Not Stepping O'er the Bounds of Corporate Modesty, but a Girl's Gotta Look Fashionable at Work!

Corporate America: the machine that grinds and minces and spits out brown, black, blue and gray doppelgangers. Mine is a 14 year relationship, and I must say I bare the office setting no great love. How I long to seek out the new, the hip, the trendy; to roam stark showrooms and be eternally surrounded by tons of luscious garments, bags, shoes, accessories; to sit amongst the exhilaration of flashing camera lights, loud music while wisps of human beings strut down runways covered in fabulous wares. Oh Fashion Industry, 'I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest'.

Down shift, Amy...

I have a non-eventful 9 to 5'er in a cookie cutter mid-town office building among cookie cutter cut-outs of law professionals. But no more can I let my job suck my creative soul dry or zap my inspiration. I will not become a drone! Ladies, I'm not saying go nuts (cause let's face it…this 9 to 5'er is putting the clothes on my back and paying other essentials like food and rent), but there are ways to spruce up your office attire. In order to keep from blending in with the walls, I had to revamp my wardrobe so that I'd be motivated to get up in the morning.

There is a very thin line between casual and corporate-casual and day attire and night attire. It could be as simple as throwing on a pair of flats with that dress you wore to the jazz lounge last weekend; throwing on a long cardigan/vest with that sun dress that you use as a cover-up at the beach; or throwing a mini under the super mini. My company frowns on jeans, and I must admit (as far as some people are concerned) with good reason. You simply can't show up for work in ripped jeans, flip flops and a logo tee and expect to get away with it. Instead, swap out those tight, ripped or faded jeans for a flattering dark pair (the darker the better). Make sure there's some give to them. You want to stay away from wearing skinny jeans in a corporate setting. If possible, find a nice pair of trouser jeans and work up from there. Adding a blazer or a cardigan with a waist cinching belt adds some classic elements and a bit of structure. A nice pair of heels (half hidden by the length of your jeans) will give you height and lend some seriousness to your outfit. Have a cute, fun and flarey skirt? Don't shy from debuting it at the office. Just pair it with a more classic shaped top in a subdued color.

Don't forget to have fun with your accessories. If you must 'fit in', there's no reason your purse has to too. Shoes are another great statement maker: wearing a crisp white blouse and some black pants/pencil skirt? Put on that pretty red lipstick and red peep toe pumps (don't go red on the bag though…you want your lips and shoes to pop…think Dita Von Teese).

Never let your job dictate your wardrobe, because let's face it; how you dress is a direct statement about you, your personality, your mood, your va va voom! Of course you must dress within your job's requirements, but there's always a way to put some flair into your work attire. Be as bold, daring and imaginative as you can be within the confines of your work attire manual - always having a cardigan or tapered jacket on hand in case you have to meet with a client.

As much as I am not a pearls and cardigan set kind of girl, I do appreciate my Tahitian black pearl I bought in Hawaii and how it looks layered with my teeny tiny diamond necklace, and I just love how a long, updated cardigan can make a party dress suddenly just right for the day. There are always ways around the humdrum norm, and oh what fun it is to find them out!

 

What I'm Wearing:

Dress: Marc by Marc Jacobs via Bloomingdales
        Orig. Price: $178.00
        Paid: $130.00
Belt: Marc by Marc Jacobs
Skirt: JCrew

Shirt: ArdenB
Skirt: Calvin Klein via Macys
Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction via Outlet Store
       Orig.: $98.00
       Paid: $59.99
Belt: Urban Outfitters
Shades: Carrera

Dress: Urban OutfittersCardigan: Linen Silk-Pocket Cardigan via Jcrew
      Orig. Price: $88.00
      Paid: $23.00
Belt: Urban Outfitters
Shoes: Nine WestPin It

To Thine Old Clothes Be True

So due to the ineptitude of the USPS, I will not be receiving my prized Anthro dress I bought on eBay for a fraction of the original cost (and not to mention the dress was from 2 years ago so it's not available anywhere and that I lost sleep trying to post the winning bid). I am just so pissed and frustrated, but I'll have to let it go because there's nothing to be done. I can only hope that whomever it graces will treat it with tender loving care. Goodbye, Softshape Dress, goodbye! Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Now that I'm a little down, I decided to peruse my closet (I really don't feel up to spending any money for a while, as I lost money on this eBay dress...bitter much? YES!) and came up with some really cool combinations from what I already own:

revamped a Gap skirt by adding a cute belt;
paired a belt and a sparkly tank with a Gap dress;
added a bib necklace to an otherwise plain tank dress; and
added a vest and a ruffled skirt to a tube dress, instantly making my old clothes feel new.

