A Response to “23 Things to do Instead of Getting Engaged Before You’re 23”

*Disclaimer: This post has nothing to do with "How to dress professionally" but I was inspired to write it, so here it is

Yesterday as I scrolled down my endless Facebook news feed, I couldn't help but notice how many of my friends had shared an article entitled “23 Things to do Instead of Getting Engaged Before you’re 23.” As someone who recently became engaged on my 24^th birthday, I was curious to read the article everyone was so quick to share. As I read it, frankly, I was disappointed that I had wasted my time. The article goes on and on judging couples who choose to get married early, referring to it as a “cop out.” Yet, I still wanted to give the article the benefit of the doubt. I thought, it’s called “23 Things To Do…” so maybe the awesome list of “musts” would justify her moody, judgmental article. Then, I was disappointed again.

The list includes things such as “start a band”, “cut your hair”, and “sign up for CrossFit”….what?! 1) who says I want to do 90% of the things on this list, and 2) Why can’t I do the 10% that seems semi-interesting with the person I love?

Look, I get it, it is important to know who you are before you meet someone and spend your whole life with them because forever is a long time and we all owe it to ourselves to be who we are but not everyone is meant to do the same things. It is difficult for me to understand why someone would write an article clumping all young couples into one category. The article states that marriage:

“… is a way for young people to hide behind a significant other instead of dealing with life’s highs and lows on their own. It’s a safety blanket. It’s an admission that the world is just too big and scary to deal with it on your own; thus, you now have someone that is legally obligated to support you till one of you dies or files for divorce.” She goes on to say it is "insane that I have already experienced more of the world in the last 22 years than my married peers will ever experience in their life"

I think that is ridiculous! Sure, there are young couples who get married for all the wrong reasons, but there are also 30 and 40 and 50 year olds who get married for all the wrong reasons (you can be lonely,  a gold digger, or a lunatic at any age). What I feel that this girl doesn't understand is that yes, her life is great, and good for her, it’s not easy to be in another country alone exploring and living and I respect her for that, but my life is just as awesome, and I bet many of my married and engaged friends 23 and under would say the same.  I have traveled, been away for college, I am continuing with higher education (which according to the article is not a "trend" when you are young and married or engaged) and I do not plan on stopping because I all of a sudden have a ring on my finger. My sister got married at the age of 22, yes, I agree she was young, but I have literally never seen her happier. She lives a full life with love and responsibilities and she knows EXACTLY who she is, her marriage never stopped her journey to self-discovery.

I have been in a relationship for 7 years. We found each other at a young age, some would say it is too young but what the author of the other article fails to realize is that when you are in love, truly 100% in love and devoted to someone, life is better with them than without them. I would give up 10 trips to China to spend a full day with my fiancée, and if I ever had the opportunity to travel somewhere, I would enjoy it so much more if I could share it with him. I know who I am. Marriage is not a cop out, marriage is difficult, marriage is work, but people do it because it’s worth it, because their significant other makes them better. If you find the right person, they should not stop you from growing and learning, they should love you for who you are at the moment as well as for who you will grow to be. The article suggests waiting even if you think that you have found the one, but why? Life is short and you never know what can happen so I say, if you are single, live your life, travel, explore, read, learn about different cultures and languages, meditate, “start a band” if you so choose and if you are engaged or married, do the same because no one is stopping you.

Outfits: Internship Week 7-10

Hello my fashionistas on a budget! Below are most of my outfits from the past four weeks. I have lost track of the days so the pictures are not labeled as usual but who cares about the days right?! What matters are the prices so here we go!

Above: Top H&M 12.99, Brown pants and brown heels were previously featured. This top is fun to add some color to your wardrobe but as usual, I would suggest having a jacket handy. Since, as I have said before, I work in an athletics office, I am usually overdressed (on purpose-remember, dress for the job you want, not the job you have) so a jacket is not a necessity most of the time but it is good to have one with you.

Above: All of these pieces have been previously featured. I chose to pair this tight fitting pencil skirt with a looser fitting top because I do do not think it is appropriate in the work place to be showing all your goodies, you know what I mean? It is important to look professional at all times.

