Conservative Fun

I like to think I've done a decent enough job here at Milk and Honeeyz showing you guys clever ways to get away with some otherwise inappropriate looks up on the job, including how to rock sheer and open back pieces at work! Lol.  I really do want to be a good example and a positive influence, so I figure the least I could do is prove to you guys that I can follow the rules (some of the times). :-) So here goes....

This completely work appropriate outfit actually came together in the midst of my devising yet another otherwise scandalous look.  The temperature outside was projected to reach 100 degrees, which it most certainly did. As such, I wanted to wear shorts so bad (yes, shorts to work...lol).  So I started out with a dressy pair of Bermuda shorts that came to my knees. I reasoned that they were no different than a knee length skirt and I'd make it work with a good blazer, shoe and all the conservative bells and whistles I could find. However, I couldn't even get my rebellious self to do it.  I came to my senses and I decided to save the shorts for a Friday or Saturday and keep my job and dignity. Lol.  Despite of, I wasn't completely done with the idea of shorts which totally brought me to these cropped pants, which by the way are super old... I'd say circa 2003 or maybe older.  Anyways, cropped pants are hardly the same as shorts but sort of along the same vein, yet totally work appropriate.  BINGO!!!  This particular pair also happen to be super fun girly because of the color, cut and light weight material.  I paired them with this tie neck shirt I was dying to give a second go since I purchased it.... And this is where my rebellious side got some satisfaction.  It's a tie neck shirt, yet I refused to tie the neck and it's actually a long sleeve shirt but I cuffed the sleeves instead and most importantly, it's actually a little sheer!  My rebellious old me got my kicks totally off anyway!! :-)  I added the grey pointy shoes to add a layer of conservativeness and stick with the muted color palette. So there you have it. Conservative (at least a little) yet super fun and not so uptight. What do you guys think? Did I finally find the balance in showing a little bit of conservative while still having a lot of fun??


Tip: Play with colors, fabrics, lengths and colors to add a little fun in your wardrobe, and don't be afraid to make a piece your own.  Just because it's designed to be worn a certain way, doesn't mean you have to wear it that way.  Just because a piece comes with a certain accessory (a belt or pin for instance) doesn't mean you have to wear it that way either.  

Blouse: L.K. Bennett London; Cropped Pant: Old Navy (super old); Bag: L.A.M.B.; Pumps: Nine West (old); Leather and Metal Bracelet: H&M (old); Earrings: Urban Outfitters (old); Watch: Gucci 

 ***Click below for pics from the rest of the "shoot" and a fun fact about this outfit! Also be sure to comment and let me know what you think!! :-)

Finally, Geometry Makes Sense (Fashion Sense)

Before I even get into the wonderfulness of this dress, let me first address the nonsense of this day, Monday. In typical Lee fashion, I woke up 5 seconds before I was supposed to be out the door and on my way to work (I gotta do better... at this rate, I will be late to my funeral for sure).  Considering the limited time I had and the cooperating weather (clearly mother nature is off her period this week), this dress was an easy pick.  I hadn't wore it since last summer and it requires no effort to wear b/c the print works the whole thing by itself. DONE. Anyways, I almost always commute to work via the Metro (DCs subway/rail line) which is about a 10 minute walk from my apartment so I often wear flats or a pair of Converse Chuck Taylors and I carry my work shoes (heels, but of course) in my work bag.  So far everything is making sense and falling into place, right? Right, until I get to work and find that I packed two mismatched shoes.  Sweet baby Jesus. How that happen is still a mystery to me b/c the picking of the shoes happened in clear daylight and these two shoes were not even slightly similar.  They were different colors, shapes and styles (I swear I gotta do better...SMH).  With that, I was stuck in a dress, with my Chuck Taylors at the work.  Ironically (or not), it turned out to be the cutest little fun little unexpected outfit (nevermind the fact that it's so ridiculous to walk around the office in Chucks all day but whatever, sh#t happens...I got my work done regardless)! It even put me in the most carefree relaxed mood and I survived Monday!! Yaayyy! :-) 

The Milk and Honeeyz of it: 'When life gives you lemons, make the bestest strongest strawberry lemonade margarita you can find and have yourself a good ole' time!!!

I not only love the geometric print (which is trending big time in the fashion world) and colors, but I also love the shape of the dress, the tie neck, the 3/4 bishop sleeves and the flirty length (it's a little on the shorter side but it's not tight or clingy so it works).  More importantly, this was another fabulous find from Forever 21 that I happened upon for $30 tops! :-)  I swear things are just looking up!! LOL. 

