Dressing for 3 More Months of Winter

I've been accused of being that kid that was already anticipating the end of summer vacation in June. I'd be lying if I completely denied it... So I was already thinking about the dull period that comes post New Year's, where the weather is colder and there's no major holidays for a while. Planning weekend trips and finding different pieces for my wardrobe to jazz up the days are how I get through them. Here are some ideas on the latter:

-Try different nail polish colors for the office: having one nail a different color than the rest is a current trend. While I think it's generally a no-no for the office, the right color combo that's a shade darker or lighter could work. Here's one I tried that I think does and it's prettier in person:

Essie 'Carry On' and 'Leading Lady'

-Experiment with different tights in color and pattern. Wolford is having a sale! Recall our post from earlier this year on the topic. 

- Skip winter and peruse the upcoming spring clothing... I've already found a warmer weather obsession to save for from RED Valentino:

The shoes are so pretty too!

So Parisian and pretty... Ooh, Paris in the Spring sounds like a great idea. 

What's Up with All These Collars?

Just like in the 80's with plastic charm necklaces and big hair, and in the 90's hypercolor t-shirts, slap bracelets and plaid flannel shirts, this decade has had a number of fast trends already. We're not ashamed to say we love sporting the newest fad, but with age has come some maturity in wearing them. 

Unlike the days of spending all our savings on a new pair of Z.Cavaricci's, we spend more on the lasting items and look for lower priced versions of the fads. Right now, the collar is in focus and not just ones that are attached to shirts. You can find them studded up or even sold separately as a necklace (for a shirt or not). We featured a version of this in February of this year with Karl Lagerfeld's line and the idea has flourished in to mainstream.

We found this gold studded silk button down shirt at Zara and love it. And it's only $90! 

We've worn it buttoned to the very top, to emphasize the studs, with a demure shin length tan pleated wool skirt. It would also look great with black pleated trousers or an olive leather skirt (there are two great ones at Riess). 

On the weekend, wear it untucked with skinny jeans and heels.

So go for that next fad... Just not at the designer end of the spectrum.

Did You Mean Broke?

"No, I said Baroque. As in the style in art and architecture developed in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries.  It emphasized drama and elaborate ornamentation so the trend is extravagant and ornate".

"Ahh, now I get it... Doesn't sound like I can I wear that to the office though."

"You can, it just depends on your interpretation. For example, none of these would likely instill confidence at your next meeting with a potential investor:"

"Yeah, probably not, unless I was working at an 18th century circus... which sometimes i think I do. And I I don't know if I look all that good in that much gold and shine... Plus all the embellishment looks pricey."

"Yeah, it can be. There's an awesome McQueen dress and cute pointelle clutch from D&G with extra dollar signs. It's a trend... not a basic so no one should overdose on it in their closet anyway and go broke! BUT, you can work it in your closet and at the office in a couple of pieces. Take look at this little ensemble."

Click here to learn more about each piece.

"If you are feeling daring, you could wear a leather pencil skirt here instead of a plain one".

"Hmm, yeah I'll think about that one... This does look like the trend and I like it. Thanks lady!"

...An obviously very deep discussion on trends between Ludlow and a friend. We hope you enjoyed.

Word Association

What comes to our mind when we think of leather: 
-a luxurious fabric
-a topic of controversy
-often makes items more expensive than other fabrics
-Sandra D
-bikers
-popular in white on coaches in the 80's and
-can now be found as trim or the core of many ladies' fashions today. 

Does it pass the officewear test? YES. We tried it and it worked well. You just can't go overboard - the same for many other items when dressing (eg., too matchy matchy, too much jewelry, too many different colors etc.).

We paired this lovely reddish/burgundy leather skirt from Madewell wth a black silk top and black jacket. We toyed with the idea of a cream top but went the safer route for the first try.

Click Here to find out where all these pieces are from.

We kept the shoes low-key and low-heeled and added a traditional linked bracelet to contrast the other pieces.

Madewell also had a super cute leather dress in the same color - absolutely wearable with a black jacket to the office and both great for a work to cocktails/date look.

Flat Stomachs Need NOT Apply

If you've been reading our posts you know we really like pieces with peplum, especially for the office. This pretty, lady-like fashion trend has continued for fall '12 and so has our attraction to it....not to mention it's usefulness as a belly-hider. When it comes to the middle area, this is worry-free dressing.

