Four finals down!

It's official, guys. in 5 days, my first semester of grad school will be done. As you might have guessed from my sporadic posting . . . it's been a crazy semester last few weeks. Thankfully, I turned in my 4th final last night and have a little bit of a break before the last one. I have a lot of fun posts planned for my winter break so keep tuned . . . I want to talk about:

• The state of my closet, 
• How to dress for that MBA interview (or any interview)
• Understanding value when you're shopping/Navigating those sales
• And, easy tips for analyzing your own closet  (don't worry, I don't think everyone should create a database of their wardrobe)

I also have an exciting new logo that I'll be posting in the next couple of weeks. In between, I'll be catching up on my favorite shows, eating waaaaay too many holiday cookies, and probably playing in the snow. Before I get a jump-start on all of that, I wanted to talk about some of the non-school-related things that I've learned over the last few months.

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1. Booties, Booties, Booties, Booties, Rockin everywhere

My best/most worn purchases of the last two months were two pairs of booties--one black, one brown. First, they give this 5'3" quarter asian a little bit of much needed height. Secondly, they're insanely comfortable. And, finally, they're soooo versatile. I literally where them with everything. In fact, I'm pretty sure I went to sleep in them one night. (booties go with pink polka dot PJs right? Right) Seriously, if you look at value on a per-wear basis, these are the cheapest thing I own. It's especially helped me deal with the fact that I can't find any riding or winter boots that I like and navigate the awkward period where the weather couldn't decide if was September or January.

2. Simple is Better

In my pre-MBA days, I had a lot of time to think about what I was going to wear each day (that was also when I got 9 hours of sleep a night, worked out regularly, and vegetables were still a word in my vocabulary). The reality is, when life gets busy, you have to streamline. This may offend some sleepless parents out there, but I imagine it's somewhat analogous to adjusting to life with a baby. (ok, maybe you're not taking care of another human, but you get no sleep, your hair is in a bun constantly, you're on your feet all day . . . ). Out of sheer necessity, I've come up with a bit of an MBA uniform: 

Some sort of skinny pant + A Sweater or Loose Silk Blouse + Necklace or Scarf + Booties = Successful Outfit

(Well throw showering and brushing your teeth in there too. It's the little things, guys). This is what works for me, but I've definitely seen a lot of variations on this from my classmates. It runs the gamut from skinny jeans and blazers to a lot of loose dresses, boots, and tights combinations.

3. Back to Basics

I've referred to the fact that my shopping style has really changed since I started this project. The biggest switch is that I'm much more focused on finding really good, quality basics that are versatile and multi-season. When you don't have a lot of time to think about what you're wearing or on a grad school budget, having good foundation pieces is the difference between showing up effortlessly put together and dashing into class at the last minute like a crazy woman. Plus, it makes it easier to do that whole mysterious "day to night" transition that magazines and fashion blogs are always talking about.

4. Skinny Ponte Pants Are Your Best Friends

One of my last purchases before I left DC was an impulse buy (I know, I know it goes against everything I stand for) at T.J. Maxx. I found these really inexpensive skinny black pants with some cute moto detail and bought them on a whim. I had no idea how much I would end up wearing them. Did I say booties were  the best-per-wear item in my closet? I lied. It's these pants, which I picked up for $25 and have worn at least once a week for the last 3 months ($25/(3 months x 4 weeks) = $2.08 and I still have another 4 months where I can where them before it starts to get warm. Diminishing marginal returns, I scoff at you). I have no idea where to find the ones I have, but these Madewell ones are pretty similar. Though as a heads up, if you have a more muscular lower body, they might not work on you. They were too stretchy for me. 

The key to the right skinny pants is obviously fit. You don't want something so tight or stretchy that it looks like you're wearing leggings or, even worse, gives you camel toe (don't snort, I have seen it and shuddered). I found that pants that actually have less spandex/stretch in them and a little more structure work best for me. I'm actually hoping to pick up some more of these in different sytles

Why skinny pants over just jeans? For one thing, it instantly looks like you put a little more effort into your outfit. And, it's infinitely easy to dress up or down. As much as I love my favorite jeans, they're not always appropriate for some school functions. I keep a blazer in my locker at school and an extra pair of heels so that if something pops up last minute, I can change out of my beloved booties and look perfectly appropriate. I've also been dressing them down with some loafers and rolling up the cuffs for a fun menswear inspired look.