Ladies, you really must try it. Pour yourself a glass of wine, throw on some fun music, stand in front of your closet (in cute undies preferably - to more easily try stuff on) and let your clothes speak to you. If you're not hearing anything after a while, reorder/re-fold your garments and sip, sip, sip. You'd be surprised at what you find back there in the recesses of your closet. Some oldie but goody that went out of style years ago but is back in style again. Some forgotten splurge purchase that was hidden in the back from the bf/husband's prying eye, tag still attached or that piece that will suddenly tie a couple of outfits together.

My closet probing really was refreshing and did cheer me up somewhat (I swear, every time I think of the petal softness and utter cuteness of my eBay dress I could just scream!!!). Ahem. I realized all the great old pieces that I had and paired with some new accessory, expanded my closet, saved myself some bucks and made me fall in love all over with my closet.

Experiment with the different pieces that you come across while you dance and sip and sing. It's actually quite fun. Challenge yourself and put things together that you probably wouldn't have in the past. I'm sure you'll find, as I have, a smorgasbord of new outfits made from totally 'vintage' stuff that was just lying about in your closet. It almost makes up for the swipe of the credit card and the intoxicating smell of new clothes. Almost...

What I'm Wearing:

Dress: JCrew

Belt (new): Anthropologie Leaps and Bounds Belt
Necklace: Lord & Taylor - Cara Accessories

What I'm Wearing:

Dress: Gap

Tank: ArdenB

Belt (new): Marc by Marc Jacobs
Bag: Coach

Shoes: Via Spiga

Turquoise Earrings: Etsy

What I'm Wearing:

Tee: Forever 21

Skirt: Gap

Belt (new): American Apparel, $16.00

Shoes: Nine West

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To eBay or Not to eBay? That is the Question.

Continuing on in my love of all things Anthropologie and from almost depleting my savings account on all their delectable items, I have turned to the somewhat untapped resource of eBay. Why, you ask, am I sharing this secret? Well, I do know how it feels when the funds are low yet the yearning, pulling sensation of wanting to spend is eating away at your mind and you can no longer function until you have that dress that you saw at lunch-time folded in swathes of tissue paper, stuffed safely away in the store bag and grasped in your hand. eBay is a great source to turn to when funds are low and you need that shopping fix (when accompanying a friend to the store and fulfilling your high by the swipe of her credit card is simply not enough).

Yes ladies, I am a proud shopahaulic!

eBay! In order to safely eBay, however, it is imperative to do your research. I will use Anthropologie as my example as I have just recently snagged a couple of great finds on eBay that I either failed to try on when the item was available on-line/in-store, or had way too many purchases and was forced to make the dreaded 'cut' decision. With Anthropologie, as with any other store or brand, you must become familiar with the merchandise and the fit so that you will not be taken in on eBay (and waste precious pennies when it could be best used elsewhere). Through browsing and randomly trying things on at Anthropologie, I've become quite familiar with not only their labels, but also how each label fits me.

Here are a couple of examples:

Burlapp - runs slightly small, so depending on how the dress is cut, I may go up a size
Fish Fry - runs tts
Floreat - runs tts
Girls from Savoy - runs tts
Leifsdottir - runs tts
Moulinette Soeurs - runs slightly large for me so I go down a size
One.September - runs tts
Plenty by Tracy Reese - runs super small so I go up a size
Ric Rac - runs small so I go up a size

Possessing this knowledge is key for shopping on eBay. Not only can you spot the real deal, but you can pretty much hit the nail on the head in your size (because most items on eBay cannot be returned).

