Written by Megan Flynn and Jenni Schweitzer
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This week, Jenni's friend Ashley asked us to guest-blog for her over at Entry Level Angst, a blog dedicated to the life of the newly employed corporate college graduate. She wanted us to write about workplace fashion, which is kind of perfect, actually, because that was next on our list anyway.
Definitely give her a look! You can read the article below or hop over to her blog to read it and learn a few other things, as well. Enjoy!
<3 M
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So, you graduated from college and snagged that job in an office. Whether you love it or hate it, what you wear to work is really important. If you were that girl who wore pajamas to class every day, well, whatever. We gave you a hard time and were grateful that we weren’t you, but it didn’t matter in the long run because we weren’t signing your paychecks. It probably shouldn’t, but people judging you suddenly matters when money is involved. No pressure or anything. So what are you going to wear?
Here’s the first problem: you don’t have any money. Okay, you have some money, but please, don’t spend your rent and grocery money on shoes or skirts. Unless you can budget a specific amount of money to invest in your wardrobe and stick with it (not us), don’t worry about spending a fortune all at once to score a closet full of new big girl outfits (us). We’re all about adding to your collection slowly, over a period of time. A new watch now, a new pair of shoes later. Cute necklace, new shirt, you get the idea. Our wardrobes are still growing, one piece at a time.
So, now that we’ve got the first problem figured out, let’s talk about your first course of action: look in your closet. We’ll bet you have plenty of things to wear to work hidden in there somewhere. Let’s talk about our favorite—dresses. Megan has a slew of sundresses that seem frivolous and too girly to be taken seriously in the office, but you can add to it and have a perfect career-girl look in no time. Just remember to do the hemline limbo – not too far above or below your knee. What’s our secret to success? Good accessories. So, say you have a high-waisted flowery skirt, and you have a little black tee both just lying around. You can wear these to work. Tuck your shirt into your skirt, add a necklace and some non-hoochie heels and you’re ready to go. The right jewelry and shoes can pretty much make any outfit work on the job.
Obviously, there are rules that must be applied to the use of heels at work. First of all, can you walk in them without looking like a cavewoman? Great. If you’re about to fall over, stick to flats or some cute metallic or beaded sandals. Jenni prefers pointy-toe flats: the best of both worlds. If you can pull off heels for eight hours, then remember that they don’t need to be crazy high or crazy loud. Colors are oftentimes acceptable, but for the most part you might just want to stick with black, brown, or Megan’s current favorite, nude/tan peep-toes, pumps or t-straps. Make sure you check the dress code policy at your office/retail/Outback Steakhouse.
Now let’s talk about jeans. Obviously, everyone’s job is different, so if you’re working somewhere casual or super-artsy, jeans might be allowed. If they are, stay away from anything with holes in it, and while you’re at it keep away from faded or acid-wash jeans, too. Basically, wear dark jeans to work. Trouser cut jeans are awesome but a nice boot-cut might be just fine.
So, let’s review.
• Don’t spend a ton of money if you don’t have it.
• Add to your wardrobe a few pieces at a time, and while you’re at it always look for sales. New York & Company is your friend.
• Recycle what you already have by adding nice accessories to it—an interesting necklace or a simple black cardigan or fitted jacket can work wonders.
• Your office is not Project Runway — no need for seven inch heels. Especially if you can’t even walk in them. And leave your leopard/tiger/baby seal print at home.
• Be careful with jeans. Make sure you’re allowed to wear them at work. And if you are, stick with dark wash. Dark wash. Dark wash dark wash dark wash.
Mostly, you want to be comfortable and presentable. Let your boss know that you thought about what you put on before you came to work. If you do that, they’ll know that you care about your job and representing them well. That raise will be yours in no time.
You’re welcome.
Showing posts with label Jeans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jeans. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Pants with Perspective
Written by Megan Flynn and Jenni Schweitzer
This week at The Longwood Look we are seeking to help your love life with fashion sense—because there’s nothing worse than going out on a date with a guy that you barely know and halfway through think, “I know you. I’ve dated you before.” We can save you some time and definitely some heartbreak. We’ve been on enough dates, and we are 98% sure that you can know important things about a guy before you ever even speak to him. As strange as it may seem, you need to start looking at pants. And judging the men who wear them.
This isn’t very scientific. But you can’t say we didn’t warn you.
