Black & Blue

Target blouse & pants, LuLu Townsend heels via DSW, Anthropologie necklace, vintage bracelets, Michael Kors bag

Although I own a fair amount of blue clothing, this top has quickly become a favorite. The flowy silhouette, contrast piping, and uneven hemline make the solid royal blue {a favorite of mine} even more interesting. Added bonus -- it pairs equally well with black skinnies and flared jeans, making it versatile enough for both work and play.

xoxo

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{What I'm Wearing} Black & White, Dots & Stripes

 DETAILS: 
Loft top (similar) & skirt (similar here and here), F21 belt (old, but this one is fun), Dolce Vita heels, Michael Kors bag, June Shin ring

Last weekend I had the absolute pleasure of spending some time with my dear friend Lesley on her birthday. It was such a fun night, filled with laughter, stories, red wine and homemade chocolate cake. But one of my favorite moments was sharing fashion tips with sweet little four-year-old Matilda. Til and I found out we share a love of stripes and polka dots, and she suggested that I wear them together. And while this skirt isn't exactly polka dots, it's a close second and one that I think Til would approve. So this outfit is for my friend Matilda Graham, that sweet little blonde that stole my heart the moment I met her.
 

xoxo

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{What I'm Wearing} Ladylike

Loft sweater, Banana Republic pants, Macy's coat, LuLu Townsend heels, Steve Madden bag, F21 scarf, vintage & F21 jewelry

As much as I love pencil skirts and dresses, pants are often more practical in my wardrobe, especially when it comes to work. Add a sparkly sweater, extra special earrings and fitted outerwear, and I feel just as feminine as I would in a skirt and heels. 

xoxo

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Professional Portfolio

My professional wardrobe wishlist is honestly pretty extensive. Not surprising considering that dressing up five days a week is something I've been doing for quite a while now, but I've had only a limited amount {namely $0} to spend on decent wardrobe updates. A few key items on my list include skirts (well-fitting, colorful pencil skirts, feminine silhouettes), a nice watch, an overtly girly dress, and comfortable wedges.

 a lovely white top to compliment this pink pencil, or this polka dot skirt

gold or tortise Michael Kors

low leopard wedges, summery Dolce Vita wedges

 the perfect summer dress

What's on your summer wishlist?

xoxo

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Fitness and Fashion

A little while ago I mentioned that my quickly upcoming graduation, licensing and employment will allow for some adult purchases that have been on my wishlist for quite some time. Now that we're under contract on a house (!!!) and I legitimately need a decent professional wardrobe, I've started to compile slightly more comprehensive sets of items that I hope to add to our house and to my closet in the near future*.

Nice yoga and running clothes are at the top of my wishlist. I'm super excited about the fact that there are multiple yoga studios near my pharmacy!

 Stella McCartney tee no.1 and  tee no. 2, this bright top

to layer under this jacket and wear with these Stella McCartney running tights  and  these flats 

xoxo

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*I know that these posts will make me sound incredibly materialistic, but that is honestly not the case. I've made some decisions lately that will affect my clothing purchases from here on out, but I won't go into detail there. Just know that although these posts are highlighting worldly, material things, I certainly don't need them to be happy.

Day End

You may have noticed a conspicuous lack of outfit posts lately, but I assure you that I am still wearing clothes on a daily basis. {No lounging around in pjs or my birthday suit over here. Not until I'm done with school at least.} Here's my issue: waking up before the sunrise is not exactly conducive to outfit photos. This coupled with the fact that my sweet, but sleepy husband hands me oatmeal and a mug of coffee as I frantically hurry gracefully glide out the door around six am makes outfit photos virtually impossible. Not exactly the best time to ask him to take on the photographer role. Luckily, I made it home one day this week just before sundown and was able to capture my favorite I-wish-it-were-spring pink pencil skirt. Because sometimes dreary winter days just need a bit of color. Don't you think?

F21 shirt, H&M blazer [similar here], skirt via Dillards [similar here], MRKT wedges via DSW [similar here and here], gifted scarf & earrings, HUE tights, vintage & Loft bracelets, Essie Mod Squad polish

xoxo

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Conservative & Professional

Sometimes I think that if I hear that phrase one more time, I just might lose my mind. Given my career choice, however, "conservative and professional" is much more than just a phrase. It's exactly what I have to be. I've mentioned before how it's often a struggle. I don't want to sacrifice who I am or my personal style, but I also can't afford don't want to be known as "the girl with the weird necklace" or "the one with the strange clothes."



Much like one of my favorite bloggers, I tend to mix solid separates and typically avoid overly bold prints. I also keep my jewelry to a minimum, often settling for pearls or small chandelier earrings like these. And while this outfit isn't the most fashion-forward, it's {mostly} work appropriate. The only thing I changed was the shoes. Too eye-catching, but lovely none the less.



H&M blazer & skirt, UO camisole, Modcloth tights, MRKT wedges via DSW, vintage rings, Target earrings, OPI Lincoln Park After Dark polish

What do you other professionals wear to work?
xoxo


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Funny Face

I have never been a big fan of graphic tees, but I fell head over heels when I saw this one. Something about the sheer cotton, feminine feel and bright pink lips made me decide that it needed to be part of my wardrobe. And while this isn't exactly the most fashion-forward outfit, it served well as slightly casual professional wear.

The Loft tee & clutch, H&M skirt, Seychelles Booties, F21 earrings & ring


xoxo

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Working 9 to 5

I have mentioned many times before how the balance between professional dress and personal style is difficult to find. Working in a relatively conservative field, there are standards to meet, and it's easy to fall into a way of not so stylish dressing. Among the ways I try to combat this seeming incompatibility is through neutrals, sassy black accents, and incredible, but sophisticated heels.