We found this flattering heather grey cap sleeve dress, courtesy of Alice & Olivia. Stretchy without being too clingy, with a color that provides lots of options for whatever you choose to pair it with. Pick a bright color for a pop, like yellow, shown here, or one of the darker jewel tones when it's cooler and you have to wear tights. 

The metal zipper detail on the back adds a little edge.

Another easy office timesaver...and you don't have to go to the gym to rock it!

Yes, Burgundy is Everywhere

And we love it.  Like a new pop song, we may eventually get over it but for now, we can't get enough. Recent purchases in the color family include a great peter pan collared J.Crew sweater and this merlot colored shift from T by Alexander Wang (his lower priced line):

Edgy details within basic workwear is never lost on us. We were really attracted to the flattering and sexy but demure strips of netting on the side. Not noticeable when you have a jacket on (recommend black or grey), but very appropriate for after work drinks, dinner or date. See below..

Not just a basic work dress!

Testing Ideas for Fall

After a little summer hiatus (and much needed vacation - hope you got yours!), we are back and considering fall 2012. What will be in focus this year?

From our research, we made the following list:

• Burgundy
• Baroque (excuse me?)
• Leather
• Peplum (continuing from last year)
• Menswear (it seems every year there is some form of this)
• Polka dots
• Brightly patterned pencil skirts
• Gold accents
• Winter white anything
• Plaid

For us, perhaps the better questions are; what will be wearable at work? how can this be incorporated in to my current wardrobe without buying a whole new one? what exactly is baroque?

To start, we tried something a little different. Combining burgundy, gold accents and the 'baroque' trends, we got a french manicure with a twist, as recently seen in a magazine and on the runways. We're not sure this will fit in our conservative office, but we're going to test it out.

We used Essie's 'bold & beautiful' with their 'good as gold' on the tips.

What do you think? We love it!

Fall on the Horizon

It's hard to even think about fall when it's so damn hot and humid outside. All you can really think about is; how long do I have to be out of the A/C before I can go back in? 


However, coming off the back of a weekend research shopping trip, the stores are starting to fill up with clothing for cooler weather from 'pre-fall 2012' collections. Comfy greys, deep burgundies, emerald greens and mustard yellows are everywhere. Refreshingly, bold bright prints are also a trend for fall... which means some of the items you wear today can be converted as temperatures cool down. More on that later.

Inevitably, each research trip we do, we find an obsession... and of course its usually something out of budget. We can't stop thinking about it, partly because we shouldn't buy it and partly because it's so beautiful. This season, it's a colorful and bright work-appropriate dress made by environmentally aware designer Stella McCartney.  


Behold... 
worn with some simple black pumps and small gold earrings, hair up... lovely.

Give us a second to wipe the drool... Maybe I could put it on a credit card and pay it back over time?

Power Trousers

Printed trousers seem to be on racks in every store. We love how light and airy they are - particularly for those hot summer days you don't feel like shaving your legs before work (wink).

They are a great way to spice up your wardrobe too, but make sure you style them to stand out for themselves and the print doesn't stand out more than you!

These are a great option from Zara, shown styled for work with a navy cotton jacket. We purposely chose a jacket that matched the darkest of colors in the trousers and was on the shorter side given the wider legs.

Here's how we styled for play too. We took off the jacket and added a vintage gold belt - easily done when your day is too (or on the weekend).

A Side Note: Clothing from Zara is highlighted often in this blog. They really do carry great stuff for the trendy parts of your wardrobe and well within most budgets. But a caveat: be careful regarding 1) quality: the fabric can be cheap and not wash well, and 2) sizing: I often have to take a size up. 
So be discerning and if you can swing it, take the pieces you like from there home. Ensure it fits rights and can blend with what you already have, particularly because the dressing rooms usually have a long line. If it doesn't work, there return policy is pretty generous at one month.

Looking like you splurged for work

We came across this perfect example of looking like you spent a few thousand dollars on your clothes for work without actually doing it. 

The keys to this example:

- lovely neutral color palette, 

- a vintage piece (the blouse is her friend's grandmother's), 

- the skirt and bag are basics from commercial brands like Anne Klein (=cost savings)

Notice the booties (Calvin Klein, so the mixed-in expensive piece) have a cutout, elongating the leg, just like we featured last fall. 

You're bound to get the question "Love that, where did you get it?". Whether you want to reveal the secret is entirely up to you.

