Back in the Saddle…and dressed to impress

October 8, 2015October 8, 2015Leave a comment

DC is the land of the power suit and pearls. When I first moved here from LA back in 2003 (in my early-20s) I was shocked to go out to bars and see other women my age wearing suits or sweater sets and pearls – even on a Saturday night. My crop tops didn’t seem to fit in. But fast forward a few months and I was right there with them – black skirt, black pumps, sweater set, and big chunky pearls.

. Suit and Pearls (1)

I first realized my style had gotten a bit lame when I started working part-time at an Old Town clothing boutique with decidedly cooler-dressed women than me. I stepped it up a bit, adding some fun DVF wrap dresses and MJ items to the mix, but after a number of years downtown, I was back where I started. I had another reawakening when I was lucky enough to spend six months in Paris. My Ann Taylor dresses and suits certainly didn’t fit the bill in the chic area surrounding the embassy! I couldn’t afford any Parisian couture, but I loved strolling the streets of Paris, window shopping, and being inspired by French women’s classic style.

After years of working full-time in an office and donning business attire (lame or otherwise) five days a week, landing in Hanoi was a shock to the system. No office. No business attire. And it was hot. And humid. Far worse than D.C. in August – and not much air conditioning. No longer did I need to wear uptight professional attire every day, so I embraced it: shorts, tanks, workout gear, and loose elephant pants most days. I became a lot more relaxed and enjoyed not having to think too much about getting dressed.

So here I am, back in D.C., plotting out my next move, and trying to figure out what to wear. While certainly not a huge obstacle to overcome, it is an important consideration while searching for a job. And it turns out the tanks, elephant pants, and flip flops that were my uniform in Hanoi don’t cut it as professional attire in the DC area.

So I was excited to learn about a new clothing delivery service geared toward working women: MM.LaFleur. Its mission? “To help modern women feel polished and empowered, without having to think too much about their clothes.” I love the idea and the clothes look adorable. To start, you complete a survey on the MM.LaFleur website. Then they’ll send you a “Bento Box” of hand-picked items including a few dresses, a top, skirt, or knit, and possibly accessories. The company gives you four days to consider the items and return anything you don’t want. After your first order, MM.LaFleur charges a $25 styling fee per box, which they’ll waive if you keep a Bento item.

The best part? The clothes are designed by Miyako Nakamura, former head designer of Zac Posen, and are machine-washable and travel-friendly.

I can’t wait to try it…maybe it will help me land my dream job?!

Shine on!

P.S. I still love me a string of pearls and a pantsuit.

Tory Tell All

April 26, 2015April 26, 2015Leave a comment

I enjoyed this Harper’s Bazaar interview with Tory Burch. I love her personal “preppy-boho” style, which is embodied in her eponymous brand. I also think it’s pretty amazing that she was able to build a billion dollar company in less than a decade. Some Sunday morning inspiration from Ms. Burch:

Why do you think you’ve managed to be so successful? Did you ever doubt that it would happen?

It was completely unexpected. I think it comes down to having a great idea and an amazing team and being willing to work incredibly hard. There’s no such thing as an overnight success.

Do you have a mantra or a phrase that you live by?

Negativity is noise.

We need a Tory for Target. Who’s with me? You heard it here first!

Shine on!

Fitbit Fanatic (Who Me?)

April 16, 2015April 16, 20151 Comment

My boss recently sent me a link to this Bustle article called “19 Very Real and Emotional Struggles of Having a Fitbit (Or Does Your Fitbit Have You?).”

Uh-oh. Does that mean my boss noticed that I have an unnatural emotional attachment to my Fitbit? Because I do. It’s a problem.

Earning my steps in Bali.

Inspired by Bustle’s article, I’ve compiled some evidence indicating I might, in fact, have emotional struggles directly to related to my Fitbit…

Exhibit 1: Last week I realized on my walk to work that my battery was dead and I hadn’t brought my charger. I nearly burst into tears – especially because I was in the middle of a Work Week Hustle challenge and realized I was going to be short 4,000 steps.

Exhibit 2: On numerous occasions, my husband has caught me doing jumping jacks at bizarre times, like just before bed, in an effort to get my steps count up.

Exhibit 3: I often debate leaving my Fitbit on in the shower…just to get those few extra steps.

Exhibit 4: I compulsively tap my wrist throughout the day, just to see if I’ve moved on to a new blinking light.

Exhibit 5: When my Fitbit buzzes, announcing I’ve hit 10,000 steps, you can hear me scream gleefully “I hit my goal!”

Exhibit 6: I find myself justifying the need for this new Tory Burch Fitbit bracelet, saying things like, “Well, it’s for fitness.” Or, “I will wear it every day.”

Truth is, I might just be a tad bit competitive. Against this silly little machine.

Shine on!

Leaning in, Girlie-style

March 29, 2015March 29, 2015Leave a comment

Loved this Vanessa Friedman piece in last Monday’s NYTimes about Michelle Obama’s “girlie” style. The author raises such a good point: why do we have a double standard about how powerful women should dress? It’s 2015, people. I love a great business suit, but it’s not the only game in town.

As Friedman wrote, “How do you erase a stereotype? You confront it, and force others to confront their own preconceptions about it, and then you own it. And in doing so you denude it of its power.”

When I first moved to D.C., I pretty much wore suits every day. Boring suits. Boring pumps (yes, pumps). Boring pearls. I thought that to be taken seriously as a young, female professional, I had to dress the part.

Slowly, I realized that I could ditch that drab suit but still dress professionally, “cute,” and me. And that didn’t mean people wouldn’t take me seriously. On the contrary, I think that adding a splash of style and personality tended to leave more of an impression.

I was so excited when Condoleezza Rice wore knee-high boots in 2005. I thought, If the Secretary of State can get away with wearing knee boots to the office, I certainly can! But here’s the point, why did I have to “get away” with it? Condi looked great – classic, conservative suit and a nice pair of black, knee-high boots. She was showcasing her own style, and I loved it (still do!).

Madame Secretary at the Wiesbaden Army Airfield, February 23, 2005

A few years later, when the Obamas moved into the White House, I appreciated the First Lady’s independent style. One day, she ventured across the street to visit the OMB career staff, and I was so excited I wore a magenta dress inspired by her Vogue Cover (granted, my dress wasn’t Jason Wu, but I think I still looked pretty good).

I tend to speak my mind. So when Mrs. Obama shook my hand, I couldn’t help but blurt out: “This is my Michelle Obama on the cover of Vogue dress!” My colleagues looked at me with horror, but the First Lady laughed and laughed and repeated, “Cover of Vogue dress!” She seemed to get a kick out of it. By the time I’d made it up ten floors to my office, the story had already made it back to my boss.

Before the handshake

My embarrassing stories aside, I agree with Ms. Friedman’s closing point: “Think of [Michelle Obama’s style] as a twist on Gloria Steinem’s wake-up call to 40: That is what a successful, well-educated woman looks like. Carnations, acacia blossoms, full skirts and all. It’s probably about time we learned.” Bring it on.

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