Tag Archives: ootd

work it

outfit1_MG_0488

I’m going on week three back at the office, which means week three of high heels and pencil skirts. Lucky for me, that’s one of my favorite combinations. My top and shoes are from Target, Skirt from Zara. Bag is good for airplane rides.

For me, this combo of a plain top, professional skirt and high heels is a quick and easy uniform for days when I’m not feeling that creative or awake. When I wake up late and am rushed, I know this will look put together and polished. And the best part is, there are endless combinations. Whether it’s a forest green skirt, cream top and leopard heels like this look, or a black skirt, black top and orange heels, like the look I wore yesterday. The silhouette works on me and is professional, so I can play around with the colors and patterns.

a little neon

Sometimes, in the dead of winter when I’m dreaming of beach vacation, it helps me to wear a little pop of color. Or, well, a lot.

neon office look

Dress from H&M, sweater from Uniqlo (and inspired by my friend Anna who had a cardigan in a similar color that I was obsessed with), Hue tights and shoes from Penneys. Belt is one that came with another skirt.

Wearing bright colors in winter was one part an effort to pretend I didn’t have a cold, one part a way to convince me it was warmer than it actually was, and one part just plain fun. Try it! It’s a guaranteed pick-me-up on gray days. When you’re ready to ditch work and head to fun, dress it up a little differently. Like this.

neon casual

I undid the belt, threw on some leopard flats from Target and donned a silk scarf as a headband. When it warms up I’ll ditch the tights and the sweater and have a whole new look. Don’t let anyone tell you that a hot pink dress isn’t versatile.

back to work

back to work outfit

I went back to my office last week for the first time since Hurricane Sandy. It was like the Twilight Zone. I had notes on my desk about reports we did three months ago. My calendar was open to October. I found a box of pop tarts in my drawer–they were still good.

I tend to wear more skirts than pants, but I felt good in this outfit. Pants from the Gap, shoes from Target, blazer from Penneys, top from the Loft. I like how the polka dots in the shirt pick up the same colors as the leopard print in my shoes. It gave me just enough pep in my step as I walked around the office for the first time in almost four months.

cold weather gear

look of the day

As you might have heard, the Northeast got quite a blizzard last weekend. New York got some snow but definitely not as much as other places. I spent most of the weekend inside and crafting, but when I did run out, I made sure I was bundled up and waterproof. Mostly.

I’m wearing rain boots from Banana Republic, and a coat and scarf from Penneys. The rest is basic leggings, black top, black skirt from an assortment of places, none of which I can remember. I stayed warm and my feet stayed dry.

Have a great long weekend if you have one! I’m heading out of town, so I’ll see you Tuesday.

work-from-home outfit

Since Hurricane Sandy, my regular office has been out of commission. We’ve been rotating between a few of my company’s other offices and working from home. So my professional work outfits have transitioned into comfortable work-from-home outfits. Like this one:

at home

I’m wearing a large tunic sweatshirt thing and leggings from I can’t remember where, a scarf from Penneys, and a puffy vest from the Gap a few years ago. Yes, I am wearing leggings as pants. And yes, it is awesome. This is a far cry from the professional self I like to portray at my office, but who wants to wear pantyhose if you don’t have to?

Working from home was sort tricky for me to get used to, but now I think I’ve got a pretty good thing going. Here’s my desk.

desk_MG_0403

I have a few guidelines that work for me and my job, which will be different, I imagine, for everyone else.

  • I must get up. I can’t work from bed. I know this. I like to have a designated space to work, so when I sit there I’m ready to work, and when I leave there I can switch to playing. 
  • Mute the TV (most of the time). I have a lot of articles coming to me at once sometimes, and I need to focus on what I’m doing. For me, that usually means silence in my apartment. Which is actually a nice change from offices that can get noisy.
  • Have a start and end time. Because other people rely on me to be available at certain times, it’s easier to have a very clear start and end time. Sure there are times I will need to work late, but I generally keep regular office hours. This makes it a lot easier to turn off my computer at the end of the day and focus on home-work after work-work, even though I’m in the same place.
  • Make sure #fatcat gets attention. Because if he doesn’t, he jumps onto my desk in the middle of the day and plays with the mouse. My computer mouse.

I think we may get to go back into our building in the next few weeks, but if I keep working from home or need to again, I’ll be prepared. Even if I look less professional than normal.

Do you guys work from home? What are your tricks?

new year, new polka dot blouse

I spent the weekend nursing a cold, so today (as part of my ongoing #thankful list) I’m thankful for cough drops and hot tea. And excellent TV. (I spent the whole weekend watching Homeland, and I don’t regret a second of it.)

patterns

But what better way to pick yourself up and feel better than to throw on some of your favorite patterns? Never heard that cold cure before? Trust me on it. Polka dot blouse from The Loft (I’m pretty sure), bag from the Brooklyn Flea, leopard shoes from Target. Skirt from my mom (I think she got it from JC Penney). Watch is also from Target, in the boys section.

For a lot of us, this is our first full week back at work, and I’m definitely still missing the holidays. But I guess it’s time to hang up my New Year’s hat, pick up my cough drops, and get to work.