A Tale of Too-Many Dresses

Hello! Thought you'd never hear from me again? It's been a strange last few months and, honestly, I have been in a bit of a slump. But, somehow between the first breath of winter cold, good friends, Zycam, and the fact that I finally figured out how to style my leather t-shirt, I'm starting to feel more like my old self.  This is a post I put together a while ago and, while it's almost too cold to be thinking about dresses, I still wanted to share it.

I need to ask a serious question  . . . how many dresses should one person own? Hypothetically speaking (of course), is 49 too many? Does that number become any more acceptable if that person went to say nine wedding weekends last year?

But back to the land of non-hypotheticals. This summer I decided it was time to tackle one of the darkest corners of my closet . . . Dresses. I had an inkling that I owned a lot of dresses (it's a weakness of mine along with shoes, denim, and high-end gin). But, I didn't understand how many I had survived my last closet cleanse. For example, I still owned a dress purchased for my bachelorette party three and a half years ago. There were also three work dresses that preceded Mr. C (which is impressive considering I started dating him a couple of weeks into my first job. . . in 2006).

Obviously, my closet tough love needed to get a lot tougher, which is how I ended up with I have two bags of clothes (plus shoes) to donate. What's left? 38 dresses. A 22 percent reduction but that still seems kind of high, especially since I don't wear that many in my daily life. So, how does one get to 38 dresses?

Dress Report | Create Infographics

Step 1: Have all your friends get married in one year (14 Dresses)

Step 2: Obsessively hoard summer/casual dresses just in case global warming turns New York into a tropical paradise (15 Dresses)

Step 3: Try on all your dresses (while drinking wine and watching Gossip Girl) . . . convince yourself you look great in all of them.

The first two steps account for 76 percent of the dresses I own. The last is why I still own 38. Everyone has their achilles heel gown. Maybe this is just mine? Before you judge too harshly . . . Remember, count the dresses in thine own closet . . . there might be more than you expect.

Back to School

Where has the summer gone? I'm not going to bore you with the reasons this blog has been neglected, but seriously. . .  I can't believe that I started my final year of business school last week and I've only made it to the beach twice this summer. C'est la vie.

Regardless of what the weather is like outside, fall is definitely on my mind. (And, not just because Whole Foods just started stocking my favorite Pumpkin beer). I've been looking to switch things up with a new fall haircut and some serious back-to-school shopping. A recent closet cleanse (I swear these seem to be never ending), forced me to get rid of some trusty basics like my only white-button down oxford and my favorite black jeans.  The plus side . . . I weeded out a lot of items that I don't wear any more or that were completely worn out (you all would be proud, I got rid of four pairs of jeans). The downside? Well, the whole thing about getting rid of essentials, is they need to be replaced. Here are the things I've gotten so far and a few items that are still on my wish list.

1. A classic trench coat / 2. A casual light-weight jacket / 3. New skinny jeans

4. Lightweight fall sweaters / 5. Classic button-ups 6. New flats

As you can see, I'm craving neutrals and simple, comfortable silhouettes right now. Maybe it's the casual work environment I was in this summer or maybe it's just fall, but I don't think I'm going to be pulling out my heels and pencil skirts any time soon. Plus, there's something about the craziness of school life that necessitates having an easy uniform you can throw on in the mornings after sleeping through your alarm.

I was able to re-stock most of these through the amazing late summer sales that we had this year. So, check back later for reviews of  some of my favorite new fall additions!

The Case of the Casual Dress-Code

As my two regular readers have probably noticed (Hi mom!), the blog has taken a bit of a back seat to life lately. There's been travel, visitors, starting of jobs, catching up with friends . . . life has been fun but it hasn't really slowed down (does it ever?). Plus, while I am really, really loving my summer internship, it's pretty data intensive. It's amazing but sometimes the last thing I want to do when I get home is open up another spreadsheet even if it's about my closet. To be perfectly honest, I've even been contemplating taking a permanent hiatus from this whole closet project .  . . until, that is, I ran into my most recent fashion conundrum: What to Wear to Work. 

This is my first time working in an office with a casual dress code and I was pretty excited that I wouldn't have to wear a suit everyday. Plus, I've spent the last 9 months as a grad student, I should have this whole casual thing down, right? Wrong.

When you work in a business professional or business casual environment, there's an unspoken uniform. As a woman, you're wearing some sort of dress/skirt/pant + suit jacket/blazer/cardigan combo. That's it. There's room for some experimentation in terms of colors, patterns, and accessories, but you're all fundamentally following the same rules. Yes, it might be a little boring but at least you know what's expected and you're all in it together. 

In a casual work environment. Anything goes. Drop-crotch acid wash overalls? Check. Shorts? Check. Boyfriend jeans and a tank top? Check and check. All the options can be a little overwhelming. Especially since this being New York and this being the retail industry there's the pressure of pulling off effortless casual while still being unique and fabulous. Or maybe it's just because I sit next to a bunch of people in creative and design, but still . . . the hallway can feel a bit like a runway.

Also, as I quickly realized, my carefully curated school wardrobe that is perfect for Fall-Early Spring doesn't really work for a New York summer. I discovered this the unfortunate day I decided to wear pants in 90 degree weather. Hot sweaty mess, doesn't work well for any office dress code.

So, what does any normal person do when they don't know what to wear to work? Go shopping. Collect data, of course . . . even it means I have to tackle the deepest, darkest corner of my closet, dresses. 