Above: This was a casual Friday look. Dark pants: Forever21 $7.99, Grey T-shirt: Old Navy $4.99, Blue/Grey Jacket and flats were previously featured. I also want to make a note that all my pictures are taken at the end of the day so the wrinkles are a product of my work rather than a lack of ironing :)

Above: Black Slacks and Black heels previously featured. Top: Burlington Coat Factory $12.99

Above: This dress has been previously featured. The picture makes it seem a but short but in person, the dress falls a little above the knee. Rather than wear it with my black jacket and heels as I did in the past, today I chose to tone the look down a bit by pairing the dress with nude colored flats. (Previously featured from Old Navy)

Above: Another casual Friday look. Dark denim paired with a black long tank, black linen jacket, and tiger printed flats. All of the pieces have been previously featured except for the black linen jacket which I bought at TJ Maxx for $16.99. Pairing a simple outfit with bold shoes is a great option when you want to look professional but still young and trendy.

Above: Today I has no one to take my picture so I improvised. All pieces have been previously featured. Featured- Navy pumps and navy pencil skirt with a yellow flowy top.

Above: Black slacks and black shoes previously featured. In the past year have lost some weight and have found that all my dress pants are now way too loose and I was in desperate need of a belt. Who knew that this would be so difficult to find?!? Belts for women are harder to find than belts for men and apparently very expensive but I figured that at the moment it would be cheaper to purchase a belt than the replace all of my pants. I FINALLY found this black one on sale at Target for $7.99. Top: Marshalls $12.99

Above: Top and shoes were previously featured, Black Pleated Skirt: Marshalls $14.99. A skirt like this is a great way to look professional while stepping away from the traditional pencil skirt.

Above: Again, excuse the wrinkles, these pictures are all taken at the end of my day. Every item here was previously featured (white tube top, blue/grey jacket, beige dress pants, navy pumps). It is nice to step out of the usual black, white and grey we find in the workplace and step into something lighter.

You may have noticed how 90% of the pieces above have been previously featured but none of the outfits are the same, that is the joy of mixing and matching. Mixing and matching is essential for anyone on a budget. Again, thanks for reading!! Until next time :)

Top 5 Ways to Get Noticed and Move Up in Your Entry Level Job

Hello readers!!

Today we have a very special guest feature from a long time friend of mine, Andrew Hernandez. This morning I got a text message from him letting me know that he had a great idea for my blog. Considering the fact that not only have I known him for 16 or 17 years, but also that he too is a young professional, I was all ears! 

He sent me the article below and told me to feel free to add/change  what I wanted but I thought it was great so I only added some pictures and my input on the section regarding women's clothing as I was asked to do. (My contributions will be in pink).

Top 5 ways to get noticed and move up in your entry level job:

So, you just graduated from college, and landed your first entry level job. Four years of countless hours studying, caffeine binges and late nights that resulted in waking up, literally, in between your books and Macroeconomic literature imprinted on the side of your face. You just feel you are worth more than the mind numbing tasks they have you completing at your new workplace. To add insult to injury, your debt from student loans is worth more than your salary. You’re not alone, but, the job market has become so competitive, that a Bachelor’s degree is basically just a piece of paper that will give you an opportunity to get an interview, having a degree will not automatically land you the job as it would before. As the great Bob Dylan would say, “Times, they are a-changing” 

What do you do when the job market makes the Hunger Games look like a Disney flick? You stand out. Here are five tips to help you with that:

1. First One in, Last One Out

Arrive 15-30 minutes early every day, and stay till your superior has left. This doesn't mean you’ll be working overtime and not getting paid for it, it just means you care enough about your job to take the extra initiative. With your new-found time, you can make your morning coffee (From that addiction you picked up in college) read the local or national news (preferably something that relates to your field of work) and answer those ticky tac e-mails that seem like a waste of your 10 gigabyte inbox, but merit an answer nonetheless. Just settle in, you’ll feel more relaxed, and won’t be rushing to make it “in time”. (Remember there’s a difference between “on time”, and “in time”) Find your morning routine.

2. Dress For Success

This seems fairly obvious, and probably has been reiterated to you a thousand times over your college career. Still, I cannot stress this enough.

Men:

-          Learn different knots on your tie.

