“Yet when staff show up in shorts and sneakers, it’s as if they’re saying good-bye before even saying good morning.”
—style by kate spade
March 2012
24 posts
in my closet: polka dot yellow blouse
discovery: casual friday - dark wash denim and yellow
2011: yellow polka dot blouse - banana republic, platform pumps - 9west, white leather handbag, jeans - fidelity
me
in my closet: pleated dress + navy blazer
discovery: top shop pleated dress worn with a navy blazer (with great button details at the back) and heeled oxfords is a very casual yet cube appropriate look:
2012: dress - top shop, blazer - pink tartan, shoes - geox/2011: ring/ 2010: belt - jacob
me
in my closet: yellow blouse - 3peat
discovery: the color yellow. it’s my favorite spring color (that, and tangerine). here’s how i’m workin’ this new yellow blouse 3 ways:
look 1: with white pants
2012: blouse + pants - winners/2011: heels - 9west
look 2: with a patterned skirt
2011: skirt + belt - joe fresh
look 3: with a navy blue/white polka dress
2012: navy polka dot dress - tommy hilfiger
me
in my closet: style inspiration - kerry washington
discovery: leopard print with a shot of red worn by actor kerry washington
inspired my cube dwelling style this week:
2012: red blazer - forever21, patent pumps - 9west / 2011: cropped pants - joe fresh/ 2010: leopard top - tristan
me
“The truth is that your communications arsenal is dimished when you’re e-mailing, instead of speaking: you lose your powers of empathy, tone, charm, and nuance. You also risk failing to communicate entirely.”
—if you have to cry go outside - kelly cutrone
in my closet: mexx blouse
rediscovery: this blouse i bought to wear under my grey interview suit - it was my departure from the standard white or striped button-down shirt. i like because it added interest without being too bold.
2011: platform heels - 9west, handbag - asos /2010: pencil skirt, blouse and belt - mexx
me
in my closet: shades of grey
discovery: varying the shades and playing with pattern and texture of an all grey outfit can add interest. also i’ve rediscovered this blouse that i haven’t worn in along time:
2010: blouse + cardi - jacob, shoes - joe fresh/ 2011: cropped pants - gap, belt - banana republic (gift)
me
in my closet: espirit blue print dress
discovery: i should try to add some pattern to my work wardrobe and mix things up more.
me
closet redis: style inspiration - kelly ripa
discovery: kelly ripa wearing a bright colored sleeveless blouse and trouser jeans.
my interpretation for casual fridays:
2010: shoes - joe fresh/2011: satin blouse - le chateau, leopard belt - jacob + trouser jeans - fidelity
me
“When women say, “how high should my heel be?”, I say, “how high can you handle and stay in for two hours without having two Advil?”
—Michael Kors
in my closet: bow blouse
rediscovery: on of my favorite tops - teal bow-blouse from mango (i have it in black too).
2011: cropped pants - gap, heels -9west, blazer - h&m/2010: bow blouse - mango
me
cube dwelling: not when you write in all caps...
dr. hunt: “hey, don’t you ever answer your texts!”
det. morris: “not when you write in all capitals. It’s like yelling. It’s rude.”
dr. hunt: “its emphatic.”
while watching ‘body of proof’ last week i heard this exchange and reminded me of how many times i’ve encountered the improper use of capital letters and exclamation marks in work emails.
you know that email you get from your supervisor or senior staff that has a sentence or two that ends in a bunch of exclamation marks, or is in all capital letters.
the ultimate offenders are the people who use all caps, double/triple exclamation marks, and yellow highlights to get some point across. OMG!!! THAT’S SO RUDE!!!!!!
Don’t
- use overuse/abuse exclamation marks, bold font, and capitalization in your emails to make a point
- use capital letters with yellow highlights and/or exclamation marks. It really is just wrong
- engage in email wars - this happens when feel you were being ‘yelled’ at via email and you feel the need to yell back…in email. this usually results in unpleasantness for those involved (also you’ll be leaving a written record of an exchange that may cast you bad light in the eyes of management).
