Is This Thing Still On?

So, I'm alive, how are you doing? I hope the end of 2012 was full of fun and joyful happenings for everyone! Things were out of control busy for me the last time I posted and then everything got even worse. Now that some of those things have passed I am excited to get back to blogging but, I need to share what happened first so we are all on the same page. Shortly after Thanksgiving I was let go (dun duN DUN) and am now currently a member of the unemployed masses of America. I can't say I was completely surprised but, it was definitely unexpected. Apparently that's how it is in big business: cut the "dead weight" before bonuses (even amidst the holidays,) save some moolah, and start fresh in the first quarter.

I (like the majority of people) do not enjoy being rejected but, I am feeling pretty positive about everything that happened. Things hadn't felt right in that job and I was in the process of doing some soul searching regarding what my next career steps might be. I was going to wait until my two year anniversary before I made moves to leave but, it happened this way instead. I'm not sure exactly where all of this is going to take me but, I am focused on finding a good fit for my current interests and my past experiences. I've been applying, interviewing, and connecting with people. Hopefully, all of these activities will result in something sooner rather than later. In the meantime I am just trying to stay positive ex: This situation would not be presented to me if I couldn't handle it. Send me some other positive thoughts/vibes! Overall, last year was not the best but, I have a really good feeling about 2013... it's going to be a good one. How are you feeling about what's on the horizon for you this year?

Image courtesy of dreamstime.com

In terms of blogging, I'm back! I still have some past outfits and manicures to post. While I will not be wearing a different outfit to work everyday (for obvious reasons) right now I am still wearing clothes... Frankly, I think it's important to share my outfits with all of you so you know that I'm not running errands in pajamas all the time ever and my casual attire is just as fabulous as my business attire also other things as they arise. Do you have any suggestions for me in 2013 moving forward?

August 22, 2012: Classic Fashion Rules

We've ruminated over the 'no white after labor day' rule before. Frankly I'm still not all in but, that doesn't necessarily mean that I don't enjoy the judgement free summer days of wearing white. Because the dress code of my office is not technically strictly professional I've been hesitant to wear this crisp white eyelet lace dress; It's normally a go to pick for barbeques not boardrooms. After I glanced at the calendar and realized summer is coming to a close I thought, "There's no time like the present!" or something like that... The ensemble went off without a hitch any awkward conversations and I would deem that a success. A cardigan really works wonders in keeping an outfit professional!

While the outfit was perfect acceptable for the office, it a great ensemble for another fun after hours event with The Blogger Collective.  We had a meet and greet with one of the founders of Snapette and her team. There were cupcakes, a product demonstration, and all around fun times. It's actually a really cool app for all you super shoppers out there. Launched in 2011, Snapette has quickly become the must-have mobile app for fashion lovers. The members are obsessed with snapping photos of all the beautiful clothes, shoes, and accessories they see and sharing them for others to discover. Snapette also partners with a number of brands for peeks at their newest offerings and special discounts. Download the free app (for iPhone or Android) today and follow me!

• Top: white eyelet lace dress, dELiA*s; blue embellished cardigan, Merona for Target/b-day gift from BF's parents    
  
• Shoes & Accessories: silver cutout flats, Corso Como via DSW; blue stone earrings, V'ta Jewelry; Neverfull GM, Louis Vuitton/gift from BF 
  

Items from this outfit are previously seen  here.

August 15, 2012: Dressing Appropriately

Since I am trying to pick out my clothes ahead of time weather.com has become an integral tool in the process. I have too often made the mistake of forgetting an umbrella, a coat, or generally wearing something completely inappropriate for whatever weather I will be faced with that day. When I was looking at the week ahead (last two weeks ago) everything was looking good except for Wednesday. With rain on the horizon I set aside some comfy and professional pants so I could face the impending precipitation as appropriately as possible.

My biggest struggle was finding shoes that worked with the pants since their length demands I stand a little taller but, I am still on the mend. I decided to take my life ankle into my own hands and wear a pair of shoes with a little heel. I can't say that it horrible but, it was definitely not the best idea. I'll be honest I haven't been giving my ankle the rest and relaxation or stretching that it needs; It's hard when you commute into New York City and work in a busy office; Excuses, excuses... Long story short: don't sprain ankles.

