TBMD

The first time I wore this pink outfit [left pic below], something felt "off". After perusing through the photos, I had one of those aha! moments. The accessories I had chosen completely gave off a different vibe than the one I was going for -- (hard)working* and fashion-conscious girl in a sea of stodgy government workers.

That saying, "accessories make an outfit" completely applies in this case. The purse I had chosen works well for business casual environments given its tote style, but is a bit fancy for the rest of the outfit. On the other extreme, the ankle boots are a tad too casual for the rest of the outfit. I think the three mis-matching shades of neutrals in the bottom half of the outfit didn't help either.

For the second go-around [right pic above + pics below], I deliberately chose accessories that were not at either extreme. The purse can pass for casual (worn with the long strap) or dressy (when hand-held). The biggest adjustment though are these pointy, rich suede ankle boots! Love. I think they completely elevated the outfit. (Side note: Boots are TTS and required no breaking in). The matching brown shades also ended up working well together.

The one accessory that I didn't change between outfits was the fun colorblocked stole. Every outfit needs a statement piece, and this was mine.

I've really enjoyed seeing others wear off the shoulder tops, but have yet to find one that looks semi-decent on me. The ones I've tried on usually had a combination of issues: elastic neckline was too loose or too tight, fabric didn't drape right across the chest, and/or the sleeves were puffy and unflattering.

Until now. The small floral print was what initially caught my eye. Then my excitement waned somewhat upon noticing the off the shoulder style. But I figured, what the hell, if there is even a small chance of being able to kill two birds with one stone, then it's worth a try.

The elastic neckline ended up being the perfect stretchiness. I actually think the floral print did double duty -- it's gorgeous, and the "busy-ness" actually hides the elastic threading more so than a solid colored top.

After I finished trying on the top as it was advertised (off the shoulder), I realized there are two other ways I could wear this top! Bateau style which I've loved seeing on Meghan Markle (ie: one, two, three) and what ended up being my favorite, one-shoulder. My excitement knows no bounds, so this top will be on the short list for the rest of the summer.

I just ruined my average of going a year between ways to wear posts with this back-to-back post. This is what happens when I'm on a roll.

Today's post shows the power of accessories. Two looks that feature the same graphic tee and midi skirt, but each with a distinctive vibe. One is a little dressier with a draped trench and fun heels. The second is decidedly laid-back with an easy cardigan and flats.

Thanks to Helen's comment, I realized an entire year has passed since I've done a ways to wear post.

It's been raining most of this week, so I thought it fitting to compile a round up of my past looks with red rain boots (which I lovingly refer to as my "Boo boots"). This post is bittersweet because I recently discovered a 1" rip on the side of the soles. I don't think they are salvageable now :( So here's a look back at old outfits as I say RIP red rain boots.

I've been on a navy kick. A color that's not quite black, but just as easy to wear, imo. One of my favorite purchases this winter has been this LOFT chunky turtleneck sweater. Paired with an navy peacoat, I've been having lots of fun with "different" looks by changing up the accessories.

If a favorite clothing item is defined by the number of wears, then this peplum top wins hands down as my best summer yearly purchase. Now I'll be honest here... peplum was not a love at first sight trend for me. Being the slow adopter that I am, I need to see the trend hit the masses before I start envisioning myself giving it a try. But once I do, I dive in head first. For under $30, I'd say I've gotten my money's worth from this blue peplum top, from casual outfits on humid summer days all the way through chilly fall mornings in layers.

Similar peplum tops: here (on sale), great dupe, here.

I can't believe that holidays are just around the corner. As soon as pumpkin spice offerings hit stores, it was only a matter of time before Thanksgiving and Christmas-related merchandise followed. I've always claimed to be Scrooge-like during the holiday season, so what prompted me to consciously wear olive green, red, and plaid multiple times over the last couple weeks? Like the real Scrooge, perhaps there is hope for me after all.

Today I'm sharing an easy way to elevate a casual outfit to a more polished version by adding and swapping a few key pieces. Outfit #1 [left] is head-to-toe casual, from the slightly oversized striped tee down to the canvas sneakers. This is a favorite uniform of mine on weekends, especially for running errands. For business casual Fridays [right], I simply added a blazer (hides the relaxed tee somewhat), switched sneakers for loafers, and voila! Instant transformation. Wouldn't you take me more seriously now? ;)

Today we have a combination of a little preppy (blue striped shirt) and a little girly (bow pumps) worn 3 ways. Paired with pieces that are easily found in most closets (sweater, jeans, blazer, pencil skirt), these looks are very wearable yet different. Then to finish off each outfit, accessorize for a touch of personal style (in my case, a bright blue scarf, a striped green belt, and a statement necklace).

