Summer Business

I keep listening to Bobby Darin's "Beyond the Sea" and imagine sitting on the dock of my Westhampton beach house, my feet all tangled in the seaweed and the sunlight glittering on the bay.

But I have my two internships to speed through until I get there every weekend, and so I've been trying to find ways to punch it up. How? By looking cute. Naturally, I've been haunting Cynthia Rowley and Frock! by Tracy Reese websites to find bright, airy dresses that still qualify as work appropriate. These two picks by Frock! might make the cut:

$275, Frock! $215, Frock!

Yes, they're a little short for work. I manage to rationalize this surprisingly well by assuming that the model is a foot taller than me. But the sweet necklines, intricate fabric detail, and boldly colored patterns just thrill me so much that I'd wear them to work and then to bed. I suppose this shows that "business professional" does not at all translate into my personal fashion language. Plus, there's that whole part where I drooled over Cynthia Rowley's line for Roxy, which the high school part of me would give my right arm for (there is a 100% chance I'm going to blog about it in the near future).

What do you wear to work in the summer (assuming blazers and pantsuits are too warm for the weather)?

Working Girl

I've been on a desperate hunt for clothes that can be categorized under the "professional" heading. I figure I can wear pencil skirts with embellished tanks and light jackets (for the love of God, no boxy blazers or bland cardigans). On the other hand, I know that it will be summer in New York City (sticky, concrete, and unpleasant), so I must keep an eye out for any light, flowing dresses. I have to admit, though, I'm more than excited to pick up blueberries from the streetside fruit vendors on my way to work, as I did every day last summer.
I considered buying armfuls of cheap dresses to fill the deficit of "appropriate" in my wardrobe; I then realized that a) I'll probably need "appropriate" clothing after graduation anyway and b) I don't like cheap clothes because there's a reason they're cheap (poor quality, usually). As a result, I've made it my duty to haunt all sample sales, which is how I found this gem:
I know. I KNOW. I wish the picture was clear enough for the detailing on the bodice to be more visible, because it really is exquisite. Unfortunately, Rue La La allows other shoppers to purchase pieces that are already in your shopping cart (Seriously? At least Gilt gives a ten minute period) and I missed it. Naturally, I entered a stage of severe self-loathing for slight procrastination before finding a very similar dress, though without the pleating on the bodice. Still, this particular dress is available here at full price. It is so unbelievably perfect for summer and marries fashionable with professional quite beautifully. For now, I will be roaming the sample sales to find some more pieces (while studying for my midterms, of course). If you have any suggestions as to how I can reassess my college wardrobe with an eye to professionalism, let me know! Hope your weeks are going splendidly!