Pinspiration: Skirt Style

Maybe its because I'm sick of wearing tights layered, under knee high socks, layered under pants topped off with snow boots . . . but I've been longing for the days I can wear skirts (outside) again. Specifically, cute, flared, above-the-knee skirts. (I've also been researching caribbean vacay's, but skirt seems a little more realistic right now). I've been seeing them everywhere . . .  on Pinterest, in magazines, and on my classmates who are a little braver with this weather than I am. 

Then, finally, I saw the perfect one on my last trip to DC. And, since I had some money left on a Christmas gift card, I had to snap it up.  

Diane von Furstenburg
'Radella' Lace Skirt

(It's only available in one size, but you can find similar items here, here, and here)

I'm really excited about this latest addition to my closet and here are some of the ways I'm thinking of styling it (once the streets of new york stop running with slush).

Source Pinterest: 1/2/3/4/5

What do you think? Any clothing items you're looking forward to wearing again?

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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. 

Organizing Diaries: Regaining Control of Your Closet

Twice a year, whenever the seasons changed, I'd go through a closet purge. I'd diligently pull all of my spring or winter clothes out from under my bed. Switch them out for the items currently hanging in my closet and get rid of anything that I didn't wear anymore. It seemed like a good system. But, somehow, between forgetting what I had storage and hanging on to worn out clothes out of nostalgia,  I started to accumulate a fairly large, "underground" wardrobe. It took four moves over the space of two years and one closet cataloguing project (plus a little help from Gwyneth), to teach me that I was doing it all wrong. These are the things that I learned:

I know it's tempting to to stash away your "winter clothes" or your "summer clothes" when they're not in season. But, the danger is that you start to forget what you own. When that happens and you're out shopping you're more likely to buy something that you already own or that you don't need.

Also, it's a lot easier to stash clothes in a box under the bed than to get rid of them. You can pretend that you'll wear that sorority t-shirt again. Or that that the hole in your favorite sweater isn't really that big and that you'll "totally wear it next year."  THESE ARE LIES. You won't wear it again because it looks like something a homeless person would be ashamed to put on. This leads me to step 2.

I know that's quite the list. But, be brutal. If it's an item that you think you can't live without, than frame it on your wall. If that sounds ridiculous, it is. But, so is hanging on to items that you can't/don't wear. If it's an essential (like a white t-shirt, blazer, or silk blouse), than make a note to replace it in the near future. I promise you, as soon as you feel the scent of brand new clothing, you won't remember that ratty T.

As much as possible, I like to hang up my clothes. Obviously that doesn't work for all items (some sweaters should be folded). But, the principle is the same. Just  make sure that your clothes are put away in such a way that you can see all of them and they're neatly organized (See Step 4 below). That way you remember what you have and you'll reduce the risk that you'll buy things you don't need. I've also found that just being able to see all my clothes has made me a lot more creative in putting together outfits. All of a sudden you have a lot more options than you did when everything was jumbled together!

If your clothes won't fit in your closet/drawers, you probably have too many of them. And, this is from someone who deals with the reality of New York storage space. Don't believe me? Do you really wear all of them on a regular basis? Probably not. My guess is you wear the same 20 items in a pretty regular rotation.

Want to prove me wrong? Set a challenge for yourself to wear every single thing in your closet in the next 60 days. If you do and you still like all your clothes, please email me 'cause I'd like to talk to you. (I'd also really like to see how you styled that old bridesmaids dress for an everyday look)

Basically, organize that sh*t. Some people like to do it by color. Personally, I do it by item type. (That's just how my brain works. I get thrown off trying to figure out what to do with patterned items.) All my blazers are together, silk blouses, dresses etc. That way you know where things are and where to find them. It also helps with seeing what you actually own. Is your closet overwhelmingly filled with black and grey items? Maybe you should consider injecting it with some more color. Do you have an inordinate number of jeans or shirts? Maybe you should hold off on buying anything new in that department.

I know it sounds simple, but if your stuff is organized, it's easier to keep it all where you can see it and avoid the temptation to use seasonal storage (can you tell that I hate that stuff?).

Get rid of those wire hangers that you get from the dry cleaners. There's a reason they're free. And, as much as possible try to get hangers that are a uniform size and style. You'd be amazed how much this helps with keeping your clothes neat and organized. Tip: Ikea actually has really good, thin hangers for a ridiculously cheap price. Rather than hang your pants or skirts over a hanger (am I the only one who used to do this?), get the right tool. I own both of these and they've saved me from having to pick my pants off the bottom of my closet or having to search through everything to find one skirt.

                                

I know that sounds simple. But going through all of this is useless if you have to do it again in six months or a year. For me, this means, making sure that I put my clothes away as soon as they come off my body. It also means that I try my best to just stick to my side of the closet and not view Mr. C's as potential real estate . . .

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This is what helps me keep control of my closet. But, I'm always open to new tips and tricks. So please share yours!

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. 

Closet Update: Sweaters

This past weekend was an emotional roller coaster. After weeks of nearly freezing every time you stepped outside, the temperatures slowly rose to a balmy 55 degrees. The sidewalks were free of snow. People shed their puffer coats. And, I even saw one brave soul wearing a dress without tights. Then, just as we thought spring might be around the corner, Monday came.