36 hours (to a hangover) in Washington, D.C.

Mr. C and I are a big fan of the New York Times travel section. We even used one of their articles as a guide during our honeymoon and had a fantastic time (tipsily) biking from brewery to brewery. I am particularly fond of their "36 hours in . . ." series. So, you can imagine my excitement when I saw that they published a "36 Hours in Washington, D.C." last month.  Would they talk about the city's penchant for all you can eat, all you can drink brunches? Would they cover our fantastic local beers, like DC Brau, (that kick Brooklyn Brewery's ass)? Or the widely acclaimed Newseum? Or point out that you can drink sangria in the sculpture garden and pretend to listen to jazz every summer friday?

No. Instead, they talked about the Botanical Gardens and Eastern Market . . . Apparently, anyone visiting DC for 36 hours is either 80 yrs old or boring. The only time anyone goes into the Botanical Gardens is to get some free air conditioning without the hordes of children that plague every other Smithsonian museum. Obviously, the record has to be set straight. I'm by no means an expert, but as someone who frequently finds herself in DC for quick weekend trips, here's my (non-definitive) guide to how to spend 36 plus, cocktail-fueled hours in our nation's capital.  

1. Mini Bar Crawl in Shaw | 6:00 PM 

You've just gotten off the bus at Union Station. After spending the last 4.5 hours listening to your neighbor complain loudly about their boss and draining your phone battery searching for the mysterious "wifi" signal that Bolt promised . . .  you're in desperate need of a libation. And, more importantly, a little separation from your fellow man. You could hit up one of DC's many fantastic happy hours (check out: www.dchappyhours.com). More likely, however, you need something a little stronger . . . something like a mini-bar crawl. I'd recommend heading over to 7th St NW and checking out Derek Brown's three bars, conveniently all located on the same block. Start with a cocktail pitcher, some raw oysters, and a bowl of the Chowderhead at Eat the Rich (and no, I would not judge if you got a pitcher for yourself. In fact, I'd join you). Next, stumble head next door to Southern Efficiency. You can't go wrong with the White Whiskey and Smoked Cola (I know it sounds weird, but I promise, it's delicious) or if you really want to get serious, one of their mint juleps. Warning: you will have bourbon breath the rest of the night. Finish off the bar crawl with a flight of sherry (just trust the bartenders recommendations) and a charcuterie plate at Mocking Bird Hill. 

2. H St | 10 PM

At this point, you're probably feeling more charitable towards the world again and are ready to kick it up a notch. Grab an uber and head over to H St. The NYtimes guide did a fairly good job of covering the best H St bars. Though they tragically neglected to mention the dancing and peach schnapps slushies at Little Miss Whiskeys. 

3. Saturday AM | whenever you wake up:

If it's your first time to DC, you probably feel obligated to see at least a few of the sites. This is where, as your good friend, I would kindly point you in the direction of the National Mall and then go back to sleep for a few more hours while you got all cultural. I kid . . . sort of. Actually, my favorite way to see the monuments is to go for an early-ish morning run around the mall, which lets you soak in all of the key sites (which actually are quite beautiful, especially the Jefferson), while giving you an excuse to dodge around all the tourists. If running's not your thing, you can rent a bike from the Capital Bikeshare.

4. Day Drinking on 14th St | Saturday 3 PM

After touring the monuments (and a shower) if you're really into site seeing, you can pop into National Art Gallery, which is always lovely (and currently has a Van Gogh and Degas exhibit), or forego the free options for the Newseum, which I've heard is amazing and really do mean to visit one of these days. But don't linger too long because you're going to want to head back up 14th street to grab a table at the Garden District Beer Garden (previously known as the Standard) before the post-brunch crowd descends on it. Don't be daunted by all the wannabe hipsters . . .   or the lines for the bathroom. Just nonchalantly perch yourself at the edge of a table and wait for a spot to open up. Put on your big girl (or boy) pants and order a liter of the kostritzer schwarzbier or the heffe-weisbier. Also, make sure you flag down the donut guy making batches of fresh, piping hot donuts for a dollar. If you're seriously brave, or aggressively want to scare away your neighbors, you can also get a whole, smoked hogs head.

Sidenote: If it really is too crowded for you, a solid second option is American Ice Company, where you can sample the local beers (get the DC Brau Citizen) and indulge in pulled pork nachos on their patio.

5. Mediterranean Feast | 8:30 PM

If you haven't fill up on too many pulled pork nachos or donuts, grab dinner at Kapnos, Mike Isabella's (of Top Chef fame) Mediterranean restaurant. It opened last year and has quickly become one of my favorite new spots in DC. Definitely go with a group so you can sample a bunch of their mezzes. My favorite is the whole roast bronzino. Or you might be tempted by the leg of lamb roasting on a spit. The cocktails are pretty amazing as well.

6. 14th St/U St Bar Crawl | Till the wee hours of the morning

There are a lot of great neighborhoods in DC but the 14th St corridor is one of my favorite and has a wealth of options for whatever suits your mood. Craving some more beer? Hit up Churchkey, which has over 500 beers including a huge selection of beers on tap. Last time I was there, the bartenders were also offering their own, homemade fireball-style cinnamon whiskey. Feeling more like dancing? Try Dodge City, which has the added advantage of two large patios. Or, do you want to risk some green-fairy inspired hallucinations? 1905 is a small, but quirky bar that serves absinthe. Just be warned, you’ll have to wait ten minutes while your drink drips over a sugar cube from some elaborate contraption. If cocktails are more your scene, you could try Two Birds One Stone where the menus are freshly sketched and illusrated every week.  Or, my all time favorite bar, Bar Pilar, which quietly has some of the best cocktails (and people watching) in the city without the side of pretention that you might find at The Gibson. Pilar always have something new and surprising. Last time I was there, they were doing pina coladas with a fermented strawberry syrup  . . . or you can’t go wrong with one of their house made gin and tonics.

