Shoes. All Awesome, No Hedging Today

Remember this statement from yesterday?

I am willing to spend more money on because of my special snowflake, entitlement-happy, high maintenance diva feet.

Yeah, still applies today, when I tell you about what heels (I'll hit flats another day) I can wear with suits. That said, I've had good luck with relatively decent pricing through Aerosol's, especially during sales. I own some more expensive heels also, but I have a whole batch of Aerosol's that have served me wonderfully, comfortably well.

And they're cute. Very cute. They ones I get are designed for a bit more comfort, but not at the expense of style.

Bear in mind. I'm NOT a photographer, and the color quality ended up wonky. But here are some of my favorites.




Believe it or not, that top pair is navy blue patent leather. The A2 Dimperial (shoe names make me giggle), it has just enough of a heel and a nice clean line. I wore my black pair while tromping around downtown a few blocks the other day, and it didn't phase the diva feet at all.

The lower pair, which is actually a gray croc pattern (I seriously need to work on that color thing), are about 2 1/2 years old, and have a slightly higher heel, but are otherwise very similar in design. They're called "Envy" and don't seem to be available, but there's something very close on Aerosol's site - The Cheerful in Grey Croco.

Seriously, they have a crisp look and are WAY comfy!

Sometimes, I'm feeling a bit more retro...




Despite my crappy photography, I can assure you that the top pair are black, and the second pair are more a deep maroon.

The black (I swear!) Mary Jane pair, called the Domino, is another slightly taller heel, but still very workable. These, I probably won't tromp around downtown in, but they do for a day at the office quite nicely.

The second pair, the T-straps - I own them in the "wine" color (I promise) and black. The Marine Corps are pretty much beyond all belief comfy. I think I could actually tromp all over O'Hare in these things without flinching (although I really hate that airport, so I'm not excited to test that theory).

And finally ... A little funky. Well, funky for me, anyhow.




THESE, of course, actually look the right color in the photo. It finally dawns on me, it was the backdrop I tried to use so that the other shoes wouldn't just blend into the dark wood of the old stand-up piano that threw the colors off the other shoes. Just disregard, please, my obvious technical inadequacies and LOOKIT THE PRETTIES.

(Pause)

Anyhoo, these shoes are called Head Role, and again, I have giggles. Currently on sale for about $40. While I typically wear them with pants, I do have a gray suit I also like them with.

So that's installment 1 of heels!

Yeah, I kinda really like shoes, so you'll see lots of shoe posts in the future still. :-) I mean, I still need to cover oxfords, flats, a couple of other specific brands, booties... I'm an addict, all right? Gah.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Boots - From Awesome to Embarrassing

So this weekend, since winter will be ending soon and they're about to go on sale - if they haven't already - I'm gonna hit boots.

Comfy footwear is very important to me and for me. I have arthritic feet, and a re-torn meniscus. Re-torn in September (I'm toughing it out this time) after surgery to repair it just last February (that's why I'm toughing it out this time), because that's how I roll. Or fall, rather. I also apparently have very high, delicate arches, so I can't wear anything for too long without some good arch support. The orthopedic surgeon who repaired my knee last February actually recommended I wear at least a slight heel at all times if I don't buy specifically arch-friendly shoes, because apparently, they're more likely to provide support. Have I verified this? Nope. But there's that unsubstantiated tidbit anyway. You're welcome.

Anyway, many kinds of shoes, I am willing to spend more money on because of my special snowflake, entitlement-happy, high maintenance diva feet. Most shoes and boots, it doesn't matter how much I weigh, I can still wear them, so it's more worth the investment to me.

If it's wide-calf boots, I just get a as comfy as I can still saying in a reasonable price point. Some wide-calf boots can be around $200, and I just don't want to go there.

I like boots, though. When it's freezing cold and I really want to wear a skirt but I don't want to tromp through snow in heels, I have knee-high heeled boots.

When it's casual Friday and I don't feel like wearing trouser jeans - because sometimes oxfords, heels, and flats (my typical trouser-jean go-to's) just aren't doing it for me some days - I do skinny jeans and knee-high boots.

