I’m usually a little bit lazy on casual Fridays. Recently it’s been jeans, a plain tee, and a cardigan because my office gets freezing. But when Sarah and I decided to do jazz in the garden, I felt like jazzing up my casual day look a bit. See what I did there?
I fell in love with the Steve Madden Cliff Sneakers at the Clarksburg Outlets on my last trip, but I couldn’t justify another pair of crazy kicks. HOW.EV.ER. These ended up being essentially free because I used my notes from the #NSALE. They have a bit of a wedge so my legs look nice and long, plus the bright colors (described on Nordstrom as “A riot of color, pattern and texture”) make them so fun to wear.
They’re also truly great to walk in. We walked from Jazz in the garden to Sarah’s wedding venue so she could show me, then to Shaw so she could meet up with her fiancé, then I continued onto Logan Circle to meet Kendall at his office. For the non-DCer or the directionally challenged, that’s about 3 miles. (I looked it up.)
Because I did, you know, still have to go to work, I figured the rest of my outfit should be a little tamer than my attention-grabbing sneakers. Hi, super soft black t-shirt dress. I couldn’t resist one more pop of color with the statement necklace though. I have no idea where it’s from, Dani have it to be in a shoe box of other jewelry she thought I’d appreciate.
Jazz in the Garden was so nice- a really great way to spend a Friday afternoon that wasn’t at a bar, you know? Sarah brought a big blanket scarf and we split a pitcher of sangria while we caught up. Between her planning a wedding and both of us having kind of a crazy time at work, it was a just the best way to unwind. We couldn’t really see the musicians from our shady spot, but we could definitely hear them.
I just really quickly have to shine the spotlight on my backpack. A backpack for work is kind of like a Goldilocks situation- it’s hard to get just right. It had to look somewhat elegant but be big enough for me to actually fit what I need in it. Finally, after years of searching, I got it. Although I would have preferred leather, the solid black waterproof canvas and gold hardware make it a handsome choice for work. My last backpack was simply too small. It kind of fit my laptop, but not much else.
This sucker accommodates (this is what’s currently in there) my laptop, a notebook, my planner, glasses, wallet, a random assortment of thank you notes, a full-sized bottle of perfume, several lip-glosses, a hairbrush, an umbrella, half a pound of coffee from Peet’s I picked up on my way to work, my lunch, and my travel coffee mug. I can also fit in gym clothes. And my camera. It’s also under $35. You’re welcome.
Outfit Details
Jersey-Knit Swing Dress for Women||Laptop Backpack||Similar Statement Necklace||Steve Madden Cliff Sneaker
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