Preppy and Proud

If you've ever spent time in Nantucket, you may have heard of a local watering hole called the Chicken Box. What Ludlow saw there, as her first experience on this quaint island, is forever burned in her brain. Every single man in the bar, except maybe the large bouncer, must have received a text earlier in the day: 
'dudes: chicken box, 10pm, pink or blue shirts and khakis or seersuckers, no exceptions. cya there' 
Her jaw hung low as she looked around in awe at the homogeneous sausage party. How does one tell any of these guys apart? 


She did eventually find an appreciation for the preppy look and how to work the vibrant prints, and stripes that come with it. So while we'll probably never be huge Lily Pulitzer fans, the prep in us wants to work this look at the office. Drawing inspiration from Ludlow's most recent weekend trip to the island, here's how we like to rock the preppy look at work:

The classic seersucker jacket is styled with a popped collar and rolled sleeves to make it a bit more modern. (The piece is old, but similar can be found here (at Brooks Brothers).) The trousers we've showed you before - solid J.Crew pleated ankle length. Perfect for summer and stretchy for your off days. (Similar here)

We added gold accessories and shoes, but you could easily do a bright pink shoe for  an extra preppy take. 


So prep it up at the office on a Friday before you head out for "the Tuck" and you'll fit right in starting from the plane ride. We hear Rusted Root is playing at the Chicken Box at the end of July. 

Figure Flattering Peplum

In a previous post we featured one of our favorite Spring trends: Peplum. And we can't seem to get enough of it.

We honestly couldn't walk out of Zara without this bright red skirt. Trust us, we tried but got as far as about a block down the street before that gnawing feeling beat us down. Like a moth to a flame, we promptly turned around and purchased.

What specifically did we love so much about it?

1. The peplum was actually assymetrical... and you know what little edgey details do to us.
2. The flaring is around your middle area which means it's a great piece for the not-so-skinny feeling days. It literally hides any bloat.
3. The bright orangey-red color and the stretchy linen fabric are perfect for summer.
4. Did we mention the location of the flaring covers up the pizza we ate too late last night?
5. The final detail: pretty gold buttons snap it together in the back (see below).

With a color this bright and design this pretty, all you need is a basic white button down and nude pumps. Be sure to tuck in the top so the peplum is kept in focus and enjoy!

Not so mellow yellow

We have been emphasizing pops of color for your work wardrobe this spring as an easy solution to update some of your staple pieces. While we've already covered pink and coral, we recently found two yellow pieces that definitely help brighten up a basic, without breaking the bank.


Despite her initial fear of being "too bumble beeish", this yellow blazer creates a whole new look for Ludlow's LBD, without the stinger (although it would be sort of fun to literally buzz around the office). The zipper detail adds an edge while still staying appropriate for the office. 

And it's easily transitioned for the weekend with a pair of blue jeans. 

Lex found this softer yellow lace top as a great shell for a suit. For casual Friday pair it with cropped trousers and a cardigan.

This zipper detail is perfect for after work drinks sans the blazer or cardigan.

A Peplum in Your Step

Ludlow was watching Khloe and Lamar on E! the other day...(yes, not the most high brow of TV shows but the reality addiction continues). In one scene, Lamar was explaining the cartoon character Peppy Le Pew to Khloe. His description of Peppy always wanting to date the cat that he thought was a skunk like him, because of her black and white coloring, reminded us of how image is so important (bet you didn't expect that!).

It can get you in the door for prospective clients and even be considered for promotions. Of course, it can work the opposite way too... See, a classy french skunk's attractions CAN teach us a thing or two.

Which brings us to our word association with professionally classy french-like clothing: Peplum. The word itself is lovely and the image is so 1950's old hollywood, like Grace Kelly in Monaco.

Ludlow wore this peplum top from J.Crew. The floral print incorporates a second trend this spring (a 2 in 1). 

Here it's paired with white wide leg trousers, (old, similar here) but would go just as well with a navy or white pencil skirt (the true French way).

So elegant - it's sure to put a pep in your step. Something that doesn't go unnoticed by your colleagues, manager and clients in the most positive way.

Lace-it-Up for the office

Like animal print, lace is often associated with sexiness, lingerie, candles and maybe even silk sheets (for some reason we are now picturing a cheesy 70's sex chamber like the one Elvis Presley had...). All light years away from the fluorescent lighting of an office building. But with the warmer weather this spring, the lace trend of this season is slowly moving in. 

So like anything we show you, as long as you keep it professional and simple, with limited accessories, you can make a stylish, appropriate look in lace. 

