Tips Tuesdays: Fedora Hats!

    This week's tip is going to be over how to wear a Fedora hat, casually and dressy of course. I know we've all seen them worn by celebrities and just normal people like you and I. We're getting style inspiration from  blog favorite, Rihanna. Throughout the post, you'll be observing what she puts with her different fedora hats and how versatile they really are!



Look 1: Casual Fedora Look

    In the picture to the right Rihanna is seen wearing her fedora hat with a cow print screen tee, denim high waisted shorts, a taupe sweater wrap, and oxford shoes. As far as accessories she kept it simple. Even though she has on both a necklace and earrings, both are simple as far as "gaudiness"; the earrings are big, but the necklace is simple. This look would be considered casual, and could be worn to the mall or just a simple lunch with friends. You could even wear this on campus. We know summer is almost here and it's hot outside, so we will help you recreate the outfit to cater to the weather! :-)

    Let's start with this Basketweave Fedora with Trim in the natural color from Forever21. You could pair it with this White and Black Cropped Peace Tee and Classic Cuffed Denim Shorts. For shoes you can do these pair of Grey Leatherette Wingtip Shoes. As far as accessories go, keep it simple with these Gold Twisted Hoop Earrings. Do this Gold and Multi-Colored Umbrella Charm Necklace and Gold and Coral Oval Shield Ring to give the outfit a simple pop of color.

   
     If you wanted to make the outfit pop in the form of clothing instead of accessories you could this pair of Red, Frayed Denim Shorts. For accessories do this Silver Hinge Feather Pendant Necklace, Silver Layered Hoop Earrings, and Silver Bangles. Keep the same shoes and you're on your way!

    Here Rihanna is (to the right) in another casual outfit with her fedora hat. She is wearing a printed romper with jeweled sandals and few accessories (studs, sunglasses and bracelets).

    To achieve this simple look you could start with this Bronze/Black Basketweave Fedora also from Forever21. For a romper just do this Black Basic Tube Top Romper and pair it with these sandals 1 , 2 (or if you're feeling "fancy"): 3. Keep it simple with your accessories but also have fun with them. We suggest you do these Black Flower Stud Earrings out of the studs set and Wild Side Animal Print Bangles.

     If you wanted to do a dressier version of this outfit you could do this Black Lace Racerback Jumper with a pair of these Black Floral Lace Heels to keep the lace theme. For accessories, pair this Black/Gold Snap Button Braided Bracelet  with a pair of Gold Chain Link Hoop Earrings.


Look 2: Dressy Fedora Look

    For the dressy fedora look, we're taking inspiration from this outfit of hers with a printed bustier/corset type top tucked into a pair of cream and black polka dot shorts. For shoes, you can see she paired her outfit with nude, studded Louboutins (apparently she was feeling fancy..lol). As far as accessories go she has on gold doorknocker earrings and layered gold bangles. We're going to tell you how to get a similar look that you can be comfortable in as far as prints but we'll throw some pieces in there for you to wear if want to be "expressive" with your outfit that day! :-)

    Start out with this Tan Basketweave Fedora with Floral trim  (seen worn by MBOU Candace Jordan )from Forever21. You can pair it with this Purple Ruched Chiffon Corset Top from Charlotte Russe. For bottoms you can do these Flared Floral Shorts or if you're feeling "expressive" ..lol...like we said, you can do this pair of Peach/Nude Tiered Lace Shorts. As far as shoes, both pair of shorts would look great with a pair of nude heels, whether they're Strappy, Peep Toe , or a Regular Pump! For accessories, go ahead and do like rihanna with a Large Pair of Gold Earrings and layer bangle set 1 and 2!





Hopefully we gave you some helpful tips on all the different ways you can wear your fedora hats and we hope to see you rocking similar outfits to the ones we've advised you on! :-)

Motivational Monday: Memorial Day Quote!!

"And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."  -John F. Kennedy

Today we are taking the time out to honor our troops (fallen and still living) and veterans that have and are serving this country. We are so proud to be United States citizens and feel blessed to have such brave heros to protect us and our rights. If you know a solider or veteran or just see one randomly, take the time out to thank them for what they have done for this country and for us.

