Grey Work Dresses

I've been doing some temp work this week, and I have to confess that I've been enjoying the challenge of dressing for the office. I am sure that I won't feel this way when I have to work five days a week, but for now I'm having fun trying new combinations of pencil skirts, button-down shirts, and heels.

But in this office, there are all these devastatingly fierce women strutting around in power suits and perfectly tailored dresses. Today, it seemed like everyone was wearing grey dresses, which is a smart way to bring feminine fashion into the workplace, without offending any dress codes. A Little Black Dress at work can, with the wrong accessories (too high heels, too glittery a necklace), look too fancy or sexy--as if you don't know the difference between cocktail hour and lunch meetings. A Little Grey Dress, however, is just right: more conservative than a colorful or print dress, but still with enough personality. Here's how I want to imitate the look when I'm a corporate HBIC.

You can't do much better than this Magaschoni Wool Dress, $129. The bateau neckline is sexy/modest in that Jackie Kennedy way, and the pleated skirt with pockets makes this more interesting than your typical shift dress. If you have buff arms, the cap sleeves are insanely flattering; if you'd rather cover up, add a cropped cardigan or jacket and then layer over a thin belt in a statement color like red or yellow.

Speaking of belts, this Banana Republic Wool Sheath Dress, $149, is the ideal blank canvas for a hot corset-style belt or a trendy double-wrap leather belt. The slightly exaggerated shoulders also give you an hourglass silhouette (without going full-on 80's, which, I don't care what the fashion press says, is not a good idea). This dress is good for offices that are a little more creative--it's a big short, especially if you're on the leggy side. On the other hand, it gets colder everyday, and once it's tights season you can get away with a little bit more, length-wise.

Now for a slightly cheaper option, if you're more of a cubicle-dweller than mistress of the corner office. From Modcloth, the Hold My Calls Dress, $84.99, practically screams, "I'm young, I'm ambitious, and I'm not afraid to look good while I work harder than anyone else." This dress is a bit of a combo between the two previous: the pleating and pockets of the Magaschoni, with the shoulders and wasp waist of the Banana Republic. In the Modcloth lookbook, they added a brightly-colored pin to the shoulder--that's the perfect excuse to spend an afternoon combing through vintage and handmade brooches on Etsy!

At this temp job I'm currently in, I spend the entire day sitting behind a receptionist desk. It's a mixed blessing--since I'm not running around, I can wear uncomfortable-but-hot heels, but since I'm sitting, no one ever sees them but me. But sometimes that's enough, as I expect would be the case with these Chunk of Change mary-jane heels, $56, from Lulu's. The grey suede body will match your dress quite nicely, while the teal heel and oversized strap adds a lot of personality. These shoes deserve to be shown off--maybe I can answer the phones and greet guests standing up?

Badass Gladiator Heels

If you haven't already noticed, my taste in shoes tends towards the extremely girly side: I want bright colors, soft fabrics, delicate heels, and bow, if you don't mind. I see something like these J.Crew Lyla Suede Peep-toes, $119.99, and I just swoon.

But lately, I've noticed a shift in shoe trends. Girls have been stomping around in gladiator sandals for a few years now, and it was over a year ago when Carrie Bradshaw spent 80% of the Sex and the City movie wearing those killer Dior heels. True story: I went to see the movie with my mom, and everytime Carrie wore those shoes, my mom would lean over and say, "Ugh, I hate those!" And then afterwards, when we were discussing the movie, she said, "Yeah, I liked it a lot, but Carrie's shoes were so ugly!"

And I admit, when I first saw these last summer I didn't quite get them. But this summer? I'm dying for a pair of over-the-top, aggressive, mean, extreme gladiator sandals for myself. No more ladylike pumps or slingbacks; I need a pair of badass shoes. But--since I'm pretty sure that this trend won't last more than a few more seasons, I don't want to pay more than $100 for a pair. Here are the options I've found:

Nine West Balboa heel, $88.95. I think these are a good place to start because they're not too extreme. The stacked platform and cone heel make them look tough, but Nine West is great at making shoes you can actually walk in. And the gladiator design is almost like a modified T-strap, with just a few extra straps of leather added.

