White Out

As I was cleaning out my closet, I noticed that I still had a ton of white outfits that I had yet to wear this summer. I was excited to find this white eyelet skirt.  The nice flowing hemline hit me right below the knee, it was right on target for where the hemlines seem to be trending for fall.  So I pulled all of the white out of my closet and put it onto my must wear list. After a gloomy week, the world could use some brightening up.

I mean really, after an earthquake and a hurricane, is someone is trying to tell the east coast something? So today instead of doning a gloomy grey, as I sometimes do after a storm, I responded to the earth’s call with a bright pop of white and a bold splash of color. So pull out your white pieces ladies and give them one last hoorah!!! 

Get this look:

Skirt: Claudia Richard from Ross Shirt: Wet Seal Peep Toe Shoes: Rampage

Necklace: Claires Earrings: Swarovski

 

My Steve Madden earth quake bag, it might have saved my life (or made it a little easier)

After the earth shook and confusion grew, we had to decide what to do. So after confirming that my husband and children were safe, I began existing the building. Hundreds of people filled the streets with not understanding of what was to come. The quake itself wasn’t bad it was the fear of uncertainly that seemed to be moving the crowd. I work in a historic neighborhood that is unprepared for a shock of this magnitude.

So having a little foresight I prepared my Marc Jacob earthquake bag.  Normally this would be just a fabulously accessory, but today if things had gotten worst I would have been prepared. Thank you mark Jacob for having the foresight to make such a fabulously large tote with reinforced handles.  This is one the time where fashion can save your life. I used my live saving fashion accessory of the day and packet into it my:

• Laptop, just in case the need or opportunity to telecommute would arise in the aftermath.
• Water jug, it carries about 32 ounces, which is great because they say people can go without food for 30 day but only 3 without water.  Not like I expected to be outside forever, but it was hot outside and who knew when they would clear the building for reentry.
• Food, I grabbed a few of my 90 calorie Fiber One Bars and a few bag of pretzel s just in case.  They say to avoid bringing sweet items because they could make you thirsty
• Cash, I grabbed my purse, and thanks to my husband I carry emergency cash because you never know the technology impacts that an emergency light have
• Change of shoes and clothes, thank god for gym clothes! I had a comfy pair of Nike sneaks and a hot pink work out gear just in case I needed to do a quick change like Super Women. They closed the main bridge into the city and the metro, so that would have been a great option if I would have had to walk out of the city.  I loved my gold Rampage peep toes but they would have been no good on a hike
• Phone and charger, the phone lines were dead or busy however I remember form my safety experiences that the internet and cable lines are sometimes working. So I was able to text my family local and long distance to let them now I was ok. I also was able to text my carpool so that we could devise and exit plan. My phone also has a radio so I had my head phones just in case.
• Camera, I am a blogger so had my trusty camera and my camera phone, which I did use to take ea few pics of the environment-Makeup Bag, another Marc Jacob genius idea. I had tissues; sanitizer, emergency make-up kit and hair products (for the occasional fly always and photo ops) and more So carry a fabulous bag that can pull the double duty of looking good and making your life easier right and you just might be a little more prepared for an emergency.

If you are looking for a SteveMadden Tote like mine, this was the Steve Madden Candied Coated tote, it comes in a ton of colors and is selling on sale for $98 at Nordstoms. I smiled when I saw this because I picked this up at Marshalls for $59.00.  If you are in to Steve Madden bags like I am, check out there Steve Madden store online. Their clearance section is having a 50% off already reduce items putting most items under $30. I scoped out a cute black sanp belt that was $38 now it is $7.

Stay safe and stay fashionable!

Time to Celebrate

Today, we celebrate the anniversary of a great milestone for women’s equality in our nation’s history. As a women and a mother, I find it alarming that women who work full-time earn, on average, only $0.78 for every dollar men earn.  That is why Suite Life is here to support women in their efforts to look the part as they rise above these egregious restrictions. We will someday soon attain a level of pay that fully reflects the scale of our efforts and until then we will remain fashionably chic while forging the way. So even as we take time to mark past progress, we must remember that we have more work to do.

