Orla Kiely Fall/Winter 2013 Lookbook

Just dreaming of this dreamy collection, that is all.

xoChr

Back to (Grad) School Fashion

I've been having a blast daydreaming about outfits for school. It's been so long since I've had such a marked transition as this one, and we all know every major transition in life calls for a fresh set of clothes. Plus, Davis is A LOT warmer than San Francisco, which means I'll soon be free of tights (at least for a while)!

In reality I don't expect my day-to-day wardrobe to change allllll that much, but I am really excited to stock up on staples like these perfect Jeffrey Campbell flats. And while an oversized PS11 Tote that costs more than a month's rent in Davis isn't so realistic to use as a book bag, I still think it fits quite nicely with my back to school aesthetic...

xoChr

Scarf / Dress / Shoes / Bag

Entrepreneurial Real Talk: Closing Time

My business, Fancy French Cologne, officially closed its virtual doors yesterday. Carly and I started the business a few years ago as a way to stay creative after the band we played in for six years broke up, and running our own business seemed like the obvious next step. It’s funny to think back at who we were then – even though it was only a few years ago, I feel so much older and more experienced having gone through the process. The two of us were just a couple of super motivated girls that wanted to DO something, and so we did! In fact, we did everything from scratch, with help from our friends and family, learning so much from so many mistakes, and cherishing every hard-won accomplishment along the way. The experience has shaped me profoundly, and I’m so proud of us for what we achieved.

Back when we began the project, e-commerce was still a pretty uncharted territory. Of course online stores existed back in 2009, but it was a different time and things were far less sophisticated than they are now. One aspect I truly enjoyed throughout this process was following the progress of shops like Modcloth and Nasty Gal over the years – watching as smaller, entrepreneurial businesses were able to thrive in the face of mega-stores (with mega-bucks!) like GAP or Nordstrom. These new businesses truly innovated where the more established brands seemed hesitant to stray too far from the status quo. I always say that we’re living in the “turn of the century” and there are things happening now that might seem unthinkable in twenty years. The world of e-commerce has opened up opportunities to empower women in ways that did not exist before—to me it’s just amazing. Not only for the entrepreneurs at the top, but for the women that are able to work for companies that share their values, and for the customers that finally see an authentic reflection of themselves in the businesses where they shop (as opposed to purely being “marketed to”). To me, this is powerful.

Now, after almost four years of working together on our business, Carly and I are both ready for yet another phase in life. Most people have had a sad reaction to this news – as though it somehow wasn’t our decision. But of course it was! And it was a business decision first and foremost, not an emotional one. We considered keeping the store alive while I go back to school and Carly pursues an exciting new project, but for what? Running a business is A LOT of work! If we can’t give Fancy French Cologne the time and attention that our customers deserve, then what is the point?

I look forward to working with Carly again someday, with all the amazing people who helped out during photo shoots, and with the wonderful designers that we had the honor of collaborating with. Whatever I do next, I know that this experience has molded me and taught me what I’m capable of and what my core values are. I will carry Fancy French Cologne with me far into the future.

xoChr 

PS I love you Carly!

A lovely afternoon in San Francisco

Sean and I recently spent some time bippin and boppin around Hayes Valley. We are starting to realize these are the last few weeks of our life in San Francisco before I go back to school, and we're doing our best to make the most out of what little time we have left! Our first stop was Biergarten, where we tried the most delicious pretzel I have ever had. I kind of can't stop thinking about it... and of course there was beer.

Next we stopped in at Two Sisters for a drink. We rarely go bar hopping, especially during the day time, but the mood was right for a dark bar on a gloomy day. This is definitely one of our favorite spots within walking distance, it'll be tough to find a replacement in our new town.

After a sip at Two Sisters, we skipped over to a new-to-us sushi place followed by another drink at a new-to-the-hood wine bar called Fig & Thistle. We ended our night with a long walk (too many drinks!) towards Japan town, stopping at St. Mary's Cathedral for some more photos.

