Sure, we all know what basics professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.

I feel like a good black tote bag is something every professional woman needs — particularly if you’re gearing up for interviews.  They’re large enough for a folder with your resume, as well as some reading or work (should you find yourself waiting or with some free time), and they’re also great for stashing all of the items you generally carry in your purse.  Readers, have you recently purchased any great black tote bags?  Do you have a classic that you’ve been using for years?

I’m not generally a fan of faux leather, but it’s hard to beat the price for this one (at least as far as online sales go): it was $135, now marked to $70. London Fog is a respected name, and I like that it comes with a clutch. It’s 16.25″ at the widest point, 11.5″ high and 5.75″ deep — plenty of space. It was $135, now marked to $69.99 at SmartBargains.com. London Fog “Miranda” Tote & Clutch Set

$220 seems like a lot for a nylon bag, but I actually prefer nylon for tote bags because I think it wears better and is lighter weight. This is just a basic black bag, but I like the internal pockets (including one for your ipad and cell phone), and there are removable and repositionable interior dividers. I like it in black for work, but there are a number of fun colors marked 30% off which might be better for a general purpose “tote bag.” The black is $220 at Mandarina Duck. Mandarina Duck Unexpected Shopper

Tumi is another brand I know and like, particularly for business bags for men and women. I like the leather and nylon combination of this one, as well as the little details like the feet on the bag and the interior pockets. It’s $345 at Amazon. Tumi Voyageur Derby Business Tote

I’m actually most excited about this bag — it seems like ages since Kate Spade had a good nylon tote out. I like the hardware for a bit of interest, as well as the feet, interior pockets, and fun lining. It’s $395 at Bloomingdale’s. kate spade new york Nylon Maryanne Tote

I like the durability of patent leather for something like a tote bag — it’s easy to clean and can generally take a lot of use. This East/West tote is simple and basic — I like the slim shoulder straps as well as the toggle closure. It’s $475 at Bloomingdale’s. Longchamp Roseau Patent East West Tote

Hello, lovah. This Fendi bag has me drooling — the pebbled leather! the contrast stitching! the three interior compartments! It’s even on sale at Bluefly: was $2250, now marked to $1620 (including an extra 10% off). Lovely. Fendi black ‘Roman’ leather ‘Selleria’ medium tote

Like this feature? Check out other recent installments!

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I often talk about belting a cardigan, and this stretch belt on sale at Bloomingdale’s would be just the thing to do it. I like that it’s trimmed in patent leather but is otherwise a stretchy fabric, and I like that it comes in both navy and white. It was $38, now marked to $28.50 at Bloomingdale’s. Lauren By Ralph Lauren Patent Leather Trimmed Stretch Belt

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I’ve complained before that I had a dinosaur of a phone — a Treo 755 — due to my loyalty to both Sprint and to my 10+ years of history with a Palm Pilot. I finally bit the bullet and bought a new phone — the Samsung Epic 4G, an Android phone available from Sprint. So far: I really, really, really love it. (Like, really.) The transition from the Palm Pilot to the Android is mostly done, and I have a few favorite Apps to report on.

In other news, I also just purchased an iPad2 from Apple (Apple iPad 2 with Wi-Fi – 32GB – Black) — so now there are even MORE apps for me to learn about. (And yes, I am looking into the viability of a Corporette app — let me know if you guys have any ideas you’d care to share! Just better reading or something more specific? Which other blogs have great apps?)  (Pictured: my new iPad2, my Samsung Epic, and a G2 pen.)

I thought I’d round up some of my favorite apps, and then pose the question to you guys — what are YOUR favorites, either for productivity or play?

(Full disclosure: I’m pretty new to both, as I’ve only had the phone for about six weeks now, and my iPad for about 4 days.) (Oh, and in other terms of disclosure: while I personally paid for all of the products and Apps I’m talking about today, I do own stock in both Google and Apple, for what that’s worth.)

