May 13, 2010

Dress Your Best Week is in the home stretch and I am still going! Today it's all about the comprehensive me and my hourglass shape. While I won't break down my exact measurements for you (it isn't about the numbers) I will say that my hips and bust are more or less equal and my waist is 9-10 inches smaller than that. These measurements are in essence what defines the hourglass body shape.

Many women dress their body to achieve this overall look and I am so happy (and apparently lucky) to have it appear naturally. I never realized how statistically uncommon a true hourglass shape is but, I digress... I'm talking shoulder pads to make narrow torsos appear more substantiated or boot cut jeans to give straight and narrow girls a more curvy shape. The list could go on but, you get my drift. I feel like the most universally flattering way to dress (or fake) an hourglass shape is with a wrap or faux wrap dress so that's what I'm doing today!

• Top: brown quintessential Diane VonFurstenberg wrap dress, via the outlet with a red tank top underneath for the modesty
• Bottom: Spanx
• Shoes & Accessories: silver Issac Mizrahi gladiator sandals, Target; gold and mixed metal earrings, gift from Natalia/ModCloth; purple Coach bag

May 11, 2010

It's day two of Dress Your Best Week and the second thing on my list of things that I like about myself is my boobs which I think I will now refer to going forward as my girls... I'm really not sure what I was thinking when I typed that.

I have a pretty ample bosom which makes sense because I am a grown woman. The thing is, as a teenager I had a pretty ample bosom as well. At one point I would have even called it a defining characteristic, which is sad on so many levels. But, being a 13 years old who could (and did) pass for a college student and getting (good or bad) attention based on that from lots of people I met had an impact for sure.

This potentially misguided attention was only a small part of our love/hate relationship. When all my friends were in the size 0/2 range it was hard for me to reconcile that being curvy did not make me fat. Or strapless gowns (we had so many formal events) being difficult to wear was not because I was fat, per say, just that I had girls who needed more support.

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Now I am very aware of keeping my girls supported, modest, and appropriate which sometimes means covered up but, despite our ups and downs they have become one of my favorite parts of me. I think an easy way to accent them without being crude is with a nice v-neck top that has embellishment around the neck area and making sure I have a good bra! It's all about foundations.

• Top: gray ruffled v-neck tank top, New York and Company
• Bottom: black pencil skirt, Old Navy
• Shoes & Accessories: nude snake print sandals, Bandalino via Unique Thrift which I think are in keeping with yesterday's theme of legs since nude shoes make legs look endless but, I digress; gray shell earrings, gift from BF's mom; purple Coach bag, via outlet

Items from this outfit are previously seen here:

May 10, 2010

Happy Monday! This week is officially Dress Your Best Week at academichic and I have decided to participate because so often, our focus when getting dressed in the morning is how to minimize or downplay aspects of our bodies that we’re just not crazy about. Does this skirt smooth my hips? Does this top hide my tummy? Do these pants make my thighs look slimmer? They wondered, as did I, what would happen if you inverted that thought process? What if, instead of dressing to mitigate your so-so, you dressed to highlight the parts of your body that you love most? What if, for a whole week, you committed to self-consciously dressing your best bits? See who else is dressing their best...

I am so excited to participate but, I have to confess coming up with five things that I like about myself was difficult. We live in a society where airbrushed and digitally altered people are the mainstream of beauty. For everyone I know (myself included), there are always parts of one's self that can be improved upon. The five part of myself that I picked (the last one was a suggestion by BF) were:

1. my legs/calves
2. my boobs
3. my cheekbones (although I don’t know how one dresses to accentuate that)
4. my hourglass shape
5. my soft skin

Today, I am dressing for my legs which doesn't necessarily mean short skirts or cut off shorts! I think one of the way to make them look their best is a modest (but sexy) pencil skirt which comes to the knee and some killer heels. Your legs look miles long! The pencil skirt is easy but, picking shoes is a little more difficult to choose because I still need to be comfortable at work. Hopefully, I am achieving the best look for my legs, what do you think?

• Top: black and white sweater shirt combo, August Silk via Mom's closet purge
• Bottom: gray pencil skirt, New York and Company
• Shoes & Accessories: black pumps, Candies via Kohl's; onxy and hematite necklace, via local jewelry store; onxy earrings, V'ta; purple Coach bag, via outlet

Items from this post can been previously seen here:

May 4, 2010

I went into work early this morning so I didn't have time to post this before I left but, here it is in the after hours.

I have been reading lots of other fashion blogs as you can see from my list (which keeps growing.) I was inspired by academichic's gray and yellow ensemble from the other day and tried to channel it with things I have. I think it came out pretty well! When I met up with my dad after work he said I didn't match and he is a man of few words... How do you think I did?

• Top: yellow short sleeved sweater, GAP outlet
• Bottom: gray, black, and white skirt (with pockets), Target
• Shoes & Accessories: black Dolce Vita sandals, via Nordstrom; Tiffany silver earrings; coin pearl necklace, V'ta; purple Coach bag

April 8, 2010

It's almost Friday and I could not be more excited for this week to be over,... there's nothing heinous going on at work but, spring fever is setting in and all I want to do is be outside even if it is a little overcast!

You may or may not have noticed the difference between the bottom of the sweater and the opening of the skirt. That is due to some craftiness on my (but, mostly my mom's) part... I have had that skirt for a LONG time and absolutely love it first of all because it's classic but also because it had the modern twist of pockets! I LOVE pockets on skirts and dresses. In the past few years I have shed some weight and that skirt is from heavier days. I asked my mom (the expert seamstress) to take up the hem a few inches to a normal knee length because it now sits on my hips and the hem was at my mid calf. The project was a huge success!

