Quest for the perfect work bag

I have a job now. Somehow, my bag collection sensed this. In quick succession, the gorgeous leather hobo bag that I received for my 21st birthday developed a hole in a seam (I really need to find a leather worker/cobbler in SF if anybody knows of any good ones), my backpack finally hit its last gasp, and my suitcase quickly followed suit. The only usable bags I have left are a leather tote bag and a small leather purse, both of which I stole from my mother.

Now, given that I am no longer strictly a poor graduate student, and actually am working, I feel like the bag I carry needs to be somewhat professional. At the same time, I am a software developer, and as such, my workplace is reasonably casual. My style is somewhere between loving a more minimalist and classic look, and having a love for boho chic (I'm not sure that its boho chic if you are actually of Indian origin, since I feel that often the pieces I pick up there and love remind me of my time and family members there). As such, I tend to like it when the leather pieces I have have a little bit of slouch to them.

So, a list of the bags I would like to own, and their functions:

In a perfect world, I would own:

1, 2 (3, 4) [$685/$1370]. A minimalist leather tote bag that I could carry around for errands, or work on a sunny and dry day, paired with a smaller crossbody that could be tucked into it. My wardrobe seems to shift towards lighter warmer colors in the spring and summer, and warm but very dark colors in the fall and winter, and as such, in a perfect world, I'd own two pairs of a small crossbody and large tote that matched. In this case, the pairing I like the most is the annabel ingall jojo crossbody paired with the petra tote, as such:

Annabel Ingall Jojo Crossbody: $320

The Jojo is a crossbody that seems to be a very well made and attractive knockoff of the Celine Trio Bag - I also like that since there are three compartments, i can keep my various essentials organized, and toss the pouches into my larger bags at will, but have a bag that encases them that I can just grab and carry around as needed. I want this in both black and saddle or acorn. The Jojo actually comes in a ton of different colors which are tempting, but I can only spend so much money on bags here, and it is probably ridiculous to want a black AND brown set of bags, even if I do expect to use them about 6 months at a time as daily workhorse bags. 

The tote I plan to pair it with is the Market Petra from Everlane ($365), probably in the Market size since I feel like the Magazine is a little small to fit all my essentials, but at just under 5' 4'', the Portfolio size would overpower my frame. Got to wait till Friday for the restock on that, but looking forward to ordering it! I think for now I'll just purchase the black ones, and then as summer approaches if I love the pairing, I'll consider purchasing a lighter brown pair. I know that the lighter brown is in limited edition for Everlane, so I'll probably decide within the month. 

Everlane Petra Market in Cognac: $365

3/5 [$295 or 275]. A smaller travel bag for short/weekend trips: I currently have a massive tote from Thailand that is utterly gorgeous, but I constantly worry about the safety of the straps on it. I might snag a weekender from Everlane, but I might also go for a Lo and Son's OG Bag (my current favorite), which, at 17"x15"x 6.5" seems roomy enough to fit everything I'd need while looking quite chic, but naturally is a bit pricey. I think I also favor it because it's proportions would lend itself to actually not completely overpowering my frame the way a duffel bag would. 

The O.G. by Lo and Sons: $295

The O.M.G is slightly smaller (16" x 13.5" x 6") but could potentially also fit my needs (the ability to hold 1-2 macbook pros, my ipad, three days of clothing, toiletries, pens, etc) and would definitely fit my frame better, but I am dubious that this would work out unless I became way more minimal about my packing, which while I'm working on, is not a skill I have mastered. The O.M.G could however be a good candidate for the next category, the Work Satchel.

6 [$600]. A work satchel - A laptop bag that I can carry to work, that will also hold my odds and ends for the day, protect my laptop(s) from water on rainy days, be easy to carry, and not necessarily obviously look like a laptop bag. My dream work satchel is the PS1, but at 1.6 to 2k, buying one will take a bit of planning, and in the meantime, it might do me good to buy something in a more mid-price range. I'm currently maintaining a pinterest board of the running candidates on this front, here

My favorites so far are:

Marc Jacobs Too Hot to Handle Tote: $528

I actually saw a smaller version of this bag on someone at a coffee shop today and loved the smaller version. This tote zips up, which currently makes it my far and away favorite at the moment, since it is otherwise unassuming and professional, but large enough to hold all my belongings. 