Finally, you’re probably going to be a little peckish at 3 A.M. (especially after lifting those liters of beer all afternoon). Don’t let anyone talk you into a jumbo slice (google it if you don't know what I'm talking about). Trust me, your stomach and your arteries will thank you. Instead, stop at Taylor Gourmet for a hoagie or check out &Pizza for a chipotle-style, build-your own flatbread.

7. Brunch Like A Champion | 1 PM ('cause who brunches before noon?)

DC is all about brunch . . . especially in the summer when there’s no lack of outdoor patios. So make sure you have a late return flight or bus scheduled and save time (and room) for one of the city's many bottomless brunches. Mr. C and mine's two favorites are are El Centro DF (“Mexican comfort food”) and the less well known, Agora, (Turkish/Mediterranean). The thing these two brunch spots have in common is:  excellent food, served in small or mid-sized portions meant for sharing; excellent brunch drinks (mimosas at Agora and Aqua Frescas at El Centro); and an all-you-can-eat-all-you-can-drink brunch special for under $35. If you go to El Centro, make sure to try the French toast and the Chile Relleno. At Agora, save room for several orders of the Htipiti (roasted red peppers, thyme, feta, and a bit of magic) and the Cilbir.

8. Who's Counting at This Point? 

I'm pretty sure that's more than 36 hours and possibly more than any one person should drink in a weekend . . . 

T-Shirt Reviews: Everlane vs. Gap vs. American Apparel

Where did the time go? Yesterday I was wrapping up finals and now I'm realizing I only have a week left in DC. I can't really complain. It's been nice to play housewife for a few weeks and soak up all the time I can with my friends and family (not to mention actually live with Mr. C rather than shuttle back and forth between apartments). One of the side effects though is that I have been separated from the majority of my wardrobe. On the plus side this has given me an excuse to go shopping forced me to be creative with the six outfits I remembered to stuff in my suitcase. On the downside, it's made it a little difficult to work on my closet cataloguing project. It's probably not a good sign that I can't remember how many dresses I own off the top of my head . . . 

So in lieu of updating my spreadsheet, I have been taking stock of my summer basics. First up? Solid, cotton t-shirts. After last summer when I couldn't seem to find any breathable (aka sweat-trap) tops. T-shirts quickly became essential. Add a belt, skirt, and some wedges and you're ready for brunch or a casual friday. Or switch it out for boy shorts on those too-hot-to -wear-anything summer days. But, after a summer in DC, my stock of t-shirts were definitely worse for wear. All but one had some combination of stains and tiny holes, or had simply disappeared into the mysterious abyss that also swallows single socks. 

My initial instinct was just to re-order the same Everlane T-shirts that I had last summer. But (because I may have too much time on my hands right now), I thought I'd take a step back and objectively evaluate the three brands I currently have in my closet to see how they measured up against each other: the American Apparel 50/50 shirt, Everlane's Cotton V, and the Gap Essential T.

So how did they stack up? 

Price: In terms, of price, they're all close (and all $20 or less) but Everlane was checked off as the cheapest at $15. The reason Gap got a question mark is that they've been running so many 40% off sales that I actually haven't seen this t-shirt at full price any where in the last month. American Apparel got an "x" because they were the most expensive and because I was annoyed they don't give a student discount #gradschoolproblems. 

Material: Both Gap and Everlane are listed as being made of 100% pima cotton and I can attest that they both feel really soft, without being too thin or at all see through. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that the American Apparel shirt I'd picked up was actually their 50/50 poly-cotton blend, so I can't compare it directly to the other two. However, in my un-professional opinion, it's pretty nice though not as soft or quite as breathable. 

Fit: This was where I realized my Everlane t-shirts where falling short. Even in the smallest size, they're baggy on me (this is actually true of all the Everlane products but it's particularly pronounced in their t-shirts). If you look at this year's version on-line, it looks baggy, even on the model, so it must be intentional. But, in my opinion, this makes them look sloppy on me. In contrast, both the Gap and American Apparel t-shirts fit really well--not too snug, but they're easy to tuck into skirts or my new favorite printed pants. I would note that some reviewers found the Gap essential T to run a little large, but this wasn't the case for me.

Style: I was happy with the style and cut of both the Everlane V and the Gap Essential T. The Everlane V is very flattering and not too deep if you're more endowed than I am and showing too much cleavage is a concern. I haven't tried their u-neck style but I assume it's similar. (judging from their baggier cuts and more classic style I don't think overtly sexy is their thing). In contrast, the cut of the American Apparel t-shirt is a little . . . off. It's comes up oddly high on your neck--almost like a kid's t-shirt instead of an adult woman's. It's not terrible but it's enough to make me hesitate before buying this style again. 

