Date: July 14, 2010
Ensemble message: Once again, I had the tricky task of dressing for an ice-cold office in swampy weather.  My solution - strategic layers.  The tank was a perfectly playful base to go along with the shorts.

Wait, shorts at work?!?  Yes indeed... these olive green wool shorts are a favorite of mine.  When I bought them in February (a birthday gift to myself), they seemed less risky as office-wear with tights and boots for additional coverage.  As the weather got warmer, I decided to risk it bare-legged because realistically, the shorts give just as much coverage as some of my skirts.  Also, I work in an environment that trends closer to the "casual" end of business casual (yes, I'm talking to you, jeans-and-graphic-tees-on-a-daily-basis people ;)

Finally, the white blazer is the tailored piece that brings everything together.  Adding one piece that juxtaposes the rest can completely transform an outfit.  Think of it as controlled clashing - two opposites can actually work well together.  Maybe this look is more Bermuda business casual, but hey, the weather fits the bill!

According to an article on Ecommerce Journal, 73.3% of companies now use social networks to find candidates for their open job positions.  And of those found on LinkedIn, 90% get the job.  Since we spend all of our free time on a whole slew of social media sites, this is good news!  Yes?

Knowing that a lot of corporations have jumped on the social media bandwagon can definitely be used to your advantage.  But, keep in mind that this means your profiles, posts, pictures, etc. will be that future employer's first impression.  Will you miss a chance at a new, awesome job because you proudly posted that keg-stand pic last weekend?  If you ensure that all your public info reflects who you are on paper, you're golden!  

That does not mean you need to hide all the fun stuff about yourself.  It's ok for the world to know that you love to cook or are training for a marathon.  Another way to view it is by asking yourself, "what is my personal brand?"  How you paint your canvas reflects your brand at work... your style, personality, what differentiates you from the crowd.  Leverage social media sites to showcase your brand beyond that canvas.  Just weed out the darker stuff - things that could hurt your chance at that new job.

Personally, I try to keep most items on my profiles as clean as possible.  No crazy party pictures, no cursing, no super personal details that could make someone else cringe.  Don't get me wrong - everyone is human and definitely does things that they regret, or at least that they don't want leaked into their professional life.  But again, it's all about perception and that first impression.

Date: July 12, 2010
Ensemble Message*: The dress and sandals say, "I'm still on vacation!" while the sensible cardigan says, "Get into the office and buckle down, playtime is over."

Such a struggle to get up this morning... all the way through late afternoon, I felt like my head was in a cloud.  I hope it clears soon - it's going to be a busy week, plus I have so much I want to blog about!!  And once again it was a steamy morning... so I opted to take photos inside, away from the harsh morning sun.

* By the way, I'm changing my format a bit... previously entitled "On the schedule", I'm now going to translate what I hope my outfit communicates upon first impression.

Kayaking on July 6th:
This is kayak style!  (with my friend Monica :)

Date: June 29, 2010
On the schedule: Way too much for a Monday!!!  (Hence the excited look on my face ;)  I had meetings scattered throughout the day, and two of them I was facilitating in front of a larger audience.  Any time I have to facilitate a meeting where I am considered to be the "subject matter expert," I always choose an outfit that I feel good in. 

I personally love this t-shirt, which, depending on the light, can look like a bright salmon to 80's neon.  To balance the color without muting it, I chose this flowy white skirt.


Random vacation pic: Donna swimminig in the bay, assisted by a doggie life vest.  I hope this picture makes you giggle - I can't help but laugh every time I look at it!

I recently wrote about cultivating your personal style and feeling like yourself in what you wear. I wanted to follow this up with a post about how much power you have when building that personal style. I recently stumbled upon the website Put This On and a post about why their blog, A Web Series About Dressing Like a Grownup, really matters. While some may argue that you should not judge a book by its cover, the fact is that most people make judgment based on your first impression within seconds.

Think about your body being a blank canvas and that your clothing, accessories, etc., are your paints. What you wear can speak volumes upon first impression. Yes, whoever you are interacting with should then base their impression of you on what you say. But why shouldn’t you tell them right away?

Be conscientious of the power behind the first impression, and you can use this to your advantage. For example, when I went to training last week, I carefully chose what I packed. I wanted to look professional while also expressing my personality. With some careful planning, you will learn how to balance your message along with personal style. And trust me, you’ll feel darn good about yourself :)


On a separate note, I am on vacation in Maine for the week! This will give me time to catch up on my pictures so I’ll be able to post outfits that I wore only a day or two before (vs. a week or two). Also, I’m hoping to post a couple outfits to show how I’ve remixed work clothes into play clothes. Enjoy your 4th of July!!!

Last week, I had an opportunity to attend an off-site training event with my colleagues.  I, of course, forgot my camera... so being resourceful, I downloaded an app onto my phone so that I could set a timer.  Pics are a little grainy, but you'll get the idea...



Dates: June 21-22, 2010
On the calendar: 1.5 days in training in a hotel

When I was deciding what to wear, two things helped guide me.  First, I would be with colleagues who I only have a relationship with via e-mail (for the most part).  This would be the first time we'd meet face-to-face... exciting!!  Most of these colleagues work in manufacturing sites, so they would probably be a little more casual than my office.  Also, I'm one of, if not the youngest of the entire team, so I wanted to give a professional but laid-back first impression.

Second, I knew the agenda going into the 2 days... a lot of sitting around in a frigid hotel conference room, broken up by a team dinner and casino night on Monday night.  So I wanted to be comfortable and warm.  I decided to go with jeans the first day layered with the blazer.  Then the second day, I would bring back the blazer but pair it with cropped pants.  Everything was just right... I was comfy, warm, and reinforced a lot of those relationships I'd been building for a couple years now!