Dressing for Success: The New Way Women Are Dressing for Work

I recently helped a friend decide what to wear for a speaking engagement. She is an entrepreneur who helps students become financially robust after graduation and often gets asked to speak on television and for banks. She wondered what would one wear for such an occasion. I wondered what couldn't she wear for such an occasion?

Both women and men today have so many more options for work attire than we used it and it is largely because our workplaces have transformed quite a bit. Companies are a lot more focused on productivity than following traditional work practices, and part of maximizing productivity is making employees happier at work. This means allowing greater flexibility and versatility, which has given rise to a more casual work place setting with flex-time, hot desking, centralised management -and you guessed it! Relaxed work attire policies. Below are some of the recommendations I came up for my friend, which you might not have traditionally seen on someone presenting to a bank.

Formal Trousers + Patterned Button-Down Shirt

Pencil Skirt + Button-Down with Rolled up Sleeves

Relaxed Blazer + Tucked-in T-Shirt + Mismatched Trouser

Sleeveless Blouse + Tapered Trouser 

SaveSave

90s Flashback: Ladeez Knot Yo Shirts!

 (photo credit zimbio, tfs, fashion mogul)

Oh, knotted shirts! Where do I begin? You bring me back to Christina Ricci duck tapping her boobs in Now and Then and Kurt Cobain being a hot mess before hot mess was even a term. You're basically all sorts of edgy do-it-yourself fun and I don't even have to wait for retailers to stock up on you because you can be easily created with any button down and two hands. Actually you can even use any loose t-shirt for this look (take a looksie below). How rad can you get? I should have seen this one coming with all the cropped turtlenecks and plaid flocking the streets these days.

What I really like about this look is the updated high waisted take on it celebs like Annalynne McCord and Kiera Knightley are trying. It's some sort of mutt mix of 70s and 90s. Radness my friends. Radness.

 (photo credit Carolines Mode)

In Transition: Blogger Streetstyle

      
If you happen to live in a city where weather transitions are a smooth and enjoyable affair, you have the luxury of extending the life of summer pieces in your wardrobe. The shortest of shorts and sheerest of blouses may even be spared. It's all due to one simple styling tactic: layering.

Socks, leggings, nylons, scarves, cardigans, jackets, hats etc...simply pick a few additional items from your wardrobe and throw them over top (or underneath) your summeresque look and voilà you are saved from autumn breezes and declining temperatures! No need to mourn the loss of your favorite summer frock.

If, however, you are gungho about jumping into fall attire, but find it too warm to commit to head-to-toe coverage, pick lighter fabrics and roll away your shirt/pants when temperatures peaks. Perhaps try cuffing your sleeves in an inverted fashion the way Karla has with her yellow blouse to keep things interesting.

(credited to Fashion is a Playground, Annabu, Pandora's Box, Leproust, Karla's Closet, Another Day to Dress Up, Natalie Off Duty, Hanneli, Refinery29, Faboo)

Streamlined

Blazer: Blend

Jeans: Rock n' Republic

Shirt: Anthony Morato

Shoes: To Boot New York, Adam Derrick

Watch: Swiss Military

Everyone meet my brother Dallas. He has impeccable taste for an army boy and I will take 99% credit for it (1% I will allow for his own ability to take fabulous direction). Seriously though I haven't picked out any outfits for the Master Corporal in a long time so I cannot reasonably take credit. I sometimes feel like I was his Rachel Zoe and he my Nicole Richie who I gave wings to (my ego is being featured in this post today as well apparently).

Anyway, this is my brother's latest genre of style; very business casual. Everything is fitted, tight, nipped and tucked. Quite Italian. I of course approve of the dark palette. He's also been wearing skinnies lately and not in a black-eyeliner-wearing emo kind of way. So as women's fashion ventures more and more into masculine styles, including the prominent military look this fall, men's fashion appears to be entering feminine territory. Pretty soon we'll all be confused which side of the store is men's and women's with all this gender neutral styling.

Thank-you Dallas for taking part in my blog!

In the Navy

Okay, so The Satorialist has been killing me lately with all the Italian men in navy garments. I just had to share because Italian men are so friggen impeccable. They make me want to do things....unspeakable things...unmentionable things...terrible, terrible things that can't be forgiven....I'll just leave it at that....

Do me a favor and listen to In The Navy whilst perusing this post.

And now I share with you an excerpt from my travel journal while in Rome:

August 6th, 2008 6:30 PM

"There is one thing I should specifically address about night clubbing in Italy: Italian men. During the day Italian men are a wondrous sight. They are beautiful, stylish, sexy etc… everything you could ask for in a piece of ass. They walk around in 34 degree heat in suits looking about 10 degrees cooler than everyone else. If you’re lucky enough one may say Ciao Bella to you as you proceed to watch your ego grow 2 times bigger. Italian men in night clubs, however, are another story. Creepy, hyper-aggressive, stalker-like, crazy etc… are a few words that come to mind. As the night goes on they become even bigger creepers."

