I can say without a doubt that this jumpsuit is the most FUN piece of clothing I've ever put on my body. And for good reason-- would you look at those ruffles!? I can hardly keep from smiling whenever I'm wearing it. I paired it with my trusty platform espadrilles (on sale here) to make the ruffles even flowier. I added simple gold hoops to not draw any attention away from the jumpsuit.
I love this jumpsuit because it feels so "me." When we dress for ourselves and our personalities, it can make us feel unstoppable. It reminds me of the reason I fell in love with fashion in the first place -- because it can be used in service of honoring and portraying my true self!
As many of you know, I had the awesome opportunity to spend the past week in The Everygirl office as an intern. This was my first formal internship, and I have to say it was better than I could've ever imagined! Being able to see the editorial process from start to finish against the backdrop of the Fulton Market District in Chicago was a dream come true. The all-female staff was a picture of smarts, strength, creativity, and ambition. They showed me women supporting women in such a real way and I am so grateful to have gotten to spend time with them.
My time with The Everygirl contained tons of new experiences, including dressing in office wear for a week. Because the dress code was relaxed, I had a ton of fun creating these outfits. I wanted to share them for those of you with internships, office jobs, or other "business casual" events so that you can break out of your workwear routine and mix up your wardrobe.
MONDAY
With Monday being my first day, I chose to wear my most formal outfit of the week. A good rule of thumb is to dress a bit nicer than you think you have to, especially if you are not sure of your office's dress code or are in the interview stage. Being slightly overdressed will make a good first impression while being underdressed might come off as sloppy or uncaring.
TUESDAY
I love how the tie-front on this blouse adds a sassy touch. I paired it with the most comfortable jeggings ever and low profile slides.
WEDNESDAY
I was able to show my personality by adding fun earrings to a more formal dress. The dress also had a long keyhole opening in the back, so I made it more office-appropriate by layering a black tank top underneath. The dress itself is custom from Fame & Partners, but you can customize your own here.
How cute are the other interns!?
THURSDAY
I dressed up the pants from this post by pairing them with a popover shirt. I ended up getting huge blisters from these shoes, so I linked similar looking (but hopefully higher quality) pairs below to spare you the pain.
FRIDAY
Yes, there are avocados on my scarf! If your office allows it, don't be afraid to have fun and show what you love through your clothing.
Stay Sunny,
Meg
Check out my first article published on The Everygirl here.
Last week, I was shopping the clearance section at Marshall's. I stumbled upon a $6 pair of loafers in my size. I tried them on, they fit, and I began to carry them towards the checkout line because, well, they were six dollars. I looked down at the shoes and stopped dead in my tracks because I realized didn't even like them that much. If I had bought them, I probably would have worn them once, held onto them for a while, and then gotten rid of them. You see, this is idea of the disposable fashion is all too common in today's world: a world of fast-fashion, low quality material, and unethical labor. Brands are focused on creating more and more, and we are focused on buying more and more-- especially with prices so low. A $3 t-shirt? I'll take 5! It doesn't matter if I ever wear them, they're $3. But here's the catch: in order to have such a rapid, massive, and cheap production of clothing, something has to give. If you aren't suffering the consequences of fast fashion, someone else is. Often times, that "someone" is a laborer who is unsafe and underpaid. Or, perhaps, it is a shared burden of all of us suffering the effects of the world's 2nd most polluting industry.
I challenge you to be more intentional with what you buy. This doesn't mean that you need to research the origins and ethics of every single thing you add to your cart-- I assume none of us have time or resources for this. Before you buy something that is not a necessity, ask yourself a series of questions such as "Will I wear/use this often?" "Does this bring me joy?" "Do I already have something like it?" Practicing this review of products will lead you to "impulse buy" less often-- saving you money, saving the environment resources, and defying our hedonistic culture.
When you can, shop ethically. Research brands that produce clothing in an environmentally-friendly manner that fit your price point. My favorite sustainable company (although I may be biased), is Fame and Partners-- where I will be interning this summer. What makes F&P so unique is that they are "the modern woman's personal atelier," meaning every garment is made to order and made to fit the customer's body. Their dresses are also customizable in many ways, from color to neckline, giving women creativity and freedom with what they buy. Aside from the benefits for the customer, the benefits to the environment are numerous: no mass-production, no waste, and no need for storage in an air-conditioned warehouse. AND, as if they weren't already awesome enough, $5 of each sale goes to 1 of 3 charities (you get to choose) which will empower women in a variety of ways. Fame and Partners really is about more than a pretty dress, which has caused me to fall head over heels for this company in such a short amount of time.
Today I am sharing with you a dress that I recently received from them, which I was able to choose the fabric, have a personalized fit, and raise the neckline. Shop F&P dresses here.
