Fashion Challenge - High Waisted Trousers

On to the next fashion challenge from the grab bag event!

I brought this pair of high-waisted trousers home on a whim, simply because they fit well in the waist and hips, and they were a designer label with the tags still on (!). It wasn't until I got home (and saw them in the mirror for the first time) that I noticed they had a high waist cut.

Now, I grew up in the '90's, and witnessed plenty of women in their high-waisted mom jeans - the ones that are "cut generously, to fit a mom's body" and also make your hiney look 3 feet long. According to a Glamour readers, high rise pants are a controversial choice, and apparently best for tall, lanky, waifs with long torsos. Cool. At 5-4, I'm petite and I'm all legs. But let's see if we can make this work.

I chose a plain white, well tailored top because the pants have a big visual impact on their own. It's also important that it's fitted - otherwise you create the illusion of a muffin top. Right where your natural waist should be. And the darts work the same way as a vertical stripes, creating length up top and therefore keeping the look more balanced.

I also topped the pants with a skinny belt to bring the emphasis to the narrowest part of my body, and added a pair of heels to further elongate my leg line

Verdict: I think they're a keeper. Now I just have to get that hem taken care of...

Accessory Necessities - Feminine Pieces

“I feel like a man when I wear a pantsuit.”

This is a complaint I hear pretty frequently when I talk with girls my age about interview and work attire. Something about the strong shoulder and minimalist styling gives it an androgynous look some women aren’t comfortable with. But there are a few reasons we should get over it:

•  Most interviewers and some employers expect you to wear one anyway.
•  All that structuring does wonders for your trouble spots and keeps your figure looking fabulous.
•  With the right accessories, any suit can be feminine.

Most young ladies resort to jewelry to make an outfit girly, and there’s no difference when it comes to suiting. Sure, your career counselor recommended pearls and simple studs in gold and silver, but you’re allowed to have a lot more fun once you get the job! Seriously, as long as the piece isn’t giant or noticeably plastic, you should be able to make it work. The key is balance – bold jewelry requires tame tops and busy shirts can only handle simple accessories. Likewise, only wear one statement piece at a time to keep your look from competing with itself. Another useful tip? Consider your job function. You might not want to wear post-back earrings if you spend a lot of time on the phone or noisy bangles if you share a workspace with a colleague.

Even though I already owned a fair amount of jewelry, I was looking for a few more pieces. After taking inventory, I decided I needed a few basics like a pair of pearl studs. I also had a lot of necklaces and earrings, but not as many bracelets. Here are a few of my favorite pieces from my collection. 

Most girls limit themselves to their jewelry boxes and are missing two major opportunities be creative and look femme: with scarves and brooches. These items are great because they’re incredibly appropriate, but everyone isn’t wearing them already. Which, in turn, makes you look resourceful and creative.

Fashion Challenge - the Easter Sunday Suit

I’m sure I’ve only mentioned a dozen times that I volunteer with an awesome organization called Dress for Success that provides interview and employment clothing, as well as career coaching, to underprivileged women. I’m lucky enough to spend one day a week working (and not to mention networking) with professionals from the HR fields, play with pretty clothing, and make other women feel hopeful about their employment searches.

So I was beyond stoked when I received my invitation to the volunteer appreciation event – a grab bag event where each volunteer was allowed to fill one standard shopping bag full of clothes from the excess inventory sale for free.

I made some fairly questionable choices at the event. But, hey, the clothes were free and can easily be returned to the sale boutique. If it was remotely my size and my style, I decided I should take it home and see what I could do with it.

Which leads me to a new series of posts on the items I brought home, a few challenge pieces, and I’ll see if I can make them work.

And since yesterday was Resurrection Sunday, I decided to start with the Easter Egg suit, a yellow tweed suit from Ann Taylor, complete with a flouncy ruffle hem. Easter bonnet not included:

How did I plan on making this suit look more like the office and less suited a gospel choir performance? I had to split it up and only wear one piece at a time. Otherwise it’s way too matchy-matchy and the color gets a little overwhelming.

Accessory Necessities - Pt 3 - Bags

We've covered belts and shoes, which leaves one more leather accessory: bags. With so many purses, totes, messengers, wristlets, and satchels to choose from, it can be a little overwhelming. But the key factor to consider is functionality. Because no matter how much you love your trendy-yet-work-appropriate cross-body, you won't use it if you're toting your laptop, notebook, and bagged lunch to and from the office each day. Since I don't know exactly how much I'll be toting or my daily transportation system, I'm holding off a bit on purchases, so the pictures today are examples from Piperlime.

Structure – slouchy totes that show every lump and bulge in your bag won’t add to the pulled together look of your suit, and everyone will know exactly what’s inside. Word to the wise, go with something structured, meaning it can stand up on its own and hold its shape.

Fabric – Leather looks best, but functionality is more important. I’ll be without my car this summer, so I can count on hauling my bag a fair distance – at least to and from transit stops. So I’ll be looking for something nylon and lightweight, yet reinforced enough to be structured.

