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Guest Post: Building a Professional Wardrobe in College

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Hi lovely readers! So as you may know, this week is my finals week and also the week I am moving from California back to Washington. Needless to say, I will be VERY busy.

 

Unfortunately, I will not be able to be creating my own content this week, so I have a fantastic lineup of guest posts for you! I hope you check in everyday to read their posts and learn more about some other incredible bloggers that have been so generous in helping me out.

 

The following post is by Samantha of the blog Samantha Reads. I hope you love her post as much as I do!

 

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Hi wonderful readers of Small Town Roots & Cowboy Boots!

 

I’m Samantha, and I run the blog Samantha Reads. First off, I’d like to thank Madeleine for having me guest post today.

 

As we all probably know, college is a time of transition. You’re out of your safe hometown bubble, but you’re not quite in the “real world” yet. This is probably one of the last times in your life it will be acceptable to wear yoga pants on a week day, so take advantage of that! But we should also be using our collegiate years to build a professional wardrobe so we’re not stuck spending all the money we don’t have come graduation on blazers and pencil skirts.

 

That’s why I’ve taken some time to pick out versatile campus to office pieces that are casual enough to wear in college, but professional enough that they’ll also work when you graduate.
Midi Pencil Skirt, Zara, $59.90
A pencil skirt is key for the professional set, but basic black can be a little boring for a college campus. This bright blue adds some excitement to the work day uniform, and could easily be worn for a night out at school paired with a crop top.
Lace Jacket, H&M, $24.95
Even if you’re still in college, every girl needs a good blazer, but there’s no rule it needs to be plain. This one’s still in a neutral hue, making it office-friendly, but the lace will make you stand out in the crowd.
Pleated woven pants, Forever 21, $22.80
Say goodbye to the ill-fitting dress pants of offices past. These cropped, pleated trousers emphasize your shape in a way that’s still perfectly work appropriate, but could also be paired with a printed tank for class or hanging out with friends.
Harper Geometric Textured Dress, Francesca’s, $68
Dresses are a great choice for building a professional wardrobe. Worn with a blazer, this shift is perfect for the workplace. Worn without, it’s perfect for a school event or just brunch with friends.
If you like what you see, feel free to follow me on my own blog or on Twitter for more tips!
Xoxo, Samantha
Fashion

Outfit of the Day: Yesterday, May 1st

Outfit of the Day May 1

Yesterday was another day of 90+ degree heat and Santa Ana winds. Since skirts were out of the question and there was no way I could bring myself to wear pants, I threw on this adorable high-waisted skort from Forever 21. I paired it with a flowy crop top (also from Forever 21), and a crisp blazer from Target. A super chic business casual look, I did not overheat or have a Marilyn Monroe moment.

Skort: Forever 21 | Tank: Forever 21 | Blazer: Target | Necklace: Jane | Shoes: Blowfish

Outfit of the Day May 1

Fashion

Shop Hope’s Business Casual Picks

shop hopes dresses

Shop Hope's
If y’all haven’t heard of Shop Hope’s yet, you’re missing out! I found this store through Instagram about six months ago and been obsessed ever since. With new arrivals twice a day AND free shipping, they’re pretty much perfect. They have so many amazing items, so I decided to show you my favorite business casual picks.

With summer internships beginning soon, having an office-friendly wardrobe is essential. The dresses below would all look amazing paired with crisp blazers and the shoes pictured below.

Lyss discount code

Lyss discount code

I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.

Fashion

Romping in Hot Pink

Charlotte Russe

Charlotte RusseCharlotte Russe has some incredible new spring arrivals and this romper is no exception. I’m completely in love with everything about it from the hot pink color to the flattering shape to the lace accents. This is the first romper I’ve ever owned because I was convinced they were the least flattering thing for any woman with hips or thighs. However, I was pleasantly surprised when this fit me like  a glove and accentuated my small waist. It highlights my curves in all the right ways! The chunky chain bracelet I’m wearing is too cute and guess what? It is also from Charlotte Russe!

Romper: Charlotte Russe | Chain Bracelet: Charlotte Russe | Shoes: G by Guess | Blazer: Forever 21 | Watch: Kate Spade | Rings: Vintage Stamp Jewels and vintage

 

Charlotte Russe

Charlotte Russe

Charlotte Russe

 

Charlotte Russe sent me this romper and bracelet free of charge. They did not ask me to write a review. All opinions and images are my own.

 

 

 

 

Fashion

Spring Fashion Haul

Spring Haul

Spring Haul

FASHION HAUL TIME!