• Top: yellow ruffle collar shirt, LOFT; black blazed, Ann Taylor via Melissa
• Bottom: beige pinstripe trousers, LOFT/gift from BF
• Shoes & Accessories: black peeptoe wedges, Payless; vintage silver hoop earrings, my abuela; silver watch, Fossil; Neverfull GM, Louis Vuitton/gift from BF  

Items from this outfit are previously seen and remixed here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

May 29, 2012: Holiday Hangover

Normally this term is synonymous with gorging oneself on too much food or imbibing a few too many cocktails but I find myself out of sorts for a different reason… too much relaxation? I know, that doesn’t really make a lot of sense. I spent Memorial Day weekend catching up on sleep and doing low key things around the house. Nevertheless, I still had SO much trouble peeling myself out of bed on Monday Tuesday morning to go to work; It was like I had just attempted a triathlon or something equally strenuous. What’s up with that?

That being said I am especially proud of myself for keeping it together wardrobe wise and rocking a professional ensemble complete with blazer! The feeling of sheer exhaustion wasn’t the only hurdle I had to overcome when putting my outfit together. The weather in NYC has been pretty gross. We’re talking high temps, 100% humidity (my hair loves this), overcast, misty rain nonsense... ick! I would really love a sunny summer! Is that too much to ask? Sorry, I digress... Picking out clothes to wear in my air conditioned office is hard when I feel like I won’t survive the commute there in what I’m wearing. Do you have any tips and tricks for summer office dressing that I could utilize?

• Top: pink sweater with black trim, Alfani via Macy's via Mom; gray pinstripe blazer, Calvin Klein via Loehmanns (from this suit) 
• Bottom: black skirt, Proenza Schouler for Target 
• Shoes & Accessories: silver silver Stella wedge pumps, Seychelles via DSW; coin pearl necklace, V'ta jewelry; coin pearl earrings, borrowed from Mom then altered by me; Neverfull GM, Louis Vuitton/gift from BF

 

Items from this outfit are previously seen and remixed here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here 

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a $100 Shopbop giftcard!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a free dress from eShakti.com!!

I've Got A (Pastel) Colored Blazer and Metallic Shoes

I'll be honest when I first but this outfit together it reminded me SO much of the 80's but, then again so does neon, printed pants, and geometric prints. What's old is new again... Do you think is outfit is too retro or just modern enough?

In the search for (even) more professional clothes my Mom took a trip to the local thrift store and picked up some suits for me; Yes, one of them was a pink suit. I'm not sure that I would ever wear the blazer and skirt together (so pink) but, at the same time through this blog I've learned to never say never about fashion. I'm doing things (style-wise) all the the time that I never thought that I would. Yes, I'm talking to you skinny jeans. 

• Top: ivory shirt with crochet embellishment with a tank top underneath for the modesty; pastel pink blazer, Jones New York via Unique Thrift Store/Mom
• Bottom: gray pinstripe skirt, Calvin Klein via Loehmanns (part of this suit)
• Shoes & Accessories:  silver Stella wedge pumps, Seychelles via DSW; silver bead earrings, Tiffany & Co.; Neverfull GM, Louis Vuitton/gift from BF

Items from this outfit are previously seen and remixed here and here.

Weekly Manicure: Mint Sorbet

While I don’t own any mint colored clothing it is one of the Spring 2012 trends that is calling out to me. I was trying to think of a (cost-free/low-cost) way to bring more mint into my life when I remembered Essie Mint Candy Apple polish. That would be the perfect way to incorporate the mint trend everyday next week without breaking the bank or buying any new clothes. With no time to order, I decided to stop by my local CVS and see what I could find in their beauty department.

As expected I came across a few similar shades of mint green from Revlon and Sally Hansen. While I was excited that my plan was coming to fruition I was also overwhelmed with all the choices; Did I want Revlon Minted? How about Sally Hansen Nail Growth Gentle Blossom? Perhaps Sally Hansen Smooth & Perfect Color + Care in Sea? So many choices! I’m glad I stopped with those two brands. I ended up picking Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear in Mint Sorbet. Why, you might wonder? Because, it was the cheapest one they had by a (considerable) margin; It was only $3.59, about half the price compared to other iterations of mint and most decent quality nail polish in general! I found it in a commonly overlooked place, at the bottom of the shelf. Don’t let stores trick you into buying the first thing you see! Take time and look high and low (literally) the best deals are normally in places that you wouldn’t check at all!

