I have been absent from this blog for an unacceptably long time - I am aware.  Unfortunately, my health has been...not good over the last month.  But I am hoping to have an upswing soon.  Today I was inspired by a black and white polka dotted dress I saw in Boden's daily e-mail advertisement - reminding me of my favorite pattern and one of my favorite dress shapes, the belted sheath.  I am also a fan of this particular neckline, which allows you to wear either statement jewelry *or* a pendant - but still maintains a mostly modest high neckline (especially for those smaller of chest.)

Now - having found such a terrific dress - I thought I'd go about styling it three ways.  One for pure fun, one for a more "sexy" date night or night out with the girls, and one for work.  But we'll go in reverse order - most demure to least demure.  ;-)

BP Moveover Pointed Toe Flat at Nordstroms ($49.95 - red is so often the color of choice with black polka dots ... and don't worry, it'll make an appearance down flow, but for work I was thinking about keeping things a bit sleeker with patent, pointed toe black flats.)  Franco Sarto Instinct at 6PM ($47.99 - Recommended for those more interested in heels - I think the Mary Jane cut gives it a dash of vintage, but the pointed toe and angled block heel keeps it firmly rooted in the present - and comfortable for work at that.)
Fornash Enamel Bumble Bee Bangle Bracelet in black and gold at SimplySoles ($25 - again going a bit against expectations here - I like using a simple palette of black and gold to keep the outfit relatively neutral - while adding a bit of a wink with the bumble bee motif on the bracelet to acknowledge that the outfit is still fun and youthful.)
Studio Silver 18k Gold enamel Carnelian Pyramid Pendant from Macy's ($37.50 on-sale - finally, I've added a bit of color to the outfit, but again - I think - not in the way people expect.  When wearing polka-dots, most expect colors to be bright and bold, but I think tempering that and bringing it in a bit in a more controlled way gives the outfit a more refined look.  I really like these three items together for a work accessories plan for this dress.)
K. Amato Fan Teardrop Earrings in black and gold at Designs by Stephene ($47.50 - a perfect match for the bumble bee bangle, but also incredibly reusable in their own right - I like these earrings a lot as a basic workhorse for any wardrobe - or at least a workhorse with some edge to them.) 
Giani Bernini 24k Gold over Sterling Silver Diamond-Cut Teardrop Leverback Earrings from Macy's ($110 - honestly probably a bit much for this particular outfit, but so pretty I couldn't resist recommending them.  They'd certainly keep the outfit in the really focused black and gold world.  I love them just as they are, as single pieces of jewelry.)

Faceted white bead vintage necklace from etsy seller Bonnie's Vintage Attic ($29.95) or again for those preferring a more mainstream retailer Panacea Epoxy Flower Necklace, White at Cusp by Neiman Marcus ($45 - I *like* a white necklace for this [to be honest, its inspired by a vintage white chunky necklace I inherited from my aunt - it gives the look a vintage fun feel for summer without relying on many of the tropes that people frequently do with black and white dots.  White, other than pearls, is really an underutilized color in our jewelry lexicon and I think it would look great with this outfit.)
Ceramic Studs - yellow lemon dots - by etsy seller Hermoosa ($24.95) or for those who prefer more mainstream retailers Kate Spade New York stud earrings in yellow and white at Nordstroms ($34.80 - now 40% off - I love the bright vintage lemon yellow and white with black and white polka dots in the summer.  And I personally prefer studs - though there are lots of fun chandelier or teardrop options out there too.)  Now, if based on these earring suggestions you really wanted a yellow necklace idea, you might consider this one from Dillard's - though I'm not convinced about the starfish accents.  
Bruno Premi in emerald green at Yoox ($59 - I know that a green shoe is a bit different here - though not totally out of nowhere since green and yellow go so well together - but I love these sandals [the block heel would be good for dancing and walking but they still have that sexy look] and I think adding a kick of green at the bottom of the outfit would be just what the outfit needed.  Though for those of you who prefer a wedge - and are a lucky size 9 - these Butter wedges might be just the thing for you.  If, however, you were worried about the shoes being the only green in the outfit, you could consider something like this vintage bangle I found on Etsy (pictured above) that works in both green and yellow - as well as a few other colors - and would be a great way to work the shoes and the rest of the jewelry together into a cohesive whole ($5 used at Sissy's Touch of Grey.)

