Dressed to the Nines (from Nine to Nine)

It is hard to work to really, really long hours. It is even harder to motivate oneself to dress up for it. However, I do believe that making a little bit of effort to look good does somewhat translate to feeling a little better and adopting a more serious demeanor to face the challenges of the day.

My workwear this past week consisted of a mix of loose, flowing dresses to fitted but stretchy pants, things that are sharp but decidedly comfortable. Most of the outfits could have swung to weekend mode, but a pair of pumps instantly makes them look office-ready. It's amazing what a difference a pair of shoes make.

Monday: I tried to start off the week by setting the right tone--a comfortable silk racerback tank dress with a fitted blazer. After much hemming and hawing as I was about to leave the Barney's Warehouse Sale last week, I'm really glad I stuck with the decision to buy this dress. The pretty bird and sailboat print and the silk fabric make the dress elegant, but racerback style and loose fit leave a decidedly casual mark. It certainly deserves its own Weeday/Weekend feature.

[Development blazer, necklace I received as a gift, Stella McCartney tank dress, Modern Vintage gray suede pumps.]



Tuesday: After wearing dresses for almost a whole week before, I decided to go back to wearing pants. The weather was sweltering, and the wildfires blazing in the surrounding mountains only add to the suffocating nature of the heat. Non-clingy cropped sleeves and cropped pants were in order.

[BCBG seersucker top, Calvin Klein silk anorak, Fashion Q cropped pants (really old, really cheap, and still alive and loved), Abaete for Payless pumps.]



Wednesday: Since I got home too late the night before to pick up my newly shortened pair of pants from the tailor shop, I decided to go get it first thing in the morning and promptly put it on. I took advantage of the Barney's Warehouse Sale to stock up on some high-quality dress pants, and I am happy I was able to find something. These Balenciaga cigarette leg dress pants are seriously the most comfortable pair of dress pants I own, beating out even wide-legged pants (which present tripping hazards). It was previously impossible to find something high-waisted and slim-legged without accentuating the hips too much or making my legs look like stuffed sausages, but these pants did the impossible. Best of all, I look really tall in them! It is definitely an article of clothing that I will reach for repeatedly to counterbalance loose blouses. The trims and other details are pretty awesome. Because these pants are so versatile, a future spotlight feature is warranted later on when I have the time for it.



[Calvin Klein printed blouse (with exposed zipper in the back), Thakoon for Target cardigan (one of my favorites at the moment), Balenciaga pants, Dolce & Gabbana mary janes, ring from Etsy.]

Thursday: In order to start my day efficiently, I headed to the office even before the crack of dawn. Dressing for the day in California has always been difficult, since it can be cold in the early morning, hot by mid-morning/afternoon, and chilly after the sun sets. Too lazy to think, I wound up doing a mashup of 2 outfits that I wore recently involving the same dressy t-shirt. Light and breathable layers of cashmere and wool kept me comfortable all day long.

[Ann Taylor Loft t-shirt with chiffon flowers, F21 cashmere-blend cardigan, Rick Owens wool pants (fooled people into thinking it was made of linen), Givenchy wooden sandals.]


Friday: I love living on the West Coast, but the downside is that I'm 3 hours behind East Coast time, hence another early start to my morning. Too lazy to come up with new outfit ideas, I went with the same chain necklace and faux pearls combo from the past weekend, albeit with a darker shirt this time. I could have just given up and wore jeans, but I decided to make an effort with the clothes and go a little crazy with the shoes instead. My strategy seemed to work--I had an efficient and productive day. The pic is a little different, since I was too lazy to stand in front of the camera when I got home, but I thought it would be a good opportunity to experiment with a photoshoot concept.

[Friday: Target dress shirt, Ben Amun chain necklace, faux pearl necklace made from beads on F21 tank top, Mike & Chris blazer, Vince pants, Pierre Hardy sandals.]