Yesterday we talked about strategies for getting dressed for a new job; let’s talk today about what to actually WEAR. I have three suggestions, each tailored for a different type of office dress code (get it? TAILORED?!? I’m so funny).

Option one: No suits, but no jeans either
Many offices have relaxed the rules about suits but have NOT embraced full business casual, for what I think are obvious reasons. If your new job is one of these offices, consider mixing and matching your existing suit pieces with more casual but still tailored separates. Pair the skirt or trousers from your suit with a twin set or blouse; wear a sheath dress with a cardigan and ballet flats. Keep your look simple and professional, and keep the lines tailored and clean.

Option two: Jeans, but no shorts
This is the typical business casual office, the one where the men come in every day in khakis and a golf shirt. This is actually my favorite kind of office, because it allows you to dress up or down (and by DRESS DOWN I do NOT mean either yoga pants or flip flops). Wear your suit jacket with mid-rise, dark rinse jeans and great shoes, or the skirt from your suit with a really lovely t-shirt or crew neck sweater and flats. Don’t toss your suits just because the office is casual; mix and match them with your more casual pieces.

Option three: Anything goes
This is the hardest office to dress for, honestly, because the temptation to show up in your shorts and a t-shirt will be almost overwhelming. But I really believe that no matter WHAT your coworkers are wearing, you owe it to yourself to put a little effort into your outfit. Pair your jeans (dark rinse! mid rise!) with a cool graphic tee and bright driving mocs, or wear a funky cotton skirt and a cardigan. Be creative with your outfits, but don’t just toss on whatever it was you wore to work in the garden the day before. And for god’s sake put some real shoes on — save the flip flops for the weekend.

Coming Friday: what to buy, and how to budget for it.

Congratulations! You have a new job! New things are always fun, because change brings challenges and opportunities. But change is also scary because what on earth do you WEAR to the new job?!?

Moving from one office to another — or from your kitchen table to an office — can be daunting for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the whole idea of what’s appropriate attire for your new work environment. You don’t want to overdress, but you certainly don’t want to UNDERdress, and either way you want to make a good first impression on your new coworkers.

And all that is before you even start doing the work you are getting paid to do.

So what DO you wear to a new job? Do you dress up, dress down, try to wear what everyone else is wearing?

A little bit of all of those, actually.
Read the rest of this entry »

Marthena wants some shopping help — some SERIOUS shopping help:

What do you think about personal shoppers? Is it possible to find one for a regular, work-from-home mother of twin toddlers who needs a wardrobe overhaul without an extravagant budget? I don’t particularly like shopping, and I can’t think of any friends with good style who could focus on my wardrobe needs for as long as it would take. So I’m willing to pay for some professional advice. But is it realistic for me to think I’ll find someone who can help me find classic but stylish clothes that fit? Any suggestions for finding a personal shopper?

I love the idea of a personal shopper, someone who can step back and give you advice that is not based on any desire to be your friend or get invited to dinner. But I am also someone who likes realtors and interior decorators for the same reason.

There are a few strategies for making a personal shopper work for you; let’s start with how to find one.

J. Crew

Read the rest of this entry »

This week, the Wall Street Journal had an interesting piece on the pitfalls of business casual attire. And it’s a big pit, this Casual Friday dress code; one image consultant referred to it as “the black hole of style.” Employees are often confused about what precisely is appropriate for the Casual Friday office, and they wind up wearing the wrong thing more often than not.

The WSJ points out that the rules of business casual often vary dramatically from place to place:

Consider the progress of Neonu Jewell, export compliance counsel with Accenture in Chicago. At a Fortune 500 hospitality company where she used to work, a dress code barred denim — so some people wore sweats. At her next job at a Washington law firm, senior attorneys were disapproving of women who wore open-toed shoes on summer Fridays. At Accenture, 37-year-old Ms. Jewell says, business casual still involves suits or at least carefully maintained slacks, shirts and blouses, which she says reflects the highly professional work environment there.

