Insomnia... And Some Blogs I Recommend...

Okay, so I have not posted anything in several days.  Sue me.  Actually, please don't do that... enough headaches right now.  Hee Hee

Anyway, Sis has the kids back east visiting their father.  Without all of the unnecessary personal details, let's just say the situation is all but perfect.  My sister is a tough cookie and the kids are making the best of things.

On to brighter... err... darker things.

It is almost 2:00 am and I have a big meeting at 8:00 am.  I cannot tell you how much I HATE EARLY MEETINGS!  Who calls a meeting so early?

I guess that I am nervous?  Honestly, not an emotion I often have.  What else could explain my being awake at 2:00 am?  Believe me, I need my beauty sleep.  Hee Hee

Before I post these photos please understand that the clients we have coming in are no nonsense types.  All business.  Very old school.  They probably do not even want to hear from the female executive?

Boring.  Formal.  Conservative.  Appropriate.  These are the words for the day.  With that said...

I have had this suit for many years.  I suppose the boxy cut in the jacket gives that away? 

This was actually one of my first really big apparel buys after graduating college.  Everyone should have a great "interview suit" and this was/is mine.  Kasper makes good stuff... or at least I think so.

Despite the obvious flaws (read ALL BLACK) it really is a suit that I love to wear.  There is just 'something' about wearing a great suit.

The collar adds a little interest.  It 'sits up' just right.  I like it.

You have seen these lovely shoes before.  I actually wear them frequently.  A great pair of black heels is a flawless addition to any ensemble if you ask me.  Ok, maybe an 'easy' addition, too.  Hee Hee

Okay, now it is time for a brief tangent...

Everyone should have a great suit for work.  If you are working (or planning to be working) in the 'professional world', you NEED one.  I hope that we can all agree on that?  Graduate college... check.  Buy suit... check.  If you are looking for work in the 'professional world' it is a must. 

So what do you do after that?  I think you read these blogs...

Jodi from Day 2 Day Wear just posted the things that she wears that make her feel good.  Personally, I think all of her items are perfect for the office.  Very feminine.  Very professional.

Margo from Classroom Couture has perfected dressing professionally.

Marion from Marion Berry Style is not only gorgeous but her sense of style is flawless.

Many of you are already familiar with Anh of 9 to 5 Chic fame but when you are talking about appropriate and fashionable office attire she is simply the queen.

If Anh is the queen, then these ladies certainly deserve the moniker of princess...

Bessie from Bravoe Runway

and

Annie from Stylish Petite

All of these ladies have 'corporate chic' down to a science.  They are simply amazing and provide me with daily inspiration.  Read, enjoy & hopefully have the same experience with them that I have.

Alright, it is now literally 2:44 am.  Perhaps I will try again to get some sleep?  I really do think that I am a little nervous.  Odd.  Huh.  Wish me luck... both with the last minute z's and with tomorrow's meeting.

- The Leather Skirt -

Blogging On My Lunch Break...

Today the weather in Dallas is awful.  Cold.  Windy.  Rainy.  Winter.  One of my favorite blogger buddies (Kassi from The Closet Intervention) used a new word in her post today.  The word - "Craptastic".  I looked it up, means - Crappy weather, fantastic day.  True.  Try Websters if you don't believe me.  Hee Hee

Anyway, it is the perfect word.  The weather really is crappy but I intend to have a fantastic day anyway.

Drop by and check Kassi's blog out if you don't already follow her.  She is great!

Moving on.... Does anyone else do their blogging on their lunch break?  Am I the only one?  Ordinarily I do not go home for lunch but today I decided I did not want to wait to get my outfit post up.  I am so thrilled with how this ensemble looks.  I just didn't want to wait until the end of the work day.  Hope you like it, too?

Well?

LOVE this hounstooth skirt.  You might remember from a previous post that I found this baby at a local resale shop for a mere $7.00!  What do you think of it?

I have already gotten my money's worth and since it has fast become one of my favorites, it will get many more spins to be sure .  Funny how our favorite wardrobe items change from time to time, huh?  

Another of my blogger buddies (Bessie from Bravoe Runway) just posted about how a recent acquisition has made its way to the top of her "favorites" as well.  Bessie puts the "S" in sophistication.  Drop by and check her blog out as well.

This is perhaps the softest sweater that I have ever felt.  As a result, I have it in at least three colors.  Hee Hee

Perfect for a craptastic day, huh?