Feature Friday: Taylor

1. Do you think you have a unique style? No

2. If yes, what's unique about it? It's not unique, it just varies depending on how I feel that day. 

3. Describe your style..I'd say I have more of a themed style...Sometimes I want to look like Mrs.Kennedy, sometimes I want to look like a preppy girl, sometimes I want to look like I'm going to the governor's ball,... I might want to be that video vixen, it just depends on the day and what I'm going for.. 

4. What would you wear on casual day vs a party? Umm...once again it depends on how I wake up feeling that day, because sometimes when I go to a party I feel like I want to have a more classic look... With the pulled back bun and the heels and maybe just a basic colored dress and some poppin' red lipstick or something to make me stand out. Or I might wear the tight fitted pencil skirt with a cami or something, so it really just depends but I definitely go for more of the "sexy look" for the party and casual is more like a comfortable, cute...I would wear it in front of my mama.

5.What 5 items are a must have for you if you were stuck on an island? Why?

one: A North face Jacket

two: My Nike shorts

three: These pumps I have, just because I might want to be cute one day..

Four: A dress, just a simple sun dress nothing to fancy, but short

Five: Probably a sun hat, the big round straw sun hat

6.What do you like to see the opposite sex wear? I really like the skater-boy look with the chucks with either the straight leg jeans or some kind of cargo maybe with more like a graphic tee or colored shirt. ((She was definitely referencing: This Post!!))

7. Do you look to anyone for style inspiration? If yes, who? I look to everyone, I can't name anyONE person....

8.What is your favorite store to shop at? why? F21, it's cheap and it has what I like!

9. Do you think money is essential when it comes to style? Nope, not if you're a REAL shopper!

10. How do you feel about being selected to be on Vintage Mahogani's Feature Friday? I don't know.. I thought it was really tight, like I felt really special..but like when people ask me to do stuff like this i feel really cool, like tight like special..like "wow you really think so"... (lol..we get what you're saying ;)

Thank you sooo much again Taylor, we really appreciate all your support&love!! You did an amazing job in these photos and once again #shoutout to Iconic Expressions for the pictures!

Memorial Day Weekend Tips for Men!

We're sure you all realized that this week we're going to discuss a few tips for the men for Memorial Day Weekend. Just like the post for the ladies, we're going to list of 10 must have items during your weekend. (Considering that we listed the vital items(sunscreen,sunglasses,etc.) yesterday for the ladies, we're going to give you a list of clothing items) Here we have, in no particular order, our suggestions of 10 must have clothing items for your weekend.

He has on a graphic tank; which would go great with cargos!

1. A White V-Neck T-shirt (can be worn with multiple outfits)

2.Some Cargo Shorts 

3.Graphic Tank

4.Dark Wash Jeans

5. Light Knit Cardigan (keep it light, no need for winter sweaters here)

6. Flannel Button-Up

7. Woven Fedora

8.Boat Shoes 

9. Sandals

10. Swim Trunks

As you can see you can keep it pretty simple when it comes to packing for your trip. Making sure you have at least these 10 items you should be set for the entire weekend, as well as having a bunch of options to choose from.

Now let’s get into what you can do with all of these different items!

He has on the boat shoes & a button-up

-For a simple look, we suggest that you wear some cargo shorts along with a white v-neck! For shoes you can either wear some boat shoes, or sandals.   -- -Depending on what the weather is during the weekend you may be able to throw on either the cardigan with this look or the flannel button-up. The idea is to just keep it as simple as possible, that's why we gave you a list of such simple pieces. 

-An idea for a another simple yet casual outfit, would be to put on the graphic tank, along with the dark denim jeans, throw on the sandals and your ready for a nice poolside barbecue! To jazz it up a little, so it's not too casual you can put on the fedora and call it a day. -Now, if you were wanting to go for something a little more dressed up you could throw on the dark denim jeans with the flannel button-up..roll up the sleeves (like this) and throw on the boat shoes. To top this look off put on a fedora and you're ready to go!

We suggest that as far as accessories go with these outfits you should keep it rather simple. Accessories such as a beaded bracelet or a long charm necklace.

And as far as the swim trunks go, you can throw those on, as needed! 

Bruno Mars, wearing his fedora ever so effortlessly.

