A Gift of Time for Mom
JORD Wooden Watch in Mint
I’ve heard it many times, “There is nothing greater than being a mom.” While I’m not one myself, I’m awed by the fact that every time I hear this, I’m watching the words come out of a somewhat exhausted-looking woman’s mouth. I can tell that underlying those words are hours, days, and years of worry, sleepless nights, and money hard spent. And I can’t find any other way to describe witnessing motherhood as witnessing a life of complete selflessness. While these two words can’t ever truly portray that amount of gratitude I have in my heart, I want to say to my own mom, thank you.
Mother’s Day is around the corner and chances are your mom, or your wife, to this day continues to run around the house, checking off her to-do lists, cleaning up after your family, cooking you dinner, and transporting your kids. Basically, everything you somehow never remember to do, yet she always does. Because Mom always knows the time and when to be where...
I came across a totally unique Mother’s Day gift idea to share with you.
Have you ever seen a wooden watch?
JORD Wooden Watch in Mint
Now when it comes to shopping, I am one who tends to venture off the beaten path. If the rest of the world has it, I don’t want it. So as you can imagine, when I came across such a unique watch I didn’t think twice about getting one.
If you’re shopping for Mom, here is a link to the women’s watches. Or, if you’ve already fallen in love with the glowing mint-faced watch in this post, here is the link to this specific mint-faced watch.
Now that I own one, I can tell you what I love about it:
1. Shipping is free and mine arrived in two days!
2. The packaging makes for the perfect gift.
I opened the packaging to find this beautiful wooden keepsake box. Spend some time looking at this box because you’ll even see it has a little hidden drawer. Perhaps, the perfect place to store your most treasured rings or earrings.
JORD Watch Keepsake Box
3. The wood color on these watches is beautiful and so different than the typical metal watches.
And when you finally get past the packaging, you’ll notice your brand new watch resting on its little JORD pillow.
4. Because it’s wood, it’s lightweight.
Which means there’s no sweat piling up between your skin and the watch.
5. The face color options they have are so springtime and beautiful.
All of the models and colors for women can be found here.
And GUYS, men's models and colors can be found here
BONUS: Best of all, the company, JORD Watches, will engrave the watch for you. Honestly, could this timing be any more perfect for Mother’s Day?
If any moms are reading this, I wish you all a Happy Mother’s Day. Whether your kids are with you or far, know that your time is cherished and you are so greatly loved.
~Kristin
Thinking about a Grad Gift or Father's Day surprise? Follow @suits.and.sneaks on Instagram where I'm giving away $100 for a JORD Watch on 5/21/17!
The Turquoise Series: Bright. Bold. Becoming.
You guys. I'm not even exaggerating when I tell you I wore this outfit to work today and got compliments ALL DAY LONG. They went a little something like this:
1. Nice job on the outfit!
2. You look so bright!
3. Omg, that is so springy and summery!
4. That is a total springtime color, I love it.
5. Omg even your shoes match!
6. I just love that color it makes me smile.
7. Wow I've seen you twice today, I can't believe I've never met you prior!
See what good outfits can do you?? Can we say #makeyoumemorable?? I mean gosh, who wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of such love every day? And while at work!
As such, get ready for an explosion of turquoise on my Instagram feed. In the meantime, get in on the color pop! I put together my some of my favorite turquoise dresses and sneaks for you ladies below! A separate makeup and accessories post will follow. And guys, I have a whole separate post for you hitting suitsandsneaks.com right after this one. Happy shopping!
Suits & Sneaks Turquoise Chuck Taylors
Meet Turquoise Chuck:
My Favorite Turquoise Dresses
Suits & Sneaks: How to Look Polished Casual
So you’re one of the lucky ones who got hired into an office casual workplace. Your brilliant HR department recognizes that productivity, creativity, and innovativeness can be directly correlated with comfort. I mean let’s be real here, how can you think freely when you’re being choked by your necktie or trying to sit still to avoid wrinkles? Ladies, how can you run down the halls cranking out work when you run the risk of tripping over your heels? So much for efficiency.