That bit about people wearing sweats to the office of a Fortune 500 company made me die a little inside. Seriously.
Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the secret to perfect jeans? Time, effort, and the right amount of spandex.

Seriously.

Old Navy Flirt jeans, $29.50
Read the rest of this entry »

It’s Monday, and I’m trying to finish my taxes and get the laundry caught up and find my husband’s passport (don’t ask). In other words, I’m having one of those days where I have precisely five minutes to get ready and not a single second after that to do so much as check my lip gloss.

Sound familiar?

Today I have a random assortment of tips and tricks for you, for days just like today, plus some great news about things you can win.

Tips
I learned something interesting recently, about how to find the Perfect Jeans, that pair that makes everyone say, “Have you lost weight?” and “Wow your butt looks FANTASTIC.” And honestly, it’s so simple that it makes me want to cry, because how did I not realize this before?!?

When you are shopping for jeans, look for three things: fit, length and rise. Yes yes, you say, we knew all that — but wait! There’s a strategy here.
Read the rest of this entry »

1925 diamond, onyx, and platinum bar pin, $13,995.00

A pin is a simple way to change the look of the most basic outfit. Pins or brooches are timeless and classic, but not always easy to find; right now, bangle bracelets are all the rage, which makes a really cool pin even more of a find.

That’s not to say, though, that finding a great brooch is impossible — you just have to know where to look. I have a soft spot for vintage pins, both because the craftsmanship on older pieces of jewelery is often far better than what you find today, and because an antique or vintage piece will certainly be one-of-a-kind, at least in my circle of friends. Keep in mind that vintage and estate and antique can mean very different things; vintage and antique are often used interchangeably to refer to pieces manufactured 20 or more years ago (a pin made in the 1980s is thus “vintage”). Vintage can also be used to reference a specific time period (Victorian or Art Deco for example). Pieces that are dramatically older than the 20 year mark (say from the early 1900s) may be referred to as antique rather than vintage. Estate jewelery, on the other hand, is pieces that were previously owned; some estate jewelery may be very old, while other pieces may be recent.

Pricing for vintage pieces depends on several factors: age, materials, and manufacturer. Pieces like the brooch pictured above will be out of reach for most of us, because of the price. The good news, though, is that cool vintage and vintage reproduction pieces are available at all price points.

Although I must confess that I am in love with that bar pin. Truly and deeply.
Read the rest of this entry »

I love jewelry; I love how easy it is to take a basic jeans-and-tee outfit and dress it up with the right pieces. But it is also easy to fall into a rut with your jewelry. Ever notice how every time you get dressed up, you put on the same earrings and necklace?

Next time you go somewhere, try something different. Try adding a pin. You heard me! PIN. Brooch. Something sparkly and shiny and exotic.

It’s easy.
Read the rest of this entry »

The jeans-and-tee wardrobe is a staple of moms who spend a majority of their time at home, and with good reason: tees are comfy and machine washable and inexpensive. But tees are also super casual, so much so that it can be hard to feel really professional and smart when you’re sporting one.

Dressing up your jeans and a tee uniform can be as simple as adding a jacket. Putting something with some structure over your tee gives your whole outfit some shape. Go as formal or casual as you like — a suit jacket can do double-duty with a pair of jeans and a tee, while a jean jacket gives your chinos a little edge. The easiest way to up the wow factor of your basic tee and jeans is a trench coat, which is the perfect spring outerwear, but think also about structured sweater jackets, which are a little more flexible than a traditional blazer but can look equally professional and polished.

A jacket is a terrific way to bridge being at home with your kids and being out and about during the work day; take the jacket off to load the dishwasher or make lunches, then toss it on for the school run or a client meeting. Having one piece that has some structure and shape to it gives your outfit a pulled-together look that bridges work and home, but without leaving you feeling like you need two different wardrobes just to get through your day.

Outfits pictured here are all available at Ann Taylor Loft.