What spring trends (nail polish or otherwise) are you most excited for? 

April 2, 2012: Keep It Classy...

Have you all heard that there is going to be another Anchorman movie? I was pretty excited but, I digress... This Monday is the emergence of a new professional Iris. As you might remember I have had multiple conversations with my boss about wardrobe. In the end I have come to the conclusion that I need to be nothing less than my most professional me at all times. Besides that fact that we have had these discussions I am hoping to continue/move up in my career at this firm and dressing to impress won’t hurt. Aren’t you supposed to dress for the job you want anyway?

Another motivator for dressing my best was the new hire orientation that I had to facilitate today. Besides the fact that I always want to set a good example this fantastic new professional joining my firm previously worked in a military environment. I took that to meant that she would be professionally dressed to say the nines without a doubt. It would be pretty bad if I decided to show up in super comfy clothes.

• Top: red floral embellished top, Simply Vera Vera Wang via Kohl's;  black pinstripe blazer, Calvin Klein via SYMS 
• Bottom:  black pinstripe a-line skirt, Calvin Klein via SYMS
• Shoes & Accessories: black pumps, Nine West; my abuela's vintage silver hoops; Neverfull GM, Louis Vuitton/gift from BF

Items from this outfit are previously seen and remixed here, here, here,  here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here. and here. 

Two Years, No Repeats

I’m not going to start this post out my being self-deprecating. Life is what it is… things come up, end of story. It might sound a little short/harsh but, it is the truth. I don’t want to sit around and wax poetic about how busy my life is or how overwhelming blogging can be… to blog is something that I (still) want to do and will keep trying to be consistent with. It has been beneficial for me in so many ways i.e.: helping me rock my budget, meet new friends, and utilize my wardrobe to the max. I just don’t know how to quit you it. That being said…

This year presented some new challenges that I honestly was not expecting. This weight thing is one of them. Am I largely obese? No. Am I having trouble fitting into some of my clothes? Yes. Am, I too stubborn/poor to buy a whole new wardrobe? Yes. Is there anything wrong with that? I don’t think so but, it has limited the clothing that I can wear that is occupying space in my closet. I hope things will be on the lighter side (literally and figuratively) if when we revisit this topic.

Another thing that has provided a challenge has been the expectations (wardrobe wise) at work. While I went into it thinking that I would be working in a slightly more professional “business casual” environment it is not. It is 100% a formal professional/business formal/business professional office AKA suits and blazers 24/7 however you want to catalog that. The thing that I am realizing (since it has been mentioned to be a few times) is that I need more suits… thrift store here I come? We’ll see what happens with that. Does anyone know any secret suit spots that I should check out?

An unexpected challenge is my (fairly) newfound inability to spend money. I know… it sounds perfectly in line with the purpose of this blog/my frugal life style but, it has grown beyond that. I am now extremely frustrated by shopping. I know that I will go into a store (clothing, grocery, whatever) and only be able to purchase absolutely necessary things, if that, even if someone else is footing the bill! It honestly pains me to say this but, for the most part, shopping isn’t fun anymore. Or at least, isn’t fun that way it used to be. It’s an aggravating task to complete that costs me time and money neither of which I have an abundance of. Depressing much? The worst part is, I’m not really sure what the solution is. No wait, I do: win the lotto!

So, overall how did I do? Other than no repeats again, I only spent $248.89 this year. While it is more than last year I did have that one month of extreme freak out when I replaced a bunch of summer shoes that were falling apart, Totally fair but, a far cry from last year. Even so, it brings the total for the past two years to only $397.49. This is where all those frustrating shopping/no shopping moments are worth it (maybe). If I was really crazy (which I’m not) I would say that I wanted to make it to the end of Year 3 having spent only $500! But, that would mean that I only have $102.51 left to spend and momma needs a (five) new pair(s) of shoes!

Here are some of my fav outfits:

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

January

February

March (see I was still taking pictures)

I just realized that all of these fav outfits are with skirts, the only two without are jean ensembles... weird. On a positive note,  I don’t think it could be any clearer to everyone that you don’t need to spend a ton of money to have an evolving and varied wardrobe. I find new ways to wear the same old things everyday and I see no point in stopping now. I’ll do my best to keep it up. 

