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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Techonology Tip: Organize Your Email by Color

Professionelle has a new address!  Please visit www.professionelleblog.com for this post and much more!

I hate being on working group email lists because I end up getting a million emails that do not concern me and consequently miss the emails that do concern me. I learned a neat trick that allows you to color code emails in Outlook that are sent directly to you. Emails sent directly to you will show up in blue (or red or whatever color you pick) so that it is visually distinct from all of the other emails you receive. Here's how you set it up:

Click on "tools" then "organize." Select "using colors." The second bullet point should be an option to "show messages only to me in . . . ." Select the color you want and the hit "turn on" button.

You need to do this for each folder you have individually. For example, if all of your mail regarding Project XYZ gets automatically filtered to a certain folder, you will need to do this for that particular folder.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Deal Brief: Copy Cat Chic

Professionelle has a new address!  Please visit www.professionelleblog.com for this post and much more!

I recently discovered Copy Cat Chic blog. Reichel B., the author, finds inexpensive alternatives to chic, but pricey, home decor items. The concept is nothing new, but I'm utterly amazed at the deals she's been able to find. Her readers help her scour the web for deals, sometimes finding the same exact item at 1/10th of the price. If you're thinking about buying a new piece of furniture or accessory for your home, be sure to check out Copy Cat Chic before putting down your credit card.

Here's just one example post, for more visit Copy Cat Chic!

Twiggy Floor Lamp

>> Wednesday, December 1, 2010


The perfect way to add a splash of color to your room: The iconic Twiggy Floor Lamp. So simple, so gorgeous and sooo expensive! ;)

via

Hive Modern's Twiggy Floor Lamp in Red = $2,338
CB2's Lantern Arc Floor Lamp = $199


Thursday, December 16, 2010

Kansas City Kate

Professionelle has a new address!  Please visit www.professionelleblog.com for this post and much more!

It used to be that Kate Spade handbags depressed me. They were black, boxy and horribly expensive considering they were made from nylon. Now, the Kate Spade brand has the exact opposite effect. I love her feminine details and bright colors. Looking at the Kate Spade window display on 5th Avenue always brings a smile to my face.

She also happens to be from Kansas City (the about page on her website describes how her upbringing in KC influenced her aesthetic), which is where I will be going next week to spend the holidays with my boyfriend's family. So, I thought this was the perfect time to feature some of the things I love from Kate Spade. Enjoy and happy holidays!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Theory Winter Roundup

Professionelle has a new address!  Please visit www.professionelleblog.com for this post and much more!
 
Just in time for Christmas, the Theory website is full of amazing pieces to get you through a winter work week.


Riva Sweater Jacket (355.00)


Abree E Dress (695.00)


Betty Dress (285.00)


Lentora's Blazer (425.00)


Ellery Coat (645.00)

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Typography for Lawyers


Professionelle has a new address!  Please visit www.professionelleblog.com for this post and much more!


The first time a senior associate asked me to change "straight quotes" to "curly quotes" I thought he was crazy. But, apparently there is good scientific reasoning behind his request (along with putting only one space behind periods and using bold or italics but not both). Typography for Lawyers was written by Mathew Butterick, a former graphic designer and typographer turned lawyer. It's filled with handy tips on how to make any document, particularly legal documents, more effective from a visual perspective. This is not to say that I advocate torturing junior associates with typography changes at 4am on a Friday night, but the advice is sound and the tips are interesting.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Boutiques.com

Professionelle has a new address!  Please visit www.professionelleblog.com for this post and much more!
 
Fashion meets Facebook meets Twitter meets...Google? Google's new website, Boutiques.com, combines social media, blogging and shopping. For more information, see this article by the New York Times.

After taking it for a short test drive, I can say that I am completely addicted. The website allows users to create their own "boutique" where they can shop for and share the items they love (kinda like a Facebook profile). Google has also convinced celebrities and fashion bloggers to help with the launch of the site by creating their own boutiques for the public to peruse. Want to see what Olivia Palermo is buying? Simply go to her boutique. You can even "follow" her (exactly like Twitter).

What I really love about the website is that Google has teamed up with Like.com. As previously featured on Professionelle, Like.com technology shows shoppers items similar to the one you're interested in. It worked decently well before, but trying to find say, a black bag with gold hardware, was sometimes difficult. Like.com would show you plenty of black bags approximately the same shape as the one you're looking for, but it didn't always pick up on the details. This time around, the "similar products" feature on Boutiques.com does a much better job. So, if you found the perfect brown riding boots, but they happen to be $700, you can look for a similar product for less on Boutiques.com.

Let me know what you think, and start following Professionelle at Boutiques.com!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

New Job, New Clothes

Professionelle has a new address!  Please visit www.professionelleblog.com for this post and much more!

