Outfit of the Day: Business Casual at a Conference

2014 was the year for business travel and if the beginning of 2015 is any indication, there will be a lot more business travel to come. I spent all of last week at my company’s global sales kickoff. It was just me and 3,000 other people, from all over the world, in Orlando for the week. Trips like these are really nice because not only do you learn a lot about the plans for the coming year but it’s a great opportunity for exposure to other cultures and languages. Fortunately, I love my job and the people I work with (even though we all work out of our homes, I see them A LOT!) because I end up spending plenty of time away from home. Believe me…coming home is really sweet!

Packing for business travel can be difficult due to climate, unpredictable weather and airlines (ugh!). I usually try to plan and cram everything into a carry on but since this trip was six days long, I decided to pack a larger bag and take many of my favorites. Most of the time, conference dressing means business casual (no suits) and since this one was an employees only affair, that meant I could take advantage of my very serious collection of clothing by Dobbin! In case this is your first time reading this blog, I must tell you that I absolute love this brand! Dobbin’s fashions are made in the USA, using amazing European fabrics (you will be amazed at the quality!) and priced just right! Just the fact that I, literally, purchase multiple items from every collection is a testimony in itself—I have NEVER fallen in love with a brand before! Not only is the fit just right but they have great sales (and they’re having one right now)!! Here’s a peek at one of the outfits from last week.

My outfit began with the gorgeous Luisa Silk Blouse from Dobbin. The beautiful black and ivory print ensures that this top works with a majority of the items in my closet. It’s comfortable and a great layering piece.

My pants were also from Dobbin: the New Stanton Slim Pant in Black Stretch Corduroy. Honestly, I thought these pants were like my velvet feel pants from Talbots---the corduroy is that soft! And just like the other New Stanton pants in my wardrobe, this fit is amazing! On my feet I wore a pair of LK Bennet burgundy colored suede booties from last year. Even though the heel was quite high, the platform inside ensured that these babies were really comfortable! (Here’s a pair that looks just like them but in black)

Because I am always cold (and temps in large ballrooms tend to be on the chilly side), I topped my outfit off with a Talbots Charming cardigan in black. I have these in many colors and they are great!

Outfits like this take me thru most conferences and even when it’s more of a prospect or customer facing event, these same pieces can be easily dressed up.

I’m getting back into the “regular blogging” groove so stay tuned for more this week!

Tales of a Bad Blogger

I haven't been a very good blogger lately and it's been driving me crazy! Those of you who read this blog regularly know I've had a very challenging year with the death of my father and my mother's health issues. And those of you who know me in real life (IRL) also have the additional insight of other distractions that have required that my attentions are focused elsewhere. Throughout this whole journey, I will say that I am constantly amazed at the power of love, communication and understanding.

I am re-focusing my energies to this blog and hope to, once again, provide excellent content to women like me---hard working, deeply caring women who try to take care of themselves and others, while trying to maintain a sense of beauty in our everyday lives. So with that, I thought I would give you a glimpse of my life in the past week (via pictures!). Hope you enjoy!!!

I've been traveling a LOT this summer on business!

The gorgeous Carson Stretch Ponte Faux Wrap Dress by Dobbin. Every time I wear it, I get a ton of compliments. So lovely!!!

My latest travel makeup stash.

A look from the Too Faced "Natural Eyes" palette.

Facial Masks from Korea (a gift from my friend Stacey)!

Pretty in Peach!!!

Candy Crush is my mood stabilizer under stress...

If you haven't seen "A Conference Call in Real Life," you need to! It's the funniest thing I've seen in a long time and it will definitely resonate with you if you spend 90% of your time in corporate life! Click here to see it.

The first thing I saw when arriving home from a long business trip---newly blooming Black Eyed Susans!!

And the love of my life, Bentley-Boo!

Followed by our "Bad Dog," Aqua Kitty!

