x-post: NOT wls related (and not a whine either ;~)

so i'm in the process of picking myself up by my bootstraps and figuring out where to take my life right now. as most all of y'all know, my job is being outsourced. (meaning: i will be unemployed as of november 12th.) most of y'all probably ALSO know that i'm newly single and am dealing with some financial issues due to my ex leaving me high and dry. (i'm currently in danger of having my utilities and phone shut off thanks to the debt that she left me in.)

but enough of all that sadness!!! i have a WONDERFUL opportunity to reinvent myself right now and i would like to do whatever it takes to turn myself into the person that i need to be to get the job that i want.

so what's that going to take? well, first off, i need new clothes. since i'm so tiny i usually have to shop in the children's department and well, you generally don't find business suits in the children's department so now what? idk... i've been looking in the salvation army, loaves and fishes and the help center and i can find pieces that would work for "office attire" but like i said, they're usually too big for me or else just not quite appropriate.

i do have LOTS of clothes in my closet already but... they really aren't erm... "fancy" enough i suppose. i mean yeah, it's fun to wear outfits like this:








but i just don't feel like it's appropriate to wear in an advertising agency. newspaper job ~ yeah... whatever. it really doesn't matter. BUT, to get the interest of the employers that i'm REALLY seeking out i need to look more like this:







so, since i'm working with limited funds right now i can't exactly go buy NEW stuff and have it altered to fit my tiny physique. any thoughts? suggestions? anything?

also, i'm going to need to do something about my hair. and i'm just really not quite sure what. i LOVE having long hair so i really don't want to do anything too drastic. honestly, i love bette's hair (the woman in those other pics for those of you not "in the know".) but i have trouble making mine do that. my hair is naturally straight with just enough "body" to be exasperatingly annoying! any thoughts or words of wisdom on that? (oh and, i also like the winona ryder "pixie" cut and feel like i *might* be able to pull it off now that i'm not quite so cow-ish but i'm having trouble imagining myself parting with my long hair right now. that's a bit drastic, kwim?)

I am having to shop in the little girls too.  I have found some really nice dresses and skirts at the Alabaster Thrift Store.  One of my dresses i got for $2.48.  For your hair go to one of the Cosmotology schools and let them fix it.  I hope i helped.

oh lordy mercy the last time i had a cosmotology school student cut my hair i came out looking like this:



well, they colored it AND cut it but still... suffice it to say, i "got what i paid for"

Amanda...what size do you wear??  I will look around here and see what I can find.  Love you!!

honestly, it really depends on the brand and the cut. i've worn some children's 12's, 14's and 16's (all in the same day and they all fit equally well just different brands and such) and also 0's and 2's but i've found *some* 2's that are too small on me! again, the brand and cut...

I understand....I am there. I don't have to have business suits though. Thrift stores are the best or consignment stores! We have a great consignment store here.

Love ya!

thanks lindy gotta love those thrift stores!

You probably have plenty of clothes in your closet right now and just need to pair them with other items. The outfit you have on with the tie IS CUTE but it could be tweaked for work... loose the tie, put about 6 inches on the skirt (below the knee) and loose the boots. If you want to wear a boot like that, make sure it has a skinnier heal. (On second thought, the boots is good, it just appears shiny in the photo.)  You need to tuck the blouse in a well.  Tada...new outfit and you only bought one black skirt. 

Edited to add:
2 new outfitls with grey skirt
3 new outfits with black slack
and on , and on....
 
Second photo with the plaid skirt.. Plaid is totally in style this season. Find yourself a flat (shoe that is) and a white sweater (or even the white shirt in the above photo). Wear hose, not tights.
Another outfilt, maybe two
1- skirt with white blouse
2- skirt with white sweater

Staples in wardrobe for office...
Black slacks and skirts
Grey slacks and skirts
White blouse
Blue blouse
Black flats (not maryjanes) and heels, boots optional (but you have that covered).

My favorite work attire is slacks and a blouse. You can get plenty of these items at Goodwill Industries in superb condition. There is also an abundance of skirts. 

As far as your hair....I think shoulder length woutd look good on you but if your hair is unruly  I don't know. I was never a good hair dresser as you can see I have none! LOL!!!!! I would recommend pulling it back for know.

If I lived closer I would go through your closet for you in a heartbeat. It's alway fun to help put together new outfits.

Also edited to add...
I know the black and white may seem abit boring as you have a wonderful flair to your personality but you can still add pieces to make yourself stand out. Add a scarf, a colorful bangle...there are tons of things you can do to sprice it up. Whatever you do...don't over do it.

and see, that's the thing. i *know* all of this stuff but putting it to practice is a whole other matter. in *theory* i have EXCELLENT taste in clothes. however, when i get up in the morning and am choosing what to wear (or the night before or when i hit a clearance rack or whatever) somehow my mind wants me to wear things that aren't quite as flattering as i'd hoped they would be

Right now, dark blue or black slacks, not jeans, with a simple blouse is a good choice.  Hoop, door knocker, or button earrings.   A white blouse is always appropriate, no matter what, as long as you cannot see a bra through it.   Translated wear a cami under it closest to your skin tone or white.  I you want to dress up a plain blouse and skirt or pants and white blouse, tie a scarf into a triangle and put it under the collar of the blouse so that the center point is centered in the front of your blouse and the tied ends are hidden under your collar.  Plain black flats or medium heeled pumps.  Don't do sport shoes or boots.  Simple is best.  Nothing flashy.  Put your hair up Sara Palin style in a french twist, bun at the nape of your neck, or braid your ponytail and wrap it around itself and attach with bobby pins to make a bun type of hair do.    I wouldn't do anything like having it cut or colored at this point if you are looking for a job. 

A nice sweater can take the place of a jacket or blazer.  If you don't have one, try to borrow one.  It does not have to match the pants or skirt, but it should repeat one of the colors in the scarf or if you have a printed blouse, it should be one of the colors in the blouse.    Neutrals: tan, beige,  taupe, navy, chocolate brown, or black are the best colors to have in skirts and pants to begin with.  One pair of black shoes and one pair of brown.  Get the black ones first this time of year.  Then the brown pumps.  The plainer the better.  Get a sweater in a neutral color.   And when you are ready to branch out...make red or other power color you first purchase.

Look through your closet and find neutral slacks and skirts that fit you now.  Then look at your blouses, and see which ones will go with what.   Then look at your sweaters, jackets, etc. and see what you have that you can use.  Look for where the holes are in your current wardrobe and fill those first, then add colors with accessories.

Take someone you can trust with you and try on the clothes for fit.