Pinspiration - Interview Style

Interview season is in full swing here at school. Even though no one has class for another week and a half, everyone is walking around in some sort of business/professional attire. That or yoga pants. It's a really odd juxtaposition. After a semester of networking events, I was starting to feel like my professional wardrobe needed a breath of new life--especially since my new suit is rather distinctive. Naturally, as with most things, I turned to Pinterest in my hour of need. 

In between looking at "25 best crockpot recipes" and pictures of kale salads, I spotted this image (source: The Classy Cubicle). It was one of the few times I'd looked at a Pinterest image and thought "huh, I actually already own items like this" (What, you're surprised I don't have a tulle princess skirt stocked away somewhere?)

I tend not to wear both pieces of my suit together. Instead, I usually split them up and wear a black blazer. I also keep it pretty simply--normally just a silk blouse and really simple jewelry. But I like the idea of mixing it up with a colorful sweater and chunky necklace. Here's how I would do a similar look using items that I actually own. 

Sweater: J.Crew / Blazer: Tom Ford  / Pants: French Connection / Oxfords: American Apparel / Bag: Kate Spade Saturday / Necklace: Forever 21 

In the photo, she is wearing the J.Crew sweater, similar to the Tippi style, that I've talked about before, but I own it in mint instead of pink, so that's what I would use. I did like the pop of pink though so I might try to incorporate it in either a necklace or earrings. I also think this would be an easy look to dress down for a more casual interview or setting. I'd just lose the jacket and switch out the shoes for some oxfords or simple flats. 

What do you think? Do you ever turn to pinterest for outfit inspiration? 

*Note: If I couldn't find the exact item that I owned, I found something really similar to use in the Polyvore set. For instance, while I would love to say that I own that Tom Ford blazer, I sadly do not. But, it's similar in cut to an Ann Taylor suit jacket that I have. 

State of the Closet: December

As I mentioned last week, I'm going back through my closet to collect additional data points on the items I own. Part of that has been collecting data to figure out cost-per-wear (CPW) for items in my closet, figure out what I need to replace, and, just generally, give me a better idea of how I should be shopping.  I'm also planning on starting to track what I add to my closet every month, what I return, and what I get rid of. This does feel extremely slightly dangerous/scary/terrifying. After all, I'm basically baring my shopping habits for everyone to judge see. (I'm also slightly afraid it will inspire Mr. C to write a fairy tale called "The Empress has too many clothes") But, I'm hoping that it will help keep me honest about only keeping things that fit with my shopping philosophy and will help keep me on track with updating my closet catalogue.

Between santa gifts and winterizing my wardrobe, my closet got quite an update during the month of December. In total I added four items of clothing, three pairs of shoes and one jacket (not pictured). I wanted to look at how versatile each item was (in terms of how many seasons I could wear it during and whether I could use it for both work and casual occasions). I also wanted to make sure that each item fit with at least one of the elements of my personal style.

As you can see, the first item, an everlane shirt, and the last items, a pair of oxford shoes, are the most versatile in terms of seasonality and ways to wear them. The best value, from a purely CPW perspective are still my Ash motorcycle boots. After owning these for almost a month, I can report that I'm wearing them as much, if not even more, than I was originally expecting to :)

I will say it was a little difficult to figure out how each item fit with my personal style, especially since I haven't really defined each of these terms. But, I think it will be a good check for me. The one that was actually easiest to categorize in terms of style, was the J.Crew pleated skirt. (I mean that pattern and the pleats, just scream "sweet", right?) I saw this on a mannequin in the store a few months ago and really, really liked it. Even though it has the highest CPW (in part because I'm still not sure how versatile it will be and I skewed conservative on how often I'd wear it), it's also one of the few pleated skirts that I think look good on my figure and don't make me look heavy.

So, there you go! An update on my closet. I'm also working on a Pinterest project that I hope to reveal soon. Hope everyone is staying safe, warm, and dry in this weather!