1)Khaki: Men who wear Dockers or J.Crew pants constantly aren’t actually men at all, at least emotionally—they’re either little boys or they’re elderly—and sometimes, they’re both. Don’t get us wrong, khaki is great sometimes, it’s clean and tidy and all those boring things. When your closet is full of it, though, there’s a problem. Grow up or live a little. There are other things out there. Our advice: Keep looking.
2)Skinny Jeans: Like Khaki Men, Girl Pant Boys hang out on two opposite extremes—either very confident and fun or totally insecure and obsessed with being trendy. We mostly hang out with the confident and fun variety, and a lot of our cool guy friends that dress well all rock skinny jeans. (For a funny take on skinny jeans by someone who knows, check out the post below) Our advice: Proceed, with caution.
3)Distressed/Bleached/Deliberately Damaged Denim: Oh boy. Here’s a question—why would you pay money (sometimes extra) for a pair of pants that some poor kid in a third-world country had to spend extra hours ripping up for your aesthetic delight? These men cannot be trusted. We feel, quite strongly, that if someone has a choice between lovely intact jeans and ones with gaping holes and frayed seams and chooses the latter, they’re probably not going to be able to appreciate a good thing when they see it. Our advice: Steer clear.
4)Worn-in Jeans: A silhouette labeled “worn-in” is not only kind-of gross, it’s also questionable. Someone who wants pre-worn pants? Seriously? Well, whatever the reason, we’ve discovered that Worn-in Guys aren’t so bad. Clearly, they may not welcome change or adventure, and they probably enjoy cheeseburgers. They might really love dogs. We’re pretty sure you know Worn-in Guys. The problem with them is that they really tend to be against change. These are men who live by the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality. Make sure you give them plenty of notice if you’re going to leave them. Our advice: Give him a try.
5)Boot-Cut Jeans: Now we’re talking about men who wear normal old jeans. Uncomplicated, drama-free jeans. Just like them. We may write a fashion column, but we know the value of a guy who wakes up in the morning and knows that there are more important things than the pants he’s wearing. We’re not saying these guys don’t care—they just happen to prefer jeans that always look good without being fussy. Medium to dark wash, boot-cut jeans work with all kinds of shirts and make the whole world a little simpler. Our advice: Find one for yourself.
Like jean shopping, dating takes a few tries, and things can always change. But as always, the most important thing is finding something that fits your life and makes you happy enough to forget the rest of them.
This week at The Longwood Look we are seeking to help your love life with fashion sense—because there’s nothing worse than going out on a date with a guy that you barely know and halfway through think, “I know you. I’ve dated you before.” We can save you some time and definitely some heartbreak. We’ve been on enough dates, and we are 98% sure that you can know important things about a guy before you ever even speak to him. As strange as it may seem, you need to start looking at pants. And judging the men who wear them.
This isn’t very scientific. But you can’t say we didn’t warn you.
1)Khaki: Men who wear Dockers or J.Crew pants constantly aren’t actually men at all, at least emotionally—they’re either little boys or they’re elderly—and sometimes, they’re both. Don’t get us wrong, khaki is great sometimes, it’s clean and tidy and all those boring things. When your closet is full of it, though, there’s a problem. Grow up or live a little. There are other things out there. Our advice: Keep looking.
2)Skinny Jeans: Like Khaki Men, Girl Pant Boys hang out on two opposite extremes—either very confident and fun or totally insecure and obsessed with being trendy. We mostly hang out with the confident and fun variety, and a lot of our cool guy friends that dress well all rock skinny jeans. (For a funny take on skinny jeans by someone who knows, check out the post below) Our advice: Proceed, with caution.
3)Distressed/Bleached/Deliberately Damaged Denim: Oh boy. Here’s a question—why would you pay money (sometimes extra) for a pair of pants that some poor kid in a third-world country had to spend extra hours ripping up for your aesthetic delight? These men cannot be trusted. We feel, quite strongly, that if someone has a choice between lovely intact jeans and ones with gaping holes and frayed seams and chooses the latter, they’re probably not going to be able to appreciate a good thing when they see it. Our advice: Steer clear.
4)Worn-in Jeans: A silhouette labeled “worn-in” is not only kind-of gross, it’s also questionable. Someone who wants pre-worn pants? Seriously? Well, whatever the reason, we’ve discovered that Worn-in Guys aren’t so bad. Clearly, they may not welcome change or adventure, and they probably enjoy cheeseburgers. They might really love dogs. We’re pretty sure you know Worn-in Guys. The problem with them is that they really tend to be against change. These are men who live by the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality. Make sure you give them plenty of notice if you’re going to leave them. Our advice: Give him a try.