I don't really talk about my day job here on the blog, mostly due to the nature of the work, but also because I'd bore everyone to death. I'm changing things up today as it kinda affects the state of the blog.

I was working for a government contracting company. Two months ago, we received word that we lost the re-compete for the contract that we were on. The government chose another firm whose proposal bid was significantly lower in cost than ours. Can't say I blame them as budget cuts are affecting everyone. This is just the nature of the business and fairly common in the DC area where there is a large contractor presence. It just so happened to be a first-time experience for many of us -- some of my coworkers have been on this project since its inception 20 years ago! After the initial surprise wore off, we were all kinda left in this discombobulated, surreal state of mind with so many questions and no immediate answers.

This is the only company (and only project) I've worked at since graduating from college, so I could be talking out of my ass here. I've never left a company voluntarily, nor been fired, nor been laid off. I still think it's a unique situation that we were put in because everyone will be going their separate ways at around the same time. In the meanwhile, we were still expected to report to work for the next two months during this "transition period" between contracts. What motivation is there to produce quality work when you know you'll never see the finish line? We were in the middle of a software build, but now... I'll leave that sentence unfinished, haha. I imagine it's also odd to openly talk about interviewing for new jobs while still at your current job. In some ways, the atmosphere is more relaxed and everyone seems friendlier because there are no more taboo topics. Hey boss, I'm stepping out for a couple hours for an interview. No problem, good luck!

For me, I didn't really feel a sense of panic aside from a knee-jerk reaction. My thinking was, two months is a long time to be unmotivated at work, but is a good amount of time to look for a new job. I may be naive in my thinking, but I felt everyone had marketable skills and shouldn't be unemployed for long. After the two month transition period, our company would keep employees on for a few more weeks. Then, we'd be able to start collecting unemployment checks for a couple months. Perhaps this false sense of optimism stems from knowing that I will be cashing out all my vacation hours once I leave my current company. That's a good chunk of change to tide me over for awhile. Hoarding finally pays off! When I laid out my plan to DH, he was jealous that I could essentially be on a months-long "sabbatical". But happily agreed to be my sugar daddy in the worst-case scenario. Whew.

All my thoughts up until now were written literally days after we lost the contract. I've had two months to process everything and figured it's finally time to finish writing this post. The one constant emotion throughout it all has been overwhelming sadness. Sadness for the breakup of my work family, sadness for having to hand our "baby" over to new parents, sadness for selfish reasons like how I've taken so many perks for granted (ie: flexible work schedule).

I lucked out and was able to find a new job fairly quickly. Same type of work, same industry, just with a new employer and new customer. On paper, the new job checks off all my requirements, many of which are even better compared to my old job. The one thing I was really hoping for was to find a job that allowed me to start at a later date so I have the chance to finish out the current contract and then take a few weeks off to chill. Perhaps it's loyalty to our customer, not wanting to leave management in a bind, curiosity to see how the new company handles the transition, or all of the above, but I'm happy to have gotten my wish.

The last two months have been... interesting, for lack of a better word. It's been eye-opening to see how other companies operate, in regards to day-to-day operations, handling of professional relationships, and just the handling of knowledge transfer during this transition period. On the blog front, I don't know if it's apparent that I've been wearing more business casual outfits. I will no longer be allowed to dress casually at my new job, so I've been slowly preparing myself the last few weeks. RIP jeans (especially holey jeans!), short skirts, and flip flops.

You can bet I'll be making the most of my unemployed situation. Expect non-work appropriate outfits for the next few weeks of the casual and dressy variety. After that, I'm not exactly sure of the state of the blog. I hope to mix and match pieces to create new business casual outfits fairly often. Though a more realistic outlook is probably sporadic blog posts as I focus on my new job while rotating between a select few business casual outfits for real life, likely from the pool below:

Thank you in advance for bearing with me through life changes!

A sweatshirt is a fairly common staple in most closets. I own five myself and they're placed right at the closet entrance for easy access. I happily admit that all five are worn regularly, though a bit ashamed to say that one is so well-loved that it's starting to fall apart... but too comfortable for me to let go yet.

My "dressiest" sweatshirt is a gray version with a white ruffled hem by Clu Too. I've round up six ways that I've worn it on the blog over the past year, from casual Fridays to weekend wear. I don't always remember how I've styled specific items in the past, so it's always fun to look back and spot styling patterns. In this case, I'm a fan of stripes, neutrals (taupe, navy), pop of color -- or a combination of the above as pairing options.

