Double Duty Outfits: work to happy hour!

I am one of those women...

9-5 work weeks and happy hour with the gals when it's been a rough week.  I live in my work clothes being that I work 5 days a week, 8 hours a day (lunch not included lol).  I find that having pride in your look says alot about you to your clients and customers, and looking good and presentable gives them an impression that you mean business.

With that said, there is nothing wrong with wearing outfits for work that double as an apres work hour socializing with the gals.

If you're like me, then you would appreciate where I'm coming from with this entry.

Today's work outfit is the Black sheath dress...

I take my fashion queues from Ms. Beckham--a great sheath can give you a sexy yet professional look at the same time.  Great fit and fabric are important, and that it hits every curve of your body correctly!

This one was a relatively inexpensive sheath.  It was about $30 bought at a smaller boutique store (which the name narrowly escapes me at the moment) and is my fave go-to for work.  It doesn't reveal much and yet hugs every curve of my body perfectly.  It is also a great outfit for work that, with a few accessories, can turn into an after-work gathering outfit! luvs.  In order change up for the night time, one can just switch accessories like add more blingy jewelry and either change shoes or pair with a different blazer or jacket, and voila! social hour outfit in a snap!

In this pic, I paired a simple black sheath with taupe guess plaform pumps and topped it with a red Aldo belt for effect!

Dries Van Noten in the spotlight: Julia Roberts in Tokyo

I fell inlove with Dries Van Noten's Fall 2010 collection previewing it at style.com recently...It seems that I'm not the only one!  Spotted! Julia Roberts in one of his fall pieces, a Floral Sheath in 3/4 sleeve...Breath-takingly gorgeous! LUV. 

One of the floral sheaths from his ready to wear Fall 2010 collection--similar to the one Julia Roberts wore at a Tokyo press conference for her new movie, Eat, Pray, Love.

I love the femininity of the floral dresses--it's simple in that there are no extra frills but the bright, bold colours gives it that extra pop.

Sunday Blues cured with a find...what a find!~*

beats:: hey daddy - usher
outfit of the day:: cream sweater, black racerback tanktop & black leggings & flats (casual day!)
fave fashion accessory of the day/moment:: grey Aldo handbag =)

Nothing beats a case of the sunday blues better than a great bargain find!

Today on a rainny sunday, I decided to venture off to the mall....It was one of those lazy sundays that just didn't feel like anything exciting was going to go on.  I thought that a day at the mall might help to pass the time and boy, was I right!

I went into Mariposa sort of as a whim.  I barely buy anything from there, and usually I feel more than hesitant to trust some of the stuff they carry.  One thing that did catch my eye that seemed like the quality wan't too bad, and neither was the price, was this black short-sleeved sheath dress.  Normally for these kinds of dresses, i would opt to invest in a more properly cut, pricier dress because it's usually worth the investment.  This time however, I ended up with such a bargain, I may come back and buy the same dress in another colour!  (I'm sorry stacy and clinton! lol)

The dress is from Mariposa $5 on sale.  Great buy eh?? It's regularly $20.50 and that in itself isn't a bad price but to pay as much as I did for a work dress? greeeaaat!!! =) (the red belt was from my closet lol)

So now i have a new dress that I can add to my collection of work clothes, and if I ever ruin this dress at some point, I won't have to feel bad about it since I only spent $5!

That only goes to show that I don't always buy pricey clothes in order to look good.  The important part of what piece of clothing you buy is that in the end, you feel good in it and make sure that you wear the clothes, and they don't wear you..

I am a happy camper!~*

under the sheaths!~*

beats::
outfit of the day:: fair isle cardigan, grey leggings and over-the-knee boots
fave fashion accessory of the day/moment:: hmm..i guess still the coach bag!?

* sidenote: i started this entry on tuesday...lol..if you're wondering about the next few lines*

Good morning All!

Happy Tuesday...lovely rain and sun mixed in with the winds...it's one of my least fave fashion days...It's simply not as easy to be fashionable during bad weather days!

Before I continue on, may I say that in my opinion, no one beats Lady V (aka Victoria Beckham) for the only celebrity I know that rocks the most fashionable sheath dresses!  She kicks up the traditional sheath dress to another level!

*Applause!*

With that being said, the sheath dress is a long staple for the businesswomen of the world. 

Over the years, I've seen a new breath of life be given to the oh-so traditional sheath.  A few nips and tucks has revamped a conservative businesswoman dress into a piece that can transition from daytime meeting into night-time cocktail hour with the ladies!  I myself have a mini collection of these...It's one of my fave work-wear dresses! I think the style is so appealing because of it being so business-appropriate and sexy at the same time. It gives the woman the authority in the business world while knowing that she doesn't have to let go of her feminine allure to run the show!

Like I've mentioned, I've collected a few since I've started my last job.  Actually, I think I've always been into office wear cause when I wear it, it makes me feel sexy without revealing too much skin! One does not have to show alot of skin to look sexy in the office.  Also more importantly, one does not have to look frumpy to be taken seriously in the business world.

These lovely frocks come in all textures, lengths, embelishments and even prices! (The more embelishments you choose, the pricier it may become!) There are some nice ones out there right now for the new season...

BEBE
If you are on the trendy side but would like to look more business-like, then this is the place for you! They have some great trendy variations to the traditional dress...They have used cut-outs and ruffles, even floral fabrics to set their dresses apart.  There are some great ones that start at $148 (CDN).  I actually bought a black/grey/cream colour-block dress for about $112(CDN or $98.00 USD).  It's a V-neck on the top half with black and cream colours, and black skirt on the bottom half with grey and cream stripes.  If you are a fashionista in a business setting, then I'd urge you to check out BEBE.  It can unleash your inner sexpot without being to overtly sexual in the workplace!

Guess by Marciano
Okay, so this is verging on more party luxe dresses than actual workwear, but I've bought a dress or three in the past that I've actually pulled off for the workplace!  Actually, the dresses I've purchased in the past were more bandage sweater style dresses than structured cotton sheath dresses.  The one advantage the bandage style dress has in a sheath style is that it gives more movement.  The cotton/poly-cotton blend sheath doesn't have a lot of give when it's structure to be in a certain shape.  The sweater dress is knit, hence 'sweater dress' it has a feel of a sweater and therefore conforms to your body.  The only con? If you are a person that doesn't quite feel comfortable in revealing your shape with a sweater dress (cause trust me when it hugs, it clings on for dear life!) then you'd be better off with the former, which gives a certain allowance for shape-conscious women.

Zara
More traditional work-wear, but still quite affordable.  The dresses are more structured therefore it's a safe bet for work appropriateness...If you want to be sure the length, structure and overall business-worthy appeal are all appropriate, this is the place for you!

There are other less expensive retail stores that can give you the same dresses in a fraction of the price!  Stores such as suzy shier, sirens, urban behavior and forever 21 all have their version of the sheath dress.  In fact, I bought a dress from Sirens that I am glad to say, is very work appropriate and trendy-hot at the same time! it cost me around $20 at the time (too bad I only bought one in black, cause it came in different colours!)  Just be aware that sometimes cheaper may be a steal, but the proportions may not be up to snuff!  Afterall, you get what you pay for at times! Always try them on and make sure they are comfortable for you!

More often than not, I'd suggest investing in a dress that compliments you and makes you feel good, rather than opting for the cheaper version.  There are a few articles of work clothing that you can get away with buying at cheaper places, but the dress is not one of them....Especially if you want one that compliments you, not hinders..

As always, happy hunting for the perfect sheath!~*