*Nerd alert: Ideally, I'd like to come up with a metric for weighting each of these factors and coming up with an overall, numerical score for each item I own, but that's a bit down the road . . . 

Drink this. Read This

TGIF! 

I guess . . . when you're a student on winter break things like weekends and non-weekends take on a slightly different connotation. I'm actually in DC with Mr. C this week. I'm planning on catching up with folks, going to some of my favorite DC haunts, maybe checking out Derek Brown's new-to-me Sherry Bar, and also getting in a little bit of shopping. Belle of Capital Hill Style posted about this gorgeous Elizabeth and James ring and now I want to find something similar. And, I've decided to add another item to my New Year's fashion resolutions: Find a new leather jacket.  It gives me an excuse to make the trip out to Pentagon City to visit the Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack (it doesn't hurt that there's also a taco bell out there . . . just saying)

What do you have planned? Even if it's just sitting at home catching up on the newest season of Archer or Downton Abbey, you should whip up a French 75 for yourself. This was my signature cocktail at our New Year's party and it was a huge hit.  A big plus? They're actually really easy to make. Some French 75's are made with champagne and cointreau, but I like to sub in a dry prosecco and lemon juice instead.

If the drink is too tart, just add more prosecco and simple syrup. If it's too sweet, spoon in a little extra lemon juice. I've made this with both fresh and bottled lemon juice and don't find there's a big difference. Also, you can buy simple syrup or it's really easy to make and takes about 5 minutes. Finally, don't be scared off by the gin. Even if you don't like gin, you're going to love these. I promise. 

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While you're sipping on one of these (or like me and enjoying an espresso on the couch), you might want to check out some of these reads.

The Business of Fashion had an article on the growth of ethical brands. Consumers are increasingly interested in knowing where their clothes are made and how. And, they're willing to pay more for quality. Apparently Everlane isn't the only player in this field anymore and it's going to be interesting to see if this is just a fad or (hopefully) a permanent move to more transparency.

Nordstrom got a lot of flak last year for tracking shoppers' movements through their cell phone signals. True to its customer-centric roots, the retailer stopped the program when customers were unhappy. According to this article, other retailers aren't being so upfront and apparently cell phone tracking is going strong. I'm still not sure what I think about this. But, I don't think the examples the article cite of how the information is being used are that convincing. One restaurant realized its customers went to the gym and so they selling gym shirts. The more telling data was that their customers frequent night clubs. A better move might have been to amp up their late night delivery options. 

Finally, both Refinery29 and A Cup of Jo talked about living in tiny apartments this week. I thought my apartment was on the smaller side until I read about this couple who live in a 240 sq ft studio and have a baby on the way . . . I will never complain about space again. On a side note, it probably forces them to really be careful about what they put in their wardrobes and I'm curious how they manage their closets.

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That's it! Enjoy le weekend! And check back next week for some more closet posts (hint: I'm trying to build a Pinterest version of my closet) and some posts on what to wear to that all important interview.

P.S. want more cubicle catwalk? Follow me on twitter @cubicle_catwalk, on Pinterest (I also contribute to the Corporate Fashionasta style board), or on Instagram @MrsVonC. 

The (Happy) Ending to My Riding Boot Saga

The most read post on this blog, by far, is my review of the Tory Burch 'Brita' Riding Boots. Apparently, other people can relate to the trials of boot shopping (that or people just really enjoy others misery). What I haven't shared is that this has not been my only boot-buying failure. It's almost as if, in some universe, I looked at a pair of boots wrong and someone decided I would have to suffer a 7 year month dry spell. (That or boots are just really hard to shop for. But, I prefer the karmic, universe boot-slap theory)

I tried the J.Crew Field Boot, but it's as if J.Crew mixed up the patterns and made a leather wellie instead of a riding boot. Next up were some House of Harlow boots that were oddly tight, even on my small calves (though if they work on you, you can snap them up on Last Call for a ridiculously good price). I'm pretty sure there were some late night impulse purchases that I later returned once I saw them in the light of day. And so on, and so on . . .