Chris Brown in A Flannel Button-Up

and Shorts (Cargos)

So, hopefully you read something that was insightful for you! Have fun and be safe out there. . .we need y'all to come back and view the blog..LOL! but seriously though, be safe! 

SN: Take a look at the photos embedded in the tips; they can give you some great outfit ideas!

Behind the Blog!

Today we just wanted to let y'all in on how we behave behind the blog! Soooo..ENJOY!

Comment&Follow! =)

Memorial Day Tips for Ladies!

Okay, so we know memorial day weekend is coming up and some of you may have plans for: Vegas, Miami, or maybe even a pool side barbecue. If you're a last minute person as far as what to wear like we are, then this post should help you out a bit! We're going to give you 10 things that are a must have for memorial day weekend and how you can mix and match some of them. Here they are in no particular order.
 1: Sunscreen SPF 30 (very important for your health)
2: Sunglasses (make sure you have the bomb pair!)
3: Denim shorts (these can be dressed up or down)
4: White Tank (can be paired with your denim shorts ^^)
5: Simple Dress
6: Cute Cardigan (can be used to dress up your shorts or dress)
7: Flat simple sandals

8: Cute Wedges

9: Simple Studs 
10: Swimsuit!!

Now that you have a list of the 10 must haves, we'll tell you how to mix and match them for a few cute Memorial Day Weekend looks.

Denim shorts and a white tank. Denim is sooo versatile and is a MUST HAVE in anyone's wardrobe. Let's take these denim cuffed shorts (10.50 from F21) and this basic white tank (4.50 from F21). A casual, simple outfit that can be worn one or two ways. For a casual look you can wear these two items with a pair of simple flat sandals like these or like this; depending on if you're a silver or gold person. For accessories, a simple pair of stud earrings like this or these, will do. As far as hair and makeup, a simple ponytail or something simple yet cute will do. A nude lip, eyeliner, and mascara is okay for makeup.
Moving right along! For a dressy-casual look with the denim shorts; pair the basic white tank from F21 and a cardigan. This the time to bring out the wedges1 or 2. For accessories the simple studs. For hair add some curls for volume; and makeup you should try a colored lip for fun!
Besides wearing a cardigan to dress up the denim shorts, you could wear it with a dress like this in black. For your shoes and accessories, do the same as you did for the dressy-casual denim look. For your makeup and hair, the same as the simple denim look. However we suggest that you may change it up a little and do a smoky eye and a red lip. To keep the dress simple, just wear it by itself with the flat sandals and do your hair and makeup similar to what we suggested for the simple denim look (nude lip, eyeliner, etc.)
You can't forget the swimsuit (printed, plain, or one-piece) for those pool side barbeque's or pool parties. And don't forget a cute pair of sunglasses (1,2, or three), and of course sunscreen!!

I hope we've given you some options and helpful insight on outfits for Memorial Day Weekend! Have Fun, Be Safe, and Stay Fierce Ladies! ;)

Motivational Monday: Quote of the Day!

"Expect the best, plan for the worst, and prepare to be surprised." -Denis Waitley

We can always expect the best in life, but sometimes it doesn't always go that way. So plan for the worst so that way you'll already be prepared and know how to handle whatever life throws at you. Life is full of twists, turns, ups, and downs; but it's what we do with these obstacles and how we overcome them. It is also full of surprises that can be good or bad. Over the summer, we encourage you to make a plan for something you want to do and make a checklist of all the steps you need to conquer to achieve that plan. After you make that plan for your goal, make plan b and c for it. While taking and achieving each step, check them off and keep this quote in mind.

Feature Friday

You'll have to be patient with us; we're still working out all the kinks with this blog and the posts.

However, you should go check out all of the posts that you haven't already and comment!

Thanks for all the support, we can not thank you enough!

Don't be mad...we tried to make it on time....

  but here you are, your favorite part of the week: just about us!.. 

      you know how we do, so don't be surprised lol

fyi: the music that we were dancing to does not match what was playing....we have rhythm don't worry. =P

Wednesday: Summer Sweaters for Men!

Today we're going to dive right into some looks that men can achieve with a light cardigan/sweater during the warmer months. Like we stated yesterday, when you think of clothes to wear during the summer you're not automatically going to think of a sweater. However, if you have the right one, throwing it on during the warmer days will not be a problem. Below we're going to give you a few ways to wear them!                                  

