Summer conference day 1.5: post red-eye

After the red eye I just wanted something easy to change into. But I also wanted to make sure that I would stand out, in a good way. I'm not good at spotting people at a conference and recognizing them and going to say hi. If people spot me, that improves my networking immensely. So I make it easy for people to spot me. Hence: easy and not much thought required dress and blazer, but in eye-catching white and black. I also wear my name tag high so it is close to my face. People are often unsure about names and it can make them hesitate to talk to someone. If I make it easy for them, they're more likely to talk to me, and more likely to remember my name-face combo. (And let's face it, it's awkward looking at anyone's chest or lower to see their name, but it's especially awkward looking at a youngish woman's chest.)

 

By the way, I was overdue for a new work bag.  After months of searching, including slightly higher-end lines like Tory Burch, Coach, Rebecca Minkoff, Michael Kors, Kate Spade, and Brahmin, I ended up buying a new one of the exact bag I had before, but this time in black.  I'm super picky about functionality - the bag has to fit my laptop, zip closed at the top, have two main compartments so notepads and laptop can be on one side and little things on the other side, loops to hold pens, a slot for my phone, another slot for cards or small items.  That's the minimum.  Most of those lines I listed above had bags that were open at the top!  The chances of everything spilling out of my bag at inopportune times was just way too high.  And the few that did zip on top were just one big space inside, which wouldn't work for me - everything would get lost in there.  

The bag I got is Giani Bernini, sold at Macy's, and is 100% leather.  I like this line - it's all leather, decent quality, and just so well thought out for functionality.  The quality is definitely lower than Tory Burch, or other lines in that range, but since it's so inexpensive I can buy a new one every year or two, and always have a bag that looks fresh and new (and as my style evolves, I can change bags without feeling guilty, which is nice for me).  I couldn't find the exact bag that I'm carrying on the Macy's website, but I think they often restock it in the fall - it's more of a fall/winter item (though I of course carry it year round for work). 

(Dress and blazer: White house black market; Shoes and bag: Macy's)

Summer conference day 1: the red-eye

A red eye flight calls for comfy cozy clothing, but going straight to the conference hotel upon arrival requires professional-appropriate clothing. I wasn't going to the conference itself directly, but there was a high chance of running into people in the lobby. Hence: yoga dress pants, a super soft but modest and slightly dressy t, sports bra rather than normal bra 'cause who can sleep with underwire?, and my new athleta hope jacket - a great travel fabric. The jacket was for mid-flight when the plane gets cold and I need a little something to help me feel cozy and sleep.  

I also wore my new black jelly flats (www.moxshoes.com) which are ridiculously amazing.  They conform to your feet, so they are super comfy.  I had a gold pair I wore all summer, but I bought the black in advance of this trip since they would be more versatile for work travel and fall.  A friend of a friend sells the Mox Shoes and basically they spread through our whole group of friends.  (And no, they're not sweaty like the old jelly shoes of the 80's.)

And yes, the conference was last week.  But I'll post the outfits this week, now that I'm back and life is a *tiny* bit less crazy. 

(Pants and jacket: Athleta, T-shirt: White house black market, Sports bra: Champion for Target, Shoes: Mox)

Yoga pant work pants

Inspired by my friend K-, I decided to get a pair of yoga-pant-comfy pants. Mine are from athleta. They're really just ponte pants, which means they are soft and stretchy, but they are styled like casual work pants or dressy casual pants, with a fly, front pockets, belt loops, rear patch pockets, and nice clean side seams. 

At first I planned to wear them out and about, but not to work. Then I decided to try them for work. Now I've worn them 3 times. And they work!  I won't wear them when I'm doing a presentation or anything, but for a more casual work day, they are fine.

So, pros: So so so so comfy.  The first day I wore them I actually did some squat-jumps and spidermans in my office, just to test them out - worked great.  :)  And the stretchiness means they fit perfectly (no more pants falling down mid-day).
Cons: A little more snug than typical of work wear - not so much grazing as hugging.  I took some closeups of the hip areas (lifting my shirt up a bit so it shows clearly) to give you a feel.  I think they are fine in dark colors, but I wouldn't get a light colored pair for the office.