Sometimes, despite my "looks" preference for oxfords or heels with trouser jeans or dress pants, I want just the comfort of a pair of ankle boots. (Although this, I don't do as often, because it's kinda dancing a line, particularly with the dress pants. But I cop to having done it one day when I knew I was going to spend the entire day in the building's basement doing a page-turn and I couldn't be bothered to be anything but comfortable. And don't ask me why I think that's a line to dance, it's just a gut feeling.)

But where am I getting these things?

The knee high boots in particular are fun (please read that word sarcastically) to find, because I'm a size 10.5 or 11 regular (not wide, amazingly, although I can pull off wide) with 17" calves at the widest point. There are a variety of places you can get wide-calf knee-highs, but I tend to like Avenue's. The calves are about right, the heels are solid and not too high, and the styles are fun without being completely out of reach price-wise. The width and length are slightly on the big side. A 10.5 would probably work better, but very few places actually carry a 10.5 so I don't hold that against them. Still, the 11s are quite comfy.

And now LOOKIT THE PRETTIES! (And warning, I have a weird buckle fixation, so that will be a recurring theme in my shoe selections.).


The first two pair work particularly well with skinny jeans and a tunic.

The the pair on the left have an flex panel (you can see it best on the second on in) on the inside that has just a bit more give, which is really nice in case the pants are bulkier than you anticipate. You can find them here, in a choice of three colors.

The ones in the center just look awesome with any top because of the coloring. And I like that the two-toned is flipped from the typical two-tone (most I've seen are black on the bottom with the cognac color on the band), and I don't typically like to be ... well ... typical. They don't have this exact boot anymore, but they have one very similar here. And, well, honestly I like the re-design better, but I'm cheap, so I guess I'll just deal with the heartbreak.

The ones on the end are usually my go-to's with skirts. I also have them in brown. I don't do it often at work, but if you wear a skirt suit or good skirt/blouse/sweater/jacket/whathaveya combo to work with boots, it should really have a bit more of a heel to kick the look up a notch. This is a heel, but not a teetering heel by any means. This particular style doesn't appear to be available anymore, but Avenue carries this one, which is very similar.


Now, on to ankle boots. Ankle boots (flat ones, anyway, but heeled ankle boots will end up in a different post or this one will be nine miles long) are a rarity at work. But like I said, they were great on "stuck in the basement" day. And dang, they're just so comfy. They're good for casual Friday's and weekends, right? Right, so I'm including them.




The ones on the left are from Bare Traps. At size 11 medium, these are so perfect they fit my foot like a glove. Seriously comfortable. The black appears to be gone, but you can still get them in brown and dark gray.

The ones on the right are Earth. And if the Bare Traps I just mentioned fit like a glove, these fit like a glove that was custom-made for me. I wish they were slightly dressier, but dang, they're still beautiful on the inside. Plus, they've got character. If I were wearing these out to the museum on a Saturday and ran into one of my company's VPs while wearing these, skinny jeans, and an Igigi tunic, I'd still be cool and credible. In my own head, anyway.

Now, I have snuck in other things at work before that may have been borderline, but depending on the audience...


Okay, cowboy boots. While only on casual Friday's, and while wearing boot cut jeans and a nice, tailored blazer and crisp blouse, I have worn cowboy boots to work before. They're comfortable, all right? Completely wonderfully comfortable. Plus think about it, I live in the Midwest. I love 'em, and any company executive who's ever noticed I'm wearing them has loved them. So what the heck? I wouldn't advise this, however, any further east than Indiana, heh. These boots are several years old and you can't find them anymore, but this pair is very similar in theme and versatility. . Comfortable enough, I get the slight heel, and they last for freakin' ever. I had one pair that, I kid you not, lasted 15 full, heavy-use years.

Finally, on other comfy, snow days, I will occasionally break out my pair of Borns. These are unobtrusive enough I've worn them with jeans and with dress pants, and comfortably kept my grip in icy parking lots. Again, comfort. I mean it's Born, right? Borns are so danged comfortable I could walk for miles. My exact pair doesn't seem to be available anymore, but these are darned close and ... dang, I like the new ones better here, too. Bah. I ought to stop looking for links, I'm bumming myself out.

