Top-less No More

Just as I was about to resign myself to wearing the same 12 blouses all the time (or giving up and just wearing dresses the rest of the year, the shopping gods smiled on me and I was finally made a dent in my top deficit (let's not talk about the corresponding dent in my wallet).  Since it seems like I'm not the only girl struggling with this issue.  I thought I'd pass on the good karma and share  some of my recent (and a few not so recent) finds.  A couple of things to note: 1) you might notice I'm partial to solid colors and simple shapes, (I'm pretty sure that's a good tip-off for me in understanding my personal style). 2) I might have a slight silk blouse obsession. 

1.  The Everlane Silk Blouse (Mandarin Collar)

I have this shirt in the light grey and I LOVE it.  Seriously, I'm planning on buying more in multiple colors, especially that navy and maybe the pine (did I mention slight obsession).  If you're not familiar with Everlane, you should definitely check them out. Mr. C and I both love them and I'm kind of hoping Santa brings me one of their cashmere sweaters).  Two things to note with this shirt, versus the J.Crew shirt below 1) it's a thicker silk, which makes it slightly less versatile for warmer months, and also less sheer. 2) their sizing can run a bit big and they don't carry anything smaller than an XS.  For reference, I'm a 0/2P in J Crew's blouses and an XS in Everlane.  It's fine for me, but if you're any smaller you might have issues or find it's a bit long.

2. J.Crew Silk Blouse

I picked this shirt up for $25 during one of J.Crew's sales this summer and it quickly became one of the most worn items in my wardrobe.  I also have it in a bright neon red and am eying that maroon color. It's the perfect balance of slightly sheer but perfectly work appropriate (well in more conservative offices you might want to wear a cami, but it's up to you).  It's definitely an item that goes on sale frequently, so I wouldn't recommend buying it at full price. Update: As of this morning, I discovered that my dry cleaner shrunk this shirt :( please excuse me while I go throw a silk shirt funeral and go buy a new one.

3. J.Crew Ponte Peplum Shirt

Proof I can like things that aren't silk! This one I don't own (yet), but I tried it on in the store and really loved it.  I'm planning on picking it up on my next J.Crew trip. If you have a longer torso like I do, peplum can be a bit tricky, but this one was just right and the fabric is a really nice weight. It did run big though so you might have to size down.

4. French Connection Basics Collection

Classic Plains Poly

Classic Plains T

During my French Connection shopping extravaganza, I was pleasantly surprised by the selection of blouses in their Basics collection.  I wasn't expecting much since they broke my no-synthetic fabrics rule, but was surprised at how comfortable and breathable they both are. The t-shirt on the right has a silky front which makes it professional enough for work and it drapes really nicely.  Maybe I should reconsider polyester?

Finally, not everyone can pull off wearing a giant bow around their neck (I certainly can't) but my friend tried on this top in the cream and it looked AH-mazing on her. If bows are your thing, definitely                                    check it out.

Retail Therapy courtesy of the French Connection

A couple of weeks ago, when one of my friends and classmates asked me if I wanted to split a Gilt deal for a shopping spree at French Connection with her, I jumped at the chance.  Basically a 30% discount on clothes plus wine, cheese, and a personal shopper picking clothes out for you? Yes please!!!

It was soooooo much fun.  Other than shopping for my wedding dress, I've never had someone listening to what I needed and personally pulling clothes for me.  It also forced me to consider items that are a little outside of my normal comfort zone.  I had a really fun experience, got some amazing new clothes (including some fun tops!) and got to take a much-needed break from school.  (Retail therapy is cheaper than real therapy, right?)

On the downside, it totally spoiled me . . . shopping for myself without libations and snacks and without someone personally pulling items from the rack for me seems so pedestrian now . . . le sigh. It's back to 2 buck chuck and browsing Rue La La for me.  Maybe if I cut up some cheese and put out some crackers, I can recreate the experience.

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So, what did I get?  3 blouses, which I'll post about later and, drrrruuuumrrolll please!

A New Suit !!!

Le Suit

I know what you might be thinking:

• Who cares
• Does she need a suit?
• wait . . . I thought she already has too many pants
• It's awesome!!!

I know . . . I know. I wasn't technically in the market for a new suit, but I have been wanting something a little more interesting to wear to interviews than my plain black suit and I have been keeping an eye out for some interesting blazers. This suit accomplishes all those things at once and it fits like a glove.

This deserves its own post, but one thing my closet analytics project has taught me is what cuts/styles are best for me (they're the ones I tend to rate the highest and wear the most).  And, I've realized that slim cropped are definitely fall in to that category.

Style Diaries: Part 1

So (I'm sure you're all wondering this) what is my personal style?  Ok, maybe you're not as vested interested in the answer to that question as I am, but how does someone figure out what their personal style is (especially if you spent the first 20some years of your life without one . . . don't judge, I was homeschooled).

If you'd asked me what my personal style was from the ages of 8-19, I'd probably have answered "whatever my little sister wears." In college, I probably would have expanded that to "whatever my sorority sisters wear." Then, as I entered the workforce, it became "whatever J.Crew or Banana Republic are selling." You can see a theme here.

Even though I liked clothes, they were a lot more about function than style and I kind of just adapted to whatever environment I was in--in early 2007 in DC, that was J.Crew and BR suits and separates. I'd like to say there was a light bulb that went off one day, but it was really a more gradual process.  For one thing, I realized that government employees didn't exactly set the bar in terms of fashion or style . . .  and I also started to figure out what I didn't like to wear (hint: suits and collared button ups).  Today, my style isn't complete, but it's definitely moved beyond just copying one store's catalogue.*  I would say that today my style is a bit of a hodgepodge of several things:

(also these are my definitions of these terms, so if that's not your idea of preppy, don't hate).

There you have it.  The four elements that most influence my personal style. Obviously it's not perfect and, in some ways it's a bit aspirational (as you might realize when you see me go to the grocery store in sweatpants). But it's a starting point.  The next step is to see how these styles translate into my everyday wardrobe and how they should serve as a "model" for what I should be buying.  Yes, I happen to like Rachel Bilson's style . . . ever since I got addicted to Hart of Dixie the OC. 

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• What's your personal style and how did you figure it out?
• Do you have just one style inspiration or several, like me? 

*for those who don't get sarcasm, please know that I don't really take myself that seriously.