But now you can breathe a sigh of relief. Those days are behind you. No more ironing or dry cleaning. You get to wake up and throw on whatever the heck you feel like and waltz into work straight up Zuckerburg style. You’re ready to innovate, produce, and speak freely in your white tee and jeans. Your productivity has soared. You feel like a gazelle flying through the Sahara. Nothing is stopping you now. At least nothing YOU seem to notice. But not so fast speed racer.
Let’s face it. Work clothes are annoying. They’re expensive, and they put many of us in a bad mood even before we put them on. But I think we can acknowledge that, when worn correctly, they make a good employee look really good. A serious employee look seriously driven. An all-talk employee look, well, believable. Basically, work clothes make a worker look legit. Put someone like that next to the t-shirt and jeans guy and let the stereotype answer the question for you – Mr. Suit-and-Tie surely has to be the other guy’s boss, right? Not necessarily. But you must realize, perception is everything. And whether you like it or not, a HUGE part of one’s upward movement in a company, no matter the size, industry, or location, is based largely on the element of perception. Perception of your work ethic, your accessibility to others, your willingness to help, and, wait for it, your appearance. And guess which one is recognized by most people first? Ding, ding, ding! First impressions are everything, right? This still holds true in an “office casual” setting, yet this logic often gets thrown out the window with the dry cleaning bag full of no-longer-needed white collar shirts.
So let me introduce you to a concept I like to call, “polished casual.” This is my inspiration, my passion, my main purpose behind creating Suits & Sneaks. You can dress as casually as you want, exactly to your personality, and still look driven, passionate, and promotable. So, some tips:
Rock the Suits and Sneaks look (obviously): I’m not even kidding, blazers are the godsend to the office casual phenomenon. And yes, I know they can get hot, but listen here, if I can sport this attire in Tampa, Florida’s 100 degree, 98% humidity months, then y’all can too. The look here is to be yourself, with an added layer of professionalism (blazer), offset with an added layer of hip (sneaks). Contrary to the full business professional attire, you’ll rock the same fashionable look while appearing as if you didn’t even try. [suddenly singing Beyonce’s “I woke up like this” song…] I can’t even tell you how many times people have stopped me and said, “I love the Chucks,” or, “You’re rockin’ that outfit, nicely done!” So find a few good fitted blazers or jackets, pair with some hip, casual sneakers, then get ready to rock.
Wear the right balance of fit vs. comfort: Obviously fitted clothes will always look better than baggier clothes. But, you can totally mix both! Gentlemen – Wear that comfy t-shirt with an added sport coat on top. Add fitted jeans, and finish off with some spankin’ new casual kicks. I can’t speak for all women, but for those who share my style, gentlemen - you will look HOT (again, that Beyonce song is in my head). Ladies – there are some awesome linen pant styles out now that finish off fitted at the ankles. Tuck a loose fitting shirt into these, add a scarf, pull your hair back, finish off with fashionista sunglasses, and voila! You’re totally comfortable, yet look like you stepped right out of a Pinterest board. Which leads me to my next tip...
Accessorize! Guys and girls both. Guys – you can do this by rocking all different watches, belts, ties, and shoes. Girls – Scarves are the easiest, most manageable, versatile, cost effective accessory you could buy. Check out some of our favorites on our Shop page. Accessories will instantly dress up your I-rolled-out-of-bed-and-threw-on-what-I-had look.
Carry a trendy laptop bag. This is getting easier as more purse-laptop bag hybrid styles are hitting the market. Buy a few different colors so you can swap them out with your outfits then get ready to rock your new arm candy. See some of the styles we picked out on our Shop page.
Look crisp. This is all about ensuring you look polished in your comfy clothes. So give them a good starch and iron before wearing them. Don’t come to work in wrinkly, casual clothes. That is when you look like you don’t care.
And finally, be yourself! Dress to your personality. Make your base truly reflective of you and use some of the above tips to simply polish off your look. Then, go into work feeling fabulous in your body, because your outer shell better reflects the inner you. And to have a feeling as fabulous as that during your 9 to 5 workday is truly rewarding.