{clockwise from top left}
Judy or Madeline Dress
Well-Composed Blazer
Executive Decision Bag
Cricket Match Skirt
Lauren Heel
Free as a Bird Blouse
Cinnamon Toast Top
Burst of Energy Dress
Brown Butter Heel


all images via Modcloth
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when i grow up

the other day as i was leaving for an important meeting, i caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror near our front door. dressed in my most professional {read: conservative} attire with my hair piled on top of my head, i almost looked like a different person. it was hard to believe that the person in the mirror who looked so polished, professional, and put-together was the same one who used to work at urban outfitters and wear holey diesel jeans and chuck taylors every day.

image courtesy of laura burlton

when i was little my desired career path changed on a weekly basis depending on what i was surrounded by. at some point in my childhood i wanted to be....

1. a dolphin
2. a marine biologist {i figured if i couldn't be a dolphin, this was the next best thing.}
3. the owner of an ice cream shop
4. a ballerina
5. a doctor {i went back to this one many times}
6. the owner of a bookstore


it's funny to think sometimes how we have ended up where we are, especially when we never thought that it is where we would be.

what did/do you want to be when you grow up?
xoxo


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square shouldered

i often struggle with having a wardrobe that is conservative enough for my professional needs, yet still playful and representative of my personal style. i want to be taken seriously, but i still want to be myself. {my girl kindredly and i were just talking about this the other day, actually.} it is often a difficult line to find, but a challenge that i have enjoyed facing, none the less. it's actually part of the reason that i started this blog...

the combination of a high-waisted skirt and a structured top always makes me feel more professional and put together. i usually try to stick to neutrals like black and gray for a more polished look, especially when including an item with studs or grommets.

when it comes to accessories, i tend to wear one larger statement type piece with basic hoops or pearls {though i wouldn't call my menswear watch a "statement" piece, you get the idea.} i also usually like to have my nails painted a fun but neutral color, so today i went with a neutral pink.

top, f21; skirt, h&m; pumps, nine west (old); watch, target (men's section); essie van d'go polish

what are your secrets for maintaining your style yet conforming to a conservative profession/dress code?

xoxo

ps. stay tuned for an exciting announcement later this week!
it may or may not involve winning something. <3


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golden oldie

when i bought this dress, my friend told me that it was a grandma pattern.. in a good way. i love it. you know how i feel about vintage everything, so a dress inspired by a vintage pattern was a no brainer. although it is sleeveless, the fabric is a light flannel blend, so it is perfect for these cool march mornings.

i paired it with nude fishnets and vintage earrings to further play up the vintage charm. these earrings are also quite special... i bought them to wear in my wedding. it turned out that small pearls were best, and i wore these to the rehearsal dinner instead, but i still love them dearly. {they remind me of that wonderful weekend when i married my best friend.}

one of my favorite things about this dress is that it is work appropriate, especially when styled with a sweater, nude tights, and heels, and still fun.

dress & sweater, UO; tights, simply vera; heels, lizard thicket boutique; earrings, vintage

what about you? would you wear a "grandma" dress?
xoxo


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jimmy choo 24:7

for those of you who haven't heard or seen it yet, here are some of my faves from the jimmy choo 24:7 collection. the collection is designed to take you from day to evening, work to play in one beautifully stylish shoe. i really like this idea since i work in a pretty conservative environment. all of the pieces are versatile and professional while still maintaining that jimmy choo edge that i love so much.


i love the shimmer of this last pair. i would wear them with a crisp white ruffled blouse, a pencil skirt, and some opaque tights. also, not all the shoes in the collection are nude. i am just partial to the nude pumps because they are professional and chic at the same time.

what do you think of the new 24:7 collection?
yea or nay?


images courtesy of jimmy choo
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oh how i love glee

i have been meaning to post about fox's new show, glee, for quite a while.
perhaps it is because of the ridiculously fun musical segments, or because of jane lynch's dry humor, or because of the adorable preppiness of jayma mays, or because in high school i was part of what would have been considered a glee club,
{we had song/dance routines that we preformed at all the schools within the county and for the public}
but i simply love glee.

i think that jayma mays' character is just the sweetest with her bizarre quirks and cardigans, but i really do love her style.

{image credit}

{image credit}

i love how jayma mays' character, emma, is so blatantly preppy and conservative, yet still manages to look quite fashionable through accessorizing and vibrant color combinations. i think this look is perfect for professional/workplace attire... conservative yet not dull.


what do you think? do you love glee {and emma} as much as i do?
xoxo


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part of the crew

i am often asked to define my personal style, and well,

i find it quite a daunting task.

my style is somewhere where feminine-romantic meets 70s rock meets professional preppy with a few other things mixed in

{like i said.. kind of a daunting task}

i am often a jeans and t-shirt girl, and i like oversize accessories to spice it up.

there is definitely a hint of old school rock to my style...

think more almost famous and less ashlee simpson

and i adore mixing menswear pieces with frills,

especially blazers, vests, and button-down shirts.

as i move forward with my career, i find myself drawn more to structured pieces and less to trendy tees and tanks

{although i do still love the trendy tees and tanks}

i don't think i will ever find one store or brand that is 100% my style,

but the most recent jcrew catalog, east of eden, is definitely part of the fray.

i adore the romantic pieces, the pastel color palette, and the oversized, layered jewelry.

i would pair the pastels with a bright jacket, clutch, or peep toes.

i will definitely be perusing the catalog pages for inspiration come cooler weather.

way to go, jcrew. good show.

images courtesy of jcrew.com

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