sponsor love: work clothes, i suppose

If you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, you've already met Bri. Bri was featured a few months ago on Behind the Blog, she recently hosted this cute watch giveaway, and I try to make sure I participate in her monthly trend link up every month. Bri's style is something that I consider cute, attainable, and is the perfect combination of comfortable and professional. And not only is she not too bad to look at, she also has something to teach us. Some of her recent posts have actually been some of my favorite - this one is all about how to pack for a work trip, this one about her blogging mantra, and this one just because she's so dang cute.

Make sure you stop by Work Clothes, I Suppose and say hello :)  You can find her here:

bloglovin | facebook | twitter | instagram

Are you interested in sponsoring? Use the code FRANISH20 to receive 20% off the normal price!

on dressing for the blog

 

I've been blogging for a little over a year now. I've always wanted the blog to help me figure out my sense of style and how I want the pieces in my closet to come together, but I didn't want to change my style for the blog. Especially over the last year, I never put on outfits because I knew I was going to take pictures, but I took pictures because I (mostly) liked what I was wearing. Seeing my outfits every day has made me realize what I like, what I don't like, and what I think I want to look like. I don't buy trends just to be trendy, and I don't buy clothing just because it would be good for the blog. I buy something because I like it and because I believe it fits into my life and with the items in my closet. Some outfits make it on the here, some don't, and that's okay. Because I dress for my life and "for me", it makes it a lot easier to get dressed because there's no pressure.

Except yesterday. 

I was lucky to be asked by 2 Girls, 2 Cities to take part in their monthly challenge, which this month happens to be neon. Bri's Third Thursday Thread link up this month is also neon, and she even jokingly called me out and told me I had to take part in it. YOU GUYS. You know how I feel about neon, but it seems it's a trend that just won't quit and it seems to be coming from all angles. So yesterday I stood in front of my closet trying to figure out what to wear for both challenges and for a day in Chicago. I probably spent 45 minutes trying to figure out what to wear. I own very little "neon" - in quotes because I don't even really have anything true neon, just brighter than normal. I tried a brighter orange tee with my new black and white skirt. I tried my Old Navy striped top. I tried looking through my donate box of clothing to see if I couldn't dig something out to wear. It was so frustrating because I wasn't comfortable in anything I put on. I didn't want to look like a try-hard down in Chicago, I didn't want to be wear something I didn't like, and I didn't want to be super boring. Eventually I convinced myself that these shorts were relatively bright enough but then I didn't know what to wear with it. I didn't want to wear another tee because I didn't want it to appear on the blog like all I own is white or black t-shirts. I didn't want to wear my teal sandals because I just showed those on the blog in the previous post. I didn't know what kind of jewelry would look best in pictures.

on the blog. in pictures. on the internet. for other people.

And eventually I reminded myself that I dress for my life, and not for the blog. So I put on the outfit I felt the most comfortable in, drove down to Chicago, and had a great afternoon walking around Wicker Park getting a sun burn, thrift shopping, and enjoying an evening of guacamole making and tipsy gossiping. 

and it was wonderful and no one cared what I was wearing :)

Tee: Everlane

Shorts: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Shoes: Target [similar]

Watch: Target [similar]

Bracelet: c/o Apple of My Eye Jewelry [exact]

spend all the money!

 

On Sunday, my friend Lizzi and I met up early with iced coffees in hand for a little trip down the highway to go outlet shopping. Lizzi and I go outlet shopping together about once a year (last year we went before we saw Florence and the Machine. I miss my long hair). As a general rule, we always tell ourselves not to buy something just because it's inexpensive and I think we did pretty good this year! I purchased this pair of shorts and this skirt (seen here) at the J.Crew Factory store, and a sleeveless top from the Banana Republic Factory store. I ended up getting that pair of denim shorts I was interested in from the Gap Outlet store as well as a pair of leather sandals. I originally also purchased a pair of floral shorts (seen here) but I returned them after purchasing the J.Crew shorts as I figured the J.Crew ones would be more versatile. I think I'm now pretty set on summer bottoms! Lizzi found a few adorable polka dot dresses (including this beauty but in blue with red polka dots) as well as buying this linen skirt which I also own. Love those 50% the entire store days :)  