So you get the concept but need some inspiration ideas? You came to the right site my friends, because this is what I love to do. Follow Suits & Sneaks on social media and check out new outfit inspirations weekly! Want to contribute your inspirations to Suits & Sneaks? Go ahead and tag us on social media or submit your best kicks here.
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The Most Flattering Piece of Clothing You Should Wear Today
While the name “Suits and Sneaks” speaks for itself, I wanted to take a quick moment and share with you why the “Suits” part is so key to your polished causal wardrobe. Guys and girls, read on for the top four things simply wearing a jacket can do for you.
1. You can wear whatever style you want underneath.
Photo credit: http://mensfashionworld.tumblr.com
I love when I see professional on the outside and then something so stylish, trendy, or heck, even downright funny underneath it. It shows the world that you can be professional and have a totally kick-ass personality shining through at the same time.
2. It shapes you where it counts.
Ladies, the blazer tucks you in on both the waist and chest lines so you can walk into work with clean edges. Guys, if you’re looking for size, the jacket gives you the broad shoulders and chest you’ve been working towards (with no extra reps needed). And just as the ladies benefit, it also polishes off your waist line by hiding that little bit of extra you might be carrying.
3. It hides wrinkly or sloppy shirts.
Photo credit: stylemeblue.wordpress.com
Even if your shirts are perfectly pressed in the morning, they’re going to soften up and wrinkle as the day goes on. The jacket however, being the heavier material it is, will stand strong for you, keeping you crisp looking and sharp for the entire day.
4. It shows you care.
Throwing a nice, fitted jacket on top of your outfit is the easiest way to one-up your level of professionalism without actually having to do any extra work. It gives you an added layer of clout, of stature, and it simply polishes you off.
Suits & Sneaks' Kristin Leigh
So hold up your jacket my friends, give it a great big smile and say, “Jacket, you complete me.” Because that’s exactly the look it’s giving you, one of polished completion. Be sure to check out some of my favorite styles I picked out below. And of course, follow @suits.and.sneaks on Instagram for your dose of daily Suits & Sneaks fashion posts.
Jackets for the Gals:
Jackets for the Guys:
Sending You Chooka & Cheer
Suits & Sneaks recognizes that sometimes the weather could be a little better, and when moments like that strike, one must save the sneaker from the elements and don the next best thing: The Chooka Boot.
To start, the brand name itself is just adorable. But you really haven't seen adorable yet until you've browsed through their collection. It's large, and it's versatile. So we took it upon ourselves to pick out our favorites and share them with you here.
For the Trendsetter Who Screams "Look at My Baby Blues" :
For the Timeless Designer Who Loves a Gray Slate:
For the Plaid Lover:
The Horse Rider:
And For the Love of Dots & Designs:
These are the easiest gifts for any girl on your list. May you send her Chooka & Cheer!
~Kristin, Suits & Sneaks
Orange & Gray: How Cole Haan Kicked Us Into a Color Obsession
Ode to Cole Haan and their attention to detail. Who would've thought the little orange tag affixed to their Grand Ox lace-up shoe would send Suits & Sneaks into a serious color obsession?
Not that Kristin's downtown condo wasn't already decked out in orange and gray...
...But let's just say this got her really excited.
For starters, this lace-up shoe is so versatile, it can be worn just about anywhere. To work, to shop, to school, to teach school, to fun gatherings, to...ok you get the point. To anywhere. Second, it is SO light and so comfortable. We dare you to just stop what you're doing and see how high you can jump in them. And third, the orange accent makes it so fun to pair with other pieces. And you can do so in such a way it looks like you didn't even try. Actually, you don't even have to try, it's as simple as this picture below.
We pulled some of our favorite gray and orange accessories and included here. The shoes are marked down from $150 and the scarves are, well, just flipping adorable.
Way more to come with this color scheme and shoe so be sure to like Suits & Sneaks on Facebook and follow us on Instagram!