5)Boot-Cut Jeans: Now we’re talking about men who wear normal old jeans. Uncomplicated, drama-free jeans. Just like them. We may write a fashion column, but we know the value of a guy who wakes up in the morning and knows that there are more important things than the pants he’s wearing. We’re not saying these guys don’t care—they just happen to prefer jeans that always look good without being fussy. Medium to dark wash, boot-cut jeans work with all kinds of shirts and make the whole world a little simpler. Our advice: Find one for yourself.
Like jean shopping, dating takes a few tries, and things can always change. But as always, the most important thing is finding something that fits your life and makes you happy enough to forget the rest of them.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Spiderman, hipsters and pants, oh my!
Before constructing this week's Look (Pants with Perspective) we asked one of our highly fashionable friends to write a creative piece on the stereotypes certain pants convey. As an example, we cited the notorious 'hipster skinny-jean'. He complied. Enjoy.
-If you didn’t already know, the skin-tight jeans worn by male hipsters such are the brain-eating symbiotes that plagued the superheroes of Marvel Comics.
Spiderman became host to the first and most famous symbiote -- Venom -- in Secret Wars #8. While looking for a fix to his battle-damaged costume, Spiderman accidentally discovered in a prison module what appeared, at first, to be a stronger replacement -- with impressive new features such as a never-ending supply of web and morphing capabilities. The average person might have a few concerns about an oily black goo that so eagerly spreads itself over your body. Not Spidey, though.
I encounter my symbiote at Tractor Supply Company, in Farmville. I needed a replacement for my old pair of wide-legged jeans -- 32-30 -- that had been washed so many times over the years they were now more white than blue. I was in a hurry, though. A despairing friend needed a shoulder on which to bawl. I simply wanted to buy a new pair jean of the same style as my old ones before the store closed for the night. In my rush, I didn't notice, however, that the pair of jeans I had bought were not wide-legged, but Cowboy Cut.
When I tried them on a few hours later, they were so tight it hurt to sit. The button above the zipper jammed against my stomach hard enough to leave a mark.
However! I looked absolutely fabulous in them. As my friend sobbed on the couch in the living room, I couldn’t stop standing up and admiring my better half in the window’s reflection. “Who is the fairest one of all?” I cooed under my breath.
Now, Spider Man’s relationship with his symbiote quickly lost its charm. The alien costume liked to control Spidey’s actions while he slept. It’s long-term goal was full control of the brain. The ensuing struggle between Spidey and Vemon bears all the mental and physical hallmarks of an abusive relationship. There was fighting, crying, pain, and a huge power struggle. Words were said. A number of times the symbiote threated to eat Spidey’s spleen. Their relationship was eventually terminated in a chiming bell tower.
The Cowboy Cuts and I have not yet reached the point of conflict. However, I can certainly see how they have made me different person. Pants of this tightness alter blood flow, which slowly decreases the amount of oxygen the brain receives. I now understand the detached ironic mood of hipsters much better than before. I’ve observed what happens to hipster gentlemen who wear tight jeans for an extended period of time. The brain damage manifests itself in many ugly ways, from their taste in music (indie), their taste in shirts (twee), and their consumption of beer (PBR).
I do not look forward to joining the dour ranks of these people. Who would? But I have a choice: being faithful to all the things in which I believe, or looking damn sexy. I choose the latter, and I do so with a stiff upper lip for the horrors that it will wreak upon my life. I am reminded of a request Venom once made of Spider Man. “Come closer,” he said, “so we can suck your lungs out through your cerebral cortex.”
Tune in soon for Megan and Jenni's personal pant peeves.
-If you didn’t already know, the skin-tight jeans worn by male hipsters such are the brain-eating symbiotes that plagued the superheroes of Marvel Comics.
Spiderman became host to the first and most famous symbiote -- Venom -- in Secret Wars #8. While looking for a fix to his battle-damaged costume, Spiderman accidentally discovered in a prison module what appeared, at first, to be a stronger replacement -- with impressive new features such as a never-ending supply of web and morphing capabilities. The average person might have a few concerns about an oily black goo that so eagerly spreads itself over your body. Not Spidey, though.