I finally had the opportunity to go spring wardrobe shopping. My friends all make fun of me for this, but I’m addicted to business casual. There’s no harm in that, right?

“You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” – Oscar Wilde

Everything you see in these pictures is from Forever 21 except the sunglasses, which are from Nordstrom.

How I plan on styling these items:
  • The black crop sweater looks amazing with button-down collared shirts. It will be great for those cooler Seattle mornings, especially when I’m running around downtown for my internship this summer.
  • The navy striped crop top looks divine with the peach asymmetrical skirt. I love navy and peach together! The stripes combined with the floral fabric pattern of the skirt are a fun way to mix patterns without clashing.
  • I also love the asymmetrical skirt because I can see it being paired with a basic white tank and nude blazer. Polished off with some basic nude pumps, it will be the perfect business-casual outfit.
  • I died when I saw this black floppy hat! If you read my outfit of the day post from March 26th, you can see me wearing it already. I was so eager to wear it that I put it on as soon as I walked out of the store. It’s such a simple way to add a touch of mystery and high-fashion to any outfit. Oh, and it can cover up a bad hair day like nothing else! (but pshhhh, I never have those…)
  • I usually hate paisley, but this black and white skort makes it look so elegant. Yes, you heard right – it’s a skort. We all wore them when we were little so when we were playing outside and our skirts flew up, nobody would see our panties. Children-at-heart adults rejoice: they’re making a steady comeback in a more classy fashion. I’m so excited to wear this with a black blazer for my internship. It’s stylish, but not too distracting or informal.
  • The blue crop top is such a lovely color, it’s hard to resist. It also is made out of chiffon, so you can easily dress it up. Since high-waist pants and skirts (and skorts!) are really in style right now, it’s important to have some dressier crop tops that don’t show your belly.
  • Finally, I had been wanting a pair of black, wayfarer-style sunglasses for a while now. I found these at Nordstrom and was shocked to see they were a steal at only $12! They go with everything and will be the perfect accessory as the sun starts to come out more.

Whew! Overall, I spent $112. Now that may seem like a lot, but for two really nice skirts, two crop tops, a sweater, a hat, and sunglasses, I’d say that’s a steal. For reviving my wardrobe for the spring and summer, I’d say I did a pretty fantastic job bargain hunting. These pieces are all very versatile and I can’t wait to start wearing them!

Spring Haul

 

 

Fashion

Outfit of the Day: March 26th

Outfit of the Day March 26

Outfit of the Day March 26

I went to the mall today to get all of my spring shopping done. It’s “warm” today – about 50 degrees – so I didn’t need a huge jacket or anything. This outfit is easy to throw together but it looks really polished. I just love it! I actually bought the hat today and threw it on as soon as I left the store. It complements my outfit nicely!

Cardigan: Forever 21 | Hat: Forever 21 | Tank: Target | Jeans: Hudson Jeans | Watch: Kate Spade | Shoes: Sofft | Bracelet: Alex and Ani | Rings: Colby June, Pure Impressions, Vintage Stamp Jewels

Outfit of the Day March 26

Outfit of the Day March 26 Outfit of the Day March 26

Fashion

Outfit of the Day: March 14th

Outfit of the Day March 14th

Happy Pi Day!

It’s also casual Friday at my office which means there’s donuts! I’m re-thinking wearing a skirt and tight shirt today because I know I’m going to stuff my face. I wish I had worn my stretchy pants (read that in a Nacho Libre voice). UPDATE (as of 11:38 am): I stuffed my face with a donut bigger than it.

Anyways, I love this outfit. I used to be so against combat boots with skirts, but I’m warming up to the idea. I never dress “edgy” like this, so it was fun for me! I’m usually all about bright colors and looking more preppy.

Outfit of the Day March 14th

I’m also wearing hair extensions. These are my Jessica Simpson “HairDo” 23″ wavy extensions by Ken Paves. I’m going to do a review later comparing them to my Bellamis that arrived today, but I never actually wear these extensions. I just felt like wearing them for the picture. I honestly don’t feel comfortable wearing my HairDo extensions in public because I feel like they will fall off and the texture really doesn’t match my hair. So anyways, I took them off after I took the pictures!

Boots: Steve Madden | Skirt: Nordstrom Kids (yes, I got it from the kids section, don’t judge) | Top: Forever 21 | Necklace: Forever 21 | Watch: Kate Spade | Bracelet: Forever 21

 

Outfit of the Day March 14th

I did not receive any compensation for this post. All opinions and images are my own.