As way of introduction - I feel like you can either go with reds or cobalt blue here as a theme for your accessories (if you decide not to go straight black ... which you can but would overlap too much with my above posts so....).  So For each of the items I'm suggesting to style for date night, I'll recommend something in fire engine red and cobalt blue.  Pro-tip though, I wouldn't wear ALL blue or red, I'd wear say red shoes and red earrings - but maybe a silver or gold necklace, just to mix the color up, but I'll leave the mix up to you!  And whichever color you pick, make sure to bring it on the bright red lip!

Louise Et Cie 'Scorpio' Peep Toe Pump at Vince Camuto ($69.99 - there are as many red peep-toe pumps as there are people in the world, but this one is different and special while still looks like it would be comfortable.  It is a textured fish-scale leather in a bright red and the heel and toe accents are dipped in gold enamel.  It is under 4" in height.  I love that its an elegant and different take on the classic red pump.)  If you're interested in close-toed shoes, consider the Adrienne Vittadini Cecilia Pump in Red at Belk.
Kamalikulture Zaylie Sling Backs in Cobalt Blue at Zappos ($69.99 - definitely hot looking - the reviews are mixed with some concern about the strength of the sling though. I think it would be okay for a sometime shoe maybe?  If you're looking for a more traditional cobalt pump though - perhaps consider the Guess Rolene pumps on sale at 6PM right now - they look pretty good.)  
Gold Wing Earrings found on Shoptiques from Langford Market, Texas ($12.90 - okay - the shipping on these is absurd because, well, they ship from a little boutique in Texas - but I feel I would be remiss if I did not share these awesome earrings with my dear readers!  So here I am, sharing.  They also come in a green and gold that is cool too.)
Orion Teardrop Earrings at Nordstroms ($15 - I may or may not have done this whole red or blue thing just because of these earrings. I love these earrings. God. Earrings like these make me wish I could pierce my ears.)
Akuamarina Silver Leaf and Murano Gold Round Pendant Necklace at Forzieri ($70.40 - I know I said I'd stick with red, but this gold murano glass pendant goes so beautifully with this look that I couldn't help it.  Seriously, I love this necklace.  If you do want red - this version of it is red and this other murano glass necklace from the same company is a beautiful, fun red and yellow necklace (might go great with the look above this one as well).  
House of Harlow 1960 Plectra Pendant Necklace in blue on Zappos ($60 - so this is designed to be opera length, but I think you can make it shorter to be worn around the neckline of this dress.  And I love the color and the way it would go with these earrings.  Its pretty cool!)

Okay - since this post is already getting out of control a bit, I'm going to leave it there - though I think if I WERE putting together a date look with these pieces, I might add a bracelet or possibly a different belt than the one that comes with the dress.  But...for now I hope these items lend some inspiration. 

So one dress, three looks.  What do we think dear readers?  Are you happy to have me back?  Have I lost my touch?  How would you style it?  Leave a note in the comment section below!

So - given this is my first post back AND its Jackie O, I'm going to do a slightly different format.  I'm going to post a picture of her that caught my eye - trending from the more business formal to the more casual - and then I will post  more modern items that I think would do a good job of recreating a similar look - without making it look like you were playing 1950s or 1970s dress-up (I will be doing various J.O. eras - she had fabulous style in all of them.)  So lets get started!

So - the Chanel suit with the pill box hat is, of course, a classic. Its practically iconic. But I also think its pretty dated for a young attorney at this stage of your career (and I'm just going to assume point blank you're not wearing pill box hats to work.) I also think its critically important that you get something that highlight the waist a bit more and is, frankly, a bit more flattering. But I have some ideas about suits that might give the same effect but without the stiffer, throw-back vibe.