I'm definitely gonna miss this city.

xoChr

Bussiness School Attire: When Panic Suits Me

Adding to the stress of my bschool application process was the dreaded interview. After giving out a little yelp of excitement that I’d made it past the first filter, I realized that I had nothing to wear. I like to appear pretty polished on a daily basis, and wear dresses with oxfords, cardigans, blouses, and so on, but I don’t own a business suit—and (fingers crossed) never really hope to.

I searched online to mixed results. Some sites said, yes, you must absolutely wear a business suit! Others said to just make sure you look professional, but don’t wear lots of jewelry or color. Wear black, navy, or grey. Make sure your clothes look clean and new. Business casual is a must. 

I was spiraling into a sweaty panic over what to wear, but I hadn’t just spent six months in GMAT and essay writing hell to show up to an interview looking out of place!

So I went shopping, tried on every single piece of business attire at Ann Taylor, J Crew, Banana Republic, Nordstrom, yada yada yada. I tried on suit sets in every color and style. I tried on cropped blazers, long blazers, blazers with three buttons, blazers with one button and everything in between.

At some point I realized that I am diametrically opposed to the woman that these clothes are designed for – both physically (my shape), and intellectually (my sense of self). None of them flattered my body. I tried on those slacks that hug your butt and then balloon out so your shoes are hidden, which basically just highlighted all of my "problem" areas.  More importantly, none of these looks made me feel confident. I felt like a poser in someone else’s skin—someone I didn’t even want to be!

So I called a friend, and she said “forget the suit sets, just get some cool black slacks, a printed blouse and an oversized dark blazer.” Oh. Duh.

She totally snapped me out of it, just like that. I ditched Ann Taylor, and it really was that easy once I realized who I was again. I don’t dress for utility and I don’t like following rules. I get dressed every day because I love fashion. So in the end, I found a way to look appropriate while maintaining my identity. I even wore a chunky necklace, NBD.

Bussiness School Attire: Thoughts on the Modern Woman and Business Attire

So here’s the thing. I come from a punk/indie background; I’ve lived most of my life allergic to suits. My dad is a self-made entrepreneur. I’ve never seen my parents answer to a boss. My brother owns his own business, so do my uncles, my cousin, quite a few of my friends. And so do I for a little while longer. 

Until now, I’ve lived most of my life as an employee in corporate settings, working my way up the corporate ladder. Even still, I have a septum piercing, spent years playing in punk bands and had ombre hair before your hairstylist had ever heard of it. I don’t relate to a lot of my coworkers’ personal sense of style. I have always been the “quirky” girl in the office.

But I’m starting business school in a couple months and, as you might imagine, the question of “what to wear” has been filling me with anxiety! To me, business attire seems stifling, formal, un-fun. Ill-fitting slacks, skirt suits, nude stockings, sad, un-sexy pumps.  

Yet for the *modern woman, there’s this sense that you can be a creative, interesting dresser and still be a strong, respectable business person (just leaf through Elle or visit R29). Somehow I rarely see this in the “real world.” I have a lot of successful friends that are stylish, but they aren’t exactly executives or upper management types.

So my question is this: is it possible for me to retain my personal sense of style without standing out for the wrong reasons? I need to get to the bottom of this! How much can I get away with and not alienate myself or not be taken seriously? Is this even really an issue or am I just making a mountain out of a molehill?

I have a bschool event coming up in a few weeks… let’s see what happens.

xoChr

*Everyone just loves to talk about the modern business woman! Have you ever watched an episode of Project Runway? They are constantly dressing this mysterious modern woman. Maybe I just don’t know any? Maybe I’m actually secretly more of a traditional woman? But the nose ring... you see? It’s confusing!

images: pants © jcrew.com // alexa chung’s legs via stockholm streetstyle

Welcome to Corporate Neon!

Hello out there, welcome to Corporate Neon, a personal blog focused on fashion and the business world. I am a firm believer that you don’t have to wear a grey flannel suit to be taken seriously—and I’ll have plenty of opportunities to test this as a newly admitted business school student!

Stay tuned for posts on fashion, including everything from runway and street style inspiration to what to wear to job interviews, business meetings and other business-related events – all while staying true to yourself.

Check out the About Me section to learn more about what I’ve been up to and why I started this blog in the first place!

xoChr