On Saturday I spent a bit of time out with my mom and sister Karoline. My mom and I went to but didn't have much luck at Goodwill - all I found was a pair of Nike gym shorts for school (we have a lab where we practice on each other so I need some not completely ratty work out clothes). We then went to the mall to meet up with Karoline. We were just browsing around the Gap when my mom spotted this dress - it's basically all the things I love (popover, polka dots, rolled up sleeves) combined. I fell in love with it on the spot (as seen here). I used the money I had set aside last month that I originally intended for this dress that didn't look great in person. I purchased it for the full price in store, but went home to find it online reduced down to $50, plus another 35% off meant it cost $33 as compared to $70. I included this shirt to get the free shipping, and together they were still less than the dress in store! I will be returning the dress from the store as soon as the dress from online arrives. I'm so excited to wear it, and I'm so happy I didn't buy that J.Crew dress. I feel this one will get so much more wear.

Tee: Everlane

Shorts: Old Navy [exact]

Belt: Old Navy

Purse: Coach via Etsy [current style]

Shoes: Target [similar]

and here's what Lizzi wore! Does her skirt look familiar? It's the Fran skirt that I also own! 

Hope you are all having a great Monday - I'm off playing doctor!

one

 

I'm done! Yesterday was my last day of work and now I'm frrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeee. Alright, so I'm only exaggerating a little - I was very lucky to have the job I did for two years. It taught me a lot about the pharmaceutical development world, how to get the job done, and how to be an adult. There are parts I will miss a lot - the stable hours, the ladies I worked with, the insight to developing crazy new drugs, having my evenings for my hobbies - but there are also certain things I won't miss, such as never seeing the sunlight, having to wear pants all the time, and being around hazardous materials eight hours a day. 

This is what I wore on my last day. The shirt is the shirt I wore on my first day of work two years ago - I don't have a full length picture but you can see it peeking out on my work badge. I bought it when I was a sophomore in college when I worked at the Gap (man do I miss that employee discount!), and while it mostly fits, it's now too tight in the bust so I've only been keeping it specifically to wear on my last day at work. What can I say, I live for that kind of sentimental stuff ;)  The skirt also has a story behind it. As I was looking through the skirt section of Goodwill last week, I found this amazing tweed skirt. The tag looked interesting, so I googled it to see what came up -turns out it's a brand from Anthropologie. Unfortunately for my closet, it was a size two, but I figured I could sell it on eBay for a little extra spending money. As I was looking for the general prices on eBay for the skirt, I found the skirt in my size! Like the exact same one. So I bid on it, and ended up winning it for $20...and then I sold the one from Goodwill for $35. So...win win! 

I also didn't wear tights because what are they going to do, fire me? REBEL.

So now I have six free weeks and I'm cramming as much in as possible. I'm doing a bit of shadowing on Monday, then I'm off to Chicago for two days, then on Friday I leave for Germany for ten days. Then I have a fun little appointment with immigration services before I hop onto another plane for Seattle for another six days. Then I have a week left and then I move! I'm proud of myself for completing another one of my 30 before 30 - saving enough money to not work for a bit. It wasn't always easy to put as much money, including my work bonus and tax refund, away but I'm now happy I did. Let the festivities begin!

Shirt: Gap [similar on sale with code GAP35]

Skirt: Anthropologie via eBay  [similar]

Necklace: Forever 21 [very similar]

Belt: Gap [similar]

Watch: Kate Spade [exact]

Shoes: Tory Burch via Goodwill [similar]

Nails: Essie Spagetti Strap

ok, no more countdowns! ;)

and the last time I beg for votes (even if you voted before) - thank you!!

two

 

A list of alternative titles:

+ you look just like ke$ha : my co-worker looked at the sequins on my shirt and said I was all sparkly and looked just like Kesha. I suppose, if Kesha dressed like a cross between an old man and a disco ball....so maybe that is an accurate description after all.