         Here are four simple knots (image is from http://willowbrookpark.blogspot.com/2010/03/fashionable-man-and-his-dressing-room.html)

-          Own “Power Ties” for important meetings and interviews. (Vivid Reds, blues, and yellows)

-          Match your belt and shoes. The cardinal sin of fashion is wearing a brown belt and black shoes, or vice versa.

-          Have a good ratio of shirt and pants combinations.

-          Dry clean your clothes. I know this  can get expensive, but dry cleaning at least once a month will keep your clothes in good shape. A cheap alternative is self-dry cleaning products like Dryel, Which can be found at a local CVS for under $20.

-          Splurge a little at one of Jos A Bank’s sales (3 dress shirts for the price of 1? Which usually comes out to $30 for a top of the line dress shirt.  You can’t beat that)

-          Invest in 2 or 3 pairs of shoes, shine them, and keep shoe trees in them to maintain the shape.

-          Ditch “Jean Fridays” for a pair of Dockers, or Khakis and a polo.

 Women: Ladies, please don’t dress like you are going to LIV Nightclub ** trying to woo the bouncer with your short dress, and cleavage hanging out, just to gain entry to the nightclub. (Sam, feel free to add whatever else you’d like, I’m not an expert on women’s fashion)

Well, I would't say I qualify as an expert on women's fashion either but I would say that the "rules" I've mentioned before are applicable here. Yes, you want to stand out at work, but you want to stand out for the right reasons. You want your co-workers and superiors to talk about your work ethic and professionalism, not about how hard it was to talk to you without staring at your cleavage. 

As I have mentioned before, keep the pencil skirts no shorter than right above the knee. If you are going to go sleeveless, keep a jacket near (you never know who is going to walk in or what important meeting is going to pop up). As for shoes, no strappy sandals. Keep you shoes either close -toed or with a tiny peep-toe. Finally,  keep your nails clean. No nail polish is better than chipped nail polish. If you look like you don't care about yourself, your superiors aren't going to think you care about your work.

Andrew and I spoke about this and are in 100% agreement that you should ALWAYS dress for the job you want, not the job you have!

 3. Never, EVER, say “That’s not my job”

This is possibly the worst thing you can say at a workplace. Especially if you’re clawing through blood sweat and tears for a promotion. It shows a lot about your character. I understand sometimes other co-workers and colleagues might take advantage of your inexperience and rookie status, but superiors hate hearing those words. When someone asks you to do something for them, even if that person is not your supervisor, take it in stride, learn from the situation, and offer your best advice for a solution. Remember, you want to be part of the solution, not the problem. If you happen to find yourself on the other side of the situation, ask for help in the most humble way you can. Don’t EVER tell someone what to do, even if you ARE a supervisor. Explain that you feel a certain talent or knowledge that your colleague possesses might be beneficial to the project or task at hand. This way you maintain a healthy and smooth relationship with your co-workers, and/or subordinates.

4. Offer Help Whenever Possible

If you find yourself completing the mundane tasks that are beset upon you, ask your boss if there is anything else you can help with. Doing this will show your boss you care about your job, company, agency ,etc.. and as mentioned earlier, could be a learning experience, or a chance to gain insight on your boss’s job, knowledge, or expertise. (We are trying to get promoted here, and learning your boss’s job is one of the best ways to do just that) Also, offer help to your other co-workers. This will result in team work and efficiency, and your superiors will definitely notice this. (Think about that Christmas bonus too) And you just never know who will be your supervisor one day, people remember good deeds.

5. Own Up To Your Mistakes

Face it, you’re fresh out of college, and everything is new to you because of your inexperience. You’re going to make mistakes. Everyone will, it’s what makes us human. If you find yourself in a situation where you've made a mistake, you can’t change it. Nevertheless, you still have a chance to fix it, and get the desired results you wanted. Don’t make excuses for it, that will just make you look weak and selfish. Instead, own up to it, tell your colleagues you will find a solution (Even if it means staying late, See item #1) and learn from it. Nothing is worse than having two problems; The initial mistake, and a twenty-something year old punk making excuses, leading the superiors to believe they hired the wrong candidate and they need to find another twenty-something year old punk.