So - other than the unfortunate Chanel suit - one thing Jackie was very good about was picking dresses that emphasized her natural waist.  Now - I'm not sure where your waist is precisely, but I'm going to assume for the purposes of this exercise that, like her, you had a fairly mid-range natural waist (which was great for her - it seems to have allowed her to wear things that hit everywhere from just below the rib-cage to almost a dropped waist....the lucky duck.)  So here I'll be showing a few work appropriate dresses that have nicely defined natural waists - but would also work as essentially a business casual suit separate with a blazer thrown over them (perhaps one of the blazers above - who knows.)  For that reason, I'm sticking mostly with the neutrals here, black, gray, and navy.

So, there may not be universal agreement on this, but I think Jackie's 70s style was absolutely fantastic. She didn't fall prey to some of the more hideous excesses of the period, but instead stuck with her figure flattering, chic look - but added a little more flair and a little more.....disco....for lack of a better term.  Take this look for example.  50s and 60s Jackie would never have rocked a super swag, collar popped trench coat and corresponding trousers.  And yet she looks fabulous.  Also...I think she's the only reason that sometimes I think that very sparing use of the turtleneck in your wardrobe is absolutely a go (see e.g. with the Mango Blazer above.)  But generally, what I would take away from this picture, is the power of a well tailored pair of straight leg (or slightly boot cut) trousers, a fitted blouse or short, and an awesome trench coat.  
Now, I will acknowledge, it is essentially an exercise in futility recommending pants blind over the internet because of simple size preferences, fit preferences, and the magic "it" that is impossible to capture via the world wide web. But take this from Jackie O - you should want your pants to fit - and don't trust catalogues as a judge for how pants fit - if you have lines pulling across the front forming that sort of spider shape across your pelvis (you know the one) they're too small.  If when you sit down, they ride up and show your whole sock, they're probably too short. If when you walk, you trip over them, they're too long. And if they dig into your stomach and make you uncomfortable, they're too small.  My best tip - buy the size that fits your thighs, hips, and stomach....the rest can be altered (and get a Nordies debit or credit card so  you can get some free alterations too.)  Okay...moving on, here we go.

The Kennedys as I assume many of you know are Cape Codders - they have a huge house on the cape and most of the kids grow up there and spend a lot of their time there in the summer. I'm not sure what Jackie's relationship with Newport was, but I think she also spent a fair amount of time on the beach in the summer.  After JFK died, she married a yacht dude (I won't pretend to know what he did.)  Basically, her casual wear definitely had a fancy maritime theme.  Three elements that really defined her look were her cropped pants, her scarfs (traditional square ones, I think), which she would wear on her head or around her neck, and her flats (not pictured above as she's wandering around barefoot....like a peasant...or Britney Spears during her breakdown. But in other pictures it appears for flats she favors a box toe or a slight point with a buckle or other minimalist decoration on the toe box and either flat or a low square heel.  We won't discuss in too much detail her taste in heels, we'll chalk it up to the era.)  As such, I'll focus on these three items for "casual wear" assuming - probably rightfully - that you have t-shirts or blouses that you can wear that will go nicely with these items.

So, we have come to the end of our epic journey....the Little Black Dress.  Perhaps not as famous for her choice of a LBD as, say, Audrey Hepburn, our First Lady in question sure knew how to make one work. I especially like the one in the above picture - completely appropriate for the wife of the President and yet stunning none the less (though I think in the modern day we'd ramp up the jewelry and the shoes just a bit.)  The bottom two dresses are different.  The one on the left is presumably still during the Presidency and it is a more formal event. But I like the deeper dip in the neckline. You can see her jewelry and her toned arms. This is Jackie O outside a boatneck!  Huzzah!  On the right is something entirely different. This is later in life (probably in the 70s - a google image back search couldn't turn up an origin) but her tastes have matured and she has been freed to be more sexy and fashion forward. Despite all that, and in the middle of the fashion....adventures that were the 70s.....she still looks classy and timeless. She could turn up to a gallery opening today in any of these looks and look in place - and in the end, isn't that the goal? (Well not always, but sometimes. Probably not with Lady Gagas meat dress.)