Boutique Nine Vivacity, $69.99. The oversized silver buckles make these shoes stand apart from the crowd; I'd love to wear them with one of those exposed zipper skirts or dresses that are so popular right now.
Athena Platform Pump, $26.80. Forever 21 never met a trend it didn't like, and the gladiator heel is no exception. The leather wrapping around the ankle reminds me of a motorcycle jacket--that's a lot of toughness for such a small price. And that 4.5 inch heel isn't fucking around either.
Miss Sixty Clara Heel, $99.99. From Urban Outfitters, this shoe is probably the closest to the Dior heels Carrie Bradshaw wore. It looks a lot like a bootie with cut-outs, but I think it shows just enough skin to qualify as a heel, instead. I'm obsessed with that architectural cone heel--it's so cool without trying too hard. And the silver studs on the leather are rockin', as well.
Also from Urban Outfitters, the Sweet Life by Dolce Vita Lace Heel, $69.99. Are you a wallflower? Well then, get the fuck out of the way before I smash your toes. That is a five inch heel of pure fierceness right there, and I don't even have the words to describe how hot the corset-like lace-up front is.

Nine West Valenka Boutique 9 Heels, $59.99. These are a little more my style. The contrasting colors of leather are funky but not too wild, and the criss-crossing straps add just enough interest without looking like bondage shoes. I'm not crazy about how high up the back ankle support section goes, though--it's cut like a bootie but the rest of the shoe is decidedly sandal-like.

Modcloth Liz Sandal, $39.99. Here's the gladiator trend with a bit of a vintage twist. The basket-woven leather straps are fun and bohemian, and the caramel brown color is naturally less intimidating than black leather. But these are still guaranteed to get you attention; even if they're not maneater shoes, they're at least man-nibbler shoes, right?

Sam Edelman Greco Sandals

While I was at the Alexa Chung taping (if you're in New York and interested in doing the same, you can email AlexaCasting@mtvnmix.com with your name, age, and contact info. They also want you to attach a photo, which is sort of demeaning. But then you feel flattered that MTV doesn't think you're a total troll. You have to be between ages 15 and 24, though), I spent a lot of time looking around at other people's outfits. They told us to "dress to impress, as if you were going on a first date, but not too casual and not too dressy." Sort of a tough line to walk, right? Some people went overboard in sparkly minidresses, others dressed like they were about to be dropped off for kindergarten.

But there was one girl who got it exactly right. Ok, I don't remember what clothes she was wearing--jeans or something--but I do remember her awesome shoes. When I asked her where they were from, I hoped she would Target or Payless or Old Navy, both because I'm broke and she couldn't be more than 16, and 16-year-olds should not be wearing expensive shoes.

Sam Edelman's Greco sandals aren't super pricey at the sale price of $69.30, but if that child bought them for the original price of $99, then I am calling spoiled.
I thought I was over the gladiator sandal trend, but this girly take pulled me back in. The purple color is divine and will make even the dullest jeans-and-tee combo look like a million bucks. The braiding along the top is super fun and original as well. If a gladiator and a hippie had a stylish child, she would wear these shoes.

Marais USA Sandals

Growing up in Arizona, I believed that summer should be spent in sandals. From May to September, my sock drawer gathered dust as I wore a neverending parade of flip-flops, flip-flops, and more flip-flops. Maybe I would throw on some sneakers for a trip to the gym, but why bother when you can splash around in the backyard pool?

But then I came to New York and realized that, sometimes, summer means unexpected afternoon rain storms and cloudy, muggy days. But does that mean I'm going to be wearing rain boots all the time, just to be safe? Of course not! I'm going to wear cute, impractical sandals, weather be damned.

