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. 

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.

What Not Not to Wear

...or said another way, what TO wear. While perusing the WSJ series "Work Wear" again, we came across a well put together lady and some sage advice. We thought it worthy to share both.


From lady of style Rachel Roy to women dressing for work, we couldn't have said it better ourselves: "Dress for the job you'd like to have, not for the job you currently have. Dress for the story that you'd like to have people know about you before you even open your mouth. And dress so that your taste level comes across, because people with impeccable taste also have impeccable intelligence."


Loving her outfit too. If you can't wear sandals to your office, black pumps are an easy replacements.

All items from, of course, Rachel Roy, except that necklace. That's Givenchy.

Opportunities in Office Style

The Wall Street Journal's "Heard on the Runway" Work Wear series has been documenting office style around NYC. We've been tracking it with interest as firms from varying industries are profiled.

We wondered, how were these people chosen? Were they the best dressed in the whole office (aka "office hot")? Were they perhaps the best performing for the year to date? Or did everyone throw their business cards in to a fish bowl and 15 or so of them were picked? 

While many photos have been interesting and entertaining (like the very serious looking man with hot pink socks). We have to say that some of these were disappointing as examples of good office style and we just couldn't resist pointing out opportunities for improvement... So here goes.

Behold, Subject A:

• Sandals with a full on grey wool suit? They are totally out of context. Wear them with a floral sundress? Perfect. What about linen trousers? Lovely. But, not a classic grey suit.

Our suggestion: charcoal grey closed toe heels of any kind (like these)

• This brings us to another matter. Even in this shot, it's clear that inside the sandals are not just feet but feet inside white stockings. It makes us cringe on a number of levels. 1) Sandals are open and airy for your feet and feet alone 2) stockings inside sandals are so very grandma 3) WHITE stockings?!!

Our suggestion: If your office is too conservative to show your toes, just don't wear sandals. Even if it's not, wear charcoal grey closed toe heels with this (or at least please take the stockings off!).

• The cut of the jacket is a bit loose around the shoulders and waist. The most flattering jackets are where the arms are cut a bit higher in to the armpit. This makes arms look thinner, creating a smaller silhouette for the whole top half (like this one).

Our suggestion: This jacket could use some further tailoring, to make it a bit more fitted.

As a side note, the subject's pose is certainly interesting. They look as though they are warming up for ronde de jambes at the barre during ballet class.  Maybe they take classes in the evenings after a hard day's work? Ooh, that might explain the white stockings.

The Summer Work Commute: You never know who you'll run in to

Commuting to work can range from easy to downright sh#tshow on any given day. Like when the train just won't move due to "train traffic ahead". What? In this day and internet age, train traffic can't be "planned ahead"? 

No matter how late you are running or how hot it is this summer, it remains important to look somewhat professional. We're not suggesting you always (or ever!) deck yourself out in full makeup and a dress everyday. But, in our experience following a few rules and resisting the temptation to be too summer casual can make the difference the next time you bump in to a fellow colleague, the head of your division, or even your CEO.

1) Don't wear flip flops, no matter how tempted you are to throw them on while running out the door. Ballet flats present a more polished look.

While it seems everyone has a pair of Tory Burch flats, we like this lower cost leopard print pair from Steve Madden.

Neutral enough for almost anything

2) No jean jackets, no fleeces. These should really be for weekends only. Only old school traders can get away with them at work. For cooler mornings, throw on a scarf, cardigan or blazer, like this one Ludlow just picked up from Zara.

We LOVE the button detail on the cuffs.

3) No messenger bags, backpacks or anything made of nylon. The bag you carry should be professional, but it doesn't have to be expensive.  We like this canvas and leather hobo from Madewell - neutral, summery and reasonable!

May your summer commute be happy and stress free!

Patterned Tights in the Office

With winter in full swing finally, tights become an integral part of any work wardrobe.  

Firstly, it's another great accessory for the LBD. These pattern tights from Wolford (Ludlow's fav) dress up a simple LBD for the office and cocktails (or dinner). Notice the belt is black this time. Generally, other accessories should be toned down with patterned tights.

A couple of our other favorite tights, from Hue (Lex's fav):

Some tips when it comes to tights at the office:

• Fishnets are fine as long as they are small patterned.
• Personally, we don't love nude colored tights, but love nude colored fishnets (again small patterned) which are also great in trouser socks.
• For plain black tights, we tend to do them a bit cheaper and go for Leggs from our local drugstore.
• Colored tights are really tough to pass off at the office. We suggest sticking to blacks and grays.

Work Holiday Party Dressing

It's that time of year again! Holiday parties at work are here. Often these events carry only left tail risk, depending on the number of drinks you take on (can you tell we may have worked in finance at least once? OK, only downside). During her time in London, Ludlow's first holiday party included: 1) an actual fist fight that a senior manager had to physically stop and 2) a scandalous office hookup. Thankfully she wasn't involved in either. You can blame it on Europe, but we know of similar stories domestically.

With that in mind, here are some tips and recommendations for that upcoming holiday bash.

Do:
1) Take a few minutes to brush your hair, and even jazz up your makeup with some eyeliner and mascara. 

2) Take off the jacket or blazer, add some fun earrings or a bracelet.

Ludlow had a client meeting the day of her party,
so she added these pieces for the evening.

3) Don't be afraid to wear something cute, especially if it's more formal. Ludlow just picked this Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent dress up for a black tie charity event.

Lex will wear this Marc by Marc Jacobs dress to her holiday party - stylish and fun without being too risque. Notice the pretty detail on the back.

Don't:

1) Put on something short, tight or low cut. This rule applies at all times for work, holiday party or not. You are, after all, still in the same room as your boss.

2) Overdo the makeup- loads of eyeshadow might look like a costume to your co-workers, especially if you are still under the harsh lighting of the office.

3) Drink too much. You may be in the company of work friends and having a really good time but, you want to remember the juicy details for the next day and know you are in the clear from any bad gossip. Plus, you probably still have to work the next day. We're not trying to be moms, but make sure you eat and drink water.

Happy holidays!

Can I wear white after labor day....to work?

A classic question.... one we have been asked a couple of times recently as we transition from summer to fall. The old rules say no... absolutely not. But this is 2011!

In doing some research, no one is able to actually pinpoint how or why the rule got started - hotter summers in the city?, the development of 'summering' from the emerging middle class in the post war era? Whatever the reason, the rule still exists. Therefore, it's appropriate to give creedence to it, when it comes to work.

To us, the answer is not "no". As far back as the 1920's, Coco Chanel was spotted wearing her classic white suit...in all seasons. We cannot argue with one of our idols.

To put it simply, the answer lies in the weight and/or the color of the fabric.

• Post labor day, the fabric should be a bit heavier or give that appearance. No linen! A white cotton skirt in the same material as your white cotton shorts or white button downs is not appropriate (in our humble opinion). 

White tulip skirt from Marc Jacobs...not a good idea after Labor Day at work

• Some appropriate fabrics are wool, wool crepe, silk.
• Cream, off-white, beige, winter white - these are all better choices than pure white.
• No more seersucker. Just in case you were wondering.

As an example, this skirt would be perfect post labor day: off-white and wool crepe which is a bit lighter than wool but not cotton, so it carries you in to spring. Yum!

Giambattista Valli skirt  

Our reasoning: In the summer months, work is just a bit more casual. On Fridays, the office is less populated. You hear clients often say "let's regroup post labor day and set up a meeting". Post labor day, it is back to the grind. Your wardrobe should be too.