Especially in politics, you know you’ve made it when everyone knows your name. Provided, of course, that it’s for the right reasons.
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1) The Hill’s 50 Most Beautiful list came out yesterday. The fashion choices left a lot to be desired. Some dresses were too short, others were too tight (one bordered on indecent). At least one woman wore glasses she doesn’t need in an effort to look more intellectual. And, as usual, there were pearls.
Pearls for days. Real pearls, faux pearls. Pearls of every size, compilation and color. Even pearls with dresses that didn’t need them. As long as I live, I will never understand the Capitol Hill obsession with pearls.
2) This blush and black, leaf-print skirt from NY & Co. is a dream. It’s also under-$50.
3) Love pale nail polishes? Hate the streaks you get with your at-home mani? Ivory and Olive has a secret ingredient to prevent streaky paint jobs. My favorite office-appropriate, pale pink? Deborah Lippmann’s ‘Shape of My Heart’.
4) If long hours at work are making your skin look sallow, this Sephora Pomegranate mask does wonders for tired skin. It’s kind of amazing.
5) The New Yorker examines the wage gap and wonders, “Are Men Overpaid for Overwork?”
6) Work in a casual office? Piperlime has some stunning toppers. This slouchy blazer from Cameo is perfect. This BB Dakota piece is the perfect mix of coat and cardigan. And this $99 quilted moto-jacket is not to be missed.
7) If your name is difficult to pronounce, a new software program, Mivoko, allows you to attach an audio file to your e-mails and LinkedIn page to clue in colleagues as to the pronunciation of your name.
8) I recently purchased the Rebecca Minkoff ‘Knocked Up’ diaper bag to tote my laptop and school books. It’s easily one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.
9) Some good tips on “How to Ace Your Internship.” The advice about knowing (and following) the office’s social media policy is very good advice.
10) Gilt has the best collection of sheath dresses right now. This dark green Rosa sheath has a trendy faux leather sleeve. This Ava & Aiden sheath has a gorgeous asymmetric neckline. And this eyelet, short-sleeve sheath comes in white, navy and black.
11) If you spend a fortune on dry cleaning, you might want to look into Swash, a laundry appliance that lets you refresh and press your clothing in just 10-minutes. It’s not cheap, but if you need to wear a suit every day, it might be worth it.
12) Pottery Barn has a fabulous travel jewelry case for sale. They also make a smaller and less expensive jewelry roll. With God as my witness, I will never sit in my hotel room, untangling necklaces again!
13) Woman Livetweets IBM Execs Discussing Why They Don’t Hire Women–their stupidity would be amusing if it wasn’t so infuriating. It’s really too bad that women have to “keep getting pregnant again, and again, and again” in order to populate the human race.
Anyone familiar with Ava & Aiden sizing?
I have two of their sheath dress in a size 2, which I normally wear, and found the cap sleeves to be so constricting. Everything else fit well. For reference, I’m 5’2″, 112 lb, 32DD.
It’s worth noting that Ava & Aiden is not a “real” brand – they are a brand created by Gilt, so the “discount” price is kind of disengenous. They’re not being sold “full-price” anywhere else.
A little small. True the discount price is basically a lie, but I still like the two pieces I purchased from there and thought the price was fair.
Agreed -I also like the quality and style of the dresses I purchased from them, but will make sure to buy sleeveless next time!
Just bought two of the less expensive, returnable Ava and Aidan pieces for sizing purposes. Really like the lines and the colors and the price point is perfect. Hope to have found a good new source of staples.
I really don’t understand the most beautiful list, especially now that they moved beyond the Hill. How the heck are these people selected? A lot of them look kind of frumpy…
For the Rebecca Minkoff bag — how big of a laptop can it fit? I’ve been looking for something a bit nicer than my Lo and Sons bag to carry to work when I have files and things that won’t fit into a smaller satchel (like the Pippa), so just curious as I like the looks of it…
Hope law school is treating you well, definitely missed your posts yesterday. Sending you good vibes. While I didn’t do law school (and am still considering it since I’m crazy) I did do a PhD and I suspect the first years of both are pretty similarly stressful. It will be over soon though, breathe!
Also this might be mean, but I’m 29 and the 29 year old women they picked, I feel, look much much older than 29…
People nominate themselves or friends nominate them for 50MB. Then the Hill takes their photos and chooses their 50. Most people decline to be photographed from the start because the interviews are usually embarrassing. Also, I call BS on the DC events person having “political clients”. They must be getting desperate now that most staff know to steer clear unless they want to have to talk about their childhood embarrassments, weird food habits, strange hobbies and blush-worthy dating experiences.
*two months later*
I bought the Minkoff bag in April, and it easily carries my huge work PC and a host of other thing with room to spare. I LOVE it.
So many of the women on that 50 Most Beautiful list are wearing dresses I would NEVER wear to work, and I work in a business casual office. Boobs! A bunch, I thought, were way too tight. But I do want to know where Elizabeth Heng got that dress. So cute.
I figured most of them would be wearing blazers or jackets over them that they just took off for the shoot. Agreed though, a few of them were skin tight and had quite a bit of boobage.
For me, it was the dress that clearly showed the outline of the staffers pubic bone that was almost indecent. Some of them would have been okay with a jacket over them, but one was so short, I wondered why no one said something to her.
Well, the photographer probably liked the extra skin. I mean, you look at tv and magazines and you’d think everyone comes to work in bodycon club dresses. I just saw a girl today wearing a dress (it was a loose fitting casual dress under a blazer) that did not pass the finger tip test. I realize that most interns probably don’t have a very extensive work wardrobe, but no matter how cute it is, don’t wear anything too short or too tight…ever.
The dress is from my roommates closet but she got it at Bebe’s
Two things. One, that BB Dakota Jacket is super cute. Two, that article about the IBM execs is absolutely maddening. How in this day and age do people still think and talk like that?
Style by Joules
Did a blind person edit the 50 Finest articles or just someone with no grasp of grammar? I’m barely through 5 people and I haven’t seen an error-free interview yet.
I was appalled by the 50 Most Beautiful blurbs. Out of 50, 45 of them (yes I counted) were relaying some sort of diet and/or fitness information. I was very disappointed by the interviewer’s reduction of these individuals into such a one-dimensional view of who they are. One would expect that this forum could be used as a platform for things they are passionate about that may be somewhat in line with their career or just outside passions. I will grant you that those were included in some, but not nearly as consistently as their workouts. The paragraphs made the interviewer and in some cases, the interviewee, sound body- and image-obsessed. I barely learned anything about these people aside from their workout routines, about which I couldn’t care less. Very disappointing.
The interviews almost always fall into one or more categories: diet/fitness, are you single, if so what are you looking for?, and embarrassing stories you wouldn’t tell anyone but you are now telling a reporter.
Diaper bag for school–what a genius idea! Right now I’m carrying around both my backpack and purse, and it’s way too much. I’m going to have to snatch this up too…thanks for the recommendation!
Just when I thought I couldn’t love you any more, you went and wrote that tidbit on the obsession with pearls.
I think it’s just seen as what’s expected in a conservative work environment. You move to DC, you’re a big girl now, so you don your pearls to look classy.
Hi Belle,
I just bought the navy eyelet sheath dress you mentioned. I’m always cold, so I usually try to have a sweater on hand. Any suggestions for one to go with this dress? I’m 5’3″, if that helps. Thanks!