It seems like it’s interview season, doesn’t it? I’ve got one coming up down south. The company’s vibe is professional and put together + also fashionable and fun. I don’t want to wear my full suit because I’m afraid it might be too much and I know I would be sweltering. My plan is to wear the skirt {navy, high waist pencil, nubbly material}, my white Jackie cardigan, a silk-ish blouse, and cute shoes.

{Click to enlarge!}

I’m eying two J. Crew blouses at the moment – the solid silk garland cami {shown above in white sand} and the silk georgette pleated tank {I would order it in light pewter}. The garland cami is $60 and the pleated tank is $40. So my questions for you, dear readers, are as follows:

No. 1) Which top do you like better?
No. 2) If you like the garland cami better, which color should I order it in – white sand or light pewter?
No. 3) Can you help me find some cute shoes that work with this palette? Because CLEARLY these Augusta peep toes are not in my budget {even at 30% off}. And something tells me peep toes are a little too casual for an interview, anyway. Even though I would love them for the rest of my days.

Thank you thank you!

…bag. Ohhhhh, it’s lovely. The leather looks so soft and buttery, doesn’t it? This baby’s sold out but the shop is offering it in a few different colors right now. Handmade in the Netherlands. Check it out here.

All together now: sighhhhhh.

So way back when, at the start of this series, I promised to put together a sophisticated, classic look on a budget. This week, “budget” became the operating factor. To find accessories to complement my dress, I did a whole lot of shopping in my closet {something I highly recommend!}, with a little bargain-store hunting thrown in for good measure. Here’s what I found.

On the left, you’ll find my perfume of choice: Lovely by SJP. As you can see, I haven’t used very much, as I try to save it for special occasions {such as a fancy mansion black-tie ball}.

On the right, we have my sparkly silver dancing shoes. They’re comfortable, they’re already broken in, and they make it so that my dress doesn’t need to be hemmed. Done and done. I bought them a few seasons ago at Macy’s, so I doubt they’re still being sold, but as you can see the brand is Rampage.

If you know me, you know I have a slight bag addiction. I’m not even sure what I bought this clutch for originally, but it’s cute and it fits the color scheme.

I know I told you I was buying one of three pairs of earrings from White Aisle, but by the time I remembered I would actually need to place an order if I was ever going to receive them in time to wear, I would have had to use expedited shipping. Budget, remember? So it was off to Kohl’s for me, where I picked up these two shiny pairs for about $15 each {no shipping necessary!}. I’m going to try both of them on once I get my hair done before I make a decision on which one’s the keeper.

Possibly my favorite accessory is hiding in the middle of this last photo: red polish for my toes! I read somewhere once Jackie O said you should always have pale pink polish on your fingernails and red polish on your toenails. I think I agree. The NYC shade shown here is my go-to color {I think it’s 211A?}.

Stay tuned for next week’s post, where I’ll reveal how all this inspiration came together!

Previously:
The Location
The Dress
The Hair
The Jewelry
The Face

For someone who loves the fancy, I am not much of a makeup girl. My typical morning routine consists of lip balm and a dab of foundation here and there… and that’s it. On special occasions, I upgrade to a more full-coverage foundation, a bit of bronzer on my cheeks, gold cream shadow on my lids, dark brown liner on my bottom lids, a swipe of mascara on the top lashes, and lip balm. I do not profess to know much at all about makeup, and since I’m doing my own for Rosecliff, I want to keep it simple. In the name of streamlining, I’ve only got one inspiration photo for you today:

{via perfect bound}

Gorgeous! I’ve got a ways to go before I can claim Natalie’s flawless skin, but the rest of the look is pretty doable, don’t you think?

Now again {with the limited makeup knowledge}, I’m not entirely sure what’s going on here to achieve this lovely look, but after some study I think if I add a little pink to the apples of my cheeks, a little smoky gray smudge on my lids + liner on both the top and bottom, and some sort of light pink lipstick/gloss to my usual {fancy} routine, I should be good to go, right?

Now here’s where you come in, dear readers: I want to know your favorite sources for pink blush and moisturizing, un-sticky lipstick {colors you love would help, too!}. I’ll also take any tips on the smoky eye application you’re willing to dish up. As I’m sure you can tell, I need all the help I can get!

Previously:
The Location
The Dress
The Hair
The Jewelry