February 10, 2012: Splitting My Time

I did go to work today and this is what I wore but, halfway through the day I had to leave for a personal appointment. I needed to be comfy because I was sitting for hours and also because I was still online and answering emails... How is that different from every other day? Well, I didn't really have alot of options in terms of moving around so, I have to be committed and comfortable! Ideally, I would have preferred some yoga pants but, that's definitely unacceptable for work...

What kind of comfy clothes can you get away with at work, if at all?

• Top: white, blue, and green argyle sweater, Merona for Target (same sweater different color here, here, and here); black blazer, Ann Taylor via Melissa
• Bottom: beige pinstripe trousers, LOFT/gift from BF
• Shoes & Accessories: black pumps, Nine West; pearl earrings, Macy's/birthday gift from Mom; Neverfull GM, Louis Vuitton/gift from BF

Items from this outfit are previously seen and remixed here and here

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a Shopbop giftcard!!

January 3, 2011: Best Foot Forward

Heading back to the office last week was bittersweet. On some level I was excited to be back at work getting the first quarter of 2012 off to a great start! On another level I really wanted to spend a few more days at home cleaning up after the Christmas whirlwind and resting to get my personal relationship with 2012 off to a great start! Work won, obvi...

I also wanted to get my wardrobe back into a fun space! The days before I left for Christmas I was grabbing whatever just so that I was wearing clothes to work. For shame, I know but, I digress... While rainbow tights were a norm in my wardrobe last fall and winter I haven't been as comfortable this time around; I work in a completely different type of environment now. That being said I figured purple wouldn't be a big deal, right?

Wrong(ish)!Wardrobe wise there wasn't anything bad about it (I'm HR and will stick with the dress code) but, I got alot of compliments/comments about my "crazy" colorful tights. It was a little wierd... What is something that you've worn to work that has garnered comments? Was it really that out of the box? Were you comfortable with all the attentions?

• Top: black sweater dress, New York & Company with a tank top underneath for the modesty
• Shoes & Accessories: black pumps, Candies via Kohl's; purple tights, Hue via Loehmanns; rainbow swarovski crystal earrings, V'ta Jewelry; Neverfull GM, Louis Vuitton/gift from BF 

Items from this outfit are previously seen here:

December 8, 2011: Dinner at Tiffany's

Thursday was definitely my favorite day last week! While the normal hum drum (work, commuting, etc) of my day to day still carried on after hours I went to an amazing event organized by a friend of mine at the Tiffany & Co. flagship store after (free) dinner at the Harvard Club. It was delish and the presentation that we heard was fantastic!

Tiffany & Co. has played a huge role in America's history! It's so much more that the little blue box. Did you know that they make the NFL Heismann trophy or that they designed the seal of the United States that is on the one dollar bill? They have created jewelry for presidents as far back as Abraham Lincoln! I also learned that they have a whole crew of jewelers working on the top floor of the Fifth Avenue store and everything they make is created in NY/NJ, no outsourcing. 

Security Pass 

What was even more amazing about the experience was that the entire store was empty. I can say that I have not been to every floor of the massive store on 5th Avenue because it is always so crowded but, without throngs of tourists it was easy to browse and see what they had to offer. Have you ever been to the Tiffany's store on Fifth Avenue? What did you think of it? While browsing I was even able to try on some really fantastic jewelry as I sipped wine and chatted with my friends. By the way, having something that costs as much as a condo or small house on your finger is very surreal.

Bubbly

Lovely Ladies

Also, I wore clothes... 

• Top: teal embellished t-shirt, New York & Company; gray cardigan, New York & Company via Mom
• Bottom: black pinstripe skirt, Calvin Klein via SYMS (part of this suit)
• Shoes & Accessories:  black ballet flats, Xhiliration via Target; black tights, Hanes Silk Reflections courtesy of Hanes via Robert Verdi's Luxe Lab; blue goldstone earrings, mall kiosk in California; dusty mauve butterfly tote, GAP

Don't forget to enter the $100 Shopbop Gift Card Giveaway!


Don't forget to enter to win the Spanish Steps dress from Shabby Apple!

October 11, 2011: Geometry is Sexy

With all the talk of Re/Dress NYC closing it's doors I felt a strong urge to finally bust out this dress that I have been saving for the right occasion. I think I've made this "mistake" before; what is really the "right time" to wear awesome clothes other than everyday? That being said, I definitely had to wait until the weather got cooler before I swaddled myself in polyester because it doesn't breathe at all!