Another option:

Tory Burch Robinson Double Zip Tote: $575

This bag is also pretty minimal, with a zip at the top, and a nice shoulder strap.

I can also go the other direction and get a leather satchel a la the cambridge satchel company, or something from Frye, but I personally would rather save up for a PS1 which is what I actually want, and get a professional leather black work bag that can serve more conservative interests in the meantime.

I've also got to swing by nordstrom rack, marshall's, and ross to make sure that I'm not missing any cheaper finds (thus allowing me to save up). 

In the meantime, I'm going to order the totes from Everlane with their crossbodies (or ok, ok, just the black ones for starters, like I said before, and make do with this seemingly awesome bag from modcloth that is in the 50-100 dollar range, allowing me to potentially save up for the PS1 instead of settling for anything else, or even just save up for a Prada tote instead of one of these (though these seem fine for what they are):

Geologist Bag: $68

I thought over this bag a lot, since I am mostly trying to invest in pieces that will last me a long time, but realized that I want the time to save up for those pieces, and right now I have 0 bags I can use. I know that if I rush the choice, I might not be excited. This bag was a good addition to my wardrobe since its a nice neutral brownish color, is reasonably priced, won't overlap with the final black work satchel or the suede PS1 Satchel style I'm saving up for, and is also plain enough to not overshadow my suede hobo bag. Its gotten pretty great reviews overall on modcloth as well, and is being used my students, so it seems like it can take a beating, which is a quality I value in bags. I'll update with reviews on how various things turn out/fare on my purse hunt after a month or two. 

Ok, better get back to work for a while. 

Pulling it Together: Madewell Silk Shirred Dress Review, Madewell Terrace Dress Review, and Everlane Tee Review

Starting any weight loss journey is tough. I don't plan on discussing my journey terribly often, it could happen, but it seems unlikely.

The first thing I've done is realize that in order to lose weight, I must come to terms with the weight I am now. I decided to purchase a suite of clothing that would fit me at my current body. My favorites have been as follows:

Everlane T's: I own 2 black ones (one v neck, one round neck), a navy, slate, and beige color, all in Large. I wear a 34H cup and am 5' 4'' for reference, and they fit me well, loosely actually, and have room for my chubster belly. They're comfortable, hold up in the wash, and are reasonably priced at 15 dollars each. I adore them and wear one almost everyday.

Everlane Tee in White with a Round Neck

If you're interested in them, here's a link to sign up and get some of your own if you're in the market for awesome t shirts and want me to get a free shirt the next time I hit a lower size during my weight loss journey: https://www.everlane.com/n/n5abzg

Madewell Shirred Silk Dress:

This dress is amazing. I'm busty, petite, and have a very short torso. This dress makes me look like I have an awesome hourglass figure, which is hard to achieve when I'm 180lbs+. I currently seem to fit well into size 10's (I'm pretty sure Madewell has some pretty spectacular vanity sizing) and adore this dress in black, red, and beige dot. Its comfortable, and it looks fantastic under a v neck sweater to boot, allowing me to use it as a really awesome skirt as well.

Don't be fooled, if you're busty or have an hourglass,
this dress really accentuates it.  You will not look like a small
child in your pinafore a la this model. 

How could I resist a cute red dress? Seriously. 

I think red can occasionally be difficult to pull off because it screams sex if you don't wear it correctly, particularly as a busty petite. These dresses also have the plus point that they have this vertical line running down the middle. Its a subtle detail, but it ended up being surprisingly slimming. All in all, I adore this dress. It's currently on sale at madewell.com, go get it before its gone, its amazing.

Madewell Terrace Dress:

Once again, if you're a petite busty hourglass like myself, particularly with a short torso, this dress looks phenomenal. It somehow manages to make my skin look creamy and flawless, accentuates my hourglass figure, and makes my chest look proportional and smaller. The skirt is long enough to be appropriate for most occasions, and the fabric is soft, stretchy, and incredibly warm and comfortable. I can't recommend this dress highly enough.