Here we have Dwayne Wade on what looks like a warm day. He has on a dark blue cardigan sweater. Underneath his cardigan he has on a white collared button up shirt. One that I'm sure many of you men have laying around the house. As far as accessories he kept it simple with just a gold framed wrist watch and it looks like some diamond studs. In this picture we're not able to see what he wore for pants or for shoes and for that reason we will give you some ideas that you can pair this sweater with. For bottoms we're thinking that you could do some dress pants, to keep the look more on the dressed up side of things. With pants like those, it would make sense to do some type of dress shoe; however if you wanted to give the overall look more of a dressy-casual feel you could do some grey chucks for shoes. That would instantly make this look more on the casual side of things. To dress this cardigan down, some khaki shorts with a pair of Nike dunks or again some white or grey chucks would achieve this for you. If you're going to go with the khaki shorts, rolling up the sleeves on the sweater will really tie the look together!

Moving right along, to T.I. and his sweater look. He has on a v-neck cut lavender sweater with wide legged dark washed jeans with a black Gucci belt. For shoes he has on some black Louis Vuitton sneakers. Just like Dwayne he kept it simple with his accessories. He has on the oh so famous: black framed geek-chic glasses, with it looks like some sort of double chained necklace, and then on his arm he has on a black beaded bracelet. The way that the lavender sweater and dark jeans play off each other color wise really works. So if you wanted to achieve this look or do something slightly similar we would suggest that going with colors that really work well together. Maybe something like a dark green sweater with some lighter jeans may work together. The play of light and dark against each other normally works out very well when it comes to clothes. Now to make this outfit more fit for the summer, we suggest that the shirt that you put under neath this sweater is a v-neck as well; just to make it a little more airy when it comes to up top. Pushing up the sleeves on this sweater as well will give this sweater more of a summer look. For bottoms we suggest that you can go with jeans similar to this; however you could easily throw on some cargo shorts just to change it up a little and to keep yourself cooler. For shoes some all black ((our favorites)) lace up combat boots would look great with the jeans or the cargo shorts. If you do not have any of those some all black Jordans or Nike dunks will look great!


Hopefully, you learned something that was of use for you today!.. Just remember, if you want to wear a sweater during the summer keep it as light as possible..we don't need anybody falling out and trying to blame it on us! =P

Tips Tuesday: Summer Sweaters!

This week's tip is over summer sweaters! Now we know summer sweater sounds like a contradiction but there ARE sweaters made to wear in the summer. These sweaters are lightweight and can even be brightly colored or have prints on them. We will show you an example below of how to wear a summer sweater and give you a few tips and links on some outfits you can put together that incorporates it in there.

To the right we have Rachel Bilson wearing a "summer sweater". We can conclude it is summertime by looking at the rest of her outfit (shorts and a cami layered underneath). She is wearing a light pink button up cardigan with the sleeves scrunched, a white camisole layered underneath, denim shorts, and camel colored round toe pumps. As far as accessories, she kept it simple with sunglasses and layered a few necklaces.

Here are some links to similar items in case you want to recreate this same outfit.
Light Pink Cardigan
White Cami
Dark Denim Cuffed Shorts (You can uncuff them if you want the long look)
Necklace 1 or Necklace 2
Taupe Heels


Here's a couple of tips and links on summer sweaters and the different ways you can wear them!

Tip 1: Let's take this Wavy Stripes Sweater from Forever 21. This sweater can be dressed up or dressed down. Let's do dressed up first. To dress the sweater up you can layer a plain white camisole underneath, put on some dark denim skinny jeans , and wear with smoke bronze leopard print heels to add some "flare" to it. As far as accessories, just keep it simple with some bronze bangles and hoops. Now to keep the sweater casual you can do the same white cami layered underneath, dark denim shorts , and pair it with a of bronze sandals 1 , 2 , 3. As far as accessories go, do a simpler bangle than for the dressy outfit and maybe some bronze studs. You can pull your hair in a pony so the studs can be seen and be out the door!

