Sales! Sales! Sales!

There are a lot of sales going on right now, so because I'm too busy for a real blog post recently (been kind of sick) I will just share the sales!

Banana Republic is having a 25% sale (on any non sale items) the promo code is: BRSUNNYDAY and free shipping if you spend $150 or more. Unitl 6/27.

Ann Taylor Loft is having a 40% sale (on any non sale items) but ONLY in store, limited time.
Online they're having a buy one full price item get the second for 50% off promo code: SAVE50 free shipping if you spend $125 or more.

Old Navy is having 30% off the whole site with promo code: ONBIG30 until 6/29

Piperlime is having a 40% off shoe sale, they've marked down hundreds of shoes. (Remember you can get an extra 20% off buy using the promo code they provide you in the confirmation email when you order from, Old Navy, Gap, or Banana Republic.)

Nine West is just added more shoes/accessories to their 30-50% of sale.


So far that is what I've got! I'll update if more come up.

Loft Buy One Get One 50% off

This is a pretty nice sale! And they're even having the free shipping offer at the same time. =D

Summer!

Summer is here for a lot of people in the country. For people in San Francisco, Summer poked its head out and decided to snooze for another couple of months.
Nonetheless, San Francisco does have its hot days, and so it is time to talk about dressing for work in the summer.

Dressing for work during the hot weather is pretty challenging, you can't pull out your shorts and t-shirts like you would on a weekend. There are keys for dressing in the summer, and it's not as hard as people might think.

So let's get some ideas going:

Layers will be your best friend in the summer. It may be 90 degrees outside, but it's probably about 68 in your office. The best things to do in this case would be to layer onto sleeveless dresses and camisoles. The key for wearing dresses to work is to watch the length. Don't go too short, just above the knee is probably the shortest that would be appropriate for work. (But keep your own work guidelines in mind, maybe your work is laid back about length, though I doubt any workplace will be okay with a mini dress/skirt.)

Look for dresses or skirts in lightweight materials such as silk, cotton, linen (but beware linen really wrinkles when sitting at a desk all day), or summer-weight wool and cotton blends. Layering can make a dress that seems too "summer-y" into a work dress by putting on a cardigan or a blazer.

This navy dress is comfortable, a good soft lightweight material. It can be worn for the weekend. (A sleeveless cotton shift dress or wrap dress are other wonderful staples that can function well for work) However, pair this with blazer or cardigan (no exposed straps of any kind at work) and you've got something you can wear to work with some flats or heels. I know I've shown plenty of blazers, but here's one more! This blazer is a light weight cotton voile which is light enough to wear without sweltering in the summer. I like looking for a good 3/4 sleeve length, or something that will easily fold up.

Summer is also a great time to find a wonderful staple that can usually only be pulled off in the summer months. A white blazer, I found mine at Ann Taylor Loft on sale. I'm sure if you look around you'll come upon a nice one as well. Make sure it's in a nice light weight fabric and that it isn't dry clean only (unless you don't mind the upkeep, white is notorious for finding dirt).

There are plenty of places to look for a white blazer, each brand seems to make one of them, it's almost as common as a jean jacket. Recently I've taken to looking on eBay for things before I looking in store. Sometimes, it's a pretty good place to start. Some people worry about second hand clothing, but not everything on eBay is pre-worn. NWT (New with tags) is pretty common on eBay and you can find some really good brands at a much cheaper price.

I like to use eBay a lot especially for small things like belts, which is another thing you'll need this Summer, belts to help with the layering. If you're layering cardigans over pretty free flowing dresses you'll need some cinching in the waist in order to define your shape.



Capris are your for work shorts alternative (Loft has a lot of them on sale). You still get a little bit of a breeze while wearing them but remember not to go too casual. Be sure to purchase the more dressy versions of capris, cargoes will never be work appropriate. Pair them with structured work pieces and work appropriate shoes in order to make them more work friendly, otherwise you end up looking like you're heading for the beach.

Another thing to keep in mind for Summer is that clothing gets a lot thinner, which can usually mean that your clothes are now see through. So be sure to test your clothing out in some bright lights before going to work, you don't to get there and realize you can see through your top. Camisoles, I like nude, are your best friend in this situation. (Layering!)

Also remember that with summer comes fun colors and patterns, which you should not be afraid of, but don't let it take over your work outfit. If you have a fun printed dress remember to pair with a solid cover up, if it's a printed skirt, pair it with a solid top.

