list…
I bought this blouse on Saturday afternoon (yes, in the squall) because I had a ballgown skirt at Jay’s but not top to go with it and no plans to take a quick trip to Jersey City in said squall to retrieve more black tie approporate clothing for the event my mom and I were attending on Saturday evening. J. Crew $88. No sale. Oh Lord. It’s ok. I’m ok and it was all worth it. So here I am at the event with my mom (don’t we look cute?!):
And then, I was so excited about my new, full-priced blouse that I HAD to wear it to work on Monday:
Bought these tights at Daffy’s this weekend for $8! LOVE THEM.
Most of the gentlemen at my company wear suits to work every day, but the minute they step in the door, they remove their jackets. So the look is the shirt, tie, pants look. This is my version: structured blouse, silk scarf hanging tie-like, suit pants and belt. Business, classic, easy.
Since I’m working late and there’s not another soul in the office, I figured I’d take a break from “real work” and do some blogging work. So, I did a little photo shoot in my cube. Perhaps you can tell I’m not the neatest of people… and that I like to create piles… and if you peek really closely behind my legs, that I have A LOT of shoes under my desk. Welcome to my cube!
I’m digging this color combo. Yes, it’s quite atumnal and a bit of a juxtaposition to today’s taste of spring, but I’m a rebel, right? Also, I WANTED to wear it with my nude fishnets to lighten/spring it up a bit, but they’re dead and with no other matching (ahem… clean) tights to be found, I picked these up at Duane Reade this morning. You can’t really tell from the photo but they have a lovely sheer stripe to them, they’re good quality and they were $7! Booyah.
Filene's Basement winter clearance!!!
Now is the time to go winter coat and boot and sweater shopping because it’s ALL ON SALE OR CLEARANCE. Let’s go shopping!!!
Burnt orange is my new flave. When I bought that gorgeous silk ruffly blouse on Friday and wore it Saturday, I started thinking about other things I have in this unusual for me, but surprisingly flattering color: this short-sleeved collared blouse popped into mind and then onto body Monday morning.
This color orange can be a bit of a challenge. The silk worked really well with all black/grey tones without making me look like a candy corn parade, but this blouse is just slightly more orangey and so I thought black was out of the question. In stepped navy. An interesting and kind of different combo: almost feels a bit army or marinesque in a way (or maybe just girl scouty?)… especially with the khaki in the belt. Anywho, long story short. I’m digging this color and I may have a few more burning orange pieces coming your way.
Although I wore this pumpkin spice getup to Jay’s Grandpa’s birthday celebration this weekend, I probably could have worn it a number of places: work, after work cocktails, the theater on a Saturday night. It’s a bit scary that i’m getting into wearing things like GASP! blazers outside of work. My dad should be proud the day has come.
First, I’d like to disclaim: I paid full price for these pants from J. Crew. EEK. There, I said it. Flog me, beat me, do whatever you have to do, but they were actually only $80 and totally worth it because now that I already wore them all day Friday and all weekend, I’m likely going to be wearing them ALL THE TIME.
Secondly, you can sigh a bit in relief because I did get a nice discount on the silk blouse, although I did still pay $60 for it. That being said, I want more high quality ruffles blouses and I’m willing to pay (ok, not an arm and leg, but maybe a pinky or earlobe?) for them. Any suggestions on where to look?
Thirdly, look at the PUPPIES! Meet Clicquot and Remy, yes as in Veuve Clicquot and Remy Martin. They sleep with us when we’re at Jay’s mom’s and they’re adorable.
academichic
blue collar Catwalk
the budget fashionista
brunnette on a budget
Collards and $ense
fab finds under $50
fashion me fabulous
the frugalicious fashionista
Gilding the Frilly
the glamourai
Lizzie Jeanne
ms. career girl
style pill
the owls are not what they seem
preppy with a twist
sea of shoes
suddenly frugal
what i wore
what i wore today
work chic