So that's all she wrote folks. Did I miss any clear "Jackie O" necessary wardrobe elements? If so, give Reader KG a heads up in the comments! And I'm glad to be back - I missed you all!!  Look forward to hear from all of you going forward over the next few days/weeks. And since I couldn't share ALL the amazing photos of Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis I found during the making of this post, I will leave you with just a few more (clearly its too bad I don't have the picture of her looking shocked/terrified from when my great-uncle jumped out and took her picture on her wedding day.....)

So - I wanted to do a post about business appropriate work items for people who like to dress with a bit of edge. Now let me be clear, these aren't just for people who are dressing all in black to look more grown up or to be more intimidating. These are people who are, perhaps, goth in their personal style or otherwise like to look tough or edgy in their style. Now - much of what I post here would normally fit the "ladylike" or even "girly" side of the coin. And I'm not going to recommend studded belts or collars for work (which I know you wouldn't wear unless you work in a VERY creative field) - but I'm going to suggest some edgier work wear items to be paired with otherwise neutral items to allow you, my little gothic lovlies, to slip some of your edgy soul into your work wear without scaring the puppy-shirt loving office administrator or the 70-year-old managing partner.  

So - what do you think readers - do any of you have an edgier look?  Are these things you would wear?  What do you think - other than my love of skulls, I'm not particularly edgy (one of my skull scarfs is sea foam green - you can't really consider me to be hard core whatsoever....I find my love of skulls to be generally ironic.)  Leave some comments in the comments sections (and if you don't know where that is, click the link in the title and go through to the post's main page and look at the bottom of the screen!  Don't worry, your e-mail won't show up.)

Okay LitR - that's what I got for you tonight. I hope you find something that makes you look and feel incredible (without making you wear your grandparent's clothes). But really, just have fun and take advantage of what I hope is an open bar. The goal here is just to look nice enough that you fit in - the nice thing about going to your husband's work events and not, say, your own is there's no one to impress. :-) 

P.S. To the other Corporettes who are hopefully now reading this blog instead of just the tumblr (or nothing before).  There is a tab on the top of the page entitled "Vicarious Shopping Questions" where you can submit your questions directly and they won't get lost in the shuffle of a Weekend Thread that gets out of hand and I just forget or lose them (which happens sometimes!)  


Also, if you haven't been reading the blog at all, you may have missed the announcement that I have started a PERSONAL SHOPPING SERVICE through TCFKAG Shops.  You can click on the tab at the top of the page logically titled "Personal Shopping" to learn all about it - but the upshot is if you have a particularly complicated or involved question - or would like help with something like restyling your whole wardrobe or picking out a new wardrobe after significant weight loss....something like that, you should consider hiring me as a personal shopper.  I'm fairly cheap as these things go and it will be a more interactive, on-line process via e-mail or video chat (if you prefer).  Or, if you live in the Boston/Greater New England area - it might even be in person.  So take a look see at the info and submit from that form if you are interested!!!


Okay - that's all the announcements.  Hope you like the dress ideas and happy shopping. Other readers - I know Reader LitR has to go buy these items at the store, but if you are going to buy any of them - I'd be super touched if you bought them through the link on the website because when people buy things through my links I make a little money which is both cool and I get adorably excited about it (think $10 per, like week, and you'll understand why its adorable.)  Gosh - REALLY, really checking off now.  :-)

So what have we learned from this post - there are not as many nude Mary-Janes with stacked or chunky heels on the market as you'd expect.  And second - please send in your size and price and tone preferences (especially with nude shoes) - otherwise I'm shooting a bit blind.  

P.S. For SunnyD and other tumblr readers - if you want to do me a big favor and submit future questions through the Vicarious Shopping Questions form on this page (see the tabs on the top) it helps me out a lot and allows me to keep track of what questions come in and what I've answered!  So thanks!!

So...Kanye East (of everywhere fame) has an amazing Etsy store that I've featured on this blog before.  This evening she posted this lovely rough diamond multi chain necklace with silver and gold chains.  I like it a lot (as per usual with items from the Gewgaws store) but it also got me thinking about mixed metal jewelry.  Sometimes its great.  Sometimes its good.  Sometimes its okay.  And sometimes its just awful. But I find it super useful in my jewelry collection - I mean I can pair it with either my silver OR my gold jewelry - that's extremely useful!  So I thought I'd find and recommend some nice mixed metal jewelry tonight.  But first, here's Kanye's lovely creation (on-sale now for $94 though she offers a Corporette discount....which I probably should have checked if I should post that here.  

