Personal Stylist Channel Question

By Heather Kilpatrick

Hi Erica!!! Wow! You are amazing! Mom, wife, business woman, AND student?!?! You go girl!!

I happen to be in school and working as well, so I feel your annoyance in lugging extra bags around! As Tanisha suggested, keep a couple staple items in your bookbag. Choose one pair of jeans, a pair of flats, and a light weight sweater to carry with you for the week. You can leave the light weight sweater on a hanger in your car and grab it on your way into class and put it back afterwards on days that you might be wearing a button down or short sleeve top. You can keep the jeans in your bookbag and change into them before leaving work and just throw them back into your bag once you get home and change into your comfy clothes. Since you are only wearing your jeans for a couple hours a day a few days a week, you don't have to worry about washing them everyday. Make it easy on yourself - you can bring your jeans and sweater in on Friday to wash and rotate in a new look for the following week. If you can fit your flats in your bookbag, do the same thing as with the jeans. If your bag is packed to the max - just leave your flats in the car and when you get home - take them off and put them right by your bookbag or purse as not to forget them the next day. Pretty much any dress shirt, blazer, and/or sweater set you wear to work can be instantly dressed down with a pair of jeans and flats and still look totally appropriate and fashionable. My little personal fashion secret? The flats I pack with me everyday are zebra print. They are black and white, so they go with everything, but since they are a cool print, they instantly add a little kick and personality to whatever I'm wearing. It helps get me out of the stuffy office feel and into fun, casual student mode. :-)

By Tanisha Harper

What is the dress code of the job you do during the day? As that will help determine what type of outfits would best suit you.

If you are business casual and need to transition into casual school wear, I would work with the following example...Business Casual means you are wearing pieces like a collared shirt with a knee length skirt or trousers, or perhaps a skirt with a cardigan and a modest tank underneath. The best way to transition into something more school appropriate would be to make sure you pack a pair of ballet flats or casual canvas shoes (like TOMS!), and a pair of jeans. If you are wearing a collared shirt you can untuck it -unbutton it and easily slip on your jeans and flats and be ready for school. If you are wearing something similar to a cardigan and a tank on top, you can simply pair that with you jeans and flats and be ready for school.

Now if you have to dress more professionally, as in power suits, conservative dresses, etc....I would work with the following example...If you are in a suit, lets go with a skirt or pants paired with a blouse or collared shirt and a blazer or suit jacket then you have a lot of pieces to work with. To avoid having to pack a lot of extra clothes as you already have many layers on..you will definitely want to work with what you have. Since you may not have the time to slip on jeans, try losing the blazer (suit coat) and simply pairing your slacks or skirt and blouse with a pair of ballet flats. If that is still to "work inspired" for you, make sure to pack along with your flats a simple solid color tank that you can throw on in place of the stuffy work shirt. If you have on a one piece dress then really your only option would be to completely change your entire outfit or be bold and wear it to school anyway with flats, so perhaps think about that when choosing what type of outfit you wear on school days. Make sure its and easier transition outfit.

If you live in an area where you are commuting by car...then an easy thing to do is to keep a large handbag (similar size to a beach bag) in your car. Inside put a pair of jeans, a simple tank top, a pair of flats (ballet or canvas depending on your preference) and a cardigan or sweater. You can use these pieces to mix and match with what you are wearing to work. If the bag is big enough you may even what to put double the amount of each piece that way if you are running late the next day and forget to pack you will always have an extra set.

If you live in an area where you are commuting via bus, train, etc. you would need to do the same as above but do without the double change of clothes and utilize a smaller bag. Perhaps keep one casual change in a drawer or locker at work so you are not always lugging around a big bag which is not easy when commuting.

If there is anything else you can add in regards to what type of profession you work in during the day would help me to better tailor this comment to your question!

cheers! T