I've worn them with longer/looser tops, and that has worked nicely.  Today's is actually the most fitted and shortest top I've worn with it.  I don't think I would ever tuck something into these - it just wouldn't look quite right I think.  But we'll see - maybe with a nice belt...  I promise I will experiment.  I forgot to take pics of my first couple of outfits with these pants, but I'll try to post more going forward.  Out of all my work clothes, I suspect this is the one that you, my wonderful readers, might be most likely to adopt for yourselves.  Pencil dresses with 4 inch heels are all well and good, but this...  Ahhhh.  :)

(Pants: Athleta (http://athleta.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=50000&vid=1&pid=439153002), red tank, flats, earrings: white house black market, White/cream sweater: Old Navy)

White dress for work

 

I love white dresses but have never bought one for work before.  The color blocking on this one makes it work appropriate though.  It's too low cut on it's own, but I owned the perfect beige cami to put underneath.  And it is surprisingly flattering for a white fitted dress.  Plus it actually works with my comfy mid-heeled wedges!  I took the blazer just in case - air conditioning, wanting to be modest, something like that.  But didn't end up wearing it at all.  It is definitely summer!

 

I think the keys to making it work for work are the fit - pencil dress but still loose enough over the hips and butt - and the thick fabric and lining which make it truly opaque and ensure that little lumps and bumps won't show.  The color blocking and meticulous seaming are the final details that make it work.  I was amazed I got this dress at the price I did - I think a lot of people were nervous about a white pencil dress when they saw it online.  But after this, I'd encourage anyone to give it a try if they're feeling bold.  (Just so you know, I basically wore a bib while eating my salad in my office today - and ordered a color-less drink when I met someone for coffee this afternoon - so there is that.)

 

(Shoes: Payless shoes source, Dress and blazer: White house black market, Purse: I'll do a dedicated post on this one soon! Tory Burch, shell earrings with silver trim: White house black market, necklace: old and from some cheaper store like Kohl's.  The matching earrings died long ago, but the necklace has survived for a long time! I'm excited I found these WHBM earrings which go so well with it.)

Summer solstice outfit

 

It has finally started to really feel like Summer here, and it happened to be Summer Solstice on Monday - a day that I have mixed feelings about.  I love the long day, but it always makes me a little sad that the days will start getting shorter.  Regardless, I was feeling very summery.  I decided to go for heels, even though I have mostly been trying to wear more practical shoes.  I was pretty comfortable, and able to run the next day without pain.  BUT, I took that evening off - I think running the same day would have stressed my calves and feet a bit too much. 

 

I got so many compliments and comments on this outfit (from my mostly male colleagues).  Everyone enjoyed how summery it was, and loved the shoes.  I'm really enjoying my white culottes.  I got them on a whim because they were heavily discounted, but they have turned out to be one of my best recent work-clothes purchases. 

 

(Sweater: old! Pants and belt: White house black market, shoes: Vince Camuto, from DSW (that brand is also sold at a lot of department stores, esp. Nordstroms), earrings: small boutique near my house.)

The perfect white sweater and my red blazer

I tend to wear this blazer a bit more buttoned up. Literally. But today I wore it open and casual, and the weather was such that I had it on about half the time and off half the time.  I'm also loving this sweater every time I wear it. I hope whbm makes more of these. I will even pay almost full prices for them. 

I've been making a concerted effort to gain a little weight lately, but in a healthy way. It's a slow process, but I think it's starting to show - check out my butt!  Lol.

(Pants - banana republic, sweater - White House black market, blazer - Ann Taylor, shoes - Payless shoe source)

Casual workwear

I'm wearing actual flats - pointy toe so as to be more professional, but they're still flats!  And these pants have jeans styling, though they are made of a nice trouser fabric. This is my version of casual-but-professional. 

(Whole outfit: White House black market, but banana republic Sloan pants are very similar (I have both))