................

All right. I seriously debated whether to post this last pic (and admission). For years, I was morally opposed to Uggs. Especially the whole "I'm gonna wear Uggs with shorts and yoga pants!" thing. I think over-rich, obnoxious middle schoolers at a school in our old neighborhood burned me out a few years ago.

Still, everyone said, "But they're so comfortable, you'll love them!" And I screamed back at them in my heart, "I DON'T CARE!!!!!!" while I debated exactly how much I liked these people. (Yes, I can be judge-y, you've been warned.)

Well, after much cajoling, I finally broke. And I begrudgingly admit, they're amazing. They're so beyond comfortable, they make me cry tears of "diva feet" joy. Am I ever going to wear them to work? No. Ah hell no. Am I likely to wear them out and about? On weekends, yes. In the evenings, yes. Lord help me, yes. And the great thing about the knit ones is, even with my abundant calves, I can pull them up to knee height.

/sigh

So yes, I broke. I bought two pair on sale last February, about the time I had knee surgery, and they were actually amazing and I could walk/hobble on crutches with them quite comfortably.


On the upside, older brands, like these, tend to go on sale more often. The pair on the left doesn't seem to be around anymore. However, you can find something similar to them here. The knit ones are actually still available in various colors here.

So yeah. There it is. My secret (almost unapologetic) shame.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

No Casual Friday. I Had to Adult.

Yeah, so I had this awesome blouse and trouser jean outfit I was going to wear today, but then I looked at my calendar last night, and realized I had an appointment that required serious, high-level adulting. Dang it.

So I full-on, mega-seriously adulted.

On the upside, it gave me a chance to extol the virtues of Simply Be a few days earlier than I'd planned!

Remember the rockin' British company I mentioned on January 24? Yeah, it does take a while to get delivery, but it is so very, very worth it!

Everything here is from Simply Be. Except the shoes. (Did I mention that Aerosol's A2 collection is cost efficient and extremely comfortable? I'll get more into that this weekend.)

The shirt is currently $9.50 off, down to $31.49 - the "Print Tie Neck Top." It's got a subtly elasticized (I'm calling that a word now if it wasn't before), hip-length hem, which is also very flattering with pants. It's a halter neck, but I don't take off my jacket when I wear it with suits. And it's soooooooooft. I like soft. With this, obviously, I tucked it into the skirt.

The skirt and jacket come from the Mix & Match selections in the career wear section. This is the short 25" blazer (28" also available, not to mention the "long line" jackets) with the 29" pencil skirt (25" also available), in navy blue. In theory, I could have also gotten matching pants. And a longer, matching jacket. And I could pair it with one of the gray or even bright pink blazers, or what have ya. I have a few pieces in several colors so I really can mix and match. But today, the maximum adult level kinda begged for matchy-matchy.

(Next week should only require medium adulting rather than full-force adulting, so I can play around with some of the mixing and matching as long as I don't revert to "LAZY - WEAR DRESS TODAY TO MITIGATE NEED FOR THOUGHT" too often.)

With a $37 skirt (well, rounded up), and $58 jacket (rounding again!), it's definitely budget friendly (plus shipping, of course). Jacket prices in particular can vary by about ten-ish dollars, depending on what length you go with.

But seriously ... REALLY great career stuff!

The sizes, with limited exception, tend to run pretty dead on, which is nice. I typically wear a 26, and the 26s in the career section fit great. I recommend, though, if you vary off to other sections and get something from the Joe Brown collection in particular, order a size up. The Joe Brown stuff tends to run a bit small.

Happy Friday!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Clearance Sales

Just a quick one today.

This suit is not available anymore, but it's more of an object lesson than a recommendation. A good object lesson, though.

This is an ASL Tahari suit I picked up from Macy's online clearance. Original price around $280, but I got it for just under $80.

That, my friends, is the magic of the clearance rack.

