Thursday, April 25, 2013

How to Rock a Cropped Pant at the Office

Working in a predominantly male office, a girl's gotta project a powerful image. 

I love these menswear inspired cropped trousers. Completely work appropriate and perfect to show off a killer pair of heels

These ones push the envelope a little bit in terms of height, but I think the very neutral colour tames them down enough so that they can be worn to the office.
The height in this case is pretty necessary. Since I'm only 5'3, the cropped pants chop me off at the ankle and make me look a little dumpy. The high heel in a nude elongates my legs cancelling out this effect.

blouse - smart set (2013); trousers - Asos (2013); heels - Aldo "Moos"(2011); 
watch - Michael Kors (2012)

Monday, April 22, 2013

Golden Hue


So it turns out that I'm far more marketable than I had originally anticipated.
Less than a week after leaving my last job (the horror stories which have been well documented), I found a contract position with an accounting firm. I'm so thankful that the stars were aligned for this one!
So far I'm loving the new position, and I hope that at the end of this term, a permanent position opens up!


top - Smart Set (2013); skirt - Ebay (2013); tights - Hue (2011); heels - Le Chateau(2011)

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Positive Procrastination

I have one of the biggest tests of my professional life coming up... 
So of course that means I've been procrastinating like crazy.

One of my FAVORITE things to do is hang out in my closet. My bf has been gracious enough to let me take over the walk-in in the master (and he's completely taken over the 3rd bedroom for his weights and guitars... a fair trade I think), and I spent this past weekend reorganizing the mess in there and getting rid of some unworn items. I'm pretty proud of the result. 



I really wish I had taken some "before" photos so you could see the difference. 
I moved my tall white set of drawers (from Ikea) out of the actual bedroom and into the closet. It holds all my make up, nail polishes, bras, panties, tights, socks, and bathing suits, so it's about time it made it to a central location. 
I also reorganized all my necklaces, bracelets and other pieces of jewelery so everything's all in one place now. 

I'm sure I'll still shift around a few things, but so far I'm enjoying the new layout :)

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Date Night


Last week the boyfriend and I celebrated two years together.
Yup, I'm gushy like that and I like to celebrate the milestones. I know I'm not alone in that though!

I was given my gift a little early, a miniature dachshund named Stella, but A still brought me home flowers.
He's such a doll :)

blouse - f21 (2013); skinny jeans - Smart Set (2012); heels - Steve Madden (2012)

We went to Aperativo, a cute little tapas bar not far from here. I wanted to look hot, but not over dressed for the casual atmosphere. I think I succeeded. Can you believe I paid $12 for these shoes?!

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Wishful Thinking

Alright, I'm gonna be honest with y'all. It has been no where nice enough these last few days to rock these heels, but this is how I put the outfit together in my head. What I actually wore were what i like to call my RCMP boots - big, tall, sturdy, perfect for mucking around in this awful slush that seems to be everywhere.

blazer - f21 (2013); blouse - f21 (2013); skinnies - American Eagle (2011); 
wedges - Nine West (2011)

Much cuter, right?

I'm crossing my fingers that by the end of the month I can actually wear these!

Saturday, April 13, 2013

The Cat's Meow


Before we had the freak 'bout of snow Friday, it was actually starting to feel like spring in Ottawa. 
The weather was perfect for lunch with the bff and a little bit of shopping. Is there any better way to spend a spring afternoon? I didn't think so.

 blouse - F21 (2013); jeans - Tommy Hilfiger (2011); bag - Michael Kors (2012);
 flats - Aldo (2012); beads - thrifted

I saw this blouse at forever 21 and couldn't resist. The cats are so fitting since my house has recently turned into a zoo. What's another few dozen?








I think I might be developing a slight obsession with printed blouses...

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Interview Style


Part of finding that perfect job is the interview process.

I like my outfit to convey "I mean business" but also that I'm an individual with a personality.

I like to dress conservatively out of respect for the office, but at the same time let them know subliminally (haha, just go with it) that I like to get dressed and might be slightly "office adventurous" in the future.

blazer - f21 (2013); blouse - Dynamite (2012); trousers - Gap (2010); 
necklace - Stella & Dot (2012); heels - LeChateau (2011)

You can't go wrong with a classic black trouser. Find yourself a flattering pair that falls straight down from then widest part of your thigh with a great slant pocket and you will wear them until they fall apart.
Looking back, a belt would  have completed this look. A tucked in shirt just needs a belt in my opinion.

In this case, I think my coral blazer adds that unexpected pop of colour and fun to my outfit, while the white blouse quietly compliments it.