In my desperation, I even tried to justify these Loeffler Randall Matilde boots (not at all appropriate for a student's budget). Then, I saw these:

Cole Haan Russell Boot

Petite friendly 14.75 inch shaft? Check

Slight heel: Check

Nice cognac color: Check

Could they ship in time for the polar vortex? Check

I'm not going to say that angels sung when I put these on, but it was pretty close. Miracle of miracles, they are the first pair of boots that I've put on that I could really see working. Some little touches that I like: There is a bit of hidden elastic on the shaft, which means that they stretch to accommodate additional winter layers or thicker pants. The soles are leather, but include rubber inserts which helps protect the soles in winter weather and also provides extra grip when you're walking. (Important if you're like me and tend to slip and fall a lot). Also, I like the ankle straps, which the Tory Burch boots also had.

How do they compare to the Tory Burch boots that stole my heart? In all honesty, I would say that between the two, if the Tory Burch boots had worked on me, I would prefer them--I think the styling is a little more classic and the leather did look nicer. And, like all first loves, they're hard to get over. However, these Cole Haan's come pretty close. They meet all of my criteria in terms of color and fit and are within my price point. Wearability is also a big plus. It helps that I can actually sit down in these.

In terms of style, the color is a little lighter and less lustrous than the Tory Burch boots. The styling is also less formal. One thing that I prefer about the Cole Haan's is that they feel more like a casual everyday boot, but they can also be dressed up. In contrast to the Tory Burch's which definitely felt a little dressier.

And, in case you want to compare the picture to how they look on a real person (excuse the poor lighting and the quality of my iPhone 4S, but I didn't want to distort the color). 

A Closet Update

(Filipino Home cooking, Mini potpies, Drawing on foggy windows, DUMBO)

How was your weekend? Mine was lovely :) Mr. C was able to take some extra time off of work and we got to spend some much needed time together hanging out in New York. We also made our first Brooklyn Trek! We spent a rainy afternoon exploring Dumbo (which apparently stands for "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass").  Mr. C got a haircut and hot shave at the Barber on Pearl and while I wandered around the West Elm Market, one of West Elm's concept stores. It was a pretty cool space with a coffee bar, little cafe area, and a ton of those household items that you never knew you needed, but suddenly can't live without . . . It's a good thing Mr. C interrupted my almost-shopping spree to tell me that he was done with his haircut. We decided to escape the rain by grabbing a couple of beers at reBar. Overall, our first Brooklyn excursion was a success. Hopefully, it's just the first of many!

* * *

As I mentioned, one of my style resolutions is to finish my closet cataloguing project. I got re-inspired over winter break (in part by reading this blog and in part by just getting some sleep). In re-evaluating where I was at, I realized that, between moving, having two apartments right now, donating clothes, and new purchases . . . I kinda lost track of what was in my closet. I also felt that while the data I was collecting was a good start, that I needed to start adding some additional data, including:

Price (to help with cost-per-wear)

Condition of the item 

Whether I thought it should be replaced in the next year

Year purchased

A notes section

Unfortunately, this means going back through and doing another data pull to update the info for each of the items in my closet. This may take a while, but it does help that I've done this before.* I'm also only focusing on things that are here in my New York apartment. I figure if I've lived without it for 4 months, than it's probably something that should go. 

As with the first time I catalogued my closet, I started with pants/jeans. The total count is 24 (9 jeans, 15 pairs of pants). And, in case you want to judge the number of jeans go ahead, remember, I am a student ;)

 The good news is that this time around I don't have any items that ranked below a 3 in my scale. In fact, the average rating is a 3.95. Hopefully, this means I've finally weeded out most of the items that I wear infrequently or don't like! The most common brands of pants that I own are Ann Taylor/Ann Taylor Loft (this surprised me a bit since I haven't shopped there in a while) and Club Monaco. However, the Ann Taylor/Ann Taylor Loft pants had a lower rating on average (3.6) than the Club Monaco pants (4.5). The brand with the highest rating on average, was not surprisingly my AG jeans. 