Few fabrics are more impractical than suede, which makes them that much more attractive on shoes. I first heard of Marais USA on the Lucky Magazines Shopgirl blog, and quickly fell in love with their color-saturated shoes. The Crosby T-strap in eggplant, $68, is definitely my favorite. To the left, you can see the orange version on a model (while I question the background of a forest for suede open-toed sandals, I appreciate that Marais shows you both what their shoes look like on their own and what they look like on a foot. I think a lot of shoe sites avoid the latter because they don't want to attract foot fetishists, but I firmly believe that you need to see a shoe being worn before knowing if its actually cute). I like how this shoes has a little more coverage; with the panel on top and covering on the back of the heel, you could take these shoes to a fairly nice restaurant without feeling like a bum.

So, in case you've never been to Paris (and what are you waiting for? Go! It really is all it's cracked up to be), Le Marais is one of the coolest neighborhoods in the whole city. Historically, it's a center of Jewish life, and it also has a reputation for attracting the bourgeois. When I visited a friend who was studying abroad in Paris, I wandered around to all the cool vintage shops and bought a real army jacket and an incredibly cool belt, and then she showed me where to get the best falafel in the world.

I think, since I was living out of a backpack at the time, I wore jeans and sneakers and looked horribly American. If I could do it again, I would wear these Prince Wedges, $72, also from Marais USA. The low heel and ankle strap ensures that you won't be hobbling over cobblestones after a few hours of sightseeing, but the fabulous suede ensures that you won't stand out from the preternaturally fabulous citizens of Le Marais. While the black is undeniably classic, and looks incredibly chic on the model below, I think I prefer the cobalt blue version. What can I say? I'm a sucker for those blue suede shoes.

Nine West James Heels

Remember when I swooned over the J.Crew Coralie Suede Heels? Well, I was in a J.Crew store today, and they had a few pairs on sale for $49.99--but only in size 7 and only in "daffodil" and "light eucalyptus," not the fabulous bright blue that I love. They have it online in my size and color, for $59.99, which is a pretty good mark-off from the original $198 price.

I still might go for them if J.Crew does a special discount on the sale section, but in the meantime I have my own pair of blue suede shoes to wear and love. From Nine West, the James slingbacks, on sale for $48.99, are pretty much equally adorable and are shockingly comfortable! Boys assume that all four-inch heels are created equal, but a heel with a platform sole actually makes walking easier, since your foot is at slightly less extreme angle. The leather suede fabric of these shoes is super soft, and the color is that chic Tiffany blue that catches the eyes and admiration of friends and strangers alike. Now all I need is a place to wear these.

These Nine West shoes are even more similar to the J.Crew ones, and if I saw them in stores I would be very tempted to buy them. The Jacer pumps, $49.99, have a more funky color (better for colder weather) and the criss-cross straps are rather fun. Now I sort of want them, although I really don't need two pairs of blue suede shoes (especially since they're a bitch to match with your clothes).

I also some some really gorgeous suede shoes at Zara, and I want to go back with my camera just so I can share them with you. But until then, I'll just paint a little word picture: So the first pair were navy blue suede pumps, with little cut-outs all around the opening for the foot. Very ladylike but still playful. The other pair were bright purple, high heel slides, with tufts of suede flowers across the toe strap. Super fun.

Converse Chuck Taylors

When I saw this photo, I had three thoughts in the following order:1. Goddamn, I would let Chris Pine do terrible things to me. Terrible, illegal things, if he asked nicely.

2. I need to go see Star Trek again, in Imax this time.

3. I want a pair of white Chuck Taylors.
I mean yes, obviously Zoe Saldana's red platform t-straps are to-die-for (although so intense that they scare me a little), and you know I'm a fan of all things girly and sexy and impractical. But Chris Pine's white Chucks are adorable and comfy, and I want a pair of my own to wear while bumming around the summer this city.

From Converse, Chuck Taylor All-Stars are $45 and will never go out of style. The only problem is that once I buy them, I'll have to get them dirty immediately because bright white Chucks are totally uncool.




