LOFT Georgetown Grand Opening

A Saturday in Georgetown goes a little something like this:

Nice weather  + shopping + tourists = mass hysteria!

Perhaps a sane person would learn this formula and try to avoid Georgetown on a sunny Saturday, but what can I say, I love a chaotic outdoor shopping experience.

My best friend, Robin, and I decided to head to the grand opening event of LOFT Georgetown, one of my fav thrifty stores. I’m a member of the Capital Area Fashion and Beauty Blogger group (CapFABB) and got wind that our co-founder Lacey, from A Lacey Perspective, was hosting the grand opening event. Fun, right?! (ps – how do I get thaat gig??). The store had champagne and Georgetown cupcakes on hand, and Lacey teamed up with Lucky magazine stylists to help us in the dressing room.

I picked up a really cute red blouse for 30% off. Love a pop of color during the fall and winter months. Plus, red goes with my cheapo cheetah print flats from Target perfectly!

It was hard to settle on just one new piece from LOFT, so here are my favorite items from their fall collection:

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Lunch with the Governor

Reader Question: I have a meeting at the Governor’s office and am panicked about what to wear? I don’t want to look overdressed — my office is usually super casual — but obviously want to look nice.

Style Me Thrifty: My immediate thought to your fashion dilemma? — it’s impossible to be overdressed here!

Frankly, I’d be more worried about being too casual. A meeting at the Governor’s office (btw, hellooo, look at you!) calls for a full-on business professional outfit. In fact, any important work function falls into the “dressier is better” category.

Do you own a black blazer? A well-fitted tuxedo-esque blazer with dress pants and a colorful top would be perfect. A woman in a blazer radiates maturity and confidence. It’s also a timeless piece — which is key. You don’t want to go bonkers with anything too trendy (your hip fashion sense will be lost on the Governor!). Instead, pick classic, well-fitting items. Here’s a great outfit for any professional meeting:

Where to shop: Old Navy blazer, Target top, LOFT brooch, Express pants, Anne Klein Wedges.

One more note: you can easily up your dressy level with the material of the pants you pick. Chino pants are okay for any regular day, but to up the ante, pick dress pants (think: suit material).

If I had $98 to spare, I’d buy this LOFT dress. It’s perfect for a work function. Too much money but wanted to show you it as another idea!

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When in Doubt, Add a Belt

When in Doubt, Add a Belt

Ever have one of those mornings when you open your closet and cannot find a single solitary item to wear?

The women in my family have a coined a phrase for this: clothes crisis. Tops look blah, pants are wrinkled, nothing fits. Before you know it, your closet has exploded into a crumpled mess on the floor and you’re late for work.

Guess what? I have experienced enough of these frustrating clothes crises that I have come up a trick that I wanted to share: when all else fails, add a belt!

A belt that cinches your waist can instantly raise the bar and tie an outfit together. This morning I assembled a pretty basic outfit – a cardigan, loose tank top, and grey capris. Snooze city. Nothing special. See:

I thought, what can I do to make this ordinary outfit special? Then I remembered the fun elastic waist belt hiding in my closet. Just like that, a basic outfit was upgraded to an actual outfit that made a statement. Clothing crisis averted!

I’m especially digging elastic belts that fasten in the back, like the one I’m wearing (found it for $6.99 on the clearance rack of New York and Company!). Love a good embellishment, too. Here are a few other ideas:

Where to shop:  Express Stretch Belt  ($29.90); Urban Outfitters Kimchi Blue Floral Filigree Stretch Belt ($24); Charlotte Russe Lurex-Front Stretch Belt ($9.50).

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Be More Productive (in Heels!)

Sometimes when I’m falling asleep at night, I daydream about the day when Style Me Thrifty becomes my full-time job. I realize this goal is about as far away as Mars, but it’s still fun to fantasize about!

In the mean time, I get my writing fix as an editorial manager for an awesome non-profit organization. Last week, I had the pleasure of seeing 180 of my marketing colleagues at our global marketing conference in sunny Atlanta, Georgia (sidenote: why is Georgia wine so sweet, ya’ll?).

There was a speaker at the conference that blew our minds with tips on how to be more productive at work. Since I know many of you are hard-working, fashionable women, I thought you might appreciate one particular suggestion for improving one of the biggest time wasters: MEETINGS. Are you ready for this?…

Host standing meetings. As in, Do Not Sit Down.

My first thought was: GENIUS.

My second thought was: But I’m wearing heels!

(I’m sorry, it’s so easy for my mind to turn to fashion, even in professional situations).

I absolutely love the idea of holding meetings where no one sits down. Standing up speeds everything up and forces you to quickly talk about the most important issues. And if you’re a women wearing a fabulous pair of heels, I have a feeling that the meeting will be even more likely to zoom by. Who wants to stand still in stilettos for more than 20 minutes!

So I challenge you all to host a standing meeting this week in heels. The higher the heel, the more efficient the meeting! Productivity never looked so good.

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Speed Up Your Morning Beauty Routine

Reader Question: I’m on my second straight month of 80-90 hour work weeks and my styling routine has gone straight down the gutter. I don’t have time to pick an outfit, shower, put on makeup, and style my hair before I have to run out the door. Do you have any tips for saving time and energy in the morning while still looking professional at an office that requires business attire?

Style Me Thrifty: Oh the life of a high-powered female attorney. I’m guessing when your boss first warned you about these infamous 90-hour work weeks, you eagerly nodded your pony-tailed head and said, “No problem! I don’t mind!“

And then you swore under your breath.

And called your mom for sympathy.

Chin up, my little Ally McBeal. You are a smart, driven, career woman. If you have to work a hellish 13-hour day, you might as well look polished while doing it! Here are some ideas for a faster a.m. routine.

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Hair
Shower at night. It’s a relaxing way to end a long day and it will save you styling time in the morning. But make sure you get to know your hair. Whenever I go to bed with soaking wet hair, it dries all kinky and I look like a crazy lion when I wake up. So I either blow dry it after my shower OR put my damp hair in a bun on top of my head and take it out in the morning. Then I just work in some curing cream, pull it back into a low pony, and hairspray it so it doesn’t frizz. Love this gal’s slightly undone pony:

But don’t wear a ponytail everyday! Keep things interesting and try a loose half-up style every once and awhile. Twist, pin, and go.

Clothing
Take a weekend and organize your closet by outfits. Do you have a few tank tops that all look good with a black cardigan or blazer? Then group them all in one section. Sandwiching similar items together will make choosing an outfit in the morning a quicker and easier process. And use your nightly shower to brainstorm tomorrow’s outfit. Morning clothing crisis averted!

Makeup
I’m a big believer that I don’t need to put on my entire face just for my coworkers. Sorry guys, but it’s time consuming and a waste of my makeup! Try to cut your routine in half and just spend time on your fav features. As a gal with blonde eyelashes, I always put on mascara. Or maybe you’re a blush girl, like Kristen Bell. Mascara, blush, and lipgloss are 3 beauty products that will quickly brighten you up and help hide the sleep deprivation.

Accessories
When all else fails, accessorize. Adding colorful bangles to a basic work outfit will instantly add some glam. Plus, they take no time to put on and can be super cheap, like these Forever 21 bangles for $6.80!

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