Following Suit

This coming week is the first time when I have to wear suits all...week...long. Hence, I finally had to come to terms with the fact that this time, I *have* to get more suits. I've been putting it off for quite a while, but when I have to potentially see the same people 4 days out of the week, I'm not sure I want to be caught wearing the same things.

Naturally, I went to visit the nearest BCBG outlet. BCBG jackets have fit me quite well, and the quality pretty decent for the outlet price. The outlet prices are quite good. I got my first black suit for about $100, and sure enough, this time I got a striped suit for $100. I'll have to take the pants to a tailor to have them shortened and to get rid of the side vents, but those are minor gripes considering that I got such a good deal. I also got a charcoal gray blazer for $40 in hopes that it'll match my charcoal gray pants. Alas, the jacket was a few shades darker, but it's still good to wear it stand-alone.

During my shopping trip, I got a few other things as well. Since I don't have a whole lot of light but warm sweaters, I wanted to take advantage of the winter clearances and grab a few if I can. I did manage to find a cashmere-blend sweater that I can wear for work or play; I'll write about it when I take it for a few drives. As for the other finds, they are incredibly good deals. They're also part of my outfit for today.

The Da Nang hoodie is something I've had my eye on for a while. The faux-fur inside keeps me warm and toasty, and the rugged look is a good contrast to the more refined pieces I have. The last time I went, the hoodie was only 30% off (from $50). Since I was in the process of shopping for Christmas presents, I felt that my money would be best spent elsewhere. This time, it was 70% off, which came out to about $17. I didn't quite wear it right out of the store, but it was pretty close. Because it was raining hard and I was carrying a bunch of bags, I had to drop them off into my car trunk first. That's when I put the jacket on, and what perfect timing! It kept me cozy throughout the day.

The BCBG pumps were something I bought along with the suits. There was a $29 rack full of last-pairs. I was initially attracted to the red version of it, but there was no way I could squeeze my foot into a size 5. Dejected, I turned to other pairs, including the pair depicted here. I didn't expect it to fit, since it was a half size smaller than what I'd usually wear, but after trying on another pair of shoes in my "correct" size and finding it to be too big, I decided to give it a go. To my surprise, the shoe fits! I asked for the other shoe right away, and both feet were happy.

These shoes are simply perfect for me. I've been looking for another pair of affordable black pumps because the pair I've been wearing is starting to wear out--clomping (and sometimes running) down the halls and stairs of various courthouses will do that to shoes. The bow and leopard-print trim add some cute yet subtle touches.

Quite a bit of dough was consumed yesterday, but at least I know that my hard-earned cash was spent wisely. Now I have to head over to the tailor. Hopefully I'll be able to wear my new suit before the end of the week.