Hello Hauteness

So I was in my closet the other day and glanced at the floor underneath one of my bars of clothing.  I keep some of my shoes there that either don’t fit in my nifty clear shoe boxes or I just wear them often enough to warrant not bothering to put them in a box.  On this day I guess I was feeling particularly deep because I stopped and thought to myself “Wow.  These shoes reflect the different shades of my personality”.  Yeah, I’m so philosophical.

If you notice the picture above you’ll see the following (in order from left to right):

1.  Cowboy Boots- One of the things that most defines me is the fact that I’m a girl that was born and raised in Texas.  My dad is a farmer/rancher/Texas Longhorn breeder so I spent my weekends, summers, and holidays in the country with him.  I had the quintessential Texas upbringing: swimming in the Guadalupe, barbecues for my birthday, hanging out at Longhorn Sales, and shooting off fireworks on the airplane runway on the ranch where my dad lived.  These boots are beat up because they’ve been everywhere from Texas tailgates to ranch pastures to partying downtown.  I’m actually proud of the fact that they look worn and dusty.  I. Love. These. Boots.

2.  Coach Rain Boots- These came into my life last October when it was raining during ACL weekend.  After eyeing the forecast for the weekend I ran my happy butt out to every store I could think of in the pursuit of rain goulashes.  Nobody had any!!!  Eventually I ended up at DSW where they had just this one style.  I was so desperate that I tried them on a full size larger than what I wear (because that’s all they had) and talked myself into paying twice what I would usually pay because a) they were black and classic, b) I knew Zilker Park would be a mud bath, and c) let’s be honest, they’re Coach.  I’m not normally a label junky but in this case I was digging the simple Coach stamp on the back.  I mean, if you’re going to have rain boots you should rock them in a classic way…so that’s what I did all of ACL weekend.

3.  Black Peek-a-Boo Stilettos- Every girl needs a classic pair of black heels and for me, this is them.  I wear them at least once a week and I heart them.  I feel stylish and sexy whenever I wear this particular pair of shoes and that’s why they don’t have a box to sleep in.  They don’t get much rest.

4.  Nike Golf Shoes-  As I mentioned in this post last week, my golf shoes are my absolute favorite shoes in my closet.  I love sports and staying active so it was inevitable that this glimpse into my personality would include a pair of athletic shoes of some sort.  When I decided to take up golf I looked high and low for shoes but couldn’t find a pair that had any style.  The few that did were pink and I’m just not a pink girl.  I literally have three pink shirts in my closet and that’s it.  So I was perusing the internet one day at work (bad worker!) and I found these bad boys.  It was the definition of love at first sight.  I couldn’t get my credit card out fast enough.  I’ve had them for a while now but they still look pristine, which says something for how much I heart them.

I hope this glimpse into my shoe wardrobe gives you a glimpse into who I am and what I love.  What do your shoes say about you?

Today is my BFF Jenni’s first day at a new job.  She is a public relations goddess who is so good at her job that a well known corporation just had to have her (can you tell I’m proud?).  So what do I do when my BFF is starting a new job?  Well, duh!  I race over to her house to plan her outfits for the week.

Together we came up with the outfit pictured below for her first day.  Jenni doesn’t own a suit and she still doesn’t exactly know the typical dress code for her new company so we had to make do with what she had and play it safe.  I must say that considering she’s always worn informal attire for work I think we pulled together an outfit that has a professional yet feminine feel to it.  Hooray for that happy marriage!

First impressions are everything so I gave her a few tips I live by based on my experiences and my degree (believe it or not).  I took a Psychology of Fashion class as part of my fashion design degree and I remember to this day a study we covered that analyzed the impression that simple changes in an outfit can have on an initial professional meeting, specifically when interviewing for a job.

1. If you’re wearing a suit, wear a pantsuit.  Pants project a powerful message.  Skirts are definitely more feminine, and often sexier, but when you’re trying to put yourself out there as a professional you want to present an edgier side, not a softer one.
2. That being said, wear a softer blouse with that edgy pantsuit.  You don’t want to be cold and unapproachable in your power suit so it helps to put on a silk blouse with maybe a little ruffle under that jacket.
3. Wear black.  Black is always safe.  It is a color that is never out of style and always flattering.  You can never go wrong owning the perfect little black suit, as well as the perfect little black work dress.  Invest in these.
4. Wear heels.  They’re more professional, add an edginess, and quite frankly make you look better no matter what you’re wearing.  I personally love peek-a-boo toes when it comes to heels.  It’s not as harsh a look as a pointy toe but it’s not as soft and young as a round toe.  It’s just right!
5. Less is more with accessories.  Depending on the feel of the workplace, big, show-stopping accessories may be a little over the top for your outfit.  When first getting an idea of an office’s style, whether as an interviewee or as a new employee, play it safe and stick with diamond or pearl stud earrings and the simplest of necklaces and/or bracelets.
6. Solids are a solid choice.  Prints can be perceived as less professional and/or sophisticated.  When playing safe you can not go wrong wearing a solid color.

So if you’re in the job market or are making a transition like Jenni, think about these tips when you’re shopping in your closet for the right look.  First impressions are key!

Oh, and sorry guys!  I know this doesn’t apply to you, but you’ve got it easy.  If you’re trying to make a good first professional impression a black or black pinstripe suit, white button-up, and classic tie is the way to go.  See, I summed up your needs in one sentence!