For the Palm to Android transition:
(and I should note that unlike some people who’ve made the transition, my goal was to completely abandon the Palm Pilot)

• Tasks: Remember the Milk (free). I’ve pretty much been using Remember The Milk for tasks for a few years instead of the Palm task list, so this one didn’t need much in the way of transition. While there is a Pro version of RTM (which turns it into an app for your phone), I haven’t found the need for it yet. But keep in mind, my “tasks” are more things like “use X coupon by Y date,” “return clothes from ___ by Y date,” “make sure enough money in checking account to pay mortgage,” and “expect arrival of ___ shipment from X (ordered ___).”
• Memos: B-Folders ($29.95). I had a TON of memos on my Palm Pilot that I needed to transfer over. Some of these are proper memos — lists of ideas (for gifts, for future posts, for future businesses) — some are things to buy (for the grocery store, if I’m in a Sephora, etc) — and random notes that I find helpful to have with me 24-7 (when to call the doctor if you’re pregnant, what the signs of a heart attack are, etc). Some are just random notes that the most convenient place to stick them was my Palm Pilot (for example, I used to save advice articles from legal publications that I thought were helpful into my Palm Pilot; I keep a list of who I’ve sent holiday cards to and from whom I’ve received them, etc.). Some are probably weird uses of memos, such as my Recipes folder — I kept all of my recipes in my “Memo” file, divided by the meal course (main dishes separated from appetizers) as well as a section for untried recipes. I also keep a Poems folder, which I actually have pulled out when I’ve been stuck on the train or waiting at a bar or restaurant for a friend to arrive — a little Prufrock in your day never hurts. ANYWAY: I had a ton of memos, and so far I’ve been loving the program B-Folders as an easy way to get my Palm Memos onto my Android. The sync was very easy, and I love that the memos exist on my desktop, netbook and my phone, but NOT in the cloud. There is a free 30-day trial version of the program.  It’s a slight bummer that I can’t find a way to put the program on my iPad, but it’s not a huge deal at this point.
• Calendar: Pimlical ($24.95). Keep in mind, I have appointments and dates on the calendar dating back to 1999 — and I actually do go back and check on things! When I go to seminars or whatnot, I’ve always taken notes in the appointment’s “Notes” field instead of in a new Memo; similarly whenever I go to the doctor I usually record things (blood pressure, weight, as well as any Qs I have for the doc and her answers) in the calendar. I was uncomfortable putting all of this information in the cloud — plus I wanted to make sure that it was archived somewhere local.  I had always loved the Datebk program on the Palm (amusingly, I really liked that I could put little pictures next to appointments, such as a martini next to “girls night out” dates and the picture of a shopping bag next to sample sales) — and Pimlical is made by the same company. Pimlical was a very easy way to import all of my old Palm data into a new desktop program, and I like that I can sync some things with my Google Calendar, and archive other things just on my desktop.  I’ve only paid for the desktop version, NOT the Android App (which is another $5 I believe) — so far the Google Calendar sync is fine for when I’m out and about and need to check my schedule.
• Contacts:  TBD. I’m still searching for a good contact management program — I have a feeling this is going to be an uphill battle for me. Because my Palm Pilot contacts data was integrated in the Treo’s phone system, all of that data made it over to my phone, and thus far the only way I seem to edit any of it is on the phone itself (and that doesn’t back up anywhere — not my desktop or the cloud).  Google Contacts seems to be what most people use, but I’m not sure I’m comfortable with all of my contacts data being in the cloud.  Both Pimlical and B-Folders have a contacts function, but neither is perfect.  B-Folders was a cinch to upload my Palm data, but it doesn’t integrate with my phone at all — so if, say, I add a new contact for something like a pediatrician I have to add it in two separate places: first to B-Folders and then to my phone.  Pimlical might be promising, but I haven’t found an easy way to do a mass import yet, nor have I found a way to get it synced to my phone or to Google Contacts.  All I want is a program that will let me add a contact in ONE place, sync it in multiple places (such as my desktop, netbook, and phone) and then let me use that same “contact” file to make a call by just clicking a button, not  copying and pasting someone’s number to my phone.  Any suggestions?

