Working Girls

Did you actually think you had seen the last of me? I have a ton of respect and awe for Julia - she's so consistent in keeping OMGWDYGT up and running, while I'm totally unreliable. However, I've recently undergone a sartorial revolution on the heels of my new job, and I find myself once again bitten by the fashion-blogging bug.

So, I'll be honest. When I received the news that I had secured my first "real" job upon graduating from college, what I was most excited about was building my work wardrobe.

I envisioned my closet containing a tightly-edited selection of clothing that was both age-appropriate and professional. I figured the best antidote for fluorescent lighting and bitter coffee was a wardrobe that was anchored with reliable basics and then injected with some quirk from a few carefully chosen statement pieces.

The task was more daunting than I had imagined. What has emerged as the most important criteria for finding work clothes is that they're wearable when I'm on and off the clock. After all, if I wouldn't choose to wear something when I'm, say, grabbing a late sushi dinner with my boyfriend on a Saturday night or hanging out at my friends' apartment watching Gossip Girl, why would I want to spend eight hours in it on a Tuesday? Luckily, I've found some pieces that are both office- and life-appropriate, and they can be dressed up or down with a few choice counterparts.

ONE: THE PATTERNED SKIRT.

As much as I appreciate a good, body-conscious pencil skirt (hello, Joan Holloway), there's something so appealingly breezy about this Factory Floral Skirt, $98, with its vivid print and A-line cut. A plain white button-down and basic black pumps look crisp and smart against its colorful palette:

Non-iron fitted sateen shirt, $59.50

Perfect Elle Pump, $155 $99.99

On the weekend, dress it down with an androgynous racerback tank and strappy sandals.

V-neck ribbed top, $48

Venn wedge sandal, $79

TWO: THE SKINNY PANT.

Being a petite girl, my figure looks swallowed whole by pants that have an at all voluminous cut. A streamlined silhouette, like the one provided by these Martin skinny cropped pants, $89.50, is much more flattering. During office hours, this standby pairs well with a frilly cami and, to keep it work-appropriate, brightly colored cardigan:

Followspot tank, $98

Featherweight cotton bling-button cardigan, $62

Versatile slingbacks round out the look:

Karoo slingbacks, $68.95

Off-hours, these pants work just as well with a nautical-inspired striped shirt and espadrilles:

Vintage bateau top, $36

Girlee espadrilles, $59 $39.99

THREE: THE FLOATY TOP.

The polka-dot print is sweet and a little bit retro; the fluttery sleeves and deep v-neck cut - which draw focus to your shoulders and collarbone - make it sexy. At work, this Dotsalota chiffon cami, $138, goes perfectly with an all-business blazer and pencil skirt:

Tropical wool shawl collar jacket, $198

Sheri high-waisted skirt, $148

As for shoes - those standby black pumps, you're thinking? What about these instead?

Madison pumps, $298

I've yet to invest in brightly colored shoes that are also work-appropriate, but they're on my shopping list; they're a pretty harmless way to add some interest to an otherwise conservative look. I'm such a whore for Stuart Weitzman shoes - you have to love that juxtaposition of a classic shape and sexy but not-quite-garish cherry red patent leather.

On the weekend, channel Jean Seberg and wear the top with a pair of skinny jeans and black leather ballet flats:

Skinny crops, $158

Leather classic ballet flats, $98

Amanda Seyfriend and Zac Posen

Amanda Seyfried has officially replaced Rachel McAdams as the celebrity I most wish I looked like. Sorry Rachel--you're still gorgeous, and you made a real run at regaining your title in that sublime Oscar dress.......which reminded me of a Barbie I had with a dress inspired by Monet's waterlilies (I used to be really into collecting the fancy Barbies, and would get a new one every Christmas. My favorite was the one with Eliza Doolittle's white racetrack dress from My Fair Lady, because it had a ginormous hat that reminded me of Kate Winslet in the opening of Titanic). On Oscar night, Rachel McAdams completed topped Amanda Seyfried's cake-icing gown, but besides that, it's been a while since anything Rachel McAdams wore made me go, "Ugh, why is she so perfect? (I hear she does car commercials in Japan. One time she punched me in the face. It was awesome.)