I also like these seersucker print Jack Purcell Converses, $65. They remind me of something you'd find at J.Crew, so of course I'm into them.

Colin Stuart shoes at Victoria's Secret

You may have noticed that I've been on an unofficial hiatus; it's been a crazy couple of weeks, and things probably won't calm down until after graduation in May. But I got an email from Victoria's Secret earlier in the week with a coupon for 25% off a single item (ends Sunday, code 25SAV), and after deciding that I really don't need any more bras, I checked out the shoes. I've never ordered shoes from VS, but the Colin Stuart-designed pumps have always impressed me. Here are a few of my faves:

The Colorblock pump, $60, is a flirty and whimsical take on one of spring's hottest trends, and I adore the reptile skin texture on the heel and toe. The heart-like shape on the front is very sweet, too. I would probably go for the yellow/blue combo, since it would stand out more with jeans or a denim skirt.


These peep-toe pumps, $56, are so ladylike I could die, but the ribbon casing around the edges gives them a hint of old-fashioned prostitute style (which is the only good kind of prostitute style). Or, if you're more clean of mind and spirit, you could say they have a bit of a ballet influence. For that reason, I'm more drawn to the pale pink version; it's the perfect dancer ingenue shoe.

In this satin pump, $65, the innocent pink is turned edgy by bands of black satin. These shoes would be perfect for a wedding in which you're sure the bride is going to run off with the best man within six months.


I love sandals with a lot of glitz; they're a nice counterbalance for the brown leather Rainbow flip flops that I wear most of the time once it gets warm. These Chandelier Thong Sandals, $49, are so fabulously over the top that you could wear them with just about anything--when something's that shiny, it almost becomes a neutral. I'd love to put these on with a simple summer dress for a concert or meal out, and then spend the rest of the night admiring my stylish feet.



Speaking of dresses, I really love this button-front dress, $98, also from Victoria's Secret. It looks so light and airy, and the stripes give it a fun, preppy Hamptons vibe.

Coralie Suede Heels

Oh, HELL YES:From J.Crew, the Coralie Suede Heels, $99, are the best and brightest shoes I've ever seen. I have a feeling that turquoise is going to be very hot for spring-- it could be the new purple. And suede, while traditionally a fall fabric, is gloriously reimagined for warmer weather. J.Crew is having an extra 30% off sale, so use the code EXTRA30 and get these babies for $70.

Simply Vera Paintbrush Skirt and Anthropologie Sound Mooring Skirt

One of my New Year's Fashion Resolutions was to wear skirts more often, and I have to give myself credit for really following through on this one. I think part of it is that I haven't bought a dress (and kept--I've been doing an awful lot of returning lately, including this Target dress and this Modcloth dress) in ages, so that giant section of my closet seems old and tired. My skirt section, however, is full of barely worn yet adorable pieces that are begging to be mixed and matched with equally underworn tops. I've been having fun trying out this new skirt thing, and I bought two new skirts this week that I think will make excellent additions to both my work and play wardrobes.

First, from Kohl's, the Simpy Vera Vera Wang Pleated Paintbrush Skirt, $33.99. I saw it in March Vogue (with HBIC Michelle Obama on the cover) and immediately knew I needed to have it. I don't know if I've ever bought anything featured in Vogue before, but These Economic Times have forced Anna Wintour to feature some poor people clothes, at least for a few pages. Don't worry, she called a $335 turquoise clutch a "steal!" and a "wear-anywhere" piece. Oh, A-Dubs. Vogue just wouldn't be the same if you ever got in touch with reality. Although, I'd very much appreciate it if you stopped letting Plum Skyes write about herself and her fabulous hair/clothes/house/life every month. OMG, Plum Skyes is now able to blowdry her own hair thanks to her fabulous new haircut! What a superwoman! Alert the Profiles in Courage committee! All of us who blowdry our hair every freaking morning will now give Plum Skyes a standing ovation-- or perhaps a tear-inducing slow clap!