I highly recommend altering clothes before you chuck them and go buy new stuff, even if you don't have an expert seamstress like my mom. What you spend in tailoring for a raised hem or adding some buttons will most likely be less then a new piece of clothes and is more than worth it if you love that item.

On to the actual outfit...

• Top: gray short sleeve sweater with green and white argyle from Target. This is another classic item that Target has rolled out this year (but I bought last year) as well with a slightly different twist.
• Bottom: black pencil skirt from Old Navy.
• Shoes & Accessories: black patent leather T-straps from LOFT, jade earrings from Elizabeth Showers Vintage, and yes... you guessed it the purple Coach bag (not pictured)

April 6, 2010

It's overcast and glum outside which makes me sad. The weather had just started to take a turn for the sunnier! The only reason I am not wearing a pair of pants and faux sneakers is because I scraped my knee pretty badly last night and am trying to give it some air. While taking a stroll around my beautiful and serene neighborhood on the banks of the Hudson I slipped on some gravel and came straight down on my right knee. A beautiful evening took a quick turn and it was a pain hobbling home for first-aid and ice but, I suppose it could have been worse.

• Top: khaki safari style shirt from NY & Co with a white and silver striped tank underneath (for the modesty) from Express many years ago.
• Bottom: khaki green skirt from Target. This is a classic piece of clothes! They are selling the same one that I got last year, this year but, I digress...
• Shoes & Accessories: silver hardware embellished flats from Nordtrom Rack, Tiffany silver earrings, V'ta Cut Steel necklace, and my trusty patent leather purple Coach bag.
  
  

April 2, 2010

This week has gone by very quickly, thank goodness! I am looking forward to the beautiful weather this weekend and celebrating the holiday with family and friends. Easter was always an occasion when my mom would take my brother and myself to get spiffy new Easter outfits and as an adult I still have the overwhelming urge to do just that but, in the spirit of responsibility I have opted to shop in my closet for a fabulous and appropriate outfit to wear. Perhaps I will let you have a glimpse on Sunday... as for today:

• Top: green 3/4 length scoop-neck t-shirt from Target with brown houndstooth jacket from Ann Taylor Loft.
  
• Bottom: Marisa jeans from Ann Taylor Loft. (YAY Casual Friday)
• Shoes & Accessories: brown/black snake embossed ballet flats from Target, long brass and ribbon necklace from Ann Taylor Loft with Elizabeth Showers Vintage mother of pearl earrings. I will also be keeping all my crap in a patent leather purple Coach purse. I will probably throw a pashmina in there to keep warm as I walk to my car since it's still a little nippy outside.
  

April 1, 2010

I love shopping as much as the next girl but, times are tough and even though the man says things are getting better I'm just not seeing it yet. Thankfully, I am employed but, working in an office (HR at that) there is definitely a business-casual standard that I need to meet when I dress for work in the morning. At the same time, I don't want to show up everyday in the same outfit. So, what's a girl to do about it? In-debt herself further to have all the latest things, take on extra jobs to make up the gap, borrow, steal, or make do with what she has? I will take the latter!

I have a pretty large closet... and another one for shoes. Sufficed to say I have ALOT of clothes. The vast majority of them are work appropriate so, I was thinking that I should be able to come up with enough combinations of clothes to last me for at least a year or more utilizing what I have. A different outfit for work everyday, hence 260 since that's about how many work days there are in a year. It sounds very daunting but, I think I'm up for the challenge Occasionally I might get a gift certificate, go shopping with my mom (who always buys me something *love ya mom*) or buy something myself but, it would definitely be something I have a need for since I will be hyper aware of what I have in my closet. As a person who did a significant amount of research in college I feel the need to define my terms. What I mean by an outfit is a different combination of top and bottoms (ex: Day 1 Top A and Bottom A, Day 2: Top B and Bottom A). This does not include shoes, accessories, or handbags. But, I will show them to you for the fun of it!

My goal with this is not to show off how much clothes I have or even that I can put a stylish outfit together. It is simply to show myself and others that you can make great things with what you already have not just "make-do" You don't have to go to the store and buy a whole new outfit for an event (even though that is fun) you might be able to find a dress in your closet with the tags still on it (yes, that has happened to me). And for all those times that you throw up you hands and say, "I have nothing to wear!!" I want to show that you probably do have something you haven't seen all the potential in the things you already own. Another thing that I want to show myself, and I suppose everyone could learn from it, is the use-value of my clothes (ex: basic black ballet flats that cost $12.99 are much more valuable than a prom dress that costs $199.99) I can agree that there are basic pieces that should be of higher quality because you will wear them more but, the trendy stuff that you could pay a fortune store in designer boutiques is better purchased somewhere like Target because it will be out of style next season.

Now, lets get down to business.

• Top: yellow ruffle front blouse from Ann Taylor Loft
• Bottom: gray pencil skirt from New York & Company (high use-value item I bet)
• Shoes & Accessories: brown/black snake embossed ballet flats from Target and an amazing carved bone and turquoise necklace. I will also be throwing all my crap in a patent leather purple Coach purse (not pictured).

I will try to take better pictures moving forward but, day one is very rushed. Check back tomorrow as this experiment continues!!!