hot pink!

haha not the color I normal pick out, but this Banana Republic dress I bought last year for a wedding in San Diego has been fairly good to me and my wardrobe. Since the dress itself is such a statement (and I only prefer to wear in summer when I have a little bit of a tan, otherwise I'll look like a bright pink fool) I'm downplaying the accessories so this outfit doesnt create too much attention at work. Therefore I like this brown scarf and jean jacket to make it look more work casual. And who says you cant wear scarves in the summer...I just read a poll in InStyle magazine that says 64% of readers think its a "do"....as long as the scarf you pick isn't obviously a winter wool one, but something with a lighter feel and spring color or pattern.

back on main land again...

haha another sailing outfit I'm sporting this month...keeping it simple and classic, no jewelry and just white ballet flats. It's comfy and casual and yet still a cute outfit.

Jrose

A good friend of mine started calling me this back in grad school when he found out my middle name was "rose" and well, I guess the nickname kinda stuck. :)

I do love this Anthropology dress I bought a few season ago (not only for the rose print) but also because of the racer back cut of the dress and flattering style.

And also because I feel like a rose in it... :) Thanks mom for the name.

pockets are my fav

Ok, so I broke down recently and stocked up on some more sheer t-shirts from Urban Outfitters....I love how they are extra long (great for a long torso like mine) and a nice way to keep cool in the summer heat.

The skirt is from actually from Greece (I know, wayyyy to brag the fact that you not only traveled to that beautiful country, but were able to shop!) haha But i love the beaded detail on the front of the skirt and the best part.....it has pockets!!!

lime! lime! green!

I really love this lime green color so I'm making an effort to start bringing out more colors in my typical black or white wardrobe. :)

"capitol hill" inspired

but with a little twist...I'm wearing a seersucker jacket today with a jersey navy blue dress from Jcrew. But I wanted to spice it up a bit and added an orange belt to give it flare.

When I first came to DC I was one of the many "hill rats" aka interns to grace the marble stairways and historic landmarks. Working on Capitol Hill can be a rewarding experience, especially the chance to be front row center to important policy decisions and legislation, access to influential policymakers, the list goes on....So its no wonder these covenant jobs also come with prestige and earns you some swagger...but leaves no room for style....I've never seen a more professional looking work environment: the pearls, the heels, the nylons (ugh don't remind me) but I've learned to rebel a bit and find a way to bring a little individual style to the typical business suit.

blue eyed girl

haha...way to state the obvious jacq. But the reason I love this shirt is for the very reason that it brings out the blue in my eyes. That and that it reminds me of the beautiful pacific ocean I left back at home.

Lately, I've been giving tips of the staple clothing items every girl should have in their closet so to add one more to the list: having a piece that resembles your own unique personality and style. For me (as cheesy as it sounds) is this blue silk top. :)

cut out pattern dresses

I've been seeing this style lately, a layered look of two different colors with special detailed cutout patterns exposing the bottom layer. I really love Anthropologie's take on this style, this dress has navy blue out the outside and a bright white popping out through each cutout. :) Paired with a bright white cardigan to really make the patterns pop.

business chic

Donning the tuxedo jacket from Urban Outfitters today, but to make this outfit a little more girlie I added a flower blouse underneath. Next, I added skinny black pants to make it more hip and modern.

stripes

if you havent already figured out, my favorite pattern in the whole world is stripes. I once counted about 9 items in my closet that are stripes. But stripes are classic, timely and never go out of style. So invest in some good stripes and you'll be able to wear it for years, promise.

Today I have a stripe jcrew shirt and button skirt from banana. I love the gold buttons on this skirt, not too distracting from the stripes, but a nice addition. :)

holy heat!

A hot hot hot monday. Heat in the upper 90's already and its only 8:30am! Oh man, well I think this cool turqouise blue cotton dress is just the key to keeping me cool today. (Dress - Calvin Klein)

romantical? is that a word...well it should be.

I love this black wrap dress from Ann Taylor not just because it fits well, but you can practically wear it with anything! And since I've worn this countless times (maybe more than i care to admit this month) I had to be creative this morning so that my coworkers wouldn't come up to me and say "you're wearing that AGAIN!?"

So how about pairing this lil' black number with a white cardigan and yellow jewelry...cool, right? AND no one will ever know that I haven't washed this dress in weeks. Oops too much disclosure...I'm totally just kidding, well kinda. (definitely trying to save $$ on the dry cleaning this week, helloooo febreeze bottle! wink, wink)

jack, queen, king....Ace!

pretty and preppy...well maybe a tad tennis star-ish. But hey I'm rocking the white tennis skirt today. Paired with a grey vest and striped button down shirt....and of course my favorite loafers. :)

black and brown...oh my!

Another staple item: the black pencil skirt.

And I know what you're thinking...she paired it with a brown belt?? black and brown are never supposed to be paired together! ever!

Well, that was then and this is now and with the right combo, "hey how about blue/brown/black, like this: seee...."

I think it works!

easy breezy

I'm feeling relaxed today, didnt dry the hair (left it au natural) well that was a given especially in this heat...so what do I chose for an outfit that will fit my mood and body temp...how about this white, cool cotton dress that is not only comfy but also keeping me nice and cool. ahhhh....

As I've probably said before, everyone needs at least one staple white item of clothing in their summer wardrobe. This H&M dress has fortunately given me 3 good summers out of it!

greek love

About this time last summer I was on a plane to athens with my partner in crime Jackie (aka Pepper) and we had the time of our lives island hopping through Greece. So here's my tribute to that trip of a lifetime, wearing this beautiful handmade purple and gold skirt I purchased in Athens. I only hope to go back someday....now if only I could find my gold gladiator sandals!

Dorothy? toto? red heels....

haha I feel like I'm living a scene in Wizard of Oz today with my bright red pumps....but aren't they cute? This is definitely a staple item, every girl should have at least one fun bright colored heels to play with.

second time around

My good friend Bree and I recently went on a major thrift shopping date and found some great goodies at this place called Secondi in Dupont Circle. I love how vintage this white dress with black lining looks but its a tad short to wear alone...hence the leggings. Then I just added some color, Purple (janine's fav!), to spice it up.

green machine

Oh fridays, how I love thee. Wearing my Ann Taylor bright green skirt today and paired with a navy blue button up from JCrew. I've seen a lot of this green color again, I think it appeared 2 seasons ago, but InStyle weekly just had a nice spread about the apple-green color making a comeback. Check it out!