How to Stand Out at a Work Conference

I'm meeting some awesome personal finance bloggers at #FinCon12 this year (last year rocked, too), and there was no way I wanted to blend into the crowd. You too, my dear reader, can learn to stand out at your next work conference with these easy tips:

1. Wear bright colors. Obviously, this top counts, but I also wore two other dresses (here and here) this weekend in fun colors. (And you guessed it, they are both a part of my great knit dress collection).

2. Wear animal prints. Oh, leopard print linen pants from J. Crew, how I love you. Plus, I scored these beauties for $20 at a great sale.

3. Wear awesome glasses. These Warby Parker specs have gotten me more compliments than any other item of apparel I have ever owned. Yes, that was quite superlative in nature, but it's also accurate. Maybe I should try the monocle next.

 Downtown Denver view is more like track view.

I have a badge and everything. Totes Offish. Ew, I hate that I typed that. But backspacing is for quitters. Oh, and I was in an infographic for the conference, c/o the awesome guys at Budgetable. Look who's a "Rising Star." Hey, girl. Hey.

Old Navy top (exactly)

J. Crew pants (exactly)

Old Navy shoes (similar)

Seeking: Polka Dot Jeggings

I've seen these all around the style blogosphere, at She Hath Done What She Could, Rose a la Mode AND Blog No5. So I'm convinced. They're pretty cool and would make a lovely addition to my wardrobe.

Particularly at $30 a pop from American Eagle.

Latest Obsession: Knit dresses

You know I'm obsessed with scarves (especially this spaced-dyed infinity scarf), but now I've found my latest love: knit dresses.

They are PERFECT.

Comfortable. (Like fat pants for your WHOLE BODY!)

Wrinkle-free.

Figure flattering (and kind).

Easy. (I like outfits that consist on one article of clothing.)

Perfect.

This one is from the Gap (where else?). In fact, I returned to the Gap the same day these photos were taken to pick up another knit dress I had tried on earlier. I should probably stop for the season after that one, though. After all, I already have the perfect knit dress in my closet.

{Gap dress (exactly) | Gap scarf (exactly) | Banana Republic boots (exactly) }

P.S. If you're hungry, go pick up some drunken goat cheese from Trader Joe's. You won't regret it.

On-Trend: The Peplum Top

{Peplum top: similar | Pants: Gap | Flats: similar | Earrings: Target }

And lace. And hot-pink pants. And leopard print. Kind of a lot of trends in one, I guess.

On a completely unrelated note: I was having a great hair day in these photos.

The Hit-On-Me Dress

Banana Republic dress (exactly)

Banana Republic boots (exactly)

Gap scarf (exactly)

TKO watch (similar)

On the way to work yesterday, wearing this dress, I thought, "I'll blog about how much I dig this dress!"

But as the day went on, I realized that THIS. DRESS. IS. AWESOME.

Y'all. Wearing this dress yesterday, I got hit on. For real. And not just a hollering cat-call, but a bonafide I'm-hitting-on-you line.

Now, I'm happily married. But even a married woman likes a little extra recognition. So this is now my hit-on-me dress. It makes me feel amazing. Sure, it's just a dress, but I think there's a few key points here. And on we go:

1. Find a dress that really (really) flatters your figure. I'm just a little hippy, and this dress hugs me perfectly so as not to emphasize my hips (I'm lookin' at you, empire waists), but to make my curves look proportionate.
2. Find a dress in a color that works. I don't think I have anything else in this color, and I don't know why. Against my fair skin, it's great. And for the Fall, it's greater.
3. Find a dress that leaves plenty to the imagination. This one hits just above the knees and has a pretty conservative neckline. It's much more Katie Couric than Kim Kardashian, and I think that's what makes it work.
4. Find a dress that shows off your best features. I dig my arms (and will dig them more as I get farther along in my race training). The only thing that would make this dress more perfect is if it showed off my shoulders.

I probably should go buy this dress in every color I can find.

Tell me about your hit-on-me dress.

How I feel at first when guys hit on me.

Then I'm all like, "That was interesting!"

Back on Track

This is the first week of my half marathon training.

I once said that I wanted to do a marathon every year for as long as I could. After having completed 2.75 marathons, I'm feeling okay with slowing down a bit, especially considering how my joints are feeling after that last race.

But I slowed down too much. I've gained a little extra poundage. I'm sure no one else has noticed, but my waist has. And so have some of my pants. Yikes.

And what I've learned about myself is that I have to have a goal in order to stay on track fitness-wise. Otherwise, I get a little sporadic in my workouts.

So I've signed up for a half marathon in Wine Country in October. And I'm using Hal Higdon's training schedule again. Bring it.

gifted jeans

Old Navy top

Old Navy cardigan

Gap scarf

Banana Republic bag

Chelsea Crew wedges

Recent Wardrobe Additions

How I'm preparing for Fall 2012...

Willow riding boot

Finally replacing my long-faithful cognac boots (see them here) with these beauties from Banana Republic.

Terry dress

Figuring out that sheath dresses are really the best for my shape, and sticking with them for every season. (See the below example, too.)

Brown leather sheath

Investing in a luxurious piece like this dress. Yes, it's leather. I know, I know. But I feel totally awesome in it.

Women's Lightweight Button-Front Sleeveless Tops

Picking up as many of these tops from Old Navy as I can. They're perfect for several reasons: They're cheap, they come in lots of fun colors, and the sleeveless factor makes them perfect for wearing under cardigans.

Women's The Rockstar Super Skinny Jeans

Sticking with some old faithfuls, like the Old Navy Rockstar jeans. I've worn my black ones so many times that I've had to replace them thrice. (Examples here and here.) And now I have a blue pair to wear into the ground.

Which Fall pieces are you stocking up on or investing in?