Also, I just want to point out that I did not come up with "Geometry is Sexy" myself (as much as I might have wished I did) it was on the tag for the dress that I picked up at the $20 Vintage Dress sale in June! Yes, I saved the tag... No, you shouldn't judge me. If you are a blogger, where do you come up with inspiration for your blog post titles?

Now on to the shoes... I know I expressed a fair share of condemnation towards Target in response to their frustrating Missoni launch but, while I was at Target looking for something completely unrelated I spotted an endcap with a bunch of these shoes and one pair in my size! Since I have a gift card to Targét burning a hole in my wallet I decided to pick them up. Then I may or may not have fallen prey to the Missoni for Target craze and gone to different Target's looking for more stuff...

• Top: beige, black, and red vintage "Geometry is Sexy" dress, Kathy via Re/Dress NYC
• Shoes & Accessories: black suede pumps,Missoni for Target; black belt, came with this dress; pearl earrings, Macy's/birthday gift from Mom; gray Le Dix/Motorcycle bag, Balenciaga 

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!!

October 3, 2011: Remixing Forever

When the weather man predicted rain (again, see unamused face) I aired on the side of practicality and reached for these pants. When I subsequently reached for this top I couldn't believe that I hadn't put these two pieces together before. It makes me so confident that I could literally remix everything in my closet forever without having to purchase tons of new clothes. At the same time I couldn't believe that it had not occurred to me to make this pairing before now! It's days like these that make me really excited to shop my closet because there is so much potential there... 

• Top: dark teal ruffle embellished t-shirt, LOFT (same shirt different color here and here); brown houndstooth jacket, LOFT 
• Bottom: gray pants, New York & Company
• Shoes & Accessories: bronze flats, Me Too via DSW; mixed metal earrings, gift from Natalia/ModCloth; brown woven tote, Loeffler Randall for Target

Items from this outfit are previously seen and remixed here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Fashion Week In Pictures (Mostly)

I went to a few events for Fashion Week and I wanted to share all of my experiences with you! It was definitely very surreal to be at those types of events because of my own merit. Normally, I would be going to a show or hanging out at an event because I knew someone; This time it was all me! 

The first event that I went to was the meetup that Katy from Modly Chic put together at a rooftop bar in midtown. Thank goodness there was a roof on the roof because the rain was torrential! A bunch of other lovely blogger ladies came and we chatted sipped drinks and of course took some pictures. 

Me, my friend Katie, and Katy from Modly Chic

Allie from Fashion Enthusiast (far left), Christine from Feed My Sole (next far left),  Heather  representing Marshalls, Me,  my friend Katie, Katy from Modly Chic

One of the coolest things was the Katy was able to put together goodie bags thanks to the generosity of We Love Colors and other cool brands. Mine got destroyed a little in the rain but, that's ok the contents inside survived!

Thursday was Fashion's Night Out which we all know I missed but, the next night I was Blogger's Night Out which just seemed so much more apropos! I started out the evening at an invitation only clothing swap organized by Swapaholics and ModCloth! I got a great dress from ModCloth and swapped some items I was considering donating to the thrift store for a few cute dresses from Re/Dress NYC that the owner Deb bought. I was so happy she brought some "normal" sized clothes. 

As you can see it got pretty swamped so when the time was right I made my way down to Blogger's Night Out which was actually very close. I will say at the two parties I felt very under-dressed but, decided to take pictures anyway because the opportunity felt very unique!

Me and Nicole from Black Shoes Diary

 

There were lots of different companies there and tons of fun things to explore including Zoya's new line of polishes for the fall. 

One of the sponsors was Lulus.com. They had a Wheel of Fortune type set up and you could spin to win discounts, or even free items from the selection to that had. I actually ended up winning an item which I'm sure you will see soon!

On Saturday I got invited to attend Robert Verdi's Luxe Laboratory. I had no idea what that meant before I went into it but, when I showed up I was pleasantly surprised. The whole point of the exhibition was to celebrate the use of plastic in fashion. It goes into alot of what we wear/use and has really great properties! 

There were tons of companies there showing of their wares! 

Of course this party got pretty packed too but, I happened to stay long enough that Robert Verdi came and hung out! He was very sweet...



Robert Verdi and I

Overall, I had a total blast and got tons of cool swag which I will be rolling out... What did you do for Fashion Week?

SWAG!