Amanda Seyfried, on the other hand, makes me react like that every time I see her, and I can pretty much guarantee that I will go see Letters to Juliet just so I can ogle her shiny, shiny hair (I'm also interested to see her stick her whole fist in her mouth and predict the weather with her breasts, two things that I don't think she does in that movie). And I've had an old issue of Vogue sitting on my desk for a week, open to this page, just to remind myself that perfection is possible:
So gorgeous, right? She's perfectly walking the line between classic and fresh--she has the loose screen siren girls and curvy figure, but looks clean-faced and wholesome. It's like when you see photos of Dita von Teese and think, "She looks amazing, but not quite human..." but here Amanda took that over-the-top look and translated it into an everyday, just hanging at Coney Island outfit. I adored it even more when I saw photos of the dress online. On Amanda, it looks like a staple of your fantasy wardrobe. On this model, it looks like something you'd see at a thrift store and think, "Oh man, if only this were a little less weird..."
Those sleeves! Why are those sleeves ripped open?! It ruins everything for me, because it's one of those really unnecessary designer-y things. It doesn't help that the model has very strange proportions--her neck, in particular, is freaking me out. I should mention that this dress is from Zac Posen's new lower-priced collection, Z Spoke. Of course, "lower-priced" is relative, as this Silk Polka Dot Flared Dress is $495, and then it'll be an extra $15 bucks or so to get your tailor to fix those god awful sleeves. The solid version is a little less offensive to my eyes, since it's in a gorgeous merlot red.

In the Vogue article that the Amanda Seyfried photo is from, Zac Posen does a lot of patting himself on the back for having this new "affordable" line. But it's such a joke, just like every "Steal of the Month" feature. A 500 dollar dress is not affordable! It's not a steal! In New York, it's half a month's rent; in Phoenix, it's 2 months rent. I know that complaining about how Vogue is out of touch with the real world is as old as complaining about bad weather, but I still see red when I read, "Posen is keen to come up with prices that won't break the bank ($78 to a bit over $600). 'T-shirts at T-shirt prices' is how he puts it." Zac Posen obviously hasn't been to a Gap ever in his life, because T-shirt prices should be somewhere between $20 and $30 (if you're too impatient to wait for that v-neck to go on sale). This Z spoke t-shirt--cotton, jersey, and ugly as sin--is $98.

But hey, Zac Posen is doing a collection for Target that comes out on April 25th, and hope springs eternal! Sure, his pieces seem to be at a higher price point that previous Target collaborations, but maybe that'll translate into higher quality. I'm intrigued in a few dresses, but as always, I won't know until I see them in person if they're hideous or awesome. This first dress is so weird that it just might work--it's like sailor meets punk:
And this dress is just pure glam fun:

Wow, this post meandered a bit. Shall we bring it all back with a final appreciation of the late Lily Cane's perfect hair?

Have I been wrong about rompers?

I'm 100% positive that if I went to Coachella, I would spend the entire time nudging my friends and saying, "Did you see that girl's fugly ass outfit? She looks like she fell on the tracks of a Brooklyn bound L train." It'd be like the one time I tried to see Vampire Weekend in Central Park, and while in line tried surreptitiously to photograph a girl with a raccoon tail on her purse. The hipster style is not for me, but I have to admit, this outfit is sort of really cute (via Refinery 29):Between the leather belt and the old-fashioned halter and the sweet white shoes, this hipster girl has managed to make the romper retro-classy. Miracle! And I'll admit, a romper might be a good choice at a music festival, when you'll be sweating a lot but also sitting on the ground (making a dress a bad choice). My only misgiving--besides that all rompers should be burned in a fire--is that you would have to get totally naked while using the Port-a-Potty, which seems very dangerous.