Now, the advantage of most of these dresses is that they can easily be altered down to a smaller size, and they make me look good right now. I have tried to get myself to lose weight via self hatred many, many times, and its never worked. This time around, my plan is to see whether in the process of getting to know my body better and paying more attention to it, I can get healthier via liking it more. We'll see how things go.

Fab Lust

Fab.com is probably one of my bigger eye candy websites. They have way too many things I <3. Lately they've managed to come up with a giant amount of stuff that I'm lusting after, which is hard because I do not have too much cash to spend on too many things, not to mention that I am trying to lose weight, so I can't really invest in much clothing at the moment, and I'm moving, so I can't really accumulate too much stuff without feeling super terrible. Nonetheless, the website is great, and even if you are like me, feel free to drool. I've also included a referral link at the bottom that gets you a 25 dollar discount off of your first purchase at the site, and gives me 25 dollars in credit if you do make a purchase (no extra cost to you ofcourse). Without further ado, here is some of the jewelry I am lusting after at the moment:

My Geeky Jewelry <3's

Tiny Camera Necklace by VERAMEAT

Its a tiny vintage camera! How could anyone not love this forever and ever? I must have it. Someday.

Full Moon necklace by Nervous System

I love Nervous System jewelry in general because its uber cool. They do 3d printed jewelry that replicates the shapes and textures of natural phenomena, which tickles all of my science bones. Lovelovelove.

2-layer Twist Ring by Nervous System

3d printed, bright pink (have I mentioned that pink is my favorite? I know, how hopelessly girly, whatever, I am a computer scientist as well, so I think I do a good job with killing gender stereotypes normally), and based on the physical texture and structure of coral?? Too much cool. Too much. 

Cellular Earrings by Nervous System

For those of you who don't like bright neon pink accessories for some reason, but still have a healthy appreciation for organic shapes and textures in your jewelry, science, and 3d printing. 

Deco Earrings in Dark Blue by Summerized

These are not diamonds. 

Discounts for you:

Ok, so if you click and sign up here, you can get 25 dollars off your first purchase of 75 dollars or more (ie, the optimal thing to do is to get something that is roughly 75 bucks for 50 bucks), and I get 25 dollars of credit too! Wins all around. One more time for clarity:

Click this to sign up and save 25 dollars off of your first 75+ dollar purchase at Fab! 

What do you guys think of these? I love fun jewelry. It is an unfortunate addiction. What are your current lusts? Any other geeky science jewelry fans? 

Bright Braided Vintage Sari Bracelets

Greensewn Bracelet Trio

I received these bracelets as a present recently, and am madly in love with them. I actually own a few sets of them (I think I own 12 bracelets in total) in various colors. These are by far the brightest of the bunch. I love these bracelets because they can be stacked, or worn alone, and in both situations, look amazing. They're made with quality materials, and are eco-friendly. I got mine (as did the friend who gave me the extras) when they were on double sale (at fab.com, initially at 15% off, and then they were another 20% off because fab itself was having a sale.) Fab sells a ton of stuff I adore, you can sign up here for free, and get lots of artistic and funky things at a discount, though I actually wait for holiday sales, yay black friday is coming. They carry lots of brands that I haven't actually found on sale anywhere else, and I adore a ton of the things they've got there, from stationary, to jewelry, etc.

In terms of style, I've realized that overall, I prefer to have a relatively neutral palette for clothing, blacks, navies, nudes, peaches, and then to accessorize with interesting and more decorative objects of interest, like these bracelets, a cute purse, cool nails, etc. Part of why I do this has to do with the fact that I feel self conscious about my weight, and do not wish to draw attention to it, and accessories almost always draw the eye away from my ginormous belly and chest. Another aspect is that as a petite woman, I can't really wear giant prints without having it visually overpower my appearance for the day, which is kind of a bummer. I think that one of the things I'm looking forward to the most as I lose weight is becoming a little more confident about wearing prints and brighter colors. I like these bracelets because the dreary winter is helped a lot for me when I see a pop of color. Sometimes it feels like everyone joins in with the dreary winter with their giant black coats, its like a funeral for all of the plants or something (how hippie-ish of me to say that). The tiny pop of color on my wrist helps remind me that spring is going to come soon, and to hold out for that, and maybe eat less donuts.