Lets also take a minute to reflect on the fashionable women of today that have and are still fighting for women's rights:

Jacki Kennedy- Jackie was a fashion icon, a debutant and a class act. Her fashion sensibility will forever blaze the way for women in politics.

Dorothy Ann Richards- She has been feisty since high school, excelling I debate. Her wit, strong will and personality is what got her to become a U.S. politician as the former governor of Texas. She has fought for women's and minority rights and worked to bring more women and minorities into power.

Dr. Dorothy I. Height fought against race and gender prejudice her whole life – starting from the age of 12, when Dorothy demanded to speak to the manager after being denied entrance to a swimming pool because of the color of her skin. Height played a major role in helping shape the YWCA’s focus on racial and social justice issues. 

Nancy Pelosi- Chic, strong and in command. This House speaker does not play around when it comes to this country or with fashion.

Alyce Faye Wattleton, beautiful, poised and driven became both the youngest person and the first African American president of the Planned Parenthood. Wattleton was the first African American woman honored by the Congressional Black Caucus. She was cited for her work on women’s reproductive rights issues Federation of America and remanded fashionable the entry time. You go girl.

Hilary Clinton- She is smart, tough, and ran the closet presidential race ever for a women candidate, and then still secured a high-power job in the administration. Her fashion has evolved over time and we like it. She handled herself well under pressure when she did not let America see her pain and but ended up using it to build character and win our affection! Smart cookie!

Michelle Obama- I am women hear me roar! Let’s face it, she's fierce -- strong, poised, and articulate, and educated. She could be the next female candidate for president and based on her ability to stay true to her own personal style under extreme circumstances and pressure, she would have my vote!

And soon we will  have our pictures listed here because we are now fighting for women's rights every day!! So stay strong, stay proud, stay fashionable and use your voice!

All shook up!

The day started off fantastic in Washington DC where I work. I was dresses in my white power suit by LeSuit, and felt ready to take on the world.  White suits are hot right now, so I have no idea why it took me so long to wear it. Dressed in my suit I felt focused and in control.  I killed in my first meeting and I was pumping out some really fantastic work, when I was reminded that we needed to head downstairs for our office photo. Before the elevator door even shut, I was overwhelmed with the positive responses to my outfit from both males and female, I heard, "angelic", "powerful," and "in control". People were asking me things like “where are you going”, “what was the occasion” and “what projects am I working on”.  All of the attention was great because I felt all of those things and I was really excited to attend a meeting I had  scheduled for that afternoon, so went back to my desk and I began to prepare for it. 

 Just as I began to lose myself in the work, the world moved and not in a good way! The building began to shake and not just a little. Things began to fall of the desk, walls began to move and people started to screech. It felt like a metro train had just rushed through my office, and I found myself questioning what could possibly make the strong building that I was in, shake like that and for that long? Speculations on my floor began to roll, "Oh my God, was it an accident, an earthquake or maybe a bomb?" I went to console a coworker and mentioned that it felt like an earthquake. She was worried but seemed relieves from her initial concern. I was one of the lucky people who immediately got in touch with my husband and then he called the kids. Thank god we were ok but just a little shook up. The internet and the TV conformed it was an earthquake, then all of the phones went dead and we were evacuated from the building. Wow, the number of people in the streets was astounding! People were confused and without the ability to communicate slightly concerned. However in times like these you get to really see something beautiful, people come together and start discussions with people they would never have otherwise started a conversation with before.

