Working It

Collective Concepts dress (other great work-appropriate ones here) / BCBG blazer (great option on sale here) / Coach boots (love these too) / Michael Kors watch /  Alex + Ani  & Anthro bracelets

Photos by workitberk

You may remember Brittany from  the 'Day in the Life' post from last November. She's back and she's covering office style on some the most enterprising, resilient and quirky women in tech: 'Googlers' (that's tech-talk for Google employees). 

Here I am hanging out on YouTube's basketball court, which happens to have a colorful fashion blogger approved backdrop. Check out more Googler style on Work it Google!

Holla at ya girl:

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Sporty Camo

Nike shirt/ c/o Le Tote blazer / Nike 'Roshe' sneakers (in suede here) / J.Crew pants / BaubleBar & Alex + Ani bracelets / Tiffany ring / YSL #25 lipstick / Tory Burch Robinson Dome Satchel

Hi! I hope you had a fantastic 3-day weekend. I've been heavy into simple sportswear lately and these Nike Roshe Sneakers are no exception. (In case you are new here, I've been styling my Air Max 'Thea' Sneakers with everything from rustic blazers to statement necklaces). Sky-high heels will always have a special place in my heart (and closet), but as long as I have to take my toddler on weekend trips to Ikea for more hangers, I can never have too many pairs of basic, minimalist shoes.

What are your weekend staples?

How to Make Your Own Cutoff Jeans

DL1961 jeans (similar on sale here & here) / Christian Louboutin shoes / Equipment shirt / Madewell sweater / c/o Whiskey & Lace clutch / Tiffany & Co. ring / Celine sunnies / Killer spray tan

Let's be clear. DIY-ing your own cutoff jeans certainly isn't rocket science. Technically speaking, it's not even science. Still, I was a wee bit apprehensive about taking scissors to anything I own mostly on account of my propensity for crying figurative tears of frustration over even the most simplistic DIY crafts.

To prep myself for this 'big' project, I read and re-read The Man Repeller's DIY Your Own Frayed Jeans  guide. "All you need are pants and decent motor skills", she says. I have those two things. This should be a walk in the park. I went forth with confidence and even created my own step-by-step guide to making your own cutoff jeans: 

Step 1: Assess the jeans you want to update. I have this great pair of DL1961 straight leg jeans that haven't gotten much action lately and I figured cropping them might give them new life. 

Step 2: Try them on. Then roll the ankles to where you want them to be snipped.

Step 3: Take off your pants. Give them a trim. I did it on the kitchen table with my kitchen scissors. 

Step 4: Touch them up. I finished them off by taking a seam ripper to the ends to make them look more lived in. You can do whatever your heart desires; I think cuffing them would look great too!

Step 5: Put your pants on and rock the figurative sh*t out of them. 

Get the look:

                                                           

Game On, Glam On: Athletic Wear for the Glamorous

If you're like me, the last time your sweats exclaimed your ass was "juicy" was Sophomore year of college (and, if you're like me, you acquired said sweats at Ross).

Well, life's about to get even 'Juicier.' (couldn't resist) Juicy Couture has a new line of gym-worthy duds. Candidly, I'm a bit shocked a brand that capitalizes on track suits for soccer moms and sorority girls hasn't made the leap in to active wear. Still, it's better late than never as Juicy won my heart with this animal-print themed fitness collection. 

A few pieces I want to wear on my next run:

Leopard tank

Leopard shorts

Zip jacket

Sport backpack

Leggings

Mesh sports bra

Which look is your fave?

All photos from the Juicy Couture Sport lookbook

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Short and Sweet

DVF dress (similar here & here) / Asos coat / Christian Louboutin shoes / c/o Whiskey & Lace clutch / Celine sunnies / Hermes bracelet 

Much to The Banker's dismay, I donated my small collection of short hemlines to my younger, hotter friends' closets shortly after having my quarter-life crisis. Fast forward to present day; there are some occasions that call for a mini dress. Admittedly, those occasions are limited for a working mom, but The Banker's birthday is such an occasion.