My resistance must be wearing down, because I got an email from Urban Outfitters today and thought, "What a cute dress...no wait, it's a romper...and it's still cute?"

Pins and Needles Eyelet Romper, $58

I'm just a sucker for white eyelet fabric and a waist sash.

There's another UO romper that I'm almost too embarrassed to admit I like, because it's very self-consciously hipster.

Samantha Pleet Run Amok Romper, $178

First, let's all acknowledge that this model looks hideously malnourished--her face is screaming, "I haven't eaten in so long that I've completely lost the will to live, and thus am unable to take this ridiculous hat off." That said, look at that super fun fruity print! Don't you want to wear it on a picnic, after going to your local farmer's market for fresh mangoes? The print reminds me of something Betty would wear on Mad Men, in between yelling at Sally and pretending her marriage isn't a nightmare. Of course, she'd wear it as a dress with a full skirt and actual undergarments, and look all the more glamorous. But she wouldn't be able to sit Indian-style on the ground in a dress.

Le Chapeau

$5 sale at Urban Outfitters makes me think...
...maybe I do need a straw bowler hat!

There was a feature in Vogue last year that featured all these fabulous hats, and ever since I've wanted a menswear-inspired chapeau of my own.

Although it seems like Common Sense 101 that you shouldn't wear a fancy hat on a boat, because will you lose it in approximately 7 seconds.

Betsey Johnson and My Dream Dress

I'm always impressed by how accurate the ads on Facebook are. It's always Modcloth ad, book ad, dating ad. Congratulations, Facebook, you've got me completely figured out. Anyway, this dress was in the most recent Modcloth ad, and I thought, "How adorable! And since it's Mod, it will probably be affordable!"


Alas! This dress is by Betsey Johnson, and the Iona Dress costs a cool $485. But oh, it is so fun! Betsey Johnson is not known for her restraint, which I identify with--when I was a kid, my mom felt compelled to make an extra large donation to the class arts and crafts supplies, because she knew I would cover any project with glitter, glue, markers, stickers, and dried macaroni. This dress is the equivalent of my early artwork, with the embroidery, lace, tulle, and big old sash with a bow in the back. It's totally over-the-top, but sometimes a girl needs a dress like that. Just ask Miley!

Alex and I went to see The Last Song... for the lulz, I swear! We spent the whole movie making snarky comments about Miley's "acting" and Nicholas Sparks's "writing," but we both agreed that this dress was a winner. It's a tea length, around the shins, and it looks so fresh and young that I can't help but be jealous of Miley for getting to wear it (and also for getting to hang out in Tybee Island, Georgia, which looks absolutely gorgeous). It reminds me of that giant poofy dress (Oscar de la Renta?) that Carrie wore when she went to Paris with Aleksandr. And so, while I will not be buying the Betsey Johnson dress, I will continue to dream of the frilly confection of a dress of my dreams.

J. Crew, the agony and the ecstasy

Oh, J.Crew. How can you swing so wildly from "What the hell are you thinking?"....

Silk Linen Jumpsuit, $148

...to "Why the hell don't I own that?"

Cotton Organdy Galette Dress, $285

My love for pleats is only rivaled by my hatred for jumpsuits, so I guess I'm left shaking my head, thinking, "Oh, J.Crew, I can't stay mad at you!" I also want to mention that I was in the store over the weekend, and the mannequin wearing the pleated dress was styled really well--with a studded belt in a similar shade of pink, and a woven straw tote bag. This is a fabulous dress, totally appropriate for a warm weather wedding, but J.Crew styled it for a brunch and lazy errand Sunday.