Time for the kids to go back to college. This was the result of Saturday's shopping at Target---outfitting both for two separate apartments at JMU!

Last but not least, my new favorite past time! Barry and I are taking dancing lessons at the West End Ballroom  and absolutely love it. What a great way to spend couple time and prepare for date night!

More to come as I get my blogging muscles back!!

Outfit of the Day: Bright and Beautiful!

It may sound old fashioned, but there's just something I love about a new dress! And a dress that is beautiful, bright AND comfortable, makes me happy beyond words! That's just what I found when I put on my new Carmen Ponte Flip Dress from Dobbin Clothing. I've written about Dobbin a lot, not just because they are a great American success story (and the founders are really nice!) but because I literally feel like I could be a fit model for their larger sizes. Seriously, everything I have purchased from Dobbin fits like a dream, is great for travel, and always looks great (and no, I am not a paid spokesperson for Dobbin)!

Now, I am not a thin person. My normal size is a 14 or a 16. I am short and I have what is known as a large hourglass figure. I've long ago become comfortable with my body and I know what looks good on me and what doesn't. In other words, I work with what I have. That mindset allows me to face the world with confidence and impacts (positively) how people interact with me.

In addition to the beautiful dress, I am wearing a Talbots Charming Cardigan (it's cold in the office where I'm working this week but I have no problem taking it off and exposing my arms) and my Stuart Weitzman cork wedges. I'm comfortable and polished looking and that's half the battle, right?

Keaton Row: Your Personal Shopper and New Best Friend!

 A couple of months ago, while reading one of my favorite message boards, I learned about Keaton Row, a new personal shopper/stylist service available on the web. Since I both hate shopping and appear to have a faulty accesorizing gene, I decided to give it a try!

Once I created a profile, I was immediately able to browse the profiles of stylists that have been working with Keaton Row's customers. The profiles are really helpful because they allow you to understand a little bit about the personality about each stylist. Honestly, I can't remember if I chose my stylist or if the Keaton Row system chose for me (both are options available at any time), but my assigned stylist, Leah Price, contacted me within a day and we started the process of figuring out my needs.

I told Leah that I was mostly interested in putting together some "casual chic" looks that included jewelery, shoes, handbags and other accessories. Since my profile included not only the types of styles I liked but also my sizes, favorite colors and problem areas, Leah was able to come up with quite a few possible looks. This whole process can be done via email or over the phone (I chose email) but once the stylist has finished putting pieces together, the looks are available on the Keaton Row dashboard.

Leah really got my style right from the beginning! She was so easy to work with and the options she gave me were outstanding! I also asked Leah to take me out of my comfort zone somewhat and, for me, that showed up in earrings that I would have never picked on my own. When wearing Leah's outfits, I truly feel well styled and put together!

The key to working with Keaton Row is understanding that the items chosen by the stylist have a shelf life---sometimess if you don't act quickly, the items will not be available in the participating store. You can be sure, though, that you will receive the best price offered by the retailer even though the Keaton Row site may not yet be updated with the promotions that the retailer may be running. I definitely found this to be true with my purchases, as sometimes the Keaton Row site showed one price but when I purchased the item, I actually received the store's sale price.

Another things I really like about the looks is that you may already have something suitable in your wardrobe that can be substituted instead, giving you a new way to wear one of your own pieces! I did this with a pair of shoes, a handbag (I substututed a Rebecca Minkoff bag I already had in my collection) and some jewelery. Of course, I did end up spending quite a bit that time around but it was all worth it! Leah hit a complete home run with my looks and every single item I received fit beautifully!