Sorry for the diversion. Nothing brings out my sarcastic side like Vogue. I should be thanking A-Dubs for convincing me to visit my local Kohl's, since only the X-Large size is available in line. In store, there were plenty of sizes and I think every single Simply Vera piece was on sale, so I'd advise you to go check it out in person. This skirt is pretty loose, and the back waistband is elasticized, so I'd recommend going a size down. I can't wait to jazz up my boring blue button-down shirt on Monday morning! And I'm going to have to keep a closer eye on what Vera Wang is designing for Kohl's.

The other skirt I bought is from a more usual suspect: Anthropologie. The Sound Mooring Skirt, $49.95 online but $39.95 in stores (although that might have been a mistake just in my local store, since it rang up the higher price and I had to point out the lower price handwritten on the tag), is pure nautical adorableness. I love the crisp blue and white vertical stripes, and the solid blue ribbon belt, although I think it looks cleaner to tie it in a bow in the back. When I tried it on in the store, I paired it with this Plaited Boatneck shirt, $29.95, since I was shopping in a dress and it isn't helpful to see what a skirt looks like when worn topless (unless you work in a topless bar, I guess). They worked smashingly together: the blue of the ribbon and the shirt were right on, and the loose top created a great hourglass shape with the tight waistband and bigger skirt. I probably should have bought the shirt, but $30 is too much for a navy blue tee, even if it does have cute fluttery sleeves and a nice subtle braid on the neckline. So when I went home, and tried it on with a form fitting tank, I was less pleased with the look. The inverted pleats in the front and back tend to open up in weird, unflattering, origami-like ways. You can see it in the model photo, too, so I know it's not just my child-bearing hips that are causing the problem. So I'm planning to bring it back to New York, see what tops I have there that could work, and return it if I can't fix the proportional problem that is making my bottom half look distinctly egg-shaped.

Would it be confusing to tack on some Target news to this post? It makes sense to me because I went to both Kohl's and Target today, so I'm sure you all can follow along. I went to the Target at Pavillion's today, to return the Converse One Star dress that I wasn't in love with, and do some more searching for McQ collection. On luck on that front, but they did have the Felix Rey handbag collection out, which isn't supposed to be out until March 29th (there's a big two-page ad on the very first page of April Lucky Magazine, with annoying Vanessa from Gossip Girl on the cover). I thought it looked great, although it's extremely beachy. Lots of coral prints, and gold shells, and a tote with a huge sequin fish on it. The two clutches were a little more subtle, and very affordable at $19.99. I might have gotten the blue one if I hadn't already decided to get some shoes, but the material felt a bit cheap (which it is, of course), so I passed. They aren't on Target.com yet, but you can see more images here.

The shoes, I had to get, because I've been to three different Targets this week and in each I've gone to the shoe section specifically to visit and try on the Merona Mavis Pump in Metallic Tan, $24.99. The photo doesn't do justice to the best part of these shoes-- the gold thread interwoven into the tweed! Gold tweed is the best, because it takes something really stuffy and old-fashioned and slams it into something ghetto fabulous and always new. The faux-leather trim and demure bow keeps it classy, and the 3 inch heel is no problem to walk in. I would also like to give a shout out to the fellow Target shopper who used her lighter to cut the elastic Target likes to use to tie their shoes together, making them impossible to properly walk in. I wouldn't have bought them if I didn't get the chance to do a test walk, so I guess Target should be thanking her, too.

Fantasy Resort Wear

I think that resort wear is basically a mean joke the fashion industry plays on middle class people (and you can insert the expected comment about These Economic Times and Wall Street vs. Main Street and how the whole world is going to end, etc), but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop lusting over all sorts of vacation-inspired clothes.