 Tip 2: To the left we have this AMAZINGLY cute Foliate Knit Sweater in a sage color from Forever 21. Of course we're going to tell you how to dress this up and down as well. Let's start with it dressing down/wearing it casually. You can layer this Light Pink/Peach Colored Cami underneath and pair it with some shorts of course..but this time you can do these Khaki Woven Trouser Shorts if you didnt want to stick with the dark denim cuffed shorts. As far as shoes you can do these floral print wedges (1 or 2)  to add some print to the outfit and make it pop or even a cute pair of gold sandals: ( 1 , 2 , or 3 ). As far as accessories keep it simple with these Gold Bangles and a pair of simple Gold Hoops or Gold and Cream Studs. Now to dress this sweater up, you KNOW you have to go with Dark Denim Skinny Jeans and you can go ahead and layer a cream cami underneath. As far as shoes you could do these Taupe Leatherette Cut-out Heels or even a simple pair of Tan Wedge Heels. Bracelet 1

So now that we've given you a few tips on how to recreate these looks, hopefully a summer sweater is something you will look into adding to your wardrobe!..Although they are light and made to be worn during the warmer months, when winter hits adding some layers underneath or ontop will allow your "summer sweater" to be acceptable during the winter!

Motivational Monday: Quote of the Day/Our Challenge!

"An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea." -Buddha

We know summer is here for most students and you guys are ready to relax and get school and work off the brain, but we are challenging you to do the opposite. Some of us are probably going to be taking intercession and summer classes, working, or doing internships. Our challenge for those who have free time and maybe even those who want to take on something else this summer is to come up with an idea that no one has yet to come up with and run with it. Develop the idea, be creative, invest in it, and most importantly have faith in it as well! Whether it takes a few days, weeks, months, or years to implement the idea keep working on it and perfect it! You never know, just one small idea can lead to you having your own company and being a billionaire! :-)

Just Being Us!

You'll have to excuse the tardiness of this post, blogger would not cooperate with us yesterday!

            We wanted to make some clarifications when it comes to following the blog!Enjoy! =)

Feature Friday: Candace

This week's Feature Friday is on Candace. Communications major and the reigning Ms. Black OU! For her Feature outfit, she went with a plain white tee, distressed peach colored shorts, and brown combat boots. As far as accessories, she went with grey socks to pop against her boots, gold hoop earrings, geek chic glasses, and a taupe fedora hat with a flower band.

1. Do you think you have a unique style? Yes.

2. If yes, what's unique about it? The thing that is unique about my style is that I like to have fun with the clothes I wear and think outside the box!

3. Describe your style. Some people say I have a bohemian type style. They also say I'm conservative, so I would say bohemian-conservative.

 

4. What would you wear on a casual day vs. a party? A good example would be Stompdown. It was a "casual-cute" event. I wore a blue fitted skirt and a peach colored top. For the party I put on a lace, kind of see through top to "step up" the sexy for a party.

5. What 5 items are a must have for you if you were stuck on an island? Why?  Things that I can mix and match. A tank top because it'll most likely be hot, shorts, a sweater, DEFINITELY skinny leg jeans, and some comfy sweats!

6. What do you like to see the opposite sex wear? I think different guys look good in different things. I don't think it's fair for me to say every dude should wear the preppy look or the edgy, skater boy look. It just depends on what compliments their body the best. If a guy knows his own personal style then that's what's the most attractive. As long as he looks good by my side. [ YOU BETTER SAY THAT MS. BLACK OU! ]



7. Do you look to anyone for style inspiration? If yes, who? Yes. I look to everyone for style inspiration. From the mannequins in Forever 21 to people walking on the South Oval.

8. What is your favorite store to shop at? why? I don't really have one favorite but Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe. You can get the $5.00 skirts or cute shirts for $9.50.

9. Do you think money is essential when it comes to style? No. I feel like I have style and I don't have alot of money. Lol. 

10. How do you feel about being selected to be on Vintage Mahogani's Feature Friday? I feel honored to know that people are interested in my style and think I have one because sometimes I wonder if I

can actually dress..lol. To be featured on a site where Beyonce, Jayz, Chris Brown, and Jennifer Lopez have too, is an honor.

 

Thank you for your time Candace!! We know finals week and being Miss Black OU is time consuming, so we really appreciate it! It was so much fun doing your photoshoot and interview! :-)

Stayed Tuned for Feature Friday with Taylor!! 5-27-11!