Size – This is the main reason I haven’t made many bag choices yet. Will I hit the gym on the way to or from work? Or will I bring my laptop? Either of these cases, I’d need a large tote or messenger bag.  Or can I make do with a standard purse? I won’t know until I get there and establish my routines, but I at least have one of each – a black Baekgaard tote for $15 and a red Ralph Lauren bag at $22.99, both from TJMaxx .

Color – Go for a neutral that coordinates with as many outfits as possible. Most likely, this will be the neutral that dominates your wardrobe. You want to make sure each outfit has a coordinating bag. After you’ve got the basics covered, it’s ok to play with color, as long as the bag is a quality material. Red, mustard yellow, and hunter green leather pieces are all acceptable and professional.

Pattern - Go simple and classic. Purses with loud designer prints and logos may have become the new status symbol, but carrying an ostentatious designer bag only gives people the opportunity to pass judgment on how much you and your family are worth, and then treat you differently based on their perceptions. Whether their appraisals are right or wrong, don’t set yourself up to be the victim of socioeconomic status discrimination or workplace jealousy. It’s ok to own a nice, designer bag; just be discreet.

Pockets - Look for lots of compartments. I’m sure we’ve all heard some woman’s story of how lip gloss, pens, mascara, and feminine items that were all stored in the same zipper pocket somehow created an über-embarrassing moment. Learn from her mistake.

What do you tote to and from work?

Accessory Necessities - Pt 2 - Shoes

Most basic accessories can do double duty between work and play. A simple black bag can transition from night to day, and a plain brown belt can work with business or casual ensembles. But shoes aren't so easy. The basic black pumps you rock on the weekends probably shouldn't be the same pair that make the trek to work come Monday morning. I have no clue exactly why shoes gained more sex appeal than other accessories, but regardless, it's your job to make sure your footwear is appropriate

Make sure each suit can be matched with a pair of coordinating heels with a full toe and full heel. I have a pair in nude and black ($29.99 from TJMaxx, and $15.00 from Famous Footwear, respectively). With these two pairs of shoes, I will never come across a suit that requires another pair of shoes. And the closed toe and full heel make them appropriate for any level of business formality. When shopping for heels, keep in mind that matching your shoe color to your pants and pointier toes both lengthen your leg line, making you look taller and sleeker. And keep heels under 4 inches; skip the platform styles.

Four Orgs to Join for Professional Success

I have a confession to make. I’m not the most engaged student. I really don’t like that many of my classes. But that doesn’t mean my parents are wasting their money on my education. I’ve learned a lot from college. It’s just a majority of my learning has come from outside the classroom, in student organizations. Because they just function more like the real world than my Russian Lit class ever did.

Want to get the most extracurricular bang for your buck? Looking for real experience to discuss in your interviews? Here are the organizations you need to join. Now, it’s a pretty long list, but they’re not mutually exclusive. If an organization meets several of these criteria, chances are it’s a good fit.

An organization where you gain leadership experience: Notice I say “experience,” not “position.” Recruiters and hiring managers aren’t overly concerned with your titles in student orgs; they want to know what you did. It doesn’t take a formal leadership position to be an influential member of a group on campus. In my Career Services Ambassador program, there are only five students on the formal leadership team, but every member is tasked with advising other students with resumes and mock interviews. Therefore they all lead. So ask yourself, were you responsible for planning events, managing a budget, or motivating people? Did other students listen to you and value your opinions? And why?

An org that has an application/tryout: Classes don’t function like the real world. You’re given individual grades, mostly based on individual work. Enrollment depends on a good registration time, not your past work. And you can skip class for the entire month of February and still get an A- (did it). But in selective organizations, the application or tryout process is a lot like interviewing for jobs. And if you get in, your success is contingent on meshing with other members of the group. Not pulling your weight? You get cut. Just like any real world job.

An organization that relates to your career goals: This ought to be a given. Getting your feet wet as a volunteer puts you in good standing for internships, which in turn, improves your job prospects. Here at Carolina, there are tons of pre-professional societies and organizations – from pre-med and business minded to museum work and college sports research. This is especially important for students outside of the professional schools, as your coursework may not have a strong focus or preparation for your field of interest.

An organization with grownups: I got involved with a career counseling organization off campus when I was looking to gain experience in the HR field. Each week, I work side by side with other HR generalists, recruiters, management consultants, and the like. When we have downtime between clients, I get to pick their brains and get advice. And since we work together, they know my strengths and abilities better than an HR panelist ever would. During a recent roundtable training session, I connected with another volunteer, who owns a search firm and finds executive level employees for organizations. We connected over LinkedIn and in one of her messages, she added, “If there is anything I can ever do for you to help in your job search, please let me know.” Seriously? Me? Basically, these organizations are the least awkward way to build your network with established professionals who have extensive networks of their own. Do a good job and make a positive impression, and they might be your “in” for your first post-graduation job.

So what are you waiting for? Get involved!