 Also all the cities fashionista’s were forced to the streets and I saw some great outfits and I got some great comments on my gold Rampage peep toe shoes that I picked up from ROSS. The building was deemed safe and we were allowed to go home. That is when the ciaos started. The street lights were out, the bridges were closed and traffic was crazy! So I met up with my friend from the West Coast and having experience with earthquakes, she was un-phased, what really upset her was the traffic, so after faring in the gridlock for a while we pulled over got something to eat and got a mani-pedi. It was a great idea! There is no need to look horrible in a horrible situation. It was relaxing and by time we finished the traffic had lighted up and we were able to make it home safe and sound. So after all of that I still felt great, just a little shook up.

Mixing it up

I was looking through my closet this weekend, preparing my clothes for next week  (I try to do when I am feeling organized) when I suddenly realized that summer is almost over. Can you believe it? I mean where did it go? As I ran my fingers across the fabric of all of the divine designs that I hide in there, I realized that I only have a few weeks to wear to some of my summer pieces. So it was time to get creative and MIX IT UP.  I grabbed a few of my summer sleeveless dresses and paired them with things I haven’t worn with before. My office is always chilly so this suit jacket came in handy today!

The result was fabulous. I really felt great in this outfit!  I pulled back my hair with my trusty Conair bun-maker, that I blogged about last week and I got a chance to wear my grandmothers vintage pearl necklace, which I try to wear whenever I can. Gotta love grandmothers! I am very blessed to have a trendy one.  For holidays I can happily report that I get pearls or jewlery of some kind, verse a green, orange and blue christmas sweater. Ok, back to my outfit.  I really liked that the tops bright pop of color really made me feel quirky.  So dont be afraid to pull out a bright top and pair it with a textured peice. I lucked out when I purchased this jacket at Kohl's, this brown belt came with the jacket.

The bottom of this BeBop dress is navy but it seemed to pair great with my belted brown, textured suit jacket. I has so happy when I picked this dress up from Ross. It was only $15 bucks and I really needed to infuse some color into my wardrobe.  Blue and brown, who knew? Thank you Kohl’s!

Designer remake

Totally inspired and dedicated to putting Oscar's collection elements into action. I pulled a few key colors from the line and here we are. I was most inspired by the neautral color outfits with a pop of red. It was a pairing I normally would not of thought of, but I like it.  I knew this clearance sweater from Ann Taylor that I picked up from the outlet during their 40% off sale for $19.99, would come in handy.

How does the song go?I feel pretty, ohh so pretty…. I am looking to see what aoutfits you pull together with Oscar de la Renta's Spring collection in mind.

Shop the Look:

Skirt-Le Suit from Marshalls, Cami-New York & Company, Sweater-Ann Taylor, Heels-Shooze from Mom & Pop shop in DC, Red belt-Ross

Oscar worthy hair

Clothing is not the only inspiring thing on the runway. In Oscar de la Renta’s show the girls sported a chic pulled back up-do.  This look is not only work appropriate but fabulously polished.  This bun look can be created inexpensively without an enormous amount of effort.  I just picked up the Conair bun maker for CVS for about $5, because many of us do not have full enough hair to pull this look off. There are also many Youtube videos guiding the hair challenged like myself along the way. I have atteched one for your viewing at the bottom of this post. Thank God for YouTube!

If you don’t have enough hair to cover the foam piece like the one listed below or you haven’t picked one up yet, don’t fret. You can still achieve the look by doing the following steps:

- Parting your hair right down the middle

-Pull it to the back and secure it in the back with a few bobby pins or a rubber band

-Smooth out your hair with your favorite styling product and whala!

 I did not feel like the whole bun thing so I modified the look by following the same steps but only securing  a few pieces of my hair in the back.  By sporting the distinctive center part and the sleek pulled back sides, I was still able to achieve Oscar worthy hair. Try it out, and let me know how it has worked for you. Below is the YouTube tutorial for your review. Don’t forget to upload a few moble pics of your Oscar worthy up-do to the Suite Life facebook page.  Here is mine, I hope you like it!  

