Perks of the Job

photo courtesy of Stephen Crowley, The New York Times

President Obama was at the Capitol today meeting with Congressional Democrats.  Like I said, busy week!  Guess who was in the Thursday, August 1st The New York Times?!?!?!

Yes, I know, the picture below is sub-par, so please excuse my meager attempts to artistically correct a blurry photo.  What can I say, the man moves quickly.  The second is a much better shot with Majority Leader Reid--thanks Todd Zwillich!




 

This is the part of the job which I love most.  Not so much who I end up seeing (but hey--being a foot away from the President isn't too shabby), but the actual planning and executing press coverage for events.  It keeps me on my toes, keeps me energized, and keeps me motivated.  My dad always said, "It doesn't feel like a job if you're loving what you do."  Today, busy as it was, didn't feel like a job.  It just felt like a good day as a lucky girl.

Hey Mrs. Carter!

Whew, this week has been busy!  Monday night I went to see the fabulous Beyonce, and even though my seats were a million miles away from the stage, still had an incredible time.  She might just be the most beautiful woman in the world.  Stunning!  And we all know she can belt it out like no one else, but the girl can break it down too.  Great show.  I got in touch with my inner diva for the week, for sure.

For me, dressing for concerts is one of the toughest things to do.  I want to be stylish, yet comfortable, since I'll be on my feet dancing for at least two hours.   And this wasn't just another outdoor show at Merriweather...sandals and a sundress just wasn't going to cut it for the Mrs. Carter Show.  Since I was in a hurry changing from work outfit to Beyonce outfit, I went with my favorite standby--a simple black cotton sheath that I can dress up or dress down.

 

Note: I've lost a bit of weight recently, so my clothes are all in need of a visit to my tailor!  Good news for a healthier me, bad news for my wallet.  Any suggestions for an affordable but good DC-area tailor are welcomed!

I ended up dressing this up with a rhinestone statement necklace and Tory Burch crossbody clutch.  Nothing too diva-ish for the night, but I thought just enough to celebrate Beyonce with the respect she deserves!  And the best part--I was comfortable dancing all night long.

My favorite DVF

My favorite DVF dress.

One of the hardest parts of dressing for an exaggerated hourglass figure is finding clothing that both covers the girls, but is fitted in the waist enough to give you a proper shape.  And one of the best solutions for this is the simple wrap dress.

I bought this Diane Von Furstenberg dress on deep discount (as I do with all my designer-wear) about six years ago, and it is still as timeless and wearable as it was when I purchased it.  Worth every penny.  The key to finding the perfect wrap dress is 1) length (for me, must hit right above the knees), 2) room at the top (must cover the girls enough that I only need a simple slip under it to cover up cleavage), and 3) that it is a real wrap dress.  Let me expand on 3...there are a ton of "wrap" dresses out there that are only half wraps.  They are sewn on the inside on one side, and wrap with the other.  For me, the problem with these type of "wrap" dresses is that you can only partially control how small you can make the waist.  So to actually have it fit in the waist, I have to buy a size down, which don't fit in the top.  And the vicious cycle continues...

As a girl who is almost always in a dress, wrap dresses are some of my very favorites.  They are comfortable, fit great, and so easy to wear.  If only I didn't need to wear a jacket/suit most days of the week, or I would live in them.

Weekend Wrap-up

After a typical busy workweek, I left work Friday evening and headed to Merriweather Post Pavilion with friends to see The Lumineers.  One word pretty much sums them up: Incredible!  They sounded every bit as good live as on the radio...maybe even better.  The band's chemistry is so much fun--great energy, extremely talented, and they said over and over how our sold out show was the biggest crowd they had ever played, so they were pumped up the entire night.  Our seats were great too, an added bonus for such a fun show.  Highly recommend seeing The Lumineers if you ever get a chance!

After a long week and a very fun Friday night, I took Saturday to just relax and get a little TLC.

Decisions, Decisions...

Seeing that this will probably be the only time I'll have a hint of a tan all year, I went in really wanting an almost white shade for my nails, but after trying out a dozen different colors, all were too sheer, so I went for my one of two standby colors--red!  Any suggestions for an almost white nail color? Please let me know!

Felt like a Big Apple Red kind of day!

A long wait at Acquanails (the best nail salon in Georgetown) meant twice as long in the massage chair--no complaints there!  Then some grocery shopping, home to cook, and then publishing my first blog in over two years!  So excited to get this started again!  Today I will be finishing up some work and then hopefully finishing up a few long overdue home projects too.  Need to clear the way for a ridiculously busy upcoming week and then (hopefully) a relaxing August recess!

And We're Off!

Welcome to High Cotton Reverie!  I like to think of this blog as a daydreamer's guide to style, and my "About" page can tell you just what that style is.  I hope you enjoy this blog as much as I've enjoyed dreaming it up, and please feel free to give me feedback here, and following me on pinterest or instagram!

Don't you just love my kitchen's newest addition (above)?  I feel the most welcoming place in a home is the kitchen, so only feel it's appropriate to welcome all into mine like every Southern girl should!  I totally gutted and redesigned my kitchen almost two years ago, and even though just a small galley, is now probably my most favorite room in my condo.  More to come on the remodel, but for now--howdy and enjoy!

Oh, and if you want to steal this sign for your home too, you can get it here on etsy.