hi! i've been lurking this website for many months now and have really enjoyed it. i've learned so much and have been playing around with many of angie's ideas: i've tried column of color. i've de-bombshelled lots of my pencil skirts (hard to do when "always tuck in tops" has been beaten into your head for years). i even made a capsule wardrobe for a recent vacation and loved it!

i've spent my entire work career in ultra-casual / academic work environments, and recently transitioned to my first formal, business attire job so my main goal when reading posts is figuring out how to use it for fun, professional work outfits. I struggle with balancing my desire to be chic, eclectic, fashionable while also being taken seriously in a moderately conservative, stodgy, industry.

i recently found this houndstooth knit tube skirt at a thrift store. even though it is still august and 90 degrees outside, i remembered this formula and couldn't wait to make an outfit. for my work outfits, i need to be able to survive both the heat outside and the arctic a/c. we are allowed to wear sleeveless, but absolutely have to have shoulders covered during formal meetings. i'm wearing it with a dark green drapey shell (thrifted) and a grey knit moto (Loft). even though i do have more fun/hard edge shoes in my closet, they weren't working with the patterned skirt and moto jacket. Also, i felt like i needed to soften it for work? so i put on a more traditional pair of grey pumps.

i felt like i liked this outfit so much i wanted to finally make a post. sorry the pics are fairly crappy. next time i'll take better photos. how'd i do??