Be Bold

You know you are officially a working woman when, instead of your feet hurting after a night out of wearing heels, your feet have become so accustomed to wearing heels that they hurt when you don't. 

Or maybe that just means you're crazy. I don't know.

It's no secret that I love a good pencil skirt and heels for work. It's gotten to the point when people notice when I'm wearing pants instead of a skirt. Sometimes (especially on rainy days) I miss college when I could roll out of bed and go to class in my PJ's. But really, I love dressing up every day. Who am I kidding?

It has also gotten to the point where I've said bye-bye to my bangs and have started to show my forehead for the first time in months. Oh DC humidity, how I love you.

Remember the flower necklace DIY from a few weeks ago? I know you were all just dying to see what it looks like on a human rather than draped across the windowsill or on a Coke bottle.

Sometimes I play by the rule of thumb that if you have a statement necklace, you wear minimal earrings, and vice versa. But then, sometimes I say screw that and wear a bold necklace AND bold earrings. Life is just so much more fun that way.

On a side note, when I get compliments on this necklace, is it bad to follow up with "Thanks, I MADE IT!" ? I try really hard to be modest about these things, but let's be real....when a craft project actually turns out right, I think the world needs to know.

On Top of the World

Yesterday was one of those days where I felt on top of the world. The sun was shining, I reached my goal at work, and I had a great hair day. For the above reasons, I needed a power-woman, executive-looking, "I Don't Know How She Does It" outfit. 

Yes...it was a LBD day.

This is probably one of my favorite thrifting finds ever. (Do I say that about every thrifting find? I think so.) I got this at the State College Goodwill several years ago for a few bucks, and after a little hemline shortening action by my mom, it is absolutely the perfect little black dress for any occasion. Modest enough that it works for the office, but it hugs in all the right places to still be a little bit sexy. With my favorite pair of snakeskin pumps and a necklace that my mom passed down to me, I felt like there was no stopping me. 

I also dyed my hair yesterday. It's totally one of those dye jobs where people don't notice unless you tell them, but I can tell and that is all that matters! Not to mention I am absolutely addicted to the way that special conditioner that comes with the box dye makes my hair feel. 

Come to think of it...the purse was also handed down from my mom. If you can't tell, she is a very stylish woman! I love having a mom to share clothes with.

What outfits make you feel on top of the world?

Polka Dot Perfection

I walked away from Sunday's thrifting adventure with a bag full of new goodies. 

This bright red polka dot scarf was the very first thing I picked up, mostly just because it was red and polka dot, but also because there are so many things that you can do with a long, thin scarf like this. My first thought was to use it as a belt, and I immediately began thinking of how I was going to wear it to work the next day. I also found this perfect gray skirt, so when I wasn't able to sleep on Sunday night because of daylight savings, I lay there visualizing all my tops and which one I could match up with the belt and skirt. (What...thinking about outfits doesn't keep you up at night?)

I was dragging like crazy at work yesterday, like dragging beyond the point that even several cups of coffee couldn't fix. But the good news is that it was still light enough outside when I got home that I could make my husband take pictures of me! The joys of being a blogger spouse!

Side note: I put runs in every.single.pair. of my panty hose, so I have to wear black tights until I invest in new ones.  

How would you wear this scarf? I can't wait to get creative. It kind of makes me want to run away to Disney World and go hang with Minnie Mouse.

Photos from here, here, here and here

A Nifty Thrifty Outfit

Since the 'spending money' budget hasn't had much room for buying new clothes lately (maybe I shouldn't buy lunch all the time at work...) I've been doing a lot of mixing and matching what I already have.

Skirts are absolutely my favorite thing to wear to work. Whether it's pencil skirts, dressy skirts, or casual skirts that are able to be dressed up, I love the streamlined look of a flowy top cinched at the waist by a skirt. So classic, pretty, and kind of sexy without being trashy.

I bought this floral skirt at Goodwill several years ago. It's great to wear in the summer with a tank top, but I hadn't really ventured into the professional territory with it. That is, until this week.

A pair of black tights and a cozy blazer made the skirt work-appropriate and the outfit got lots of compliments!

Not to mention, it was a good bangs day.

Can't go wrong with a good bangs day.

Wearing the Wedding to Work

Well hello!

I guess it has kind of been awhile, hasn't it? Last time we spoke, I was getting over a batch of crummy cookies. I guess it wasn't really very nice to leave you off like that for almost a whole week after that epic tale--whatever became of the cookies? Did she die from sugar overdose? Where is Brenda?

Don't you worry my friends--other than a few minor instances of getting lost in back country VA, I am safe and sound and finding that life is suddenly showing a lot of similarity to all the things I've heard my parents always lament about life in the workforce; "There is just not enough time in the day!". "I don't feel like cooking dinner--let's just have pizza!" "Our house is a mess!" "9:30: time for bed!". 

Am I becoming a boring adult?

If nothing else, I will say that working has turned me into a much more fashionable adult! I cannot tell a lie--one of the biggest perks of getting a job was getting to wear nice clothes! Especially pencil skirts. I have a little bit of an obsession with pencil skirts, which unfortunately aren't really that versatile out of the workplace setting.

Luckily, after investing in a couple of said skirts, finding a working wardrobe really has not been as daunting as I was anticipating. Basically, with the right accessories and shoes, a good portion of the shirts I already own (mostly from thrift and vintage shops....cha ching!) have translated well into office wear. 

To name a few examples...

Cute bright blouses (that have been in my closet for years and have always narrowly escaped the Goodwill pile--see, I knew I was saving them for something!)

Pearls. So many pearls. I kind of wear them every day.

And flower brooches. Vintage, obviously.

Vintage brooches are absolutely my favorite accessory for several reasons. First, who doesn't love a fabulous pop of color? (If you don't--you're boring.) These have been amazing ways to spruce up my plain-jane solid color blouses. 

I also love these because they hold a special meaning to me. You might remembering that throughout the wedding planning, I was teetering on the fence of whether or not I wanted to embark on creating an all-brooch bouquet. As I debated, friends and family started being on the lookout for additions to my collection--the pretty yellow one was bought by my friend Shannon and the one below was a find from my mom--but by the time the wedding got close, I just really didn't have quite enough to make a substantial bouquet. I let it crush me for maybe five minutes, but the day we went for our appointment with the florist, he suggested something crazy--why not combine them with real flowers and have both?

He worked his magic and created the most fantastic and unique bouquet sprinkled with red roses, gerbera daisies, and vintage brooches.

Meagan Jepson Photography

Meagan Jepson Photography

Meagan Jepson Photography

Even though the real flowers have long since faded, I still have tangible reminders of that special part of our wedding that I can wear anytime I want. It's pretty neat.