Final verdict? While I love Everlane for their silk shirts, sweatshirts, and acceptably adult backpacks . . . I've realized that I'm not really that big a fan of of their t-shirts. At the end of the day, the fit is really important to me. And, given that Gap's comparable shirt is not that much more expensive (and probably on sale as we speak), for me, it's the better buy. The only downside? It comes in a ton more colors, which may tempt me to buy one of each . . . 

*Note: In full disclosure, I will be working for Gap this summer, but that had nothing to do with this post. I just like their t-shirts.  

Summer Lovin: How to Pack for a Beach Vacation Part 2

Day 1

1. Easy travel day outfit

2. Birthday dinner with Mr. C at a local spot

Day 2

3. First day was chilly so my printed pants were perfect for exploring our neighborhood. Where we were staying there were a series of docks, each one with their own bar at the end! Our favorite had $2 drafts. Obviously we became regulars. 

4. Shorts and a fun top were perfect for checking out the local night spots (and navigating all the 21 yr olds at the Sloppy Tuna)*

Day 3

5. More exploring! And more $2 drafts. Also, you haven't been to Montauk until you've been shooed off of a private beach.

Day 4

(not pictured) Beach day! This was my favorite :)

6. Evening stroll on the beach, followed by fresh seafood at Sammy's (I tried raw clams on the half shell, delicious!) 

Day 5

7. For our last day, we had a few hours to kill before our train. We spent it tasting beers at the Montauk Brewing Company and walking along the beach on the Atlantic side of Montauk. 

*In all honesty it was freezing that night, so I ended up throwing on something else, but ideally this is what I wanted to wear ;)

Summer Lovin: How to Pack for a Beach Vacation Part 1

All you need for a weekend at the beach

Two weeks ago, I submitted my final  paper (paper is a strong word, it was more of a creative info-graphic, but it's the symbolism that counts, right?) and, just like that, my first year of grad school was done. Boom! As you might have guessed from the lack of posting around here, I'm still getting the hang of this whole school/life/work balance thing.  The end of the semester was a pretty grueling few weeks as a gazillion group projects came to an end. Thankfully, I have a few fabulous weeks off to hang out with Mr. C before starting my summer internship (not going to lie, school is great, but I'm pretty excited to be working again). We kicked it off this past weekend by heading to Montauk where we rented a beach house with my cousin, sister-in-law, and their significant others. As a southern California girl, I'm still getting used to east coast beaches (less sand, smaller waves, fewer tan people). But, it was amazing to get away from the city, hang out with amazing people, and eat fresh seafood by the water. And, of course, it was an chance for me to finally pull out all of my summer clothes.

A few years ago after lugging a 50 lb suitcase through Europe for two weeks (let's be real, it was really Mr. C doing the lugging), I realized I needed to start taking a more strategic approach to packing. I've come up with a pretty simple formula that works for me 90% of the time:

(Number of Vacation Days - One travel day) x 2 = Number of outfits needed

This ensures that I have a day outfit and a night outfit for each day of the trip, plus one travel outfit for the beginning and end of the trip. Obviously, I adjust this depending on the type of trip. For this trip, I knew we were going to be a lot of grilling and hanging out on the beach, so I adjusted the total number of outfits down slightly,  assuming there'd be at least one day where we'd just be chilling on the beach.*

Thinking in terms of outfits versus items of clothing does a couple of things. First, it forces me to plan ahead so that I don't end stuffing everything I own into a carry-on at the last minute. Second, it helps me figure out what I actually need rather than showing up with 20 items of clothing that I love, but that don't really go together.

The other thing I do, is I start with the three-five statement pieces that I know I want to bring (e.g. a colorful dress, printed pants). Then I add in basics, accessories, and shoes to help dress each item up or down. Except for rare occasions (things like traveling to a friends wedding), I try not to bring outfits that can't be dual purposed in some way. Even shorts can be dressed up for a dinner with the right shoes and accessories.

This what ended up in my packing list for a five day :
1) One Beach Cover-Up: I love this one from H&M and, as a plus, it's under $10!

2) Two Swimsuits: I'm a big fan of J.Crew's swim suits. They last forever (seriously, I've had one for 7 yrs that still looks new and that I'm almost wishing would wear out so that I can get a new one). As a plus, you can mix and match a lot of their styles. And, if you're more of a one-piece type of gal, they have a lot of pretty cute offerings

3) One printed dress: I'm partial to longer summer dresses that have an un-even kerchief type hem. Since I'm on the petite side, finding a maxi dress that doesn't need to be hemmed or that doesn't drag on the ground can be a little . . . challenging. Plus, am I the only one that finds maxi dresses to be a bit of a heat trap in the middle of summer? My favorite dress to pack for beach weekends is a few years old from Anthropologie, but the one in the set is from H&M and is really adorable in person.

4) One casual day dress: It's hard to go wrong with stripes in the summer, especially by the beach. Plus, this dress is really easy to change-up with a belt or denim vest. This is usually my travel outfit of choice (paired with a hat and some sunglasses to hide the fact that I stayed up too late playing heads-up)

5) One pair of shorts: I like to pack one pair of dressier pair of shorts (either with a fun, but subtle print or lace or crotchet) that can work just as well for grilling outdoors or strolling around town in search of coffee. I've had good luck with Ann Taylor Loft for fun summer shorts.

6) One pair of printed pants: Even though it's finally summer, evenings at the beach can still be a little chilly and I knew a pair of pants would come in handy. I've been looking for a fun, printed pair like these and when I found them at H&M (can you tell I had a very successful H&M shopping trip recently?), I knew I had to snatch them up.