  I also decided to look at my pants, by style/cut. Over half of my pants/jeans are of the skinny/cropped ankle variety. Part of that is obviously because of what's in style right now. BUT, I also think that this is the fit that tends to look best on me and be the most versatile. In case you were curious, here the breakdown, by style. 

State of the Closet: Pants & Jeans | Infographics

*And not just in my personal life, one of the things you learn when working with data sets is that pulling new data or re-doing a data call becomes a fact of life. You just hope that it doesn't happen two weeks before your report is due because someone decided they wanted you to add a new metric to your analysis. 

Winterizing Your Wardrobe

A couple of weekends ago, as I was shivering outside of a bar in the Lower East Side, being pelted by freezing rain and standing in a puddle of dirty snow . . . it hit me: I was not at all prepared for a NY winter. It turns out that moving 200 miles north actually makes a huge difference in terms of climate. Honestly, my first clue should have been that the entire city doesn't shut down over a snowflake. The next day, I decided to check the weather for Minnesota, where Mr. C and I were spending Christmas, and saw that the high on our first day was 1°F. WTF?!?!?! That's how I ended up awake at 2 AM shopping online for tickets to Hawaii a puffer coat and boots. It seems I ordered these just in time, since New York is supposed to be hit with a winter storm over the weekend . . . 

Growing up in California, I really had no concept of how people stay warm in cold climates (my first question was why they lived there in the first place). I knew I wanted to be warm, but I also wanted to maintain some fashion dignity and semblance of professionalism. In case you're in the same situation, here's what I learned:

1) When in doubt, enlist some outside help. 

A few months ago, a friend of mine had recommended the site Rank & Style. The concept is that they take some of the work out of shopping by finding you the top ten items for any clothing category. Thankfully, for me, they'd created a list of the top ten puffer jackets that promised to "Do away with the winter blues and forget the days of feeling like you are walking about town in a sleeping bag." Sold. 

My two favorite items from the list were No. 7 the J.Crew Winteress Puffer, which
was unfortunately sold out, and No. 2, the Burberry 'Metcalf' Down Coat, which was unfortunately a little out of my price range. Even though I didn't end up buying a coat from their list, it did help me figure out what I was looking for both in terms of coats and winter boots.

2) Figure out what silhouette/details you're looking for before you start shopping

This is they style I got, but in navy

This can help ensure that you buy an item that fits with your personal style AND is flattering rather than just something that's warm. (ok, maybe I scoff too much at being warm, but no one wants to look like the abominable snow man) After looking at Rank & Style's list, I realized that, given my frame, I should probably go for a belted style. This would add some definition at my waist and make sure that the coat didn't overwhelm me. Note: If you're stuck, it helps to take a look at the other styles in your closet that look good on you and use them as a guide. My wool coat is also a belted trench style and I love it.   

3) Don't be afraid of color. 

For a long time, I only bought coats in black or tan because I thought color would somehow make them less versatile. But then I realized that the coat is covering 90% of your body anyway, so it doesn't have to match what you're wearing underneath! Some benefits of colorful coats: 

• It's easier to find your coat in a crowded bar.
• People can spot you in a crowd (a huge advantage when you're under 5'3"),
• Color instantly cheers you up and distracts you from the fact that you're mourning the loss of summer (and your summer tan).  

Note: the only time I've seen this go wrong is in undegrad when one girl had a Pepto bismol pink, ankle length puffer coat. It was unfortunate. 

4) Think outside of the box

Ash Motorcycle Boots

I struggled a bit with finding winter boots. I knew that I didn't want uggs (as warm as they are, they're a little too informal for me and make me feel like I'm wearing house slippers all day). I also didn't want Sorel's (too clunky). And, ideally, I wanted something that could be a little more versatile--if I was going to spend the money on them, I'd like to be able to wear them more than 3 months of the year. You can see why Mr. C accuses me of being an over-picky shopper and why it took me more than a year to find riding boots. I decided to stop looking at traditional winter boots. After all, as long as they were weather proof (or I could weather proof them), had rubber soles, and had a good grip, wouldn't they work? I'm going to find out if this theory really works, but so far the boots I got worked in sub-zero degrees in MN. I ended up settling on a pair of motorcycle boots that fit all of those criteria.