In order to not have to go out and buy all new things, remember that your fall/spring pieces can be mixed into your summer wardrobe, remember to add some pops of color, pair cardigans with dresses or skirts, and watch those necklines, but most of all have fun with it. Remember to pair some colorful accessories to add to that summer fun. Etsy is a great place to find some wonderful original work. Forever 21 is great for finding really affordable options!

Lots to Share

So, for today the big thing to share is a coupon I got in my inbox for Ann Taylor Loft.
They told me to share with friends...so here you go! =D

Second, I found the perfect coral summer nail polish. (I'm really into coral this year...). It's called "Chapel of Love" and it looks great on! =D
















Next in things to share, Nine West is still having their super awesome 30%-50% off sale. I went in store and tried on this pair. These shoes fit like a dream, go with everything and are MUCH cuter in person. Great shoe for summer, the feel of a sandal without looking under-dressed. Sweet.







Final thing to share, for now, is a book a friend introduced me to. "The One Hundred - A Guide To The Pieces every Stylish Woman Must Own" by Nina Garcia. Now, this is a woman after my own heart. It's like an encyclopedia of fashion essentials. I always knew Nina and I were kindred spirits, even if I thought she was a jerk on Project Runaway sometimes. =D
In any case, after reading the first 3 pages I got chills, she understand me, fashion and well written advice? Amazing. This a must have for any person looking to complete their wardrobe of essentials.

Picking an Outfit the Night Before

I decided to pick out my outfit tonight rather rushing through it tomorrow morning. This is what I came up with. Banana Republic everything, except necklace that's Forever 21.
Navy pencil skirt, coral top, and beige cardigan.

Banana Republic 30% off sale

Banana Republic is having a 30% off sale! There are a lot of really great pieces for sale, including some I've already shown on my blog. =D It ends 6/17

Forever 21

Most people trying to look for quality work clothing wont usually think of Forever 21. However, it is actually a pretty good source for some nice and extremely cheap clothing. Most specifically, the Forever 21 brand called Love 21. As it explains it in the website, "Love 21 offers a more sophisticated, modest fit than Forever 21" which basically means it fits normal people, not just stick figure people.
They actually have some fairly good items, though not all their stuff is a winner. You just have to take the time to check in every once in a while since most of their inventory is rotated fairly frequently.


From checking in today here are a couple if items I found to be normal/work people worthy.

This tank is cute, tucked into a skirt and paired with a blazer or cardigan can be feminine but professional.



This top doesn't need anything on top, but it will need to be tucked into dress pants or a skirt. However, it's flowy feel will make it easy to transition this piece into the weekend.





This top is great, it is at once feminine in chiffon, but is also a structured piece so it can be worn to work.

This next piece is a light, airy timeless white top with roll up sleeves.
Can be worn tucked in or not.

This piece may seem hard to pull off, and it's definitely not for the faint of heart, but it is a very interesting and youthful piece that when worn correctly is very work worthy.









I don't really trust forever 21 for bottoms like pants/shorts and such, mostly because I find the sizing is always a little wonky. However, tops and outerwear are always great finds at great prices. From here I'll share some outerwear I found in the Love 21 Collection.

This blazer is great, has 3/4 sleeves and a bow instead of buttons, while not for all, it does seem to be a well structured piece with a girly twist.

This sweet cardigan could be paired well with the lacy top up above, it seems like very light pink is the color of the spring season, so it's easy to find anywhere. I find it looks awesome with navy.

For a place with a bit more of a relaxed work attire, there's this fun vest that also ties with a bow (feeling a theme with Love 21)

And to finish off, a real polished blazer. Blazers go well with most things from jeans to skirts to dress pants. This one in particular is navy, so this jacket pairs well most colors.








The great thing about all these pieces is that all but one are under $30 and most of the tops are $20 and under. So, it's easy to save money but still look put together. It's just best to know where to look, get a good fit and know how to pair your pieces to make them look more work appropriate.

Loft in store 50% SALE

Hello all three people who read my blog, there is an awesome 50% off sale at Ann Taylor Loft right now! I talked to the sales associate, and she says its only in store, but that it's better that way since they have more sizes and colors available in store anyway.

I scoped out some really nice stuff. Found a shirt for $5 (except in coral), a head band for $6 and a white fitted blazer (the last of its kind) for $39.99 (original price $98.00).

But there are several dresses, capris (a lot of those), embellished t shirt, shorts and dressy pants.

So ladies, check it out, not too sure how long it's going to last.

Urban Outfitter for Work?