Wednesday: Business Wear for Men

Wednesday has rolled back around so it's time for a tip for the fellas. If you didn't see already we are doing business wear tips in honor of graduation weekend. Also, we know that some of you may have summer internships that may require you to wear business clothing. Now would be a great time to stock up on some because it always comes in handy.  As in the tips for ladies post yesterday, we will cover how to achieve 2 looks: Business Casual and Business Professional and put the interview etiquette at the end.

Look 1: Business Casual

Business casual means to dress or look professional, looking relaxed while still looking pulled together. Some appropriate pieces of clothing to achieve this look are:

 

•  A collared shirt (either a dress shirt or polo)

            
                 Paired With:

• Trousers (Khakis, Blue Green-Dark, Brown, or Black) 
• Belt
• Modest Shoes
• A blazer or business jacket can be added optionally.

Here are a few tips on how to achieve the business casual look:

Tip 1: A Dress Shirt and Khakis

Let's take this 1MX Button-Up from Express in the color resort blue. This shirt would look great with these Cotton Khaki Colored Pants with a Black Belt and some black dress shoes. The same shirt in the Bright Green with the same Khaki pants would look good with a Brown Belt and some Brown Shoes. You could add something like this Black Cotton Jacket, to the first option that is, that has a blazer feel to it or an actual blazer.
 

 

Tip 2: A Polo with Black Pants

Okay.. for the polo you could do this Light Gray Polo from Express with  Black Pants, a Black Belt, and some black shoes. You could also do their Striped Signature Polo in the coal color with the black pants, black belt, and black shoes if you didn't want to do all solid colors.

Tip 3: A dress shirt or polo with Gray Pants

I know gray wasn't stated in the bullet points above but it is acceptable and is a subtle color. Let's take these Charcoal Pants or even the Heather Gray color and pair it with this Red 1MX Button Up or this Water Blue Signature Polo , a Black Belt, and Black Shoes. If you didn't want to do just plain gray pants you could do these Pinstripe Light Gray Pants. The pinstripes are really subtle so that means you could get away with pairing a fairly bright colored button up like this "Wild Pink" 1MX Button Up or this "Pink Sorbet" 1MX Button Up. This also addresses the issue of wearing "feminine" colors as a male, these colors, the shirts, and the whole idea is alright with me! :-) Lol




Moving right along to Business Professional

Business Professional is pretty much self explanatory. Men should wear business suits, however, blazers can be worn with a pair of dress slacks or khakis with a tie. Sweaters with a button-up underneath paired with a tie may also be acceptable. Conservative colors like Black, Gray, Brown, Navy, and even Tan are okay!

Here are some links to some nice suits for your business professional look! Also a tip how to do a sweater, button-up, tie combo. :-)

• Light Gray 3-Piece Suit 
• Caravan (Tan) 2 piece suit 
• Dark Gray 3 piece Suit 
• Black 3-Piece Suit

Sweater, Button-Up, Tie Look:

Okay, let's take this Pitch Black V-Neck Pocket Cardigan and pair it with this Coquette Purple 1MX Button Up, Light Gray Pinstripe Pants, and Gray/Purple/Black Striped Tie. There are a numerous amount of ties to choose from on Express' website alone.

Express Men is a GREAT place to get both a business professional and business casual look from. You can even find casual clothes in there as well. Plus, they always have AMAZING sales!

 

 

10 Interview Etiquette Tips:

1. Hair, nails, and clothes should be clean. Clothes need to fit properly and be ironed/pressed.
2. Limit your cologne. Don't overwhelm them with the scent.
3. Make sure to arrive at least 15 minutes early. This shows that you are serious about the job and you can be taken serious. It also shows punctuality, good time-management skills, and organization.
4. Turn off your cell phone or silence it, don't ever pull it out to text or answer a call..(common sense)
5. Don't chew gum in the interview or use slang.
6. Give the interviewer a firm handshake and eye contact.
7. Remember your posture (don't slouch).
8. Listen carefully and pause before answering a question. This prevents you from rambling on and on.
9. Have a business card ready to give them at the end even if they already have your resume.
10. Do a follow-up/thank you letter. This shows professionalism and gives another opportunity to restate your interest in the company/position.

