Get Carried Away

As the school year is drawing to a close and the start of my first grown up job is inevitable, I started to think of the one thing I don’t have to complete my wardrobe, the perfect purse!  My Dooney and Burke satchel has been a trusty sidekick of mine since last Christmas, but I mostly use it to hold my iPhone, wallet, and camera for my, while rare, downtown outings.  Lately, I’ve been thinking that I’ll need something to carry all my things for work (aka hopefully the new iPad I’ll buy after graduation), and still be stylish enough to take out on the weekends.  Trying to find the perfect purse can be a daunting task, because you’re walking the fine line between style and function.  On one hand you want something big enough to carry all of your things, but not something so big it’s obnoxious to carry around for a night on the town.  I don’t know about you, but for me a number one requirement is that the strap has to fit over my shoulder (I’m not trying to carry the weight of the world (read: my purse) in the palm of my hand… a girl needs some shoulder support!)  So all my choices this week of course include that requirement!

                Thinking about what’s to come can be scary at times (note my few freakouts this past semester) but it can be exciting too.  Having the right wardrobe, down to your purse, cannot only help you transition more easily to your next job, but help you succeed in it too!  My advice this week (which I’ll certainly be taking myself):  check out my steal, spend, splurge choices, grab your purse on the way out the door, and step out into your first day of the crazy world that lies ahead… fashion guns blazing!

Xoxo

Dorothy Perkins Navy Quilted Cross Body Bag ($35.00)

Upwardly Mobile Satchel ($134.99)

Kate Spade Cobble Hill Kori Handbag ($478)

Crazy for Cardigans!

I’ll just say what we’re all thinking… why the heck are offices always freezing cold??  This summer I worked in an office that was nearing temperatures close to those of the Antarctic, and I felt like a penguin could pop out from under my desk at any moment.  Being from the south, I naturally am overdramatic about cold temperatures, I mean I consider anything under 60 degrees to be bordering on freezing status, but my office was no joke, and I wasn’t just being crazy.  But since the mornings in Atlanta outside were still nearing the 70s, there was no way I could pull out my fleece and still look like a sane person walking into work.   So the next best solution I found was, of course, a cardigan!  I love cardigans, and they are good to wear almost year round (except for when those temperatures do actually drop close to freezing, a rarity in the south, but it happens).  I found that it kept me warm during the day, and the sleeves weren’t bulky or overpowering, so I could get all my work done and move around easily.   I had to wear business casual to work pretty much every day (so nice pants and a top), and I am not lying when I say that I essentially wore a cardigan over every single one of my outfits, for the near 100 days that I worked there.  Granted, I have been a fan of cardigans for as long as I can remember, so I own a superfluous amount in different colors and patterns, but I pretty much stuck with the basic black unless it was casual Friday.  It matched everything, and while it was comfortable, it was definitely still dressy enough to wear into the office and to go to meetings around town.  So if you’re like me and definitely NOT a fan of the cold, I would suggest time and time again adding a cardigan to your wardrobe.  This week I don’t really have an opinion on the color, because it mostly depends on what your closet looks like, but I definitely suggest buying a black and a white one if you’re on the fence about it!  Check out my steal, spend, and splurge choices for my favorite item, the cardigan!  

Old Navy Cropped Lightweight Cardigan ($19.94)

American Eagle Soft and Light Cardigan ($39.50)

J.Crew Factory Shawl Cardigan ($44.50)

Button up Buttercup!

What can I say, I love oxfords.  They are so functional and paired with the right accessories they don’t have to be just a “plain Jane” button down.  I’m not lying when I say I wish I had more.  I love pairing them with a cardigan, or simply just tucked into a pair of my J. Crew chino shorts with a skinny belt.  But besides fashion, they are a definite go to in the office, especially when we’re talking about just a classic white oxford.   Don’t get me wrong, I love my Vineyard Vines colorful button downs, but I have probably worn my white one with every outfit combination imaginable, and I know it will always be a classic underneath a suit.  To me, a crisp, white button down will never go out of style, and will look professional to any interviewer.  It’s definitely my go to if I don’t know the company culture all too well and don’t know what kinds of outfits are appropriate.  I love pairing mine with pearls for a classic look, or with a metallic necklace for a funkier vibe.  So, if you are entering into the real world next year, a white button down is something I definitely suggest having in your closet (even if it’s just a back up)! 

Check out my steal, spend, and splurge choices below!

Target Long Sleeve Fashion Shirt ($21.00)

Old Navy Poplin Stretch Dress Shirt ($24.00)

J. Crew Three- Quarter Perfect Shirt ($65.00)

Flat out Fabulous

So if you’re like me, you’re probably someone who would rather wear a pair of worn in flip flops to work, rather than that fabulous pair of heels everyone will be talking about, just for the sake of comfort.   Of course, in the real world, this is not an option, so where are we to turn to?  The answer is flats!  Flats offer the same comfort that your beloved pair of sandals do, but are acceptable to wear to mostly all jobs, especially on casual Fridays!  Granted, there may be some jobs with the unfortunate requirement of having to wear heels to work every day, but for us lucky ones where flats are acceptable, there are still some rules to be followed with it comes to wearing them:

1.       They need to be structured.   I mean come on people, we aren’t rolling out of bed, putting on our slippers, and driving to work.   However, even though they have some form, flats are still my number one shoes for more dressed up events.

2.       They need to be functional.   While I’m dying to get my hands on a pair of cap toed ballet flats, you need to buy basic before moving onto trendy.  Black, nude, and metallics match with everything, so choose one of these colors for your first flat purchase!

I mostly love flats because they can be as fashionable as they are functional.  I will definitely be wearing them almost every day to my job come June, and I couldn’t be more ecstatic.  If you’re in the same boat as me, check out my steal, spend, and splurge choices, and you’ll be on your way to working (and walking comfortably) all day!   

Target Sandee Bow Flats ($19.99)

Banana Republic Ashley Bow Ballet Flat ($98.00)

J. Crew Viv Patent Flats ($198.00)