Shirley

Dress: Theory (similar) / Sandals : G by Guess / Necklace: c/o 9th & Elm  / Bag: Zac Posen

Rarely do I love every piece of an outfit as much as I do the pieces in this one. I wore this yesterday for a busy day of running errands and I will be the first to say that it was the perfect pairing to flounce around the city in. The star of the show was of course my new Zac Posen Shirley Bow Satchel. I've been coveting this bag since early summer but until recently, remained reluctant to cough up the bucks to buy it. I finally decided to indulge a little and treated myself to this classic stunner. My white Theory dress was an awesome Goodwill score that found last winter. I took it to the cleaners and once it was all pressed and starched it looked as good as new. 

Coming in a close second for my favorite piece of this look is my gorgeous gold nameplate necklace. Gifted to my by the folks over at 9th & Elm, a website that carries handmade and independent designs, this particular necklace can be customized in silver, gold and rose gold.  I chose gold because most of my jewelry falls in this category. My younger sister doesn't know it yet, but I also ordered a nameplate for her from the site in silver. As summer begins to fade I know my Shirley satchel and nameplate will make a smooth transition into fall.

 

In the Know

Among the things that are important to me is having an extensive knowledge of things I am passionate about. So, when it comes to fashion and style that to me means knowing more than what colors work well together or the the cost of a pair of shoes. I'm interested in knowing information like who holds top positions within a company, emerging business trends and the history of brands. Books have been a great resource for reading up on a lot of these different things (check out my summer sophisticated reads list here) but on a day to day basis, there are a few sources I rely on to really stay in the know about things going on in the fashion industry. 

In the Know - Video Maker

Women's Wear Daily

Women's Wear Daily or WWD as it commonly referred to has been around for more than 100 years now, and is a daily publication that covers every aspect of the fashion industry. Within its pages you can find information about how your favorite brands/retailers are performing in the stock market, the latest in fashion and beauty trends and pretty much any other important news as it relates to fashion. WWD does require a subscription. I personally have the $12.99 per month iPhone/ iPad subscription for my own convenience. They also offer daily print and web versions as well. 

The Fashion Bomb Daily 

I literally have learned so much from this site. Thanks to Claire Summers and her team, I have become familiar with countless brands that I would have never known of and had all my questions about what some of my favorite celebrities are wearing, answered. Perhaps the thing that I like most about The Fashion Bomb Daily is its emphasis on urban and African- American style influencers. Unlike WWD, the content on  The Fashion Bomb Daily is completely free and they post frequently throughout the day to Facebook and Instagram, which is how I primarily follow the site. 

Independent Fashion Bloggers 

Anytime I'm asked for blogging advice, the first thing I do is shout to the rafters about heartifb.com. IFB is in my opinion one of the greatest free resources available to bloggers on the web. I use it to stay up to date on new trends in the blogging arena and as a way to find new blogs. 

BOF

Much like WWD, the Business of Fashion is a daily web publication that truly focuses on-- you guessed it-- the business of fashion. BOF also offers an interesting array of Op-Eds as well as profiles of CEOs of some of the top brands and various fashion bloggers. Founded in 2007, BOF covers the fashion industry from an international standpoint and is a great source for anyone interested in really knowing the ins and outs of fashion. 

Werk.

If you follow me on Instagram, you've known for about a month now that I'm officially a member of Corporate America. The transition to 9-5 life has been an interesting one but I think I'm finally starting to figure out the work/life balance and am glad to be back from my  [unanticipated] blogging hiatus! 

My current position is as an executive for one of the nation's premier retailers. That being said my work wardrobe is 95 percent black but, because I work in such a fashion oriented business and will forever be a fashionista at heart, I've made a point to create a work wardrobe that includes more than black suit separates.

 These past five weeks I've had lots of fun experimenting with different textures and fabrics and maybe a bit too much fun buying funky accessories to add some flair to my professional looks.This is a typical work outfit for me - polished, sleek and stylish. I'm particularly smitten with this faux-leather dress because it can easily be transitioned into the fall with boots and tights. These color block wedges are also my latest obsession. Not only are they comfortable but look great with nearly everything. 

Dress: Gianni Bini (similar) / Wedges: Express / Bag: Michael Kors / Bracelets: Charming Charlie / Rings: Express 

 Even though this outfit is for work, something about it screams "Werk." -- and that's exactly how I like it. Who says professional attire has to lack pizzazz?