But you have to proceed with caution. Price cuts this deep often means there's a "no return" or "no refund" policy. I picked this up because I know how Tahari fits ME, I know what of theirs I can and can't wear (i.e., Pant suits no but skirt suits yes), so I knew that unless there was some kind of factory error I would do just fine.

I haven't always been so lucky. I remember once in particular, I took a chance on a wrap dress (something that typically works very well for me) in a brand I'd never purchased before. Thankfully, it was a cheaper one. But it gaped in some really awkward spots, and no amount of creative stitching made it better. I ended up good willing it, because it'd been a "so cheap you can't return it" purchase.

So I guess the point of this post is, if you have a certain style in a certain brand you know works well, hunt the clearance racks. Dillard's, Nordstrom's (Nordstrom Rack!), Macy's, Igigi, Kiyonna, Simply Be, all the online sites I mentioned in previous posts, they have great clearance sections and you can get some really great deals on stuff you love.

Just make sure you're sure about what you order. I don't recommend taking chances on unfamiliar styles and brands unless it's something dirt cheap you don't mind passing to good will later. There's often a REASON why it's on clearance. And if you get it at too deep of a discount, you won't be able to return it.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Let's Talk Peplum Tops

I love peplum tops. And again, thanks to my soul sister Laurel for suggesting them.

Peplum tops come in a variety of workable forms. They can often be nearly tunic-length, which is great for pants, so I have a nice bit of give over my round belly, but still some implied tailoring so I don't end up just looking like a walking tent. I also have some shorter peplums that looks awesome with skirts (too cold today for skirts, though, I learned from yesterday).

And they aren't always just a flounce at the waist. Some, like the one I picked today, can be very structured.

Unfortunately, I don't think this peplum top is available anymore. (UPDATE - I was wrong! Here it is!). I got it quite a while back from Simply Be, but it gives you an idea of what I mean. The peplum's an envelope style, and still looks very crisp. If I'd paired a shorter blouse with this jacket (one of the Simply Be. Well, probably not bad, but more than I'm comfortable with. If I'd gone with a tunic, it would have gotten too blocky and casual. But a nice, structured peplum got me where I wanted to be.

I also followed Laurel's advice and didn't go red with this black suit, because if I do that TOO much, I'm gonna come off like the Queen of Hearts. You can only yell "Off with their heads" so often before people begin wondering if you're serious.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

And Today's Mood - Lazy.

Yeah, I was completely and utterly lazy this morning. My solution for that - Dresses. Because then I don't have to expend any energy standing in the closet and trying to match stuff.

This dress is one of my favorites. This is the Delia in paisley from Igigi a couple of months ago. I think it's now in the sale rack on the site. I should have double checked, but yeah ... Lazy.

The only issue I had was that I've lost just enough weight that I'm dancing the bottom line of this size 26/28. Igigi tends to run slightly large. That said, I'm not sure how a 22/24 would fit. I think my solution is going to be to pull out the sewing machine and get re-acquainted with taking in clothes. Because I love this dress and I want it to last me as long as possible.

Regardless - I love this dress. It's a FAUX wrap so I don't have to worry so much about windy days. It's got enough character I don't need to spend time picking jewelry. It another unbelievably soft and lush fabric offering from the marvelous Igigi (le sigh).

I feel like I'm being incredibly lazy and comfy every time I wear it, but I also invariably get compliments.

My only regret today is that I didn't check the weather before I left the house. It was cold. Could have been colder, yes, but still cold enough to be a bit of a shock to the system.

Tomorrow, regardless of how lazy I am, I'm gonna have to go with pants.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Dress for Your Mood

And by that I mean, either dress for how you're feeling or dress for how you want to feel.

Today, I'm dressed for how I'm feeling. And I'm feeling a little sassy, hence the faux leather skirt and ruffles.

The jacket is a 6th & Lane piece I got from Lane Bryant about a year ago. I like jackets cut like this because it's somewhat tailored inwards. When I go for a blocker skirt, I like the top to be crisper and more form flattering.