For Pleats Sake...Can A Girl Get A Break??!

Pleated Skirt: Calvin Klein; Peplum Shirt: French Connection; Small Hobo Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs; Cut-out Booties: L.A.M.B.; Sunglasses: Balenciaga; Watch: Marc by Marc Jacobs

I've been working like an absolute crazy woman this week so my dress attire has been relatively subdued, as it is taking the back seat to being a grown up in a professionally demanding world.  The reality is, even with a relaxed work environment and all the creativity in the world, you can only go but so far with the fashions during business hours (not to mention that it becomes even more difficult when all your hours seemingly are business hours and there's no time to play or think too hard about what to wear!!) Anyways, I promise this weekend I'll take some time to dip back into the fun play world, including playing dress up, and I'll have some new fun posts for you Honeeyz next week!  For now, see how I called on some accordion pleats (and bright colors) to bring just a little bit of action in the work day... I mean for pleats sake...can't a girl have just a little fun??!! :-) 

You Better WORK It Honeey!! Casual Fridays

This past "Casual Friday." I incorporated a few of
some of the essential pieces I've previously discussed.
More importantly I was looking cute & professional!

Most employers have gotten with the program and implemented a Dress Down Friday, Casual Friday, Denim Friday or similar policy in the work force. I’m guessing this was done as an added incentive to get us to drag our butts into work on a Friday knowing full well we'd rather just call out sick. Well that’s what I’m assuming is the purpose of the policy, why else are you allowing me to come into work with my street clothes on?? Anyways, I actually enjoy dressing professional for work or the challenge of being presentable in a more formal environment while maintaining some of my style. First of all, I think it’s so much easier to throw on a dress or a pair of slacks with a button up shirt than it is to put together an entire outfit (I puts work into what I'm wearing!).  Second of all and most importantly, I went to school for 7 years; spent $100k on the cost of my higher education; and exhausted countless hours studying, while entertaining a crying baby (usually that was Cierra, as Brycen didn’t cry, he terrorized instead) and holding down my household so that I can finally get into the position where I had a respectable career that paid the bills (namely paid the student loan bill that paid for the cost of higher education..very circular situation that plagues the best of us) and would give me license to wear a professional little outfit.  After all that torture, expense and time, I often want to wear something that’s different than what I wear in my everyday life, if not for anything else but to distinguish the environment that I slaved away to get to versus the more relaxed social life that required little to nothing to play around in! But even still, a dress down day doesn't hurt nobody!! 

But there are a couple of rules to this.  Too often, you see people totally forgetting that while they have the green light to dress a little more relaxed for the day, totally blowing it and forgetting that they are still at work and there is a certain expectation.  It blows my mind when I see people prancing around at work looking like who done it and why? It is down right embarrassing so for the love of Christ, I've decided to put a list of DON'TS together so some people can stop making the same mistakes at work and thinking it's ok because it's Friday...um no boo boo; it's not ok!!!

DON'T:

1) Ripped jeans, bleached jeans, stained jeans, camel toe jeans, and the likes... I hope and pray no one is expecting me to explain why!!! Just don't do it. Please. When in doubt, women should try a dark washed trouser cut jean, any style including even a ankle/skinny black jean.  Men can go with any style jean provided they aren't the pair they wear when doing construction or painting around the house.  Add a blazer and a shoe and you are likely just as professional than someone with a pair of slacks on.  

2) Sweats.  Honestly, sweats outside of the gym is almost always a DON'T so to think it's ok to wear them to work is really outside of my comprehension.

3) Sneakers.  Again, it's work... not the park, not the gym, not the basketball court!!  You may want to be casual and relaxed and this can be done with a shoe.  For women there are great alternative shoes that give you comfort but style and professionalism, such as the cute little flats that everyone is wearing (not me, as my feet are allergic to flats and can only function in heels), wedges, riding boots (these, I will indulge even though they are generally flat...for some reason my feet has accepted these, I believe bc they are in trend now...yes, that's why), or wedges. I honestly pair the same shoes I wear with my business work attire with jeans.  The only shoe exception to dress down Friday is that  I can often wear a funkier shoe that I wouldn't normally wear with my business casual attire.  For men, also take a classic shoe you wear with slacks and suits and just pair them with your jeans.  There are also a lot of brands that make versatile shoes that can go from professional to casual usually with a rubber sole.  Some of my favorite labels for men that are notorious for a versatile shoe include Cole Haan, Prada, Gucci, Ralph Lauren and Puma Black Label.