So - one of the keys for me with mixed metal jewelry is that you have to balance my desire for the metals to look as real as possible while still blending somewhat - a balance well struck by the rustic metals Kanye used above.  Hammered metals also often work well as good.  Sometimes the really bright metallics don't work as well, in my opinion.  I also REALLY love when there are other metals involved, like copper, bronze, tungsten, whatever - anyway- now that I've written an ode - lets get to the shopping.

So - that's all she wrote (literally) today folks.  Sorry the post was a bit late; I was having a *day* and just was super grumpy.  But then Kanye posted the perfect necklace and gave me IDEAS!  Hope you like the outcome.  Do you mix metals?  What's your favorite piece of mixed metal jewelry and how do you wear it?  Leave a comment below!

Editor's Note: Did you all notice I started a twitter for this blog?  I have no idea what to do with it (or how to use it for that matter) but you should follow me if you read this blog - I might post occasional other items I see that I like ... and also I like followers.  They give my life meaning.  (Kidding - sort of.  ;-)  You can get to my Twitter by clicking the icon on the top of the page, the envelope allows you to email me directly if you have comments or questions, the Yahoo! icon actually leads to my Tumblr (there isn't a Tumblr icon and I thought it was ironic since Yahoo just bought Tumblr) and the YouTube brings you to, well, my Youtube channel which has one video and no near term plans to increase that number.  OKAY - social media update complete.


Thanks for reading - I hope this post was fun and inspired you to adventure you into the fun wild world of mixed metals (also - shoes are another place where metals can be mixed with great pizazz.)  Happy shopping and may the sales be ever in your favor.

Okay, reader ET, I'm really sorry this answer is SO belated - I actually sort of hope you've found your dress already.  Or that you've successfully phoned home (I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself, literally...couldn't do it.)  Anyway - on the off-chance that you haven't - I think I've seen some good ideas out there for you.  But first, for those following along at home, here are the dresses Reader ET sent in as examples.

Both of these dresses are pretty - but nothing is wildly special about them.  And I do love when retailers use "body-con" to just mean "really tight" instead of what I think it *should* mean, which is form flattering.  Ugh.  So lets get started on finding better options.

Okay - so those are a lot of options - most of which don't precisely fit your needs but are cute anyway.  Let me know if you like them (or if you've already bought something since I'm a slowpoke.)  I hope you find something that makes your crochet loving heart go pitter-patter.  Good night and good luck.....at the mall. (God I'm such a dork, why do you all come here?)

This is a fashion blog and I think I really owe you some fashion.  Like whoa - so I thought I'd show you some shoes that I've seen around the Internets that I just really like.  They don't relate much - this is just unmitigated shoe porn for no real reason (other than the obvious.)

So - you all know I like to sometimes pick an item out and then find alternative, cheaper, versions of that item.  Well, this time I was looking at L.K. Bennett, a brand that I (like most Americans probably) discovered because of the Duchess of Cambridge, and found actually two items that were beautiful enough to make me want to hunt for them. So here they are.

So - lets get to the shopping for alternatives.  My main goals will be, for the dress, finding nicely constructed dresses that have differently colored tops and bottoms (I like that look because I think it makes it look like you are wearing a blouse and skirt but more sleek and without the risk of the shirt coming untucked and looks great under a blazer.)  On the skirt, I'll be looking for a-line skirts with pretty patterns like this, but I think pleats will be a plus only, since I know only some people like pleats.  SO LETS DO THIS THING!

I will note about these first alternatives, that I did find in my hunt some absolutely beautiful options from some designer lines, like L'Agence, St. John Collection, Kate Spade New York, and LotusGrace (this last one was in the post until the very very last moment when I found that Calvin Klein one - but I still love it so check it out.)  I didn't include these dresses though - and I generally don't include many designer options - because my goal is to find affordable (or more affordable anyway) versions of the things I'm inspired by.  That goal isn't met by posting $500 dresses.  No matter how much I love them.  Now on to the skirts!