I encounter my symbiote at Tractor Supply Company, in Farmville. I needed a replacement for my old pair of wide-legged jeans -- 32-30 -- that had been washed so many times over the years they were now more white than blue. I was in a hurry, though. A despairing friend needed a shoulder on which to bawl. I simply wanted to buy a new pair jean of the same style as my old ones before the store closed for the night. In my rush, I didn't notice, however, that the pair of jeans I had bought were not wide-legged, but Cowboy Cut.
When I tried them on a few hours later, they were so tight it hurt to sit. The button above the zipper jammed against my stomach hard enough to leave a mark.
However! I looked absolutely fabulous in them. As my friend sobbed on the couch in the living room, I couldn’t stop standing up and admiring my better half in the window’s reflection. “Who is the fairest one of all?” I cooed under my breath.
Now, Spider Man’s relationship with his symbiote quickly lost its charm. The alien costume liked to control Spidey’s actions while he slept. It’s long-term goal was full control of the brain. The ensuing struggle between Spidey and Vemon bears all the mental and physical hallmarks of an abusive relationship. There was fighting, crying, pain, and a huge power struggle. Words were said. A number of times the symbiote threated to eat Spidey’s spleen. Their relationship was eventually terminated in a chiming bell tower.
The Cowboy Cuts and I have not yet reached the point of conflict. However, I can certainly see how they have made me different person. Pants of this tightness alter blood flow, which slowly decreases the amount of oxygen the brain receives. I now understand the detached ironic mood of hipsters much better than before. I’ve observed what happens to hipster gentlemen who wear tight jeans for an extended period of time. The brain damage manifests itself in many ugly ways, from their taste in music (indie), their taste in shirts (twee), and their consumption of beer (PBR).
I do not look forward to joining the dour ranks of these people. Who would? But I have a choice: being faithful to all the things in which I believe, or looking damn sexy. I choose the latter, and I do so with a stiff upper lip for the horrors that it will wreak upon my life. I am reminded of a request Venom once made of Spider Man. “Come closer,” he said, “so we can suck your lungs out through your cerebral cortex.”
Tune in soon for Megan and Jenni's personal pant peeves.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Seven Threadly Sins
Written by Megan Flynn and Jenni Schweitzer
It’s a new year! Did your new year’s resolution have to do with looking more amazing? In a very backwards effort to help you out, we’ve actually come up with the seven most villainous and wicked wardrobe malfunctions that you should never, ever be tempted to commit. Keep them out of your closet in 2010!
These are in no particular order. We loathe them all equally.
1.Muffin Tops: Let’s make something clear—girls can be beautiful with practically any body type. A muffin top, for those of you who don’t know, is when the waistband of your pants is slightly too small, and what doesn’t fit spills over, like the top of a muffin. It has much less to do with weight than the fit of the waistband on your pants. Megan can buy her jeans at Abercrombie Kids and still has had to figure out a way to battle the dreaded muffin top. Don’t be afraid to buy a size up. We won’t tell anyone.
2. Pajamas in Class: Why? Stop it. It’s not that hard to wear jeans or throw on a dress; actually, it takes the exact same amount of effort as putting on a pair of pajama pants. If you’re really a fan of the whole comfortable look, try some black yoga pants. Paired with a nice plain t-shirt, it’s an easy way to say ‘Namaste’ to academia with both comfort and style.
3. Skinny Jeans have an obvious implication. They’re the most closely tapered pants without being tights or body paint, and generally speaking, we approve of them. Both Jenni and Megan own skinny jeans and have discovered the real challenge – finding an equally skinny top. Again, skinny jeans have little to do with your body and more to do with the physical cut of the cloth. Your top should not be too voluminous, or instead of muffin top, you’ll be a muffin. Try to find them in a darker wash to maximize the skinny part of your jeans.
4. Ugg Boots: We can see why you'd want to toast your tootsies after all those heels we prescribe. Megan actually owns two pairs, but wears them cautiously. Just make sure you don't follow the Apple Bottom Jeans formula. Your boots don't need the fur to stay warm in the winter. Promise. And definitely no mini-skirts. What’s the point? You’ll get an article solely devoted to Uggs soon—Jenni and Megan argue about the rules of boots constantly.