Tips Tuesday: Business wear

In honor of graduation this weekend and those summer internships coming up for some, we thought we'd take this week to give some useful tips on business wear. In the corporate culture, the jobs most of us are striving for, one must dress in business casual wear or business professional, so we will cover these two looks and how to achieve them. We'll also give 10 interview etiquette tips to you as well! :-)

Look 1: Business Casual

Business casual means to dress or look professional, looking relaxed while still looking pulled together. Some appropriate pieces of clothing to achieve this look are:

• Skirts that are reasonable in length, not a mini skirt. Also in fit, you don't want a skirt to fit too tight, but you don't want it to be so loose that it's falling off... (ALL BAD)
• Full-Length Trousers that are a non-jean material.

The bottoms can be paired with the following types of tops:

• Dress shirt. Meaning a nice, dressy blouse. Make sure it's not too revealing and not a dressy top like one you can wear to the club or something.
• Polo
• Sweater Set. This USUALLY means a button up layered underneath a sleeveless sweater vest.
• An informal dress with an APPROPRIATE skirt length can also be acceptable.

Here are a few tips on how to achieve a business casual look:

Tip 1: Let's take this Pinstripe High-Waist Buckle- Back Pencil Skirt from Express. This skirt is VERY cute and barely needs anything to make it stand out really. It can be paired with a nice button up, either a subtle color like black, dark gray, or white. It can also be paired with a bright color like a red, pink, or purple. Here are a few links to some buttons-up, long-sleeve and short-sleeve. Long Sleeve 1, Long Sleeve 2 , Short Sleeve 1 , Short Sleeve 2.

Tip 2: A full length trouser look. Everyone needs a nice pair of trousers because they are so versatile. They can be worn on an interview, to work, church, or even a lunch date with the friends! Let's take these black 7th Avenue Linen Flare Pants from NY&Company. These pants can be worn with a nice, white  Ruffle Front Blouse for crisp, clean look with some flare; or it can be worn with a cami Plain, Lace or even PRINTED but make sure you have a Blazer  to go over it. Even a nice cardigan like these 3: Cardi 1, Cardi 2 and Cardi 3 (Printed) <--- with a plain cami of course, would be appropriate over a cami as a "sweater set" if you can find one.  Here are a few links for some nice trousers: Tan , Heather Gray, Pinstripe .



Tip 3: An informal dress. Let's take this plain Scoop Neck Stretch Tank Dress. You can pair it with one of those cardigans in the tip above or a nice blazer. If you want to keep the color simple but still add some flare to the outfit, you could do a the purple color of this dress paired with a black blazer or cardigan and some leopard print pumps. Simple but still making the outfit pop with the print!

Moving right along to Business Professional...

Business Professional is pretty much self explanatory. The attire should be very professional, meaning suit. Tailored pant suits are acceptable and skirts should be knee-length or longer and cover your thighs when seated. Colors should be conservative (like black, brown, dark gray, and navy).

Here are some links to some nice and professional skirt and pant suits:
Skirt Suit 1, Skirt Suit 2,  Skirt Suit 3

 

         


                                                           Pant Suit 1 , Pant Suit 2 , Pant Suit 3

10 Interview Etiquette Tips:

1. Hair, nails, and clothes should be clean. Clothes need to fit properly and be ironed/pressed.
2. Limit your perfume. Don't overwhelm them with the scent.
3. Make sure to arrive at least 15 minutes early. This shows that you are serious about the job and you can be taken serious. It also shows punctuality, good time-management skills, and organization.
4. Turn off your cell phone or silence it, don't ever pull it out to text or answer a call..(common sense)
5. Don't chew gum in the interview or use slang.
   
6. Give the interviewer a firm handshake and eye contact.
7. Remember your posture (don't slouch).
8. Listen carefully and pause before answering a question. This prevents you from rambling on and on.
9. Have a business card ready to give them at the end even if they already have your resume.
10. Do a follow-up/thank you letter. This shows professionalism and gives another opportunity to restate your interest in the company/position.

• P.S. New York & Company is a GREAT place to get business wear from, they will almost always have everything you are looking for. Express and JcPenny are also great places to look for some Business Casual and Professional items of clothing.