Be diligent in your bidding but not too diligent; you don't want to run the price of an item up unnecessarily. Put it in your watch/wish list and watch it like a hawk. For those of you that have App enabled phones, download the eBay app so that you can better encircle your prey! Towards the last seconds of the auction, swoop in for the kill by placing a bid that is your absolute highest bid, and you will almost always be the winner. (Note: eBay will bid for you, up to your highest bid - the auction may end at a lower price than your highest bid amount and that's all you'll have to pay). That is why the last minute predetor bid is crucial. While the other bidders are frantically hitting the $1 increment increase button, you have secured the item by placing your highest bid just seconds from the end. You are the stealth bidder, grabbing your prey by surprise! Make sure you check to see if the item isn't duplicated on eBay for less (always remembering the motto, 'if I pay less for this, I can spend elsewhere). You can almost always grab an excellent find (as I have with my Anthropologie dresses) on the cheap, paying just as much or less than the Anthropologie store sales price. But beware, for though a rose by any other name may smell as sweet, the same cannot be said of a cheap knockoff.

What I'm Wearing:
Dress: Anthropologie - Silken Pathways Dress
             Orig.: $168.00
              eBay Price: $99.00
Belt: Lucky Brand
Shoes: Coach

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Anthropologie: 'Oh How I Love Thee; Let Me Count the Ways'

So ladies, I am currently on an Anthro binge. On a tiny budget, my tiny closet in my even tinier apartment is full to the brim of fabulous Anthro dresses, and I am glad to say that only one of those said dresses was paid for at the original price (which incidentally, wasn't paid for by me). My secret? One combined sweet little word: Wish-list! Coupled with diligence and sheer fanaticism, you must stalk your wish-list. Worship it, visit it hourly, until that original price has been crossed out and the beatific, angelic mark-down price of up to 40% off appears.

I tell you ladies, it is worth the work! And, not to mention when your sig. other questionably stares at your bag laden hands or while riffling through the closet finds the new added treasure, you can brightly and happily proclaim that you got it at a fraction of the cost (and do remember to include the original amount and your perseverant insistence on waiting for the sale, to show what a savvy, patient, and diligent shopper you really are).

The stalking of the Wish-list is, however, only 90% effective. The remaining 10% is that of your gut feeling, that nervous, anxious, tingling 'I MUST HAVE THIS NOW, IT'LL NEVER BE AVAILABLE IN MY SIZE WHEN IT DOES GO ON SALE!' feeling that only you can determine when your finger touches the soft garment of that glorious frock or your eyes happen upon that delectable item that was just newly added online. Then, and only then, must the plunge be taken. The item must be purchased! Yet still, there is redemption. The sales receipt! Keep this. Study it, hold it near and dear in that designer wallet (which always retails for more than ever it holds). This technique coupled with the stalking of the item, still placed in the wish-list for the anticipated sale, will almost always guarantee the beloved price adjustment.

Embrace the price adjustment! Find out each of your favorite store' s policies and the day they give mark-downs and commit this information to memory. If necessary, hold on to the purchase, tags still attached, until the last day of said price adjustment and if the item is still obstinately holding out at the regular price, return the item and buy it over again (preferably at another store, making certain that the other store has your item in stock) or, if at all possible, buy a second of the same item. You have just purchased an extra amount of price adjustment time. If you are victorious, and if you took scenario one, simply go back to the store and present your receipt for a price adjustment. If you opted for scenario two, return the earliest purchased item, and simply price adjust the newest. You have now successfully saved money which can now be used to purchase even more things or, can be responsibly tucked away in a bank account to make your spending money in the first place that much more justifiable.

Yes, it may sound like a lot of work. But I am not in control of my urge to shop. It is an addiction which I am not ashamed of. My head is held high! However, not having an infinite amount of funds and in order to fulfill my secondary obligations (i.e., rent, car payment), I have had to think up creative ways to spend and save money. And the above wish-listing, price-adjusting madness has allowed me to purchase exactly what I want, not at the time I want them, and for a fraction of the cost!

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