What about you guys? How do you deal with bright colors in the winter? Do you feel like prints or bright colors are scary in terms of drawing attention to yourself, work appropriateness, and weight?

Pointy Red Shoes - Feelings, and thoughts/ Review on Madewell French Knot Pointy Skimmers

Madewell French Knot Pointy Skimmer in Blood Orange

So, in order to deal with my feelings, since my go to method of eating about a barrel of cupcakes isn't really an option, I decided to wear red shoes. I adore Madewell French Knot Pointy Skimmers because they are pointy and have a bow and are flats with a rubber sole. Its basically really awesome. Red shoes make me feel powerful and strong and like I'm stylish on the days when I'm depressed because usually on those days I accidentally walk out the door wearing 100% black or navy, and red makes it look like that was intentional so that my body could be a canvas for my stylish taste in shoes. Those skimmers are on clearance sale too, so they're like half the price they normally are, and maybe people should buy them.

I put a of thought into purchases, since I am not exactly ludicrously wealthy. I fell in love with these red shoes, and basically, I think they are classics that will never go out of style. They are made of leather, save for the rubber soles, but I am taking them to a cobbler as soon as I can to get an extra layer of sole put on underneath the shoe's soles (most people do this for very expensive shoes like louboutins, but I believe in doing this for any pair of shoes you really love, because it makes them last much much longer, and the cost of the service is under 20 dollars - given that these shoes ended up costing me about 48 dollars (originally they were about 95, but they were marked down by first 30%, and then I got a 15% student discount at Madewell in-store), that is ok with me. I also paused a little before purchasing them because they are suede, but I do have a suede care kit (they seem to run around 15 bucks, and then you can treat and protect all your suede forever, which is imo worth it) that includes a waterproofing spray you can treat the leather with, and things like that really help prevent staining the material, and keeping it looking nice. Overall, the skimmers are extremely comfortable, and I'm very very happy with the purchase. I highly recommend grabbing a pair of skimmers, they're so classic, and I love them. I will admit that since there were a few sales, afterwards, I also snagged some black and brown skimmers, and now I am basically done with shoe shopping for a few months. In all fairness, I really wanted some black and brown shoes for interviews/starting to work after graduation in a few months, and I think these will be both comfortable and formal enough to be appropriate for walking to work and making it through the workday!

Ok, enough talk for now. I'm going to go take more pictures of my shoes matching fall leaves.

Love Letter Nails - Sally Hansen Salon Effects Review (Spoiler: They're awesome)

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Manicure in "Love Letter"

So last week, I ran into Danielle at CVS while running some errands, and we ended up meandering over to the nail section. I hadn't done my nails in a really, really long time (specifically, since December, while being a bridesmaid at a friend's wedding). I happened upon these nail strips and thought they might be fun to give a try. They were really great.

Review:

I think these are awesome. They took about 20 minutes to apply, stayed chip free for about a week, and since I have small hands, the cost (10 dollars for a box, but I have smaller nails and ended up discovering 1 box = 2 full manicures for me) is actually great, given that getting a salon manicure takes a lot longer including transport, costs about 15 bucks including the tip, and lasts for about the same amount of time chip free on my fingers. Also, they look cool! I've gotten compliments literally every single day I've had these on!

Everything else:

This was a photo from the day after I did these nails. I am really impressed and this is awesome. As a computer scientist, I type around 12 hours a day on average, and my nails take a beating, so I don't bother polishing my nails because the combination of me being a perfectionist with chipped nails is a super super bad thing. I also just have like no patience, so it drives me sort of insane if I have to wait for my nails to dry because I COULD BE DOING STUFF, so I think I fell more in love with these nail strips because they have no drying time. Also I'm a typography freak so this was cool.