Monday, April 8, 2013

April Goals

Before we delve into what April may hold, let's look back and see what I've actually accomplished in March...

March Goals:
  1. Do all my assignments before their due dates: Well I am officially caught up and DONE all my assignments! WOO! Just an exam to stress about now...
  2. Finish the Office Redesign: DONE! And there will be a whole post on it's new found awesome-ness coming in the next few days.
  3. Taxes: Not so much... I was a bad girl. But I SWEAR it'll be done this week.
  4. Sewing Project: Okay, I didn't make it to this one either... but now that my space is all revamped, I can't wait to use it for it's actual purpose!
Alright, I accomplished half. Not a win, but not a total loss either. Hopefully I fare better this month, so lets check out my new goals!

I've decided to choose categories and pick one goal for each.

EDUCATION:
Create a study plan for this month and sick with it.

My Exam is May 8th, and because it's tax season I'll be working every Saturday in April. This means that with only one "free" day a week, I really need to plan well to make sure I adequately study every area the exam will cover.

WORK:
Find the "perfect job" within the next 30 days.

Crazy? Maybe. Likely? Hopefully.
I'm going to put myself out there an knock on some doors.... we'll see what happens :)

HOME:
Potty train our new addition.

yup, my home has officially turned into a zoo. We welcomed a 10 week old mini Daschund into our family this past Friday and she's had quite a few accidents. I'm hoping Coco can show her the ropes and that by the end of the month we'll have a "good girl" on our hands!

HOBBY:
Learn how to use my DSLR

I've had it for over two years now and I still have no idea what F-Stops, Aperture, or ISO do. I should probably work on that... any suggestions?

So there you have it, a new set of goals for a new month ahead.
Do you readers have any tips on how to stick to your goals?

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Home Office Overhaul Complete!

It's DONE!

And I have to say, I'm quite happy with the results.
There's still some tweaking that will probably take place over the next couple of weeks, but I wanted to make this re-do as budget friendly as possible.
Keep reading for the details...


A bigger bookcase was definitely a necessity in this tiny space. I purchased two Martha Stewart 6 cubby shelves (on sale for $29.99 each!) and stacked them on top of each other. Don't worry, I made sure to anchor them to the wall for extra stability!


We chose to paint the room a nice shade of blue/gray. I have to say, it turned out a little bluer than we had hoped, but either way it's a nice change from the dull builder's beige.


Shelves, shelves, and more shelves! The ones above my little work station were $6.99 each from Ikea. The new desk chair was donated by a friend who was purging their space.
The curtains (which i HATE for this space, and will eventually be switched out... just gotta find the right bargain!) were on hand from when I replaced the curtains in our living room.


This is my bf's side of the office... so "manly" and dark. I decided the photo wall was necessary to brighten it up a bit. The frames were something we had on hand from my dorm days, so the cost for this little project was $1.75 for photo prints from Black's.
The shelf (which doesn't support ANYTHING! Do NOT recommend) was purchased for $12.99 from Home Depot.
Total Cost was under $130 (including paint)! Go Team Me!
So now for a little Q&A from our host over at orgjunkie.com


1. What space did you decide to organize and why?
I chose to organize the home office as it had gotten to a disgusting state. Papers were piled up to the sky! With the bf and I both occasionally working from home, taking extra classes, and my crafting, we needed a place that was serene, and where we could find things at a moment's notice.

2. What steps did you take to ensure you completed the space within the 31 day timeline?
Because we both work and study, free time was limited. We divided the task load into four "parts" and tackled one part each weekend. Part one was the clean out and organization, part two was painting, part three was furniture gathering and assembly, and part four was the reloading and finishing touches.

3. What was the hardest part of the challenge for you and how did you overcome it?
The hardest part was not being able to run out and buy all those fancy organizational bins and things you see all over pinterest. We had a tight budget, so we ended up recycling a lot of items that we had in other areas of the home.

4. What did you do with the “stuff” you were able to purge out of your newly organized space?Fortunately for me, we don't actually have an abundance of items in our home, so must of it was reused in other areas. Our biggest purge was paper, and off to the shredder it went!

5. Tell me one of your proudest moments during this challenge?
Putting together and arranging items on our new tall bookcase. Those shot glasses are from all of our travels, so it's great to finally have them on display somewhere visible!

6. Explain any organizing “tools” you used to help you create additional space and to establish some limits and boundaries?
A shelf is the greatest tool ever! It helps SO much in getting everything up off the ground.

7. What is ONE piece of organizing advice you’ve learned on this journey that you could encourage someone else with?
Best thing for tiny spaces is to build UP! your floor space may be limited, but there are so many storage solutions in which you can utilize your walls!