Designer Inspiration: Oscar de la Renta

As my last post suggests I am looking for inspiration, so who better to look to then those who do it best: the designers.  It is through their vision and magic, that our minds and wardrobes are truly transformed.  I rarely ever walk away from a runway or after viewing a collection feeling uninspired, so today I draw inspiration from one of the greats: Oscar de la Renta, he is a world renowned designer, known across the globe.  His collections project class, impeccable taste and a global perspective.  Lucky for us, he is local, being an American citizen and all, so we get the pleasure of calling him one of America’s Top Designers.  This season his line was wonderfully feminine and wearable, with soft fabrics and contrasting accents.  I will definitely being thinking of this line as I pull my looks together for the rest of the summer.  Here are a few inspirational looks from his Spring/Summer 2011 collection.      

Tip from the Street: Reb’l Fleur from Rihanna is intoxicating

Tip from the Street:  Reb’l Fleur is intoxicating

Check out Rihanna, new Reb’l fleur perfume. Its intoxicating fragrance reminds you of the Caribbean with ripe fruits and sumptuous florals, as well as a musky mix of vanilla, patchouli and amber. Reb’l Fleur launched in February and is priced at $49 for a 1.7 oz. bottle.

Anthropologie sale

Anthropologie is having a sale!!! I love their dresses but they are usually out of the savvy buyers price range. However I have checked and they have some nice, affordable and versatile pieces. Check them out:

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/category.jsp?id=SHOPSALE-DRESSES2&pushId=SHOPSALE-DRESSES2&popId=SHOPSALE&navAction=&navCount=18&startValue=1&sortView=true&sortby=price

Gull Wing Dress

$49.95 was $168.00

Kumo Leaf Dress

$59.95 was $118.00

Whirligig Dress

$69.95 was $138.00

Wildflower Foxtrot Dress

$69.95 was $128.00

Afterlight Dress

$79.95 was $148.00

Let us know if you find a great deal!!!!

I want to be inspired

I am dying to see fashion inspiration on the streets.  I am a commuter and have the lucky advantage of traveling through 3 different states on any given day.  So, I have many opportunities to see what people are wearing, however I remain uninspired.   Believe me, I am looking everyday to see someone work an outfit so well that I can’t wait to get home and mimic the fabulousness.  However, day by day, cityscape to suburbia, I end up home uninspired.  Don’t get me wrong, I am a lover of fashion, so I deeply enjoy the cohesive ensembles and sometimes noteworthy fashions of the fabulous women on the east coast, but I am looking for the “Wow Factor”.  Career wear does not have to be boring to be appropriate,  so I am on a personal search to find one person a month from the streets that truly inspires me to search deep in my closet or in my pocket book to switch it up and try something new.   You could be the inspiration I am looking for, so please post your career smart, brazen ensembles to the Suite Life face book page and inspire the nations workforce. 

Inspiration Station: 4 Updated Ways to Wear a White Suit

Light headed and still shopping

Every so often you make a trip to check something off your to-do list and you end up finding yourself shopping. How does that even happen? I must admit that it happens to me quite often and I like it! It is always rejuvenating to me to shop when you have nowhere to be a nothing to do. Let's be honest, what in the world is better to do then walking through ailses of prints, colors and textured master peices, especially when you have money in your budget and and the clothes are affordable. O Yeah, I love it! So after a trip to get my blood drawn, I found myself a little light headed and ended up in a local shopiing mall. I spotted a Ross that I had never visited and it was calling my name so I had to go in. I am happy to report that it was fabulous and I lucked up on some yummy peices. I am always on the look out for great peices to increase my career smart wardrobe, so I was so happy to come across this Karen Stevens Houndstooth Sheath Dress with a great little pleat detail. I felt sweeped away in the retro feel of it and for a steal of $14.99.

I may have lost a little blood but I gained a fabulous addition to my wardrobe!

The Rundown
Dress Karen Stevens Sheath from Ross Heels Spicy from DC shop Earrings Thifted
Bag Coach via outlet