Other Apps:

The main one that I love is Read It Later.  You download a program to both your phone and your desktop browser (it’s a plugin for Firefox) and suddenly whenever you see a longish article that you want to read all you have to do is click a button to put the article in your “Read It Later” queue.  Super handy for the subway ride, and I love reading long articles on my iPad.  I also like that it integrates with Gmail, Twitter, etc. so I can send articles on to friends and family. I use the free version on my phone (which limits your download queue to 10 articles; after that you have to have a signal or WiFi to download more), but I did upgrade to the full version on my iPad.  (I should note that I have not tried some of the other readers, such as Instapaper or Flipboard.)

I’ve also downloaded the Kindle app for my iPad, as well as the OverDrive app (which lets you check out ebooks from your library — so far the selections are limited, at least with the NYPL and the BPL,  but the checkout/returns process has been super easy).  (Incidentally, for those of you with a proper Kindle — Corporette is available for subscription on the Kindle!)

Games:

• Ah, Angry Birds — just as addictive as everyone said it was.
• Fashion Story — I’m not proud of it, but over the weekend I was addicted to this game on my iPad.   Hey, I’m building my business skills!
• I also have “Words With Friends” on my phone, but only play it rarely.
• I also have “Jewels” on my phone (I was a longtime fan of the game “Bejeweled” on my Palm Pilot.)  This is an OK replacement for it, but nothing fancy.

Apps I Haven’t Played With Enough:

On my phone, I also have uploaded Google Goggles, Google Sky, Layar, Shopper, Shazam, and Droid Light on my phone, but haven’t used anything too much.

I’ve also added Netflix to my iPad and phone, as well as IMDb; so far they seem fine.  (Am I the only one completely addicted to IMDb when watching movies at home?  I love the trivia.  For example:  did you know that Justine Bateman was considered for the lead for Heathers?  Or (not quite “trivia”, but news to me) that Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs was played by the same actor who played the police captain on Monk, Captain Leland Stottlemeyer?  Clearly, Ted Levine deserves an Oscar… I had no idea.)

Android Apps I’m not Super Impressed With:

• WordPress. I like that I can approve comments on the go (believe me, this is a HUGE improvement over my inability to do it on my old phone) but I wish I could sort by comments that were still in the queue — instead I just see them all in a stream for when they came in, both approved and unapproved.  Sigh.  I’ve also put this one on my iPad and am having some problems, but I think some Googling will help me there.
• Weight Watchers Mobile. I’ve been a longtime fan of WeightWatchers (and a member since 2006?  2005?), and have continued to track my food intake even during my pregnancy (but I haven’t restricted myself at all — when I go over, I go over).  The Mobile app, at least on the Android, is super annoying.  (For the record: pregnant women should not diet, and WW will not even accept you if you tell them you’re pregnant.  I’ve just tracked points so long it felt weird to stop, and my doctor didn’t see a problem with it so long as I wasn’t restricting my intake.)  I think this app was free — I find it cumbersome to look up points, and am annoyed that the program requires WiFi or a signal in order to work (so if I’m underground in the subway I can’t put my points in and then have them all uploaded later on).  I just added it to my iPad, maybe it’ll be better there since I’m likely to have a WiFi signal when I’m using my iPad.
• Yelp. I’m sure this is because I refuse to turn on the GPS function on my phone (yes, I have weird privacy concerns, sue me) but unless I know exactly what I’m looking for I’ve found it hard to narrow the results to a small enough area.  A friend with an iPhone (where you don’t get the option for the app to use GPS or not) swears it’s an amazing app.  Personally, I long for a program similar to Vindigo — it was a Palm Pilot program (which I used with love from 2000-2008 or so, when the company folded) that would let you say “I’m at THIS intersection in Manhattan.  What’s close?” And you could then sort restaurants by cuisine, rating, dollars — they even had some reviews on there (although if memory serves they were newspaper reviews, not Zagat’s or whatnot).  It would give you walking directions AND subway directions, and was generally great.  You could do the same for shops, museums — it would even download the movie schedules and club schedules so you knew which bands were playing, where.  The other cool thing about it was that when you traveled you could download the info for that city — I tried using it a few times on trips abroad (London, Paris, Berlin, Munich) as well as in the States (San Francisco, Miami, Cleveland, Washington, D.C.) and nothing quite worked as well as the NYC version — but it was still an amazing, amazing program.  (R.I.P.)
• Mint. I nearly forgot about this one because I deleted it off my phone so quickly after I installed it.  Love the program, am OK with my info in the cloud, but MAN what a useless App — it seemed like the only thing it would tell me was how much cash I had and how much credit card debt I had — in a huge window that came up on my phone.  Talk about huge  privacy issues (whether it’s my brother or a random guy next to me on the subway) and for less-than-key information than I’d want on the fly.  I was so disappointed with the Android app that I haven’t tried the iPad app yet.
• Tweetdeck/Seismic. I’m still searching for the best Twitter app for my Android phone — it seemed like Tweetdeck ran a lot smoother on the Windows Phone I got to play with earlier this year.

