Date Day!

Last Wednesday, in honor of our 11th anniversary, John and I went on a day-long date. It was nearly a week late, but we got there. :-)

And I just wanted to dress up. I don't get an opportunity often to dress up in a non-business-related context. We went antiquing in the morning, had a nice lunch, then went to see Batman v. Superman.*

So this is what I did.




Michael Kors dress from Nordstom Rack. (Because why pay full price? Seriously unnecessary.) Plus a clearance silver/gold knot necklace, and my 3-year-old (and still perfect) neutral Cole Haan wedges! I felt awesome.

Here's a milestone for me, too. The dress was shorter than I would usually go. I generally like hitting at or slightly below the knee. This was close to 2 inches above the knee. And the world didn't crumble to the tears from glimpsing a slight bit of my thigh. It was incredibly affirming to someone who has always hated her legs.

Now, as promised in my last post, the hair. I didn't just perm in the 80s because everyone did. I permed because my hair doesn't typically do a damned thing without 9 pounds of product Otherwise. I have extremely fine (and completely straight) hair, but a crap-ton of it. Guess what that ultimate effect that has! I used to be grateful for static because it at least gave my hair some lift!

But it ain't the 80s anymore, and I now know that I personally look ridiculous with big-ass pageant hair, so that's no longer an option. It works fine many people, but I ain't one.

I found a gadget online, though, that actually gives my hair, I repeat my hair, a nice, long-lasting curl. I present to you, the Miracurl! There are some similar items that don't get reviews as positive (based on my internet research), but this is the one I ordered, and it worked well for me. Because look at it! (And while you're looking at it, please ignore all of the white hair in my eyebrows, and we'll pretend the ones at my temples are just the sunlight coming in through the window.)




It ended up lasting three full freaking days, and may have lasted longer, but I couldn't stand not washing it anymore.

Anyway, that's all for now, and thanks for your patience between posts.


*Because we're geeks, in case no one had noticed yet, and indiscriminate between Marvel and DC. Our last date was to Deadpool, I've thoroughly enjoyed all Avengers-related properties, and I am deciding whether I'm going to Wonder Woman opening night or waiting until the crowds die down so I can enjoy it in relative peace. I grew up on comics, okay? Tons and tons of comics. Probably literally. We had bushel-boxes full of them everywhere. I grew up with the best parents.

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Interview Series - Part 3 - the Phone Screen

So as you know, I'm pretty diligent on virtual interviews (see part 2). Well, I even get dressed up for phone screens. Not as much, but I do. I still want to feel awesome. I am doing a psychological trick on myself here. If I dress up, I feel good, and if I feel good, I sound better on the phone.

So this is what I did.





I really, really enjoy this blouse from Eloquii. You can find it (on sale!) here.

For the type of job I applied for, I wanted to sound polished, yet personable and approachable. So I costumed up.

By the way, the hair? I finally found something that actually curls my uncurlable hair! That's DAY 2 CURLE, PEOPLE! That's unheard of for my stick-straight, "9 pounds of product just to get it not to stick straight to my face" hair! I'll post about it in my next post, so you can see Day 1.


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Interview Series - Part 2 - Giant Floating Head

*Quick Note - So, when I'm doing this interview series, I'm only hitting fashion prep. Obviously, there's a helluva lot more prep you need to do. For example, know your company, know the culture, know the job expectations, and if possible, know about the folks on the interview team. If you feel the company is worth working for, then you should feel the company is worth researching. Otherwise, what are you even doing applying?

Now, back to the fun stuff.

Today's interview was pretty cool. It was a virtual interview done via webcam!

"Awesome!" you might think. "I only have to nice nice from the waist up, sweatpants, here I come!" you might think.

Yeah, don't do that. You'll just feel more confident and professional (in my opinion) if you treat it like you're right there in person, and do you really want to feel like you're doing an interview in stained pants and bunny slippers? Didn't think so.

I wanted to feel like a badass today. But a socially acceptable badass. So I went with a navy pantsuit with some cool detailing, a soft yellow tank, and some subtle, but still distinctive, jewelry. The suit, by the way, is from Eloquii, and I link to the pieces below. Currently, these pieces are even on sale with a discount code. The tank is very old and unsinkable, but pretty easy to replicate because of its simplicity.




I wish the detail on these pants showed up better. But they're basically sailor pants! Wide legged, cool buttons on the hips. I swear, I never ever tuck shirts into pants (round protruding belly fears), but these trousers make it look good!

And the cool double breasted jacket? It's tailored just perfectly to go with the more wide-legs on the pants. It may be double breasted, but it doesn't button shut, and that's okay. I don't want to look stuffy today.