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There you have it. The key to me dressed in the morning.  What do you think? Do you have a uniform (if so, please share it. I feel like I need to start mixing it up a little bit)

Bag Review: Kate Spade 'Jeanne' Satchel vs. the Vince Camuto 'Max'

As I mentioned, I was quite excited for the Nordstrom Anniversary sale and I had some pretty specific items that I was looking for. At the top of the list was a new bag for grad school.  These were my criteria:

• Size: Needs to be able to fit a laptop, textbooks/notebooks, as well as all my normal purse essentials (chargers, coffee mug, lunch, wallet, etc).  Also, I'd prefer a bag with a cross body strap.
• Professional looking: Needs to allow me to move seamlessly between the professional school worlds
• Sturdy: I am looking at this is a bit of an investment so I want it to last
• Material: Leather
• And, finally, it must be:

I mean, a bag has to have a bit of style, right?

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There were two bags that jumped out at me from the Nordstrom sale.  And, I decided to order them both so that I could compare them in person. (free shipping and free returns versus having to navigate the masses at Pentagon City . . . It was an easy decision)

    

                                 Vince Camuto 'Max' Satchel

 

Kate Spade 'Hancock Park - Jeanne' Satchel

So how did they measure up?

Style (aka zazziness): First off, both are beautiful bags. The picture above doesn't do the Kate Spade justice. In person, it's a gorgeous, soft pewter. The Vince Camuto is pretty true to the picture but less boxy. The camel color of the body and the maroon flap contrast really nicely. So on "zazziness" both win.

Professional Looking: The Vince Camuto has a fun preppy vibe that I think suits my personal style a little more, but the Kate Spade feels a little more elegant and refined—stopping just short of the "ladies who lunch” category.  I could definitely see carrying both to interviews but, on professionalism, I think the Kate Spade has the slight advantage.

Sturdiness/Material: Both bags are leather, but the Kate Spade is definitely of a higher quality. The leather is really soft and supple. It also has those nice little "feet" on the bottom of the bag so it's not resting directly on the ground. That said, the Vince Camuto has a much sturdier shape. I put a few books in each bag and the Kate Spade immediately started sagging on the bottom, while the Vince Camuto held its shape. The Vince Camuto's strap also felt a little stronger.

Size: Turns out, I have a little bit of trouble visualizing dimensions.  I thought, based on the measurements that either bag would work for school, but, when they arrived, I quickly realized that they were both too small.  Here’s a photo of the bags with my laptop and two textbooks in them (the Vince Camuto is on top):

As you can see, not alot of room.  I truly wish I could be one of those women who can carry a cute, small bag and look flawless all day.  But that’s just not me.  My entire life is in my purse. Seriously, if a zombie apocalypse happens, I would have no problem surviving (not to mention a heavy purse makes a great weapon if you’re ever attacked.  And, yes, I’ve actually considered these scenarios).  So I know that I need a big bag for school—something that won’t just fit my school supplies, but probably a coffee mug, snacks (girl gotta eat!), wallet, zombie survival kit (ok that one’s a joke), toiletries, etc. So, the grad school bag search continues.  Maybe I should just consider a rolling suitcase? 

A couple of last notes on the size: On paper, the two bags are practically the same, though the Kate Spade is not as deep. However, the Kate Spade tapers up a little at the top, which makes it slightly less roomy inside.  The Vince Camuto’s square shape and sturdier construction means it can hold a little more.  Bottom line, if you were looking for a bag for work or you carry fewer items than I do, either of these bags would be great.

Back to School

uhhh, so remember that closet project I'm working on? The one where I analyze everything I own and try to optimize my purchases?  Yeah . . . once again, I've gotten side tracked.  Honestly, it's just been a lot more fun to day dream about my new NYC apartment and distract myself with the Nordstrom anniversary sale than to think strategically about my wardrobe.  Let's just blame it on the fact that I am probably just a little delirious from this heat.

Over the next three months, my lifestyle (and consequently what I define as functional) is going to change a lot.  For one thing, I'm going to be unemployed for pretty much the first time ever since graduating college (initiate panic mode), which has already had an impact on my shopping habits.   I'm also going to be moving to a city where people dress really differently than they do in DC (probably less seersucker and bow ties).  And, I'm going to be a full-time student.

All of this means that I'm going to have to adjust my closet "model".  My original, very rough "model" only had three criteria:

Point 2 is still applicable.  After all, I'm moving to New York, not the Artic circle.  Point 3 still applies as well since that gets at the idea of utility.  But, numero uno definitely needs to change.

Instead of sitting in an office everyday, I'm going to be in classes, study groups, and (hopefully) going to interviews.  My wardrobe will need to get me through all of that and transition to after-school networking events and happy hours.  Somehow I don't think my undergrad uniform of jeans, heels, and a polo (don't judge, I was in a sorority), will cut it.  But, on the other hand, I'm not sure I'll be needing a closet full of traditional office-wear either.

As you might imagine, this makes shopping and analyzing my wardrobe a little tricky right now.  But, as anyone who's worked with data probably knows, vague goals and changing priorities are not uncommon.  So, in the meantime what's a shopaholic girl to do? How do I put together a "back to school" wardrobe? And what do I own now that will make the transition?