General Notes on the Products:
– Samsung Epic. Like I said, I love my phone. I bought it after also considering an HTC Evo, but I liked that the Samsung Epic had a pull-out keyboard (I’ve found touchscreen keyboards hard to use in the past). (I was also kind of considering a Blackberry Torch, but I have such negative memories from my days of the law firm-issued Blackberry that it’s hard for me to willingly buy one.)  I didn’t realize it when I bought it, but the Samsung also has a cool program called Swype that makes it very easy to type on the touchscreen — six weeks in I’m still getting used to it and teaching it words (why it guesses that I’m saying “dimet” instead of “dinner” every.single.time is beyond me, but go figure), but it’s a much easier than the touchscreens I’ve used before. The guy at the Sprint store counseled us to buy a second battery, and he was right — the battery power on this one stinks (at least compared to my old Treo).  To save battery power I usually keep the WiFi and the 4G networks turned off, but the few times I’ve used the 4G network it was dramatically, dramatically faster than the 3G one.   I haven’t looked into it too much, but I believe the Sprint 4G network can make my phone be a “hotspot” to provide WiFi to other devices, such as, say, my iPad.  (I can’t compare my Android phone to an iPhone because I’ve never had one, but I will say that I have very few problems with Sprint service and have yet to experience a dropped call — part of the reason I’ve been loyal all these years.)
- iPad2 – I’ve only had it for 4 days, but it really seems great. The battery power seems to last a long time (I used it a lot on Friday and Saturday before having to recharge it on Sunday), but the screen does get very smudgy. I definitely need an iPad case for this one before I take this baby out of the house. I can’t compare it to the original iPad (only played with them in passing) or to the whispered-about iPad3. If you may recall, I also considered getting an iPad back when I bought my netbook — definitely, definitely glad I have my netbook as well because while the keyboard on the iPad2 is fine for one-line emails and the like, nothing compares to my netbook for travel.
- Netbook versus iPad versus Android. I always have my phone with me, so if I only need to do basic things — check my email or calendar, or entertain myself for 30-45 minutes, I’ll probably only be bringing my phone. If I need to do heavy duty writing and I’m out and about, I’ll likely bring my netbook — it’s super lightweight and easy to type. My iPad I primarily got for reading, and while it’s nice that my email/calendar is easy to check, it’s not so much easier than my phone that I’d prefer it for that purpose.  If we were going on a beach vacation I’d probably bring all 3; I’m also considering bringing all 3 to the hospital with me when it’s time to deliver — otherwise I’d probably just grab my netbook and phone and go.

OK, readers — favorite apps?  Anyone else care to weigh in on the Android/Apple debate?

So I picked up my glasses yesterday and am really psyched about how they turned out. So first, a quick review of the last 3 pairs of glasses I got from LensCrafters (all purchased during the same “take 50% off lenses” sale sometime in 2007 or 2008):

A tortoiseshell pair from DKNY with a blue pop-out color on the rim and a bit of a point at the temple...

A thicker tortoiseshell pair from D&G with some fun clear accents...

A dark purple pair of sunglasses from Elizabeth Arden - my first pair of "fashionable" prescription sunnies, but they definitely won't be my last...

These glasses, along with a few other pairs, were my “everyday” glasses for the office, or are now my “I’m leaving the house on the weekend and can’t be bothered to put in contacts but look! my thick frames tell you I’m still vaguely fashionable” glasses. The primary glasses I wear around the house are actually an incredibly old pair of wire frame glasses — they’re lighter, they’re more comfortable, they don’t fall down my nose the way plastic frames do, and if it’s late and my husband and I are watching a movie I can actually fall asleep in them (whereas I feel like the plastic frames will get permanently screwed up). Super super comfortable, but they surely must be one of the top 3 Least Fashionable Things I Own — gold accents, circular frames, etc.