I hope my humble 2 cents helps any young professional out there, aspiring to achieve success in this cruel, vicious world. You will often feel undervalued with your new entry-level job, but maintain a relentless hunger for prosperity, and approach each day as an opportunity to be better than you were the day before.

Godspeed,

 Andrew T. Hernandez

                               ** LIV is North America’s most popular nightclub

I think our generation gets a bad rap. People say that we all want things to be handed to us, and we idolize reality TV stars, wishing we could get our own show so we could be showered with money and fame. Yes, there are those who expect success without hard work but I believe those people are outnumbered by those of us who understand that hard work and professionalism are necessary and definitely rewarding at the end of the day.

Thanks for reading, and thanks again to Andrew for thinking of me, my blog, and ways to help my readers! Until next time!

Outfits: Internship Week 6 and the Joys of a Good Peplum!!

Happy Friday!! Another day another dollar right? Well no, not for me, at least not yet since I am working my booty off for free, but since I don't believe fashion and funds go hand in hand, below are my outfits on a budget. My Monday outfit is not pictured because it is a dress that I have pictured in the past.

Wednesday: Grey slacks-previously featured, Blue button down with white stripes- Old Navy $9.99. As I mentioned before, my current office does not require a jacket, but adding a grey suit jacket is a great option if you are trying to dress up your look.

Casual Friday: Top- previously featured, black skinny jeans- Burlington Coat Factory $14.99, Black close-toed wedges- Rainbow $10.99

Below is my Thursday outfit followed by the many uses for a peplum top. I own several peplums and I have found that they are very versatile so here are some ideas on how to make your $12.99 go very far...

Thursday: Black and white flowered peplum- Burlington Coat Factory $12.99, Pants and Black pumps were previously featured.

Paired with black skinny jeans and black wedges. This look works well for a casual Friday or maybe a weeknight dinner with girlfriends.

Paired with a tight black mini skirt and black heels. This look could work for something like a date or a work dinner. Wearing a tight mini skirt with a peplum gives the illusion that you are wearing a cute slightly 80's inspired dress (you can decide for yourself whether that is a look you like or not)

Make a peplum fun by adding a pop of color and a pair of shorts. I would wear this out maybe for drinks with my friends or a date night.

Weekend casual- Pairing the peplum with white, denim, cut-off shorts and sandals gives a casual yet very "put together" look.

White skinny jeans and a pointy black pump allow for a young yet sophisticated look.

Boom! Colored denim is very popular right now. I love the idea of adding a pop of color with a simple strappy black heel.

Obviously, depending on the style of the peplum, there are several ways to change your look, which makes them a great investment in my eyes! I hope you enjoyed this weeks looks. Happy shopping, happy styling, and happy working...we will make the big bucks someday!!

Until next week!

Outfits: Internship Week 4 & 5

Better late than never right? I had a busy week last week and did not get around to posting my outfits on a budget but here they are...below is a combination of week 4 and 5 of my internship!

Above: Entire outfit previously featured. 

This outfit sparked a debate in my office. I work with two men and they were curious as to whether black and brown was "allowed" for women. Apparently when a man wears black and brown, he is breaking some sort of unwritten fashion law. Personally, I like the contrast of brown and black and figure, hey, if the color combination is already built into this jacket then I am going to wear it. 

Considering the countless things women must deal with that men do not even have to think about, I will consider the fact that women can wear black and brown together and still look fashionable a "win" for the ladies!

Above: Grey slacks and grey pumps previously featured. Yellow top- TJ Maxx $12.99. Depending on your office, this top can be worn either tucked in or out and with or without a jacket. I was having one of those "I want to stay in my pajamas" days so I was very grateful for this looser fitting option.

As I have said before ladies, we all know that a dress is a great summertime option. The above tube dress is from Target and was $24.99. Again, if required by your office, wear a nice black suit jacket and it changes the whole look.

I guess I wore a lot of black this week but it really is a great color isn't it? My pencil skirt and shoes were previously featured. Black top: Burlington $16.99. I was SO comfortable in this outfit all day today besides the fact that I walked through mud and ruined my shoes....anyone have any tips on how to get mud off of faux suede??