Perfectly "walkable" and cute.  Hard to think of a better reason not to pull these babies out on a craptastic day!  How cool is that buckle?

Well, lunch is rapidly drawing to a close.  Gotta run.

Hope You Have A Fantastic Day!

- The Leather Skirt -

The Liebster Blog Award...

Whew!  What a week it has already been!  Actually it started late last week when my team was handed a last minute suspense at work.  I ended up in the office much of the day on Saturday and have been working very hard each day since.  BTW... I work from home often on the weekend but I rarely actually have to go in to the office so this was something of great importance.  I thought about telling my boss that the suspense would have to wait as I had not gotten a new post up on my blog in several days but decided that she would not find that nearly as funny as I do.  Hee Hee

Anyway... upon getting back to my personal computer for more than what I like to call "my 15 minutes of sanity", I see that one of my new friends from the blogosphere (CK of CK Staying Warm) has graciously honored me with "The Liebster Blog Award".  CK, I am humbled beyond words.  THANK YOU.

“The Liebster Blog Award" is awarded by fellow bloggers and is given to up and coming blogs with fewer than 200 followers. Liebster is actually a German word meaning dear, sweet, kind, nice, good, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. Wow!  I thought English was a hard language to master.

To keep this award going, I am to pass the award along to 5 other new deserving bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

The rules for the Liebster Blog Award are simple:.. well, maybe not so simple...
1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love, too!”

Ok, #1 & #3 were easy.  Done, but I will do them again as it only seems right.  truly the least that I can do.

CK, I truly am amazed that you would think of my little blog.  Thank you SO MUCH.

Although you would struggle to find anyone that would say I am patient I think that I can handle # 4 easily.

Unfortunately, # 2 was not so easy.  I read (or at least breeze by) so many blogs everyday that it really was difficult to narrow it down to only five.  Fortunately, the requirement that the blog have fewer than 200 followers helped to narrow things down.  Also, I decided to limit my honorees to those blogs that I ALWAYS read and not just the ones that I sometimes breeze through.  With that said, my list, in no particular order:

Kassi at "The Closet Intervention"

Sarah at "Coming Unstitched"

Clochet at "Clochet.com"

Bessie at "Bravoe Runway"

Natasha at "Required To Be Inspired"

Honestly, it wasn't easy to narrow this list to just five but I think I did reasonably well.  Each of these talented and beautiful ladies inspires me in such different ways.

Kassi at "The Closet Intervention" is a master in the art of bargain hunting, specifically the unknown treasures available in the world of consignment shops and vintage stores.  She doesn't even know this yet but she actually inspired me to give a consignment store a try last Saturday.  Kassi, I will divulge my most prized discovery in the next post.

Sarah at "Coming Unstitched" is a woman after my own heart.  She works at home but doesn't let that discourage her from dressing with purpose each day.  Additionally, she so thoughtfully shares her talents for pulling together stylish ensembles with anyone that asks for her thoughts.  I can't imagine the hours she invests just to come up with posts like this one. A reader asked for some help with unique wardrobe needs and Sarah jumped right in.

Clochet at "Clochet.com" shares my love for a great leather skirt.  She pairs them with other classic pieces with such effortless style.  So ladylike.  You can see a couple of her recent inspirational posts here and here (this one is my favorite).  She is also one of the very first people to take the time to read my little blog and cannot thank her enough for that. 

Bessie at "Bravoe Runway" is the "diva" of the bunch.  I mean that in absolutely the BEST possible way.  Every outfit that she shows us on her blog takes my breath away.  It is not just the clothes, it is her confidence that translates so amazingly well through the pictures and words.  Bessie inspires me to dress a little better every single day.

Natasha at "Required To Be Inspired" also inspires me to dress a little better each day although from a little different perspective.  Bessie lives in Chicago and I suspect is rarely the only woman on the street well tailored.  However, Natasha lives in a very small town and I suspect deals with odd looks and questionable stares frequently.  In no way does this fact deter her from going about her day dressed ever so well.  I am impressed beyond words.

I look forward to hearing what you think of these talented ladies' respective blogs.

Well, there they are.  For those that hear from me regularly, please do not be offended, there is simply only room for five.  I could have easily included at least ten more.  I hope that you know who you are?

- The Leather Skirt -