They're not in the picture, but I even wore heels. They're an integral part of my "badass warrior" costume, after all.

So that's a lot of detail, considering that with the small square webcam screen, I don't know that the interview panel even saw this much:




I think I was just a giant floating head. But I have a huge bobble head anyway, so maybe this will best prepare them for the overwhelming cranial presence I'd bring to the job. (Seriously - I have to special order hats.)

And by the way, I did not cock my head that way during the interview. That's just for the purposes of "look at my earrings!" For jewelry, I went with a simply Y necklace, which latches by actually passing the bar through the circle. I paired it with small drop earrings, with a silver circle on the top and gold on the bottom. Just close enough without being obsessively "matchy." While not pictured, I had my wedding and anniversary bands on, as well as my kids' birthstone rings stacked with a posey ring with an inspirational saying.

I also wore more makeup than usual. I don't typically wear eyeliner, and I've got far more mascara on than usual, as well as more foundation and a darker lipstick. But It doesn't look severe, does it? Since the camera tones it all down, I ended up doing much more makeup for this than I ever would in person. Although I just realized, I should have covered the rash on my neck better. Dammit. Ah well.

Now do I care that the interview panel saw, at most, a headshot, even though I got all dressed up? No, I don't care. I dressed the way I needed in order to feel (and therefore, more likely perform) like my best and most confident self, which meant going full armor. And that's the point.

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Interview Series - Part 1

So let's start this bluntly. Interviewing always makes me nervous because I worry that the first thing people will see when they meet me is my size. I won't belabor that, though. If you want to see what feeds that nervousness and why I respond through fashion, read this older post. My point is, when I'm meeting people for the first - or very important - time, I want them to notice not my size, but my presence.

Most of the time, folks will pick a standard "uniform" for an interview - dark colored suit, neutral top, small earrings, small pendant. And there is nothing in the world wrong with that. It's just not what I personally am every day (Neutral? Me? Hahahahaha!); I feel dishonest being that low-key.

So when I interview, I do my best to play to the tenor of the potential employer, but still put my own spin on it. Last week's interview was with a wonderful, established law firm with a solid reputation. Now was not the time for "funky" or "quirky." Now was the time for upstanding and traditional. Still, I wanted my spin on it.

Now, please forgive the photography. I was out of town and taking this picture in the hotel mirror. I did not have access to my normal photographer (a/k/a my teenaged daughter).




I think it hit the blend pretty well on the head here.

What's solid and traditional? It's a black 3-button black suit (my lovely Tahari brand again!), neutral nails, and low-heeled, un-fussy Aerosoles.

What's my spin on it? First, it's 3/4 sleeves with shiny gold buttons (I think I'm part magpie). And hopefully you can see this, the very end of the pencil skirt is lined with about 4-inches of pleating. It's subtle but distinctive. I also didn't do a white or cream top. Instead, I went with something that, in person, is actually more the color tone of the necklace I'm wearing. As for that statement necklace, I obviously chose not to do a simple, quiet pendant. But so it wouldn't be overwhelming, I wore one that wouldn't be thicker than a double-strand of pearls, and I matched it to the top (I swear, the photo is skewing the color).

I think it was an overall nice balance of playing to the audience but letting my personality out. I'm happy with the effect.

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About to Get Back in the Swing

I promise, more will be coming later, but I have to point out a couple of sales going on right now! 

First, Aerosole's! Their pumps and heels are on sale! I own Domino, Head Role, Starring Role, and Marine Corps, and they're awesome. I'm considering Ardent next.

Also, Igigi is currently doing 50% off the sale rack and last chance sections. I own the Gianna blouse in houndstooth, the Erika blouse in floral print, and the Eden pants in white. I can personally vouch for all of them. I also have a friend who bought the Madelyn dress in teal blue rose, and it looks fabulous on her!

Finally, Kiyonna is doing 20% off, with no minimum order. I can vouch for the flirty flounce wrap dress (oh, who's that in the customer pic section? That's ME from this summer!), the essential wrap dress (travels very well and looks very polished), the Ciara cinch dress, the Mademoiselle lace dress, the Feminine Frills lace top, the Femme Fatale faux wrap, and the Caycee twist top (one of my favorites for weekends and casual days). And if you have something formal, the friend I referenced in the last paragraph also bought the Screen Siren lace gown, and holy cow, it's stunning on her!

More to come! I'm going to hit y'all with some thoughts I've had with the election, with technology, and with stereotyping. Because I occasionally soap box.

I'm also going to do an "interview" series. Hopefully lots of posts on that one. :-)

Later, folks! Possibly even later today, but had to point out the sales first!