The blouse is a fairly recent grab - The Ella Ruffle blouse from Igigi, which is actually currently in their sale rack for 40% off. Any time you can snag something from Igigi's sale racks, do it. The cuts and quality are amazing.

And the skirt - It's an Eloquii piece I actually forgot about, also currently on sale. It hangs a bit below my natural waist even though it's my size, but that's okay. With leather, I don't necessarily want a perfect fit, I want some give.

The shoes? From the A2 collection by Aerosol. I tell ya what, I have a (re)torn meniscus, as well as arthritis in both feet, and fibromyalgia to boot, but these things are so comfortable it's unreal. I love finding good shoes and will extol their virtues to the world.

Finally, I wouldn't typically put something at the neckline of a blouse that already had a lot going on, but on Igigi, the model had a chunky necklace with this blouse. I tried it, and noted that it really does break things up a bit. And while you can't see the color so much, there's hints of pink in the statement necklace ($15 at Target, you guys!) that brings a mild bit of color to the outfit.

Overall, it's a little saucy, but still something I wouldn't be embarrassed to get called in front of the Board of Directors wearing. (Thanks to my best friend Laurel for reminding me to always bear this last bit in mind.)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

General Tips

All right. Here are some general tips I've learned along the way. As I figure out more ins and out, you betcha I'll post them.

This mostly applies to people in the size 26-28 range. I also should be up front - after finally reaching peace with my body and my self, and becoming the badass I always wanted to be, of course I started losing weight (I credit that to also finally finding specialty doctors who listen to me). I'm down a little over 20 pounds since last summer. That's fine - even at my thinnest, when I'm so skinny my shoulder blades feel like they're cutting through my skin when I lie down, I'm still a size 12. It's just how I'm built. And even then, I bought my bras from Lane Bryant because nowhere else fit as well. So even if this weight loss sticks, I'm still going to have a lot to say here.

"Plus size" shops usually start at size 12, after all.

But for now - Good work clothes in sizes 26 - 28 are particularly hard to find. Yet I've had some danged good successes. Some of these sites also go to 30 - 32, so take heart.

I also want to note again my height, and a couple of other factors that go into these being my favorite. I'm 5'9" so I tend to try to find places that realize big girls can also be tall girls. And long-armed girls.

I also have a waistline, unusual for my size. And dammit, if I'm blessed with the great genetics (thanks, Mom and Dad!) to have a waist line at this weight, I want it acknowledged!

So here are the places that have really come through for my particular type. And photos of outfits from all of them will come as I get through my work weeks ahead.

Igigi - Holy cow, guys, if you want retro, classic dresses, blouses, and suits, this place is completely amazing! I've picked up some really classic looks there. Classic work blouses, empire waist dresses, I feel like a queen, I tells ya! Plus, they often tend to run slightly large, which is admittedly ego-boosting. I could pull off a 24, but for combined sizes, I tend to go 26/28. When they go on sale, I hoard.

Kiyonna - Again, this place is amazing! I have a lot of the blouses, various iterations of the Bellini, I wore a maxi dress when I performed at the Lincoln Center as part of a 300-person choir (I can die happy now), but my absolutely favorite? The wrap dresses. Oh, the glorious wrap dresses! I cannot express enough my joy at the wrap dresses! SEE? I DO HAVE A WAISTLINE!!!! 4X covers my sizing needs perfectly. Again - when they go on sale, I hoard.

Simply Be - British imports, just like my husband! :-)
I could live in the Suits and Career section of that website. A 26 fits absolutely perfectly. The cuts are very tailored and classic. I particularly like pairing the Mix & Match blazer (usually 28 inch) with the Mix & Match 28 inch pencil skirts. I've also picked up quite a few nice blouses, and casual skater tunics. This last fall, I fell in love with, and caved in to purchase, a gorgeous trench coat. I get compliments on it every single time. Items ordered here take a while to ship because - imported! - but the clothes are so very, very worth the wait!

