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.

The Funky (But Not Junky) Professional

Even though I still have a whole semester left before I enter into the real world, (Jobs! Marriage! Cooking dinner every night!) I've been starting to get antsy about transitioning from a late-sleeping, leggings-and-sweater wearing, Top-Model-Marathon-watching college student to a responsible, suit-wearing, Wall-Street-Journal reading wife and career woman. Maybe.

All that aside, there is one thing that I am getting excited about, which is building up my cute professional clothes wardrobe! I know that might seem weird to be thrilled at the prospect of sweatpants and jeans no longer being an option for looking presentable at work, but lately when I've shopped downtown or look through magazines, I find myself thinking to myself, that would look cute with a blazer and some funky jewelry! Instead of, I could really use some more going out clothes! Well...maybe that's not entirely true...

When I used to think of going to work, I used to think of this:

Yikes. How boring. I was pretty sure my days of funky clothes and thrifty shopping would be screeched to a halt once I got a job. Goodbye Goodwill, hellooo overpriced department stores....

But last summer when I had an internship at the Bedford Springs Resort and Spa, I had a coworker who defied all of my previous conceptions of the working woman. Every time she walked in to work, she looked ADORABLE while still professional! She rocked everything from bright, funky blouses to non-traditional suit coats. That's when I realized, just because you need to dress professional, it doesn't mean your individual style has to go out the window.

The best part? You can totally thrift that stuff!

In January I'll be working at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers for a week-long externship in Human Resources. Finally, a job that requires a different outfit from my usual messyFood and Beverage uniform! My mommy and I are planning on a shopping trip in the near future for some of these funky and fabulous work clothes. Here are a few of the things I'm looking for:

And just for kicks....I looooooooove this vintage look:

And while I'm at it, this is what I'll wear to bake pies for my husband:

On a more boring note, I am one final away from being one step closer to all of this exciting adventures to come. While I should be studying Updike, Cheever, and Bradbury (an English essay test...c'mon, reallyyyy?), I have been gorging on Christmas cookies, drinking too much coffee, watching Christmas movies, and coloring. Yes, coloring. With my fiance. Don't judge.