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.

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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.