Do
- check a style guide (or google) for rules around when to use capitalization and exclamation marks if you are confused. yes, there are rules
- engage in appropriate use exclamation marks in the cube (read: use only 1 when needing to show emphasis. we will get it. trust me)
- think before you write. if you are upset then step away from the email for a few minutes before you hit the ‘send’ button
- if you really want to get your point across and make sure the person receiving the email got the message, then speak to the person directly, either in person, or by picking up the phone and calling them - speaking directly to a person as a way to communicate effectively, really? huh
- If you are the lucky recipient of the 6 exclamation marks and it bugs the crap out of you, then (a) ignore it and chalk it up to the sender’s ignorance of the the rules of grammar and email etiquette; or (b) speak to the sender directly. It really could simply be “emphatic” and not intended to be rude.
me
in my closet: (wo)man in black
harvard business review reported that 51% of female senior execs wear black to work compared to 18% of their male counterparts. no surprise there, we know how to rock it so much more effectively:
2007: blazer (part of a suit) - jacob/2010: ruffled blouse - h&M, pencil skirt - zara, platform heels - 9west
me
closet redis: style inspiration - zoe saldana
i’ve been trying to find ways to beat the winter work style blahs. so i’ve turned to my magazines as a first step. but quickly realized it’s all about pretty spring things (clothing and models).
getting the jump on wearing spring fashions now wasn’t really working for me. it’s still too damn cold out for me to think of wear florals and cute dresses. *frown*
next i decided to check out some celeb fashions. although the focus was red carpet looks and causal weekend wear - not that helpful when thinking about budget friendly office attire - i did find this a good starting point for ideas about color combinations and pairings.
i took a cue from zoe saldana in michael kors:
to create my own grey-on-grey look:
2006: top - jacob/2007: grey heels - stuart weitzman (gift)/2011: snake print belt + cropped pants - gap
discovery: i also discovered that the celeb looks i really liked were by designers michael kors, calvin klein, and anne taylor. they do classic, tailored pieces that are evening and work appropriate. so now when thinking about buying better quality pieces for my work wardrobe i will keep these designers in mind.
me
“Remember no one ever gets reprimanded for dressing well.”
—
in my closet: purple pleated skirt - 3peat
discovery: the rule of 3 - i read somewhere that before you purchase an item to add to your wardrobe you should have at least 3 ways to wear it:
i recently purchased a mid-length purple pleated skirt at winners. i wouldn’t normally wear this kind of skirt - not a fan of the length or pleats for that matter. but i did like the color. since i wasn’t sure i would keep it however i decided to test the rule of 3 out before deciding:
1 purple pleated skirt 3 ways:
Look 1:
2001: cropped jacket - tristan/2010: boots - 9west and silver cuff - jacob
Look 2
2010: white sheer blouse - gap/2011: leopard wedges - 9west
Look 3
2010: accessories - fragments jewelers/2011: white shirt - banana republic, belt -gap and shoes - marc fisher
me
i'd work this: blue + yellow + purple combo
why i like this: good way to mix colors in away that is cube-dwelling appropriate:
top + pants - jcrew/yellow portfolio clutch + silver cuffs - asos/suede heels - david dixon
me
in my closet: bold orange shirt
discovery: wearing a bold color like this orange shirt to work is a great cure for my winter blahs.
2012: shirt - moon/2010: patent pumps - joe fresh, bracelet - le chateau/2007: dress pants - jacob
me
closet redis: update - workstyle blahs
so what’s new on my work wardrobe rediscovery? i’ve got the winter wardrobe blahs. looking good everyday has been next to impossible lately; i can’t seem to muster up the energy or enthusiasm.
maybe its the weather, maybe it’s the wardrobe (or both). i’m struggling with how to add some oomph to my style. why is this so haaaard?! deep breath. ok, i need a plan.
what i want is to feel excited about my wardrobe and avoid the feeling of frumpiness that’s been at me for the past little while.
hmmm, how am i going to achieve this? not sure yet. i will give it some thought and let you know when i find out.
i suppose for us average janes looking good does require a bit of effort. sighs.
me
“Once you enter a work-place, you’re surrounded by grown-ups, not friends. Your boss is not your boyfriend, and she’s not your therapist. She is the person who is paying you to do a job.”
—if you have to cry go outside - kelly cutrone
in my closet: espirit dress
discovery: i love jewel tones on me
2012: dress - espirit/ 2010: boots - 9west, necklace / 2005: blazer - jacob