7) A couple of neutral tops: For me this means, a chambray shirt for chillier days or to throw over a dress, a silk top if I need to dress-up my pants or shorts, and two to three t-shirts. Despite my love of Everlane, I have to admit, I keep going back to Gap's t-shirts. They fit me better and are the perfect weight.

8) A sweater: Beach nights get chilly! I have a different one but this sweater from Gap is really adorable and complements everything else on the list.

9) Three pairs of shoes: One pair of heels (I got these cute DV wedges and am in love. They're super comfortable and really sweet, the perfect summer shoe. I may even get them in black). One pair of flip flops (duh). And, one pair of leather sandals. Knowing me, there is a high likelihood that I'll sneak in another pair of shoes (maybe my boat shoes) at the last minute.

10) Accessories: For me, this means a hat, sunglasses, a couple of belts and my trusty jean vest.

* * * 

This might still seem like a lot. But, considering what I used to pack, it's major progress! The biggest sign is that I can now carry my own suitcases and don't have to rely on Mr. C or the kindness of random strangers ;) Check back later to see how I mixed these up to get eight-plus outfits that lasted the whole trip!

*Of course this varies depending on the type of trip, for example, camping doesn't require any going-out outfits. (But, seriously, do I seem like the type of girl who goes camping?)

Review: Ann Taylor Heels

The biggest downside to living in New York is receiving packages. I mean, I know some people live in these magical places that have doormen and elevators, but for the rest of us masses getting anything delivered via mail is a bit of a crapshoot. For one thing, I'm not entirely sure my delivery man even tries the door of my building. For another, you never get a "first delivery attempt" notice. They're all "final notices" that somehow imply it's your fault that they weren't able to delivery your package and, threaten you with the fact that if you don't immediately hike over to some random warehouse that you'll never see your precious order. 

To be honest, it's probably good for my wallet. Nothing is a bigger deterrent to ordering something on-line than the prospect of spending 45 minutes on the phone with customer service while literally chasing a delivery truck around the West Village. Obviously, it wasn't that big of a deterrent though, because the other day, these three beauties arrived on my doorstep (and by arrived on my doorstep, I mean I had to schlep over to the UPS warehouse and drag three different boxes home, but at least they arrived)

(1)

(2)

(3)

As you might have guessed, shoes are kind of my cryptonite. (It's not my fault, it runs in my family and, by all accounts, possibly my culture). That said, I was pretty firm in my resolve to only keep shoes that met the criteria of what I was looking for and were comfortable. Given my recent shoe-tastrophes, I would have been happy if even one pair had worked out. 

But, guys. They're all perfect . . . and, I mean perfect. They're exactly what I was looking for style-wise and soooooooo comfortable. First off, I was really impressed with the quality. The leather is really soft and pliable--as a proof of that, I get blisters even thinking about putting on shoes and I wore the last two pairs out on two different nights, for more than 3 hours, without any issues. The shoes have a leather sole, and there's a cute (almost tory-burchish) jewel on the bottom that's a fun detail. But, they don't deserve to be lumped together, so here is the breakdown:

1. Cate d'Orsay Leather Platform: Originally, I was going to order the "Perfect Pump," since I'd heard so much about it. But, at the end of the day, it didn't really excite me. I wanted something a little different and the Cate d'Orsay pump delivered. It just took one look at the snake-skin wrapped heel and I was in. The one thing I was a little concerned about was the height. I usually have a 3.5 inch limit on my heels and these are 4 inches. I've had pretty mixed luck in the past with platform pumps. If you're not familiar with platform pumps, the shoe has a hidden platform that gives you more support. So even though it makes you 4 inches taller, it really only feels like you're wearing a 3.5 inch heel.  Mind games, but when you're 5'2 and three-quarters of an inch, that feels like victory. The trick though, is that you're still putting a lot of pressure on the ball of your foot and a lot shoes skimp on any sort of padding. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Ann Taylor shoes had a lot of cushioning . . . I don't think I'll be taking a wilderness hike in them anytime soon, but I could definitely wear them to an event or around school all day with very few problems. 

On another note, some people feel that a 4-inch heel is not appropriate for an office shoe. Personally, I think it depends on two things 1) the dress code in your office, and 2) the rest of your outfit. Pairing sky-high heels with a really tight, short skirt and a super revealing blouse might send the wrong message (again, depends a lot on your work environment). But, I don't see anything wrong with wearing high heels as long as you tone down the rest of your clothing. It's all about balance.

2. Arlene Shooties: I'd never heard the term "shootie" before and am still not sure what makes this a "shootie" versus an open-toed bootie or a sandal . . . but, regardless these shoes are fabulous. They have a lower heel (3 inches) and also have whatever magical padding Ann Taylor is putting in their shoes. The first time I wore them, I was on my feet for four hours and, aside from the fact that the toestrap started to pinch a bit at the end of the night, they were really comfortable.  The best thing about them though, is the versatility. I have a feeling, that of the three, these are going to end up getting the most wear. I wore them out one night with skinny black moto pants and have also paired them with a simple work/school dress and a pencil skirt. FYI . . . I'm a pretty true size 7 in most brands and these run slightly big when compared with the other two. My foot slips forward a bit, though it's not enough to warrant a smaller size. It doesn't bother me, but I may end up putting in an insert just to keep my foot in place. 