4) Spandex.  Sighhhhhh.  I honestly see women in these way too regularly and unless you are really careful this is generally a recipe for disaster. You have to be very cautious of what you put on top to totally pull this off.  I would say err on the side of caution and just save it for another day.  There are some similar slim fitting pants that can work but it should be more of a pant than simply a pair of leggings.  Zara, Ralph Lauren, and a few other labels have some super cute riding pants that I have to have!!  You still get the whole legging effect but the material is usually thicker, there is usually added details of buttons, suede patches, piping, pockets, and/or stitching that help to separate this pant from the usual spandex legging.  

5) Baseball caps. Yes, people are literally showing up to work with baseball caps on and keeping them there as part of their outfit.  It's just inappropriate from beginning to end.  And when women do this (black women do this a lot in my building, unfortunately) it is beyond ridiculous b/c the natural conclusion is this fool has translated Casual Friday to mean Don't Do My Hair Friday and I can't even begin to tell you how absurd that is.  Do your darn hair everyday! Care about your appearance and the energy you are putting out there! Good Lord! 

MORE TIPS, PICS AND COMMENTARY (AKA RANTING) AFTER THE BREAK>>>

You Better WORK It Honeey!

Yesterday was a typical Monday....running late for work, not wanting to go at all, feeling sluggish and unmotivated from the top of the morning to the end of the night! Typical.  My dress attire sort of complimented that whole typical Monday mood...casual, not too elaborate or thought out (remember I'm running late for work so there is no time for thought).  But being casual or easy breezy doesn't mean you have to go to work looking a hot mess or without any good sense (and yes, when I see good sense I'm talking fashion sense). For yesterday's Monday I grabbed a simple pair of navy blue boot cut trouser pants and a asymmetric cut floral printed cardigan that I wore as a blouse rather than an overlay cardigan.  The floral print is not typical me...I really don't do sweet, lovely, innocent ... that is the absolute opposite of who I am! LOL.  But I'm definitely into prints this season and I loved the colors and the cut of the sweater.  I added a thicker more rustic belt to pare down the pretty, little flowers and make it more me (mean, little thorns)! I think I WORKed it Honeeyzzzzzzz!

Tip: Patterns and colors can be your accessory or as I would say, "the honey in your tea," so when shopping for basics don't really grab just a plain old basic but a basic with a twist... button up in a bright color, sweater with a bias cut or some asymmetry, a class pencil skirt with a pattern, etc...  You'll be pleasantly surprised with how a simple twist can turn your typical sluggish, unmotivated Monday mood into a stylish, fun, spunky Monday without even trying and despite the desire to want to crawl back into the weekend past. What types of things do you Honeeyz gravitate towards to get through a typical Monday and put you in a WORKing it mood, despite of!!!??

more pics after the break>>>>>>

You Better WORK It Honeey!

Me at work: festive, bright and chic!
Check out the guy checking me out
in the background.....lol!!!!!

"You Better WORK It Honeey" is a section of M & H that will be dedicated to showcasing work style and fashion.  As my honeeyz know or now know (I've said it a trillion times and will say it a trillion more times on this blog), I love the art of fashion and using individual style as a way of expression and just living (what the heck is life without shoes, bags and dresses?? I don't even want to know!)! Obviously, day to day style usually differs from that of work or professional style and since I'm a grown up now (can ya believe I got the nerve to be 33???) and I'm a "professional" (allegedly...lol) and spend the majority of my waking hours at work, I thought it would be a great idea to see how I (and the rest of you honeeyz) put it down in the professional realm! Although I'm an attorney and that can be one of the most uptight professions (stuffy suits, black, grey and navy only attire, with measly 3inch pumps....I threw up a little in my mouth writing that out), I lucked up and secured an attorney position with the Federal Government.  Rumor proved true that the Feds is one of the most relaxed working environment, well some agencies are and the agency I work for happens to be one.  Yaaay me! Anyway, there is obviously a time and place for everything and you do need to dress according to the environment, occasions and company but you don't have to be boring and sacrifice all sense of style and expression; especially, when you work somewhere that affords you the luxury of a flexible dress code.  My goal with this section is to get you guys to share with M&H your work style so we can post it here and exchange ideas of how to shake up the corporate world!
.... more pic and commentary after the break >>>