Suits & Sneaks Goes Two Ways With the H&M Slit Skirt
This just might be one of our favorite fashion features yet. This slit skirt can be glammed up or dressed down, and both with you in your sneaks!
Classy Elegant:
We absolutely love the color of this H&M button-down blouse tucked into their navy blue slit skirt. Both fabrics are super light, super chic, and super comfy. Crank the glam factor up a notch with this pink and gold studded clutch held in your fancy Lagos-blinged hand. Want a true kicker? Grab these pink and navy Pumas for a match made in heaven.
Classy Casual:
Winter is around the corner and we're just going to say it - the only things missing from this look are snowflakes. Here is a classy casual, comfortable, yet oh-so-adorable everyday take on this H&M skirt. We were fortunate enough to snag this simple, light-blue fitted tee for just $5 during an H&M sale, and we found the deal of a lifetime with this beautiful H&M scarf. Which kick did we pick to finish it off? Our vote goes to Toms for total comfort.
Shop similar styles below!
Suits & Sneaks Outfit Calculation: The Monday Morning Meeting
Your alarm is blaring. You don't want to move. Yet, you can't hit snooze to fall back asleep because the anxiety of your morning meetings is taking over your head. Yippee, it's Monday! And the last thing you want to do is starch, iron, and put on heels. Here, we've calculated a non-iron, super comfortable, no-heel, yet chic, professional look to get you through your day.
Step 1: The blazer.
Suits and Sneaks Blazer
Go to your gray, fitted blazer and wear it over a chic, pretty, non-iron, high-neck, lace shirt. Got professional appeal? Check.
Step 2: Dark skinnies. Gray oxfords.
Suits and Sneaks Polished Casual Outfit
Dark, fitted jeans and these Cole Haan Oxfords make it easy to get dressed. Got comfort? Check.
Step 3: Glam up.
Suits and Sneaks Polished Casual Accessories
Gosh we love this part. Add a little bling for that final touch. Got the Polished Casual look? Check.
Now go make it a great day!
Suits & Sneaks: Be Comfortable. Look Polished.
Good morning, it's Monday! Chances are you enjoyed a few too many football games over the weekend and haven't quite rehydrated yet. And on that note, we bet the LAST thing you feel like doing is sitting at your desk in an uncomfortable, starched button down. Or tight-waist pants. Or cute but painfully, unbearable heels. Don't worry, we get it, and we got your back. So, here are two simple outfit ideas to get you guys and gals through your Monday. Enjoy!
Suits & Sneaks Girls Polished Casual Monday Outfit
Suits & Sneaks Guy: Feel Comfortable. Look Polished.
Suits & Sneaks: We Are Live!
Hello friends and welcome to Suits & Sneaks! Here, we're all about being modern, casual, and straight up simple in an otherwise complex working world. So here are four things to know about our site so you get the best experience:
- First, be sure to check out our About page to learn how we were founded.
- Next, subscribe to our blog where each week we'll post an article on career-related advice and an article on polished casual fashion.
- Third, make sure you follow us on social media so you can be in touch with the entire Suits & Sneaks community!
- Enjoy our site! Leave comments, share with your friends, AND send us what you got! Love to write? Have some killer outfits? Submit them on our Contact page and we just might be featuring you!
Doin' it for kicks,
Kristin Leigh, Suits & Sneaks Founder
SUITS & SNEAKS SHOPPER ALERT: Keep the Look of Nautical Summers Alive
Shop This Look
The Season for Red, White, and Blue
Never Ends.
It is seriously impossible for us to get tired of the red, white, and blue combo no matter what season it is! So prepare yourself to see more patriotic happiness from Suits & Sneaks throughout these upcoming fall and winter months. There's just something about this combo that no matter when you wear it, you instantly look clean, fun, preppy, and put-together. And what better Sneak to get you there than Sperry's Top-Sider Pier View? With the totally unique lace style of these shoes - be prepared to get a ton of compliments. Grab them now and don't forget to show us your kicks.
Anchors away!