Above: All pieces have been previously featured. Last time I wore these pants to my internship I wore them with navy blue pumps and a white button down so I changed the look by switching out the white for black

Boom! I had to shock my co-workers with a little bit of color after so much black. Hot pink button-down top: Burlington Coat Factory $12.99, Grey pencil skirt: previously featured, Grey strappy pumps: Ross $18.99. 

Someone told me today that my shoes looked painful but there are surprisingly comfortable. Even if they would be painful I probably would have worn them anyway because pain is beauty right? Well, I don't think that has to be true but we have all worn something slightly painful at some point in order to look good...but beauty does not have to be painful on your wallet, that's the biggest lesson of all!

Above: My casual Friday look- Brown tube top: Charlotte Russe $4.99, Beige linen jacket (great for these hot Miami months): Marshalls $12.99, Dark denim skinny jeans: Forever21 $7.99, "Tony the Tiger" flats-- I got these from a $5 shoe store!

Aging, THANKS FOR READING! I wish you all a fashionable, inexpensive week ahead...until next time

Outfits: Internship Week 3

Time flies!! I am officially done with week three of my internship! Below, as usual, are last weeks outfits. Maybe I need to start taking pictures outside because all my navy blue clothing photographs black but take my word for it when I tell you something was navy...or don't...either way here it is!

Tuesday- White Pleated Button-Down: Sears $9.99, Navy Pencil Skirt (Nine West): Burlington Coat Factory $9.99, Navy Blue Pumps Previously featured

Wednesday: Today I was having one of those "I want to feel loose and comfy" days. Black pumps and black slacks were previously featured, Red top with black rimmed sleeves and collar- Burlington Coat Factory $12.99. If your office requires a dressier look, tuck in the shirt and add a jacket or pair the shirt with a sleek black pencil skirt and change the whole look. 

Thursday: Checkered grey and pink lined pencil skirt and black pumps were previously featured, Black Peplum top with belt- TJMaxx $12.99

Casual Friday: Since I work at a college, Friday is "pride day" and the school's colors are navy blue and gold. Pictured above are navy pumps (previously featured), Blueish/grey slacks (The Limited)- Marshalls $12.99, Navy Blue T-shirt- Old Navy $5.99, Gold Necklace- Rainbow $3

Again, thanks for reading and if you have any outfits that are young, professional, and cost effective please let me know and I will happily feature you!!....until next week!

Outfits: Internship Week 2

Hey! I hope everyone's work week was great and that you are all enjoying this lovely long weekend because I sure did (hence the late post) but here are the outfits I wore on week two!

There are some days were I feel overdressed for the environment I am working in (reminder: athletics office) so I am still working on balancing it all because I know that if I were working in a law office, some of my pieces would be different. As I have said before, below are some ideas but make sure to always tailor your look to your work place. 

Monday- Black tank, black pencil skirt, and black pointy toed pump have all previously been featured. I chose to pair it all with a light cardigan rather than a suit jacket in order to dress it down a bit. The cardigan is from TJ Maxx and was $6.99.

Wednesday: Black slacks and black pointed toe pumps previously featured. The top is an off-white peplum with a black lacy design and it is from Burlington Coat Factory (I love this place, can you tell)- $12.99 

Thursday: This entire outfit was previously featured on the post about dresses so I took the opportunity to show how this outfit can quickly turn into a happy hour outfit. With a little pre-planning, you can go straight from the office.

Changes: I took off the jacket and replaced the belt and shoes and tada, you are now ready for a night on the town. I used the black belt ($2.99 at Beya) which is elastic to make the dress slightly shorter. This is a great option if you are wearing an office appropriate look that is maybe a little too frumpy outside of the office because you can adjust it to be a length you are comfortable with. I also replaced the closed toed pumps with a simple strappy heel which is great to have in your car because they match with most things. They were $20 on justfab.com.

Friday: Last week on casual Friday I was told that I could come even more casual so I wore dark wash jeans ($7.50) at Forever21. Forever21 usually has their jeans $10.50 which is an awesome price but I was lucky enough to come in on a sale day. Polka dot top with a black tank underneath was previously featured. Shoes (I call them imitation Toms) Charlotte Russe $10.

Now on to week 3!