(Via The Satorialist)

We at the Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn

Shoes: Aldo

Skirt: Wilfred

Top: Talulah Babator

Blouse (tied behind back): Forever 21

Top & Belt: Wilfred

Leggings: Urban Outfitters

Sun Glasses: Aldo

Shoes & Sunglases: Aldo

Leggings & Top: Urban Outfitters

Belt: BCBG Maz Arizia

I have just returned from a week long vacation in Washington with my good friend/model Rayna McKay (pictured above in The Baroness Hotel). We spent most of our time in Seattle, although we did venture into Auburn for my mother's dog show and Marysville for some hardcore outlet shopping. As you can see my hair has magically grown 10 inches and blackened. I am actually wearing a hairband wig from Paris Hilton's line of hair extensions. I bought 9" and 22" wigs for only $20 each when wandering bored in Auburn. I dyed my hair a day earlier so the coloring match was quite perfect. I used to have hair longer than this so I was pretty psyched to fake it for the day (and till whenever I dye my hair next woo!).

I am a big fan of Rayna's last outfit posted here because not only does she remind me of a gondola tour guide in Venice, but she is dressed very chic for incredibly cheap. Both her top and pants were on sale for $10 each and her belt was $20. With her shoes borrowed from me her full look is only $40. Yay end of the season sales! I don't know what I would do if it weren't for stores needing to make room for new inventory...okay, that's a lie. I would just get another credit card ha!

A Tribute to Chanel

 

Today's posting is one of sweet, sweet nostalgia. I know there isn't a girl out there who doesn't coo and get all doe eyed talking about Coco Chanel, but I really do have a soft spot for the tenacious and feisty spirit behind our obsessions with leather quilted shoulder bags and tweed bouclé suits.

I recently tried to rent a biographical movie starring Audrey Tatou called Coco before Chanel and ended up with the wrong version, which I never finished because I'm ADD and I just don't finish anything. I like to blame that quality on my Myers Briggs personality type, INFP. I tell people the acronym stands for "I Never Finish Projects" when they ask (they usually don't).

I did, however, finish a very cheeky and delightful Chanel book titled The Gospel According to Coco Chanel by Karen Karbo that I highly recommend. The book delves into her checkered past, which no one can ever be sure of because she was always coming up with new contradicting stories about her roots (the author refers to these tales as Chanelores).

It's not that she was particularly scandalous, it's just that she was raised in an orphanage where she was abandoned by her father. Being someone who hung out with high society Frenchmen like Pablo Picasso, that was about as defamatory as you could get. It was bad enough she started out as a lowly hat maker (seamstresses had no status back then, and even as a famous designer Chanel's celebrity clients would pretend not to see her as they passed her on the streets).

Aside from all her clever proverbs, which have now become clichés, such as

“A woman is closest to being naked when she is well dressed”

“Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions.”

I would say the lessons I have enjoyed most from Ms. Chanel are that perseverance and personal conviction when combined are deadly and unstoppable, and that horse riding never ceases to impress men (seriously).

Straw Hat: Urban Outfitters
Pearls: Gift from Dubai
Dress: Little Moon by Wilfred
Heels: Aldo

Fashion Fun in my Backyard

 

Because I have received the best response so far from my previous streetstyle post, and I really want this blog to be successful, I am going to continue posting streetstyle pictures as regularly as possible.


Like a good West Coast girl I am wearing Wilfred pants and a bustier inspired Wilfred top. The majority of my clothing is black and from Aritzia if you hadn't guessed already. Throughout high school the dominant color in my wardrobe was pink. My how times have changed. It's simply more practical for me to buy neutral colors for versatility and work. As a result, I let my accessories have all the fun.

I'm still trying to figure out exactly what sort of niche I want for this blog, which is difficult after only posting for a week or so. From my site statistics I've noticed Canadians aren't nearly as interested in fashion as Americans or Europeans. Perhaps I should make my blog more decidedly Canadian and recruit more interest in what we have to offer? Any feedback and what you would like to see/read more of would be very appreciated.

Top & High Waist Pants: Wilfred
Shoes: Aldo
Scarf: Urban Outfitters
Sun Glasses: Adopted from a friend.

Meet Your Blogger and Her Bitches

 

 

 

 

I'm just a lowly noob and used my cheap digital camera so you'll have to excuse the blurriness.

These are only two of the seven dogs I live with. The Toy Poodle is named Chanel (which I had nothing to do with) and the Italian Greyhound is called Bonnie Blue (also didn't name that one). They are pleased to meet your acquaintance.

I don't plan on keeping a streetstyle blog, but today on whim I went and grabbed my camera and pooches. I may do this again on whim. We'll see...

This long sleeved black top I'm wearing is a delicate combination of micromodal and micronylon, which means it's very susceptible to tear and an annoyance to wash. You can't tell in these photos, but it's quite sheer and wicked fun to layer. I have a stretch skirt that goes all the way up to my bra line underneath this thing. Last time I wore a shirt of this fabric I tore 10 holes in it à la Kate Moss partying. Sad.

I'm also wearing that Essie nail polish I can't get enough of.

Lastly, I just joined Bloglovin and have no followers yet. I would be ever so happy if you would stalk me. Do so here.

Top & Skirt: Wilfred
Belt: American Apparel
Pumps: Ralph Lauren
Peacock Earrings: Charlotte Russe



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