I also want to point out two more things that caught my eye in the store. First, the world's most versatile dress, the Super 120s Andre dress, $188:
It's from J.Crew's office collection, and also comes in navy, black and grey--but the bright plum could definitely be smartened up for work. But the real power of this dress is that it can become that essential go-to for "I want to feel awesome tonight." You know, that one dress that you know is insanely flattering and hides ever sin, the dress that you want to wear on your birthday and a first date and to your high school reunions (since all the popular bitches will be wearing black, to hide the fact that they've gotten fat, while you're all, "Look at me, in bright purple! Aren't you jealous of the fabulous life that I must be living in order to wear this dress?"). It's not too revealing but couldn't be dowdy if it tried. Oh, if only it were machine-washable: then it truly would be the perfect dress.
The flutter flower clutch, $122, is not versatile at all. In fact, it's sort of silly and girly and too expense for something that you'll get so little use out of. But goddamn if I didn't squeal with delight when I spied this on a J.Crew mannequin. The gold chain and clasp look exquisite against the purple silk flowers, and wearing it would make me feel like a heroine in a high-quality chick lit novel.

By the way, the reason I was in the store was to return that white cable knit sweater I bought only. The fabric was a nightmare--so itchy and completely synthetic feeling. And, it was so loose-knit that it was totally see-through. It's gone even more on sale to $19.99, but ladies: do not be tempted!

Flowers and stripes and plaid at Lulu's

Want to stop shopping. Need to stop shopping. Can't stop shopping.

But if I'm gonna keep shopping, I might as well shop for holes in my closet. And right now, I'm sensing a distinct lack of patterned dresses. I am saying no to solids for at least a few months! And I'm saying maybe to these cheap but adorable patterned dresses from Lulu's:

Lucky Break Dress, $35. I'm a big fan of solid bands to break up a pattern; it helps get the dress from getting overwhelming, while also highlighting your banging curves. And that back! It's like bondage meets garden party.

Home Sweet Home Dress, $45. Could this be any sweeter and more charming? It's like if Betty Draper weren't such a spoiled princess. But it has all these great modern details, like a gathered belt and buttoned cap sleeves. It appeals to the part of me that wishes I could just make sugar cookies all day instead of working under florescent lights in an office.

Picnic in Plaid Dress, $57. Are you sick of all the hipster-Brooklyn-type plaid? I'm not quite, but I'm still in favor of dressing outside the L Train platform in something like this. Bright colors for spring? Pleated skirt with tulle underlay? Perfect fit and flattering cut? It's way more 4/5 Uptown.

Neopolitan Sundae Dress, $31. I will admit that colorblock is not a pattern. But who wouldn't want a dress named after an underappreciated flavor of ice cream?

Nike 5 Ring USA T-Shirt

Just in case I didn't already have enough Olympic spirit...
Yeah, I just bought this. I need to freeze my debit card in ice, like in Confessions of a Shopaholic (shut up, I have a major crush on Isla Fisher and am compelled to rent every romantic comedy she appears in! ). I have been doing way too much online shopping lately, but at least I can justify this one by saying that I did got the Nike 5 Ring tee for America. Plus, NBC is having a 37% off sale on a lot of their Olympic gear; the 37% comes, naturally, from the 37 medals Team USA brought home from Canada. With the discount this t-shirt is $12.60, and Nike usually does a nice job with their clothes so I think it'll be worth it. At the very least, I'll be able to wear it running, listening to my Olympic playlist (the highlights of which are "All These Things That I've Done" by The Killers and "Change" by Taylor Swift), and pretending that I'm running for gold. Or at least taking a leisurely jog through the Olympic village, checking out all the hotties of the world.

Metallic Target Gladiator Sandals--back and almost as good as ever!