I don't think of myself as a nail art person at all. I use my hands a ton, and am generally sort of fidgety, so I don't think I have the patience for the most part, not to mention that I type a lot and play the piano and knit, so I just assume the nails will get messed up very quickly and gave up early on. However, when I did this manicure, it was completed watching a Legend of Korra episode (EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH IT) and at the end I just felt so...pretty and polished. It actually inspired me to care more about my appearance for the rest of the week, because I had such pretty nails, and I wanted the rest of me to be pretty too! I actually sort of forgot what it feels like to have any part of me be pretty for a while.

This particular nail experiment also sparked an interesting memory that I'd kind of forgotten about. While I am not normally into nail art, I was extremely fascinated by the Klutz books as a kid - books that would come with small kits of materials for art projects, and then have project instructions inside. I ended up recalling this book:

Every time I went to the bookstore for about 2 years, I would stare wistfully as a kid at this book, fully knowing that there was no way in hell anyone would ever get it for me. Its actually still sold on amazon (I know! I know!!) but I am a little less enchanted by turning my nails into ladybugs. I might still do it, on principal though. Still, good times. It was incredibly exciting to remember this, look it up on the internet, and suddenly realize that I am an adult and if I want that book, I can have it. Yep. Thats what I pushed myself through college for - the ability to buy the book of my 8 year old self's dreams and have it delivered to my door, no extra charge.

Speaking of the internet, now that I'm excited about it, I went ahead and while the cost is ok, I was curious as to whether this could be cheaper. Answer: IT CAN. These are also sold on amazon at various much cheaper prices, and even cheaper on ebay! Ebay is also neat because you can get past limited edition patterns/prints that aren't sold in stores. I got excited and grabbed these shades at about 3-5 bucks a pop:

Sally Hansen Salon Effects in Shiny New Year

Pink and Gold Glitter? Whaaaat? Yeah. I could not resist. I guarantee this will not be limited to holidays.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects in Di-Vine

Gold and Black and Flowers!!

You may notice as I continue to blog that my style tastes have some unfortunate addictions built in. Namely, basically all of my favorite clothes and accessories and makeup products are some combination of Gold, Black, and varying shades of Pink and Peach, Red, and Beige. This is mostly because I look good in these colors, and generally feel like its harder to pull off a lot of colors that are offered in the US since I have darker skin (approximately Jessica Alba colored), but I am aware that I should branch out, which is why I branched super super far out into a very adventurous monochromatic navy blue t shirt recently, but that discussion is probably best saved for another post. Regardless, I am pretty excited that my nails get to look like that instead of me having to painstakingly paint them gold and then have it ruined within 15 minutes after I've forgotten my nails are wet and started peeling an orange.

Other shades/patterns I've got my eye on and/or super like and may be trying out are:

Sally Hansen Salon Effects in Girl Flower

I adore flowers. Incoco Nail strips actually offers a few gorgeous floral patterns, which I plan to try soon as well. This design actually sort of matches the cover on one of my favorite notebooks.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects in Bold Rush

Gold, Glitter, and some Purple. I'm a little worried that these will be harder to remove, but I guess glitter always is, and its so fun, and its Ombre! Look at that gradient guys! My love affair with Photoshop never ends.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects in Lustrous

More black and gold. In fact, probably I'll just give all of the black and gold ones a shot:

Sally Hansen Salon Effects in Frock Star, Laced Up, Misbehaved, and Glitz Blitz

Ok, I think thats just about everything I have to say about these for now, I'll probably instagram/blog pictures of my nails the weeks I do these.

Overall, I'm looking forward to being excited about having pretty hands/nails, and am mostly trying to figure out which patterns I like look professional and pretty since I want to do well on my interviews, but not have my hands be distracting during them. We'll see. Might just go with something more tame like the gold with black netting in Misbehaved for that. I think in general, as small as it seems, these have been a huge step for me in terms of doing something that has been positive and encouraging for my body image, while not necessarily being too jarring or overwhelming or noticeable to others, which I think is pretty much what you want in the beginning.

What do you guys think? Are you going to give any of these a shot?