So when I went in to Lens Crafters on Tuesday, I was definitely thinking:
a) no more brown tortoiseshell!  (I think back in 2008 I’d gone to the sale first with a girlfriend, and she helped me pick out the D&G pair.  Then later on I’d gone with my boyfriend (now husband) and he’d helped me pick out the DKNY pair — and so it wasn’t immediately apparent until later that I’d bought two really similar pairs of glasses.  D’oh.)
b) preferably a frame that had springy hinges — none of my plastic frames do and I have to take them in to be “tightened” every so often
c) something fun that I wouldn’t choose normally
d) did a “comfortable” AND “fashionable” pair of glasses exist?

Like I said, I chose about a zillion glasses — clear plastic! Tiffany-blue plastic! a gorgeous pair of brown tortoiseshell glasses with royal blue lining (hellooo, I love royal blue!) a purple pair of plastic lenses! But after trying them all on the ones I liked best were a pair of brown metal Ray Bans — they had the spring hinge, I liked that they weren’t gold- or silver-colored, and of course I liked the tiny touch of royal blue on the sides. I’m really hopeful that they’ll be both comfortable AND fashionable and be my new go-to glasses.

My new brown Ray Ban metal wire frames!

Readers, what kinds of frames do you prefer — wire, plastic, or something else? Do you like to switch up your eyeglasses on a daily basis?

Disclosure: In addition to receiving a free pair of prescription eye glasses, I received monetary compensation to be a LensCrafters Ambassador.

So yesterday, I went to the LensCrafters on 45th and 5th Avenue and had a lovely experience. First, I saw an optician, who took my latest prescription. She had a few fun new tricks up her sleeve, including a way of seeing my eyeball without dilating my eye.* She actually showed it to me on the screen to show me healthy blood vessels and nerves (I didn’t think to take a picture of it — it looked kind of pretty, though, a bit like the Aurora Borealis or something). All in all the fitting went by really quickly.

After I selected about a bazillion frames and whittled them down to the one I wanted, it was time to fit my prescription into the lenses.  This is where the AccuFit system comes in — it’s a brand new digital system that is about 5 times more precise than the manual method (which you may remember because it looks like binoculars or some such thing).  It measures your pupil distance, the spacing between your eyes, and the shape of glasses, all to ensure that the actual glasses fit the best in the frame.  (I’ve actually tried to measure my husband’s pupil distance when we ordered glasses online once — let’s just say it’s a lot trickier than it sounds, so I appreciated the digital accuracy.) Apparently, less than 5% of American stores use this system, and so LensCrafters is going to be the first retail network to bring digital measurements to the U.S.  (I snapped a picture with my camera of the screen after they’d done my AccuFit-ing — it’s definitely cool.)

One of the fun things about the experience was that I bumped into some of my fellow fabulous bloggers who are ambassadors, including peeps from StyleMom, Gala Darling, Beauty Blogging Junkie, and SugarLaws — you can check out some of their experiences at their websites once they’re up.

Stay tuned later this week when I reveal my new frames!  (I was at the store right before they closed, so I’m picking them up later — normally you can get them the same day.)  As I mentioned on Friday, LensCrafters is having their best sale of the season — 50% off the lenses with any frames purchase, which for me is always the expensive part.  The sale goes on until September 12.

* Am I the only one who hates to have my eyes dilated?  I’ll never forget going for an eye doctor’s appointment or something right before an office holiday party, which was held in the ballroom at a local hotel — it was dark and there were like strobe lights, which added to the surreal-ness (surreality? hmmn)  of it all.  Good times.

Disclosure: In addition to receiving a new pair of glasses, I am also receiving monetary compensation for this ambassadorship.