I give Keaton Row and Leah Price five stars so you should check them out at https://www.keatonrow.com/

As Cool and Blue as the Turquoise Waters of…

the South Pacific? The Mediterranean? The Caribbean? Or how about the Gulf of Mexico? Seriously, when I think of cool and relaxing, I think of the waters of all of those places (and I’ve been to each in the past fifteen years). Since it’s 97 degrees today in Virginia, I think I was subconsciously drawn to this beautiful turquoise silk blouse from Dobbin Clothing. The Elodie tunic is actually described as “Aegean blue” (same thing, right?) and boy, is it a beauty! A substantial silk crepe de chine, normally, I would wear it with a jacket or tucked in (Elodie is actually a staple of my business wardrobe) because my figure demands a defined waste but as hot and humid as it is today, that wasn’t happening! So today I went with a (for me) kind of bohemian look. I think this is a great casual yet “put together” look. Read on for more details.

NYDJ Basic Stretch Bootcut Jeans

Mine came from Nordstrom and you can still find them here.

My wedges are the Stuart Weitzman “Jean” Wedge in Adobe Aniline. They are also available at Nordstrom here.

Rebecca Minkoff Medium MAB Tote

Here’s a link for the tote on the Rebecca Minkoff site (but it’s not the same color). It’s a beautiful tote but an investment piece. There are other options out there but this is a great classic shape and color!

Tree of Life pendant from my collection. I have no idea where I purchased it!

This Sisco Berluti Bracelet Stack actually came in the PopSugar Must Have Summer Resort Special Edition Box. The colors really tie my outfit together! You can find similar Sisco Berluti bracelets here.

 

These Vince Camuto earrings are waaaay outside of my comfort zone but I was convinced to get them by my personal stylist, Leah Price, from Keaton Row (I’ll be writing about my experiences with Keaton Row soon!). When I wear these giant (for me) open teardrops, I feel a little bit “edgy” and cool (a girl can dream, right??)! You can find them here at Nordstrom.

So that’s it! Cool, comfy, put together and casual. What more can you ask for on a hot summer day?

Style Illustrated: Spring 2014 by Dobbin!

Guys---I’ve been away from the blog and most social media since the beginning of last week due to a death in my family. Dealing with grief and all of the activities that come with a death of a loved one but I just HAD to show you some of Dobbin’s new line, which launched THIS MORNING!!! It’s gorgeous as ever and you need to run right over to the Dobbin site to check it out!

 

Beautiful!!!

Outfit of the Day: A Little Bit of Spring!

I’ve been spending a lot of time in hospitals due to my father’s illness so today, I thought I’d brighten things up a bit and put a little “spring” in my step! A few days ago, I stumbled upon several pretty floral pieces from Lands End and just had to have them!  The beautiful floral sweater and shoes did the trick to lift my mood and outlook and I highly recommend them for anyone who is trying to throw off the doldrums of winter. See below for more details.

Supima Fine Guage Print Cardigan: $59.99

This cardigan is just beautiful and made of a high quality cotton. It’s on the thin side, so perfect for spring or layering during the winter. I actually have purchased three of these cardigans this winter and I love them all!

Talbots Slimming Heritage Colored Denim Ankle Jeans: $54.50

While they aren’t ankle jeans on me, I love them nonetheless! Anyone can wear white jeans---it’s all about the fit! Check these out---you won’t be sorry!

Lands End Perforated Diamond Belt:  $29.00

I decided to up my game a little bit and start wearing belts to further define my waist. The fun, leather belt is available in six bright-for-spring colors!

Land End Bianca Bow Ballet Shoes: $59.00

 My Lands End ballet flats are cute, comfortable and inexpensive all at once! While the floral pattern that I purchased sold out quickly, there are plenty of other colors and patterns available to spice up your spring wardrobe.

(White sleeveless shell is “vintage” and the manufacturer is unknown)

Hope you’re having a beautiful Friday!!