Actually, yes, Urban Outfitters does have some work worthy attire. Right now they're having a sale on a lot of their blazers. So, if you were looking for that perfect school boy or boyfriend type blazer, they have it and it's probably on sale for $30-$50. It's worth taking a look, you may find something that works with your skinny jeans/trouser jeans or pencil skirt.

Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft Taking Another 40% off their Sale Prices

The Loft's sale is taking another 40% off their sale items with a promo code of "SALE40". If for some reason you decide that you want to buy a full price item, the promo code to use anytime for 20% off your purchase is "TEACHER20"

On sale there are several knee length dresses, embellished t-shirts, capris and dress pants.

Ann Taylor is also having an "up to 40% off sale" it's still a bit pricey, but definitely more affordable than full price. They have some really great pieces, definitely worth taking a look.

Gap is having a 40% off Summer Sale

The sale is only on select items, but I always find with Gap that the sales are even better in the store, and this one is also going on in store. No promotion codes or coupon needed. Online doesn't have a lot of stuff, but there are some nice finds.
Like a pleated skirt in a nice light grey or black, for $34.99 and $24.99 respectively.
It has some pretty good reviews (a nice thing Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic). There are cute button ups, of course, there are also jeans, capris, unmentionables and swimwear for sale. And a couple of fluttery tops, and some nice basic cardigans. There are even a couple of blazers.



And some cute capris.

Also free shipping on orders of $100 or more PROMO CODE: GAPSHIP

Get some help...

Find that dressing yourself when going clothing shopping is difficult? No problem. There are actually places that are more than willing to help you pick out what is right for you, the one I gave a shot was Banana Republic. They sent me an email telling me about a free service called a, "style appointment" where basically I went onto their website and requested a date and time. After a day or two they'll email you with a set of questions to get a good idea of what you need (in my case, versatile work clothes that could also be worn on weekends) and your size, you then get the option of having your stylist pick out some clothes for you before you get there (I chose to have mine do that).

When I got there she already had several sets of things that mixed and matched extremely well set aside in a fitting room (in a set of closed off fitting rooms). She took me in and explained why she picked everything, showed me what looked good with what and how it can be worn for weekend or work. She then took me around the store to see if anything else jumped out at me or if she hadn't addressed a certain item I thought I'd need for my wardrobe. We picked out a wrap dress, and a blazer as the only things that were missing from her spectrum of items. After trying everything on together I realized that most everything she had picked (while I would not have picked it for myself) fit me really well, were flattering and it all mixed and matched easily and nicely.

Unfortunately, it looks like their website doesn't have all the wonderful things she picked out for me. However, I tried to get together as much as I could so people can get an idea of what looks good. She started off with two basics, two skirts to build upon. The first skirt was the one to the right, in dark brown the second skirt was the one on the left in Navy blue. Both skirts were very comfortable, were flattering and fit true to size. With those two basics down we had some pieces to build off of.

From there we picked tops that could go from work to weekend by either being tucked in or being worn with a blazer or cardigan.

To begin with we looked for wrap tops, found two, one printed and another a basic color.


Those looked great paired with the blazer and cardigan she picked out for mixing and matching. However, while I liked the blazer I found it a little too expensive, though it was a fabulous fit. I just didn't need to invest in a suit blazer, I chose to bypass that purchase and bought a blazer at H&M for a much lower price.
The cardigan, however, was light and airy very good for a cold spring morning but still thin and comfortable enough for the rest of the day. It's also made out of an extremely soft fabric. Nice!


From there we moved on to more fun tops that would be considered really feminine but paired with the correct pieces could looks structured for work.
Such as this flowy top when paired (and tucked in)
with the brown tie waist skirt.


Or these extremely comfortable luxe tanks, that layer well with everything, including the blazer or cardigan up above.
But they also pair well with this cardigan and sweater (the blue sweater incidentally looks AWESOME with the blue pencil skirt, not tucked in)

From there I tried on their faux wrap dress which ran too small and was not very flattering on a big hipped girl like me. She then randomly found another top that I might love. She knew it would work with the pencil skirt and a cardigan, and I did love it. It had a nice A line so it flattered my hips when I wore it jeans but tucked into the pencil skirt nicely and flattered a nice cardigan.

As after thoughts I tried the non iron button up shirt (runs a little small so size up) it was very flattering and looked very nice with the brown skirt.

All the shirts I tried looked fabulous with their trouser Jean.













And that folks is how you dress a 23 year old professional with big hips! =D