+ total copycat: AJ wore her chambray with her sparkly shirt so I wanted to too. That's what friends are for right, showing us how to wear our own clothes?

+ pro-layerer: months ago I wrote about how I really struggled with layering, how I knew what I wanted to look like, but wasn't sure how to make that happen (side note: don't let me dye my hair dark ever again). With a lot of experimenting, and a few helpful tips, I feel like I'm finally able to dress myself the way I wanted to. It's not that wearing one shirt over another is something that's difficult, it's just that I never felt comfortable, that there was weird bunching, or that I felt like there was just too much going on on my torso. I don't know what has really changed over the last 6 months, but I finally feel comfortable with the clothes in my closet and how I wear them. I don't spend all day tugging and pulling and wishing I was wearing something different - it just somehow clicked, ya know?

Chambray: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Shirt: Loft 

Pants: Urban Outfitters [exact]

Watch: Fossil [similar]

Purse: Coach [current style]

Shoes: Tory Burch [exact]

I am so obnoxious.

three

It's been so muggy out the last few days - the kind of weather where the temperatures aren't really high enough to warrant the AC but it's so uncomfortable you turn it on anyway. Blah blah blah, weather weather weather. Our labs are kept at near freezing, so it's always a bit annoying figuring out what to wear.

In other news, I have two days of work left. Chris is currently in Chicago so he can take the boards tomorrow morning. I wish this Target dress either had no sleeve or a full short sleeve because it looks adorable on Lydia. I'm getting Culvers for dinner and I'm already excited about the idea of a cheeseburger. I'll probably spend the night catching up on the Bachelorette.

my life, it's thrilling.

Tee: Everlane

Pants: Gap [save | splurge]

Cardigan: BR Factory 

Earrings: Tiffany & Co. [exact]

Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington [exact]

Shoes: Sam Edelman [exact]

Linking up with mix and match fashion!

four

 

I accidentally matched my glasses today.

This morning I wasn't really feeling getting dressed, and as I longingly stared at my new shorts, I reached for the most comfortable pair of jeans I own (which is why you see them all the time...) and this simple top. I bought this shirt at the Banana Republic Factory store a few months ago, but have only worn it once since then because it had this weird bell sleeve going on which I knew I could fix myself. I borrowed my mom's sewing machine a few weeks ago and cut those suckers off to make normal sleeves. And because I can't help but combine black, white, and red (see below), I figured this would be as good of a time as any to wear my new prescription glasses from GlassesUSA.com.

Although I could wear contacts, I mostly choose not to. I think I look better in glasses as they balance out my chubby cheeks and my smaller eyes, and I honestly just feel a bit naked without them....I even go to push them up when I'm not wearing glasses. I have a really great pair of glasses that my aunt, an optometrist in Germany, made for me last November, but it's always nice to have a bit of variation. I was excited when GlassesUSA offered to send me a pair to test out. It took me a while to decide which eyeglasses to get (see some choices here) because they have quite the selection, but the try on view with your own picture made it a bit easier. I like that the pair I chose are black from the front, but then have red sides. I used to wear all red glasses, so this was kind of a throwback for me. I think they frame my face nicely, and were fairly inexpensive. If I could change one thing, it would have been to upgrade the lenses to the anti-reflective kind. If you are interested in mixing up your glasses routine, you can use the virtual mirror below to buy glasses and use the code BLOG10 to get 10% off your order.

Shirt: Banana Republic Factory [similar]

Jeans: American Eagle [exact]

Glasses: c/o GlassesUSA [exact]

Shoes: Old Navy [cute save | WANT]

Watch: Fossil [similar]

Belt: The Limited

Black and White and Red all over:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

P.S. Virtual hugs for everyone who clicks on the little heart :)