Black and Gray

After my crazy last couple off weeks, it felt good to get back on an airplane to meet with my co workers during a strategy session. Today is the first day of meetings and I thought I'd show you the outfit I put together for today. Now, I mentioned in my New Years post that one of my resolutions is to be more stylish and learn how to accessorize. I'm guilty of getting caught in ruts and I use any resource I can to get ideas for outfits. This outfit idea comes courtesy of Talbots. Here's the picture from their website:

As I looked at the outfit, I realized I had a charcoal gray skirt, a black blouse and all I needed was the sweater! So I ordered the sweater from Talbots for $84.50 (I think I actually purchased it on one of their sales). Here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/nhgfonm.

The rest of the my outfit came from Dobbin Clothing (the skirt). Here's the link for Dobbin's beautiful Natalie Stretch Ponte Pencil Skirt: http://tinyurl.com/mqqojnx.

My blouse came from Lands End (I didn't see anything comparable on their current website), the belt from Talbots and the tights from Spanx. 

Not only is this outfit comfortable, it's a great example of how basic pieces can work together in your wardrobe. Do you have favorite pieces that multi task? Please share!

My Current Obsessions

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I’ve had a lot on my plate lately but still have time to learn about and indulge some of my favorite obsessions. Here’s what I’m loving lately!

Talbots Slimming Heritage Colored Denim Ankle
Jeans

I discovered these just last week and immediately purchased four pair! Although they are not exactly ankle jeans on me, they fit beautifully and live up to their “slimming” description. At $79.50, they’re great quality. These jeans are available in Misses, Petites, Women’s Plus and Women’s Plus Petite sizes. Plus they come in six great colors (including white---if you’re looking for white jeans, you MUST check these out). Find them on the Talbots website here or at your local Talbots store!

Candy Crush

Have you heard of Candy Crush? Chances are you have or you know at least one person who plays it. For those of you who don’t know it, Candy Crush (or Candy Crack, as I call it) is like our generation’s version of a video game that is every bit as addictive as the subject of its name! I started playing it about a week and a half ago, as the stress from my parents health situation progressed (click here for more on that). Any time I got a little too stressed out or needed to clear my head, I fired up my iPad and went to work, making matches for candies, bombs, stripes and wraps! As of this evening, I’m on level 135, which is pretty good for such a short period of time. If you want to have some fun, go to your handy dandy app store or visit the Candy Crush website here!

Cosmetic Formulation

This one really plays to my inner geek. One of my latest, favorite things is to research which ingredients are used in beauty products, why they are in a particular product and what they do. That has lead to me actually formulating some products for my own use. I’ve recently written about a lip balm that I made (see my post here) and this week, I’ll provide a recipe for a great acid based toner that you can make as well. I’ve also made a shampoo that needs a bit more work. Today, I made a mineral foundation from scratch (yes it’s actually really easy to do) and will be testing it out on my business trip this week. I love learning about new things and putting that knowledge to good use!

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Organizing

I have such a love/hate relationship with organizing. Right now it’s love. I was at my parents’ home in Florida for two and a half weeks. Part of that time, I spent deep cleaning their home, reorganizing their storage shed and setting up and cleaning their outdoor furniture. There was something very satisfying about getting rid of the junk and putting everything in its place. I’m sure it had something to do with control---seeing as how I couldn’t control what was happening to my parents but could control the physical space we all inhabited. Of course, once I returned home on Friday, I took one look at my home and decided I would really need to get on the ball quickly! If you have any favorite organizational tips, send them my way!

Finding Non-Smudging Drugstore Mascaras

This one is a true obsession! I am absolutely determined to find which drugstore mascaras are actually non-smudging. For the last three weeks, I’ve tried over twenty new-to-me drugstore mascaras that claim to be waterproof or smudge-proof. Fortunately, I’ve found four or five that actually do the trick and I’ll be writing about that within the next week. If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s a smudgy mascara but I’m pleased to say I’ve found some affordable products that just may become “holy grail” products for me!

Stay tuned for more as I attempt to get back into my normal schedule this week. Although I do have a business trip (leaving very early morning morning), I hope to ease back in to blogging.

What are your current obsessions? Do tell!