I especially want this Diane von Furstenburg Vidal Chevron Stripe Silk Jersey Dress, $298. You could throw this into your suitcase with a toothbrush and a bikini and be done with it, because it's light and fun enough to be worn as a beach cover-up but also substantial and classy enough to be worn to dinner. I especially love the knotted rope at the neckline (since you know I go crazy for anything nautical-inspired), and the sexy keyhole opening on the top. The V shaped stripes are a nice touch, too, for a playful and original look. I mean, it's von Furstenburg: of course it's going to be flawless.

These shoes don't really match this dress, but they do have the same effect of conjuring up white sand beaches and drinks that come with half a pineapple stuck on the glass. From Maud Bowie, the Blue Wedge, $85, has a distinctly tropical gold Bamboo print on a sophisticated blue patent background. The thick straps are more substantial than what you'd usually find on a resort sandal, which means you could easily rock these wedges when you (sadly, reluctantly) return to the city.

I'm a fan of the complicated bathing suit that'll give you insane tan lines-- but only on other people. If I saw someone rocking this Zimmermann Bo Feather Lace Up One Piece, $138, I'd have no choice but to admire their commitment to standing out from the crowd. A strait jacket has never look so sexy, right?



But I tend to get more subdued swimsuits (and cheaper, because any piece of clothing that can't be worn in public isn't worth a substantial amount of money). I really like these two suits from Urban Outfitters: The Despi Tonal Dot Halter Top, $58, and bottom, $58, has a subtle but still youthful polka dot print, and fun details like the knotted halter straps and gathered waistband. (Sidenote: This model's boobs have to be fake, right? How can she have those little boy arms and hips and such an admirable rack? Could be photoshop or stuffing, but either way I'm not buying it.)

The Billabong Piped Halter Top and Boardshort, $48 each, are also adorable. I'm obsessed with the buttons on bottoms-- very Sgt. Pepper's Beach Volleyball Club.

Blogiversary!

For some reason I was convinced that February 10th was the big day, but when I check today I saw the truth: Oh My God, Where Did You Get That was born a bouncing baby girl on February 8th, 2008-- which makes today our blogiversary. I still have the yellow legal pad on which Danielle and I brainstormed possible blog names, and some of our rejects are cracking me up. For example, the titles inspired by J.Lo (Don't Be Fooled by the Rocks That I Got) and Miley Cyrus (My Best Friend Leslie Said...) are pretty embarrassing, but also reveal a lot about what sort of music Danielle and I blasted during dance parties. I also like "Our empty, consumer-driven lives," and "We may be broke but we look fabulous." When we started ruling titles out, it came down to OMG or "The Style Section," although now I see that there is a blogspot with that name, although it hasn't been updated since January 24th, 2008. But it's probably good we didn't go with that, because the NYT Style Section has gotten increasingly annoying in the last year, with all this talk of "recessionistas" and how hard it is to live in Manhattan when you're making less than 5 million dollars.

Anyway, we posted 175 times in the last 12 months, which is about every other day. There were busy months and slow months, but thanks for coming by and checking us out anyway. We started with just a handful of readers (pretty much just the contributers, really) and now get around 200-250 people a day, which is mostly thanks to being part of J.Crew Aficionada's blogroll. This is how warm and fuzzy I feel towards J.Crew Aficionada:

J.Crew Cashmere Dog Sweater, $59.99

And here are some more random pieces that sum up how I feel about spending a full year blogging about online shopping:

Catherine Malandrino Chiffon Tank Dress, $620


Quartz Pinata in gold, $135 (I've always dreamed of adding a shiny gold pinata to my Cinco de Mayo parties)

Prada Metallic East-West Tote, $1,760

Bandolino's "Shari" Slingback Pump, $51.75, at Macy's (I love that suede flower!)

Alice + Olivia Asymmetrical Ruffle Skirt, $220

Modcloth's What a Wonderful Coat, $107.99

Hygge and West Gold Dot Ring, $25 (originally $50, on sale until 2/14)

Again, thank you to all our readers, especially those of you who make my day by leaving comments! Also, thank you to my fellow contributers: Danielle, Alex, Andrea and Emily. And thanks to Mindy Kaling, for being our inspiration.