I like these because they're sturdy, they're nice enough that I can wear them out, and I can wear them during the fall and into spring. I can see wearing them with a shorter dress once it warms up. Best of all, they fit with my personal style, definitely channeling some of the  "tough" vibe that I like.

5) Pay attention to the materials

Winter clothes don't have to triple your body size. My coat is not that bulky, but because it's a down/feather fill, it keeps me really warm. Plus, it has an inner lining with knitted cuffs that keeps me really well insulated. Bonus, it also means I don't have to carry around a scarf. #onelessthingtolose

* * *

There you have it! A note on these items. Because I was shopping after thanksgiving instead of when normal people buy winter clothes, I got a pretty good deal on both these items. If you're ok, suffering through a few cold days, it can pay to wait.

Also, here was my cost-per-wear calculation:

Down Coat 

Original Cost: $106
Estimated wears over first 6 months: 60 (assuming will wear on average 5 times a week and that cold weather will last until March)
Cost-per-wear in first 6 months: $1.76
Estimated useful life: 2 yrs (possibly more, but I know for sure I'll wear this for the rest of grad school)

Motorcycle Boots
Original Cost: $150
Estimated Wears over first 6 months): 72 (assuming will wear on avg 3 times a week from now until May)
Cost-per-wear over first 6 months: $2.08
Estimated useful life: 4 yrs. I've never bought this brand before, but the boots seem really well made and if I take care of them, I could see wearing them for a long time.

New Year--New Resolutions

Happy New Year! Am I the only one still in denial that 2013 is over? It wasn't until I looked back that I realized what a big year this was for us. In many ways it was an awesome year (starting grad school, working on this blog, moving up to New York) and in others it was a really tough year (being away from Mr. C. Moving twice. Being away from Mr. C . . .).  

Do you make New Year's resolutions? I know it's cheesy and it's built on a fairly arbitrary point in time, but I secretly love them. I find the new year is a good opportunity to take stock of my life and evaluate what I want to accomplish over the next 365 days. I keep my more personal/life goals to myself, but I wanted to share some of the fashion/style resolutions that I've made for 2014. 

1. Get back to a regular posting schedule

This is related to a broader goal of getting a better school/life balance . . . 

2. Finish my closet cataloguing experiment

With all of our big changes over the last year, I kind of fell behind in keeping my closet updated. One of the biggest problems is that I wasn't good about updating my list after donating a bunch of items.

3. On a related note, I'd like to finally get rid of any items that are old, don't fit anymore, or that I don't wear. 

. . . I'm tired of carting around clothes that I don't need!

4. Focus on building up my foundation pieces.  

I want to buy more high-quality classic items that I know will carry me through the rest of school and into whatever job I end up in afterwards. 

5. Be disciplined and only buy items that I love and that fit with my personal style. 

It's tempting, especially now with all of the sales to fall into the trap of just buying for the sake of buying rather than because it's the best item for me. I'm determined to break this habit this year.

6. Be more conscious of where my clothes are coming from. 

This is a hard one--for one thing, it's difficult to know where your clothes are actually made. Even if they're made in the US, you don't know where the dyes or fabrics are coming from. And, it can be easy to just stop asking questions and accept whatever the tag says. Also, I'm not against outsourcing to other countries. However, I do struggle with the idea that no one is ensuring that these factories are safe places to work. Is that the government's job? The company's? Ours as consumers? All of the above? Those are questions outside the scope of this blog. But, they are issues I want to think more about about before I buy something. 

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So, there you go! Did you make any fashion-related resolutions this year? Other than the obvious one, figuring out what Pantone really meant by naming "Radiant Orchid" the color of the year?