Those of you who know me in real life are well acquinted with my ongoing love affair with gold gladiator sandals from Target. Got them two summers ago, wore them to pieces, and have been regretting not getting multiple pairs ever since. Well, BIG NEWS. Happily for me, Target is shamelessly ripping off Isaac Mizrahi's design (he did my original sandals, and left the company a year or two ago) with the Merona Elyssa Strappy Sandals, $19.99.
They are almost exactly the same as the IM version, but the footbed is a neutral color instead of matching the straps. And, the biggest bummer, is that they come in silver, bronze and black but not gold. And I am all about gold, so I might have to get these Target sandals too, just to cover my metallic summer sandal bases:
The Xhilaration Tanya Grecian sandals, $17.99, are a fairly slight shade of gold--I'd worry about them getting noticeably dirty. But the braided top is very trendy, in a good way, and I like how it's a thong but not a flip-flop. And look at this! Target is having a buy one pair of shoes, get one off sale! This is just what I need to brighten my spirits on this uber-gloomy, rainy March day. And I'm just going to ignore the fact that I was at Target, literally yesterday, and spent a bit too much money on fruit snacks and poster frames and dvds and all the other amazingly cheap shit Target specializes in.

Whites from J.Crew

J.Crew is having a sale's-on-sale event, at least for a few more hours. I feel like J.Crew does these so often that it's no longer a big deal, and if you're shopping the sale and not getting an extra 20 or 30% off, then you need to practice some patience. Not that I'm complaining! I love the extra discount with all my heart! Especially when it lets me buy a perfect summer dress and a perfect transition sweater.

I've been wanting a little white dress for ages, and this one is pretty perfect. The Aubrey Halter Dress, $39.99, is classic but still casual enough for the beach or a ballgame. This summer, I really want to rock the white dress/turquoise jewelry look--it's a little retro but I think not dated, I don't think. Chunky bracelet with matching earrings? I already can't wait for the scorching hot weather that's necessary for this outfit. I should give credit: while I've been a fan of the white/turquoise look for a while, I was reminded of how awesome it is by this picture of Summer Glau:

Doesn't she just look exquisitely summer-y? Who knew that freaky chick from Firefly would turn out to be such a hottie?

I also got the Dolce Cable Knit sweater in ivory, $29.99. All winter, whenever I've been getting dressed in the morning and just didn't feel capable of putting forth the effort to look cute, I'd throw on a navy crewneck cabled sweater from the Gap. It's a little dowdy but super comfortable and there's literally nothing that will clash with it. But it's too thick to wear when it gets warm, hence this lighter (both in color and thickness) version of the same sweater. I'm also hoping this one will be a little more flattering, with the wide neck and loose cables. I also have this image of wearing this sweater with a navy seersucker bikini bottom while on a yacht... it's my ever-present Ralph Lauren lifestyle porn fantasy. It would also look cute and surprising with some brightly colored shorts on a chilly spring morning.

I was also really tempted to get this Contrast Pencil Skirt, $79.99. I liked it because it reminded me of this dress Emma Watson wore on Letterman or something a few years ago:
The J.Crew version is a lot less design-y, but still very chic. The back will elicit double-takes, but not in a tacky way.


This is a lot of white, off-white, and ivory, and I'm really trying to get more color into my wardrobe. So here are some things I might get when they go on sale or get further discounted.

There's a woman in my office who reminds me of Joan from Mad Men--super curvy, impeccably put together, total girl crush material. She looks like iCarly, and since she's not a redhead like the actual Joan, she often wears bright red and looks absolutely rocking. This cardigan reminded me of her--amazing color, super soft cashmere, perfect fit, probably worn over a snug grey dress. The cashmere crewneck cardigan is $99.99--I'm betting it goes down in price a bit more before selling out.

Oh, this is just lovely, lovely.

The Sunshine peony coccinelle dress, $138, is the kind of dress I want to be wearing 24/7. Vintage feel, not trying too hard to be cute, but still the kind of pattern that makes you think, "I HAVE to know where she got that."

And when I want to be a little more bold with my florals, there's the vintage Poppy Erica dress, $250. I love how they styled it with a slightly manly belt, like "Yeah, I thought this outfit needed something extra so I grabbed my boyfriend's belt off his floor."