When I was a kid, I loooooved going back to school shopping. New pens! New folders! All that crisp, white, lined paper… It seemed like everything had possibility and promise. (Yes, I was a dork.) These days, I still love getting new supplies, but it seems like too many of them let me down — I’ve literally thrown about 5 different brands of pens across the room because they work inconsistently, or stop working. And a good pen is really important.  To be clear, all I want is something that I can pick up from my pencil cup or my desk, and use it for something simple like signing my name or writing a brief note, WITHOUT having to scribble somewhere else to make sure the ink is flowing.  Is that really too much to ask?  (Let’s not even get into something more arduous, like taking notes for an extended period or writing a letter… sigh.)

So I thought we’d have an open thread: what is your favorite pen? (Pictured: Ball point pens by Caran d’Ache, available at Plastica for $23 — they also seem to be available at Amazon for a bit cheaper, though. Hat tip to Daily Candy.)

My favorite used to be the Pilot Precise V7 Fine Point Blue Rolling Ball. I liked the bright blue color (more royal than navy, but still “plain blue ink”), I liked that you could buy them in bulk for a reasonable price, and I liked that you could see how much ink is left. Maybe it’s just my bad luck, but it seems like every pen in the last pack I got was a dud.

Next, I really really liked the DIVOGA retractable gel pens, which I received for review from the company — they wrote fantastically, beautifully smooth, AND they looked pretty? Sign me up. Perhaps my ink supply is getting low on all of my pens, but it seems like I spend half my time drawing circles on scratch paper, trying to get a steady flow of ink — but it seems a bit suspicious that all 3 died at once.

I’ve had inconsistent luck with the Pilot G2 (but it’s currently my go-to pen that I keep in my purse). I also was really excited to try the Sharpie Liquid Mechanical Pencils, which promised to write like a mechanical pencil but turn to a permanent ink after 24 hours — and found that it just works like every erasable pen I’ve tried (which is to say, poorly).

So readers: what are your favorite pens? Which brands do you swear by?

Update: It looks like the top pens recommended by the most readers are:
- uni-ball Vision Elite
- Pilot Precise V-5 Retractable
- Pilot G2
- Le Pen

I’m going to try them out and will try to do a follow up report. :)

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Zappos has some great Marc by Marc Joseph scarves on sale today, including this fun grey/black/white number. I like that it’s abstract but kind of striped, and I think it would be a great accessory for a lot of outfits. It was $58, now marked to $46.40 at Zappos. Marc by Marc Jacobs – Pixel Glass Jersey Scarf (Neutral Grey Multi) – Accessories

Readers, how often do you wear scarves in the summer? (Or at all?)

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So even though I normally wear contacts for photos/videos I take for the blog, the truth of the matter is that I’m in glasses a lot of the time. This is, in part, due to some complications I had with my eyes a few years ago (which we really should talk about on the blog some day; I would never want anyone else to go through what I did!) — I basically went from wearing contacts about 80% of the time to now wearing glasses about 80% of the time. I have so many pairs of glasses I view them as accessories!

In any event, I was thrilled when LensCrafters approached me about being an ambassador. I’ve gotten a lot of LensCrafters glasses over the years, and both the quality of the glasses and my experiences there have always been great. One of their best sales of the year is upon us – you get 50% off lenses with a frame purchase. (Seriously, when my husband or I need new glasses, this is the sale that I wait for.) I have fairly bad eyesight (-4.5 and -4.0) so the lenses are always the most expensive part of the purchase. The sale starts today and runs through 9/12.

Stay tuned next week — as part of my “ambassadorship” I get a new pair of glasses using their AccuFit system, and I’m looking forward to selecting a new frame.  (New accessories, yay!)  I’m going for my appointment on Tuesday at 5:30, and I’ll be Tweeting as much of it as I can, so if you can follow me @corporette.

Oh, and you can check out the full details on the sale on the LensCrafters website or at your local store.

Disclosure:  In addition to receiving a new pair of glasses, I am also receiving monetary compensation for this ambassadorship.

Since she’s started at a more casual office, Reader L wonders how she should transition her wardrobe of blazers and pencil skirts to an office filled with jeans and sneakers.

I’m 24 and recently left a paralegal job at a small litigation firm for a research and editing job at a large publishing company. The new job is great and a much better fit for me but I’m still struggling with the transition to the more casual attire I’m seeing in my young, tech-centered office. I see jeans and gross sneakers every day of the week, which clashes with my wardrobe of pencil skirts and blazers. Even when I try to tone it down, the basics in my closet just aren’t in the same spectrum. I’ve tried to pay attention to what the seniormost woman in my office wears, but there are a LOT of pay grades between a manager and someone in my entry-level position.