A couple similar sweatshirts at lower price points: via J.Crew ($30 w/code SHOPNOW), DKNY ($47.60 w/code WINTER).

I was looking through archived photos the other night when I realized a whole year had passed since I've made a compilation post. I'm rectifying that today with 10 outfits featuring the same mustard yellow pleated top.

Due to its lack of sleeves, I mainly wore the top from late spring all the way to early fall. So for three seasons, I was able to transition the top between work to weekend and casual to semi-dressy outfits. That's pretty versatile, I'd have to say.

My LOFT top is from last year, but this season's version (extra 40% off w/code FALLSTYLE!) looks to be the same as mine, aside from the front pleats. For other similar tops, try: Equipment, H&M, LOFT, Max Mara, Modcloth, and Shoptiques.

Inquiring minds wanted to know (hi Yesenia and Anon!) what I packed for my 2.5 week European spring vacation, so maybe others would find this helpful as well.

What I had in mind was to be practical and pack as efficiently as possible, while being somewhat-stylish.

1) I packed light because dragging our luggage in and around 4 different cities is not fun. We didn't rely on cabs because most of the hotels we stayed in were within walking distance/easily accessible from transportation hubs. I was able to fit everything into one carry-on sized suitcase (rolled items to reduce wrinkles and save space) and a Longchamp Le Pliage large tote. I also stored a folded tote in one of the pocket compartments of my suitcase, just in case I needed extra storage on my return flight home. My one suitcase worked out for the best because we often had to go up and down flights of stairs (no elevators/escalators around.)

2) To dress appropriately for the weather. I learned my lesson the last time I went to Japan in December and had only packed a leather jacket and a sweatshirt as the heaviest layers (face palms.) From my research, I was prepared for colder weather in England and France, but warmer weather in Italy. Expected May temperatures ranged from 55-80 degrees Fahrenheit across those three countries. There was also a high probability for rainy days.

- Cold weather days: sweaters, sweatshirt, long-sleeve tops, jeans, scarf. I avoided packing duplicate items in the same colors (ie: didn't pack two pairs of blue jeans), figuring I wouldn't have a problem re-wearing items.

- Warm weather days: t-shirts, shorts, skirt, dress, flip-flops. As much as I love light-colored bottoms, I knew it would be hard for me to keep them clean for a long duration, so I stuck to dark colors. One pair of shorts and one skirt ended up being sufficient. I packed three t-shirts because they're great layering pieces under long-sleeves or would work as standalone tops on warmer days.

- Rainy days: small-sized umbrella, water-resistant jacket with a hood. I chose a lightweight jacket because I didn't mind layering sweaters and long-sleeves underneath for extra warmth. The thin jacket could also be easily rolled up and tucked away in my tote when I don't need it. The most important thing for me was choosing a jacket with a hood because I don't like getting my hair wet.

Of the 24 items* I packed, I ended up wearing every single piece at least once; many I wore several times by either repeating outfits or by slightly changing an item here or there. The key was to pick basics from a color scheme that are easy to layer and mix-and-match. Along with "neutrals" (denim, white, gray, black), I stuck to variations of reds/yellows/blues -- any combination of the three are colors I could create outfits around.

Neon pink is a color that I jumped on board with two summers ago. I figured it'd be a fun trend to try, but I'd quickly tire and move on to the next fad. For the most part, this was true. However, when summer rolls around the years since, I find myself reaching for this bright color time and time again.

Pink colors in general work well with blue shades. Like with my fuchsia pants, I wore neon pink quite often with navy. I also wasn't afraid to pair this bright pink with another bright color, but do make a conscious effort to balance out the rest of the outfit with neutrals.

For neon pink tees currently on the market, try: one, two, three. For neon pink gingham shirts currently on the market, try: one, two, three.

Turtlenecks and I have come a long way, from being the bane of existence as a kid (slight exaggeration) to becoming a staple piece in my adult wardrobe. I wore my black turtleneck frequently last winter, which was justification enough to branch out into bright colors this season.

Incorporating a cherry red turtleneck into my outfits was a fairly easy task, as I own a lot of navy items (denim jeans count too). I also like to start layering with turtlenecks as the base, before adding on other patterns and colors. As the weather warms, I can also see fitted turtlenecks as a great transition piece, thin enough as the only layer on top paired with a full skirt on the bottom.