One option is to go with a detail of lace. Lex found this cream silk and lace blouse at Madewell (it also comes in black but the cream color is closer to sweet versus sexy). Since the lace is really only on the sleeves, you can wear a jacket over it, with the lace peeking out during the day. It then nicely transitions from the office, to a client dinner/drinks in the evening. 

For the weekend, wear it with dark blue denim bell bottoms (Rag and Bone) and platforms (Ash) for a 70's feel (which we still love!). 

Ludlow wanted all over lace and found this demure number at J.Crew. The 'neon azalea' color makes it fun (and less sexy). We love it with a pair of ankle length blue trousers (also from J.Crew).

A note on those trousers: Notice the pleating and button detail. The fit is also amazing.. something about the fabric that is sort of stretchy and forgiving.

For weekend, untuck it and let the scallop edging on the bottom show - worn here with a pair of skinny jeans (and neutral flats).

So go ahead and lace it up ladies! Show em whatcha got.





Pop of Pink for the Office

We LOVE this pink top from Tibi.  We think you'll be seeing this color a ton this spring. Here we toned it down for the office, pairing it with a navy suit and neutral accessories. 
On the weekend, let the color do the work and wear it with skinny black jeans.

Shop the full outfit here.

All time classic for work or play: the blazer

The blazer is a staple for any wardrobe. And, the right blazer can quite literally slim you down. With so many styles to choose from, you can find one that works, no matter what shape or size you are. 


Lex keeps it structured at the office with a classic tailored version (a favorite: Theory). On the weekends, she throws a looser boyfriend blazer over a dress or skinny jeans. 


Ludlow found this Joy Cioci blue silk blazer at one of her favorite boutiques, Jessie James, in the West Village. The color is really nice (for the spring blue trend), and if you look closely, the shoulders have a really nice stitching detail. 


For the office, we matched it with brown wool pants from Tibi (on sale here) and a cream silk blouse (similar). 

For the weekend, the same blazer dresses up a simple white tank and blue jeans (with a gold belt for some shine). Leopard flats would round out this look (Ludlow loves these: from Steve Madden).

How to work the neon trend into your office wardrobe

Following from blues, another trend for Spring '12 is neon. Very fun and nostalgic of the 80's, but not exactly the most office friendly. You are the best judge of what you can get away with at your office, but generally the level of stuffiness is negatively correlated to the amount of neon you can wear. Ludlow would love to wear this hot pink blazer to her office: Preen jacket, with the pants to match, but alas it would not add to her career (and also diminish her savings account!).

We think the best way to incorporate neon is through accessories:

We found these really great necklaces from Bloomingdale's with a hint of neon in three colors (pink, yellow and blue).  A nice price as well, $40! 

For the office we suggest a single strand, and love the pink with a navy blazer and white tank. 

For a weekend look, we doubled up the yellow and blue and grabbed a black blazer for a fun night out.

Accessories aren't just jewelry - we found this pink plastic pouch (from ASOS) perfect for your mini toiletries for the days you plan to hit the gym.

It fits easily into your purse and can double as a clutch, BUT only in a pinch.

This laptop case (from ASOS) adds a bright spot to your travels.

Office blues

We spent some time studying the Spring '12 RTW shows over the weekend to absorb upcoming trends and get ideas to incorporate into our looks for the office. Amongst a number of trends we observed, the aquatic theme was in almost every show, manifested more simply by various shades of blue to literal fish scales (seen here on the Chanel runway). 


Wearing blue is obviously a much easier choice for the office than looking like a fish.  A bold cobalt was one of our favorites. As always don't go too overboard with one trend, stick with one piece as a highlight. 

DVF Jeanne wrap dress
$473 - boutique1.com

Alexander McQueen cowl dress
unfortunately no longer available

Forzieri fitted oxford shirt
$95 - forzieri.com

HUGO one button jacket
$470 - stylebop.com

DVF Harrington coat
$404 - matchesfashion.com

Ann Taylor ankle pants
$88 - anntaylor.com

J Crew wool skirt
$120 - jcrew.com

DVF Reiko jacket
$365 - dvf.com
DVF Koto pencil skirt
$198 - dvf.com

Jimmy Choo Agnes patent leather pumps
$525 (splurge) - net-a-porter.com

Tory Burch Eddie ballet flat
$125 - toryburch.com

Balenciaga zip bag
$1,545 (splurge) - balenciaga.com

Tory Burch leather gloves
$150 - toryburch.com