It looks like Punxsutany Phil is having the last laugh (on a side note, this system seems really rigged. I mean, out of 117 winters, he's only not seen his shadow 17 times.) Since we are not shaking winter any time soon, I thought it would be a good time to finish cataloguing my sweaters.

This was actually really easy because it turns out I only own 10 of them. (Note: I excluded cardigans, a vest, and my one short-sleeve cashmere sweater). As with my jeans and pants, the average rating was actually pretty high (3.9 out of 5). Which, again, confirms that I'm getting rid of items that I don't like/don't wear. Though, sometimes I think how I rate an item depends on how hungry/tired/cranky I am at the moment . . . 

And, if you're analyzing your closet, why not make a perceptual map of your sweaters? Though a little time intensive, this was actually pretty helpful to see if my sweaters were united by any common trends. (Note: if you're looking for a handy template for creating perceptual maps in excel, I like this site)

For this graph, the horizontal line corresponds to style (chunky vs. thin). The vertical line corresponds to season (heavier sweaters that can only be worn in the winter to more versatile sweaters that can be worn across seasons or into spring).*  The size of the circles roughly correlates to my rating, plus how frequently I wear them. And, finally, I tried to match the color of the circle to the color of the item. 

Obviously this type of graph is highly subjective. Also, because I created this manually, I'd probably only use this for small data sets. That said, it is a useful way to depict information. As you can see, most of my sweaters skew on the thick/chunky side and are heavily concentrated in the winter/late fall category.  (Maybe we can call that the polar vortex effect  . . . when its ungodly cold outside, all you want is a big sweater, a hot toddy, and the latest episode of Downton Abbey.) I don't tend to have a lot of bright sweaters. Again, I think that makes sense. In the winter, I tend to wear darker hues and a lot more neutrals because they're more versatile. 

What's the take away from this? Should I be buying more sweaters? Well, it looks like I have a lot more pants than sweaters (ok, that is definitely true). Which means that if my original goal was to have a tops to bottoms ration of 3:1, I'm not on the right track. I think this probably impacts some of the versatility of my closet (it also explains why I feel like I'm wearing the same rotation of sweaters all the time . . . 'cause I am). That said, there are a couple of other factors to consider. First, I wear things besides sweaters during the winter. Also, this weather has been unusually cold, which means it might not make sense for me to invest in more winter wear this year.

If I were to buy more sweaters, it would probably make sense for me to purchase more lightweight sweaters that I could either dress up (one thing you don't see here is how casual most of mine are) or wear into spring. And, of course cashmere. Because one cannot have too many cashmere sweaters. 

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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. 

Note: Obviously, there's a correlation between how thick or thin a sweater is and when it can be worn. Though, that doesn't always hold as I learned when I tried to wear a thin cashmere sweater on a spring day. 

Valentines Day Gift Guide: For the Stressed Out Grad Student's Significant Other

Significant others are the unsung heroes of grad school. They listen to you freak out over exams (even though they're probably dealing with grown-up problems at work). They wait up for you when you come home from the bar get back from a late-night cram session. They make you soup when your immune system dies after getting no sleep or food for two weeks. And, most importantly, they patiently meet and come to love the 400 new friends you just made. 

Too, often these significant others don't get the thanks or TLC that they deserve. So, since Valentines is in just a few weeks, I put together another gift guide (don't worry it's a PG version). These gifts were curated with Mr. C in mind, but of course your support system could take a different form. It could be that best friend whose phone calls you haven't returned in months, your non-grad school roommate, your cat, a bottle of vino . . .

1. Hot Shave: Spa days aren't just for the girls any more. Your guy deserves some pampering too. For Christmas this year, I gave Mr. C a hair cut and hot shave from the Barber on Pearl. It was part of our day in Brooklyn. After getting massaged and shaved, he came out smelling like peppermint and eucalyptus and raving about the experience. (Side note: when he's lying in a chair with a razor blade to his face is the perfect time to deliver bad news .  . . like the amount of your student loans or about that new bag you just bought.)

2. A New Shirt: After a semester spent meeting all of your new friends, your significant other might be in need of some new clothes. There's no better way to dress him than with a shirt from Hugh & Crye. Have you ever stared in confusion at a men's dress shirt? Wondering what all those numbers and measurements mean? Fear no more. By collecting just two basic pieces of information, Hugh & Crye tells you which of their styles and sizes will fit your guy. It's the next best thing after custom made.

3. Linen Sheets: What with club meetings, study groups, night classes (the bar after your night class), your significant other might be spending some long nights alone. Linen sheets will help them sleep soundly so you don't wake them when you come back after an all night study session. Also, they're kind of like sleeping in a cloud (even on the hardest of ikea mattresses). Nuff said.

4. Death Star Ice Molds: On said lonely nights, your significant other might find themselves in need of a night cap. Let them reminisce about their equally lonely middle school days with some Star Wars ice cubes. Warning: Gifting these may mean that your significant other falls asleep on the couch while watching a Star Wars marathon.

5. Scratch-off Map: Need I say more? Mr. C's job requires him to travel to some far-off corners of the earth. This map is a fun way to keep track of all the countries he's been to and it's a great conversation starter for people who drop by his office. Added plus: you can use it to track all of those vacations you're going to take once you start earning an income again.

6. Wallet: Just because your significant other's wallet might be a little lighter these days doesn't mean they don't want to pay for your drinks in style. A new wallet is the perfect way to do this. Jack Spade keeps things a little whimsical with fun linings and textures.

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.