3. Juliette Ankle Strap Heels: My heart has been set on a pair of ankle strap heels for a long time. But, the ones I saw at Zara, tended to be really high (4 inches and up), and this wasn't a style that really lent itself to a platform. I was excited to see that these were only a 3 inch heel (which was well within my comfort range), though I was concerned I wouldn't get the same, elongating effect. I didn't need to be worried. They were just as perfect as the other two. As a heads up, if you have really wide feet or thicker ankles, you might have a little bit of trouble. The toe box is on the narrower side and the ankle strap isn't particularly long. (For reference, my ankles are 9 inches in circumference at the widest point and I had to go to the second hole. Given how short the strap is, if you had to use the third hole, you might not have enough room to buckle the shoes)

* * *

All in all, this was one of my most successful shoe shopping experiences (and I didn't even have to leave the comfort of my couch). It was fabulous to be able to cross off three of the shoes on my list in one single order! If you're looking for a great pair of heels, definitely give Ann Taylor a chance. (on the plus side, they're also almost always having a 40 percent off sale, which means they're basically free . . . or at least a really good deal). They're flats also look pretty cute . . . but I'm veering into dangerous waters.

Note: I know that everyone has different levels of pain tolerance when it comes to shoes, so my idea of perfectly comfortable may not be yours. Personally, I consider a shoe to be comfortable if I can wear it for at least 4 hours without developing blisters, the shoes don't inhibit my ability to walk or stand, and I don't feel like I'm ruining my feet. That said, if you aren't used to wearing heels all day or a 3 inch heel sounds high to you, you might want to steer away from the Cate d'Orsay pump or try something with more of a kitten heel, like this one)

A Shoe-tastrophe

A few weeks ago, I attended an annual fund-raising fashion show gala that my graduate program puts on. It was a really lovely event and gave me a much-needed excuse to dress up a little. All was great, until I got home and realized that my keys were not in my clutch, but were in my school bag, in my locker . . .  for some reason I couldn't find a cab or an Uber and ended up walking all the way to school and back. To add insult to injury, my go-to black heels which have been with me through every job, grad school, and recruiting event for the past three years . . . decided to pick that moment to give up on life. They'd been on their last leg (err, heel) for a while, but they just decided to stop staying on my feet. I had to do a sort of scoot/hobble/waddle all the way from the LES to NYU. Sadly, this was not my only recent shoe-tastrophe. A few months earlier, the heel broke on my favorite pair of party shoes mid-dance floor at a friend's wedding. (not that that stopped me when "Blurred Lines" came on) and the suede black booties that I love are starting to develop some serious bald spots (someone, please invent rogain for shoes!). 

I needed to invest in some new shoes ASAP and I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted:

Oh, and all of the above had to be at least moderately comfortable. Easy peasy, right? 

Ha! Finding a shoe that's both comfortable and stylish is a bit like looking for the holy grail (minus a shirtless Indiana Jones). But, I had too many pairs of shoes that I didn't wear because they seemed to be designed by some sort of mediaeval torture expert (Note to my 20-year-old self: buying a pair of shoes knowing that you'd need to take tequila shots to numb the pain is never a good idea). 

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Honestly, the reason I'd put off buying new shoes for so long (both those pairs of heels were more than 3 years old), was that I couldn't find shoes that satisfied both my fashion and functional needs. The pairs I found would be one or the other, but rarely both (and the ones that were both were a little out of my price range). I'd read about the Ann Taylor "Perfect Pump" on both Capital Hill Style and Extra Petite but had always disregarded it. Not to sound snobbish, but I don't always associate Ann Taylor with the highest quality and their styles can skew a little old-lady for me. The "perfect pump" seemed fine but nothing special. But, my latest shoe disaster had put me in a particularly vulnerable state and I decided I needed to swallow my pride and at least give Ann Taylor the courtesy of browsing their selection on-line (it was that or start showing up to events barefoot). And . . .  I was really, really surprised. I mean, not everything was amazing, but if this was what old-ladies were wearing on their feet than I was in. 

I was really only planning on buying on pair and trying it out . . . but somehow I ended up ordering three (just to try you know. I wasn't gong to keep all of them) that fit all of my criteria above. Check back tomorrow for my review! And, someone please call a shoe-therapist because I might have a problem. 

Blazers: Breaking It Down (Part II)

(Check out Part I of my Blazer Posts here)

One of the luxuries of having really small data sets is that it makes it easy to play around with different ways of analyzing them. This was particularly true here, because it took me a while to figure out the best way to analyze my blazers. More than with some of my earlier analysis, I really wanted to know what I should look for in future blazer purchases vs. just what I should get rid of. First, I tried grouping them by color, which wasn't super informative. (hint: I own a lot of black) Then, I tried building a matrix looking at them by color and style, which was a little more helpful but still only gave me two dimensions to look at the problem.

In my data mining class, we've been talking about using classification trees in analyzing data. On a very basic level, classification trees help you "classify" different items based on their "features" or "attributes". Here, my items are my blazers and I picked three "attributes" that I could use to classify them: Color (Patterned or Solid), Style (Collar or Collarless), and Suit (Part of a Suit or Not)

This turned out to be surprisingly helpful and I ended up with a pretty picture. I knew that I had a lot of solid colors (even the patterned one kind of looks solid from a distance) and that a lot of my blazers seemed to pretty similar in style. But by constructing this tree, I was able to see which were the most important features for each blazer. For example, given how many solid blazers I have, it's more important to know my French Connection blazer is patterned than it is to know that it's got a collar or is part of a suit. Because it's different (and happens to be highly rated), it's both an item I should keep and might be an example of an area where I could add more items to my closet (patterned blazers galore!)

