And finally, Back to School Week 2011 comes to a close. I apologize it took longer than a week, but between some Wordpress problems that were the result of my own stupidity and working two jobs, nothing seemed to get done. But that's life. Now on to some clothes!
I took this set in a different way than most of my other sets after one of my clients told me a story of when her daughter started college. Her daughter was a business major, and shortly before the start of the school year, she received a letter in the mail informing her that all business majors were required to dress professionally for all their business classes. When I was an education the first semester of my freshman year, I was required to dress professionally for my job shadowing. If you're in a similar position of needing something professional, or just like to dress up, this set is for you.
I started off with a pair of herringbone pants. Herringbone isn't a print, it's actually a pattern made due to the weaving of the fabric. Don't worry, herringbone is very business appropriate and is common, not to mention great for fall and winter because it's a heavier fabric. I then added a fantastic ruffled tank to add some femininity, and then threw on a military-inspired black cardigan. You can use a black blazer if you desire. A basic black bag and shoes finish the outfit. I'm not crazy about either, but they're what Old Navy had to offer. I'd add the black Simply Vera heels from the Kohl's Study Date set, and the Longchamp bag from earlier in the week.
Some tips on professional wear:
-Don't buy 100% polyester pants. This means avoiding the "dress" pants at Charlotte Russe/Wet Seal/Deb/etc. They haven't changed since I was a teenager: a wide leg with huge cuffs and usually a crease down the leg. Buy instead from Old Navy, Macy's, Talbot's, etc. Yes, they'll cost more, but the clothes will be of better quality, and therefore you will look better.
-When you pants, look to see if there is a crease on the legs. As much as you may hate ironing, if there's a crease, they're going to need to retain the crease. This goes back to the designing on the pants, they're designed and cut to hang with the crease in them. Ironing the crease out will make them fit funny.
-Skirts shouldn't be more than 4 inches above your knee, and I know some will say that's too short. Real life is not Ally McBeal.
-You can't always throw a cardigan over a dress and call it a day. If it's a dress you would wear out to a club or out with the girls, it's not work appropriate.
Since you put some work into looking professional earlier in the day, I made the Study Date simple:
A simple yet stylish dress, with some simple flats and sparkly earrings. A quick, slightly messy updo and a swipe of gloss is all you need, and you're good to go.
I'd like to thank you for sticking around for what actually turned out to be Back to School Week and a Half! As always, if you have any questions, need a clarification, etc, don't hesitate to email me at wvfashionologist [at] gmail.com.