5. Bag Ladies: Why are you carrying your purse and a backpack? Bookbags have little compartments specifically designed for things like cell phones, keys and chapstick. And yes, we know that everyone around here collects Vera Bradley bags like librarians collect cats, but you have to start narrowing it down to just one per day. That blue tote with the bright pink mini backpack—that’s practically a quilt. The ID holders are nice, though. We like them. And pen and sunglass cases, as well as the larger pieces made for traveling all serve a higher purpose. When it comes to Vera, we have to say that function needs to outweigh form. We hate to be the ones to have to tell you, but quilted purses aren’t actually that fashionable.
6. Camouflage is completely useless on campus. Trust us, you are not blending in, and that destroys the point. Go hunting, sure, and thank you for controlling the deer population. But seriously? We can still see you.
7. Confusion: Ever seen a girl and wondered, "Is she wearing pants?" McDonald's might allow it, but we won't. No matter how cute the two pieces you're wearing are—like a long top with a mini—they aren't balanced. Fit is almost everything when it comes to looking and feeling great in your clothes, and you want pieces that will work together in harmony. Wear longer tops with skinny jeans instead of a miniskirt or tuck them into high-waist, more reasonable-length skirt.
Well, there you have them. Resolve accordingly.
It’s a new year! Did your new year’s resolution have to do with looking more amazing? In a very backwards effort to help you out, we’ve actually come up with the seven most villainous and wicked wardrobe malfunctions that you should never, ever be tempted to commit. Keep them out of your closet in 2010!
These are in no particular order. We loathe them all equally.
1.Muffin Tops: Let’s make something clear—girls can be beautiful with practically any body type. A muffin top, for those of you who don’t know, is when the waistband of your pants is slightly too small, and what doesn’t fit spills over, like the top of a muffin. It has much less to do with weight than the fit of the waistband on your pants. Megan can buy her jeans at Abercrombie Kids and still has had to figure out a way to battle the dreaded muffin top. Don’t be afraid to buy a size up. We won’t tell anyone.
2. Pajamas in Class: Why? Stop it. It’s not that hard to wear jeans or throw on a dress; actually, it takes the exact same amount of effort as putting on a pair of pajama pants. If you’re really a fan of the whole comfortable look, try some black yoga pants. Paired with a nice plain t-shirt, it’s an easy way to say ‘Namaste’ to academia with both comfort and style.
3. Skinny Jeans have an obvious implication. They’re the most closely tapered pants without being tights or body paint, and generally speaking, we approve of them. Both Jenni and Megan own skinny jeans and have discovered the real challenge – finding an equally skinny top. Again, skinny jeans have little to do with your body and more to do with the physical cut of the cloth. Your top should not be too voluminous, or instead of muffin top, you’ll be a muffin. Try to find them in a darker wash to maximize the skinny part of your jeans.
4. Ugg Boots: We can see why you'd want to toast your tootsies after all those heels we prescribe. Megan actually owns two pairs, but wears them cautiously. Just make sure you don't follow the Apple Bottom Jeans formula. Your boots don't need the fur to stay warm in the winter. Promise. And definitely no mini-skirts. What’s the point? You’ll get an article solely devoted to Uggs soon—Jenni and Megan argue about the rules of boots constantly.
5. Bag Ladies: Why are you carrying your purse and a backpack? Bookbags have little compartments specifically designed for things like cell phones, keys and chapstick. And yes, we know that everyone around here collects Vera Bradley bags like librarians collect cats, but you have to start narrowing it down to just one per day. That blue tote with the bright pink mini backpack—that’s practically a quilt. The ID holders are nice, though. We like them. And pen and sunglass cases, as well as the larger pieces made for traveling all serve a higher purpose. When it comes to Vera, we have to say that function needs to outweigh form. We hate to be the ones to have to tell you, but quilted purses aren’t actually that fashionable.
6. Camouflage is completely useless on campus. Trust us, you are not blending in, and that destroys the point. Go hunting, sure, and thank you for controlling the deer population. But seriously? We can still see you.
7. Confusion: Ever seen a girl and wondered, "Is she wearing pants?" McDonald's might allow it, but we won't. No matter how cute the two pieces you're wearing are—like a long top with a mini—they aren't balanced. Fit is almost everything when it comes to looking and feeling great in your clothes, and you want pieces that will work together in harmony. Wear longer tops with skinny jeans instead of a miniskirt or tuck them into high-waist, more reasonable-length skirt.
Well, there you have them. Resolve accordingly.
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