What does this actually mean for my shopping habits? Well, there are a couple of ways to interpret this data. Someone who had no experience with women's closets or any personal knowledge of me, might use the last branch of the tree to suggest that I go for a suit blazer but not buy the rest of the suit . . . or only shop for used suit blazers at thrift stores. That might be a little tongue-in-cheek, but it does show that you definitely need context when interpreting data!  In fact, those happen to be my oldest blazers, and at least two of them are on their last leg. More likely, one of two things are going on, either:

a) I've figured out what styles/colors works for me and I 
should just stick with them, buying more of the same

OR

b) My closet could use a little diversity 
(I'm leaning towards "b"). 

If I went with option "b", the features I have on my tree present different ways I could add a little more pizzazz to my wardrobe. I could choose to diversify based on cut. Or, if the suit style is really best for me, I could choose to add more patterned pieces. Or, I could be really wild and go for both. 

Zara Printed Kimono Blazer

Boom. Sold. (except that pattern gives me a headache)

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*Please note, that classification trees are normally built out using much more rigorous techniques. I used the idea more as inspiration rather than actually building a mathematical model. However, you could say, in theory, I used some sort of majority classifier approach. Another thing to know is that the patterned blazer is both part of suit, and a collared style. But because I started with color as the first branch of my tree and there was only one patterned blazer, color ended up being the most important attribute for this particular instance. 

Blazers: Breaking It down (Part 1) and Coming Back From Break

Oh helloooo world!!!! It's really nice to see you again. I know I kind of dropped off the planet, but somewhere in between the last snow storm and trying to get a bunch of projects done before spring break, I went into serious hibernation mode. Then, I spent 10 lovely days with Mr. C, exploring New York's irish bar scene (you have never celebrated St Patty's day until you've spent it with a Cullen boy). 

Since then, I'm slowly re-emerging into the land of the living . . . which means tackling another part of my closet: blazers.  Well, until I actually counted them and realized how many I owned. Nine. That seems like a lot, right?!?!? How did I miss this in the three closet clean-outs I've gone through in the last year? And, if I own so many, why do I keep adding new, brightly colored blazers to my Zara and Nordstrom shopping carts?

I blame the nine blazers on the fact that when I started my career in DC, I was constantly being mistaken for an intern. So, I stocked up on a lot of suits before realizing a) that my office definitely skewed more on the "casual" side of "business casual". And, b) I still got mistaken for an intern. Over time, I got rid of different parts of those suits (there was one particularly tragic coffee spill that took out some khaki trousers), but kept the jackets and started pairing them with separates. I just hadn't realized how many I had or how long I'd hung on to them. Even Mr. C didn't believe how old some of them were until I walked him through the timeline (the ratings are in parentheses):

As you can see, six of the nine are more than four years old. And, with the exception of my tweed blazer, which I still love and is in mint condition (from the days J.Crew paid more attention to quality), my older jackets tend to have lower ratings . . . either because they don't fit with either with my changing style, my new work/school environment, or they're just really worn out. For instance, I used to love that 2007-Velvet blazer, but it's looking a little  more like the velveteen rabbit at this point and less like a jacket these days . . . This helped pair down the list a little bit:

This leaves me with six blazers, which still feels kind of like a lot (and yes, for now, I do actually need two black blazers. I promise they're different). But, I still feel like something is missing . . . there's a lot of black in there and there's a floral jacket at Zara that seems to have my name on it. But, before I indulged myself, I wanted to take another look at my blazer situation and make sure that a) I really needed many more another jacket and b) I was buying the right things. Check back Wednesday for Part II!

Splurge or Save: Clarisonic Mia versus Konjac Sponge

In my operations class last week, we were discussing how a company should decide whether to make something themselves or buy it somewhere else. We were looking at data to figure out at which point (based on volume, things like that) it's cheaper to out source something versus make it in-house. I'm not sure I was supposed to think of it as a "Splurge vs. Save" problem, but that's definitely where my mind went.

Should you get the $600 designer bag or the $150 knockoff? Do you invest in the expensive jeans or the ones from H&M? Do you spend a lot on a trendy item that might only be relevant for a season or its cheaper sister? We're faced with these kinds of "Splurge vs Save" scenarios all the time (or is it just me trying to decide whether I should shop at Wholefoods or Safeway?). It can be hard though to figure out which option really does offer the most value.

Yesterday, I posted about how I had decided to use the Boscia Konjac sponge instead of buying a Clarisonic Mia.* The Boscia sponge is $18 while the latest version of the Clarisonic Mia is $150, plus you have to replace the brushes every 3 months. It seemed pretty obvious that the Boscia was cheaper (and it was working for me). But, I decided to test my hypothesis by constructing a table similar to the ones we were using in class.

Just to set it up, the Clarisonic Mia comes with one brush head to start you off. Replacement brushes are $40 for a pack of 2 (so $20 a pop). The Mia also comes with a 2 year warranty, so let's assume that after 2 years, you'd want to replace it. This means that over a 24 month period, you'd need to purchase an additional 7 brush heads. (For simplicity's sake, I'm ignoring the fact that you have to buy the brushes in sets of two so you'd be left with an extra brush at the end. If you're at all like me, you're bound to break one early and need a back-up anyway). Here's what the cost comes to per month, with the Mia.