Finally - this row is just a few other things I like from L.K. Bennett.  Just because, they had so many, many options.

So that's all they wrote folks ... and in the immortal words of Veronica Mars:
"I'd be the best rich person. I'd be the perfect combination of frivolous and sensible. Money is wasted on the wealthy."

Happy shopping everyone and Happy Friday to boot.

Reader AW of the longer and wider than average feet wrote back to ask: 

Hi TCFKAG, Thanks for helping me with my wide flats request. I noticed that you mentioned that you love navy and berry colors. Those are my base/accent colors too! Would you mind sharing some of your personal favorites? Accessories would be fun too! Sorry for all the ?'s... I wore a military uniform for 10 years and I am slowly trying to build a quality casual/work wardrobe. PS- too shy to share your blog on Facebook, but I did show your blog to my ma and I am thrilled that she is learning to navigate the internet by looking at your blog.

So - I'm totally happy to do this - within reason.  I can't post pictures of everything in my wardrobe because (a) that'd be insane and (b) mostly because of a.  What I am going to do instead is post my favorite go-to items (mostly work though I'll possibly through in a few casual items) - I'll try to find the originals on-line if they are still available for purchase, but if not, I'll find the closest item I can.  

A couple of provisos, though my personal style has improved dramatically in the past three years or so, I am still far from the most fashionable person in the world (or even in the 10 mile radius around my house.) In fact, I never thought much at all about my wardrobe until I began reading Corporette. It was there that I learned a great deal about the importance of fit, of finding my true waistline and understanding what clothes work with that, and of the impression made on others when certain faux pas are made or when you just generally represent yourself sloppily, and it was also on Corporette that I learned a great deal about how certain contrasting colors complement each other - and learned that I had a good instinct for those types of questions. I also discovered that I had a special talent for what I do here - internet shopping for others when given almost any parameters. This was quite the surprise since nothing in my background or in my personal style would suggest having these skills or having the eye to select the best looking or best quality items if I did find them.  [Think these skills sound great and would you like a personalized exposure to my method and some back and forth on results - enter the contest and you will be entered in a raffle just for that. 

 As for my workplace style, I dress to be business appropriate for that office, but with just enough color and flare to give the impression that I have enough self-confidence and dymanism to escape the "office wardrobe" of slacks or a skirt, a button down shirt, or a shell and a cardigan every day.  I came to this idea somewhat organically, but if you pay attention long enough to pictures of most powerful female politicians, business people, or non-profit management, they are rarely dressed in just black, gray, or navy. So what I'm saying is - there's a reason this is a shopping blog and not a "fashion" blog where I take pictures of my daily wardrobe (well, that and I'm an attorney hunting for a job...so I guard my internet presence.)  


Finally, before we get started....HELLO AW'S MOM!!!!  Welcome to the crazy world of my mind and the slightly strange hobby that has rescued my budget by allowing me to shop for other people rather than myself.  Now on to the clothes! 

FUNNY EDITOR'S NOTE: For my readers who also read Corporette (i.e. a sizable majority of you, I believe, I just saw  this suit at Brooks Brothers while looking for something else and it appears they've also gotten into the long suit jacket "trend" (that I had no idea was coming back.)  This one is a MUCH more appropriate office length and I like the light gray color more.  It is practically screaming for a belt though.  (I'm still not completely sold on this look - despite the fact that Ally McBeal was on television during my formative years and thus influenced my perception of "workplace wear" AND the Cake song "Short Skirt Long Jacket" that would be stuck in my head all day and make me feel like a BAMF wherever I went.

SERIOUS EDITOR'S NOTE: As you can see, I tried out a new format today.  What do you think?  Does it work and can you associate the links and notes more easily with the pictures or does it break up the flow too much?  Any comments you could give me would be so helpful!  Leave it in the comments below and I'll love you forever and ever!

So there you have it people, my sense of style...or else, some snapshot of my sense of style.  Noticeably absent are the Captain America pajama pants and my LL Bean sweatshirt robe that I spend an inordinate amount of time in.  But we all have our vices, mine just happens to be superhero pajamas.  There's nothing wrong with that!