I mentioned Lane Bryant third mostly because everyone knows about Lane Bryant. But I've also got some great suits, sweaters, blazers, and blouses there. And I love, of course, that they sell their Lena line in tall sizes, hooray! Lane Bryant also tends be my go-to for winter coats.

Torrid - Ah, I love my Torrid! I get some of my edgier pieces there. I've gotten some really kick-butt Blazers there, like a two-tone cobalt blue and black, mid-line zipper jacket. It loves me, and I love it. I also am completely in love with the Jetsetter pants (I own at least three pair) and - again! - TALL SIZES! I also love, love, love many of their empire-waisted blouses for casual weekends.

Avenue - Love the leggings and jeggings. They aren't your standard lightweight leggings. These things are pants in everything but name, and make my weekends (and when I'm wearing knee-high boots, my casual Fridays) comfy as all get out. I also rely on them for my knee-high boots. The calf width is so amazingly perfect, the heels are not to high and wonderfully stable, and very stylish. I also love their leather Blazers. There is something about the leather Blazers I can't explain, but they're amazing and I feel like quite the badass in them. Well, I AM a badass, but these jackets let me display it to the world.

Eloquii - I only recently learned that Eloquii expanded its size range, so I'm still experimenting here. I recently picked up a nice, crisp, white blouse with a series of pleats around the midline, and it looked quite sharp. I'll keep experimenting and let you all know.

Ashley Stewart - Here, I focus in on the faux suede Blazers. The cut for the Blazers is just beautiful, and unlike anything you'll see anywhere else.

Tahari - While I can't really pull off the pant suits, Tahari skirt suits fit really well. Tahari stops at a size 24, but they must be either cut big, or that waistline (bless you, waistline), lets me get away with them. Classic, tailored cuts, I love you!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Casual Sunday

Igigi - Erika top in Floral Print.
I loved it so much, I talked my mom into buying one, too. This material just drapes so beautifully and feels sumptuously, indulgently soft.

I'll start work-wear photos during the week. But there are casual Friday's, too, right? So this kind of counts. Although admittedly, I would usually wear boot cut or trouser jeans for my casual Fridays, and often a blazer, cause that's how I roll. Still, I'm not a "sweatpants" type on weekends. Unless I'm not planning to leave the house. It's fine if anyone rolls that way, it's just not me.

I paired it with earrings, but I left the neckline plain. I like the general rule - whose was, it, Coco Chanel's? - that you look in the mirror and remove one accessory before you leave the house. It's a great way for me to keep from overdoing it, especially at work. In this case, the blouse is awesome enough in its own right, with the deep green and the floral pattern, that putting a necklace on also would just be too much.

Paired with jeggings from avenue.com and Earth ankle boots. Hopefully I'm not deluded, but I feel like I still look put together, but I am so incredibly comfortable, it's beautiful.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

And so it begins...

You know what used to suck about being an overweight professional? Well, an overweight anyone? The clothes. I used to feel like I had to wear bags and hide myself from the world.

You know what doesn't suck nowadays? The clothes. Let's face it - I'm 5'9" (used to be 5'10", but getting old sometimes sucks), I have killer cheekbones, a full mouth, dark eyes ... Even when I wasn't overweight, I stood out in a room.

But now ... Now I work with it. When I enter a room, for better or worse, I'm going to get attention. I'm going to get that attention for the better, dammit.

And apparently it's working. I get asked all the time where I shop. I had to work hard to figure out the best places to get what I needed, so I tell people often, tell them the lessons I've learned, tell them what to look for where.

I figured if I'm going to do it anyway, I may as well do it for as many people as possible.

So here it is, my inaugural post on The Plus Professional.

And I'm going to start this out with a a celebration. Today, my husband and I went to a formal wedding. This is the kind of thing that used to make me panic. But not this time. This time, I went to my two go-to sites for fabulous dresses. And Kiyonna had exactly what I was looking for. The Mademoiselle, size 4X, in cobalt blue.

Gads, I felt so gorgeous today! I paired it with nude Anne Klein flex ankle-strap shoes and Swarovski Crystal jewelry. Just added my lovely husband to my arm, and I was ready to go.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad