Would you wear it to work? A denim dress

Would you wear a denim skirt to work?
	Yes - a nice alternative to jeans day Friday
	No - Kindergarten was traumatic enough the first time around

The "business fashionable" guide to Aurora Premium Oulets

Whenever I have a brilliant idea (practically daily, really) someone beats me to the punch. I feel like had I been in the right place at the right time, I could’ve single-handedly invented figure skates, the Polaroid camera and wallets. And last night as I rounded the final corner on my walk home from work, I thought, “I’m going to blog about the outlets in Aurora!” By God, what was waiting in my mailbox but the latest issue of TimeOut, which reviewed the outlets in Aurora.” Story of my life.

Well, their article (which I admit was well-written, if not one week too early) was a comprehensive review of the 2-year-old shopping mecca west of downtown Chicago. I’m here to give you the lowdown on where to score great finds for the office on a budget. (In journalism we call this finding another angle. Work with me here.)

Before you even think about going to the Chicago Premium outlets, head over to the website to register for their VIP shopper club, which entitles you to a free coupon book when you arrive onsite. Discounts range from 10 percent to gifts with purchase. The site also offers printable coupons, and face it, if you’re shopping the outlets like me you’re cheap to begin with.

The must-see’s for 9-to-5 attire:

• Bennetton (men and women): You can’t afford to miss this small but stacked-to-the-rafters outlet with bargain basement prices on suits, sweaters and jeans.
• Theory (women only): The words “Theory on sale” have been known to cause perfectly rationale women to do unwise things, like trample small children or pets. The outlet offers a medium-sized selection of suit separates, tops and outerwear, but be sure to hit the sale section in the back half. Sizes can be limited, so be prepared for some possible disappointment when that yellow and gray plaid blazer is only available in size 2. I still haven’t moved on.
• Banana Republic (men and women): You probably didn’t need me to tell you to visit the Banana outlet – it calls like a beacon in the night. The place is always packed, with fitting room lines stretching like the truth on MySpace. But deals on blouses, trench coats and dress pants abound, so it’s worth the bedlam.
• BCBG (women only): Another outlet mall staple, this particular BCBG location is large and filled with great business and eveningwear finds. Navigate the stunning dress section for markdowns on jersey wrap dresses and some of the best fitting pants north of the equator.

What to see if you have time:

• Elie Tahari (women only): For those of you familiar only with Tahari suits, the famous designer makes another, decidedly-upmarket line called Elie Tahari (his name.) Instead of run-of-the-mill suits, Elie Tahari features $500 embroidered mandarin collar jackets and $300 chiffon skirts. Without fail, this is one of my all-time favorite brands, but I don’t even consider it at full price. The outlet is hardly a bargain – typically prices are reduced by $100 – but the marked-down sections offer some reasonable deals on truly gorgeous clothes.
• Brooks Brothers (men and women): I don’t particularly crave Brooks Brothers – I find it too lawyerly for the world of PR professionals – but my friends (many of them lawyers) swear by it for conservative, well-made work clothing.
• Ann Taylor (women only): Every sizable outlet center in America has an Ann Taylor. While I think their wares are somewhat blas�, they are the epitome of professional, and they offer great coupons in the VIP book.
• Kenneth Cole (men and women): This is one of the better Kenneth Cole outlets, since many feature only accessories. You’ll find superb leather jackets, dresses and shoes as far as the eye can see.
• J. Crew (men and women): Another venerable king of the outlets, the J Crew store stocks cable knit cardigans, floral dresses and khakis at heavily discounted prices. Check out the coupon booklet for additional savings.

Click here for a complete listing of stores.

Define "sweet prices"

The only time I ever read fashion mags is while I'm toiling away at the gym. This is probably not wise, as occasionally I read something so shocking I nearly fall off the elliptical and injure innocent bystanders. Such was the case with the April 2007 issue of Glamour, which on page 142 describes "sweet clothes (at) sweet prices." (You can also watch a video of the clothes here.) The outfit showcases a look of cute, reasonably affordable pieces paired with a $310 Rebecca Taylor skirt. Granted, the skirt is yellow, embroidered and lovely, but yikes! Who actually spends $310 on a skirt? People in my socioeconomic circle can find half-priced deals on Rebecca Taylor at Nordstrom Rack, occasionally Filene's Basement, and especially on the Bloomingdales clearance rack.

Would you wear it to work? Cobalt shoes

A recent issue of Lucky Magazine tells us that cobalt blue is the hot new color for spring. Well, Lucky, you and I both know you said the same thing last spring and that trend never materialized. It would be a bold color statement this year if you’re right. Check out these Rocket Dog pumps:

Would you wear bright cobalt pumps to the office?
	Yes. I hate boring shoes.
	No. Blue's not my thing.

Great finds your grandmother would love

Anthropologie, that older, more sophisticated sister to teenage brother Urban Outfitters, is THE place for quirkly, memorable sweaters. By quirky and memorable I mean bordering on costume apparel. The last time I was in there, I do believe I spotted the very same patchwork appliquéd cardigan I wore in my 11th grade production of The Man Who Came to Dinner. I knew someone was lifting from the ladies' dressing room.

Jest aside, I really do like Anthropologie’s unusual knitted offerings. But I’m a steadfast tightwad, and most of the shop’s beaded, embroidered, ribboned goods cost upwards of $100. As a newly minted homeowner, I’ve got pesky things like mortgages, assessments and TiVo bills to worry about. The good news: Anthropologie.com is clearing out its assortment of winter sweaters, which is how I snagged this equestrian-inspired “Prized” cardigan for $34.95.



The best part is I feel like I've won something when I wear it.

Denim on the top: The new look for work

When I was suffering through the cutthroat hell of middle school, I remember once wearing jeans with a denim jacket. The jeans were classic early ‘90’s stonewash, the jacket a chambray blue and the entire outfit ripe for ridicule. My cruel schoolmates did not disappoint: One particularly articulate schoolgirl on the bus observed that I “looked like an escaped prisoner.” To this day I haven’t again worn denim on both the top and bottom, which lands solidly in the fashion don’t column.

That said, last year I noticed many of the PR girls at my firm wearing medium-to-dark denim jackets not as outerwear, but paired with black suit pants/tailored trousers and heels as business casual. The look, especially in a dark indigo wash, is appropriate even outside Jeans Days. The trend is still strong for spring – or, at least it was until God unleashed Winter: The Sequel on Chicago last week.

To keep the ensemble professional and not trucker-life, choose a jacket that’s slim cut (not boxy) and in a softer (not stiff) fabric. You could spend $198 on a swank denim jacket, but why when Old Navy offers this one for under $30 and Levi’s has this one for $54?

Express introduces premium denim

I never really got premium denim. It is a psychological flaw that I can’t see shelling out upwards of $130 for cotton pants that require frequent washing and spend their life plastered to your rear. True, the multiple pairs of Salt Works and Sevens in my closet may beg to differ, but then again I excavated them from the (literal) clearance cellar at Marshalls for a fraction of MSRP.

Regardless of what I think, however, premium denim graces a whole lot of derrieres, and now Express is jumping into the already oversaturated market with its Express Premium Denim collection.

Priced at $98 and graced with a fleur-de-lis back pocket design, Express’s most expensive jeans come in bootcut, flare and wide-leg. I had to check out this new line, mostly in amazement that the Home of the Original Tube Top is making nearly triple-digit-priced jeans.

How are they? Excellent, if you can handle the price. Unlike Express’s original (lower-priced) jeans, these are soft, cut to streamlined, thigh-skimming perfection and finished with the level of detailing and wash you’d expect from a pair in the premium market (defined loosely at denim selling for upwards of $70.) The feel of the denim is similar to Paige (which, incidentally, just dropped its price points.) The trouser style would make these more than appropriate for Jeans Fridays - many Fridays to make it a worthwhile investment.

Bangle-lore: A cheap route to fashionable wrists

Bangles, those simplest of bracelets that vaguely resemble shackles, are one trend that has withstood the test of time. A pile of them around a wrist instantly spices up an otherwise drab work or evening outfit (though multiple bracelets tend to get in the way of pesky office activities such as typing.)

The look is still strong this spring, and though you can find bangles of all materials and price points, my current favorite are these plastic ones from H&M. At $5.90 for a set of nine, you can’t beat the price. Another plus: They come in varying sizes, including the rare XS for thin-wristed people like myself whose regular bracelets usually end up on the floor or elbow.

Crocs breaks the mold

Check the thermostat in Hell: Crocs have succeeded in making a shoe that is not ugly. Introducing the Prima ballet flat: A waterproof, breathable rubber-like slipper that might just be my next pair of commuter shoes. (My former pair of banana yellow Diesel sneakers met their end in an airport trash can after a year of exceptionally hard wear.) With an MSRP of just $25, these shoes would be great for the trip into the office (and to North Avenue beach afterwards.) They come in a variety of spring pastels, but my personal favorites are the lime and deep fuchsia.

I have a feeling these are selling very, very quickly, as no one in Chicago seems to carry them. (Uncle Dan’s on Lincoln said “everyone keeps calling about them.”) Buy them online at Croc's website, eBay or Google the web for other virtual retailers.