Today's compilation features 10 ways to style a pair of fuchsia pants. This color has been on my radar for awhile, first in skirt form, then after missing out, and eventually getting my hands on a pair of pants in this color family. The fabric on these pants wrinkles like crazy (think: sitting down for an hour = creases galore), so I'm weighing the option of buying another pair of bottoms in a different material after I wear these out.

I received great responses from my lace dress roundup post, so I figured why not continue? Perhaps this ways to wear series will become a semi-regular feature. Thank you Elle for letting me copy your way it five ways idea. Sometimes it's just easier to see how versatile an item can be when outfit images are placed side by side.

Today's featured item is a maxi dress worn four ways, suitable for every season in a year. That's not to say that the spring outfit can't be worn in the summer for example, or the winter outfit will work for everyone's climates. I just thought One Maxi Dress for Four Seasons sounds more interesting than 4 Ways to Wear a Maxi Dress.

Spring: After a drab winter, accessorizing with bright colors only seem appropriate. But just in case there's still a chill in the air, it's nice to have a sweater handy.

Summer: This is the time to wear maxi dresses as is, with no extra layers. I felt the dress was too plain by itself, so adding statement jewelry solved that issue.

Fall: With the weather still fluctuating as summer transitions to fall, a light cardigan is easily removable for warmer days or worn for cooler nights.

Winter: Scarves and sweaters are essential cold weather accessories. Flats might not be the most appropriate footwear, but anything closed-toe that's half-hidden under the dress should do.

A few weeks back, I was helping SIL decide on her first Chanel purchase. While at the store, the SA brought out a beautiful rose colored camellia wallet on chain (WOC). SIL tried it on and felt the strap was too long and hits her at an awkward spot. In a moment of insanity, I tried it on and immediately knew it was a bad idea. Lesson never learned: don't try on things for fun.

Now that the seed for a small and colorful crossbody bag has been planted in my head, I considered my options. A mini flap in burgundy also caught my eye, but I decided the color was too dark and the shape and style was too similar to my medium flap. I wasn't set on buying a Chanel, so I expanded my search to other brands but focused on their red selections only. I considered the Coach Legacy Penny Shoulder in carnelian, J.Crew Little Edie in flame, Tory Burch Robinson Crossbody Mini in raspberry, and the Marc Jacobs Single in burgundy. After sleeping on these options for a few days, the excitement for each soon faded for one reason or another (color/shape/size/style). It was back to the drawing board for me.

SIL on the other hand, had reached a decision on The One, a small bright pink Boy bag in stingray. She talked about how she used The Purse Forum to do all her research, even picking out a store with a specific SA in mind to buy from. It's been awhile since I've actively used tPF, so that conversation with her triggered thoughts of the rose camellia WOC from a few weeks back.

Through tPF, I familiarized myself with all the information I could find on camellia WOCs, current and past colors, leather options, quality, size, etc. The more photos I saw, the more enamored I became with the camellia embossing. The design is beautiful up close, feminine, and different than the quilting on my medium flap. Best of all, the camellia WOC comes in various shades of red, depending on the year/collection. Some were bright red with orange undertones, some a true lipstick red, some a darker wine-colored red. Photo comparisons helped, but I much rather see the colors in person if I could.

I went to two stores before the SA brought out the color that made my heart aflutter. The Chanel Camellia WOC in 11A red with silver hardware (tag info / buy pre-owned) was the perfect shade of red for me, not too bright, no orange undertones, a true wine-colored red. 11A means the bag was part of the 2011 Autumn collection, where it debut in the $1400-1500 range. A year and a couple price hikes later, the bag now retails for $1700. Ouch. I had been following the eBay market for pre-owned red camellia WOCs and haven't seen many I'd be comfortable with below $1600, so I figured I'd sleep much better at night buying brand new for a little more.

[photo above]: Due to various shadows and lighting, the bag looks to have an all-over gradient of colors. In real life, the bag's color is consistent througout.

When I was a child, my mom loved to buy frilly, over-the-top dresses with skirts that flounce. It didn't matter that her daughter would waste no time dirtying up her appearance, because girls should look like girls. I think the itchiness of the crinoline-like skirts left a traumatizing effect :( It wasn't until late into my teenage years did I begin to entertain the thought of voluntarily wearing a dress (skipping the itchiness please).

I guess you could say I'm the most surprised when I realized that of all my dresses, a lacy/crochet one is my favorite. Mom would be so proud. I've worn the Ann Taylor vintage floral dress to death since purchasing this month last year. Now a year later, I've compiled some of my favorite looks to show how versatile a white dress can be.