I really want to stand out, make an impression and start advancing. At the same time, I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard or oblivious to office culture. My question is: is it more important to dress in a way that feels professional and appropriate (and, to be selfish, much more comfortable for me) or to mimic the people around me? If it’s the latter, any tips on looking sharp and competent when dressed down?

Great, great question, because it can be really tricky to transition your wardrobe. Here are some of my tips, but readers, I hope you’ll weigh in!  (Pictured: New Office-2, originally uploaded to Flickr by akeg.)

First: I think it’s important to be comfortable. If you’re a blazer-and-pencil skirts kind of girl, don’t feel like you have to wear “gross sneakers” just to fit in. That said, your instinct to watch the most senior women in your office is spot on — whose job do you want to have in 2 years? in 5 years? One of the most important things to pay attention to is what those role models/mentors are saying (or trying to say) with their clothes. Is it that they’re detail-oriented? Creative? Different jobs require different qualities, and the people who succeed in publishing may be different than the people who succeed in a law firm.  If your wardrobe is classic, buttoned-up conservative, I think the only risk you should be aware of is that, depending on your personality, you may come across as someone who is mousy and lacks personality — or you may come across as someone who is bossy or rigid.  Make sure that your clothing projects the qualities that are recognized for success in this field.

There are a few ways you can take a more buttoned-up wardrobe to a more casual, creative look… some suggestions:

• Get a great pair of jeans.  Look for a dark blue wash with very little distressing, and see how you feel about incorporating the jeans into your more conservative wardrobe.  Try wearing them with a structured, fitted blazer, or with a button-front blouse.  (Trouser jeans may be the perfect place for you to start, or even regular trousers that are made from a denim material.)
• Look at the “weekend wear” for the shops you already frequent.  If you’re a fan of, say, Ann Taylor, Talbots, and J.Crew, they have lots of pieces that are more relaxed.  While they might not be appropriate for a conservative office, the more relaxed looks from these stores might offer great “bridge” pieces between your old wardrobe and your new one.  If you were really a devotee of a particular store, see if they can connect you with a personal shopper to help integrate your old pieces and your new ones.
• Have fun with your accessories.  Whereas conservative offices generally encourage small, tasteful jewelry (in the best metals, featuring real gemstones), your new office may give you more leeway.  If you’re in a creative office, an easy place to start looking for “creative” necklaces is museum stores — I’ve bought a number of pieces from MomaStore.org over the years, and the quality has always been pretty good for the price.  Once you have a better idea what you like, Etsy stores and local boutiques can be a great way to get interesting jewelry that expresses who you are.
• Similarly, reassess your shoes.  I think a pencil skirt and a pair of classic pumps will always be in style, no matter where you go, but a more casual office may permit you to wear different colors and patterns than you would have worn to a law firm, and you may even find that funkier brands appeal to you (I’m thinking of things like Miz Mooz or Tsubo here, but there are so many!).
• Consider wearing the basics in your wardrobe in new, more relaxed ways.  For example, a button-front shirt may look great worn open and untucked with a camisole beneath it — or you may find that a blazer that has a fun lining looks chic with the sleeves rolled up.  More casual pieces that languished in your closet until a casual Friday — such as a flyaway cardigan — may be just the thing to pair with a structured piece like a sheath dress.

Whenever anyone goes through a style reassessment — which everyone should do from time to time! — I think it’s great to find someone in the public eye, who has your body shape, and whose style you admire.  What pieces work for her?  (If it’s an actress it can be particularly fun to watch her personal style versus her character’s styles, and see how her clothes differ from role to role — but also how they stay the same.)  Keep track of which outfits you really adore, and use those for inspiration.  As I mentioned above, a personal shopper is another way to go, and most department stores offer a shopper’s services free of charge.  (Just make sure you have a good idea of what you already want so you don’t end up purchasing a lot of things that aren’t really part of your new style.)

Readers, what are your tips for transitioning a conservative work wardrobe to a more casual one?