Help dressing and girl stuff

[stillmovingforward]

Sorry I bowed out, I got SUPER busy at work but................You guys are absolutely amazing! You gave me things I didn't even think about (eyebrows.......... a good book, and reddit).

To add more to the fun: I am short, chubby (working on that but even at my best I have a square body with BIG boobs), and very fair with a reddish tint to my skin.  One young man at work said 'you remind me of a stereotypic best mom!'  Thanks kid!  And everyone around him agreed..........

On the bright side, I seem to be keeping grey at bay and have amazing thick curly hair what I am fanatical about keeping trimmed neat and carefree.  Best $50 I spend every 6 weeks (sue me!  Its worth it or I look like bozo the clown).  I guess I'm sort of like a tall hobbit...............

I already do the standard dress slacks/jeans with a nice shirt and over-shirt/cardigan.  I lost so much weight I had to toss my blazer.  I should buy another one so totally thanks for the Nordstrom sale info.  I love capsule dressing and don't like to have too many clothes but am willing to spend good money for something nice.  And this job will entail a lot of travelling and to different countries as well.  I think I'll buy the book tonight on dressing as I don't want to make mistakes and some sales people don't listen well.  So I'd like to know enough to direct someone when I go to a store. 

I have a favorite shoe brand.  Totally comfortable and look amazing.  I stick with black and dark brown so I'm good there.  I seem to be gravitating towards all black now. 

The funny thing is........... I give work fashion advice to young women at work but what I know is already suitable for my job so I'm comfortable there.  Women engineers in my field are rare. 

Please -  keep all the ideas coming.  I'll read them all, toss the ones I'm not comfortable with and act on the ones that I am!

[stillmovingforward]

Oh, and I don't really wear dresses. But I'm thinking about trying a few out.

[Opti]

Stillworking, perhaps up the skincare as well. Forget how old you are, but I had someone do my whole face after I just asked about face & eyecare creams. Turns out I needed to learn about face & eye serum and how to apply them. She did an amazing job.

I walked away not buying anything, however, I need to up my game at my job and being feminine and beautiful is very prized. I am lucky that I can look very good with the right makeup. I just had no idea of the cost! -faint-Its going to be much like repairing my car. A little at a time, the most critical first. Since we currently have uniforms, getting nice pants or skirts is not as big as a payoff as good face & makeup. (I spend most of my day sitting and being viewed from a window cut into the temp reception area wall.) Sorry about the TMI.

Good luck. Sounds like you have a build like one of my best friends. I would recommend looking into the dresses. Dresses are a big deal for the younger women here, although I notice the older women, corporate do the nice pants/shirts thing like I favor.

[zibazinski]

Plus, if you're short, like me, two pieces unless WELL put together can make you look even shorter, as in cut in half!

[milee]

Jun 26, 2015 4:51:10 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

Plus, if you're short, like me, two pieces unless WELL put together can make you look even shorter, as in cut in half!

Me, too.

One of my stylish friends has been talking me into more dresses.  I never, ever used to wear them, but she pointed out that not only are they "easier" (no matching, one piece, etc) but a long line makes me look taller and thinner.

If travel is part of your work, you might want to check out Jude Connally dresses. They're fantastically flattering and almost impossible to wrinkle. Right now, I have a couple that are so comfy, they're almost like wearing socially acceptable PJs (and the bonus is you just pull them on over your head and you're done - no fussing with tucking or aligning). Plus, they're super cute and people always give me compliments on them. If you wear them with simple sandals, they're casual and fun; if you wear them with a necklace or earrings and pumps, they're ultra professional.  And..... machine washable with no need to iron!!!! In other words - perfect. Not cheap, but well worth it IMHO.

[zibazinski]

Are they clingy? I find even though I've lost weight, I still need to wear a Spanx under clingy dresses. Something I don't have to do with separates.

[andi9899]

Do you have a friend that is always stylish? I would use them to help. If not, go into the store and find the most stylish sales person you can find and have them look with you.

[milee]

Jun 27, 2015 10:05:17 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

Are they clingy? I find even though I've lost weight, I still need to wear a Spanx under clingy dresses. Something I don't have to do with separates.

One is and one isn't. She does a variety of styles so it's not tough to find one that's flattering. I discovered them when a really stylish friend took me. There were 3 of us shopping that day and we varied in height/weight by around 6" and 40 pounds and all of us found Jude Connally dresses that looked great - one style even looked great on all 3 of us.

I don't believe in Spanx. It's hot and uncomfy. So I have to pick stuff that looks OK without it.