$12 a month isn't bad (I mean you can get unlimited netflix streaming for that much, but we're talking about the promise of eternally youthful skin here). Next I applied the same analysis to the Konjac sponge. According to the packaging, the Boscia Konjac sponge is supposed to last 2 months. In my experience, however, it's more like 6 weeks. I recently found a different version of the Boscia sponge on Amazon for almost half the price.  I'm still waiting to see if it works as well, but I went on ahead and did the calculations using both price points:

Surprisingly (to me), the Boscia sponge was only slightly (8 cents) less per month than going with the Clarisonic Mia. This means that using the Boscia sponge rather than the Clarisonic Mia would only save me $1.92 over a 2 year period. Money bags! Imagine all the vending machine snacks I could buy with that! (sarcasm implied)

It gets a lot better when you look at the Amazon version. If it works as well, over a two year period, using the Amazon Konjac sponge rather than the Clarisonic Mia would save me $130. Obviously, I'm assuming that these two products are equal in quality. Also, if you already have the Clarisonic Mia, it might not make sense to switch at this point since it's already a sunk cost. However, if you're debating which one to buy or you're looking to replace your current Clarisonic, you might want to consider the Amazon sponge instead.

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What do you think? Would you do these types of calculations to figure out whether to splurge or save? I have to admit, this was fairly simple to do for something like a facial cleansing system that you use on a daily basis. But, it gets a little trickier when you're looking at something like clothes or jewelry (though I certainly tried with my "cost-per-wear" analysis a few weeks ago).

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*Note: According to Sephora's website, the "Konjac Cleansing Sponge is made from 100 percent preservative-free konjac root from the pristine, idyllic Jeju Island in Korea. Konjac root is an Asian-cultivated, root-based vegetable that the Japanese have traditionally used as a detoxifying dietary staple, and as a calming, exfoliating sponge for delicate skin. It is naturally alkaline and balances the acidity of the skin’s impurities and oils while being enriched with protein, carbohydrate, iron, phosphorus, copper, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin D, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, and folic acid. Gentle enough for the most sensitive skin types, this naturally deep-cleansing, pH balanced sponge can be used throughout the face, neck, and even the very delicate undereye area."

Shaking the Winter Blues

Sooooo, winter. It's obviously here to stay and it's affecting everyone from Seattle to New York to Atlanta. I don't know about everyone else, but in New York everyone just seems resigned to the fact that we aren't going to be shaking this anytime soon and all we can do is grin and bear it. (By grin and bear it, I mean hole up in my apartment with my chips, queso, and a bottle of wine until spring comes).

From the messy commutes, to the salt that gets all over your clothes and stains your shoes, it can feel like winter has taken over every part of your life. To add insult to injury between the elements and the radiator heating systems native to New York apartments, the weather can do quite a number on your skin as well. Here are a few of the products that have helped me get through all this and still feel somewhat, human. 

1. Burt's Bees Hand Cream: This stuff smells like banana cream pie and feels like butter (basically, I have to be careful not to put it on when I'm hungry). Slathering this on before I go to bed every night is what's saved my skin.

2. Norwegian Formula Hand Cream: When we went to MN for Christmas, my hands became painfully dry and cracked. You know you have a problem when your fingers start snagging on your mittens. My in laws had some of this around and I got hooked. It's got a bit of a chemical smell, but it's AMAZING. My hands healed really quickly and now I have some in my bag at all times.

3. Konjac Cleansing Sponge: I had been going back and forth on whether or not I wanted to get a Clarisonic Mia, but after reading about this sponge on The Glossarie I decided to try it first. Now, I've never had a Clarisonic so I can't compare the two, but I LOVE the Konjac sponge. It's really gentle, extremely portable, and my skin has never felt better. (I'm going to do a post soon comparing the cost of the Konjac versus the Clarisonic)

4. Vitamin D: A few years ago, I went to my Doctor because I was lethargic and seemed to get sick all of the time.  She ran some blood tests and found out I was Vitamin D deficient. (Apparently, not living in southern California and working in an office all day was not good for me). I take these supplements from Trader Joe's and it's made a huge difference. Obviously, I'm not a doctor, so this might not be right for you. But, you can also get vitamin d from foods like mushrooms, fish, cheese, and eggs (and caribbean vacations, of course)

5. Say Yes to Blueberries Eye Treatment: Since 2014 is the last year of my 20s, I figured it was probably time to start using an under eye cream. The problem is most of the ones I've tried feel really heavy and just sit on top of my skin. I like this one because it is super light and absorbs really well. And, it's under $20.

6. Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream: I have what's called "combination skin" (which I'm pretty sure is what stores just tell you when they aren't sure what to give you). Anyway, I have trouble finding moisturizers that don't make me break out, but still seem to actually, you know, moisturize. I picked some samples of this up on a recent trip to Bloomingdales and I am really happy with it! It's helped combat dry flaky skin and, as a bonus, it serves as a primer too.

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This is how I'm keeping my spirits up over winter (who am I kidding, it's mostly through on-line shopping and seamless orders). How about you? What do you use to survive the polar vortex?

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P.S. want more cubicle catwalk? Follow me on twitter @cubicle_catwalk, on Pinterest, or on Instagram @MrsVonC.