I start my first “adult” job tomorrow, as a law firm associate. How have I prepared? I went shopping. It sounds silly; I know. But given that so much about this new job seems uncertain—What kind of work will I be doing? Will I like it? Will liking the work be enough to sustain me for many long hours?—the only preparatory thing that seemed certainly helpful was to buy work-appropriate clothing and accessories. While I don’t know how I will take to my new job (or how it will take to me), I do know that it will require a new suit, comfortable pumps, a sensible handbag, and many pairs of stockings. So that’s what I bought. Specifically:

- A sensible pinstripe pants suit from J. Crew: http://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/suiting/super120spinstripe.jsp;

- A black velvet blazer to pair with a black skirt or a pair of black pants I already own to form a make-shift suit (my new employer is business formal!). It’s Ralph Lauren from a consignment store, so I can’t link to it;

- Two pairs of sensible Cole Haan pumps, one black, one brown, http://www.colehaan.com/colehaan/catalog/product.jsp?catId=100&productId=357012&productGroup=356997&pwpHash=shop,pwp,c-100/f-10001+70016+4294966411/t-WOMEN%27SHEELS;

- Two pairs of shoes in which to walk to work: riding boots, http://www1.bloomingdales.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=485979&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results, and patent leather low-heeled pumps (I need a little heel to wear with pantsuits so that they don’t drag on the ground), http://www1.bloomingdales.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=490099&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results (these are the suede version);

- A black nylon Longchamp bag that can hold a laptop and files when necessary and that is courtroom appropriate, http://www1.bloomingdales.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=482894&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results;

- And as mentioned, many pairs of Hanes Silk Reflections stockings.

I am curious; have other professionelles had this experience, where shopping seems to be the only clear way to prepare for a job? And what new-job purchases have you made?

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Fashionable Scrubs

Professionelle has a new address!  Please visit www.professionelleblog.com for this post and much more!
 
My friend Nikki loves fashion, but as a pediatric oncology nurse, her wardrobe options for work are severely limited. I'm sure many other Professionelles are in the same position so I thought I'd do a little digging into fashionable scrubs. I didn't have high hopes, but much to my surprise, I found some very chic (or at least adorable) scrub options.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Lonny Magazine

Professionelle has a new address!  Please visit www.professionelleblog.com for this post and much more!
 
Sorry for the long absence! I've been working...and working...and working. Despite that, I managed to find some time to do a bit of apartment hunting and have finally found my dream apartment. I will be moving next month (provided I pass the coop board process...but that's a post for another day). The upcoming move has reignited my interest in home decor. Christina, my partner in crime at work, came across this web-a-zine devoted to bringing accessible design to the masses. Lonnymag.com came in the wake of the recession which put many home decor magazines out of business. It has dozens of click-able pages of furniture, art and other design ideas and products. If you see something you like, you can click on the image and it will link you directly to a site where you can purchase the product. No more trying to match the tiny numbers next to pictures with the product descriptions. Clicking through the items is half the fun because it introduces you to other awesome websites such as Poketo!. I also appreciate that unlike most conventional magazines, Lonnymag.com features Esty.com items.

Below are a few items I discovered in this month's issue of Lonnymag.com:

Monday, April 5, 2010

Shoes for the Commute

Professionelle has a new address!  Please visit www.professionelleblog.com for this post and much more!
 
I wear heels almost every day of the week, regardless of whether I have somewhere special to go. But for some reason, the thought of wearing heels during my commute to work is unbearable. So, like many of you, I wear my Uggs to work in the winter and flip flops to work in the summer. The space beneath my desk looks like a shoe store after a very busy sale with mismatched heels covering almost every inch of floor space. I always feel a bit awkward walking into work with my professional outfit and casual shoes. Spring brought an added layer of complexity to this shoe dilemma since it became too warm to wear boots and not yet warm enough to bust out the flip flops. So this week, I vowed to search for professional yet comfortable flats that would be perfect for the morning commute. Here's what I came up with:

I love how these shoes come with a travel case. This way, you can stash your shoes in your purse without worrying about getting your bag dirty.


Bloch makes actual ballet flats for real dancers as well as pretend ballet flats like the ones below for us regular people. Theses shoes are supposedly incredibly comfortable, but every review I've read recommended ordering a size up.


I bought a pair of Crocs when I went kayaking in the Boundary Waters a few years ago and they were about as comfortable as they were ugly. Now Crocs come in a more stylish package which makes them at least as work appropriate as flip flops.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Faabric: Wish Lists Compiled

Professionelle has a new address!  Please visit www.professionelleblog.com for this post and much more!
 
We've all found something online that we love but for some reason can't immediately purchase. So we put it in our cart intending to come back in a few days (or perhaps when our next paycheck clears) to buy it. But what if you can't remember where you saw the item? Faabric.com solves this problem by allowing you to put all of the items you want on one customizable page. It requires you to create an account and set up a bookmark. Once you've done that, simply click on the bookmark when you're looking at the item you want to buy. The process is still a bit complicated for my taste, but it could become a useful tool if you find yourself constantly forgetting where you found item you just can't live without.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Deal Brief: Theory Company Store




Professionelle has a new address!  Please visit www.professionelleblog.com for this post and much more! 

Sorry Christina and Michelle, but I had to come back to blogging with a bang. Attention all Theory lovers, located on the second floor of an otherwise normal looking office building in Flatiron is the mother of all hidden discount finds: the Theory Company Store. It's open 6 days a week and everything is always, I repeat, always 30% off. There's no gimmick and no coupon required. Plus, all of the merchandise is current (3 weeks behind, but this season) AND they carry everything in a variety of sizes.

139 Fifth Avenue,
2nd floor

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 10am-7pm
Thursday: 10am-8pm
Saturday: 12pm-5pm

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Perfect Nude Pump

Professionelle has a new address!  Please visit www.professionelleblog.com for this post and much more!
 
I've been searching for nude, patent leather, pointy-toed pumps for months. The color and shape can supposedly create a visual illusion to elongate and slim your legs - very important for someone my height (and an added plus for everyone else).

Finding the perfect shade of nude was a bit more difficult than I anticipated, not to mention it's nearly impossible to find a pair of classically shaped pumps, without any bells and whistles, for under $500. Yesterday, I finally found them and they were perfect when they arrived at my desk this afternoon (hooray for free overnight shipping at endless.com!).