To celebrate, I took him to dinner downtown which called for styling the above mini dress with a trench, heels, clutch, my new 'choppy lob' and an obligatory spray tan. (No dressing to accommodate the Polar Vortex here!) I hope you all are staying warm and thank you for reading!

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Winterizing Neon

Aqua sweater (similar on sale here) / Sanctuary pants via Stitch Fix (sign up here - love these too) / c/o LeTote necklace (sign up here!) / Marc by Marc Jacobs bag (pink version here) / Schutz shoes / Amazon sunnies / Nars Luxembourg lips / Tiffany & Co. & Catbird rings

When I get dressed in the winter months, I typically grab a black bag, boots and go forward into the chill without a second thought. Boring as it may be, I don't change up my handbags often for a variety of reasons: 

1. Handbags are a means of survival rather than a fashion statement. A mom's bag is utilitarian: A seemingly ever-expanding storage area for diapers, small children's toys, books, juice, milk, wipes, crumbs and, in the winter months, 'tiss-you' (tissue) for those little noses that never stop running, Like, ever.

2. The rate of change at which handbag styles change is slower than the rate of change for other investment pieces. If you buy a good bag it could and should be on rotation for several years if not decades. I have a friend (Hey, Talia!) who carries her grandmother's Chanel bag! 

3. Bags don't cause injuries or genuine discomfort. Sure, my ego might hurt when I see everyone and their dog carrying the Celine Phantom, but it's not as bad as the physical pain I experience when I buy cheap shoes. Ergo, I prefer to invest in shoes, rather than bags. 

I wanted to inject some unexpected color into this all-black ensemble so I winterized a neon Marc by Marc Jacobs cross body by pairing it with cold-weather musts: Leather leggings and a chunky cashmere sweater. 

What spring/summer pieces are you finding ways to use this winter?

Get the Goods

Trip to the Zoo

Zara blazer / old Banana Republic Jeans (similar here) / Splendid tee / Nike 'Thea' shoes (other colors on sale here) / NorthFace beanie (also love this one) / Celine sunnies / Tory Burch bag / Alex and Ani & BaubleBar bracelets

Hi friends! I hope you had a great weekend!

During a recent trip to Arizona, we met some friends at the Phoenix Zoo. While The Banker and I fell in love with an orangutan named Kahsi, Harlowe was primarily interested in the contents of my handbag and taking a carousel ride. Gotta love the attention span of a 2-year-old.

On that note: I'm looking forward to posting more family adventures in 2014 and doing a series (or two) on stylish workout clothes (like I did here). Until then, enjoy the week ahead!

Photos by: Christa Scott

Is Wearing White to a Wedding Still Taboo?

Joie shirt (similar here)/ Michael Stars cami / Tibi skirt / Schutz shoes (on sale!) / Proenza Schouler pouch as a clutch / Celine sunnies / Hermes bracelet / Tiffany & Co. ring  

In all honesty, the old do not wear white to a wedding etiquette didn't cross my mind until the morning I slipped this on for an out-of-state wedding.  My failure to pack a blouse led to a frantic, last-minute shopping excursion to Barney's where the subject white blouse was purchased (during a super sale, btw). 

I had an internal debate about white being taboo and Googled the topic (which is kind of like Googling symptoms of illness - not all that comforting). The non-scientific consensus: You can wear a white piece, just make sure you don't upstage the bride. No problem there. Additional solace was provided when my search results showed that EVERYONE wore white to Beyonce and Jay-Z's wedding by request. Surely that means it's a posh thing to do. 

Now that all is said and done, I would wear white to a wedding again so long as it is not a white dress or anything too bridal looking. So spill. Would you wear white to a wedding? 

P.S. Carly, Congratulations to you and Bobby! I am so honored that we were able to be part of your special day! Sincere apologies if my wedding day fashion choices did not thrill you.

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